It was a moment Cohenn Rotar will always remember.
"I was sitting in my living room with my family watching the draft," Rotar said. "I was hoping that maybe Swift Current takes me, it's an awesome program, and I'd love to go there. When I heard my name it's a surreal moment. Everyone dreams of hearing their name in the WHL draft. It's one of the best moments I'll ever have."
While getting drafted was a moment of validation, Rotar knows he has a lot more to do.
"It's a stepping stone, and it's one of the biggest ones," he noted. "Knowing that all the work you put in was worth it and got you to where you are. From now there's just as much work and if not more, but it's definitely awesome knowing that all your work got you to where you are."
Swift Current picked Rotar with the 22nd pick of the 1st round after making several moves to restock their draft picks.
"Cohenn's just a really offensive player," said Broncos GM Chad Leslie. "He's got really high-end skill. He's a one-on-one player, he can play in a two-on-one scenario because of his ability to move pucks and make plays, but he can separate guys one-on-one, and he's really good in tight. He can score in many different ways."
Rotar sees his game in a similar way.
"I'm a playmaking and skilled forward who can make everyone around me better," the Grande Prairie product said. "I feel like I'm someone that can take someone one-on-one and have an ability to score on any odd man rush or any like rush around going down one one-on-two or two-on-three. I feel like I have the ability to always create a scoring opportunity."
That's something the 5'7, 137lbs forward spends a lot of time perfecting.
"Some people are born with the ability to do stuff like that, but I feel like one way I've put that into my game is practice," Rotar said. "Just trying stuff that I might not be perfect at in game and trying creative stuff that I might not be comfortable doing for the first time in game until I feel comfortable that it will just happen. Once I've done it a few times, it naturally just comes to me in-game."
Rotar put up 34 goals and had 33 assists in 34 games to lead the Grande Peace Storm in Alberta U15 AAA.
He knows he'll have to get stronger before making the jump to the WHL.
"I think my physicality, and that will come as I get bigger and stronger, which I'm working on doing," Rotar said. "My defensive zone on the wall, it's important to be stronger there. Working out (and) just doing everything I can to get stronger."
He does feel one area of the sport gets a little overlooked sometimes.
"Hanging out with teammates," Rotar noted. "I feel like that's one that's not said as much as it should be, just the experience of the hotel with the boys and how fun that is and just getting to know people along the ride. I feel like it's just everything about hockey is perfect."
Rotar will be joined in Swift Current's system by Grande Peace teammate Adrian Brochu. The Broncos drafted the Storm netminder in the 7th round.
"Adrian is a great goalie," Rotar said. "He's consistent. When he's going, he might be one of the best goals in the draft. Getting him in the draft is a steal."
Rotar plans to spend the summer working out, while also enjoying some downtime with family and friends.
He'll be playing for the Calgary International Hockey Academy U18 Prep team next season and will first be eligible to join the Broncos in 2026-27.