The WHL announced today the Winnipeg ICE will select first overall at the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft after winning the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft lottery, which was held today at the WHL office in Calgary, Alta.

The WHL Bantam Draft Lottery involved the six non-playoff teams (Swift Current, Winnipeg, Regina, Prince George, Kelowna, and Brandon) from the 2018-19 WHL Regular Season. A team may only move up a maximum of two positions in the WHL Bantam Draft.

The 2019 WHL Bantam Draft will be held in Red Deer, Alta. on Thursday, May 2, 2019. The selection process for the WHL Bantam Draft lottery was performed by Tori Gabura from KPMG.

A Winnipeg ICE ball was drawn, meaning the ICE will move up one position and have the first-overall selection in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft. The Prince George Cougars will have the second (from Swift Current) and fourth selections while the Saskatoon Blades (from Regina) will pick third overall. The Kelowna Rockets will have the fifth selection, and the Brandon Wheat Kings will select sixth.

The order of the second round and all other rounds will be the inverse order of final 2018-19 WHL Regular Season standings.

Players eligible for the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft will be 2004-born players who reside in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

2018 WHL BANTAM DRAFT 1st ROUND ORDER OF SELECTION
Following is the order of selection for the first round of the 2018 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

2nd ROUND (AND ALL SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS) ORDER OF SELECTION
Following is the order of selection for the 2nd and all subsequent rounds of the WHL Bantam Draft: (Please note that traded picks are not indicated)

1. Swift Current Broncos
2. Winnipeg ICE
3. Regina Pats
4. Prince George Cougars
5. Kelowna Rockets
6. Kamloops Blazers
7.  Seattle Thunderbirds
8.  Brandon Wheat Kings
9. Red Deer Rebels
10. Victoria Royals
11. Tri-City Americans
12. Medicine Hat Tigers
13. Calgary Hitmen
14. Portland Winterhawks
15. Spokane Chiefs
16. Moose Jaw Warriors
17. Lethbridge Hurricanes
18. Edmonton Oil Kings
19. Saskatoon Blades
20. Everett Silvertips
21. Vancouver Giants
22. Prince Albert Raiders