A total of six members of the Yorkton UCT Terriers bantam hockey team heard their names called at the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft on Thursday, May 7.
The first Yorktonite to hear his named called was UCT Terrier offensive dynamo Carson Miller, who went 21st overall to the Prince Albert Raiders with a pick that was originally owned by the Kelowna Rockets.
The 5鈥�9鈥�, 150-pound Miller led all Saskatchewan bantam players with 107 points on 49 goals and 58 assists in 31 regular season games. He also picked up seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points in nine playoff games to lead all playoff scorers as well.
The second Yorkton player to hear his name called was defenceman Kaleb Bulych. Widely regarded as one of the best skaters in the entire 2015 Draft, Bulych was selected in the second round, 27th overall by the Vancouver Giants, who acquired the 27th overall pick from the Tri-City Americans.
Bulych, who stands 6鈥�1鈥�, and weighs 161-pounds, was a tower of power all season long for the UCT Terriers on the back end where he shut down the opposing team鈥檚 top players. He also chipped in with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points in 31 games in the regular season and four goals and six assists in nine playoff games, proving he could not only prevent a goal, but score one as well.
Keenan Taphorn became the third Yorkton UCT Terrier player selected at the 2015 Draft and second one in the second round as he went聽 to the Kootenay Ice 34th overall.
The 6鈥�0鈥�, 157-pound right winger missed seven regular season games with injuries this season but when healthy put up some strong numbers, scoring 30 goals and adding 46 assists for 76 points in 24 games.
Keenan Taphorn also missed four playoff games, but did put up seven points (three goals and four assists) in five playoff games after returning from the disabled list.
One more Yorktonite found himself to be a second round WHL draft choice. Dynamic Yorkton forward Brett Kemp (5鈥�9鈥�, 140-pounds) was selected in the second round, 41st overall by the Everett Silvertips.
The skillful centre put up impressive numbers in the 2014/15 campaign despite playing predominately on the second line, netting 37 goals and adding 42 assists for 79 points in 30 games.
Kemp also scored nine times and picked up six assists for 15 points in nine playoff games before arguably being Yorkton鈥檚 top forward at the 2015 Western Canadian Bantam 鈥楢AA鈥� Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Kaeden Taphorn joined his twin brother Keenan in British Columbia as he too was selected in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. Unfortunately for the two brothers however, they were not picked by the same team as Kaeden found himself being chosen by the Vancouver Giants in the third round, 47th overall.
The Giants may have found a third round gem in Kaeden Taphorn, who was second only to Miller in both the SBAAHL regular and playoff scoring race, picking up 41 goals and 60 assists for 101 points in 31 regular season games and eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in nine playoff games for the UCT Terriers.
聽Last but certainly not least was the man sized defenceman Reid Perepeluk, who had to wait longer than expected to hear his name called at the 2015 WHL Draft.
Perepeluk, who at 15 is already 6鈥�2鈥�, and 205-pounds, might just be the steal of the Draft as the Prince George Cougars selected him in the sixth round with the 114th pick overall. The hulking Perepeluk was fifth on the UCT Terriers in scoring in the regular season with 28 goals and 12 assists in 26 games. He also added three goals and four assists in nine playoff games for the UCT Terriers as they won their second consecutive SBAAHL title.
