A six pack of skaters from the 2024/2025 U15 AAA Red Deer Rebels were selected in the Western Hockey League’s Prospects Draft this week including two from Olds.
2010 born forwards Jaxon Jaffray and Noah Ulry saw their names pop up as draft selections. Jaffray went in the 5th round 104th overall to the Portland Winterhawks and then in the 11th round 246th overall the Prince Albert Raiders chose Ulry.
U15 AAA Rebels Head Coach Justin Jarmolicz was thrilled to see the boys from Olds get WHL drafted. He says “you know what, I’m just super happy for them. It is a big day for them and their families. I appreciate all the support they provided for our program the last couple years and the sky is the limit for those kids.”
Jaffray was the 8th highest point producer in the AEHL this past season with 57 in 32 games – that included 23 goals. Jarmolicz says “Jaxon he is a super smart, super skilled player with a ton of leadership capabilities. He’s got a lot of toughness. Brings that grit to the game too. Couldn’t have found a better place to be drafted than Portland. They do a good job with guys like him and it is a perfect fit, in my mind, for him.”
Ulry was 8th on the Rebels with 24 points in 32 games. He also had 9 goals and 28 penalty minutes. Jarmolicz says “Noah is a prototypical Prince Albert Raider too because he plays hard all the time. He is physical. He does the right thing with the puck. He has some ability to score and go to the hard areas. He is going to be hard to play against for that league in the years to come and everybody is going to wish they drafted him, I think.”
The U15 AAA Rebels won the Alberta Elite Hockey League’s provincial championship this past season by beating the Calgary Northstars 4-1 in the gold medal game at Servus Arena in Red Deer in March.
Rounding out the list of U15 AAA Rebels who were picked in the WHL Draft were Cruz Nicholay from Red Deer by Regina (R2-27th overall), Lane Bullee from Red Deer by Kamloops (R4-74th overall), Calder Fraser from Sylvan Lake by Prince Albert (R4-84th overall), and Nixon Wright from Rocky Mountain House by Lethbridge (R9-202nd overall).
Jaxon Jaffray on Team Alberta Blue at Hockey Alberta’s 2025 Alberta Cup. (hockeyalberta.ca)
