Toronto, Ont. – The Ontario Hockey League today conducted the seventh annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection for U18 AAA hockey players in Ontario.
Eligibility for the 2023 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection included all U18 players (2005 and 2006 birth years) not currently on an OHL Member Team Protected List who were carded with an Ontario based U18 AAA Hockey Club or an accredited Hockey Canada sport school within the Ontario Hockey Federation, Hockey Eastern Ontario or Hockey Northwestern Ontario in the current season.
A total of 51 players were selected from 31 different teams and included 26 forwards, 14 defencemen and 11 goaltenders. 48 of the 51 players selected were born in 2006.
Congratulations to the 11 ALLIANCE Hockey Grads who were selected:
|
RD
|
OV
|
Team
|
Player Name
|
Pos
|
Height
|
Weight
|
DOB
|
2022-2023 ALLIANCE TEAM
|
|
1
|
16
|
London
|
McNamara, Quinn
|
LW
|
6.01
|
187
|
01/20/2006
|
Elgin-Middlesex Canucks U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
24
|
Kingston
|
Buck, Simon
|
LD
|
5.11
|
170
|
07/18/2006
|
London Jr. Knights U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
25
|
Oshawa
|
Scullion, Cole
|
G
|
6
|
150
|
12/17/2006
|
Hamilton Kilty B's U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
28
|
Sudbury
|
Brehmer, Joseph-Karl
|
C
|
6.02
|
177
|
07/27/2006
|
Waterloo Wolves U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
30
|
Owen Sound
|
Martin, Jack
|
G
|
6.02
|
170
|
02/06/2006
|
Elgin-Middlesex Canucks U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
34
|
Saginaw
|
Stubgen, Julian
|
LD
|
5.11
|
175
|
04/06/2006
|
London Jr. Knights U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
36
|
London
|
Henderson, Colton
|
RW
|
6.01
|
165
|
02/25/2006
|
Waterloo Wolves U18 AAA
|
|
2
|
38
|
Windsor
|
Bertolin, Dante
|
G
|
6
|
210
|
01/27/2006
|
Windsor AAA Zn Jr. Spitfires U18
|
|
3
|
46
|
Brantford
|
Stewart, Jaivyn
|
LD
|
5.11
|
165
|
04/11/2006
|
Hamilton Kilty B's U18 AAA
|
|
3
|
48
|
Flint
|
Thompson, Dane
|
RW
|
5.09
|
141
|
04/12/2006
|
Windsor AAA Zn Jr. Spitfires U18
|
|
3
|
51
|
Windsor
|
Ward, Jaksen
|
C
|
5.1
|
198
|
07/11/2006
|
Windsor AAA Zn Jr. Spitfires U18
|
Congratulations to all 51 players selected tonight,” said OHL Director of Player Recruitment and Player Services Brodie Barrick. “It’s an exciting day for players, family members, coaches and teammates to celebrate perseverance through the past couple of seasons that may have included some players being overlooked in last year’s OHL Priority Selection. The Under-18 Priority Selection has provided the OHL with a number of quality players since its inception in 2017, and it presents another opportunity for prospects to further their development and showcase themselves in an effort to become the best player they can be.”
Winners of the Under-18 Priority Selection Draft Lottery back on March 29, the Erie Otters used the first overall selection to take 6-foot-2 Nepean Raiders centreman Brett Hammond who recorded 55 points (29-26–55) in 37 games this past season.
The Niagara IceDogs picked second, taking defenceman Andrew Artenosi of the Richmond Hill Coyotes. The Soo Greyhounds followed at third overall, selecting Toronto Red Wings centreman Jesse Venturo. Toronto Nationals goaltender Nate Gillis was the first netminder selected, being taken 15th overall by the Sarnia Sting.
All OHL member teams were required to draft a minimum of two 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 a third round.
The Greater Toronto Hockey League led the way with 18 players selected including five from the Toronto Red Wings and three each from the North York Rangers and Toronto Marlboros. The Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario produced 11 selections, with the Windsor Jr. Spitfires leading their circuit with three players chosen. Hockey Eastern Ontario featured nine picks led by the Renfrew Wolves accounting for three of those. The Ontario Minor Hockey Association produced eight selections, the Northern Ontario Hockey Association produced four and St. Andrew’s College developed one.
The OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was conducted in partnership with RinkNet as picks were submitted online by OHL member clubs and displayed in real time at ontariohockeyleague.com. The selections were also streamed live on OHL Live.
Announced in January 2017, the concept of the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection was developed with full support from Hockey Canada’s three Ontario Branches including the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), and Hockey Northwestern Ontario (HNO).
• Full Results
• Draft Show – OHL Live