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Lethbridge HurricanesHome News News ArchiveHurricanes Member StatementSchedule Tickets ATCO Gas Community CornerHurricanes Fundraising Merchandise Board Committee DutiesContact Us Hurricanes WHL Bantam Draft Picks2009 WHL Bantam Draft PicksLethbridge AB The best is yet to come for the future Lethbridge Hurricanes but the groundwork for success was laid in Edmonton this year as the WHL held the 20th annual WHL Bantam draft on April 30th 2009 Canes Assistant GM Brad Robson alongside General Manager Roy Stasiuk and the rest of the Lethbridge scouting staff made their selections and ignited the careers of ten new WHL prospects I am really happy with how our draft played out said Robson We feel we got a lot of speed and quickness which is the way the game is going now so for the future success of the organization we got some really good skaters and obviously some players with a lot of skill and the ability to put the puck in the net The picks we made today will ensure we are going to be a very fast and very skilled hockey club now and in the future The Canes kicked off the day by selecting forward Ryley Bennefield from the Leduc Allens Transport Oil Kings with their first selection 33rd overall in the second round of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft Bennefield is a 510 160 pound forward who tallied 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points and 59 Pims in 30 games for the Leduc Allens Transport Oil Kings of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) in 0809 Bennefield wrapped up his season with an excellent showing at the Alberta Cup this past weekend in Calgary where he competed with a broken collarbone Ryley is a skilled all around forward with an excellent work ethic and obviously the ability to put the puck in the net said Canes GM Roy Stasiuk As always in the draft we chose to address skill first and were surprised to see Ryleys name still on the board at our draft position We are very pleased to have the opportunity to draft him with the 33rd pick Lethbridge then chose another forward Sam McKechnie of the Airdrie Xtreme with their second selection 47th overall of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft This first of two third round picks was acquired by the Hurricanes as part of a trade with the Chilliwack Bruins McKechnie had a strong season in the Alberta Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League posting 52 points (20G 32A) in 33 games to rank himself fifth in the AMBHL South Division scoring race He was a key contributor in the Xtreme taking home a Western Canadian Bantam Championship banner with 7 points (2G 5A) in the tournamentOur scouts thought Sam had a very good showing at the Western Canadian Bantam Championships and he is player who brings with him a lot of speed said Stasiuk He should compliment our first selection Ryley Bennefeld very well Ironically McKechnie hails from the Airdrie Xtreme the same AMBHL club that produced Hurricanes superstar and NHL 1st round draft pick ...