Graeme Pickering. (RINK Hockey Academy/Dylan Asmundson)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

finding the next bains and hagel

Rebels add 15 players during 2024 U.S. Priority and Prospects drafts

May 10, 2024 | 10:57 AM

The Red Deer Rebels restocked the shelves Wednesday and Thursday through the WHL U.S. Priority Draft and WHL Prospects Draft.

Several other central Alberta players were also selected (more on them below).

“Every team on draft day feels like they had the best day,” says Shaun Sutter, associate general manager, Red Deer Rebels. “It’s kudos to our scouting staff who put in a lot of work throughout the year. Between phone calls, sitting in cold rinks and the travel, it’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears, so to speak. So for them, it’s a big day and I’m really proud of the guys for all the work they put in.”

In the U.S. draft Wednesday, Red Deer selected 15th overall, taking defenceman Nikolas Ferry from Los Angeles, California. In 68 games with the Los Angeles Kings U14 AAA team this season, Ferry recorded 20 points.

The Rebels then took defenceman Bodi Anderson from Eagle River, Alaska with the 37th overall pick. In 48 games with Team Alaska U14 Tier 1, Anderson had 14 points.

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Players eligible for the for the U.S. Draft are born in 2009.

The Rebels had two former first-round U.S. picks on their roster this past season; Quentin Bourne from Lawndale, California (2021, 8^th overall) and Jeramiah Roberts from Colorado Springs, Colorado (2022, 14^th overall).

Then Thursday, in the Prospects Draft, Red Deer again held the 15th overall selection

The club took yet another d-man, this time Graeme Pickering from St. Adolphe, Manitoba.

The right-shot blueliner played for RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg U15 in 2023-24, collecting 36 points in 27 games.

“He’s got some offense with his shot, puck-moving ability, and he’s a guy who plays hard and defends hard. He’s got some natural mean streak to him,” says Sutter. “He’s got some lineage with both his brother and sister being hockey players. There’s some height in his family, and we do think he’ll grow some and be a really good player.”

Pickering is the younger brother of Swift Current Broncos captain and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Owen Pickering, who is 6’5″. He’s also a cousin of Moose Jaw Warriors captain, WHL Defenceman of the Year, and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Denton Mateychuk.

Pickering’s sister Avery, who’s 5’9″ like Graeme, played her first year of D last season at Colgate University, and has won both gold and bronze with Canada’s U18 squad.

OTHER REBELS SELECTIONS

“We drafted all these guys for a reason. They’re all guys who have talent and ability,” Sutter adds. “Ultimately, now it’s up to them to prove that they can be the next Arshdeep Bains or Brandon Hagel.”

OTHER PICKS FROM CENTRAL ALBERTA

24th – Crew Martinson, Olds, C, Tri-City Americans – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA

82nd – Drake Mooney, Blackfalds, G, Regina Pats – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA

102nd – Finn Kelly, Rimbey, D, Lethbridge Hurricanes – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA

119th – Lucas Graham, Red Deer, D, Victoria Royals – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA

132nd – Colt Carter, Drayton Valley, D, Lethbridge Hurricanes – St. Albert Sabres U15 AAA

181st – Tayte Hoiland, Rocky Mountain House, RW, Medicine Hat Tigers – Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA

Full pick listings for both drafts are at WHL.ca.

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