A trio of North Bay Battalion forwards hit the draft jackpot as Ethan Procyszyn, Anthony Romani and Dalyn Wakely all were selected on day two of the NHL Draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
“We are incredibly proud of the work this entire group and the recognition they received today is very well deserved. We look forward to helping them transition to the professional game in due time," said Adam Dennis, Battalion president and director of hockey operations who was in Vegas for the event.
The Anaheim Ducks selected Procyszyn early in the third round, 68th overall.
"It's unbelievable," said Procyszyn during his media availability at the draft.
"It's one of the best jerseys in the league so it will be good to wear one day."
Procyszyn, who turns 18 on July 11, was North Bay’s first-round pick, 20th overall, in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection from the North Central Predators U16s. He was ranked 59th at midseason.
In 62 games this season, the six-foot-three, 189-pound Wasaga Beach product netted 15 goals and earned 21 assists for 36 points. In 124 career games, he has 20 goals and 34 assists for 54 points.
Meantime, Anthony Romani had to wait until the first selection of the 6th round to the Vancouver Canucks 162nd overall.
In 68 games, Romani had a league-leading 58 goals and 53 assists for 111 points, finishing second in the OHL scoring race. In 188 career games, Romani has 89 goals and 79 assists for 168 points.
Todd Harvey, Canucks Scouting Director and his group like Romani's playmaking ability and hockey IQ in the offensive zone.
“Obviously, you got to respect the goal scoring, but I think there's a lot more to his game," said Harvey in a Canucks release.
"He can make plays, and he's learning to play away from the puck and be better defensively. But the goal scoring, we thought was too hard to turn away from it and we're happy that he fell to us there at 162,” continued the former NHLer.
Dalyn Wakely was selected in the 6th round, 192nd overall to the Edmonton Oilers.
Wakely scored 39 goals and earned a team-high 65 assists for 104 points in 66 games this season. In 199 career games, he has 89 goals and 98 assists for 187 points.
"Every team needs players like Wakely," Elite Prospects 2024 NHL Draft Guide stated about Wakely.
"He battles for pucks mercilessly, takes hits to make plays, and dishes out even more punishment than he takes. Around the net, he digs for pucks and creates space for his teammates by engaging as many defenders as possible. Along the boards, he throws reverse hits, rolls with contact, and attacks the middle."
NHL Central Scouting listed a trio of Battalion forwards in their final rankings in April.
Centre Procyszyn was ranked 48th on a list of 224 North American-based skaters in advance of the 2024 NHL Draft to be held June 28-29 at Las Vegas, while right winger Romani is No. 70. Centre Wakely makes his debut on the list at No. 116.
Battalion camp invites
After each went undrafted for the second consecutive time, the Battalion’s Wyatt Kennedy was invited to the Chicago Blackhawks’ development camp, while fellow defenceman Bronson Ride received an invitation from the Montreal Canadiens.
Kennedy, a Vars, Ont., resident who turned 19 on May 27, was a third-round pick in the 2021 Priority Selection. He measures six-foot-four and 198 pounds. Ride, acquired in a January trade with the Niagara IceDogs, was a second-round selection by the Windsor Spitfires in 2021. The six-foot-six, 209-pound Oakville, Ont., resident turned 19 on Jan. 14.
McIvor and Mathurin overlooked
Tnias Mathurin, selected in 2022 by the Red Wings, re-entered the draft and was not selected while rookie netminder Mike McIvor's tremendous playoff run had him on the NHL Draft radar, but he was not drafted either.
