Hurricanes select 15 players in 2024 WHL Prospects draft

Round 2

For their next pick, the Hurricanes addressed the blue line with 6’2 defenceman Reid Soper. The Edmonton native suited up for both the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 and U17 Prep teams this past season, and was a sturdy presence on the blue line, tallying four goals and six assists in 25 games.

Round 3

In the third round, the Hurricanes drafted Edge U15 Prep goaltender Leif Oaten with the 58th overall selection. Oaten put up a 2.9 goals against average and a 9.14 save percentage this past year for the school. He also suited up for the Airdrie Xtreme in the 2023 Alberta U15 AAA Provincials, and posted a stellar 1.84 GAA and .928 save percentage in four games.

Round 4

Cohen Pentney was the Hurricanes’ first of two draft picks in the fourth round at 80th overall. The right-shot forward spent 2023-24 with the Calgary Flames U15 AAA team, scoring 27 goals and adding 32 assists in 31 games. He also played one game for the U17 team, scoring two goals.

Their second pick in the fourth round came courtesy of a trade that saw the Hurricanes trade forward Trae Wilke to the Red Deer Rebels. With that 84th overall pick, they selected forward Jake Evans, wh racked up 36 points in 17 regular season games with the Saskatoon Generals U15 AAA team.

Round 5

The Hurricanes returned to the well of defencemen in the fifth round, selecting left shot defender Finn Kelly with the 102nd overall selection. Kelly spent last season in Red Deer with the U15 Rebels, and had five points in 26 games.

Round 6

In the sixth round with the 124th overall pick, the Hurricanes took Matteo Di Steffano from the Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep team. The Port Coquitlam, BC native had 34 points in 27 regular season games, while also chipping in two points in three playoff games.

Round 7

Holding the 146th overall pick in the seventh round, the Hurricanes selected 6’1 forward Eric Berger from Virden, Manitoba. Berger led the Southwest Cougars U15 AAA team with 41 goals and 66 points on the season in just 32 games.

Round 8

With their eighth round selection, the Hurricanes added right-handed defenceman Tate Serfas, who spent 2023-24 with the Rink H.A. Kelowna U15 Prep team. In 26 games, Serfas had one goal and six assists.

Round 9

Forward Grady McNish was the Hurricanes’ ninth-round pick, 190th overall. McNish played for the Yellowhead Chiefs U15 AAA team, and hails from Rivers, Manitoba. McNish finished second on his team with 46 points on the season, and turned on the jets in the playoffs, scoring 15 goals in 11 playoff games and tallying 24 points.

Round 11

After not having a selection in Round 10, the Hurricanes returned to the board in the 11th round and selected Lethbridge-born Dawson Spence 234th overall. Spence finished tied for fifth in scoring for the Lethbridge Golden Hawks, and joined his teammate Nolan Pilsner as the second player from the team drafted.

Round 12

With the 256th pick in the draft, the Hurricanes took forward Kale Breton from the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 Vars team. He finished fourth on the team with 35 points in 26 games, but had nine goals in just five playoff games.

Round 13

The Hurricanes selected another right handed defenceman in round 13, taking Maysen Devries from the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds U15 AAA team 278th overall. He had a productive year for the team, scoring four goals and 15 points in 25 games.

Round 14

With their final pick in the 2024 draft, and the final pick overall, the Hurricanes selected defenceman Lucas Jacobsen 289th overall. The Banff product played last season for the Airdrie Xtreme U15 AAA, adding three points in 25 games.

Aside from the Hurricanes picks, defenceman Landon DuPont was selected first overall by the Everett Silvertips after receiving exceptional status from the WHL in April, meaning he can play in the league one year early.

The Prince Albert Raiders took Victoria-born defenceman Brock Cripps with the second overall pick, while fellow d-man Aiden Bouchard was selected by Tri-City third overall.

Four Lethbridge-born players were selected in the draft, including Spence, Pilsner, Damen Vanderberg and Lincoln Eaves. Pilsner was taken by the Swift Current Broncos, Vanderberg by the Silvertips, and Eaves by the Saskatoon Blades.

The draft was the final for Hurricanes Head Scout Rob MacLachlan, who announced his retirement.

Read more local sports at Lethbridge News Now.

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by Christian Oldale

Hurricanes select 15 players in 2024 WHL Prospects draft

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