In connection with the first-ever W-H-L U-S Challenge Cup, the initial U-S Prospects Draft will see the Red Deer Rebels with the first selection.

The Draft will be held March 25 at the W-H-L Office in Calgary. The Draft order was done Thursday by a lottery at the league office. The Saskatoon Blades were the last team drawn, meaning they’ll have the 22nd overall selection. But, because the second round will be drafted in reverse order, the Blades will have the first choice or 23rd overall pick. The W-H-L U-S Challenge Cup will be held February 20-23 in Kent, Washington…home of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Following is the news release from the W-H-L…

RED DEER REBELS TO SELECT FIRST IN 2020 WHL U.S. PROSPECTS DRAFT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Red Deer Rebels will select first overall in the 2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft after being selected through a lottery process, which was held previously at the WHL Office in Calgary, Alta. The inaugural WHL U.S. Prospects Draft is scheduled to be held Wednesday, March 25 (2 p.m. MT) from the WHL Office. It will follow the inaugural WHL U.S. Challenge Cup presented by NHL Seattle and Visit Kent, which is set to be contested from February 20-23 in Seattle, Wash. The WHL U.S. Challenge Cup will bring many of the top-rated U.S.-born players from seven teams to the Pacific Northwest to compete against five of the top-rated bantam teams from the province of B.C. The 12-team tournament will provide scouts and fans alike with the opportunity to watch 2005-born players striving to hear their names called at either the 2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft or the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. The 2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft will consist of two rounds, and 44 selections, with each WHL Club afforded the opportunity to make two draft choices. With five WHL Clubs already located in the United States (Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs, Tri-City Americans), the addition of the WHL U.S. Challenge Cup and the WHL U.S. Prospects Draft further establishes an already strong presence for the WHL in the Western United States.

2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft – Order of Selection

All 22 WHL Clubs had equal opportunity to obtain the first-overall selection. The Club designated to select first overall in the first round will then select last in the second round (44th overall). The Club designated to select second overall in the first round will then select second-last in the second round (43rd overall). This pattern of selection repeats until all 22 WHL Clubs have had the opportunity to make two choices. Players eligible for the 2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft will be 2005-born players who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Players not selected in the 2020 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft on Thursday, May 7 in Red Deer, Alta., or listed by a WHL Club at any time thereafter.