The Estevan Bruins were busy on Bantam Draft Day, selecting seven players and trading up to grab centre Cal Caragata third overall from Lumsden.
The 5'11”, 173 pound Caragata has signed with the Moose Jaw Generals of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League for next season and was also selected with the 203rd overall pick in the Western Hockey League bantam draft by the Saskatoon Blades.
“He's a player we think is going to score at our level and we think he's going to be a contributor,” said Bruins head coach and general manager Chris Lewgood. “We don't have a lot of doubt about Cal. He seems to be as dynamic a player as you can and he's a very safe pick. We look forward to seeing him develop and we think he's going to shape up to be a really nice junior player.”
Last season, with the Emerald Park-based Bantam AA Prairie Storm, he scored 38 goals and 22 assists in 30 games, notching 11 on the power play. He also scored seven goals and nine assists in eight playoff games.
With the ninth overall pick, the Bruins picked Johnny Carmichael out of Regina. He scored 25 goals and 31 assists in 30 games for the Regina Aces Bantam AA, popping in a goal and four assists in a pair of playoff games.
“Johnny's a little different player,” said Lewgood. “He's got some offensive upside but he plays with a little bit more of an edge to his game. He's a bit more of a power forward style. He's pretty greasy in the tough areas of the rink.”
The Bruins didn't pick until the fourth round, 47th overall when they picked up Lucius Schmidt from the Pilot Butte Storm. He scored seven goals and six assists in 28 games, while picking up 71 penalty minutes.
Nick Steciuk was selected from the Regina Pat Blues 57th overall. He scored 12 goals and eight assists in 28 games.
With the very next selection, acquired from the Nipawin Hawks, the Bruins drafted Robert Pizzey from Langham, who played with the Sask. Valley Vipers, notching two goals and seven assists in 30 games for the team.
With the 66th pick Damion Lindskog — Steciuk's teammate from the Regina Pat Blues — was selected. He had a 5-10-2 record in 20 games with a goals against average of 4.40.
The final TS&M Bruin picked for the day, Cody Davis from Alameda, was taken with the Bruins' last pick, 69th overall. He had eight goals and 13 assists in 30 games.
Carnduff's Carey Levesque, the Estevan Bantam AA TS&M Bruins' defenceman who was picked by the Moose Jaw Warriors 191st overall in the WHL Bantam Draft, was selected fifth overall by the Weyburn Red Wings.
Last year's top selection, Alameda forward Dylan Hull, ended up splitting time with the Midget AA Bruins and the Swift Current Legionnaires of the SMAAAHL. Another pick, Eric Houk of Regina also played Midget AAA for the Regina Pat Canadians as well as Midget AA with the Regina Rangers while fourth round pick, defenceman Jack Michell, spent all season with the SMAAAHL's Saskatoon Contacts.
