WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE COMPLETES 2021 U.S. PRIORITY DRAFT

December 8, 2021

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The Western Hockey League completed the 2021 WHL U.S. Priority Draft today with WHL member Clubs selecting 44 players throughout the two-round draft.

With the first-overall pick, the Seattle Thunderbirds selected forward Macklin Celebrini (North Vancouver, B.C. / Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres Prep). Celebrini, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward, has tallied 42 points (20G-22A) in 23 games with Shattuck-St. Mary’s so far this season.

Of the 44 players selected, three competed as underagers in the inaugural WHL U.S. Challenge Cup in Kent, Wash., in February 2020 – Celebrini, Trevor Connelly, and Aidan Park.

In total, 11 different states and one Canadian province had players selected in the 2021 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, led by 15 players from California. Of the 44 players selected, WHL teams chose two goaltenders, 19 defencemen and 24 forwards.

2021 WHL U.S. Priority Draft – State-by-State Breakdown
California – 15
Arizona – 6
Minnesota – 6
Alaska – 4
Texas – 3
Colorado – 2
Nevada – 2
Washington – 2
Massachusetts – 1
Montana – 1
Rhode Island – 1
British Columbia – 1

Complete results from the 2021 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are available at WHL.ca/draft.

2021 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft Results
Round One

#1 – Seattle Thunderbirds
Name: Macklin Celebrini Position: Forward Hometown: North Vancouver, B.C.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s 18U Prep Stats: 23 GP – 20G-22A–42 points

#2 – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Name: Jack Lackas Position: Forward Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 7G-1A–8 points

#3 – Winnipeg ICE
Name: Nicholas Christianson Position: Centre Hometown: Upland, Calif.
Team: Windy City Storm 15s Stats: 42 GP – 17G-27A–44 points

#4 – Prince George Cougars
Name: Yoonho (Roy) Chung Position: Defence Hometown: Rolling Hills, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 15s Stats: 34 GP – 6G-23A–34 points

#5 – Saskatoon Blades
Name: Ethan Weber Position: Defence Hometown: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 15s Stats: 33 GP – 15G-13A–28 points

#6 – Swift Current Broncos
Name: John Whipple Position: Defence Hometown: Deephaven, Minn.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s 15s Stats: 25 GP – 11G-18A–29 points

#7 – Tri-City Americans
Name: Camerin Cardona Position: Forward Hometown: Anaheim, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ice Dogs 15s Stats: 36 GP – 26G-11A–37 points

#8 – Red Deer Rebels
Name: Quentin Bourne Position: Defence Hometown: Torrance, Calif.
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15s Stats: 6 GP – 1G-3A–4 points

#9 – Victoria Royals
Name: Hudson Bjornson Position: Defence Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 0G-3A–3 points

#10 – Kamloops Blazers
Name: Mac Swanson Position: Forward Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Team: Team Alaska 15s Stats: N/A

#11 – Portland Winterhawks
Name: Garin Ludwig Position: Defence Hometown: Eagle River, Alaska
Team: Team Alaska 15s Stats: N/A

#12 – Regina Pats
Name: Carson McGinley Position: Forward Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 3G-4A–7 points

#13 – Brandon Wheat Kings
Name: Colin Frank Position: Right Wing Hometown: Ladera Ranch, Calif.
Team: Bishop Kearney Selects 15s Stats: 6 GP – 1G-2A–3 points

#14 – Everett Silvertips
Name: Aidan Yi Position: Forward Hometown: Lake Forest, Calif.
Team: Culver Academy Eagles 16U Stats: 15 GP – 6G-4A–10 points

#15 – Kelowna Rockets
Name: Hayden Hastings Position: Forward Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 4G-2A–6 points

#16 – Spokane Chiefs
Name: Trevor Connelly Position: Forward Hometown: Tustin, Calif.
Team: Long Island Gulls 16U Stats: 3 GP – 0G-0A–0 points

#17 – Edmonton Oil Kings
Name: Tory Pitner Position: Defence Hometown: El Cerrito, Calif.
Team: South Kent Selects Academy 15s Stats: 27 GP – 7G-21A–28 points

#18 – Vancouver Giants
Name: Mikhail Levaniuk Position: Forward Hometown: Redmond, Wash.
Team: Delta Hockey Academy U16 Prep Stats: 16 GP – 3G-1A–4 points

#19 – Calgary Hitmen
Name: Aidan Park Position: Forward Hometown: Playa Vista, Calif.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16U Prep Stats: 29 GP – 34G-47A–81 points

#20 – Medicine Hat Tigers
Name: Ben Vatis Position: Goaltender Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 6 GP – 3.50 GAA – .884 SV%

#21 – Prince Albert Raiders
Name: Dmitri Toporowski Position: Forward Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Team: Boston Hockey Academy 15s Stats: 31 GP – 1G-9A–10 points

#22 – Moose Jaw Warriors
Name: Austin Doyle Position: Defence Hometown: Odessa, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 15s Stats: 37 GP – 6G-3A–9 points

Round Two

#23 – Moose Jaw Warriors
Name: Tyler Chiovetti Position: Centre Hometown: El Segundo, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 15U Stats: 32 GP – 13G-14A–27 points

#24 – Prince Albert Raiders
Name: AJ Ulrich Position: Forward Hometown: Arvada, Colo.
Team: Colorado Thunderbirds 15s Stats: 8 GP – 2G-1A–3 points

#25 – Medicine Hat Tigers
Name: Kolby Gapter Position: Defence Hometown: Arvada, Colo.
Team: Rocky Mountain RoughRiders 15s Stats: 4 GP – 2G-2A–4 points

#26 – Calgary Hitmen
Name: Will Skahan Position: Defence Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.
Team: St. Thomas Academy High School Cadets Stats: 3 GP – 0G-2A–2 points

#27 – Vancouver Giants
Name: Drake Murray Position: Defence Hometown: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s 16U Stats: 31 GP – 10G-30A–40 points

#28 – Edmonton Oil Kings
Name: Tyler Atchison Position: Forward Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
Team: Windy City Storm 15s Stats: 29 GP – 16G-8A–24 points

#29 – Spokane Chiefs
Name: Brendan McMorrow Position: Forward Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.
Team: Benilde/St. Margaret’s High School Red Knights Stats: 3G – 0G-4A–4 points

#30 – Kelowna Rockets
Name: Jake Solano Position: Centre Hometown: Phoenix, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 3G-1A–4 points

#31 – Everett Silvertips
Name: Cody Polumbus Position: Forward Hometown: Whitefish, Mont.
Team: Sioux Falls Power 15s Stats: 30 GP – 18G-11A–29 points

#32 – Brandon Wheat Kings
Name: Ethan Gonyeau Position: Defence Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 16U Stats: 39 GP – 2G-15A–17 points

#33 – Regina Pats
Name: Justin Bayers Position: Goaltender Hometown: Westlake Village, Calif.
Team: Mount St. Charles Academy 15s Stats: 4 GP – 2.45 GAA – .922 SV%

#34 – Portland Winterhawks
Name: Adam Kleber Position: Defence Hometown: Chaska, Minn.
Team: Minnesota Blades 15s Stats: 4 GP – 2G-1A–3 points

#35 – Kamloops Blazers
Name: Sam Webster Position: Defence Hometown: Chandler, Ariz.
Team: Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 15s Stats: 8 GP – 2G-1A–3points

#36 – Victoria Royals
Name: Tyler McGowan Position: Defence Hometown: Irvine, Calif.
Team: Anaheim Jr. Ducks 16U Stats: 36 GP – 4G-7A–11 points

#37 – Red Deer Rebels
Name: Jonah Jasser Position: Forward Hometown: Flower Mound, Texas
Team: Dallas Stars Elite 16U Stats: 37 GP – 11G-9A–20 points

#38 – Tri-City Americans
Name: Connor Ellingsen Position: Forward Hometown: Pasco, Wash.
Team: Tri-Cities Jr. Americans 16U Stats: N/A

#39 – Swift Current Broncos
Name: Henry Lechner Position: Left Wing Hometown: Bloomington, Minn.
Team: Academy of Holy Angels High School Stars Stats: 4 GP – 3G-5A–8 points

#40 – Saskatoon Blades
Name: Samuel Houston Position: Forward Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Team: Los Angeles Jr. Kings 15s Stats: 34 GP – 10G-7A–17 points

#41 – Prince George Cougars
Name: Nick McLennan Position: Forward Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Team: Team Alaska 15s Stats: N/A

#42 – Winnipeg ICE
Name: Brodie Ziemer Position: Forward Hometown: Carver, Minn.
Team: Shattuck-St. Mary’s 15s Stats: 25 GP – 25G-25A–50 points

#43 – Lethbridge Hurricanes
Name: Tristen Azelton Position: Defence Hometown: Gilbert, Ariz.
Team: Arizona Bobcats 16U Stats: 28 GP – 7G-12A–19 points

#44 – Seattle Thunderbirds
Name: Colton Whitfield Position: Defence Hometown: Warwick, R.I.
Team: Cape Cod Whalers 15U Stats: 30 GP – 9G-17A–26 points