Saturday 27 June 2015

5 WHL'ers Selected in 1st Round NHL Draft



FIVE WHL PLAYERS SELECTED IN FIRST ROUND OF 2015 NHL DRAFT

Sunrise, Florida – Five players from the Western Hockey League heard their named called in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL on June 26, including seventh overall pick Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings).

Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings was the first WHL player selected in the 2015 NHL Draft, chosen by the Philadelphia Flyers with the seventh overall pick.  Provorov, a product of Yaroslavl, Russia, recently completed his rookie season with the Wheat Kings after electing to play in the WHL.

A 6’0”, 200 lb defenceman, Provorov was voted the Eastern Conference Defenceman of the Year after posting 61 points (15g-46a) in 60 games played which was also tops amongst WHL rookie skaters. Provorov went on to put up 13 points (2g-11a) in 19 games during the 2015 WHL Playoffs. Provorov was selected by Brandon 30th overall in the 2014 CHL Import Draft.

Forward Jake DeBrusk of the Swift Current Broncos was the second WHL player selected with the Boston Bruins’ 14th overall pick. DeBrusk recently completed his second season in the WHL in which he posted 81 points (42g-39a) and played in all 72 games. DeBrusk becomes the second-highest Broncos player to ever be selected in the NHL Draft. The Edmonton, AB native was selected by the Broncos 137th overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.

After a trade that saw the New York Islanders acquire the 16th overall pick, Seattle Thunderbirds forward Mathew Barzal heard his name called by the Islanders. The first overall pick from the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft posted 57 points (12g-45a) in just 44 games during the 2014-15 WHL Regular Season. Barzal is the 15th Thunderbird to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft.

Rounding out the first round of WHL selections, Everett Silvertips defenceman Julius Noah Juulsen was selected 26th overall by the Montreal Canadiens and Kelowna Rockets forward Nick Merkley was selected 30th overall by the Arizona Coyotes.

Photos:
*Please credit Aaron Bell/CHL Images

2015 NHL Draft, WHL Players

1st Round
#7. Philadelphia Flyers – Ivan Provorov; Yaroslavl, Russia; Brandon Wheat Kings
#14. Boston Bruins – Jake DeBrusk; Edmonton, AB; Swift Current Broncos
#16. New York Islanders – Mathew Barzal; Coquitlam, BC; Seattle Thunderbirds
#26. Montreal Canadiens – Noah Juulsen; Abbotsford, BC; Everett Silvertips
#30. Arizona Coyotes – Nick Merkley; Calgary, AB; Kelowna Rockets


Past WHL – NHL Draft Results
-A total of 37 WHL players were selected in the 2014 NHL Draft, including nine in the first round
-A total of 33 WHL players were selected in the 2013 NHL Draft, including eight in the first round.
-A total of 32 WHL players were selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, including six in the first round.
-A total of 33 WHL players were selected in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, including five in the first round.
-A total of 43 WHL players were selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, including seven in the first round.
-A total of 31 WHL players were selected in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, including five in the first round.
-A total of 37 WHL players were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, including nine in the first round.
-A total of 37 WHL players were selected in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, including nine in the first round.
-A total of 24 WHL players were selected in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
-A total of 43 WHL players were selected in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft