Fifteenth overall pick, Luke Moroz, has signed a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the Raiders. (Submitted Photo/Prince Albert Raiders)
Moroz Signs With Raiders

Raiders sign first rounder Moroz

May 31, 2022 | 4:30 PM

In the most recent WHL prospects draft on May 19, the Prince Albert Raiders selected 13 players. This afternoon, the first of those players officially signed with the team.

The Raiders announced today forward Luke Moroz has signed a WHL Standard Player Agreement.

Moroz, the 15th overall selection in the prospects draft, led the Saskatchewan U15 AA circuit in scoring this season with 108 points in just 27 games. He scored 47 goals.

“He’s a high IQ player; he sees the play before it’s going and the puck always seems to find him,” said director of Personnel for the Raiders Bruno Zarrillo, “He’ll be an elite forward as he ages and matures through our program.”

Zarrillo described the process of drafting Moroz as a bit of a game of chicken, as the team traded the pick they initially held (10th overall) to acquire the 15th pick, the 60th pick, and the 126th pick. They were thrilled the highly talented centre from Grand Coulee was still on the board when they made their choice.

“The puck always seems to find him, and he always seemed to be where the puck was going,” said Zarrillo. “He wasn’t getting by because he was faster than somebody, he was getting by on his brain (which) was what I really liked.”

It’s been a while since the Raiders used their first selection on a player from Saskatchewan, but that player turned out pretty well for them. The team selected Nolan Allan third overall in 2018.

Saskatchewan was a frequent source of Raider picks this time around, with four of the 13 being from the team’s home province. Another five were from Manitoba. In fact, it wasn’t until their eighth pick (Noah Smith, 126th overall, from Brooks, Alta.) that they stepped outside the two easternmost provinces in the WHL.

“I think it’s important (to have local players) but it’s just the way it worked out,” said Zarrillo. “It was really odd this year where the last draft we had a little bit more flavor from Alberta. But it was just the way it worked out that the best players on the board, we felt, were these kids and we went with it.”

Moroz spent last season with the Prairie Storm program in Balgonie, Sask.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP

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