THUNDERBIRDS

T-Birds Select 10 Players in WHL Bantam Draft

May 3, 2013, 7:15 AM | Updated: May 13, 2013, 12:06 pm

By Andrew Eide

 

A day after signing the 2012 top pick in Matt Barzal, the Seattle Thunderbirds selected 10 new players Thursday in the WHL Bantam Draft. Overall they picked up three defensemen, six forwards and one goalie.

The Bantam Draft is a bit of a crapshoot since these players are still very young and you never know exactly how they will develop, but the Thunderbirds should feel like they’ve added some good players for the future. Seattle had three picks in the top 30 selections of what was considered by most observers to be one of the deeper drafts in recent memory.

Seattle started off by selecting defenseman Dante Fabbro with the eighth pick. Fabbro played his hockey last year with the Burnaby Winter Club in B.C. If that club sounds familiar it’s because it’s the same club that Barzal played for when Seattle selected him. Fabbro and Barzal appear to be great friends and the two took to Twitter to exclaim their excitement about being reunited.

There had been whispers in the days leading up to the draft that the Thunderbirds might be looking to trade up to take Fabbro as they weren’t sure he would still be there when their pick came up. Luckily they did not have to give up any picks to get their guy. Fabro is described as an offensive defensemen and was considered one of the top defensive prospects in the draft.

Seattle had another first-round pick at the end of the round (No. 22) and they used that selection to pick up center Kaden Elder, who played for the Notre Dame Hounds bantam club. Elder can score but scouts also praised his two-way game, something that head coach Steve Konowalchuk demands of all his players. Last year Elder put up 64 points in only 33 games.

In the second round the team selected another forward in Nolan Volcan from Edmonton, Alberta. Volcan can score as well as he potted 40 goals and 76 points in only 32 games for the Edmonton MLAC Bantam AAA team last year.

The Thunderbirds did not have another pick until the fifth round due to trades they had made last year. Seattle began picking again in that round and kept going all the way through the 12th round. In those rounds they selected defenseman Brandon Schuldhaus from Alberta, forward Jagger Williamson from B.C., winger Spencer Hunter from Vancouver, forward Colton Thomas from B.C., defenseman Shavan Khaira from Okanagan, goalie Devon Fordyce and center Caleb Griffin from Saskatchewan.

Fordyce is an interesting player as he has already appeared in the WHL. He was a listed player with the Prince George Cougars and appeared in four games with them last year. The Cougars had dropped them from their list, which made him eligible to be drafted again in the round after he had originally been selected.

The Bantam Draft is unlike the NFL or NBA draft in that it is hard to judge how well the team did with its selections. Their first three picks were all highly ranked by the scouts who watch these kids as they come up the ranks and now we’ll have to wait and see how they develop. Based on the reports the T-Birds should feel good with the guys they picked up and with the later-round picks have added a lot of depth to their list.

You will get your first glimpse of them as training camp opens on August 22 and the ones that stand out could be with the club the following year.

Follow Andrew on twitter at @andyeide

Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds GM Bil La Forge has some moves to make this offseason. (Brian Liesse/T-Birds photo)...

Andy Eide

Thunderbirds GM Bil La Forge dishes on the upcoming offseason

Thunderbirds general manager Bil La Forge will make some moves this summer to improve his club. Will they be big ones?

3 years ago

Seattle’s Keltie Jeri-Leon celebrates his final WHL goal Sunday against Spokane. (Brian Liess...

Andy Eide

Thunderbirds end strange and hard season on a high note with dominating win over Spokane

The Seattle Thunderbirds dealt with a lot of adversity this season but end on a high note.

3 years ago

Keltie Jeri-Leon plays his final WHL game for the Thunderbirds Sunday night. (Brian Liesse)...

Andy Eide

Keltie Jeri-Leon set to play his final WHL game as Thunderbirds face Spokane Sunday

After five seasons, Seattle's lone over-aged player, Keltie Jeri-Leon will play his final junior game Sunday night.

3 years ago

Seattle rookie Scott Ratzlaff won his first WHL game in his first start. (Judy Simpson/TC Americans...

Andy Eide

Scott Ratzlaff earns first WHL win as Thunderbirds beat Tri-City

Behind a rookie goalie, the Thunderbirds kicked off the season's final weekend with a 5-2 win in Kennewick against the Tri-City Americans.

3 years ago

The Seattle Thunderbirds celebrate after snapping a six-game losing streak Sunday night. (Brian Lie...

Andy Eide

Thunderbirds enjoy winning again after snapping six-game losing streak

The Seattle Thunderbirds have been scuffling but battled against a good Portland Winterhawks club to snap a six-game losing streak.

3 years ago

Thunderbirds forward Reid Schaefer fights for position Sunday in Portland. (Megan Connelly/Winterha...

Andy Eide

Dealing with adversity, young Thunderbirds drop pair of games in Portland

Injuries and penalties have thrown a ton of adversity at the young Thunderbirds which showed up in a pair of losses at Portland this weekend.

3 years ago

T-Birds Select 10 Players in WHL Bantam Draft