WHL Prospects Draft sees 10 minor hockey players from Saskatoon selected
Cash Arcand-vandale was the top city athlete chosen on Thursday
Cooper Perrin didn't know it at the time.
There he was, cheering for the Saskatoon Blades against the Moose Jaw Warriors — the same Warriors team that would select him two days later in the 2024 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft.
The Saskatoon Outlaws U15 defenceman was part of the 13,000plus crowd crammed into Sasktel Centre Arena for Game 7 of the WHL Eastern Conference final, most of them cheering loudly for Perrin's hometown Blades.
Now, obviously, he'll have to switch allegiance.
“Yeah, I didn't really think about that,” said Perrin, who was selected in the fifth round, 99th overall, by Moose Jaw in the WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday. “I was at the game. I think that's the loudest I heard that place get when (Vaughn) Watterodt scored that goal to tie the game (late in the third period).”
Perrin, nearly six feet tall and weighing 175 pounds, had 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points in 24 games. He is set to join the Saskatoon AAA Blazers come fall.
“It was a little bit of a wait, but I'm just excited that I got drafted and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity,” said Perrin, one of four Outlaws drafted Thursday.
“I just love to see my friends (also) get picked — it's exciting.”
Outlaws teammate Nash Coquet also got picked by Moose Jaw, which is set to begin the WHL championship final Friday against the Portland Winterhawks. Coquet, a 5-foot-9, 153-pound centre was taken in the 11th round, at the No. 239 spot. He had 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 27 games this past season.
Saskatoon Stallions goalie Karter Hillbig also got nabbed by the Warriors. The 6-feet tall, 150-pound netminder was selected in the 10th round at No. 217.
Meanwhile, Saskatoon Generals centreman Millar Anderson was a ninth-round selection of his hometown Blades. At 6 feet tall and 160 pounds, Anderson was taken 199th overall.
ARCAND-VANDALE TOP S'TOON PLAYER CHOSEN
Cash Arcand-vandale was the top Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association player chosen in the draft.
Overall, 10 SMHA players were selected.
Arcand-vandale, who had 30 goals and 27 assists for 57 points in 27 games with the Saskatoon Bandits this past season, was chosen in the second round and 30th overall.
“It's exciting,” said Arcand-vandale. “I know a couple of people who got drafted there last year — Jake Missura, who was my captain my first year, and Beckett Hamilton — and I heard pretty good things about it. I was just hanging out with a couple of family members and my dad just pointed out that I got drafted.”
The 166-pound forward had one goal in five games with the Saskatoon AAA Contacts this season.
“Red Deer called me after they picked me and I had a couple of meetings with them before. I had a bit of an idea they could pick me, or would have (given the chance).
“I could see myself being like a hard (nosed) offensive forward who plays a physical game. I can play good defence as a forward. I'm fast with the puck. I can score goals and I can set up plays.”
Outlaws goalie Seth Gutenberg was also picked by the Rebels. The 145-pound netminder was taken in the ninth round, at No. 192.
Forward Jake Evans was one of three Saskatoon Generals selected Thursday, joining the aforementioned Anderson and defenceman Matt Henkelman.
Evans went in the fourth round, 84th overall, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The 6-foot, 160-pound centreman had 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in only 17 games during the regular season. He added three goals and eight assists for 11 points in six playoff games.
Henkelman, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound right-shot D -man, was taken in the 10th round, at No. 211, by the Wenatchee Wild. Henkelman recorded 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 29 games.
Outlaws forward Hudson Postnikoff was chosen in the sixth round, at No. 128, by the Brandon Wheat Kings. The 5-foot-11, 167-pound Postnikoff sniped 32 goals to go along with 19 assists for 51 points in 29 games.
Tyson Medernach, a big left winger at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, went in the seventh round, 145th overall, to the Wild, joining Henkelman. Medernach racked up 47 goals and 24 assists for 71 points in 28 games this past season with the Saskatoon Stallions. He was the first of two Stallions picked Thursday; Hilbig was the other.
NO FIRST ROUNDERS
The draft marked the first time since 2018 that Saskatoon minor hockey did not have any players picked in the first round. Between 2019 and 2023, SMHA had nine first-rounders during that fiveyear span.
Since 2015 and players born in 2000, SMHA had averaged 12.5 players per draft with seven being the least (2019) and 17 the most (2023) going into this year's draft.