Western Hockey League Selects 7 Arizona Players

Seven Arizona Hockey Players Selected at the 2014 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft —

The 2014 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft was held on Thursday, May 1 in Calgary, Alberta with seven players that played Bantam AAA in the valley being selected.

Calgary Hosts the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft

About the WHL Bantam Draft

The WHL Bantam Draft is held every year in Calgary, AB which is also the home of the WHL Head Office.  The WHL Bantam Draft is held each year in late April or early May, at which time WHL Clubs select players who have graduated from the Bantam age (14 year olds) category.  The Draft is conducted the same way the NHL does there yearly draft but with far less fanfare.  The draft order is determined by where a WHL Club finishes in the WHL Regular Season standings.  The Clubs that miss the playoffs are placed into a lottery to determine the selection order for the first round only.  After the first round, the Clubs select in order from the fewest to most regular season points.

Understanding The Draft And The 50 Man Player Protected List

The WHL Bantam Draft may be the first opportunity for teams to select  Bantam age players but it is not the last chance for a player to be listed or recruited.  After the draft is completed, all remaining Bantam age players become eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs and many will be added as spots become available on a WHL  50 man PPL.  The PPL  is the PLAYER PROTECTED LIST and every WHL  team can protect 50 players which includes their current roster players.  These 50 spots are very valuable and must be used wisely.

What are the WHL’s Boundaries?

During the WHL Draft, players from the four Western Provinces and the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming are eligible to be selected.  For the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, graduating Bantam age players born in 1998 were eligible to be selected.

Players Drafted in 2014 From Arizona Teams:

Arizona Players Drafted in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft:

Mark Kastelic

Drafted by: Calgary Hitmen

Round:  2     Overall:  41

Team:  Phoenix Jr. Coyotes AAA Btm.

League:  T1EHL Bantam

DOB: Mar. 11, 1999     Hometown:  Phoenix, AZ

Height:  6′ 1/2     Weight:  164 lbs.

Position: Center   Shoots:

Ethan Middendorff 

Drafted by: Portland WinterHawks

Round:  6     Overall:  131

Team:  Arizona Bobcats 99AAA

League:  T1EHL Bantam

DOB: Aug. 29, 1999     Hometown:  Scottsdale, AZ

Height:  6′ 4     Weight:  160 lbs.

Position:  G   Shoots: Left

Carson Dimoff

Drafted by: Everett Silvertips

Round:  7     Overall:  143

Team:  Phoenix Jr. Coyotes AAA Btm.

League:  T1EHL Bantam

DOB: Mar. 11, 1999     Hometown:  Scottsdale, AZ

Height:  5′ 10     Weight:  150 lbs.

Position: LW   Shoots: Left

James Stagg 

Drafted by: Spokane Chiefs

Round:  9     Overall:  190

Team:  Arizona Bobcats 99AAA

League:  T1EHL Bantam

DOB: Nov. 20, 1999     Hometown:  Chandler, AZ

Height:  6′ 3     Weight:  187 lbs.

Position:  RW   Shoots: Right

My Days As A WHL Scout And The Bantam Draft:

As a Manitoba scout in the WHL for 15 years, the annual Bantam Draft is as exciting for the scouts as it is for the bantam age hockey players.  It is the culmination of a whole winter of countless cups of coffee or hot chocolate in rinks all across the province of Manitoba.  In my case, the quest for that hidden gem also took me into parts of North Dakota and Minnesota.

CONGRATULATIONS to the seven players selected.  This is one of the first steps in furthering your hockey development.  Good Luck with your new challenges.

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