Greyhounds Croskery determined to shine
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
Callum Croskery holds firm to a popular adage: Everything happens for a reason.
That’s the way he looks at not being selected in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
The Soo Greyhounds second-year defenceman is using the snub as inspiration, as he prepares to make his 2026-2027 season debut.
After splitting a pair of games last weekend, the Greyhounds are slated to entertain Brampton on Friday (7:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens.
“I have a lot of belief in myself,” said Croskery, who returned to the Sault on Sunday, after being released from the Columbus Blue Jackets main training camp on Saturday.
The six-foot-one, 185-pounder, also spoke of how one weekend in late June is “not going to make me give up on anything or stop working my hardest. I’m very motivated to show scouts I should have been picked.”
Croskery attended this year’s draft, held June 26-27 in Buffalo.
He was rated No. 59 among North American skaters in Central Scouting’s midterm rankings and 110th overall in the final rankings.
The 18-year-old (2008 birth year) missed the first 25 games of his rookie season with an upper-body injury suffered in the preseason.
He wound up with a 3-15-18 stat line, and a plus-minus of plus-17 in 43 games.
After a so-so start, the result of missing so much time, Croskery noted, he played his best hockey late in the season.
And so the Oakville, Ont., native, known for his mobility and hockey IQ, went to the draft with a fairly-confident mindset.
“I thought I had put in a good effort last season,” he said. “And I had pretty high hopes I’d be drafted.”
As you might imagine, not hearing his name called was difficult for a player the Hounds took in the second round (40th overall) of the 2024 OHL draft.
“That was really hard, there’s no denying it,” Croskery said. “But it also gave me a lot of perspective.”
He spoke of the many players who’ve enjoyed pro careers despite never being drafted.
Saying things went well while attending the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect camp, Croskery also thought he did a good job at the Blue Jackets rookie camp, where he played in two exhibition games.
“I was really impressed by their staff’s approach to development,” he noted. “They thought I did well at rookie camp and wanted to give me a taste of main camp.”
Croskery thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is determined to play his best for the ’26-27 Greyhounds.
He agreed his goal is to prove a number of people wrong.
To do so, he spoke of focusing on his defensive game, in order to prove he’s a 200-foot player.
Displaying a strong work ethic and the continued development of his offensive skills are also on the menu.
“It’s nice to have him back. He’ll play critical minutes for us,” said Hounds head coach Drew Bannister, whose club is also slated to entertain North Bay this weekend.
That clash is set for Saturday (7:07 p.m.)
Bannister said Croskery will likely pair up with Jakub Winkelhofer on the Soo blue-line on Friday.
His return “allows us to move some guys down in the lineup where they can have more success,” the coach added.
Croskery has a future commitment to Boston College, but he spoke of staying in the Sault next season and maybe even for an overage campaign.
“I’m in no rush to leave” for the NCAA, he said. “I want to make sure I’m ready to go.”
Meantime, asked on Thursday about a timeline for naming a captain, Bannister said the club would have an announcement on Friday morning.
The coach was also questioned about his goaltending selection for the Steelheads game.
Bannister said overage Landon Miller will get the start. With three netminders still on the roster, rookie William Camputaro is expected to make his first OHL start on Saturday against the Battalion.
Last Saturday, a series of penalties allowed the Sarnia Sting to score three power-play goals in a span of 3:53, en route to a 4-3 victory over the Hounds.
Early this week, the coach addressed the players with his feelings on that game and on Friday’s season-opening 5-4 overtime decision over Saginaw.
Bannister said he’s pleased with how his charges responded at practice this week.
“I’m happy with how we’re going into this weekend,” he said.
Brampton took an 0-2 record into a Thursday night contest in North Bay.
Asked about the key for his club on Friday, Bannister spoke of the importance of a fast start.
“The first five minutes (are important),” he continued. “It’s hard to play back-to-back games in this league, especially against a team that is rested. We have to take full advantage of that.”
