Cougars select Alberta duo in the top four of the WHL Bantam Draft

(Updated at 1:30 p.m)

The Prince George Cougars ended up going back-to-back in their first-round selections at the WHL Bantam Draft in Red Deer this morning (Thursday).

After completing a trade with the Winnipeg Ice, which saw them trade down from the number two spot to select third and fourth overall, the Cats selected defenceman Keaton Dowhaniuk from the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) Edmonton Program.

“You always look good increasing the skill level on the back end and we feel Keaton checks off all the boxes that we were looking for, puck moving and plays hard who is an offensive driver and plays a lot of minutes and we look forward to having him in the organization,” said Bob Simmonds, Cougars Director of Scouting.

Dowhaniuk collected 35 points last season with the prep school’s bantam program.

Congrats to @OHAEdmonton student athlete @KeatonDowhaniu2 on being selected in the first round, third overall, by the @PGCougars.#WHLBantamDraft pic.twitter.com/BDBrEzXlnt

— CSSHL (@CSSHL) May 2, 2019

With their second pick, they went back to the OHA program and picked forward Koehn Ziemmer.

“He has the offensive skill, he has hands that allows him to score and we wanted to increase our skill level in all positions and Koehn certainly does that.”

Ziemmer’s offensive flair was on full display with the OHA bantams collecting 76 points in just 27 games including 37 goals and 39 assists.

? General Manager Mark Lamb says the team is extremely pleased on how the 1st-round of the WHL Bantam Draft went. | #WHLDraft #WHLBantamDraft pic.twitter.com/LtGkMm2y2l

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) May 2, 2019

With the 26th overall selection, (Round 2) the Cats selected forward Kyren Gronick from the Regina Aces Bantam AA level.

Following that, Prince George went back to Alberta and picked blueliner Jaren Brinson with the 36th overall selection from the Edge Bantam Prep Academy.

In Round 4, Carter MacAdams of Langley BC heard his named called by the Cats with the 70th pick.

Last season with the Delta Hockey Academy Bantam Prep Team (Green), he posted 43 points in 29 games.

Prince George continued to overhaul its forward depth in the seventh round, selecting Kassius Kler and Andrej Kovacevic from the West Vancouver Warriors.

A goaltender was finally taken by the Cougars in the eighth round after picking up Ty Young from the Lethbridge Golden Hawks.

All of the 10 PG Cougars picks (six forwards, three defencemen and a goalie) are right here.

The WHL completed the 2019 #WHLBantamDraft in Red Deer, Alta. today.

DETAILS ? | https://t.co/enVEe0InbC pic.twitter.com/MsJK50mLVq

— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 2, 2019

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Also during the Bantam Draft, the Cougars dealt former top prospect and defenceman Tyson Phare to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for Fischer O’Brien.

O’Brien is the younger brother of former Cougar and Spruce King Brogan O’Brien.

TRADE: Cougars acquire local product Fischer O’Brien from @WHLHurricanes on Thursday. | #NorthernUprising #WHL

DETAILS ? https://t.co/1HkRW72V4M pic.twitter.com/bF0Mmlgf5w

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) May 2, 2019

This past season with the Cariboo Cougars, the 15-year-old collected two goals and five assists in 40 games and was a part of the championship winning team that swept the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds.

Congrats to @OHAEdmonton student athlete @koehnziemmer13 on being selected in the first round, fourth overall, by the @PGCougars.#WHLBantamDraft pic.twitter.com/snPfSnoJly

— CSSHL (@CSSHL) May 2, 2019

Prince George minor hockey player Nico Myatovic was selected in the 6th round of the WHL Bantam Draft, 119th overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds.

T-Birds Director of Player Personnel Cal Filson on center Nico Myatovic: “Nico was the captain of his team. He has very good speed, has a nice stride and can put up points.” pic.twitter.com/rVwxlsXpwy

— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) May 2, 2019

Max Sanford of Williams Lake went one pick earlier, 118th overall to the Kelowna Rockets.

Both Myatovic and Sanford played for the PG based North Central Bobcats that won the provincial bantam hockey championship this year in Prince George.