Prince Albert Mintos forward Liam Acorn was one of ten players selected by the La Ronge Ice Wolves in this year's SJHL Draft. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)
Draft Day

Ice Wolves select ten players in SJHL Draft

Jun 10, 2025 | 5:52 PM

Nearly a dozen players in this year’s Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) Draft were selected by the La Ronge Ice Wolves.

A combination of ten forwards, defensemen and goaltenders were among those drafted, including three in the 2010 draft and seven in the 2009 draft.

With the fourth pick in the 2010 draft, La Ronge selected Liam Van Caeseele from the Sask East Oilers in the U15 AA league. Hailing from Churchbridge, the 5’10, 154 lbs forward finished fourth in team scoring this past season with 33 points (19G-14A) in 26 games and added another seven points (5G-2A) in seven playoff games.

One pick later at number five, the Ice Wolves traded up and selected Logan Wilm, son of former NHLer Clark Wilm. The SJHL draft broadcast described Logan as a physical player who loves to hit and “use his size to get it on the forecheck… a lot like his dad.” With the Saskatoon Stallions in U15 AA this season, Wilm tallied 44 points (17G-27A) in 29 games, adding five points (3G-2A) in five playoff contests.

In the final selection in the 2010 portion of draft day, the Wolves picked Beau Anholt at 22nd overall. The goal-scoring centre had a massive season with the Warman Wildcats in U15 AA, netting a whopping 62 points (22G-40A) in just 29 games, while also collecting an assist in two playoff appearances.

Claiming top selection for La Ronge in the 2009 draft was Colton Vedress, drafted with the fourth overall pick. The Annaheim product spent this past season with the Humboldt Broncos in U18 AA, scoring 20 points (4G-16A) from the blue line in 32 games.

Following Vedress, the Ice Wolves selected Aaron Kowalyk with the 16th pick in the second round. The defenceman, standing 5’9 and 181 lbs, split time with three different teams last season but played the most with the Battlefords Stars in U18 AAA. There, the Hudson Bay native managed two goals and five assists in 27 games.

Immediately after, La Ronge took Jamie Kirwan with the 17th overall selection. Kirwan was a member of the Prairie Hockey Academy U17 Prep team in the Canadian School Sport Hockey League (CSSHL) this past season, where he was nearly a point-per-game player scoring 30 points (11G-19A) in 36 games.

The Wolves used their next pick in the second round to select Blaise Baier from the Saskatoon Blazers in U18 AAA. In 26 contests, the Saskatoon born centre tallied two goals and two assists.

La Ronge would not pick again until the third round, 36th overall, when they selected Easton Bauer. He also played in the CSSHL with the Indigenous Sports Academy U17, where he scored 12 points (6G-6A) in 36 games. During the SJHL draft broadcast, La Ronge Ice Wolves assistant coach Kyle Schneider said, “We’re very excited to pick Easton Bauer at 36. We think he’s got a lot of tools and qualities that we think will make him a good La Ronge Ice Wolves [player] one day. I think he can be offensively gifted on the back end while also being a solid 200-foot defenceman.”

In the fourth round, the Ice Wolves picked up Liam Acorn at 40th overall. With the Prince Albert Mintos in U18 AAA, Acorn managed a goal with seven assists in 43 games as a forward.

With their final pick in the 2009 draft, La Ronge selected Nate Helmeczi at 52nd overall in the fifth round. In 33 games with the Saskatoon Crunch in U18 AA, the 5’11, 165 lbs blueliner had two goals and four assists to go along with 44 penalty minutes.

The Ice Wolves had a selection in the sixth round at 64th overall, but passed on the opportunity.

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

On Bluesky: @loganlehmann.bsky.social

View Comments