Hamilton, Stroeder among top 10 picks in WHL draft

A pair of Martensville Marauders were among the players picked in the first round of Thursday's Western Hockey League Prospects Draft.

Calder Hamilton and Dade Wotherspoon were able to crack the top 25.

Hamilton, a smooth-skating 5-foot-9, 135-pound defenceman, was selected sixth overall in the draft by the Calgary Hitmen. Hamilton put up record numbers as a defenceman, recording 35 goals and 51 assists for 86 points in 28 games during the regular season and added seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 11 playoff games.

Hamilton is a dangerous offensive catalyst in the back end, who is described as being a “wizard on his edges.”

“He's mobile, one of the smoothest skaters in the draft,” said Cass Bruni, Hitmen assistant general manager. “He impacts all areas of the game. He's a competitive player who defends extremely well. He's a complete defenceman.”

Wotherspoon, a big 5-foot-11, 179-pound left winger, was chosen 21st overall by the Prince George Cougars. Wotherspoon scored 53 goals and added 50 assists for 103 points in 27 games this past season with the Marauders.

Fellow Marauder forward Sam Failler went in the second round, 38th overall in the draft, to the Regina Pats. Failler, a 5-foot-9, 139-pound right-winger from Dundurn, had 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 19 games played.

PROLIFIC SCORER TAKEN

Meanwhile, Lanigan product Kayden Stroeder was the fifth overall pick in Thursday's draft, going to the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Stroeder racked up an impressive 58 goals and 69 assists for 127 points in 27 games during the regular season with the Humboldt AA Broncos. He added 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in eight playoff games as the driving force behind the Broncos attack.

“We see a player with the potential to be an all-around centreman who makes his teammates better,” said Oil Kings director of scouting Michael Chan.

“His skill-set is pretty multi-faceted. He has the ability to make his teammates better, but he can also take matters into his own hands, finishing and creating.”

Stroeder, who has signed on to play with the Saskatoon AAA Contacts next season, was one of three Broncos picked in the draft Thursday.

Broncos teammate Preston Hoppe, a 5-foot-9, 151-pound forward from Humboldt, went in the sixth round, 115th overall, to the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Marek Mcivor, a 5-foot-9, 149-pound Broncos defenceman from Davidson, got selected in the eighth round, 163rd overall, by the Kelowna Rockets.

Nipawin's Blake Chorney, listed at a solid 5-foot-10.5 and 182 pounds, was taken 10th overall by the Vancouver Giants. Chorney had 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points in 24 games while playing for the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep team.

Liam Myhre, a D-man from the Northeast Wolfpack, was drafted in the third round, 49th overall, by the Prince Albert Raiders.