The Swan Valley Stampeders will be welcoming several new players to the organization during MJHL Draft on Sunday, June 4.
The Stampeders scouting staff have been busy all winter long looking to shape the future of the team with Manitoba-born players.
The Stampeders hold six picks in this year’s draft (11, 25, 39, 53, 67 and 81). The draft will see all 13 MJHL teams selecting 2007-born players from across Manitoba starting at 9 a.m..
“Our entire organization is looking forward to this year’s draft,” said Head Coach and General Manager Barry Wolff. “Our scouting staff, which is led by Mitchell Kirkup, has done an incredible job preparing. We are excited to see what comes out of this year’s draft, as we have always had several draft picks in our lineup every year. This upcoming season will be the same.”
The organization has drafted several key players in the past:
- Forward Linden McCorrister from Peguis was selected 8th overall in the 2013 MJHL Draft.
- Defenceman Brendan Mitchell from Stonewall was drafted in the first round, 3rd overall in the 2007 MJHL Draft.
- Defenceman Landon Peel from Virden was drafted 31st overall in 2009.
- Forward Brian Harris from Wawanesa was drafted 16th overall in the 2014 MJHL Draft.
- Defenceman Garrett Johnston from Winnipeg, was selected 63rd overall in 2010.
Current Stampeders that have been selected in the MJHL Draft:
- Defenceman Foxx McColl from Elkhorn was selected 19th overall in the 2020 MJHL Draft.
- Defenceman Owen Harris from Wawanesa was drafted 32nd in the 2019 MJHL Draft.
- Defenceman Matthew Munro from Swan River was auto-protected in 2019.
- Forward Steven Arp from Swan River was auto-protected in 2019.
“The draft is the final accumulation of the scouting staff’s hard work, time and effort invested into building a program that values Manitoba talent,” said Director of Scouting Mitchell Kirkup. “The 2007 group has a lot of talent, and our goal is to uncover the best options to become future Stampeders. Drafting allows us to build a core of not only good hockey players but quality young men as well. We’re going to have a good day.”
The MJHL has once again partnered with Hockey Tech by utilizing the RinkNet Live Draft Centre tool to operate the draft. As players are selected the system will automatically update for online followers.
Be sure to follow all Stampeder social media this weekend for extensive coverage of this year’s MJHL Draft.