Wenatchee Wild Build for Future with 9 WHL Draft Picks

The Wenatchee Wild front office has been hard at work. On Wednesday and Thursday, the team set the stage for the 2026-27 season by picking nine prospects in the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft. Thanks to some bold trades and smart scouting, the Wild picked up a mix of skilled forwards, strong defensemen, and a talented young goalie.

Fans in the Wenatchee Valley can see that the Wild are building for long-term success.

Wenatchee Wild

Headlines from Day One

The draft started with excitement on Wednesday when the Wild traded up to pick two of the top players in Western Canada.

With the second overall pick, Wenatchee chose forward Parker McMillan from the Yale Hockey Academy. McMillan’s stats are impressive: he scored 91 points, including 41 goals, in just 25 games. He’s a natural scorer who can make a big impact every time he’s on the ice.

The Wild strengthened their defense with the fifth overall pick by selecting Jevin Morrison. Morrison stood out for the Red Deer Rebels U15 AAA as a mobile defenseman, scoring 64 points in 24 games and helping his team reach the Alberta provincial final.

Wenatchee Wild

The Red Deer Connection

This year’s draft seemed to focus on team chemistry. In the third and fourth rounds, the Wild picked two more players from the Red Deer Rebels U15 team: defenseman Luke Pierson (54th overall) and right wing Finn Visser (91st overall).

Pierson, who captained Red Deer, is known for staying calm under pressure and adding offense in the playoffs. Visser brings strong scoring ability, averaging 2 points per game this season and recording 4 games with 6 points. Bringing three players from a top program like Red Deer gives the Wild a unique level of team chemistry right away.

Exploring New Territory

The Wild also looked to the United States, picking three American-born players:

Graham Schumacher (Minnesota): A right winger who stood out in Minnesota’s AAA and bantam leagues.
Aidan Grabner (Arizona): He comes from an NHL family. His father, Michael Grabner, played 600 games in the NHL. Aidan brings that experience to the Wild’s right wing.
Jackson Fabian (North Dakota): The Wild’s last pick in the draft, Fabian is a left-handed defenseman who has played in state championships and national tournaments.

Wenatchee Wild

Guarding the Net and the Wings

In the seventh round, the Wild picked goaltender Brayden Allan from Delta Hockey Academy. Allan ended his season with an eight-game winning streak and showed he can handle a lot of action, once stopping 40 shots in a single game.

The last forward picked was Ben Edvinsson from Agassiz, B.C. Edvinsson is a left winger who proved to be a clutch player for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds, finishing fourth in team scoring during both the regular season and playoffs.

Looking Ahead

Now that the WHL Prospects Draft is over, the work continues. The Wild will focus on the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft in July to keep improving the roster.

For the Wenatchee community, these nine players mark the next chapter of hockey at the Town Toyota Center. The team’s talent and background are clear, and the Wild’s future looks very bright.

Iconic TEAM USA Hockey Photos

Gallery Credit: Clay Moden

Hockey Day Minnesota 2022, Mankato

Minnesota State University-Mankato hosted Hockey Day MN. The eight-day festival featured all levels from youth to Division I, including a junior game for the first time.

Gallery Credit: Roy Koenig