Chiefs fill needs in draft
Overall, the Spokane Chiefs walked away from the Bantam Draft day feeling excited and optimistic and, just as expected, the top priority was to pick up some strong forwards in hopes of replenishing depleted scoring power.
The Western Hockey League draft, held Thursday in Calgary, Alberta, gave teams the opportunity to pick future talent from players born in 1992. The 15-year-olds are eligible for just five games next season.
The Chiefs had the 12th overall pick in the first round. They chose forwards in the first and second rounds, selecting 6-foot-1 left winger Michael Betz in the first round and right-winger Blake Gal in the second round.
“The players we drafted are a great combination of skill and size,” Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said. “Our first and second picks are forwards we feel can be top-line players in the WHL and hopefully NHL prospects.”
Betz, from Summerland, British Columbia, played last season with the Kelowna Jr. Rockets Bantam AAA Club where he scored 36 goals and recorded 25 assists for 61 points in 31 games.
Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Moulton said the team expects Betz will be an impact player for the Chiefs down the line.
“Michael is a big kid who shoots the puck like a pro,” Moulton said. “We felt he had the best shot in the draft. He’ll shoot it off the power play and off the wing. He’s a big kid who’s going to create a lot of room for himself.”
Gal, the Chiefs’ second-round pick, played 32 games last season for the bantam AAA team in Lethbridge in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. He scored 15 goals and finished the season with 51 points.
“Blake’s biggest attribute is that he plays a physical game, which is saying something because he is an explosive skater,” Moulton said.
The Chiefs picked up three defenseman in the third and fourth rounds – Brenden Kichton (Spruce Grove, Alberta), Landon Oslanski (Cambrose, Alberta), and Luke Madill (Red Deer, Alberta) – and goaltender Chase Martin (Medicine Hat, Alberta) in the fifth round. They took two forwards in the sixth round, T.C. Cratsenberg (Seattle) and Anthony Bardaro (Delta, British Columbia) and Edmonton native Briemen Snell in the eighth round.
Defenseman Ian Young (Missouri City, Texas) was the Chiefs’ ninth-round choice and three 10th-round picks ended the day for Spokane. The final three picks were: forward Ryan Krawchuk (Edmonton), defenseman Mitchell Boy (Balmoral, Manitoba) and Tyler Swerdylaik (Grande Pointe, Manitoba).
“It was a long day, but even in the 10th round we were excited about the guys that were still on the board,” Moulton said. “Overall, we were very excited about the day.”
The Portland Winter Hawks, who had the top overall pick in the draft, made a last-minute trade with Moose Jaw, allowing the Warriors to select left wing forward Quinton Howden as the No. 1 overall draft pick. The Warriors also received the Hawks’ third-round choice. In return, Portland got the Warriors’ first-round pick (fifth overall), their second-round pick (28th overall), their fifth-round choice, and right-wing prospect Michael Burns.
Portland also traded Rob Klinkhammer to Brandon for the Wheat Kings’ second-round pick, 39th overall, giving the Hawks four choices in the first 39 players drafted.
Portland had been expected to pick center Luke Moffatt (Scottsdale, Ariz.) first. Moffatt was instead the second overall selection and is on the protected player list for Kelowna.