Oil Kings opt for pair of defencemen with two first-round picks in WHL bantam draft
Article content
Oil Kings GM Kirt Hill, who engineered the Moose Jaw trade last year with the Warriors as they eventually won the WHL championship, didn't even try to offer his No. 2 and No. 8 to Regina this year with a whimsical chance they might give up the No. 1 for two cracks in the draft.
'I think that was a non-starter for them with anything I was offering them,' laughed Hill, who decided to stock his asset cupboard with back-end additions.
After taking centre Kayden Stroeter fifth last year and with Jarome Iginla's 16-year-old son Joe in the fold, too, after his rookie WHL season, they passed on two high-end forwards — Liam Pugh from B.C. and Reid Nichol from Manitoba, who both played U18 as 14-year-olds like Schultz. Regina traded with Kelowna for third overall to take Pugh, with the Rockets, who are hosting the 2026 Memorial Cup, getting a tidy 26th overall pick this year and the 2026 and 2017 first-rounders from the Pats.
'We talked about that, too, but you saw the assets that went for it. Once the prices got that high we weren't willing to do that,' said Hill, who might have opted for a forward at No. 3 but was very happy to add defencemen to the pipeline at 2 and 8.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
6 hours ago
- Global News
Medicine Hat Tigers' Gavin McKenna becomes 3rd-youngest recipient of CHL player of the year award
Gavin McKenna has etched his name into the history books. The Medicine Hat Tigers' superstar forward was named the David Branch Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards on Friday. McKenna is the third-youngest player to ever win the award at 17 years, five months, 24 days old. Only Sidney Crosby in 2003-04 (16 years, nine months, 11 days) and John Tavares in 2006-07 (16 years, eight months, seven days) were younger. The player from Whitehorse, Yukon, had 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games, including a 40-game point streak. View image in full screen Medicine Hat Tigers' Gavin McKenna (72) warms up before a Memorial Cup hockey game in Rimouski, Que., on May 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov He extended that streak to 54 games during the Western Hockey League playoffs, establishing a modern CHL record (since 2000) for the longest single-season point streak across the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup. Story continues below advertisement McKenna led Medicine Hat to its first WHL title since 2007 and to the Memorial Cup final, where the Tigers fell to the London Knights. He was second in Memorial Cup scoring with six points (three goals, three assists) in four games. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Meanwhile, Landon DuPont became the second-youngest recipient of the rookie of the year award. The Everett Silvertips defenceman is just 16 years and 16 days old. Tavares won the award at 15 years, eight months and seven days. 1:45 14-year-old Calgary hockey player given 'exceptional status' status by WHL DuPont, from Calgary, is the first blueliner in 30 years — and just the third in CHL history after Philippe Boucher (1990-91) and Bryan Berard (1994-95) — to earn the honour. Dupont had 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) in 64 games. Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa was honoured as top scorer after leading the CHL with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer was named the top prospect award winner being the No. 1-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting. Story continues below advertisement Other award winners included the Knights' Sam Dickinson as defenceman of the year, Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers as the goaltender of the year, Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs as sportsman of the year, Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Oceanic as scholastic player of the year, and Maxwell Jardine of the Charlottetown Islanders as humanitarian player of the year.
Ottawa Citizen
7 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Wildcats' MacDougall named Canadian Hockey League coach of the year
Gardiner MacDougall, whose seamless transition from coaching university hockey to the major junior ranks resulted in another championship for the Moncton Wildcats, was named the Brian Kilrea Trophy winner as Canadian Hockey League coach of the year Friday in Toronto. Article content In his first year behind the Wildcats' bench after retiring from 24 seasons as head coach at the University of New Brunswick Reds men's hockey team, MacDougall led the Wildcat to a franchise record campaign that resulted in a 53-9-2-0 regular-season record and a 16-3 slate en route to winning the Gilles Courteau Trophy as QMJHL champions in May. Article content Article content Article content The impressive credentials produced regular-season franchise records for most wins (53), most points (108), fewest regulation losses (9), fewest goals against (144), and best points percentage (.844). Article content Article content During his career at UNB, MacDougall's teams won nine University Cup titles, including back-to-back crowns in 2023 and 2024, the latter an undefeated season that culminated with the title in Toronto. He earned hi third U Sports men's hockey coach of the year for that remarkable accomplishment. Several months later, he retired from the UNB post and took over the Wildcats team. Article content He led the Cats to their first title since 2010 and advanced to the semifinal of the Memorial Cup in Rimouski. Article content The team's winning percentage was the eighth-best all-time in the QMJHL and 10th-best in the CHL since 2000. As all championship teams appears to accomplish, the Wildcats were staunch defensively, yielding the CHL-best defensive showing with a 2.25 goals-against average, which ranked fifth in QMJHL history. Article content Article content MacDougall is the third coach in CHL history to win the CHL coach of the year award in his first season, joining Craig Hartsburg (Guelph Storm, 1995) and Gerard Gallant (Saint John Sea Dogs in 2010). Article content In additional to his University Cup success, MacDougall also led the Sea Dogs to the 2022 Memorial Cup when the event was held at TD Station. Article content Two other Wildcats were finalists for national CHL awards. Article content Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL was named the sportsman of the year, a category in which Julius Sumpf of the Cats was a finalist. Newly named Wildcats captain Caleb Desnoyers was a finalist for the Top Prospect award, which went to Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters.
National Post
8 hours ago
- National Post
Gavin McKenna third-youngest to win CHL player of year award
TORONTO — Gavin McKenna has etched his name into the history books. Article content The Medicine Hat Tigers' superstar forward was named the David Branch Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards on Friday. Article content Article content McKenna is the third-youngest player to ever win the award at 17 years, five months, 24 days old. Only Sidney Crosby in 2003-04 (16 years, nine months, 11 days) and John Tavares in 2006-07 (16 years, eight months, seven days) were younger. Article content The player from Whitehorse, Yukon, had 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games, including a 40-game point streak. Article content He extended that streak to 54 games during the Western Hockey League playoffs, establishing a modern CHL record (since 2000) for the longest single-season point streak across the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup. Article content McKenna led Medicine Hat to its first WHL title since 2007 and to the Memorial Cup final, where the Tigers fell to the London Knights. He was second in Memorial Cup scoring with six points (three goals, three assists) in four games. Article content Meanwhile, Landon DuPont became the second-youngest recipient of the rookie of the year award. The Everett Silvertips defenceman is just 16 years and 16 days old. Tavares won the award at 15 years, eight months and seven days. Article content DuPont, from Calgary, is the first blueliner in 30 years _ and just the third in CHL history after Philippe Boucher (1990-91) and Bryan Berard (1994-95) — to earn the honour. Dupont had 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) in 64 games. Article content Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa was honoured as top scorer after leading the CHL with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer was named the top prospect award winner being the No. 1-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting. Article content Other award winners included the Knights' Sam Dickinson as defenceman of the year, Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers as the goaltender of the year, Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs as sportsman of the year, Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Oceanic as scholastic player of the year, and Maxwell Jardine of the Charlottetown Islanders as humanitarian player of the year.
