Despite virtually all sports currently on hold, the OHL still had its annual draft full of young and exiting future prospects.
1️⃣6️⃣ of the @OHLHockey's top prospects were Knighted during the 2020 OHL Priority Selection presented by @RealCdnSS and locally presented by @Downtown_London⚔️
FULL DETAILS 🗞 | https://t.co/1zBOUwdYV1 pic.twitter.com/OaTDKDAntF
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) April 6, 2020
Photo Credit: // Eliteprospects.com
The London Knights kicked off Saturday’s draft choosing Richmond native Ben Bujold 19th overall from the Kanata Lasers.
The six-foot, 165-pound centremen put up 55 points in 43 games in the Hockey Eastern Ontario Minor AAA (HEOMAAA) league.
The Knights then used their 22nd overall pick on 6’2, 194 lbs offensive-defensemen Jackson Edward. London Associate GM Rob Simpson says it was in the Knights plans to choose a forward and defensemen with their first two picks.
“It is tough when you get those early close picks like that, in every draft there is only so many impact defensemen or a defenseman you really feel good about in the draft. The later it goes the more it starts to drop off.”
Three picks later London took Colton Smith 25th overall, the line mate and friend of Ben Bujold. Simpson said there was no specific reasoning behind it.
“I don’t think there was a specific plan going into the draft. But, I think what happened was we got three early picks (No. 19, No. 22, and No. 25) and those two players were very high on our list.”
London’s most notable pick came in the 5th round. Frank Nazar was chosen 97th overall by the Knights scoring 127 points in 55 games for Honeybaked hockey club in Detroit.
The highly rated 16-year old is currently committed to the U-17 USA national team and he will arrive at the University of Michigan at the beginning of the 2022 season, which is why his value in the OHL daft has dropped substantially.
Simpson and the Knights organization felt it was worth rolling the dice.
“We feel really good about Frank’s high skill, hockey sense and his potential to be an impact player not only at a junior level but also at the NHL level.”
The London Knights have a rich history of developing highly rated prospects, and they’re determined to do the same here with Nazar.
“If all things were being equal and Frank was staying in the OHL, I think he easily could have been the first overall pick.”
Photo Credit: // elite prospects.com
Local boy and former London Jr. Knight center Bryce McConnell-Barker was selected fourth overall by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The 6’ 1, 160 lbs forward 29 goals in 33 games scoring a total of 48 points last season for the Jr. Knights.
Simpson and the London Knights organization are all exited for the future of the talented prospect.
“I think he is gonna do very well, we were really high on Bryce as well and its great whenever you see a player from the London Jr. Knights move up, excel and get drafted high.”
London closed the draft in the 13th round taking Nicolas Yearwood from the North York Rangers.
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