WHL Expansion Draft Predictions

[whldraft]

Top Targets from every team - you are a Penticton Vee
Brandon - Carson Park
Calgary - Sam Spehar
Edmonton - Jensen Marsh
Everett - Rhys Jamieson
Kamloops - Madex Kabrud
Kelowna - Jake Hargrave
Lethbridge - Coy Pighin
Medicine Hat - MH will trade some of their extra 2025 draft picks so they don't lose anyone
Moose Jaw - Zachary Schimidt
Portland - Owen Chapman
Prince Albert - Use to take Max Heise, who is currently in Penticton but on PA's list
Prince George - Ethan Hamilton
Red Deer - Nate Yellowaga
Regina - Corban Almen
Saskatoon - Reid Wasserman
Seattle - Marcus Laracque
Spokane - Brady Elbert
Swift Current - Use to take Nolan Stevenson, currently in Penticton but a SC Draft pick
Tri-City - Malachi McKinnon
Vancouver - Hudson Getzlaf
Victoria - Use this plus several 2025 and future draft picks to keep Eli McKamey
Wenatchee - Tyson Medernach

Discuss

 

[MeHateHe]

This is a good discussion, but the parameters of the draft - who/how many/what demographics can teams use to protect players - are kind of necessary to get into this.

 

[superdeluxe]

This is a good discussion, but the parameters of the draft - who/how many/what demographics can teams use to protect players - are kind of necessary to get into this.

Yup. Like how many of the ‘50’ can you protect. How many 20s will penticton get to keep. Etc

 

[hockeykid87]

I believe teams are going to be able to protect 15 players. 09's are exempt, as are 08's that have no-movement clauses.

Penticton is going to be allowed to have four 20 year olds for their first season.

 

[whldraft]

I believe teams are going to be able to protect 15 players. 09's are exempt, as are 08's that have no-movement clauses.

Penticton is going to be allowed to have four 20 year olds for their first season.

I hadn't heard about the exemptions. That impacts my list, obviously. So basically unsigned 08s and all 09s are protected, on top of the 15. That limits the ability to add talent.

 

[hockeykid87]

I hadn't heard about the exemptions. That impacts my list, obviously. So basically unsigned 08s and all 09s are protected, on top of the 15. That limits the ability to add talent.

I don't believe unsigned 2008's are exempt, but I'm pretty sure all 2009's are. Only 08's that are signed and have no-movement clauses are exempt I believe. The one thing I'm not sure of is if those players are automatically exempt, or do they have to be auto protected and part of a team's 15-man protected list.

I imagine most first round picks out of the 08 class have NMC's. There are definitely some signed 08's that don't have them and will be potential targets by Penticton.

 

[superdeluxe]

Im guessing most teams won’t protect their 20s, unless they are gearing up for a run. Like my guess is Seattle won’t protect Ratzlaf due to the fact that while technically he might come back, not sure how likely that will be

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I could see something like the Vees taking in mostly their former players or maybe they do with the ones with their rights held with another team.

 

[hockeykid87]

I could see something like the Vees taking in mostly their former players or maybe they do with the ones with their rights held with another team.

This has been discussed a ton, but most of the Vees current players either A) are not good enough to be WHL regulars, or B) are not eligible to play for Penticton's WHL team. I wouldn't be shocked at all if every single player on the 2025-26 roster was brand new.

Edit: I decided to go through their roster and take a look at each player.

Goalies
Ethan Buenatventura - Aging out this season
WIll Ingemann - Possibly could play? .891 save percentage is not inspiring. Especially being a 20 next year
Sharkey Nowek - Nowhere near WHL quality

Defensemen
Matthew Botti, Michael Fisher, Nate McIsaac, Oscar Pantzare, Brock Reinhart - Aging out
Landen Hilditch - Not 20-year-old WHL quality
George Lovell - Is from MA, not eligible to play in the WHL
Zachary Nyman - From Ontario, drafted by an OHL team, not eligible to play in the WHL
Nolan Stevenson - WHL rights are held by Swift Current. Could theoretically trade for him as he may be 20-year-old WHL quality
Callum Stone - Could very well be on the Vees next season. Was drafted by Portland but I believe they dropped him

Forwards
Connyr Hellyer - Aging out
Matthew Cataldo, Ben Merrill, Luke Posthumous, Anselmo Rego, Georgios Stavrianeas - Not eliglble to play in the WHL based off their hometowns
Ryden Evans - Could probably play as a 20.
Max Heise - Would definitely be able to play, if he elects to stay and not go to the NCAA
Connor Lee - Not WHL quality
Eli McKamey - Will be playing for Victoria next season
Simon Meier - Has a contract in Switzerland for next season
Tristan Peterson - Don't think he's WHL quality
Caton Ryan - Possibly could be a 20. Probably better ones available from other WHL teams
Louie Wehmann - Maybe could play in the WHL.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

This has been discussed a ton, but most of the Vees current players either A) are not good enough to be WHL regulars, or B) are not eligible to play for Penticton's WHL team. I wouldn't be shocked at all if every single player on the 2025-26 roster was brand new.

Edit: I decided to go through their roster and take a look at each player.

Goalies
Ethan Buenatventura - Aging out this season
WIll Ingemann - Possibly could play? .891 save percentage is not inspiring. Especially being a 20 next year
Sharkey Nowek - Nowhere near WHL quality

Defensemen
Matthew Botti, Michael Fisher, Nate McIsaac, Oscar Pantzare, Brock Reinhart - Aging out
Landen Hilditch - Not 20-year-old WHL quality
George Lovell - Is from MA, not eligible to play in the WHL
Zachary Nyman - From Ontario, drafted by an OHL team, not eligible to play in the WHL
Nolan Stevenson - WHL rights are held by Swift Current. Could theoretically trade for him as he may be 20-year-old WHL quality
Callum Stone - Could very well be on the Vees next season. Was drafted by Portland but I believe they dropped him

Forwards
Connyr Hellyer - Aging out
Matthew Cataldo, Ben Merrill, Luke Posthumous, Anselmo Rego, Georgios Stavrianeas - Not eliglble to play in the WHL based off their hometowns
Ryden Evans - Could probably play as a 20.
Max Heise - Would definitely be able to play, if he elects to stay and not go to the NCAA
Connor Lee - Not WHL quality
Eli McKamey - Will be playing for Victoria next season
Simon Meier - Has a contract in Switzerland for next season
Tristan Peterson - Don't think he's WHL quality
Caton Ryan - Possibly could be a 20. Probably better ones available from other WHL teams
Louie Wehmann - Maybe could play in the WHL.

I meant the ones who committed to the NCAA that may be interested in sticking with the Vees. Ones who aren't good enough likely move with the franchise wherever that is.

I bolded the ones that could end up with the Vees. I hope they draft Maddox Schultz.

 

[hockeykid87]

I meant the ones who committed to the NCAA that may be interested in sticking with the Vees. Ones who aren't good enough likely move with the franchise wherever that is.

I bolded the ones that could end up with the Vees. I hope they draft Maddox Schultz.

They will not be drafting Maddox Schultz as they will not be eligible to have the 1st overall pick. I believe they will be picking 4th, as that's where the last three expansion teams picked in their first drafts.

Edit: And there's no chance Victoria is going to give Penticton Eli McKamey. He's a local kid and a stud, they're not trading him to a BC Division rival.

 

[whldraft]

I don't believe unsigned 2008's are exempt, but I'm pretty sure all 2009's are. Only 08's that are signed and have no-movement clauses are exempt I believe. The one thing I'm not sure of is if those players are automatically exempt, or do they have to be auto protected and part of a team's 15-man protected list.

I imagine most first round picks out of the 08 class have NMC's. There are definitely some signed 08's that don't have them and will be potential targets by Penticton.

I meant signed, haha. Many signed would have NMC.