It was just another science class at R.F. Staples School for Ashton McNelly until he got a text from the Swift Current Broncos telling him he was their 10th round selection in the Western Hockey League’s May 3 Bantam Draft.
McNelly was selected 216th overall and if he sticks with the club he may eventually end up facing his older brother Cade, who spent this last season patrolling the blueline for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
“I showed my teacher that I made the draft and he was like, ‘Man, you’ve got to go show your mom!’” he said.
“I was pretty shocked at first, but now I’m excited. They phoned me a couple days earlier and said they liked how I play and they were looking to draft me.”
The selection means McNelly, a right winger, will attend training camps with the Broncos for the next two years.
After he finishes his first year of midget and hits 16 he’ll have a shot at making the team.
McNelly figures he made enough noise at the 2018 Alberta Cup April 25-29 in Spruce Grove, where he joined team Edmonton Blue to compete against eight teams and scored two goals in five games.
Edmonton Blue came out in full force at the start of the tournament, defeating the Northeast Alberta team 6-2, but were edged out 5-4 the next morning by Calgary South.
They followed it up with a tie against the South Alberta team, putting them in the semifinal against the Edmonton Yellow, where they were lost 7-4. This put them in the ‘B’ final and a rematch with Calgary South, who edged the Blue 2-1 in overtime.
Despite the tough finish, McNelly said it was a tremendous learning experience and he had a lot of fun.
“It was a pretty cool experience. Lots of great competition and good players,” he said. “I got to play a couple of kids from my team, so that was pretty cool.”
Still beaming, McNelly said he was focused on getting into the best shape he can for the Fort Saskatchewan midget ‘AAA’ Rangers. Last year McNelly won Forward of The Year Honours at the bantam level.
“I’ve just got to keep working to make it,” he said. “I just need to keep improving all year and try to get to that spot.
“I planned for myself to play in the WHL all my life, but now I’ve got the chance to showcase myself. Hopefully I can have a good midget year and play well enough to make the team when I’m 16. That’s what I’m striving for.”
