Hofer selected by St. Louis in NHL Draft

Joel Hofer STEVEN MAH/SOUTHWEST BOOSTER FILE PHOTO

Swift Current Broncos goaltender Joel Hofer was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round, 107th overall, of the 2018 National Hockey League Draft in Dallas, Texas on Saturday.

The Winnipeg native appeared in 19 regular season games during his rookie campaign and finished with an 8-3-1-1. The 6’3’’ netminder finished with a 0.914 save percentage and a 2.61 goals against average. He registered his first WHL shutout on January 30 against the Prince George Cougars.

Former Swift Current Broncos forward Riley Stotts was drafted in the third round, 83rd overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Winnipeg native was the Broncos first-round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. He was sent to the Calgary Hitmen after registering three points in 22 games this past season in a trade that brought Matteo Gennaro and Beck Malenstyn to the Broncos. Stotts compiled 17 goals, 24 assists, 34 penalty minutes, and a plus-two rating in 47 games with the Hitmen.

Broncos’ draft pick Jacob Bernard-Docker was a first-round selection of the Ottawa Senators on Friday when they took the 6’0’’, 187-pound defenseman with the 26th overall pick.
The Canmore native was the Broncos fifth round pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, but never signed with the Broncos. He had 22 points in 54 games last season with the Okotoks Oilers, his second season in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He has committed to play at the University of North Dakota next season.