The Brandon Wheat Kings added to an already full prospects cupboard this morning at the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft in Calgary.
The Wheat Kings held six picks in the top 100 spots in the draft including the 8th overall selection.
With that pick, Director of Scouting Darren Ritchie and staff selected forward Ridley Grieg from the Lethbridge Bantam AAA Golden Hawks.
The 5’7 forward had 71 points in 35 games last season.
“We think he’s the smartest player in the draft” said Director of Scouting Darren Ritchie. “Our priority was getting hockey smarts at the top and speed and that is what this guy has.”
The newest Wheat King comes from a solid hockey bloodline. His father Mark Greig was a 1st round NHL Draft pick in 1990. He was chosen 15th overall by the Hartford Whalers and played 125 games in the NHL with Toronto, Philadelphia, Calgary and Hartford.
Brandon then made two more picks in the top thirty as they held on to the 27th and 30th overall picks.
With the 27th selection, the Wheat Kings chose 6’0 defenseman Vincent Iorio (Coquitlam, BC) from Shattuck St Mary prep school in Minnesota.
Iorio, appeared in 39 games and had 32 points last season.
The Wheat Kings stayed in Manitoba for the 30th pick selecting defenseman Anthony Kehrer from the Rink Hockey Academy.
Last season, the 5’11 Winnipeg native put up 27 points in 29 games
In the third round, the Wheat Kings elected to keep it in the family as they chose highly skilled forward Nolan Ritchie from the Brandon Bantam AAA Wheat Kings.
Nolan is of course the son of long time Wheat King and the man calling the shots at the draft Darren Ritchie.
In 39 games, the speedy forward put up 89 points, 51 of which were goals.
With the 74th overall pick, the Wheat Kings dipped back into Alberta taking Calgary native Jack Zayat.
The 5’8 defenseman played last year with the Calgary Bisons AAA Bantam program and put up 37 points in 34 games.
In the fifth round, the Wheat Kings went back to the West Coast; selecting 5’7 forward Cameron MacDonald from the Yale Hockey Academy.
In 29 games, he amassed 38 points including 16 goals and 22 assists.
After a brief lunch break, the Wheat Kings got back to work selecting forward Braden Fischer from Winnipeg.
The left handed winger spent last season with the Winnipeg Bantam Monarchs and had 57 points in 30 games.
In the 8th Round, the Wheat Kings went back to Alberta selecting Beaumont native Bode Hagan from the Edmonton OHA Bantam Prep program.
Hagan is listed as 5’6 and put up 32 points in 30 games last season.
Sticking in Manitoba, the Wheat Kings then selected William Highet from the Winnipeg Bantam AAA Warriors. The right handed defenseman had 33 points in 33 games last season.
In the 9th round Brandon went south of the border picking Owen Gallatin from Hugo, Minnesota.
Unlike most prairie bantam AAA teams, US leagues rarely keep detailed online statistics.
“Owen is a puck moving defenseman, Captain of his team and he’s a good skater with and without the puck,” said Assistant GM Mick McCrimmon
With the addition of 10 new prospects, the Wheat Kings turn their attention to spring camp which will be held May 26th to 28th at Westman Communications Group Place.
BRANDON WHEAT KINGS SELECTIONS
Rd. 1 (8th Overall) – Ridly Greig (Lethbridge, AB)
Rd. 2 (27th Overall) – Vincent Iorio (Coquitlam, BC)
Rd. 2 (30th Overall) – Anthony Kehrer (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 3 (56th Overall) – Nolan Ritchie (Brandon, MB)
Rd. 4 (74th Overall) – Jack Zayat (Calgary, AB)
Rd. 5 (96th Overall) – Cameron MacDonald (Surrey, BC)
Rd.7 (140th Overall) – Braden Fischer (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 8 (162nd Overall) – Bode Hagan (Beaumont, AB)
Rd. 8 (171st Overall) – William Highet (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 9 (184th Overall) – Owen Gallatin (Hugo, MN USA)
MANITOBANS SELECTED
Rd. 1 – 11th Overall (Portland) – Seth Jarvis (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 1 – 15th Overall (Moose Jaw) – Damon Hunt (Brandon, MB)
Rd. 2 – 30th Overall (Brandon) – Anthony Kehrer (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 2 – 40th Overall (Prince Albert) – Jakob Brook (Roblin, MB)
Rd. 3 – 49th Overall (Everett) – Nathanael Hinds (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 3 – 54th Overall (Victoria) – Ty Thorpe (Brandon MB)
Rd. 3 – 56th Overall (Brandon) – Nolan Ritchie (Brandon, MB)
Rd. 3 – 64th Overall (Prince Albert) – Evan Herman (Oakville, MB)
Rd. 5 – 90th Overall (Moose Jaw) – Levi Thiessen (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 5 – 97th Overall (Kamloops) – Reese Belton (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 5 – 98th Overall (Moose Jaw) – Cory King (Souris, MB)
Rd. 5 – 99th Overall (Seattle) – Dante Giannuzzi (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 6 – 112th Overall (Calgary) – Evan Toth (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 6 – 114th Overall (Tri-City) – Sequoia Swan (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 6 – 121st Overall (Portland) – Tyson Kozak (Souris, MB)
Rd. 6 – 127th Overall (Kelowna) – Jake Poole (MaCauley, MB)
Rd. 6 – 129th Overall (Tri-City) – Landon Roberts (Souris, MB)
Rd. 7 – 134th Overall (Moose Jaw) – Calder Anderson (Brandon, MB)
Rd.7 – 140th Overall (Brandon) – Braden Fischer (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd.8 – 161st Overall (Calgary) – Luc Benedictson (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 8 – 171st Overall (Brandon) – William Highet (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 8 – 176th Overall (Regina) – Ethan McColm (Oakbank, MB)
Rd. 9 – 181st Overall (Saskatoon) – Kyle Lamoureux (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 10 – 191st Overall (Kelowna) – Brody Wilson (Birtle, MB)
Rd. 10 – 202nd Overall (Victoria) – Carter Loney (Winnipeg, MB)
Rd. 10 – 206th Overall (Saskatoon) – Zachary Veitch (Rivers, MB)
