2014 NHL Draft set to welcome CHL stars
Friday June 27, 2014
By Paul Krotz/CHL
More than a season’s worth of excitement and anticipation will reach a climax on Friday night when the 2014 NHL Draft begins in Philadelphia.
For Canadian Hockey League players and their families, the draft is an opportunity to celebrate a lifelong dream beginning the next step towards a professional career.
“It’s crazy that it’s here,” said Sam Bennett of the Kingston Frontenacs, ranked first overall among North American prospects by NHL Central Scouting. “It’s so exciting, this is a moment I’ve thought about since I was little.”
Bennett tops the list of 147 CHL players ranked by NHL Central Scouting including the entire top-10 and an impressive 25 of the top 30 followed closely by Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts at number two, and Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice at number three.
The CHL is poised to have an eighth straight player chosen with the first overall pick. An impressive streak that began with the London Knights’ Patrick Kane in 2007, followed by the Sarnia Sting’s Steven Stamkos, the Knights’ John Tavares, Windsor Spitfires’ star Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels, the Sting’s Nail Yakupov, and the Halifax Mooseheads’ Nathan MacKinnon.
Those elite players are among the over 800 CHL alumni who finished the 2013-14 NHL campaign on active rosters representing over 50% of the entire league.
MacKinnon, recently named NHL Rookie of the Year, is the seventh straight CHL graduate to earn the Calder Trophy serving as a prime example for this year’s top prospects how young CHL players can successfully transition to the pro game.
“If given the opportunity I’m ready to compete for a spot in the NHL,” Ekblad said. “It’s been a whirlwind season, but I’m very excited and anxious for this day.”
Last year a total of 101 CHL players were chosen at the 2013 NHL Draft in New Jersey including a record 22 first round picks. 99 CHL players were chosen at the 2012 NHL Draft in Pittsburgh with 18 first round picks including fourth overall selection Griffin Reinhart who captained the Edmonton Oil Kings to the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Should Sam Reinhart be selected in the first round this season, he and Griffin would become the 16th brother combination of first round picks in NHL history.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to see them (older brothers Griffin and Max) through the draft and they’ve definitely cleared the path for me,” said Sam Reinhart. “It wasn’t too long ago we were all playing junior together, it would be neat to pay together in the NHL.”
Heading into 2014, the Peterborough Petes continue to lead the CHL with 173 players selected in NHL Drafts through 1969. In the WHL, the Portland Winterhawks lead the way with 126 drafted players, while the Shawinigan Cataractes lead the QMJHL with 88 drafted players. The London Knights, Plymouth Whalers, Red Deer Rebels, and the Windsor Spitfires are all currently enjoying streaks of at least 20-straight seasons with at least one player selected in the NHL Draft.
The number one supplier of talent to the NHL, close to 50% of all players selected since 1969 have been CHL players with a total of 5,086 players including 2,157 (21.2%) from the OHL, 1,860 (18.3%) from the WHL, and 1,069 (10.5%) from the QMJHL.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL 147 CHL PLAYERS LISTED IN NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING FINAL DRAFT RANKINGS