Byram among draft eligibles named to Team WHL

Bowen Byram will get the opportunity to challenge Russia.

Byram, fourth in Future Considerations’ preliminary ranking for the 2019 NHL Draft, was one of 20 players named to Team WHL for the 2018 Canada Russia Series.

Team WHL will face Team Russia in Game 1 of the 2018 Canada Russia Series in Kamloops on Nov. 5 before continuing on to Vancouver for Game 2 on Nov. 6. The Ontario Hockey League will host Games 3 and 4, and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will play opposite Russia for Games 5 and 6.

The 17-year-old defenseman has nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 games for the Vancouver Giants this season. He also helped Canada to gold at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August.

Forwards Kirby Dach of the Saskatoon Blades, Dylan Cozens of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Nolan Foote of the Kelowna Rockets will join Byran as Team WHL members eligible for the 2019 draft. Dach, ranked seventh, has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 10 games; Cozens, ranked eighth, has 14 points (five goals, nine assists); Foote, ranked 12th, has nine points (four goals, five assists).