The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League held its annual draft June 11, and numerous players who are involved in our area’s hockey programs were among the players selected.
The twelve teams in the league view the draft as a chance to reset and begin building towards the future. The draft was divided into two parts with two rounds for players born in 2009 and six rounds for players born in 2008.
The first three picks in the 2008 draft were area players. Martensville’s Easton Woytiuk was selected first overall by the Battlefords North Stars. Duck Lake’s Waylon Gardipy was selected second overall by the La Ronge Ice Wolves. The Yorkton Terriers selected Martensville’s Austin Root with the third pick.
Other players with area connections selected were:
#11 Jack Lavallee (Saskatoon) Warman U18AAA Wildcats, selected by the Melville Millionaires;
#18 Korsten Baliski (Grasswood) Warman U18AAA Wildcats, selected by the Estevan Bruins;
#19 Brenden Jones (Warman) selected by the La Ronge Ice Wolves;
#20 Broden Wotherspoon (Martensville) by the Yorkton Terriers;
#22 Taren Erhart (Warman) by the Nipawin Hawks;
#31 Sawyer Scheidt (Warman) by the Weyburn Red Wings;
#32 Ryland McConnell (Martensville) by the Melville Millionaires;
#44 Chance Regush (Warman) by the Melville Millionaires;
#48 James Norman (Meadow Lake) Warman U18AAA Wildcats, by the Flin Flon Bombers;
#55 Nigel Boehm (Corman Park) by the Weyburn Red Wings;
The first pick in the 2009 draft was Declan Borthwick (Prince Albert)Warman U18AAA Wildcats.