Regina Pats add 9 players from WHL prospects draft

The Regina Pats have added nine new prospects to their pool after the WHL prospects draft.

Going first in the draft was defenceman Landon DuPont, to the Everett Silvertips. He is the second player ever granted exceptional status in the WHL after Connor Bedard in 2020.

Despite finishing with just 58 points last season, third-fewest in the league, the Pats didn’t pick until the second round of the draft. Their first-round pick was traded to Kelowna Rockets and eventually ended up with the Prince Albert Raiders.

Regina began their day by making a trade with the Rockets, acquiring the 38th overall pick in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick.

With its first pick in the draft – at 25th overall – the Pats drafted defenceman Aiden Wagner from Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Prep.

In 2023-24, Wagner tallied 23 points (four goals and 19 assists) in 22 games. The 15-year-old right-shot also had six points (three goals and three assists) in five playoff games. The five-foot-nine, 151-pound defenceman hails from Yorkton, Sask.

Wagner played for the Yorkton Terriers U15 AA in 2022-23, compiling 17 points (six goals, and 11 assists) in 29 games.

With the 38th overall pick the team received in the trade with Kelowna, Regina added forward Sam Failler (five-foot-nine, 139-pounds) from the Martensville Marauders U15 AA. The 15-year-old Dundurn product recorded 48 points (19 goals and 29 assists) in 19 games in 2023-24.

In round three, Regina selected forward Mathis Paull (six-foot-one, 189-pounds) from Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna U15 Prep with the 48th pick. The Vernon, B.C. product had 34 points (16 goals and 18 assists) last season – second in the club in points.

Just four picks later, the Pats selected Kelowna B.C. product forward Cohen Handby from Okanagan Hockey Academy.

The 14-year-old had 32 points (nine goals and 23 assists) in 27 games in 2023-24. The six-foot-three, 172-pound left-shot played for the Island Wild U14 team in 2022-23.

In the fourth round, the Pats added a goaltender to their prospect pool with the selection of Blackfalds, Alta., product Drake Mooney. Mooney (Five-foot-eleven, 139-pounds) went 13-5-0 this past season with the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA team. He had a 2.40 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.

With the 92nd pick, the Pats added their first selection in forward with Thayne Wasyluk (five-foot-eleven, 158-pounds) from the Northern Alberta Xtreme.

The Sherwood Park, Alta. product had 28 points (13 goals and 15 assists) in 24 games as well as 11 points (6 goals and 5 assists) in five playoff games, helping his team to a Canadian Sport School Hockey League Championship.

With the 114th pick, Regina selected forward Hunter Wilm, who hails from Central Butte, Sask. The 15-year-old played for the Swift Current Broncos u15 AA team, recording 41 points (19 goals and 22 assists) in 26 games. The five-foot-eight, 134-pound player was also a part of the Saskatchewan Jr. Pats in the 2018-19 Brick Hockey Invitational Tournament.

In round 7 with the 136th pick, Regina selected defenceman Ryder Dunn (six-foot-one, 187-pounds) from the Delta Hockey Academy.

The 15-year-old Richmond, B.C. product had 30 points (13 goals and 17 assists) in 26 games this past season.

With their final pick in the draft, Regina selected defenceman Jack Bissoon from Edge School U15.

The five-foot-nine, 152-pound Calgary, Alta. product had 19 points (nine goals and 10 assists) throughout 27 games in 2023-24.

Saskatchewan players picked

In total, 42 players from Saskatchewan were picked in the draft.

Centre Kayden Sreoeder was the highest-picked of the bunch with the Lanigan, Sask. product going fifth overall to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Just a pick later, Calder Hamilton, a defenceman who hails from Martensville, was selected by the Calgary Hitmen.

Tenth overall, the Vancouver Giants selected Blake Chorney, a forward who hails from Nipawin.

Then at 12th overall, the Wenatchee Wild selected defenceman and Estevan product Boston Tait.

Regina’s Chase Surkan went 14th overall when the Brandon Wheat Kings selected the forward.

Swift Current’s Carter Moen is staying home after the Swift Current Broncos selected him 17th overall.

The Prince George Cougars selected forward Dade Wotherspoon (Martensville) with the 21st pick.

In the second round, Red Deer selected forward Cash Arcand-Vandale (Saskatoon), Prince Albert selected Connor Howe (Prince Albert), and Prince George selected defenceman Cooper Bratton (Moosomin).

In the third round, Prince Albert drafted defenceman Liam Myhre (Nipawin), Edmonton took defenceman Kayson Anderson (Lumsden), the Tri-City Americans selected forward Trae Peterson (Yorkton), and Kelowna took defenceman Jake Hargrave (Lucky Lake).

In the fourth round, the Lethbridge Hurricanes selected forward Jake Evans (Saskatoon) and Brandon selected defenceman Ethan Young (Regina).

The fifth round saw Moose Jaw select defenceman Cooper Perrin (Saskatoon) as well as forward Maxon Johnston (Esterhazy), Brandon selected forward Carson Park (Pilot Butte), Everett took forward Kasey Gleim (Chaplin) and Prince George selected defenceman Tatum Fouquette (Prince Albert).

In the sixth, Moose Jaw selected forward Preston Hoppe (Humboldt), Calgary selected forward Nathan Gardiner (Gainsborough), Prince Albert selected forward Declan Borthwick (Prince Albert), and Brandon selected forward Hudson Postnikoff (Saskatoon).

In the seventh, goalie Kaleb Page (Whitewood) was taken by Calgary, Wenatchee selected forward Tyson Medernach (Saskatoon), and Moose Jaw selected goalie Cade Mitchell (Gull Lake).

In the eighth, the Seattle Thunderbirds selected centre Brock MacDougall (Estevan), Calgary selected forward Dawson Gamble (North Battleford), Spokane Chiefs took goalie Adam Muntain (Regina), Kelowna selected defenceman Marek McIvor (Davidson) and Portland Winterhawks selected defenceman Hudson Sayers (Edam).

Also selected in the draft was Gull Lake forward Jamie Kirwan (ninth round, Swift Current), Saskatoon product goaltender Seth Gutenberg (ninth round, Red Deer), Saskatoon forward Millar Anderson (ninth round, Saskatoon Blades), Saskatoon product and defenceman Matt Henkelman (10th round, Wenatchee), Regina forward Joshua Skrypnyk (10th round, Red Deer), Saskatoon goalie Karter Hilbig (10th round, Moose Jaw), Battleford defenceman Rylee Belyk (10th round, Saskatoon), Saskatoon forward Nash Coquet (11th round, Moose Jaw), and Meadow Lake defenceman Aiden Harman (12th round, Seattle).