wjac cale makar draft feature

Makar leads WJAC alumni taken at NHL draft

Two-time all-star goes fourth to Colorado as highest-drafted defenceman ever

Jason La Rose
|
June 28, 2017
|

Cale Makar continues to make World Junior A Challenge history.

The only player to be named an all-star twice at the tournament, Makar went to the Colorado Avalanche with the fourth-overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, becoming the highest-drafted defenceman ever, the second-highest Canadian, and the third-highest alumnus overall.

Makar, who helped Canada West to gold in his first appearance in 2015, wore the ‘C’ for the westerners in 2016 in Bonnyville, Alta., equalling the single-tournament scoring record for a blue-liner with eight points, and setting a single-game mark with five in a win over Switzerland.

It is the second year in a row the Avalanche have selected the Canada West captain in the first round; they took Tyson Jost with the No. 10 pick in 2016.

Klim Kostin, who captained Russia to a bronze medal in Bonnyville, joined Makar in the first round, going to the St. Louis Blues with the 31st overall pick, while Ian Mitchell, who patrolled the Canada West blue-line beside Makar, was a second-round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Five members of the gold medal-winning United States entry from 2016 heard their names called – Clayton Phillips (93rd overall, Pittsburgh), Mikey Anderson (103rd overall, Los Angeles), Cayden Primeau (199th overall, Montreal), Nick Swaney (209th overall, Minnesota) and captain Matt Hellickson (214th overall, New Jersey).

Makar, Primeau and Swaney were all named to the all-star team in Bonnyville.

Canada East, which reached the gold medal game for the first time since 2011, had a pair of players selected: Cameron Crotty (82nd overall, Arizona) and Bryce Misley (116th overall, Minnesota).

In all, 16 alumni were selected in Chicago, bringing the all-time number to 276 alumni drafted since the first World Junior A Challenge in Yorkton and Humboldt, Sask., in 2006.

1ST ROUND
Cale Makar | 4th overall, Colorado Avalanche | 2015 & 2016 – Canada West
Klim Kostin | 31st overall, St. Louis Blues | 2016 – Russia

2ND ROUND
Ian Mitchell | 57th overall, Chicago Blackhawks | 2016 – Canada West

3RD ROUND
Alexei Lipanov | 76th overall, Tampa Bay Lightning | 2016 – Russia
Cameron Crotty | 82nd overall, Arizona Coyotes | 2016 – Canada East
Clayton Phillips | 93rd overall, Pittsburgh Penguins | 2016 – United States

4TH ROUND
Mikey Anderson | 103rd overall, Los Angeles Kings | 2016 – United States
Petr Kvaca | 114th overall, Colorado Avalanche | 2016 – Czech Republic
Bryce Misley | 116th overall, Minnesota Wild | 2016 – Canada East
Tobias Geisser | 120th overall, Washington Capitals | 2015 – Switzerland

6TH ROUND
Andrei Svetlakov | 178th overall, Minnesota Wild | 2013 – Russia
Carson Meyer | 179th overall, Columbus Blue Jackets | 2015 – United States

7TH ROUND
Cayden Primeau | 199th overall, Montreal Canadiens | 2016 – United States
Nick Swaney | 209th overall, Minnesota Wild | 2016 – United States
Ivan Chekhovich | 212th overall, San Jose Sharks | 2016 – Russia
Matt Hellickson | 214th overall, New Jersey Devils | 2016 – United States

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

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