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OHL Draft Recap

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 04/11/16, 10:00AM EDT

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OMHA has five players selected in first round of OHL Draft

Connor Roberts, 3rd Overall Pick

Connor Roberts, 3rd Overall Pick

NHL dreams took a major stride forward on Saturday as OMHA players were chosen in the Ontario Hockey League’s Priority Selection (draft), including five in the first round.

As the OHL Priority Selection was broadcast online, OMHA families were glued to their computers watching the live stream webcast and the results being posted. The draft results are available here.

Connor Roberts started things off for the OMHA; the Grey-Bruce Highlanders centre was drafted third overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs. The 6'3", 200 lbs. elite forward uses his size to win space, push the opposition off the puck and protect the puck once he has possession of it. He skates extremely well for a player of his size and his hockey smarts are off the charts.

Forward Ty Dellandrea of the Central Ontario Wolves went fifth overall to the Flint Firebirds. He was dubbed by one Minor Midget coach as ‘the most dangerous player with the puck in the OMHA'. At 5’11” and 172 lbs., he is not overly flashy, instead he relies on his hockey IQ and one of the best snap-shots in the draft.

Aidan Dudas of the North Central Predators was selected 10th overall by the Owen Sound Attack. A tremendous skater, he has high-end skill, and has the ability to shred opposing defenceman with his one-on-one ability. He may be small in stature at 5'8" and 155lbs., but in the ‘new-game’ that has a focus on speed, skill, and work ethic, Dudas has all of these in spades.

Niagara North Stars forward Adam McMaster was scooped up 13th overall by the North Bay Battalion. McMaster is one of the best skaters in this draft full of elite players. He led his team in scoring and the SCTA league in total points this past season.

Nathan Dunkley rounded out the first rounders from OMHA teams, selected 17th overall by the Kingston Frontenacs. Dunkley is the prototypical ‘new forward’ in hockey. Cut from the mold of such NHL players as Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos, Dunkley is not overly tall at 5’10” but he is strong and thick with a low centre of gravity. He protects the puck well and is hard to knock off the puck.

“Congratulations to all 301 players chosen in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, their family, friends, and minor hockey coaches and organizations who have helped support and develop these tremendous student athletes,” said Darrell Woodley, Director of OHL Central Scouting. “Being selected by an OHL team is a great accomplishment but it’s also just the beginning of your road to the next level.  Whether you have been selected or not, opportunities for success are available for players with the right attitude and work ethic. Best of luck to all players in pursuit of your hockey and academic goals.”

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association led the way with 86 players from 19 teams, including 53 who compete among 11 ETA teams, and 33 from eight different SCTA teams. The OHL Cup Champion York-Simcoe Express led the OMHA with 12 players selected, followed by the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs with 10 players chosen.

Player development is a key component of the OMHA experience. The OMHA conducts a wide range of clinics for players, coaches and other volunteers to improve their skills and enhance their overall experience and enjoyment of the sport. OMHA boasts a long list of grads who earned their place in the NHL from Bobby Orr to Steven Stamkos.

Here are comments from the OMHA’s first-round picks:

“This is something I have worked towards for quite a long time. I am really looking forward to this opportunity and I couldn’t be happier right now. Going to use the off-season to work on my skating and be in the gym every day getting stronger and faster.”

“It feels unbelievable, I’ve worked so hard during my minor hockey career to achieve this goal but this is really just another starting point for me. I am looking forward to working hard, continuing to progress and for what’s to come in the future. It feels great to have some other OMHA guys (Hunter Holmes and Dennis Busby) with me who have faith in this organization (Flint Firebirds).”

“I am really excited for sure because this is something I have been working towards for quite some time. Going to work on putting on some muscle and getting faster so I can compete at the next level and I am just really looking forward to getting up to Owen Sound.”

“It means a lot to me. Obviously it is a bit far away from home but I am just really happy to be selected by the North Bay Battalion. Going to use the off-season to work on my upper body strength so I am able to come into the league and play against the older guys.”

“Just a really cool feeling and Kingston was definitely one of the top teams I wanted to go to with them being pretty close to home. I have a really good buddy on the team and I am just excited to be a part of a really great organization.”

OHL Draft Recap

Round Overall Pick OHL Team Name OMHA Team Position
1 3 Hamilton Bulldogs Connor Roberts Grey-Bruce Highlanders C
1 5 Flint Firebirds Ty Dellandrea Central Ontario Wolves C
1 10 Owen Sound Attack Aidan Dudas North Central Predators C
1 13 North Bay Battalion Adam McMaster Niagara North Stars C
1 17 Kingston Frontenacs Nathan Dunkley Quinte Red Devils C
2 21 Windsor Spitfires Connor Corcoran Barrie Jr. Colts D
2 22 Flint Firebirds Hunter Holmes Niagara North Stars C
2 23 Flint Firebirds Dennis Busby Barrie Jr. Colts D
2 26 Mississauga Steelheads Jacob Ingham Barrie Jr. Colts G
2 28 Guelph Storm Cam Hillis York-Simcoe Express C
2 30 Ottawa 67's Carter Robertson York-Simcoe Express D
2 33 North Bay Battalion Rhys Forhan York-Simcoe Express C
2 41 Flint Firebirds Jack Wismer Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs RW
3 43 Owen Sound Attack Jackson Doherty Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs C
3 45 Hamilton Bulldogs Riley McCourt Niagara North Stars D
3 51 Owen Sound Attack Luke Beamish Halton Hills Hurricanes D
3 54 North Bay Battalion Mason Snell Clarington Toros D
3 57 Erie Otters Jack Duff Kingston Jr. Frontenacs D
3 58 Barrie Colts Matt MacDougall York-Simcoe Express LW
3 60 London Knights Liam Robertson Clarington Toros C
4 62 Saginaw Spirit Chet Phillips Grey-Bruce Highlanders D
4 63 Sudbury Wolves Dawson Baker Quinte Red Devils RW
4 65 Ottawa 67's Matt Nastasiuk Barrie Jr. Colts RW
4 69 London Knights Richard Whitaker York-Simcoe Express LW
4 71 Owen Sound Attack Daylon Groulx Southern Tier Admirals RW
4 73 Niagara Ice Dogs Justin MacPherson York-Simcoe Express D
4 80 Sudbury Wolves Nolan Hutcheson Kingston Jr. Frontenacs LW
5 82 Guelph Storm Mitchell Doyle Clarington Toros D
5 84 Ottawa 67's Quinn Yule Central Ontario Wolves LW
5 86 Sagniaw Spirit Mitch Morrison Guelph Gryphons C
5 88 Peterborough Petes Adrien Beraldo Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs D
5 96 Barrie Colts Ian MacLean York-Simcoe Express C
5 101 Owen Sound Attack Keanan Stewart Guelph Gryphons C
6 103 Kitchener Rangers Lucas Pfeil Grey-Bruce Highlanders G
6 104 Flint Firebirds Braydon Leeking Central Ontario Wolves C
6 107 Owen Sound Attack Marino Moro Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs LW
6 108 Peterborough Petes Matt McNamara Peterborough Jr. Petes D
6 114 Windsor Spitfires Tyler Angle Southern Tier Admirals C
6 117 Sarnia Sting Braden Henderson Barrie Jr. Colts D
6 120 Guelph Storm Barrett Kirwin Barrie Jr. Colts C
7 122 Guelph Storm Nicolas Daws Burlington Eagles G
7 126 Hamilton Bulldogs Tanner Sheppard Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs G
7 127 Oshawa Generals Mitchell Hewitson Halton Hills Hurricanes RW
7 130 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Wesley Weir Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs C
7 131 Owen Sound Attack Matt Sherwin Quinte Red Devils RW
7 134 North Bay Battalion Patrick Brown North Central Predators C
7 135 North Bay Battalion Andrei Berezinskiy York-Simcoe Express G
7 136 Niagara Ice Dogs Joe Roy Quinte Red Devils D
7 140 London Knights Christian Clark Whitby Wildcats C
8 144 Flint Firebirds Alex Jerome Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs D
8 145 Owen Sound Attack Eric Cerantola Oakville Rangers RW
8 148 Sudbury Wolves Jacob Roach Whitby Wildcats C
8 149 Peterborough Petes Isaac Emon North Central Predators LW
8 154 North Bay Battalion Rhys Brown Barrie Jr. Colts LW
8 156 Barrie Colts Christian Taylor Barrie Jr. Colts RW
8 157 Sarnia Sting Evan Ilkos Burlington Eagles LW
8 160 London Knights Jordan Kooy Central Ontario Wolves G
9 172 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Adriano Mamone Halton Hills Hurricanes G
9 175 Windsor Spitfires Michael Aloise York-Simcoe Express RW
9 177 Sarnia Sting Blair Coffin Southern Tier Admirals G
9 181 Erie Otters Kurtis Henry Southern Tier Admirals D
10 191 Owen Sound Attack Mathieu Halle Kingston Jr. Frontenacs LW
10 192 Ottawa 67's Riley McCutcheon Clarington Toros LW
10 196 Erie Otters Chad Yetman Whitby Wildcats RW
10 198 Kitchener Rangers Ian Vucko York-Simcoe Express RW
11 206 Saginaw Spirit Tyler Masternak Oshawa Kinsmen G
11 207 Oshawa Generals Mitchell Pellarin North Central Predators C
11 209 Peterborough Petes Brendan Cederberg Grey-Bruce Highlanders RW
11 219 Kingston Frontenacs Aidan Graham North Central Predators D
11 221 Erie Otters Harrison Rees Oakville Rangers D
12 222 Guelph Storm Matt Bridgwater Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs LW
12 225 Hamilton Bulldogs Trevor LeDonne Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs D
12 227 Oshawa Generals Owen Cole Southern Tier Admirals C
12 233 Niagara Ice Dogs Robbie Cranston York-Simcoe Express D
12 236 Barrie Colts Mateo Nicastro Whitby Wildcats D
13 244 Flint Firebirds Owen Smith Central Ontario Wolves RW
13 259 Kingston Frontenacs Dustyn McFaul Niagara North Stars D
14 265 Hamilton Bulldogs Sean Blimkie Whitby Wildcats D
14 270 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Zackary Trott Grey-Bruce Highlanders LW
14 274 North Bay Battalion Connor Gillanders Markham Waxers LW
15 282 Niagara Ice Dogs Riley Girard Clarington Toros C
15 287 Hamilton Bulldogs James Waldron Whitby Wildcats C
15 289 Peterborough Petes Luke St. John York-Simcoe Express D
15 291 Owen Sound Attack Tyler Davis Markham Waxers LW
15 292 London Knights Bobby Harrison Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs C
15 300 Flint Firebirds Evan Morrison Quinte Red Devils G

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