NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – Another NAHL draft for the Lone Star Brahmas is in the books after the team made 11 selections. The Brahmas are excited about the new talent who can come in and continue the winning ways of the organization.
Now that the draft is complete, it is time to shift focus to the team’s Main Camp on July 11-14th here at the NYTEX Sports Centre.
Draft Selections
Round One, Pick 16 // C.J. Walker / Forward / 1999: The Lone Star Brahmas started the 2019 NAHL Draft with the Boise, ID native to add an experienced junior hockey player to the roster. Walker Played in the NAHL in 2016-17 with the Wichita Falls Wildcats scoring 33 points in 56 games. Most recently, Walker was part of the Langley Rivermen in the BCHL appearing in 38 games with 14 points.
Round Two, Pick 42 // Jake Begley / Goalie / 1999: In the second round, the Brahmas selected Begley to add veteran experience at goalie. The 6’1 twenty-year-old has spent time in the USHL and comes from the NCDC where in seven games had .939 save percentage.
Round Three, Pick 68 // Malcolm Palmer / Defenseman/ 2000: Palmer was the first of two defensemen taken in this year’s draft coming from the CCHL’s Pembroke Lumber Kings. The coaches are excited about Palmer’s ability to skate and his vision on the ice that he brings with his junior hockey experience.
Round Four, Pick 94 // Will Stromp / Forward / 1999: Stromp may be a familiar name to the fans making his return to the Brahmas after playing last season in the BCHL for the Langley Rivermen scoring 21 points. During the 2017-18 season, Stromp played 11 games for the Lone Star Brahmas with three assists. With another year under his belt, the Plano native adds depth up front already having his feet wet in the Brahmas’ system.
Round Six, Pick 148 // Cooper Haar / Forward / 1999: At 6’3 and 207 pounds, Haar will add size to the Brahmas with plenty of junior hockey experience. From 2016-18 he scored 69 points in the NAHL with the Bismarck Bobcats. Last season, Haar was in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. In his 62 games, the forward scored six goals and 11 assists.
Round Seven, Pick 172 // James Shea / Forward / 2000: The coaches were excited to have the opportunity to draft Shea after seeing him skate at one of the team’s Pre-Draft camp and was strong on the puck. Last season he totaled 39 points in 39 games (20 goals/19 assists). Aside from the skill the Culver Military Academy Prep forward showed, it was Shea’s character that won the Brahmas over.
Round Eight, Pick 198 // Joseph Demers / Forward / 2000: Demers will already feel at home when he joins the team this summer. The Flower Mound native makes his return to NYTEX after playing for the Jr. Brahmas from 2008-11. Recently, Demers had a strong season in T1EHL U18 with the Dallas Stars Elite scoring 17 points in 29 games.
Round Nine, Pick 224 // Cole Beilke / Defenseman / 2001: The other defenseman in this draft is a great skater out of Stevens Point Area High School in Wisconsin. The Brahmas coaches liked Beilke’s ability to skate and move the puck coming from a great program that has them excited about his ability to transition to junior hockey. In his final season for Stevens point, the seventeen-year-old racked up 29 points in 24 games with 26 assists.
Round Ten, Pick 250 // T.J. Irey / Forward / 1999: Irey is another forward that had the coaches excited when they had the opportunity to draft the Estevan Bruin from the SJHL. Over the last two seasons, Irey has really stepped up his game increasing his goals, assists and total point numbers from the previous year while playing one fewer game. Irey took his goal total from nine to 19, more than tripled his assists going from eight to 27 and his total points from 17 to 46 last season.
Round Eleven, Pick 276 // Jack Cooper / Forward / 2000: The final pick for the Brahmas in this year’s draft is the player the coaches already knew the most about. Cooper played last season right here at NTYEX in the NA3HL with the Texas Brahmas as a member of the Fraser Cup Championship team. Last season Cooper scored 27 goals and 36 assists for 63 total points in just 47 games. His offensive ability along with his winning pedigree in the program will help him make the transition to the Lone Star Brahmas this summer.