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East Division, Eastern Division

Pats draft notebook

Written by Kevin Shaw on

 

The Regina Pats found out their positions in the 2021 WHL Prospects and US drafts this week.

Prospects Draft

The Pats will select 10th overall in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. It will be the second time in Bantam/Prospects Draft history that the Pats will pick in the 10th spot. The Draft that is normally held in May, will be held in December of this year so the players will have time to show teams their wares in the fall. The Draft will consist of 2006-born players.

Back in 2000, the Pats picked defenseman Shawn Belle at number 10. Belle skated in just four games with the club as a 15-year-old call-up in 2000-01. He was a key part of a trade for the Memorial Cup host Pats. On January 8, 2001, Belle was traded with Joey Bastien, Justin Lucyshyn, and future considerations to the Try-City Americans in exchange for Blake Evans and Jeff Feniak.

Since the Draft began in 1990 the Pats have had multiple top 10 picks.

It will just be the fifth time that the Pats will be drafting in the top ten in back-to-back drafts. The last four top-ten picks have turned out well.

Sixth to 10th Overall

2000 – Belle (10th) – three points in four games before the trade to the Americans.

1991 – Vernon Beardy (eighth) – A defenseman played 88 games (1991-94) with the Pats collecting 19 points (6G, 13A). He was traded to Swift Current in January of 1994 for Russ Hewson.

1994 – Robert Marshall (seventh) – A defenseman played in just 11 games (1996-97) with the Pats picking up 2 assists.

1995 – Brett Lysak (sixth) – The “Darling of the Dome” played in the second-most career games with the Pats with 331. The five-year forward scored 145 goals and 189 assists. His 334 points place him 12th all-time in Franchise scoring. He also played in 32 playoff games picking up 31 points (19G, 12A).

Second to fifth Overall

2004 – Brett Leffler (fifth) – One of very few players to skate in six seasons (2004-10) with the Pats. He suited up for 309 games which places him fourth all-time in Pats’ history. He scored 75 goals and added 76 assists for 151 points. His 517 penalty minutes place him 15th all-time in team history. He also played 13 playoff games scoring twice.

2009 – Chandler Stephenson (fifth) – A four-year Pat, played in 230 games with the club collecting 195 points (73G, 122A). A third-round selection of the Washington Capitals in 2012 (77th overall). In nine playoff games, he had eight points (1G, 7A).

2010 – Morgan Klimchuk (fifth) – Played in parts of five seasons with the Pats, skating in 228 games (2010-2015). He scored 98 goals and assisted on 119 others for 217 points. In nine playoff games, he had six points (3G, 3A). He was a first-round selection of the Calgary Flames in the 2013 NHL Draft (28th overall). In January of 2015, he was traded to Brandon for Jesse Gabrielle.

1999 – Paul Brown (fourth) – Played in 36 games (1999-01) with the Pats collecting four points (3G, 1A). Another of the 2001 Memorial Cup build casualties. On January 7, 2001, he was traded with Shon Jones-Parry, Ryan Annesley, and future considerations to the Kamloops Blazers for Paul Elliott, Gable Gross, and Kyle Ladobruk.

2013 – Sam Steel (second) – Played 258 games with the Pats (2013-18), picking up 338 points (123G, 215A) in his career. A first-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2016 (30th overall). Led the WHL in scoring with 131 points in 2016-17. Pats captain in 2017-18. 20th all-time in games played, 23rd all-time in goals, seventh all-time in assists, and 10th all-time in points. He also played in 44 playoff games adding another 57 points (18G, 39A). He also led the 2018 Memorial Cup in scoring with 13 points (2G, 13A).

First Overalls

2005 – Colten Teubert (first) – Played 265 games on defense for the Pats (2005-10). Picked up 113 points (32G, 81A) in his Pats career. Played for Team Canada at the World Juniors in 2009 and 2010 and was a first-round pick (13th overall) of the Los Angeles Kings in 2008.

2020 – Connor Bedard (first) – The first-ever exceptional status player in WHL history. Scored a phenomenal 28 points (12G, 16A) in just 15 games before leaving for the World Under 18’s. At the time he left he was the East Hub’s (and WHL) leading scorer. The sky is the limit for Bedard.

U.S. Priority Draft

 

The Pats will select 12th overall in the WHL U.S. Priority Draft. The U.S. Draft will consist of 2006-born players who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

In the second round of the U.S. Draft, the Pats will select 33rd overall. It will be the second draft of its kind in WHL history after the first event was held in March of 2020.

Center Matteo Michels was the Pats’ original selection. The Colleyville, TX product was selected 18th overall. Their second pick was defenseman Brogan Young. The Burbank, WA product was the 27th selection.