The Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey team selected defenseman Dante Fabbro in the first round, eighth overall, in the 2013 Bantam Draft Thursday in Calgary, Alberta.
Fabbro is 6 feet tall and 170 pounds. He played with the Burnaby, B.C. Winter Club this past season.
“We really like him as a player,” said Colin Alexander, Seattle director of player personnel, in a T-Birds media release. “He’s an impact defenseman who is very competitive and when you combine skill and competitiveness you get a special player.”
“He is a very exciting offensive defenseman and can be a game changer all by himself,” said T-Birds general Manager Russ Farwell.
The T-Birds selected center Kaden Elder with their second first-round pick, 22nd overall. Elder, 5-9, 160, played for the Notre Dame Hounds Bantam team last season. He had 64 points on 27 goals and 37 assists in 33 games.
“He’s a really talented centerman who played a lot of game at the midget level this season,” said Alexander. “He proved he could score at that level and he performed very well.”
Seattle chose left wing Nolan Volcan in the second round. Volcan, from Edmonton, Alberta, is 5 feet 7 inches and 175 pounds. He played 32 games for the Edmonton MLAC Bantam AAA team last season and had 76 points on 40 goals and 36 assists with 66 penalty minutes.
“Volcan is a high energy forward with a good shot. He’s got great character,” Farwell said.
The T-Birds traded away their third or fourth rounds picks last season.
In the fifth round, they selected defenseman Brandon Schuldhaus from Bearspaw, Alberta. Schuldhaus is 6 feet 1 inches and 166 pounds. He played 33 games with the Airdrie Xtreme Bantam AAA team. He had three goals and 12 assists for 15 points with 38 penalty minutes.
“He is a good skating defenseman with huge potential. He has a good shot and is a hard worker,” said Farwell.
Seattle chose Jagger Williamson from Lumby, B.C., in the sixth round. The 5-7, 150-pound Williamson played for the Vernon Bantam A1 team.
Right wing Spencer Hunter from Vancouver, B.C., was Seattle’s seventh-round pick in the draft. Hunter is 6 feet 2 inches and 170 pounds. He played for the Vancouver Thunderbirds Bantam A1 team.
Other selections included right wing Colton Thomas, 5-8, 140 in the eighth round; defenseman Shavan Khaira, 6-1, 196 in the ninth round; goalie Devon Fordyce, 10th round; and center Caleb Griffin, 5-9, 160, 12th round.
Seattle took three defensemen, two centers, two right wings, two left wings and a goalie.
The T-Birds open training camp for the 2013-14 season Aug. 22 at the ShoWare Center.
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