Here’s some quick hits from the Thursday’s WHL bantam draft.
*Tyler Popowich, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound centre from Surrey who played this past season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, was the Vancouver Giants’ first pick, third overall. It was his second season at OHA, and he says he plans to return next year. Of course, he can play five games with the Giants as a call-up until his minor hockey season is over, and then he can play regularly with Vancouver. He’s eligible to be a full-time WHLer 2016-17, like everyone else in this draft class.
*Popowich said he grew up a Giants fan. He lists Brendan Gallagher as his favourite former Giant. A little bit of a different-sized guy, eh, Tyler? “Yeah, you can say that,” he said.
*Popowich comes by his build naturally. His dad is 6-foot-4. He has cousins who are 6-foot-5.
*Popowich is represented by Newport Sports, the Don Meehan led agency. They also represent Giants star Tyler Benson.
*Popowich says he knows Benson and fellow Vancouver winger Ty Ronning, as well as Giants prospects both Brendan Semchuk and James Malm, both forwards.
*Here’s a Popowich video.
*With their next two picks, the Giants took defenceman Kaleb Bulych (27th overall) and forward Kaeden Taphorn (47th), teammates from Yorkton, Sask.
Interesting tie to Vancouver? Bulych has worked out the past couple of springs with former Giants forward Brett Breitkreuz, who is from the Yorkton area and returns there when he’s not playing pro in Germany. He knows Taphorn as well.
More on their bantam team here.
*The Spokane Chiefs took Ty Smith, a Lloydminster, Alta., defenceman who played this past season with the Delta Academy, with the first overall pick.
More on Smith here.
