The Prince George Cougars have won the WHL's draft lottery, and will pick first in the upcoming bantam player dispersal.
The Cougars, who finished last overall in the WHL standings in 2009-10, had the most balls in the lottery draw, and were successful in getting the No. 1 selection.
This will be the third time the Cougars have chosen first overall in the bantam draft.
In 2004, the team selected defenceman Ryan Kerr, who didn't last a year before being traded to Lethbridge, and was out of the league for his 20-year-old campaign. In 1994, the Cougars selected forward Jarrett Smith, who was traded to the Prince Albert Raiders after his 19-year-old season.
The Cougars are the only WHL franchise to have the first-overall choice more than twice. Dating back to 1993, the first year of the bantam draft, the Victoria-Prince George franchise has made the selection four times, counting the upcoming draft (April 29, in Edmonton). The Edmonton Oil Kings will select second, followed by the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Seattle Thunderbirds, Regina Pats, and Prince Albert Raiders.
For more, see Thursday's Citizen.
