The North Bay Battalion started to build towards the future today as the Troops started with the 13th selection in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection in the online draft.
With that first choice the Battalion took Adam McMaster, a speedy centre who is listed at 5’10” and 159 pounds. He put up 27 goals along with 26 assists for 53 points with the Niagara North Stars this past season.
Here is his scouting report from our 2016 OHL BayToday.ca Draft Preview courtesy of BayToday Sports Writer and Hockey Scout Mike Mackley of overtimesportsnation.com:
Adam McMaster (Niagara North Stars) - The first of the group of five players that isn't exactly in the North Bay mold. Adam McMaster is a slightly undersized, pure offensive threat. A player who possesses and explosive first step and elite straight line speed, Adam McMaster combines strong change of pace/direction abilities with high end puck skills to become extremely shifty and elusive. McMaster's speed allows him to create time and space, while his stick handling skills and strong edges allow him to maneuver in tight areas. However the highlight of McMaster's game is his nose for the net. Boasting a highly accurate shot that comes off a quick release and possesses deceptive velocity McMaster's quick strike ability may be the pure offensive threat the Battalion will need to replace the offense lost with Mike Amadio's likely departure.
McMaster was rated 4th overall in forwards in Compete Level at the OHL Combine which took place last weekend.
The Troops, did not have a second round pick in 2015, but this year with the 33rd pick the Battalion.
The Battalion took from the York-Simcoe Express a centreman in Rhys Forhan.
The centreman, who is 5’10” and 182 pounds, was described by scouts as a player who scored some big goals this season but was responsible in his own end and competes hard.
The Bradford, Ontario product finished the season with 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 33 games last season.
The first player with a local connection was taken 37th overall in the second round of the draft by the Saginaw Spirit.
Maxim Grondin, who played in 2015-16 with the Vaughan Kings, is from Hearst, Ontario and played his major AAA bantam season for Guy Blanchard two seasons ago with the North Bay Trappers.
The big forward is listed at 6’3’ and 195 pounds. He had 20 goals and 50 points in 52 games in the GTHL last year.
With the 54th overall pick, the Battalion took a skilled, smooth skating defenceman Mason Snell from the Clarington Toros.
The 5’11”, 182 pound Courtice, ON product is described as a good two-way defenceman who has the potential to quarterback a power play. He’s also described as a very calm smooth skating blueliner.
In 28 games last year Snell netted five goals and 19 assists for 24 points in 28 games this past season.
The Battalion is without a fourth round pick, but have the 94th pick overall in the fifth round of the OHL Priority Selection.
With that choice the Troops took another defenceman in the form of Travis Mailhot from the Toronto Red Wings Minor Midgets.
The Caledon East, ON product listed at 6’5, and 198 pounds, netted 2 goals and 11 assists for 13 points in 50 games with the Red Wings last season.
With no sixth round pick the Troops took a pair of players back to back in the seventh round 134 & 135).
The Battalion took centre Patrick Brown from the North-Central Predators and small goaltender Andrei Berezinskiy from the York-Simcoe Express.
Brown had 25 points in 34 games with the Preds and is listed at 6’0” and 146 pounds. Brown described as a forward with deceptively good offensive traits. He is a decent skater given his skating style.
Berezinskiy, who played with Battalion 2nd round pick Rhys Forhin with York-Simcoe is 5’6” and only 135 pounds. He came in with an impressive 1.41 GAA during the regular season with the Express. Berezinskiy is described as an undersized athletic with lightning quick reflexes.
In the eighth round the Battalion selected left wing Rhys Brown from the Barrie Colts Minor Midget AAA’s.
The 5’11”, 158 pound winger is described as a versatile player who can play all three forward positions and is a strong skater with a quick release.
He had 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points in 30 games with the Colts.
The Battalion took its first Northern player with the 174th pick in the ninth round.
The Troops grabbed defenceman Jordan Spadafore, who played for the Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves.
The 6’0” 190 pound blue liner had one goal and eight assists for nine points in 24 games with the Wolves who competed in the Great North Midget League. Spadafore is described as a physical defenceman who plays his best when he keeps his game simple.
The first North Bay player in Trappers forward Dylan D’Agostino. The North Bay product just came off the ice from working at a hockey practice at the Gardens when he heard the news. The Hamilton Bulldogs snatched him with the 185th overall pick, in the 10th round.
The Battalion had two picks in the 10th round after the D’Agostino pick.
Alex Robert, a 1999 birth year forward from the Cumberland Grads AAA Midgets with the 186th overall pick.
The 5’11”, 148 pound forward had 28 goals in 46 games with the Grads last season.
The Troops then selected their first American as they took centre Ethan Kirbis from the Buffalo U16 Sabres.
Kirbis had 15 points in 35 games with the Sabres last year.
With the 214th pick the Battalion took its second netminder of the draft with Mississauga Rebels goalie Christian Purboo.
The 6’1”, 182 pound netminder held a solid 1.47 GAA this season with the 2000 Rebels team.
Local player Jacob Gravelle, who played for the Don Mills Flyers, was selected 228th overall by the Mississauga Steelheads.
The Callander product is described as an intriguing two-way defensemen that displays impressive foot speed and above average mobility.
The Troops took 5’10”, 175 pound forward Brandon Lucchesi out of the Toronto Nationals Minor Midget AAA program with the 13th pick in the 12th round (234th overall).
Lucchesi had five goals and four assists for nine points in 33 games this season with the Nationals.
North Bay’s Dylan Bond was taken by the Saginaw Spirit with the fifth pick in the 13th round (246th overall).
Bond, had 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 60 games with the Mississauga Rebels Minor Midgets.
He’s described as an intelligent two-way defender.
"His style of play may be sweet and simple, but it is also highly effective. A defensemen with good foot speed and strong mobility, Bond routinely relies on his quick feet to help him defend at a high level," said Hockey Scout Mike Mackley about Bond.
The Troops took their first North Bay area player in the draft with Midget AAA Trappers defender Ty Lindeman with the 254th pick overall in the 13th round.
Lindeman is described as an undersized, but highly mobile defensemen with two-way capabilities,
He was another standout for Team NOHA at the OHL Cup and also known as a player who shows a strong work ethic and excellent compete level, Lindeman's most notable skill is his strong skating ability.
Lindeman netted one goal and six assists for seven points in 33 games with the local Midget AAA team.
The Battalion snared Markham Waxers forward Connor Gillanders with the 274th overall pick in the 14th round.
At 6’0” and 170 pounds, Gillanders accumulated nine points in 24 games with the Waxers in 15-16.
With the final pick the Battalion went with another forward in Ryan Nicol from the Toronto Titans Minor Midget AAA program.
The 6’0”, 161 pound forward had 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points in 53 regular season games with the Titans last year.
