Mathis Paull of Vernon was taken in the third round of the Western Hockey League's 2024 Prospects Draft. (photo credit: Canadian Sport School Hockey League)

By Pete McIntyre

2024 Prospects Draft

Greater Vernon players get drafted by WHL teams

May 9, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Several Greater Vernon products were taken in the Western Hockey League’s 2024 Prospects Draft.

The draft on Thursday, May 9 was for players born in 2009.

Forward Mathis Paull of Vernon was selected in the third round, 48th overall, by the Regina Pats. The 6’1, 185 lb. winger played last season for the Rink Hockey Academy in Kelowna.

Paull had 16 goals and 18 assists in 27 games for the U15 team this season.

Ollie Reid, a right winger from Coldstream, was chosen by the Prince George Cougars in the fourth round, 88th overall.

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The 5’10, 149 lb. forward collected 22 goals and 52 points with the Yale Hockey Academy U15 team in Abbotsford this past season.

Ollie Reid of Coldstream was chosen in the fourth round of the WHL Prospects Draft by the Prince George Cougars (photo credit: Canadian Sport School Hockey League)

One pick after Reid was Hudson Podollan, taken by the Kamloops Blazers. Podollan is a 5’10, 142 lb. left winger who played for the Rink Academy in Kelowna, and is the son of former NHL’er Jason Podollan.

Another Rink H-A product, winger Dominik Silbernagel of Coldstream, was drafted by the Calgary Hitmen in the fifth round, 95th overall.

The Kelowna Rockets took defenceman Owen Haden from Calgary with the 9th overall pick.

The top Kelowna prospect taken was centre Cohen Handby from the Okanagan Hockey Academy by the Regina Pats in the third round, 52nd overall.

For updates on the 13-round draft, click here.

The Everett Silvertips used the first overall choice to take exceptional status defenceman Landon DuPont (Calgary, Alta. / Edge School U18 Prep).

The Prince Albert Raiders selected Victoria product Brock Cripps, a defenceman from St. George’s School U15 Prep, with the second pick.

The Tri-City Americans took defenceman Aden Bouchard (Airdrie, Alta. / Edge School U15 Prep) at number 3.

The top-three choices were all defencemen.

A total of 10 players from Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) teams were selected in the first round, including five from the Edge School in Calgary – four from the U15 Prep program and one from the U18 Prep squad.

In total, 237 players were selected in the draft, including 130 forwards, 84 defencemen, and 23 goaltenders.

Alberta led all provincial branches with 94 players selected. A total of 54 players from B.C. were chosen, with another 45 players coming from Saskatchewan. Manitoba saw 33 players selected.

Thursday’s proceedings saw eight players selected from the United States, following on the heels of 44 American-born players taken in the 2024 WHL U.S. Priority Draft on Wednesday.