Hitmen select LW Virtanan first in WHL draft

Posted May 5, 2011 7:50 am.

This article is more than 5 years old.

THE CANADIAN PRESS

CALGARY — The Calgary Hitmen made forward Jake Virtanen the first overall pick in the Western Hockey league draft on Thursday.

Virtanen, a right winger with the Abbottsford Hawks, is known as a strong skater and shooter.

It was the first time Calgary held first overall pick since 1995.

The Swift Current Broncos followed by selecting defenceman Brycen Martin from the Calgary Bisons and the Lethbridge Hurricanes took defenceman Ryan Pilon third overall.

First Round

1: Calgary Hitmen – Jake Virtanen, LW

2: Swift Current Broncos – Brycen Martin, D

3: Regina Pats (traded to Lethbridge Hurricanes) – Ryan Pilon, D

4: Kamloops Blazers – Jordan Thomson, D

5: Lethbridge Hurricanes – Reid Duke, C

6: Seattle Thunderbirds – Ryan Gropp, LW

7: Everett Silvertips – Ty Mappin, C

8: Prince Albert Raiders – Reid Gardiner, C

9: Edmonton Oil Kings – Aaron Irving, D

10: Prince George Cougars – Jordan Harris, D

11: Brandon Wheat Kings – Kord Pankewicz, LW

12: Victoria WHL Club – Joe Hicketts, D

13: Vancouver Giants (traded to Swift Current Broncos) – Zach Gonek, D

14: Moose Jaw Warriors – Brayden Point, C

15: Kelowna Rockets – Rourke Chartier, C

16: Tri-City Americans (traded to Moose Jaw Warriors) – Miles Warkentine, C

17: Kootenay Ice (traded to Spokane Chiefs) – Collin Shirley, LW

18: Medicine Hat Tigers – Blake Penner, C

19: Spokane Chiefs – Tanner MacMaster, C

20: Portland Winter Hawks (traded to Vancouver Giants) – Thomas Foster, C

21: Red Deer Rebels – Conner Bleackley, C

22: Saskatoon Blades (traded to Brandon Wheat Kings) – Jordan Papirny, G

The Kamloops Blazers selected defenceman Jordan Thompson of Brandon, Man., and Lethbridge used its second pick of the first round to take big forward Reid Duke of the Calgary Royals.

Seattle used the sixth pick to select high-scoring left winger Ryan Gropp and the Everett Silvertips chose centre Ty Mappin of the Red Deer bantam Rebels seventh overall.

The Prince Albert Raiders took forward Reid Gardiner eighth, the Edmonton Oil Kings selected defenceman Aaron Irving ninth, the Prince George Cougars took defenceman Jordan Harris 10th and the Brandon Wheat Kings chose defenceman Kord Pankewicz 11th.

The new as-yet unnamed Victoria team, formerly the Chilliwack Bruins, took defenceman Joe Hicketts 12th overall.

Swift Current used its second pick of the round to select defenceman Zack Gonek while the Moose Jaw Warriors chose forward Braydon Point 14th and the Kelowna Rockets took centre Rourke Chartier 15th.

The Reginas Pats traded the 16th overall pick to Moose Jaw for a few later picks and the Warriors selected forward Miles Warkentine.

The Kootenay Ice took forward Colin Shirley 17th overall, the Medicine Hat Tigers took forward Blake Penner of the Notre Dame Hounds, a Medicine Hat native, 18th. The Spokane Chiefs chose playmaking forward Tanner McMaster 19th.

The Vancouver Giants, using the 20th pick they acquired in a deal with Portland, took defenceman Thomas Foster. The Red Deer Rebels chose centre Connor Bleakley 21st overall.

Brandon had the 22nd pick via a trade with Saskatoon and used the final pick of the first round to take the first goaltender, Jordan Piperny.

Second Round

23: Calgary Hitmen – Josh Thrower, D

24: Swift Current Broncos – Dakota Odgers, F

25: Regina Pats – Adam Brooks, C

26: Lethbridge Hurricanes – Kolten Olynek, C

27: Seattle Thunderbirds – Austin Douglas, D

28: Kamloops Blazers (traded to Vancouver Giants) – Payton Lee, G

29: Everett Silvertips (traded to Lethbridge Hurricanes) – Carter Amson, LW

30: Prince Albert Raiders (traded toVancouver Giants) – Jake Kohlhauser, D

31: Edmonton Oil Kings – Mitchell Walter, RW

32: Prince George Cougars (traded to Brandon Wheat Kings) – Jayce Hawryluk, C