BUFFALO – Day 2 of the NHL Entry Draft saw a pair of BCHL alums selected from the NCAA ranks to make it five for the league on the weekend.
The Edmonton Oilers selected towering defenceman Vincent Desharnais from Providence College early in the seventh round with the 183rd pick. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound rearguard played the 2014-15 season for the Chilliwack Chiefs before heading off to play at Providence.
Another BCHL-bred defenceman, Chase Priskie, was scooped up in the sixth round with pick No. 177. Priskie just completed his freshman season at Quinnipiac University where he helped the Bobcats to the NCAA title game. He played the 2014-15 season with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks before going to school.
Friday night at the Draft saw a record-setting three BCHLers selected in the first round. Tyson Jost went 10th overall to the Colorado Avalanche, Dante Fabbro went 17th to the Nashville Predators and Dennis Cholowski went 20th to the Detroit Red Wings.
Cholowski’s selection was also notable because the Red Wings traded the rights to Pavel Datsyuk to the Arizona Coyotes for the 20th pick plus another selection later in the Draft.
There were several other selections from CJHL clubs. The Carleton Place Canadians had two players chosen in forward Brett Murray (fourth round, 99th overall to Buffalo) and goalie Colton Point (fifth round, 128th overall to Dallas). In the sixth round, Oakville Blades defenceman Patrick Kudla went to Arizona 158th overall. The Coyotes also took defenceman Dean Stewart of the Portage Terriers went in the seventh round, 188th overall.
Former CJHLer John Chayka (MHL Woodstock Slammers), current GM of the Arizona Coyotes, spoke to media after the draft. Hear his comments: