Virden’s Braeden Lewis and Oak Lake’s Hunter Wallace are this year’s auto-protected players for the Oil Caps in lead up to the 2018 Manitoba Junior Hockey League Bantam Draft.
“We’re happy we’ve added Braeden and Hunter to our organization,” said Jamie Hodson, director of business and hockey operations for the Oil Capitals. “These are two quality players both on and off the ice. We potentially see them as key pieces to our team in the not-too-distant future.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing both Braeden and Hunter progress and believe they’ll be become important players for us down the road,” said Troy Leslie, head coach and GM of the Oil Capitals.
Lewis was the first Westman player selected in the WHL Bantam Draft earlier this month (selected by the Swift Current Broncos in the sixth round). The 5-foot-10, 153 pound forward played for the Southwest Cougars bantam AAA team this past season, netting 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points in 28 games played.
“It’s an honour to be protected by my hometown team and I plan to work hard everyday to someday wear the Oil Caps jersey,” Lewis said.
Wallace, also a forward, spent this past season with the Cougars as well, scoring 23 goals and 14 assists for 37 points. Listed at 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds, he’s the younger brother to Riley, a goaltender in the Oil Capitals system.
“I’m very excited and honoured to be part of such a great organization,” Wallace said. “I’m also very thankful and excited to part of the same organization as my older brother. It’s a dream come true to be auto-protected by the team I grew up watching and have wanted to play for ever since I was little.”
As is the case every year, each team in the MJHL protects two players from their current zone prior to the MJHL Draft. The MJHL Draft is slated to take place on Sunday, June 3. It gets underway at 9 a.m.
It’s that time of year again Oil Caps fans!
Virden Oil Capitals 2018-2019 season tickets are now available!
See below!