By Brady Lang

North Stars go local in 2018 Bantam Draft

Jun 5, 2018 | 10:00 AM

The 2018 Bantam Draft has come and gone for the Battlefords North Stars.

The Stars finished their season with the second-best record in the SJHL, with 42 wins and 86 points, just seven points back of the league-winning Nipawin Hawks. Their strong showing meant the team picked later on in the draft, with their first choice, Holden Doell of the Martensville Marauders Bantam AA, coming at the 11 slot.

“He’s a real complete player, plays an honest 200-foot game,” North Stars Assistant G.M. Scout Wiley Reindeau said about the forward. “He’s a real good leader, leads by example on and off the ice. We liked that, and think that will fit into our culture really well. He skates really well, has a quick release as he scored 24 goals in 24 games last season in Martensville.”

Even without a head coach and GM, Riendeau said the team’s philosophy when entering the draft didn’t change moving into the later rounds.

“Coming in and trying to get some guys that were relatively local, the majority of the guys we chose were probably around an hour and a half away with the exception of Atley Calvert from Moose Jaw,” Riendeau said. “I think we did very well. All these players have a chance to play junior A hockey at some point.”

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In the second round, the North Stars chose Warman’s Keenan Allen of the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg.

“We didn’t really think he would be available to us then, but we were really excited when we got our pick and he was still there,” Riendeau said. “He’s a very good player, great speed, and a very good work ethic.”

In the later rounds, the Stars chose Hunter Weber of the Saskatoon Generals and Ethan Scriven of the Warman Wildcats in the third and fourth rounds. They rounded out the 2018 draft by picking up Riley Girod of the Saskatoon Generals and, following a trade with Yorkton, Atley Calvert from Moose Jaw, both in the sixth round.

Brady.lang@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BradyLangCJNB