Saskatoon’s Berkly Catton taken first overall in 2021 WHL draft

Saskatoon’s Berkly Catton was selected first overall by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2021 WHL prospects draft Thursday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Berkly and the Catton family to our organization,” Chiefs assistant general manager Jim Hammett said in a team news release.

“He is a dynamic, skilled forward who can play all over the ice in all situations. He has produced offensively at every level he has played, scoring and setting up his teammates well. He also plays a responsible, 200-foot game in all three zones, can kill penalties and play in traffic.”

The last player from Saskatoon to be selected first overall was Jared Cowan, who went to the Chiefs in 2006.

There were 39 Saskatchewan-born players taken in the first 10 rounds.

Catton, who recently returned home from Minnesota to play for the Saskatoon Contacts, was just the start of Saskatoon’s run on the draft board.

Roger McQueen became the first of nine selections from the Saskatoon Blazers when he was taken three picks later by the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Five players from the Saskatchewan Male U-18 AAA Hockey League were selected in the first round, including three from Saskatoon.

Six Contacts were selected in the draft.

The first player from the Regina area taken was Lumsden product Simon Martin, who went in the fourth round (76th overall) to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Left-winger Ryan Zaremba (fifth round, 101st overall, Saskatoon Blades) and right-winger Koen Senft (10th round, 208th overall, Seattle Thunderbirds) were the only two Regina Pat Canadians taken in the first 10 rounds..

The WHL draft typically takes place in May each year, but because COVID-19 brought many minor hockey programs to a standstill last year, the WHL pushed the draft back until December to allow time for extra evaluation.

Across Saskatchewan

The Swift Current Broncos were the first Saskatchewan team drafting with back-to-back picks at No. 6 and No. 7. They selected Clark Caswell and Josh Fluker with those picks.

The Prince Albert Raiders had a set of back-to-back picks at 13th and 14th, taking Cole Peardon and Ryder Ritchie with those picks.

The Moose Jaw Warriors selected Marek Howell at No. 16.

The Blades previously traded away their first-round pick and had to wait until the second round for their first selection. The team stayed close to home and drafted the Contacts’ Zach Moore.

The Regina Pats selected a set of twins with their first two picks, taking Jaxsin Vaughan with the 21st overall selection and then scooping up his brother Corbin Vaughn with the 30th overall pick.