Pats pleased with pair of picks in WHL’S first-ever U.S. prospects draft
General manager John Paddock called it “a good day” for the future of the Regina Pats.
Shortly after they landed the first-overall pick in the upcoming WHL bantam draft, the Pats secured the major-junior rights to two new prospects Wednesday via the first-ever U.S. prospects draft.
Each of the WHL’S 22 teams made two selections from a pool of eligible bantam-aged players in the Pacific Northwest. The order of the draft was determined by a random lottery.
Regina used its first-round selection (18th overall) on centre Matteo Michels of Colleyville, Texas.
In the second round (27th overall), the Pats chose defenceman Brogan Young of Burbank, Wash.
“We’re happy with the picks we got,” Paddock said. “I thought the overall event was very good. For us, it’s two guys we liked. It remains to be seen (how things will work out) but I think the event and the draft have been a success for our league to date.”
The American draft is a bit of a crapshoot because of limited opportunities to scout prospective talent. WHL teams don’t have the manpower to cover the league’s massive U.S. territory to the same extent that they do in Western Canada.
Here’s what we do know about Regina’s new prospects: Michels had two goals and seven points in five games this season with the Dallas Stars Elite 14s.
The 5-foot-7, 115-pounder was identified by Dallas-based scout Brad Lukowich. The team’s brain trust also watched Michels at the WHL-U. S. Challenge Cup tournament last month in Seattle.
“It looks like he’s going to be a big, fast centreman,” Paddock said. “His dad is a big guy. (The player) looks athletic. He looked good in Seattle, made some plays. He was in the top five or six players on their team and they had not a bad team.”
The Pats were able to speak directly with Michels and his parents in Seattle. The initial meeting was positive.
“There’s probably not a kid who says he doesn’t have interest, but he has some interest,” Paddock continued. “What makes it a little more intriguing is that both of his parents are Canadian (originally from Ontario). Not that it means he’s going to come, but it gives you a little bit more hope.”
Young had 11 goals and 33 points in 35 games with the Coeur d’alene Hockey Academy in Idaho. Paddock said his personal viewings of Young were “very limited,” but B.c.-based scout Huck Parfeniuk watched the 6-foot-1, 153-pounder and “really liked him.”
“He’s a tall, lanky guy,” Paddock said. “The little bit of video we got, he moves around the ice all right. There has been communication with him. He said he’s very interested, so we’ll see.”
Despite the WHL’S reputation as an elite developmental league, recruiting American prospects can be a challenge for Canadian-based teams due to heavy competition south of the border.
The players who are interested in the WHL don’t have much incentive to sign right away because league rules prohibit them from playing games — including exhibition contests — until their 16-yearold season.
Michels and Young aren’t believed to have made prior commitments, but that doesn’t mean it’s a slam dunk that they’re headed to Regina.
“We’re not expecting them to come running and wanting to sign,” Paddock said. “(The U.S. draft) doesn’t change the overall (process). There’s lots of work to go into the possibility of recruiting them.”