Storm NHL Draft history ’95 & ’96
On Sunday June 30th at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey Jason Dickinson, Hunter Garlent, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ben Harpur, Justin Auger, and Zac Leslie will hope to fulfill a lifelong dream of being drafted to the NHL.
Leading up to the draft, GuelphStorm.com will revisit the past 16 NHL Entry Drafts beginning with the 1993 draft reviewing the many Storm players that have been grabbed by NHL clubs and where their professional careers would take them.
The 1995 and 1996 NHL Entry Drafts saw 11 Storm players drafted, three went in the second round, one in the third, three in the fifth, one in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth.
In terms of NHL games played and points, the most successful player drafted between the two years was Brian Willsie who went in the 6th round to the Colorado Avalanche in 1996. Willsie, drafted in perhaps the weakest draft in league history, was one of four players in the sixth round to play more than 100 games in the NHL. The Belmont native recorded 52 goals, 56 assists for 108 points in 376 games played. His best year came in 2005-06 when he set a career high for goals with 19, assists with 22 for a total of 41 points. Throughout his career, he has played for his drafted team the Colorado Avalanche, the Washington Capitals and the LA Kings. In between his years in the big leagues, the 31 year old played for the Hershey Bears, Portland Pirates and the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. Willsie’s last season in the NHL was in 2010-11 with the Washington Capitals. He took his career to Europe in 2012-13 and played with the TPS Turku of the SM-liiga league.
Five Storm players were drafted in the 1995 NHL Entry draft that took place in the Edmonton Coliseum on June DATE, 1995. Brian Wesenberg was selected by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 2nd round, the year Bryan Berad went first overall to the Ottawa Senators. Chosen in the same round as Georges Laraque, Marc Chouinard, Chris McAllister and Jochen Hecht, Wesenberg played just one game in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers. The native of Peterborough bounced around from the AHL to the IHL and the ECHL. He played a number of seasons with the Philadelphia Phantoms, two seasons with the Orlando Solar Bears split between a minor stint with the Greenville Grrrowl. Wesenberg’s career came to an end in 2000-01 as his last professional team was the Orlando Solar Bears.
Dwayne Hay was also selected in the 2nd round, 14 picks after Wesenberg. Originally selected by the Washington Capitals 43rd overall, Hay played two games with them before being traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Esa Tikkanen. Hay had his best NHL season in 2000-01 when he played 49 games for the Calgary Flames scoring one goal and three assists. In total the London native played 79 games in the NHL for the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Calgary Flames. He has also played many seasons in the Minor Leagues, including the AHL, the ECHL, and the CHL. Dwayne’s last season on record is 2008-09 when he suited up for the Arizona Sundogs in the CHL.
Todd Norman and Joel Cort were the next two Storm players selected in 1995, both in the fifth round. Selected five picks after Miikka Kiprusoff, Norman was taken by the Vancouver Canucks with the 120th overall pick. Never making the cut to the NHL, the Gowanstown native played one game in the AHL for the Saint John Flames before settling into a career in the ECHL and then the WPHL. In 2003-04, Norman went back to school and played CIS hockey for St. Francis Xavier University for two year. After university, the 32 year old traveled to Europe where he played for Strasbourg in 2006-07.
Joel Cort was selected by the Washington Capitals four picks later. Taken as the 124th overall pick in the 1995 draft, Joel opted for the scholastic route playing one year for Wilfred Laurier University in 1997-98 and one year for the University of Windsor in 2002-03. Joel completed both his Masters and Ph.D at the University of Windsor and is currently researching Biomechanics at McMaster University with the intent of finding a position within a Canadian University.
In the ninth round with the 227th overall pick, Michael Pittman was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks. The Fox Harbour Newfoundland native was traded to the London Knights in 1996-97 and did not continue to play hockey after his junior career came to an end.
Six players represented the Storm at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft at the Kiel Arena (now called the Scottrade Center) in St. Louis on June 22, 1996. Storm defenceman Chris Hajt was the first Storm player taken in ‘96 drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2nd round. As the 32nd overall pick, Hajt was selected among the likes of Matt Cullen, Steve Begin, Jan Bulis and Mathieu Garon. After three successful seasons in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Hajt was called up to the Oilers for one game. In 2001-02 the Buffalo native signed as a free agent with the Washington Capitals and played for their farm team, the Portland Pirates, in the AHL for two seasons before being called up to the Caps for five games. After a couple more seasons in the AHL, the 31 year old took his game to Europe playing for the Duisburg Foxes of the DEL, the Lukko Rauma of the FNL and finished up his professional hockey career in Italy with the Balzano HC. Hajt was hired by the Guelph Storm in 2008 and is heading into his fifth season with the club as an assistant coach.
With the 66th overall pick the Toronto Maple Leafs took Storm defenceman Mike Lankshear. Drafted among the likes of Zdeno Chara, Tom Poti and Arron Asham, Lankshear didn’t play a single game in the NHL. The Burlington native bounced around a number of teams in the minor leagues playing in the WPHL, ECHL and the UHL. He played one season in Europe for the Newcastle Vipers and finished off his hockey career in 2006-07 with the St. Hyacinthe Top Design of the LNAH.
Andrew Long was the next Storm player drafted that year. In round 5, the Toronto native went 129th overall to the Florida Panthers. After he left Guelph, Long played for three different AHL teams, four ECHL teams and two UHL teams over a span of six years. In 2004-05 he returned close to home and played OHASr. with the Aylmer Blues. Long currently works for Coldwell Banker as a Real Estate agent here in Guelph.
The fifth Storm player drafted in the 1996 NHL draft was Mike Vellinga. Taken by the Chicago Blackhawks 184th overall, Vellinga was selected five picks after the Tampa Bay Lightning chose Pavel Kubina. Similar to Long and Hajt, Vellinga has had a successful career in the minor leagues playing for 10 different teams in the AHL, IHL, CHL and ECHL. Vellinga’s last sesaon on record was 2008-09 where he played 46 games with the Texas Brahmas of the CHL.
Nick Bootland was the last Storm player taken in the 1996 draft. Selected with the 220th pick by the Dallas Stars, Bootland bounced around from the AHL to the ECHL and the UHL. The Shelbourne native played for the Hershey Bears, Cincinnati Cyclones, Cleveland Barons, Columbus Stars and the Kalamazoo Wings. His last professional hockey team listed is the Kalamazoo Wings in 2007-08. In 2008-09, Bootland made the shift from the ice to the bench when he took over the coaching duties with the Wings.
