The Red Deer Rebels made ten selections in the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Bantam Draft in Red Deer on May 3rd.
This year, the draft featured players born in 2003 and selections will be ineligible to play full-time until the 2019-20 season.
In the first round, Rebels selected Forward Jayden Grubbe of the Calgary Bisons seventh overall and Defenceman Kyle Masters of OHA Edmonton 16th overall.
Grubbe played 35 games with the Bisons last year, totalling 29 goals and 47 assists. Masters played 29 games for OHA Edmonton, notching seven goals and 19 assists.
The first pick of the draft went to the Edmonton Oil Kings who selected Forward Dylan Guenther, who is currently playing with the Northern Alberta Xtreme Bantam Prep.
The 2018 Draft featured 223 players being selected, 124 of which were forwards, 76 defencemen and 23 goaltenders.
Albertan-born players led all other provinces with 68 players selected and 30 were selected from outside of Canada.
Fifty players were selected from British Columbia, 42 were selected from Saskatchewan and 33 players were from Manitoba.
Fifty-six per cent of the first 66 players selected played in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League (CSSHL) and 79 CSSHL players were selected in total, which is 35 per cent of all players selected.
A complete list of the 2018 WHL draft can be found at whl.ca/draft
