It will not be as busy an OHL draft at the top end for the North Bay Battalion starting this Friday as GM Adam Dennis moved a number of assets to make another run at an OHL title.
The OHL Priority Selection kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday with three rounds conducted via the Internet, followed by the remaining 12 rounds starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.
After trades, North Bay holds 16 picks in the process, in which it will exercise the 16th overall selection in keeping with the reverse order of overall standings. The Windsor Spitfires won a weighted lottery among the four non-playoff clubs and have the No. 1 pick, which they are expected to announce Thursday.
“Our scouting team has done a great job this season looking to add to our talent pool,” Battalion general manager Adam Dennis said Tuesday.
“We feel that we can add two promising young players to join us next year with picks 16 and 29 and feel that there’s depth in the mid-rounds where we have quite a few selections to be made that could turn into future Battalion players down the road.”
With a trading period exclusively for Priority Selection picks ending at 3 p.m. Thursday, the Battalion currently has 10 of its own picks, in the first, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th rounds.
It also holds the Kingston Frontenacs’ second-rounder, acquired in a swap of picks with the Saginaw Spirit that also landed that club’s sixth- and 15th-rounders, and Kingston’s fifth-round selection, obtained in a trade for left winger Owen Outwater.
In addition, the Troops have the Erie Otters’ ninth-round choice, acquired for defenceman Ryan Thompson, and the Mississauga Steelheads’ 12th-rounder, the result of a swap of picks.
The Battalion is without five of its own selections, including the second-rounder sent to Saginaw last season in acquiring left winger Josh Bloom.
The third- and fourth-rounders were dealt to the Sarnia Sting on Jan. 6 in acquiring right winger Sandis Vilmanis, left winger Andrew LeBlanc and defenceman Jacob LeBlanc. The fifth-rounder was used in getting defenceman Avery Winslow from the London Knights in the 2019-20 season, and the 15th-round choice went to the Peterborough Petes for right winger Chad Denault during the same campaign.
Locals on the radar
North Bay did not have a true U16 AAA program in 2023-24 so the top draft eligible players played for the North Bay U18 AAA Trappers this season.
See related: Brunton overcomes obstacles as OHL Draft approaches
See related: Lockhart hopes 'Tkachuk Style of play impresses OHL Scouts
See related: Ruddy impressing as OHL draft approaches
See related: Team NOHA snub won't stop U18 Trappers goalie
Four players, forwards Ben Brunton, Cameron Lockhart, defenceman Aiden Baharie and goaltender Carson Ruddy played recently for Team NOHA which competed in the OHL Cup draft showcase event in Toronto recently.
Meantime, big goaltender Logan Coates has also attracted attention from OHL scouts.
Meantime former Trappers defenceman Sam Rivet is also hoping to see his name called during the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. Rivet played his U16 AAA season with the Halton Hurricanes U16 AAA squad.
Rivet has received multiple interviews with OHL teams over the past month.
Brunton was rated 91st overall by Neutral Zone Scouting Services, Rivet 214, Ruddy 269, and Lockhart 278
NOJHL OHL picks?
A pair of former Trappers who played Jr. A this season are eligible to go in this draft as well.
Former U16 AAA Trappers captain Mason Rotondo has been a regular blueliner on a veteran Powassan Voodoos team.
Rotondo's former Teammate Brant Romaniuk, who is currently playing against his former teammate as a member of the Timmins Rock, also had an impressive rookie campaign as a 16-year-old in the NOJHL.
Both have told BayToday they have had some interest from OHL teams.
To check out interviews with a pair of goaltenders on a recent Crease Resilience Podcast, please see below:
