Sask. teams make their selections in first round of WHL Prospects Draft

Western Hockey League teams got a chance to start adding to their prospect pool on Wednesday night.

The first round of the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft allowed teams to pick from the top 2011-born players eligible to play in the league. The Kelowna Rockets held the first overall pick, which originally was owned by the Lethbridge Hurricanes. They selected centre Madden Daneault, who had 149 points in 34 games for his U15 Red Deer team.

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The Regina Pats held the ninth overall pick, which was the highest by a Saskatchewan-based WHL club. The Pats, who selected forward Maddox Schultz first overall and Liam Pue third overall last year, picked goaltender Fletcher MacDonald this time around. The Edmonton goalie played in 28 games for the Edmonton CAC U15 AAA team last season, earning a .925 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.87. In the two games he played in the playoffs for his league, he had a save percentage of .9.69 and a goals-against average of 1.51.

“Some pretty amazing numbers he put up on a not-very-good team,” Pats general manager Dale Derkatch said.

“He had a .925 save percentage throughout the year, and they only won eight games, which is pretty amazing. He had over 1,000 shots, which was 300 more than the next goalie in the league had. Cap that off in the playoffs. They lost out in a best-of-three in two games, and he only let in three goals.”

MacDonald is the first goalie to be drafted in the top 10 since 2016, when the Prince George Cougars selected Taylor Gauthier with the 10th pick.

Derkatch has a history of selecting goaltenders early, selecting Ian Scott ninth overall in 2014 when he was the director of hockey personnel for the Prince Albert Raiders.

“I don’t think it’s a risk. I think you try to take the best player available. For me, there’s no difference between a forward, defenceman or goalie in terms of risk,” Derkatch explained.

“If I have a player who will play 60 minutes and is one of the best in his age group, that’s a pretty good start for your team.”

Saskatoon jumped up to the 15th pick in the round after the Blades made a trade with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Saskatoon received the 15th pick in the draft as well as a fifth-round pick (102nd overall) and sent the Wheat Kings the 18th and 67th picks of the draft.

The Blades selected Teagan Dernisky, a forward who hails from Delta, B.C. With the Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep, Dernisky had 98 points (43 goals, 55 assists) in 30 games.

“I just think he’s a unique player,” Blades general manager Colin Priestner said. “I didn’t think he was really in our range, picking 18 all year. He was kind of one of those top guys, in our eyes, that you appreciate and watch, but you don’t really think you’re going to get them because they’re not in your range.”

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While Dernisky is skilled with the puck, Priestner said it was his style of play that the Blades liked.

“He led the (Canadian Sport School Hockey League) in goals, assists and points,” Priestner said. “He was a top-10 in penalty minutes guy as well, so he plays with a lot of ferociousness. He’s one of those guys, he’s a bit of a rat as a player, and that was something we loved.”

Dernisky also reminded the general manager of another top player who played for a Saskatchewan team.

“He’s a fiery redhead,” Priestner said. “He’s got bright red hair. He almost reminds me of Jagger Firkus. That was the first name I thought of what I saw him playing this year.”

The only other Saskatchewan team with picks in the first round was the Swift Current Broncos, which had the final two picks of the round (22nd and 23rd). The Prince Albert Raiders’ pick was owned by the Broncos, and the Moose Jaw Warriors’ pick was owned by the Wenatchee Wild.

First, Swift Current selected Maple Ridge, B.C., defenceman Jacson Bradbeer. Bradbeer also played for the Yale hockey academy, recording 61 points (nine goals, 52 assists) in 29 games.

The Broncos stayed in B.C. for their next pick, selecting defenceman Nathan Roberts who hails from Surrey. For the Delta Hockey Academy U15 Prep, he had 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 30 games.

The remainder of the draft will be held on Thursday.

Five Saskatchewan players selected

Five players from the Land of Living Skies received calls from WHL teams on Wednesday.

The first was Cullen Stephenson, with the Warman player selected by the Portland Winterhawks 10th overall. With the Warman Wildcats, the forward had 88 points (38 goals, 50 assists) in 25 games.

The very next pick saw the Seattle Thunderbirds select defenceman Jax Bubnick, who’s from Saskatoon. With the Saskatoon Generals, he had 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 26 games.

Two picks later at 13, the Everett Silvertips selected Wyatt Bitz, who is also from Saskatoon. As a defenceman for the Saskatoon Outlaws, Bitz recorded 53 points (18 goals, 35 assists).

At 17, the Red Deer Rebels chose Danny Romazanov, making him the third player of the round from Saskatoon to be drafted. The winger played 29 games for the Northern Alberta Xtreme and had 58 points (26 goals, 32 assists).

One pick later, Rylan Edwards from Regina was selected by Brandon. Edwards also played for the Northern Alberta Xtreme, recording 17 goals and 26 assists in 28 games.