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Two Abbotsford products, 10 Yale Hockey Academy players chosen in WHL Draft

2022 WHL Prospects Draft sees a handful of Abbotsford and Abbotsford-trained players selected
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Two Abbotsford products and 10 total players from the Abbotsford-based Yale Hockey Academy were chosen in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft on May 19. (WHL photo)

Two Abbotsford talents and a total of 10 players from the Abbotsford-based Yale Hockey Academy were chosen at the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft, which occurred on Thursday (May 19).

Abbotsford’s Jordan Martin was the highest chosen Abbotsford product, as the defenceman was taken in the second round, 41st overall by the Saskatoon Blades.

Martin had a strong season with the Yale Lions U15 Prep team this season, collecting 28 points in 24 games. He also suited up for two games with the U17 Prep squad.

The other Abbotsford product chosen was Lachlan Staniforth, who was selected in the sixth round, 122nd overall by the Kelowna Rockets.

Staniforth, also a defenceman, collected 21 points in 30 games with the Abbotsford-based Fraser Valley Thunderbirds U15 team in the British Columbia Elite Hockey League. He added four points in six playoff games with the T-Birds.

YHA again had a good showing at the event, with a total of 10 players chosen. Centre Braeden Cootes was the highest chosen, going in the first round, 10th overall to the Seattle Thunderbirds. Cootes put up an incredible 67 points in 30 games with the YHA U15 Prep team this season. He ranked sixth in scoring in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and led the league with eight game-winning goals.

The Sherwood Park, Alta. product thanked his coaches and family for their help getting him to this moment and said he’s excited to begin in Seattle.

Delta’s William Sharpe was taken by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the first round, 11th overall. The defenceman had 42 points in 21 games with the U15 Prep Team. Hurricanes head scout Rob MacLahlan said they were thrilled to choose him.

“We had him in the top-three defenceman all year,” he said. “To pick him at number 11, we are pretty ecstatic.”

Savin Virk was taken in round three, 46th overall by the Tri-City Americans. The Surrey product collected a mind-boggling 72 points in 29 games for the U15 Prep Team and ranked fourth in the CSSHL for scoring.

Grant Reid went in round three, 47th overall to the Victoria Royals. The Surrey product scored an impressive 61 points in 30 games with the U15 Prep Team.

Other YHA players chosen included: Port Coquitlam’s Kainoah Brankovic (round six, 112th overall to Tri-City), Rosedale’s Levi Benson (round six, 118th overall to the Swift Current Broncos), North Vancouver’s Shea Busch (round six, 121st overall to Lethbridge), Hornby Island’s Tommy Lafreniere (eighth round, 174th overall to the Kamloops Blazers) and Tyson Moss (tenth round, 217th overall to Kamloops).

For complete results, visit whl.ca/draft.

RELATED: Western Hockey League teams draft 15 players from Abbotsford’s Yale Hockey Academy



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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