Top three Raiders’ picks sign with the team at open house event

The Prince Albert Raiders officially have three new members.

Defenceman Kaiden Guhle and forwards Cohner Saleski and Ozzy Wiesblatt, picked first, 17th and 25th overall by the Raiders at the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft on May 4, signed their WHL Standard Player Agreements at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday.

Raiders director of player personnel Ron Gunville introduced the players to the crowd of fans and supporters.

“We think with these three guys, as well as the others we drafted who aren’t here today, we think we had a very good draft. So we’re very happy and welcome these guys to the Prince Albert Raiders,” he said.

Gunville described Guhle, a Sherwood Park, Alta. product and bother of former Raider D-man Brendan Guhle, as a “smooth skating, physical guy (who) can run a power play. A little bit of everything we wanted.”

He called Saleski, who played against the P.A. Mintos a few times this year as a member of the Saskatoon Contacts, an “extremely skilled, tenacious player. He loves to score goals, brings a lot of speed to the game and lots of passion and energy as well.”

Gunville had similar praise for Wiesblatt, who finished third in Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League scoring this year with the Calgary Bison. “(He’s) another highly-skilled, high-speed player with a little bit of grit, a little bit of bite in his game. He’s also a guy that loves to score goals.”

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