Four players with ties to Airdrie's hockey community saw their names called in the 2021 Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft on Dec. 9.
Former Airdrie Xtreme players Drew Williamson, Finn McLaughlin and Fraser Leonard were all drafted, in addition to Airdrie's Matthew Keller.
This year's WHL Draft focused on players born in 2006. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting last year's minor hockey season, the draft originally planned for 2020 was postponed until this month.
Leonard, a 15-year-old defenseman from Cochrane, was selected by the Saskatoon Blades in the fourth round as the 64th overall pick. A current blue-liner with the Edge School – a private school in Springbank for high-level student-athletes – Leonard said it was a dream come true to see his name come up in the draft.
But, the Airdrie Xtreme alumnus added being picked is just the first step, and the hard work to hopefully play in the WHL in a few years starts now.
"The emotions I felt, it was pretty cool," Leonard said, adding he was surprised Saskatoon chose him, as the Blades weren't an organization he had been in contact with leading up to the draft.
"I've looked it up and see it's a great city – the SaskTel Centre gets big crowds and the Blades are a good organization to play for."
Currently a member of the Edge's U16 boys' prep team, Leonard has also played up for the school's U18 team a handful of times this season. He added his focus for the remainder of his Grade 10 year is to continue improving, so he has a chance of one day cracking the Blades' roster once he makes the jump up to the junior level.
"I need to focus on getting better every day, adding skills to my skill sets and just progressing as time goes on," he said.
The only player from Airdrie to hear his name called on Dec. 9 was Keller, who happens to be Leonard's defensive line pair on the Edge U16 team. Keller was chosen by the Victorial Royals in the fourth round, as the 75th overall pick.
His elite prospects page says Keller has spent the last three seasons at the Edge, and has logged 12 points in 17 games for the school's U16 team this season, in addition to five call-ups to the U18 squad.
Other Xtreme alumni who were selected in the draft were McLaughlin, who like Leonard was also selected by Saskatoon, and current Airdrie Bisons player Drew Williamson, who was selected by the Brandon Wheat Kings. Williamson is currently a first-year member of the Airdrie Bisons AAA U18 team.
McLaughlin, who is from Canmore and now plays for the Windy City Storm U15 AAA team in Chicago, was selected in the eighth round as the 176th pick, while Williamson went in the seventh round as the 152nd pick.
Williamson, who has six goals and 14 assists in 22 games for the Bisons this season, said it was a relief to hear his name called on Dec. 9. He said he had spoken to members of the Wheat Kings organization before, so knew they were aware of him, and that he's excited by the prospect of playing for Brandon in the future.
"They have a really good organization and really good players on that team who I know are highly touted for playing in the NHL," the 15-year-old forward said. "I feel they produce some really good players, so I'm really excited."
The current Bisons player said he feels he brings aggression, puck protection and tenacity to the ice, and he hopes those qualities will eventually help him make the WHL grade in the coming seasons.
"I obviously go to their camp next year, but don't know too much yet," he said, adding that being selected in the draft was the culmination of many years of hard work.
