Hurricanes Select 10 Players at 2014 Draft

It was another busy Draft day for the Lethbridge Hurricanes as they continue to build for the future. The team had 11 picks in the first six rounds including the second pick overall, their highest pick in franchise history.

 

With their first pick in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft, the Hurricanes selected 5’10, 180lb Centre, Jordy Bellerive from North Vancouver. Bellerive played 49 games with the North Shore Winter Club last season where he tallied 76 goals, 82 assists and added 132 PIM’s. ‘Lethbridge Hurricanes BC Scout, Seth Lollar says “he’s a highly skilled, impact player who had a great season leading his team to a Western Canadian Bantam Championship win.” General Manager Brad Robson added “he’s a dynamic player who puts up points, has great leadership qualities and comes from a winning culture and program that will help our club in the future.”

 

The Hurricanes had three picks (23^rd, 28^th and 43^rd overall) in the second round and with the first two they added a pair of Defensemen. Ethan King is already a towering blueliner at 6’4 and 210 pounds who registered 36 points (6G, 30A) in 53 games with POE. Nick Watson is 6 feet and 170 pounds. Of Watson, Head Scout Blake Robson says “he’s a very smooth skating defenseman that can play on both sides of the puck.  He can also run a power play, he jumps into the play at the right times, and he’ll be a big piece of our future.” Robson is also excited with the addition of King to the Hurricanes organization saying “the Canes have added a big physical defenseman that is hard to play against and he makes a very good first pass. He’s the kind of player you love to have on your team.” With their final selection in the second round, the Hurricanes took Forward Zane Franklin who played with the Lloydminster Heat. Robson says, “he’s a pure goal scorer who has very good vision, he runs the power play but also plays hard both ends of the rink and he’ll be able to put up big numbers in the future. He was also on the Alberta Championship team in the Major Bantam Hockey League.” Franklin had an outstanding season with the Heat putting up 89 points (47G, 42A) and 65 PIM’s. He followed that up with 27 points, including 15 goals, in the playoffs.

 

Lethbridge did not have any picks in the third round, but they did have three more in the fourth. With their first selection (67^th overall), the team added Goalie Shane Farkas from Penticton, BC. The 6’0, 140 pound netminder played 29 games with OHA posting a record of 20-7-2 with a 1.81 GAA. Scout Seth Lollar says he is “big in goal, with good size, sound position and good reflexes.” Brett Davis (taken 78^th overall) is from Oakbank, MB where he played 36 games with Notre Dame registering 26 goals and 23 assists. Their final selection in the 4^th round was Koletrane Wilson. Wilson is the younger brother of Klarc Wilson (who played for Edmonton, Brandon and Prince George). The defenceman is 6’1, 205 pounds and in 33 games with Knights of Columbus (AMBHL), he had 7 points (2G, 5A) with 40 PIM’s. Calgary Scout, Dan Blazevic says Wilson is “a big body, he’s a big physical defenseman and he’s tough to play against.”

 

The Hurricanes had a pair of picks in the 5th round where they selected Ayden Roche-Setoguchi 89th overall and Jadon Joseph in the 98^th spot. At 5’10, 155 lbs., Roche-Setoguchi played for the Calgary Bisons this season where he had 25 points (6G, 19A) in 31 games. He added 58 PIM’s and Blazevic calls him a playmaker. “He’s a really good skater with good vision and passing skills.” Joseph, from Sherwood Park, had 37 points (14G, 23A) in 30 games to go along with his 73 PIM’s with the Flyers.

 

The final selection for the Hurricanes came in the 6^th round, 111^th overall where the hockey club selected Tyler Traptow. He’s the younger brother of Bryson Traptow who the Hurricanes listed on December 29^th, 2013. At 6’3, 155 pounds, Blazevic says “he has good skating and puck skills.”

 

The Hurricanes did have the 123^rd overall pick, but they traded that to Regina for a pick in 2015. They also traded their 8^th round pick to Victoria for an 8^th rounder in 2015, their 9^th round pick to Spokane for a 9^th round next year and their 10^th round pick to the Saskatoon Blades for a 10^thround pick next year as well.

 

With one goalie, 4 defensemen and 5 forwards selected GM Brad Robson feels it was a really good draft for the club. “Getting Jordy Bellerive in the first round is going to be huge for our franchise. I think it was also really important that we got the three 2^nd round picks in King, Watson and Franklin. All our picks, including the four defensemen all have good size, and Setoguchi is a very skilled player that down the road will be able to run our power play.” Robson added they feel lucky they were still able to get Farkas in the 4^th round and to bring in players like Davis, Traptow, Wilson and Joseph he says they’re big, strong and hard working. “It’s a good blend of size and skill we’ve added depth to every position.”

(Recap from Esther Madziya, Hurricanes Media Relations)

Thanks,

Pat