2019 WHL Bantam Draft

Al Camino

Registered User
Jul 18, 2018
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Neither is the Lorenz kid they took with their 3rd pick
Hopefully this isn’t a sign of how things will go. To take a kid number 1 and not have a commitment is a huge miscalculation. He can always change his mind but this isn’t a good start in a new market. Winnipeg is going to get a crash course on how things work in WHL.
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
Hopefully this isn’t a sign of how things will go. To take a kid number 1 and not have a commitment is a huge miscalculation. He can always change his mind but this isn’t a good start in a new market. Winnipeg is going to get a crash course on how things work in WHL.
Actually, I think the whole WHL has an interest in Savoie playing in their league. They set the Ice up with his brother and then gave them 2nd pick so that they wouldn't be in a bad position if things went south (no pun intended.) It was a coordinated effort if you ask me.
 
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Al Camino

Registered User
Jul 18, 2018
1,398
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Actually, I think the whole WHL has an interest in Savoie playing in their league. They set the Ice up with his brother and then gave them 2nd pick so that they wouldn't be in a bad position if things went south (no pun intended.) It was a coordinated effort if you ask me.
Unfortunately not every high draft pick will report. It's the nature of the business. Some use NCAA as leverage to dictate where they will get drafted and some just honestly want to go the NCAA route. That said wasting 1st overall picks is not good for business. Tri-Cities drafted Jonathan Toews 1st after he stated he was committed to NCAA and that didn't go their way either and really set them back. The Ice are bad and going to be bad for a while yet. If Savoie is supposed to be as good as we have been told he's only a two your player. Without the exceptional status being granted he goes from a 3 year player to a 2 year player. If in fact they drafted him without any understanding he will report this is a huge mistake. That pick should have been either traded for more picks or used on a player you are going to get for more than 2 years. Back in the day, Barrie drafted Daniel Tkaczuk was taken 1st over Joe Thornton for that exact reason. Thornton played 2 years in Sault Ste. Marie and Tkaczuk played 4 years in Barrie. His pro career didn't amount too much but his junior career was excellent. If this team wants to get a foothold in a crowed marketplace this can't be a thing that happens with regularity.
 
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McChucky

TOPPEP
Jul 15, 2007
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I still think the Savoies will eventually sign with Winnipeg. So far the franchise is doing great things. Rookie camp is this weekend. We should hear more next week Im guessing. No Savoies on the roster(rookie).....yet.
 

WHLINDEPENDANT

Registered User
Oct 24, 2018
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I still think the Savoies will eventually sign with Winnipeg. So far the franchise is doing great things. Rookie camp is this weekend. We should hear more next week Im guessing. No Savoies on the roster(rookie).....yet.
they were no shows at the camp.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

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Mar 30, 2012
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Fans will have to be patient with Savoie hopefully signing. Ice knew what they were getting themselves into when drafting him. It has only been just over a month since the draft happened and i expect this to be a long awaited decision.

When Seattle Thunderbirds drafted Barzal 1st overall, they knew at the time he was contemplating both routes as well. He obviously ended up signing with Seattle but it took 1 full year of Seattle talking to him and him and his advisors/family debating until he signed. Barzal had every NCAA school drooling over him and talking to him daily...There were alot of stressful times for fans and the team but it all worked out.

Fans need to be patient!!.. Its only been a month or so since he was drafted. We may not hear any good news for another year atleast
 

Capitals03

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
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He can play 5 games until he 2019-2020 season is done. So he could go up in Feb or March. Depends.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
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ya he can play 5 games only... but when his midget season ends, he can join the Ice for the rest of their season and playoffs
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
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What happened to Aidan Hyra?
Rumours or the truth? I only know the former, not the latter. The rest is opinion, not necessarily true. Rumour is bad attitude. My son has been in the dressing room with him and quoted some of his comments which can be misconstrued. If harnessed, his personality could actually be an asset that makes a good leader.
But, my opinion is that it was his lack of physical growth and not continuing the on ice dominance that he once enjoyed (negative development trajectory in relation to his peers?) Playing high school didn't give him the exposure that the other kids had. Go to Apples Hockey and read his interview.
 

Deif

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Sep 20, 2014
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Rumours or the truth? I only know the former, not the latter. The rest is opinion, not necessarily true. Rumour is bad attitude. My son has been in the dressing room with him and quoted some of his comments which can be misconstrued. If harnessed, his personality could actually be an asset that makes a good leader.
But, my opinion is that it was his lack of physical growth and not continuing the on ice dominance that he once enjoyed (negative development trajectory in relation to his peers?) Playing high school didn't give him the exposure that the other kids had. Go to Apples Hockey and read his interview.
Thanks. I had figured the bad attitude thing after I read the interview. Still, you'd think a team would take him with a later round pick and work with him to mature.

But your 2nd point is interesting as well, about not continuing on ice dominance from when he was younger. Thanks for the insight.

Wish him nothing but the best, and I hope he still makes it to the WHL one day.
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
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He still looked above average at one of the MJHL spring camps. But rumours aside, which 2004 drafted defenseman from MB would you replace with him? It was a very strong class on the blueline this year with many BIG kids who can skate.
 

Magellan13

Registered User
May 11, 2019
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Winnipeg
According to the Winnipeg Free Press, Matthew Savoie has de-committed from the University of Denver, though his brother remains committed there.

With the recent signings of:
- C Matthew Savoie (#1 overall pick in WHL Draft)
- F Connor Geekie (#2 overall pick in WHL Draft)

do you think they have the ability to pry two other top prospects into the fold
- LW Carter Savoie (AJHL rookie of the year)
- F Dylan Holloway (AJHL MVP)

If nothing else the ICE should score a few goals if they had all of them in the lineup over the next couple of years!
 

WHLINDEPENDANT

Registered User
Oct 24, 2018
69
5
He went undrafted and certain public outlets were touting him as a top 10 pick before/around the start of the season.

That's a pretty big fall.
Anyone know what happened then? That seems a bit odd. I did see a few guys I thought would for sure get drafted in the mid rounds remain undrafted. But being touted in the first round and not getting picked is odd though wonder what happened.
 

Deif

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Sep 20, 2014
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Anyone know what happened then? That seems a bit odd. I did see a few guys I thought would for sure get drafted in the mid rounds remain undrafted. But being touted in the first round and not getting picked is odd though wonder what happened.
Here is what I have gathered.
- Hyra has, apparently, an uncoachable, poor attitude. Hyra denied this in the story on Apples Hockey.
- Hyra has not progressed along with his peers (but is said to have performed well in showcases against them recently).
- His decision to play in a Division B Winnipeg High School league led to a lack of exposure and competition in an important draft year.

Here's the thing: It's almost certain that he's going to get invited to a WHL camp come August. Going undrafted is really not a big deal. If he's good, he's going to show it, and some team will give him an opportunity.
 

WHLINDEPENDANT

Registered User
Oct 24, 2018
69
5
Here is what I have gathered.
- Hyra has, apparently, an uncoachable, poor attitude. Hyra denied this in the story on Apples Hockey.
- Hyra has not progressed along with his peers (but is said to have performed well in showcases against them recently).
- His decision to play in a Division B Winnipeg High School league led to a lack of exposure and competition in an important draft year.

Here's the thing: It's almost certain that he's going to get invited to a WHL camp come August. Going undrafted is really not a big deal. If he's good, he's going to show it, and some team will give him an opportunity.


True, he will for sure get some WHL invites for camps.
I do, however, believe that it is harder to crack a WHL protected spot as an invitee though. I mean, these are kids that were NOT picked at the draft and will have to be almost BETTER at the camp than the kids that were drafted , which is hard in short period of time. Also, scouts dont like to be wrong and will favor the kids that they picked even if the invited kids are looking as good or better.
If he had a bit of attitude, I find it strange that would stop a WHL team from picking him as there are some kids that I know of with not-so-savory personalities that got drafted anyway. As far as size goes, this draft didn't seem to care about size too much as a lot of big skilled players were not picked and some very small players were.
 

lfunk

Registered User
Apr 9, 2018
75
23
If he had a bit of attitude, I find it strange that would stop a WHL team from picking him as there are some kids that I know of with not-so-savory personalities that got drafted anyway.

For Hyra, I still think it is the trajectory of his development. Remember, scouts are trying to predict how good a 14-year old will be in 3-5 years. I think all of the exposure he had from spring/summer hockey since novice produced an extensive file.
On the flip side, a player discovered after one good season of bantam can also carry a lot of risk. I think that's why scouts pass on a kid like Cole Topham (69P in 36G in WPG AAAB1) who played bantam rural (A or B) the previous year. Geekie's dad put him on his son's line and they both put up crazy points. Who helped who?
 
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Tobias Kahun

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Oct 3, 2017
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Why can he only play in 5 games?
So a player can get denied exceptional status and then still get picked?
Sorry OHL-nerd over here
The WHL bantam draft is held 1 year before players play in the league unlike the OHL draft.
 

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