A total of 15 players from Abbotsford’s Yale Hockey Academy were chosen in the 2021 WHL Draft, which took place virtually on Thursday (Dec. 9).
The lone first round pick was left wing Caleb Hadland who went 22nd overall to the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The Sylvan Lake, Alberta product has 14 points in 14 games with the YHA U18 prep team this season. He previously played with the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA program.
Here's what you need to know about the newest member of the BWK!
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) December 9, 2021
-Captain of the U15 Red Deer Rebels
-Captain of Team Alberta at the WHL Cup
-9 goals in 14 games this season at Yale Academy#bdnmb #whl pic.twitter.com/6NAX6mNcsd
Defenceman Nathan Mayes was picked in round three, 51st overall to the Spokane Chiefs. Mayes has collected 15 points in 14 games with the YHA’s U17 Prep team. Mayes hails from Salmon Arm and last year played on the YHA’s U15 Prep team.
Surrey’s Chase Valliant also went in the third round, 58th overall to the Calgary Hitmen. The centre has collected 28 points in 10 games with the YHA’s U17 Prep team this season.
— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) December 9, 2021
Also chosen in the third round was Surrey’s Eric Emery (65th to the Saskatoon Blades) and Nanaimo’s Jesse Heslop (66th to the Everett Silvertips). Both players are members of the YHA’s U17 Prep team.
The lone Abbotsford talent to get chosen was forward Steven Foster, who was selected in the seventh round, 134th overall by the Victoria Royals. Foster has 10 points in five games with the YHA’s U17 Prep team this season. He previously played for the YHA’s U15 Prep team and the Burnaby Winter Club’s U15 Varsity team.
Other YHA products chosen included: Ethan Merner (round four, 80th overall by Calgary), Keith McInnis (round five, 91st overall by Red Deer), Evan Smith (round five, 95th overall by Red Deer), Ethan Eskit (round five, 114th overall by Brandon), Coy Pighin (round six, 118th overall by the Lethbridge Hurricanes), Luke Cozens (round seven, 140th overall by Lethbridge), McCarthy Richardson (round eight, 167th overall by the Vancouver Giants), Kalan Anderlini (round nine, 178th overall by Calgary) and Cohen Massey (round nine, 191st overall by the Portland Winterhawks).
For the full results from the draft, visit whl.ca/draft.