Pictured: the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association class of 2012. L-R: Tate, Wyatt, Cameron, Connor, Dustin, Lane, Brad, and Kody. Photo : SMHA

Oh, friends. It’s here. The day we’ve been waiting for; the first true sign of spring. The Western Hockey League Bantam Draft, for 14- and 15-year-olds. A window on what Canadians west of Ontario and Americans west of the Mississippi were naming their children in 2004.




The full draft list is here, but Adam Herman as usual has your immediate needs covered:


Here are my favorite 21 or so names, ranked. Perhaps there is a future Hockey Hall of Famer among them:

21. Cash Arntsen

20. Layton Feist

19. Hunter Mayo

18. Kaden Dyck

17. Cyle Clayton

16. Graydon Gotaas

15. Conor Geekie

14. Koehn Ziemmer

13. Dallyn Peekeekoot

12. Jhett Larson

11. Kylynn Olafson

10. Jaeger Murdock

9. Jagger Firkus

8. Ridge Dawson

7. Elouann Lemonnier

6. Kolby Hay

5. Colby Woogk

4. Ryder Ringor

3. Rylen Roersma

2. Shawn Paul St. Arnaud

1. Oasiz Wiesblatt

Congrats to all the extremely talented teens. And remember: