Sting Select Mark Katic 2nd Overall
Sarnia, ON – The Sarnia Sting have selected defenseman Mark Katic this morning with the second overall pick in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection.
Katic a native of Porcupine played the last two seasons with the Timmins Majors Midgets of the Greater Northern Midget League. In playing two seasons with the Major Midgets, Mark was playing against competition 3 and 4 years his senior.
In his rookie year in the GNMHL Katic was named to the league’s first All-Star team. This past season Katic led his team (the 7th ranked team) to a first round upset over the 2nd ranked New Liskeard Cubs. Katic’s honours this past season include being named the Top Defenseman and Most Valuable Player of the GNMHL.
Katic practiced with the Abitibi Eskimos of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League. Their Head Coach, ex-NHLer Paul Gagne loves Katic as a player. Mark is a very smart, very advanced player. He is an outstanding skater with incredible hockey sense. His skill level is incredible and he is a coaches dream.
Sting General Manager Alan Millar is ecstatic to select Katic. We feel Mark is a special player based on his skating his skill and his intelligence. Our homework shows us that he possesses high end character and we believe he brings the intangibles that every OHL team needs to contend.
Mark is scheduled to appear Monday on the Time-Out radio program with Tom Gibson.
Mark Katic
Born: May 9, 1989
Left Defense 5.11, 190 lbs.
OHL: Sarnia Sting’s 1st round selection (2nd overall) 2005 OHL Priority Selection
NHL: Eligible for NHL Entry Draft in 2007
Season Club GP G A PTS PIM
2003-04 Timmins Majors Midget AAA 40 12 20 32 35
2004-05 Timmins Majors Midget AAA 35 11 21 32 74
Totals 75 23 41 64 109
