The Regina Pats officially made Connor Bedard the first pick of the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft on Wednesday morning.  Bedard, who has been granted “exceptional player” status, will be able to play for the team next season.

In the next 21 picks that followed in the first round, seven of them came from Saskatchewan including the numbers two and three picks who both come from Saskatoon.

With the number two pick, Prince George took forward Riley Heidt with his teammate on the Saskatoon Contacts, forward Brayden Yager, going number three to Moose Jaw.

Shaunavon’s Kalan Lind went with the 6th overall pick to the Red Deer Rebels followed by the first Regina player to be taken as Sam Oremba went 7th overall to Seattle.  Oremba, who played for the Regina Monarchs Bantam AA team, had  133 points including 75 goals in 31 games played last season.

The next Saskatchewan player to come off the board was defenceman Reid Anderson from Saskatoon.  He went with the 11th pick to Medicine Hat.

Weyburn’s Quinn Mantei went to Brandon with the 13th pick with Regina’s Brady Birnie going at pick 21 to Swift Current.  Birnie played with Oremba and had 128 points(56g, 72a) in 31 games.

The draft continues Wednesday afternoon.