Rockets eye talent ahead of WHL/U.S. Priority Drafts
The Western Hockey League Prospects Draft will have a new look next week.
The first round is set for Wednesday, coinciding with the expansion draft for the league’s newest team, the Penticton Vees.
Rounds two through to the end of the draft will follow on Thursday, alongside the U.S. Priority Draft.
Despite the significant format changes from previous years, Rockets director of player personnel Terry McFaul says his approach hasn’t changed.
“There’s a group of top-end players, then a slight drop-off,” McFaul told RocketFAN. “It’s a strong year for defensemen, and there are plenty of smaller, skilled forwards who will continue to develop. Overall, I think it’s a pretty deep draft.”
Among players born in 2010, the most highly regarded prospect is 15-year-old Maddox Schultz from Regina. The hometown Pats have the first overall pick, so it looks like a slam dunk he will be plucked off the board.
“He isn’t overly big, physically,” McFaul added. “He does everything. He is a very good skater. He is good with the puck. He has a very good shot and he competes in all areas of the ice. He includes his teammates in everything.”
Schultz is expected to be off the board well before the Kelowna Rockets make their third overall pick – a selection the team is likely to trade in hopes of acquiring a veteran presence to help build a competitive roster ahead of the 2026 Memorial Cup.
When asked whether first-round picks can make an impact once eligible for full-time WHL duty in two seasons, McFaul was confident: “I think you could go into the top-10. After Schultz, there are still some excellent players – forwards and defensemen. This year, you could almost fill the entire first round with defensemen.”
Despite finishing with the third-fewest points in the WHL this past season and owning the third overall pick in the first round, Kelowna’s draft position drops in later rounds, with expansion club Penticton receiving the first pick in each.
“I see us moving the pick (third overall) and moving down to acquire some other assets,” McFaul stating what Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton told the media when RocketFAN spoke to him a few weeks ago. “In the first four to five rounds, you are going to get good players. You really have to know what you are looking for, what you want. We are normally a defense first team, so we usually pick a defenseman first, but if their is a forward that we really like, and he is the player, that is what we will take.”
That second round pick would be 27th overall. The last time the team picked at that position was in 2019, when 5’7, 135-pound Saskatoon resident Nolan Flamand was chosen. Flamand would be eventually traded to Brandon where he played as a 20 year-old this past season, leading the Wheat Kings in scoring with 68 points.
“The high end guys are still your high end guys,” McFaul added about the value of owning a top pick in the draft despite the feeling that with the new NCAA rule changes, instead of having a player for four seasons, that may be reduced to just two if the young player excels in major junior hockey and then elects to jump ship to play U.S college hockey in year three. It hasn’t happened yet, but it could.
“The network is so big. We know the coaches and have a good rapport with them. Everybody knows everybody. We know how good the kids are off the ice,” McFaul added about not overlooking the players ability of being a good teammate, and added leadership qualities that turn a good team into a great one. “You always want to have good people, because they make good players.”
With the U.S. Priority Draft taking place the morning after the WHL Prospects Draft, McFaul and assistant general manager Curtis Hamilton have been keeping a close eye on American prospects to assess whether they’re worthy of a pick.
“A lot of them came up here [to Canada] for tournaments we attended,” McFaul explained. “We watch all the tournaments, and if there are American teams involved, we usually make a point of being there.”
The Rockets currently hold the 11th overall pick in the first round and the 33rd pick in round two.
“It’s harder to get information on the U.S. kids, so you really need to see them play,” McFaul said.
He also noted that recent changes to NCAA eligibility rules have shifted the mindset of many American players: “A lot of them now realize how strong the WHL is. If they have aspirations of turning pro, this is a route they want to consider — especially the higher-end players.”
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