Sask. hockey player resting at home after neck slashed by skate
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'Considering the circumstances ... this is best-case scenario,' Cole Cusitar said.
The Regina Pats are poised for years of success after winning the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Bantam Draft Lottery Wednesday morning.
In the void of live sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans eagerly watched one of the most anticipated draft lotteries in the league’s recent memory.
Connor Bedard leads a talent-laden draft pool after becoming the first person in WHL history to be granted exceptional status to play in the league full-time as a 15-year-old.
Once the ping pong balls settled, the Regina Pats stood with the number one selection after receiving the Swift Current Broncos’ pick via trade.
The Prince George Cougars were the big movers on the day, moving two spots up from fourth to second, the maximum amount of spots a team can move in the lottery.
The Moose Jaw Warriors, the Tri-City Americans, the Saskatoon Blades and the Red Deer Rebels round out the top 6 selections in the draft.
Touted as one the greatest WHL prospects in recent memory before even playing a game in the league, Bedard is already receiving comparisons to Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.
The 14-year-old North Vancouver native scorched one of the top developmental leagues in the nation, the Canadian Sport School Hockey League with 43 goals and 81 points while playing for the West Van Academy Prep Warriors this season.
Originally scheduled for May 6 and 7, the WHL Bantam Draft was rescheduled on Tuesday. Rather than taking place in Red Deer with team scouts and managers in attendance, the draft will be streamed live on April 22.