Western Hockey League to host 2023 U.S. Priority and Prospects Drafts this week
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League will conduct the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft and 2023 WHL Prospects Draft online this Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Real-time results will be available at https://whl.ca/draft.
2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft
Wednesday, May 10 at 10 a.m. MT
The Spokane Chiefs hold the first-overall selection in the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.
The 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 44 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to make two draft choices.
2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft – First Round Order of Selection
1) Spokane Chiefs
2) Victoria Royals
3) Edmonton Oil Kings
4) Swift Current Broncos
5) Prince Albert Raiders
6) Brandon Wheat Kings
7) Kelowna Rockets
8) Vancouver Giants
9) Medicine Hat Tigers
10) Everett Silvertips
11) Calgary Hitmen
12) Regina Pats
13) Tri-City Americans
14) Lethbridge Hurricanes
15) Prince George Cougars
16) Moose Jaw Warriors
17) Portland Winterhawks
18) Red Deer Rebels
19) Saskatoon Blades
20) Kamloops Blazers
21) Seattle Thunderbirds
22) Winnipeg ICE
The order of selection was determined on March 29, 2023 through the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery. All six WHL Clubs that did not qualify for the 2023 WHL Playoffs participated in the lottery. The lottery proceedings determined the order of selection for the first six picks in the first round of the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, with inverse order of standing from the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season determining the order of selection for the second round.
Players eligible for the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft are 2008-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 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday, May 11, or listed by a WHL Club at any time thereafter.
The first WHL U.S. Priority Draft was held in 2020.
2023 WHL Prospects Draft
Thursday, May 11
WATCH LIVE – Pre-Show at 9:30 a.m. MT / WHL Prospects Draft at 10 a.m. MT
The first round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, including a 30-minute pre-show, will be livestreamed FREE via WHL Live on CHL TV. All that is required is to register and login using a free account with CHL TV, no subscription or purchase is necessary. The 2023 WHL Prospects Draft Pre-Show begins with co-hosts Chris Wahl and Taylor Green at 9:30 a.m. MT, with live draft coverage beginning at 10 a.m. MT.
The Prince Albert Raiders hold the first-overall selection in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, as determined by the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft Lottery on March 29, 2023.
2023 WHL Prospects Draft – First Round Order of Selection
1) Prince Albert Raiders (from Edmonton)
2) Prince Albert Raiders
3) Spokane Chiefs
4) Victoria Royals
5) Brandon Wheat Kings
6) Vancouver Giants (from Swift Current)
7) Prince Albert Raiders (from Kelowna)
8) Vancouver Giants
9) Medicine Hat Tigers
10) Everett Silvertips
11) Calgary Hitmen
12) Edmonton Oil Kings (from Regina)
13) Tri-City Americans
14) Lethbridge Hurricanes
15) Prince George Cougars
16) Moose Jaw Warriors
17) Portland Winterhawks
18) Red Deer Rebels
19) Brandon Wheat Kings (from Saskatoon)
20) Everett Silvertips (from Kamloops)
21) Saskatoon Blades (from Seattle)
22) Spokane Chiefs (from Winnipeg)
The order of selection for the second round and all other rounds will be the inverse order of final 2022-23 WHL Regular Season standings. The complete order of selection for the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft can be found at https://whl.ca/draft.
Players eligible for the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft are 2008-born players who reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, 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 2023 WHL Prospects Draft will remain eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs at any time thereafter.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
