The Estevan CanElson Drilling Bruins focused on defence during the first ever SJHL bantam draft on June 4.
The Bruins selected McTaggert product Kyler Douglas with the third overall pick in the draft. Douglas is a defenceman who played with the Weyburn bantam AA team last season.
Estevan also had another first round pick in which they received in a trade last week with the Kindersley Klippers. They chose defenceman Austin Cunningham from Pilot Butte with the 11th overall pick.
In the second round, they picked defenceman Connor Hayward, who hails from Naicam, centre Kade Eger of Coronach, was Estevan's third round pick and defenceman Devan Harris of Dysart was picked in the fourth round.
The Bruins final pick for the draft was right winger Tylure Brazeau from Fort Qu’Appelle, in the fifth round.
The Bruins traded their final pick of the draft to Kindersley in an earlier move.
Overall, Bruins GM and head coach Chris Lewgood was happy with the players the organization drafted.
“We’re really excited about the six players we were able to draft, and I think they will provide us with a foundation for that year's (draft) worth of players for the Bruins,” said Lewgood.
Going into the draft, Lewgood said they wanted to focus on drafting defencemen and they accomplished that goal as four of the six picks play that position.
“We feel that we got some of the best defenceman in the draft,” he said.
The Bruins also looked at other players who possessed skills like speed, but Lewgood said they wanted to draft players they thought would be interested in playing for the Bruins in the near future.
Another reason the Bruins focused on drafting defencemen is that they feel they already have some very strong forwards.
With the players the Bruins drafted, Lewgood believes they all have the capability to become quality Estevan Bruins.
In the first year of the SJHL draft, Lewgood said the process went well.
“I don't think there were any problems with it, I think the draft was fair for everyone and everybody got an equal chance drafting these players.” he said
Also the SJHL's annual general meeting took place the same time of the draft.
Lewgood added one of the decisions made at the meeting which will benefit the league is the format of the showcase game.
“The last few years it's been an all-star type showcase and from here on out we`re going to have our teams represented at the showcase,” Lewgood said.
