History
Years ago, WHL teams were allowed to list first-year bantam players as of a set date in September. However, first-year bantams had been playing at the peewee level the previous year, and to list first-year bantams, WHL teams needed to scout the peewee ranks. This had many drawbacks including the need for extensive scouting systems along with the related expense, as well the added pressure on peewee-aged players (12–13 year-olds).
To get away from scouting peewees, the WHL instituted a bantam draft. WHL teams send scouts to watch second-year bantams from the start of the minor hockey season. After the season, the WHL holds a draft specifically to allow teams to add bantam players in an orderly manner to their protected lists. While this draft is the first opportunity for teams to select bantam players, it is not the last chance for a player to be listed. After the draft is completed, all the remaining bantams become eligible to be listed by teams, and many will be added as spots become available on team's PPLs, or as a player's talents improve or are more noticeable at a later date or at a higher level of hockey.
During the bantam draft (typically held in early May), players from the four Western Provinces and the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming are eligible to be selected.
Players from non-North American countries are allowed to be added in the CHL Import Draft which is held in June.
Read more about this topic: WHL Bantam Draft
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