Northeast Saskatchewan represented well at 2020 WHL Bantam Draft

Round Two, 26th Overall – Prince George Cougars: Bauer Dumanski

Out of Lockwood, Sask. Bauer Dumanski was the first Sasktchewan born player of the second round. The defenceman played the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons with the Humboldt Broncos Bantam AA program.

Dumanski was a possible first round pick in this year’s draft, but Durant said it’s still a huge accomplishment for the young blue liner.

“His work ethic and stuff like that has obviously paid off,” Durant said. “I know I’m extremely proud of where he ended up.”

Dumanski led the Broncos in scoring this year after scoring 16 goals and adding 17 assists for 33 points in 30 games as their team captain. In 31 games the season before, he had 30 points.

“Great offensive weapon,” Durant told northeastNOW. “I know he led our team in offence this year, and he’s just an athlete, so Prince George got a good pick.”

Durant added Dumanski can work on his own zone a bit more as well as working to get stronger. The 5-10, 157 pounds defenceman also jumped up to the Midget AAA level last year with the Tisdale Trojans, notching one assist in five games.

Round Three, 61st Overall – Medicine Hat Tigers: Blake Ekren-Bratton

Blake Ekren-Bratton became the first member of the Northeast Wolfpack Bantam AA team to be taken in the draft this year. The Porcupine Plain native scored 19 goals and added 18 assists for 37 points in 27 games with the Wolfpack and split time as a forward and defenceman. He added a goal in two playoff games.

Gavin Brandl was an assistant coach with the Wolfpack for the 2019/2020 season and said the main thing that jumps off the page about Bratton is his physical maturity.

“He is a man-child already,” Brandl said. “He plays an aggressive, physical game, and I think when he learns to harness that, he’s going to be a real effective player at a high level.”

Brandl added he skates very well for his size, and knows how to use his body. He added his shot is so good it could score on some junior level of goalies. Bratton also got a chance to jump up to play with the Tisdale Trojans for three games.

Round Three, 64th Overall – Victoria Royals: Nate Misskey

Melfort native Nate Misskey didn’t play his final year of bantam hockey in Saskatchewan. The young defenceman decided to set out for British Columbia. Misskey went to play at Pacific Coast Academy in Victoria playing for their Bantam Prep squad.

Misskey scored eight goals and added 22 assists this year in 30 games and also scored once in two playoff games. He’s listed at 6-1, 183 pounds and is a right-shot defenceman.

“I love to skate the puck and be offensive,” Misskey said. “But I also have to play defence and get my job done.”

The Victoria Royals would use a third round pick on Misskey at the draft, a team close to the school he was at for this season.

“It was a great year out in Victoria, it’s a great place,” he said. “I kind of know the city now so it’s good.”

Melfort’s Nate Misskey spent the 2019/2020 Season playing for the Pacific Coast Academy’s Bantam Prep program. (submitted photo/Robb Misskey)

Prior to his time in Victoria, Misskey spent a season with the Northeast Wolfpack. He had 29 points in 31 games in 2018/2019 and added five points in four playoff games.

Misskey said that in his mind, he still needs to work on his foot speed as well as his shot and being able to go hard for a 45-second shift and not be tired.

The defenceman also got some strong hockey bloodlines as both of his older brothers Gage and Jake have Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League careers under their belts.

Misskey added he’s returning to Saskatchewan to hopefully play Midget AAA next season.

Fourth Round, 83rd Overall – Portland Winterhawks: Rhett Ravndahl

The second player from the Northeast Wolfpack Bantam AA program was defenceman Rhett Ravndahl of Birch Hills in round four by the Portland Winterhawks. Brandl had some high praise for the 6-0, 152 pound blue liner.

“Rhett was our workhorse, number one defenceman all year long,” Brandl said. “I had him pegged as one of the top five or six defencemen in the Saskatchewan AA Bantam league.”

Ravandahl was also the captain of the Wolfpack this season.

Brandl called Ravndahl very consistent and a very steady player on the back end. He said offensively, his confidence improved a great deal and by the end of the year he was able to quarterback a powerplay.

Ravndahl scored six goals this season to go along with 23 assists for 29 points in 30 games. He added an assist in two playoff games as well. Ravndahl also played four games with the Prince Albert Mintos in the Midget AAA ranks, the team he is expected to play for next season. In 2018/2019, Ravndahl tallied 15 points in 29 games.

Fourth Round, 87th Overall – Everett Silvertips: Roan Woodward

One of the highest scoring players in the Saskatchewan Bantam AA Hockey League, Nipawin’s Roan Woodward was drafted 87th overall on Wednesday by the Everett Silvertips.

Woodward’s 100 points (48 goals, 52 assists) with the Northeast Wolfpack ranked him fifth in the province. Three of the four players ahead of him were taken in the first round, while the other is likely to be a high pick in next years bantam draft. Brandl said while Woodwards scoring this year was a great accomplishment, there’s more to the forwards’ game.

“What’s most special about Roan is his motor, it just never stops, he just goes and goes,” Brandl told northeastNOW. “He’s ultra competitive, he cares so much and I think that’s what drives him and makes him special.”

The 2020 playoffs saw Woodward score four times in just two games. In the 2018/2019 regular season, he had 18 points in 31 games with the Wolfpack. Woodward is another player who got to play a few games with the Tisdale Trojans. He was held scoreless in the five games he played.

Brandl said Woodward is “good at everything”, and that he doesn’t really have a weakness to pinpoint. He said Woodward could become a really good two-way player with his work ethic and offensive abilities.

Eighth Round, 171st Overall – Lethbridge Hurricanes: Zach Bansley

The final Northeast Wolfpack player taken in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, was another high end scorer in Tisdale native Zach Bansley. The Lethbridge Hurricanes decided to use an eighth round pick on Bansley.

Bansley was eighth in the province in scoring among bantam players this season with 39 goals and 47 assists for 86 points, joining his teammate Woodward in the top 10. He added four assists in two playoff games as well.

Listed at only 5-7, and 130 pounds, Bansley is on the smaller side, but according to Brandl, he’s got some assets that could make some teams regret not taking him earlier.

“I’ve had multiple teams tell me throughout the year that he might be the fastest kid in the 2005 age group in Western Canada,” he said.

Brandl said size can’t be taught, but if Bansley can add some strength, he could become an excellent player at the next level. He added he’s not afraid to be physical and can spin off checks well.

In 2018/2019 with the Wolfpack, Bansley had 11 points in 31 games. He also played tw0 games with the Tisdale Trojans, not getting on the scoresheet.

There were a total of four Northeast Wolfpack players taken this year at the WHL Bantam Draft. Zach Bansley (middle row, third from left), Blake Ekren-Bratton (middle row fourth from left), Rhett Ravndahl (captain), and Roan Woodward (front row, third from right).(submitted photo/Northeast Wolfpack)

What’s Next?

Getting drafted to the WHL is just a small piece of playing at the next level for these players. Each player has something to work on and can continue to get better. Brandl said while you can’t guarantee players will grow, working hard is something that every player can do.

“Putting in the hours in the gym, and learning how to train, and learning how to take care of yourself, is such a huge part of their game, and of their development,” he said.

There were also hundreds of players that didn’t get drafted. While most players aren’t able to play in the WHL until they are 16, and some may not even do so at that point, it’s still a long process to make the league.

“At the end of the day, tomorrow morning when they wake up, whether you’ve been drafted or not, you got to get right back to work,” Brandl said. “Because now the kids who haven’t been drafted are that much more hungry, and really all being drafted means is you get invited to camp in the fall.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6

by Mat Barrett