The Edmonton Oil Kings selected Pat Dea of the St. Albert Sabres with their first pick in the Western Hockey League bantam draft Thursday.
Dea, 15, was the first netminder picked in the draft and the 22nd player chosen overall.
The Grade 9 student at Vincent J. Maloney School was named the top netminder in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League’s north conference this season. He posted a 12-6-3 record, 2.96 GAA and .920 save percentage in 1,237 minutes played.
Dea was also among nine Sabres who played for the Northwest Sharks at the recent Alberta Cup tournament in Lethbridge.
Dea was one of seven Sabres drafted by WHL teams. The other players were defenceman Dylan Overdyk (32nd by the Kootenay Ice), left-winger Matteo Gennaro (41st by Prince Albert Raiders), defenceman Brendan Kallis (68th by Regina Pats), defenceman Mark Matsuba (81st by Brandon Wheat Kings), left-winger Ethan Lazaro (150th by Moose Jaw Warriors) and defenceman Stephen Wack (156th by Prince George Cougars).
Tyler Bunz of St. Albert was awarded the Del Wilson Trophy as the Western Hockey League’s netminder of the year Wednesday.
Bunz, 20, compiled a 39-17-2-3 record, with three shutouts and a 2.57 GAA in his fourth season with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He set career marks in wins, games played with 61 and save percentage at .921.
Bunz is also the Tigers’ all-time career leader in regular season wins with 115.
The former bantam AAA Sabre and midget AAA Raider was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round, 121st overall, in 2010. The Oilers signed the St. Albert Catholic High School graduate to a three-year entry-level contract in March.
The Greater St. Albert Sports Academy alumnus also attended Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the 2012 World Junior Championship, but was the last netminder cut from the national team’s selection camp.
Recipients of the Coaches ‘Building Youth’ Award will be honoured at Monday’s city council meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers.
The award winners are Keegan and Steve Farrell, a father and son coaching tandem in charge of the St. Albert Impact U14 Tier I girls, Brian Hardiman, coach at the St. Albert Bowling Centre and Trent Bronson, a bantam boys’ coach in the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association who also coached in the St. Albert Minor Baseball Association.
The coaches were nominated based on various criteria. The winners were chosen by the Building Assets and Memories youth group – a youth for youth leadership group volunteering their time in the community.
The award acknowledges coaches in the community who are positive role models for youth in sports. They must also be in a non-paid position.
The award is also part of the 40 Developmental Assets initiative, a partnership between the City of St. Albert and the RCMP that calls on the entire community to support youths.
Every two years, 40 Developmental Assets targets specific adult groups to build their awareness and understanding of the things they can do to become better role models for youth.
The St. Albert Rams were the only Greater Edmonton Lacrosse Council midget A team to medal at the Blues Icebreaker Tournament last weekend at Servus Credit Union Place.
The third win in four games for the Rams was 7-3 against the Red Deer Chiefs for the bronze medal. Keaton Phare scored the game winner in a penalty-filled affair. At one point there were more Chiefs in the penalty box than on the bench.
In league play the Rams suffered tough losses to the Sherwood Park Titans and Edmonton Warriors prior to the tournament.
The next home game is Tuesday against the Edmonton Wizards at 6 p.m. at Northstar Hyundai Arena.
