Countdown to the 2021 OHL Priority Selection begins
The countdown is on for the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, and fans of the maroon and white are eager for a new wave of Petes to join the oldest franchise in junior hockey history. Following the first-ever OHL Draft Lottery, the Petes walked away with the 6th overall pick, a nice spot to land on out of the 19 teams that participated. Previous 6th overall picks have seen the Petes select Mark Reeds (1977) and Matt Puempel (2009), two players who packed a serious punch while suiting up in Lift Lock City.
Reeds was drafted to the Petes in the 1977 OJHL draft, 6th overall from the Markham Waxers. The Toronto native saw a J. Ross Robertson Cup each season he played for the Petes and was a member of the 1979 roster that won the Petes’ lone Memorial Cup. Across 234 games as a Pete, Reeds collected 202 points. The Petes forward was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft and played eight seasons in the NHL between the Blues and Hartford Whalers. Reeds went on to coach professionally for 23 years, before passing away in 2015.
Essex, Ontario native Matt Puempel was drafted to the Petes 6th overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. Across his rookie and sophomore seasons with the Petes, Puempel put up over 60 points and captained the 2012 team for half the season. The Petes alumnus was drafted to the Ottawa Senators in 2011 and spent seven years splitting his time between the nation’s capital and their affiliate, the Binghamton Senators. This past season, Puempel played for the Malmo Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League.
For the first time since the implementation of the Priority Selection online in 2001, the event will be held over the course of two days, with the opening three rounds taking place on Friday, June 4 beginning at 7:00 pm. The proceedings resume on Saturday, June 5 starting at 9:00 am with Rounds 4-15. The Priority Selection will be streamed live in its entirety on the OHL’s YouTube channel.
The Priority Selection remains its customary 15 rounds in length, but unlike past years, it will be held in a serpentine arrangement, with the order of selection in the first round being reversed to begin Round 2 and alternating each round thereafter.
The 2021 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore will largely see the top players born in 2005 within OHL jurisdiction eligible to be selected on June 4-5, with proceedings streamed live on the OHL’s YouTube channel and covered extensively on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and on the web at ontariohockeyleague.com.
