2023 OHL Priority Selection – Fronts Draft Tracker
The 2023 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore is an exciting two days for the Ontario Hockey League, its 20 member teams and young players from across Ontario and parts of the United States. We hope you’ll join us as the League welcomes its newest class of student athletes as they pursue world class hockey development that prioritizes the development of young players on the ice, in the classroom and in life.
Where to watch:
• Coverage of Rounds 1-3 begins on Friday at 7:00pm and will be produced by YourTV
OHL Live, YourTV community stations, OHL Action Pak ch. 463, check local listings in Rogers tv, Eastlink, Shaw Spotlight and Cable 14 markets
• Coverage of Rounds 4-15 begins on Saturday at 9:00am
OHL Live
Kingston Frontenacs Selections in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection:
Day 1: Rounds 1-3 begins on Friday, April 21 at 7:00pm
1st Round: Pick #4 – Tyler Hopkins – C
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | SCTA16 | Halton | 31 | 37 | 32 | 69 | 24 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | SCTA16 | Halton | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | -1 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | SCTA16 | Halton | 5 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 6 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | SCTA15 | Halton | 30 | 31 | 24 | 55 | 30 |
With the 4th overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection, the Kingston Frontenacs selected centreman Tyler Hopkins from the Halton Hurricanes of the SCTA. The Campbellville, ON native is a 6’0”, 170 lbs, left shot forward. During the 2022-23 season, Tyler scored 37 goals and 32 assists for 69 points in just 31 regular season games. He added 5 goals and 8 assists in 5 playoff games. The Hurricanes were participants at the OHL Cup from Mar 29 – Apr 1. In four round-robin games, Tyler scored 3 goals and 2 assists.
Tyler has the rare ability to beat you in multiple ways. He can play a physical game, a speed game, or a skilled game. He possesses the size to be able to be effective on the forecheck, but the skill to be able to carry the puck end to end. In a one-on-one situation, he has the ability to beat his opponent with his hands or his feet. Overall, he is a strong skater with long, smooth strides, has tremendous offensive upside and a solid 200-foot game.
Hopkins joins Erik Gudbranson, Luke Pither and Rik Wilson as a player selected 4th overall by the Kingston franchise.
2nd Round: Pick #42 – Ethan Weir – RW
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | AliU16 | London | 33 | 21 | 43 | 64 | 10 | |||
| ’22-23 Reg. | GOJHL | Komoka | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 OHL Cup | AliU16 | London | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | AliU16 | London | 13 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 20 |
With the 42nd pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, the Kingston Frontenacs added forward Ethan Weir from the London Jr. Knights. At 6’0”, 183 lbs, Ethan had an outstanding draft year in the ALLIANCE loop. In 34 games, Ethan put up 21 goals and 44 assists for 65 points. He saw continued success with 6 goals and 8 assists in 13 playoff games.
As his numbers indicate, Ethan is a highly intelligent playmaker using his soft hands and puck handling skills to put his teammates in strong scoring positions. His motor is always running. He keeps his feet moving and doesn’t wait for the game to come to him. His awareness extends to the defensive side of the game. Ethan uses his hockey instincts to intercept passes in his own zone or to cover for a teammate when necessary. With his size, Ethan is also a player who can be dominant on the forecheck helping to gain more possession time for his linemates.
3rd Round: Pick #45 – Xander Velliaris – LD
Shoots: L
Height: 6.03
Weight: 195
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Last Team: Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA
Nationality: Canadian
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | GTHL16 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens | 36 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | GTHL16 | Toronto Jr. Canadiens | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
At pick 45, the Kingston Frontenacs selected Xander Velliaris from the Toronto Jr. Canadians. He stands at 6’3” and weighs 185 lbs. The left shot defenceman from Toronto, ON has exceptional size for his age and already has gained valuable experience in big time games as he was part of the OHL Cup winning Jr. Canadians.
Xander is a smooth skating player, especially for his size. He can move around the ice with ease and distributes the puck well. As a former forward who has transitioned to a defenceman, Xander has an understanding of how to play at both ends of the ice. His size and mobility will make him a weapon in his defensive zone. Xander has a high ceiling and should be an exciting player to watch as he develops.
Day 2: Rounds 4-15 begins on Saturday, April 22 at 9:00am
4th Round: Pick #78 – Lukas Moore – RD
Shoots: R
Height: 6.00
Weight: 166
Hometown: Courtice, ON
Last Team: Peterborough Petes U16 AAA
Nationality: Canadian
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | ETAU16 | Peterborough | 34 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 12 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | ETAU16 | Peterborough | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | ETAU16 | Peterborough | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | ETAU15 | Peterborough | 27 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
5th Round: Pick #86 – Kieren Dervin – C
Shoots: L
Height: 6.01
Weight: 170
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Last Team: Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15’s
Nationality: Canadian
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | NPHL15 | Pitt. Pens Elite 15 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | OE15 | Upper Canada | 26 | 24 | 34 | 58 | 12 | |||
| 22 Playoffs | OE15 | Upper Canada | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
6th Round: Pick #106 – Nolan Turnbull – RD
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | GTHL16 | Tor Marlboro | 35 | 1 | 16 | 17 | 12 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | GTHL16 | Tor Marlboro | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
6th Round: Pick #118 – Seth Goble – C
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | ETAU16 | Central Ont. | 35 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 30 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | ETAU16 | Central Ont. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | ETAU16 | Central Ont. | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | ETAU15 | Central Ont. | 27 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 40 |
7th Round: Pick #126 – Noah Paddock – G
| Season | Team | GP | GAA | SAV% | W | L | OTL | SOL | Min | GA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | Ottawa U18 | 22 | 2.74 | 0.904 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1292 | 59 | 1 |
| 2023 HEO U18 AAA Championship | Ottawa U18 | 2 | 2.03 | 0.929 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | Ottawa U18 | 4 | 2.62 | 0.929 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 275 | 12 | 0 |
| 22 Playoffs | Ottawa 67s U15 AAA | 5 | 3.71 |
8th Round: Pick #146 – Kevin Perreault – LD
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | HPHL15 | Windy City Storm 15s | 57 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 16 | 16 | ||
| ’22-23 Reg. | HPHL15 | Windy City Storm 15s | 15 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | ON16T | TPH Hockey 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
9th Round: Pick #166 – Matthew Manza – RW
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | GTHL16 | Miss. Senators | 34 | 17 | 11 | 28 | 18 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | GTHL16 | Miss. Senators | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
10th Round: Pick #186 – Gavin Puhl – RW
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | AliU16 | London | 33 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 24 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | AliU16 | London | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | AliU16 | London | 13 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
11th Round: Pick #206 – André Mondoux – LD
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | GTHL16 | Toronto Titans | 31 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 22 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | NOBHL | North Bay | 24 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 10 |
12th Round: Pick #226 – Griffen Boyle – LW
Shoots: L
Height: 5.11
Weight: 193
Hometown: Whitby, ON
Last Team: Whitby Wildcats U16 AAA
Nationality: Canadian
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | ETAU16 | Whitby | 30 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 40 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | ETAU16 | Whitby | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | ETAU16 | Whitby | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | |||
| ’21-22 Reg. | ETAU15 | Whitby | 23 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 12 |
13th Round: Pick #246 – Reece Herman – G
| Season | Team | GP | GAA | SAV% | W | L | OTL | SOL | Min | GA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | Quinte | 21 | 1.65 | ||||||||
| 23 Playoffs | Quinte | 6 | 1.45 | ||||||||
| ’21-22 Reg. | Quinte | 15 | 3.04 | 795 | 44 | 2 |
15th Round: Pick #286 – Cole Ellis
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ’22-23 Reg. | GNU18L | Timmins U18 AAA | 28 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 22 | |||
| 2023 OHL Cup | ON16T | NOHA U16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 Playoffs | GNU18L | Timmins U18 AAA | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Full 2023 OHL Priority Selection Results: https://ontariohockeyleague.com/draft/2023
Additional Resources For Prospects and Families:
