Five talented North Shore hockey players heard their names called as the Western Hockey League held a pair of prospect drafts over the past two days.
North Vancouver native Macklin Celebrini, a former North Shore Winter Club player who now suits up for the famed Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep team in Minnesota, was picked first overall in the 2021 US prospects draft held Wednesday. The forward was picked by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The next day the Canadian prospects draft was held, with North Vancouver’s Carson Wetsch going in the first round, 12th overall, to the Calgary Hitmen. Wetsch, a right winger, currently plays for the Burnaby Winter Club Academy U18 Prep team.
“He’s a big, rangy right winger who can do it all, plays both sides of the puck, has a very good shot,” said Garry Davidson, Calgary’s director of player personnel, during the livestream broadcast of the draft. “He should be a very good addition to our top-six. … We’re very excited to add this player to our roster.”
Two more North Shore players went off the board in the sixth round of yesterday’s draft.
Forward Logan Peskett of North Vancouver, who plays for the West Van Warriors U18 Prep team, was selected 127th overall by the Kelowna Rockets.
West Vancouver’s Cohen (Coco) Armstrong heard his name called soon after, going 139th overall to the Spokane Chiefs. Armstrong, a forward, currently plays for the Shawnigan Lake School U17 Prep team.
Liam Hoff of North Vancouver was then selected in the eighth round, 176th overall, by the Edmonton Oil Kings. The defenceman plays for the Vancouver Northwest Hawks U17 AAA team, based on the North Shore.
The two drafts are normally held in May but were delayed this year due to COVID-19. Players selected in the 2021 drafts will be able to play limited games as affiliate players with their WHL teams this season before being eligible to join their teams full-time for the 2022-'23 season.
