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WHL Bantam Draft in Red Deer Thursday

Apr 29, 2019 | 4:29 PM

They say it’s polite for hosts to allow guests to go first before filling their own plate.

That’s what the Red Deer Rebels will be doing Thursday as the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft takes place at the Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre.

The Rebels are currently without a first round selection and are slated to make their first pick of the draft in round two, 31st overall.

They also own the 38th overall selection followed by picks 51, 75, 98, 163, 181, 185, 207, 229, and 251, though the club most likely will be passing on their later selections.

Red Deer traded their first round pick in this week’s draft – which ended up being ninth overall – to the Winnipeg (Kootenay, formerly) ICE on November 30, 2018 as part of the deal that brought Brett Davis and Cameron Hausinger to the Rebels. Also shipped to the ICE were River Fahey, Austin Schellenberg, Justin Svenson, Chase Bertholet, a third and sixth round selection in 2019, a second round pick in 2020 and a conditional third round pick in 2022.

Players born in 2004 are eligible to be selected in this year’s draft.

The ICE won the draft lottery in March, and will pick first overall.

Following is the order of selection for the first round of the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft:

1. Winnipeg ICE

2. Prince George Cougars (from Swift Current)

3. Saskatoon Blades (from Regina)

4. Prince George Cougars

5. Kelowna Rockets

6. Brandon Wheat Kings

7. Kamloops Blazers

8. Seattle Thunderbirds

9. Winnipeg ICE (from Red Deer)

10. Brandon Wheat Kings (from Victoria)

11. Calgary Hitmen (from Tri-City)

12. Medicine Hat Tigers

13. Calgary Hitmen

14. Swift Current Broncos (from Portland)

15. Spokane Chiefs

16. Brandon Wheat Kings (from Moose Jaw)

17. Regina Pats (from Lethbridge)

18. Edmonton Oil Kings

19. Victoria Royals (from Saskatoon)

20. Kamloops Blazers (from Everett)

21. Swift Current Broncos (from Vancouver)

22. Prince Albert Raiders

This marks the second year in a row Red Deer is hosting the WHL Bantam Draft and WHL Awards. The awards will be handed out during a lunchtime ceremony on Wednesday.