The Nipawin Hawks drafted 10 players in this year's SJHL Draft. (Submitted Photo/Nipawin Hawks)

By Clark Stork

offensive optimism

Forward focus: Hawks seek offense in SJHL Draft

Jun 10, 2022 | 3:35 PM

The Nipawin Hawks drafted nine forwards and just one defenseman in Friday’s Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Draft.

After scoring a league worst 128 goals (tied with Weyburn) last season the Hawks’ staff sought offense with their 10 picks in the draft. The team had the second overall choice and used that on Saskatoon Riverking sniper Mason Karakochuk. Nipawin assistant general manager Dana Dirks said the club expects the now 15-year-old to be an impact player.

“He was the leading goal scorer in all of AA midget hockey last year in Saskatchewan, so we think we have somebody that step into our line and play a big role at 17 years old,” Dirks told northeastNOW.

Karakochuk scored 30 goals and added another 33 assists with the Riverkings, a team that used all 2006 born players and played in the Saskatchewan U18 AA Hockey League. He also dressed for two games with the Saskatoon Contacts AAA team.

The Hawks also had the fifth overall pick that they used to select Spiritwood’s Konnor Watson. He played 34 games this past season for the Indigenous Sports Academy Eagles scoring 17 times and adding 14 assists.

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The offensive-minded picks continued with Prince Albert’s Van Taylor, picked second round, 14^th overall, and Cade Hynd of Saskatoon, picked third round, 26^th overall.

The Hawks chose their lone defenseman in the third with one of their four picks in the round. They drafted Saskatoon’s Ronan Buckberger, the younger brother of current Hawk, Braxton.

The team turned back to goal scoring choosing Martensville’s Jack Janzen in the third round, 32^nd overall, Marc Belanger of Drinkwater, third round, 34^th overall, and Dayton Reschny of Macklin, sixth round, 61^st overall.

The SJHL modified the draft this year due to COVID-19 upsetting player development over the last two years. The league allowed teams to select two 2007 born players as well.

Nipawin jumped at the chance to draft Tisdale’s Lucas Hvidston. Hvidston scored 23 goals and assisted on 25 others with the U15 Northeast Wolfpack last season.

Dirks said the club is ecstatic to get a player of Hvidston’s skill.

“That was a high priority for us,” he said. “Being a local kid, we see him as an extremely good player. If we’re fortunate enough that he comes to us and the SJHL if the Western Hockey League isn’t there for him, we just see that as a fantastic fit for the Nipawin Hawks.”

With the other 2007 selection Nipawin chose Eastend product Jace Egland who scored 25 goals for the U15 Swift Current Broncos last year.

“He’s a guy we think very highly of. The scouting staff was extremely high on him, and we weren’t sure he’d be available for our second pick. We thought someone would grab him in the first round and take a chance on Jace, we’re extremely excited to have him,” Dirks added.

Overall, the franchise felt with the roster and prospects in the organization the staff could focus heavily on scoring more goals. Dirks said the staff is happy with how the draft played out.

“We felt like we had a gap with the age groups on our defensive core that we could just target forwards this year and target that scoring we really need. We feel we got the players we were targeting looking for here. Overall, we feel this is a great draft for us,” Dirks concluded.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork