Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League conducted the inaugural OHL Under-18 Priority Selection for Midget AAA hockey players in Ontario on Thursday.
Eligibility for the 2017 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection included all Midget players (1999 and 2000 birth years) not currently on an OHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with an Ontario based Midget AAA Hockey Club within the Ontario Hockey Federation, Hockey Eastern Ontario, or Hockey Northwestern Ontario in the current season.
Victor Hadfield, a defenceman from the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs, was the first pick of the inaugural OHL Under-18 Priority Selection to the Barrie Colts, followed by goaltender James Walker of Windsor AAA chosen second overall to the Guelph Storm, and forward Ryland Mosley of the Carleton Place Canadians picked third overall by the North Bay Battalion.
Walker backstopped Windsor to its first ALLIANCE Championship this past season and was one of five Jr. Spitfires to be selected on Wednesday. The 16-year-old who was a teammate of Sudbury Wolves blueliner Owen Lalonde in minor midget last season models his game after Vancouver Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller.
“It’s an amazing feeling and something I’ve worked towards my entire career,” he said following the selection. “It’s been a great night for our team and I hope that I can play against some of these guys in the OHL down the road.”
A total of 96 players were selected in the five-round process from 46 different teams and included 49 forwards, 31 defencemen, and 16 goaltenders. 88 of the players selected are 2000-born, with eight born in 1999.
All OHL Member Teams were required to draft a minimum of four players, however to enhance opportunities specifically for goaltenders, clubs selecting a goaltender with one of their selections had the option to select another player (skater only) in an additional round.
“I’d like to congratulate all players and the families of all players, 96 of them in total, selected in the inaugural OHL Under-18 Priority Selection,” said Joe Birch, Senior Director of Player Development and Special Events. “What a great accomplishment for these players who have continued to work hard and improve over the past four or five years of their minor hockey careers. This draft and the selected players are a great example of what this is about which is to raise the profile of Midget AAA hockey and to provide enhanced opportunities for players to develop.”
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OHL 2017-18 Under 18 Draft - ALLIANCE HOCKEY CONNECTIONS
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1st Round
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Pick
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Team
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Player
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Pos
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Home Town
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Ht
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Wt
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Prev Team
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DOB
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2
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Guelph
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James Walker
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Goal
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Windsor
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6.01.5
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180
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Windsor
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09/16/2000
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5
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Niagara
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Abdul Abouzeeni
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RD
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Windsor
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5.10.5
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165
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Windsor
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O4/11/2000
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2nd Round
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24
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Saginaw
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Evan Fergusson
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LW
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Windsor
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6.02.5
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210
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Windsor
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06/30/2000
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28
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Sarnia
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Marko Jakovljevic
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LD
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Hamilton
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6.00.5
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157
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Brantford
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11/24/2000
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29
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Flint
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Kaleb Pearson
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C
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St Mary’s
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5.08.5
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163
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Huron Perth
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06/15/2000
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31
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Kingston
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Alec Trusler
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LD
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Sarnia
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6.03
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195
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Lambton
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02/29/2000
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35
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Peterborough
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Liam Israels
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RD
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London
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6.01.75
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176
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London
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04/17/2000
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36
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Windsor
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Gianluca Pizzuto
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LD
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Windsor
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5.07
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181
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Windsor
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01/09/2000
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3nd Round
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51
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Kingston
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Griffin Fox
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C
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Brantford
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5.11
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165
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Brantford
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06/29/2000
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57
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London
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Tyler Beneteau
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LD
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Windsor
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5.10
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189
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Windsor
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01/14/2000
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4th Round
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68
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Sarnia
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Cameron Rombouts
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C
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Forest
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5.10.5
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168
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Lambton
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06/27/2000
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69
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Flint
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Kailem Chappelle
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Goal
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Waterloo
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5.11
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173
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Cambridge
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10/18/2000
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71
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Kingston
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Cohen Kiteley
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C
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London
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6.0
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175
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London
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10/14/2000
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5th Round
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82
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Guelph
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Devon Driscoll
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C
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Guelph
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6.03.25
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244
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Huron Perth
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10/01/2000
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96 Total Players taken
14 ALLIANCE
14 OMHA SCTA
18 OMHA ETA
10 NOHA
19 HEO
20 GTHL
1 HNO