It's not nearly as big as the NHL draft, but for 14 and 15 year old hockey players, the Western Hockey League's (WHL) bantam draft is nearly as exciting.

Just like the NHL, being drafted to the WHL doesn't guarantee you will make it there, but it does give you a leg up on the competition as well as the chance to attend the team's rookie camp in September.

And since WHL squads only have 50 spots on their roster they can protect, it certainly means they're very interested.

Last Thursday, the Kootenay Ice showed their interest in goaltender Daniel Salamandyk, who was born and raised in the Yukon, playing nearly all of his minor hockey in Whitehorse until his family moved to Kelowna last summer.

'They (Kootenay) came to us last year at the provincials in Castlegar (when Salamandyk was playing for the Whitehorse AA Mustangs),' said Daniel's father Denny in an interview from the Okanagan. 'They talked with Brenda and myself ... over a couple of days actually, and that was it at that point.'

After the move down south, Daniel tried out for the Kelowna Bantam Rockets AAA rep hockey team last fall, competing with 12 goalies for just two spots on the roster, and even though he was a newcomer he impressed the coaches enough to earn him a nod.

Under the rules in the B.C. Amateur Hockey Association, you can't play house league and be on a rep team, which was something new for Daniel.

'With house league in Whitehorse, that was kind of a fun, practice thing where you could build your skills,' said the young athlete. 'Here, it's different. We had two or three practices a week and then one or two games.'

Daniel was able to play about half the games for the Rockets this past season, and he also tried out and was selected for the Okanagan team at the B.C. Best Ever tournament, which took place last month. The coaches told Daniel he was selected partly because of how much he talked to his teammates on the ice.

'It was the funnest hockey experience I've ever had,' he said of the tournament, where Okanagan finished second.

Four of Daniel's friends from Whitehorse Drew Pettitt, Lowell Johnston, Ted Stephens and fellow goalie Ian Perrier were also at Best Ever, representing Northern B.C. While Daniel enjoyed meeting up with them again, he never got a chance to play against them.

'That was too bad. I wanted to because that would have been so much fun.'

While there were always junior hockey scouts at the tournaments down south, and some of the Rockets' games, the Salamandyk's didn't hear anything more from Kootenay until last week, when they took Daniel 140th overall in the bantam draft, one of nine picks the Ice made.

'I was at school on Thursday (when I found out),' said Daniel. 'We had the computer on all day, checking on the draft.

'I saw my name on there and I was really excited.'

'We (he and wife Brenda) were really excited for him,' said Denny, who actually played in the WHL himself for Medicine Hat years ago. 'He's worked really hard for this and he's pretty determined in what he wants to achieve.'

Since the draft, the now 15-year-old goaltender has had a chance to speak with Kootenay's scout in Kelowna, as well as their director of player personnel.

'They told me I played consistent all year and played well in the big games when I had to. With a little coaching, they said, I could be very good.'

In September, Daniel will head off to their rookie camp and then hopefully, get an invite to their main camp all well. He could only play in five games during the season for the Ice, since he's a rookie, so it's not too likely he would suit up for yet another year.

He'll be attending two hockey camps this summer and hopes to work on his foot speed in order to impress team officials. This is where the really hard work begins.

'The next year and a half is definitely what separates the good ones from the rest,' said Denny. 'You have to do whatever it takes to get there.'

Whatever it takes often starts with a move Outside when you grow up playing minor hockey in a small community like Whitehorse. While Daniel played nearly all of his minor hockey in the Yukon capital, both he and Denny acknowledged the move to Kelowna was probably a big reason for the youngster getting drafted.

'It would have been a lot more difficult (if he was still playing in Whitehorse),' said Denny. 'You're playing a lot more competitive teams here. There's just far more exposure.'

That's not to say Daniel wouldn't have been given a shot eventually Kootenay did initially notice him when he was a Mustang but it's rare for players from isolated communities like Whitehorse to get picked in the bantam draft because WHL teams aren't worried about losing them to competition. They just invite them to the rookie camps and don't usually protect them until further down the road.

'It would have been tougher,' agreed Daniel. 'But I guess if you're good enough, scouts will find you anywhere.'

That's already been the case with a few of the bantam Mustangs this season, who have been approached by scouts at Outside tournaments.

In fact, with the Mustangs winning silver at provincials and their former teammate Daniel also finding success, it seems like there's just something about this age group the second year bantams which are now entering midget which many feel has the best chance at fielding a Yukoner in major junior hockey in years.

'They're hungry, they've got good parental support and the coaching over the last few years has made a difference,' said Denny. 'The McGowans, the Olsons and the Bicudos, they've been just great.

'Daniel really, really enjoyed playing with Dale (McGowan).

'All these people really had a good role in getting these kids where they need to be. There's just an awful lot of kids with a lot of heart and desire and a good amount of skill.'

Denny pointed to the four 15 year olds who played AAA midget hockey in Fort St. John this past season as another example that good things are happening in the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association Adam Henderson was highlighted as one of the kids to watch in Hockey Now magazine, which is circulated in B.C. and Alberta.

But Henderson, like Daniel Salamandyk, is another example that even though Whitehorse is doing something right, at the end of the day, you have to move Outside if you want to play hockey at a high level.

'That's the hardest part for the families and for the kids, but it's worth it,' said Denny.