Two local hockey players have been selected in the WHL Bantam Draft.
Held on May 3 in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake’s Jayden Henderson and Eckville’s Zachery Burns heard their name announced.
The two 14-year-old players are members of the Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels. In total six players from the Rebels were drafted.
Sylvan Lake’s Henderson was drafted in the seventh round of the draft, at 133rd overall. Henderson was the second player from the Rebels to be drafted to the Edmonton Oil Kings, alongside team mate Colby Knight, the Rebels’ goaltender.
The Laker amassed 29 points and 26 penalty minutes in 36 games last season.
Henderson recently played with Team Central at the Alberta Cup.
Going in Round nine, 195th overall, to the Spokane Chiefs was Eckville native Burns.
Burns finished last season with 16 points in 33 games.
It was also announced on May 10 both Henderson and Burns have been invited to try out for Team Alberta’s U16 male hockey team for the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
The process has been narrowed down to just 80 players, who vie for one of only 20 spots on the team.
The two forwards will skate at a summer camp from July 3-8 in Camrose.
The players were chosen based on their performances throughout their bantam seasons and at the 2018 Alberta Cup.
The group of potentials include eight goalies, 24 defencemen, and 48 forwards.
The prospects from Central Alberta include:
Goalies - Drew Sim from Tees
Defencemen Bosten Lajeunesse of Red Deer and Charlie Wright of Olds
Forwards - Zachery Burns from Eckville, Jayden Henderson from Sylvan Lake, Myles Hilman of Blackfalds and Kaedin Larocque-Wolfe from Maskwacis.
megan.roth@sylvanlakenews.com
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