Chiefs prepare for this week’s U.S. Priority Draft and WHL Prospects Draft
Spokane, Wash. — The Spokane Chiefs hockey staff will select the next class of future Chiefs this week as the WHL hosts two drafts. The WHL U.S. Priority Draft will take place on Wednesday, May 10 before the annual WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday, May 11. Real-time results will be available at WHL.ca/draft.
U.S. Priority Draft – Wednesday, 9 a.m.
The 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will consist of two rounds and 44 selections, with each WHL Club presented with the opportunity to make two draft choices. Spokane holds the first overall pick, as well as the 24th pick.
The order of selection was determined on March 29, 2023 through the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft Lottery, with all six WHL Clubs that did not qualify for the 2023 WHL Playoffs participating. The lottery proceedings determined the order of selection for the first six picks in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Priority Draft, with inverse order of standing from the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season determining the order of selection for the second round.
Players eligible for the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will be 2008-born players who reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Players not selected in the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft will remain eligible to be selected in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft on Thursday, May 11, 2023, or listed by a WHL Club at any time thereafter.
Prospects Draft – Thursday, 9 a.m.
The first round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, including a 30-minute pre-show, will be live-streamed FREE via WHL Live on CHL TV.
The Chiefs have seven picks within the top 100 selections, including two first-round picks (third-overall and 22nd), as well as one choice in the second round (24th), two in the third (46th and 47th), one in the fourth (68th) and one in the fifth (90th). The draft will continue indefinitely until all teams pass on their next pick.
Players eligible for the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft are 2008-born players who reside in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Players not selected in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft will remain eligible to be listed by WHL Clubs at any time thereafter.
—
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
