Brayden Burke was not drafted as an 18-year-old. His 18-year-old season (2014-15) saw him battle an early injury, get traded from Red Deer to Lethbridge, and put up 34 points in 42 games. It wasn't awful, but for a smaller guy in a good league his numbers alone weren't going to get him anywhere.
But his 19-year-old season was monstrous. As the Lethbridge Hurricanes' resurgence as a WHL power became the story in Canadian junior hockey, Burke was often the catalyst for their offense. He tripled his previous offensive totals, finishing third in the entire WHL with 109 points in his first full season in the league.