Petes Picks: 17 – 15 presented by Fully Promoted Peterborough
Next week’s 2021 OHL Draft Lottery Presented Locally by Fully Promoted Peterborough, will determine the order of the 2021 Priority Selection. The first first-ever draft lottery will be held on Wednesday, May 5 at 7:00 pm. Fans will be able to catch a livestream of the Lottery on the OHL YouTube channel.
OHL teams participating in the first round will have an equal chance of securing the first overall pick, with the order of selection to be determined by a computerized random number generator lottery process. The 2021 Priority Selection will see teams select in a serpentine arrangement, with the order of selection in the first round being reversed to begin Round 2 and alternating each round thereafter.
To celebrate this historic OHL event, we are reflecting on some of our first round picks from across every over the next seven days, counting down from pick 20 to 1.
#17: Never Picked
Seriously, 65 years and we’ve never selected a player 17th overall.
#16: Robertson, Johnson, Harnden
Nick Robertson
The 2017 OHL Priority Selection was a sweet one for the Petes as Nick Robertson was selected at #16. Hailing from Southern California, Robby joined the Petes for three seasons after playing for the U16 Toronto Red Wings of the GTHL. In his 164 OHL games, he collected 174 points and became the first Pete to rack up 50 goals in a season since Jason Dawe and Mike Harding in 1993. In 2020, he won CHL Sportsman of the Year and the OHL’s William Hanley Trophy for the most sportsmanlike player and represented the United States at the World Junior Championship. Today, he is celebrated by many in sports media for being one of the most promising, up-and-coming Leafs’ player.
Leafs prospect Nick Robertson (@nickrob2001) becomes first @PetesOHLhockey player in 27 years with 50 goals in a season. MORE @ https://t.co/XTHuWtrM62 pic.twitter.com/fSJSqmWYYm
— BarDown (@BarDown) March 1, 2020
Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson was picked 16th overall by the Petes at the 1992 OHL Priority Selection. The Welland, Ontario native played 2.5 seasons with the Petes and was part of the group that won the 1993 J. Ross Robertson Cup. Known for his mean streak on the ice, Johnson was selected 33rd overall by the LA Kings in the 1994 NHL Draft, and went on to have a 10-year long professional playing career. In 2003 he was the Assistant Captain of the Minnesota Wild, and has gone down in history as being one of the toughest Petes of all time.
Zach Harnden
Zach Harnden was drafted from the U16 Thunder Bay Kings in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection and played four seasons with the Petes from 2005-09. The left winger tallied 105 points in 248 games throughout his junior hockey career. He was most notably part of the 2006 team that won a J. Ross Robertson Cup that produced the most statistically successful season in Petes’ history. He captained the Petes in his final season and went on to play at Western University, where he would pick up 107 points in 80 games.
Greg Theberge
At the 1976 OJHL Priority Selection, Greg Theberge was selected by the Petes. During his three seasons with the Petes, the defenceman collected two J. Ross Robertson Cups and played in two Memorial Cup championship final games, bringing the national title back to Peterborough in 1979. While manning the blueline, Theberge put up 179 points across 194 games, and won the Max Kaminsky Trophy in his final season for being the OMJHL’s Best Defenceman. Theberge would split a decade of his professional playing career between the Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears, and earned a Calder Cup in 1980.
John Murphy
Jonathan Murphy arrived in the Patch from PEI in 1993. The right-handed defenceman donned maroon and white for three years and won a J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1996 – the same season Peterborough hosted the Memorial Cup. Following his time with the Petes, Murphy returned to the Island and played for the UPEI Panthers.
#15: Wilson, Mizzi, McCoy, Jonathan
Donovan McCoy
The Petes most recent first round draft pick, Donovan McCoy, was selected 15th overall at the 2020 OHL Priority Selection. Although we haven’t seen him play in a Petes jersey yet, the Quinte Red Devils alumnus leaves Petes fans excited after being awarded the 2020 OMHA ETA Player of the Year.
Stan Jonathan
Stan Jonathan, one of the toughest hockey players of all time, was drafted to the Petes from the Brantford Legionnaires. This notoriously, tough left winger picked up 176 points (and 372 penalty minutes) in 204 games during his time in Lift Lock City and was drafted 86th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1975 NHL draft, where he went on to play eight seasons.
Preston Mizzi
Preston Mizzi was selected 15th overall at the 1997 OHL Priority Selection, from the New Market 87’s. Mizzi played in 200 games and tallied 169 points with the maroon and white. In 1999, Mizzi was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes (now Arizona Coyotes) and went on to a nine-year-long pro-career, playing in the ECHL, AHL, UHL, Denmark and Germany.
Ross Wilson
Wilson was drafted to the Petes 15th overall in the 1986 OHL Entry Draft and played for the maroon and white until 1989. During his time in the Lift Lock City, the right winger picked up 187 points in 196 games – most notably putting up six points in five games in the 1989 Memorial Cup. Wilson went on to a 12-year professional playing career across the AHL, UHL, IHL, and CoHL after his time with the Petes.
Is there a Petes draft pick who you think changed the trajectory of the team, or was an absolute steal for the maroon and white? We want to hear your opinion! Let us know below.
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