WHL draft: Blades add forward, blueliner

The draft chart looked pretty bare at the start through five rounds, but the Saskatoon Blades promptly got back in the mix for Thursday's WHL Prospects Draft with some wheeling and dealing.

Indeed, the Blades went from having zero picks through the first five rounds to selecting twice in the third and once in the fourth during the 2024 Prospects Draft.

Saskatoon completed three trades to move up on the board, using its first pick to select forward Jagger John in the third round, 61st overall, from the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep team. The Fort Mcmurray, Alta., native had 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 27 games this season but shone in the 2023 and 2024 playoffs with the NAX U15, NAX U15 prep and NAX U17 blue teams with 19 goals and 14 assists through 13 games.

With their second pick, Saskatoon selected defenceman Julian Revel from the Burnaby Winter Club Academy U15 prep team in the third round, 66th overall. The blueliner had six goals and 19 assists for 25 points in 26 games.

In the fourth round, the Blades added right-winger Cohen Lewko from the Rink Hockey Academy. Lewko, a product of Sanford, Man., scored 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points in 26 games.

In the sixth round, at 133rd overall, the Blades selected right-shot defenceman Spencer Kuntz from the Rink Hockey Academy. Kuntz is a 5-10, 145-pound product of Winnipeg.

Treyce Pavlic, a left winger from Surrey, B.C., who played at the Delta Hockey Academy, was chosen in the seventh round, 155th overall in the draft. Pavlic, listed at 156 pounds, recorded 14 goals and 36 assists for 50 points in 27 games this season.

Left winger Tristan Hoko, from West Kelowna, B.C., got picked in the eighth round, 177th overall. The forward scored 26 goals and added 13 assists for 39 points in 27 games this season.

Saskatoon product Millar Anderson, a centreman for the Saskatoon AA Generals, got picked by his hometown team in the ninth round, 199th overall. Listed at 160 pounds, Anderson had 14 goals and 29 assists for 43 points in 29 games this season.

In the 10th round, the Blades selected Rylee Belyk, a D-man from Battleford who played for the West Stars this season. The 172-pound Belyk had six goals, 13 assists and 24 penalty minutes in 29 games.

In the 11th round, Saskatoon chose Dysen Loewen, a goalie from Fort St. John, B.C., who played for the GPAC Storm U15 AAA squad.

Lincoln Eaves, a 5-foot-7, 159-pound forward from Lethbridge, Alta., was taken in the 12th round with the 265th pick overall. Eaves racked up 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 33 games with the Lethbridge Golden Hawks.

With their final selection, the Blades picked up centre Hunter Ethelston, a 155-pound product of Brandon, Man., who had 11 goals and seven assists for 18 points in 29 games with the Wheat Kings.

HOW THE DEALS WERE MADE

Saskatoon was able to acquire third-round picks through trades with the Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets.

Later Thursday morning, the Blades acquired a 2024 fourthround pick from the Victoria Royals in exchange for a 2028 second-round pick.