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WHL TEAMS DRAFT FOUR WITH TIES TO JR DUCKS

By Chris Bayee, 04/06/20, 11:30AM PDT

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Four 2005 birth year players with ties to the Anaheim Jr. Ducks were selected in the Western Hockey League’s U.S. Prospects Draft on March 25.

The quartet included current Jr. Ducks Miles Roberts and Jason Zaccari and former Jr. Ducks Ze’ev Buium and Ty Henricks. 

Roberts, 6-foot, 170-pound goaltender, was selected fourth overall in the first round by the Everett Silvertips. He allowed just two goals in five CAHA starts and finished with CAHA bests of a 1.20 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage. He had a 1.82 GAA and a .936 save percentage in Tier 1 Elite Hockey League play, both figures placing him in the top five. 

Zaccari, a 5-9, 145-pound defenseman, was taken in the second round (29th overall) by the Portland Winterhawks. He had six points in five CAHA games. 

Both were standouts on the Jr. Ducks’ Bantam AAA team that went 7-5 in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League and 5-1 during the CAHA regular season.

Buium, a 5-5, 125-pound defenseman was the final pick of the first round (22nd overall), by the Saskatoon Blades. Henricks, a 6-1, 170-pound forward was taken one pick before Zaccari, by the Brandon Wheat Kings.

“All four are very good players,” said Jr. Ducks Director of Player Personnel Alex Kim. “They worked hard to get to themselves on the WHL’s radar. This is a great opportunity for them. 

“These are some positives during an otherwise very unusual time.”

A total of 44 players were selected in this first phase of the WHL’s annual Bantam draft. It’s probable more players will be selected when that takes place on April 22. 

The draft provides the major junior teams the rights to the respective players but doesn’t guarantee they will play in the WHL. 

The four selections give the Jr. Ducks a total of 14 since 2016 and match the most the club has had taken in any given year (2019).