Carving a path through the #OHLU18Draft
As the OHL embarks on the fourth annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection, we stop to look at five players who have turned their second chance into impactful careers in the League. Kaleb Pearson, Daniel D’Amato, Victor Hadfield, Emmett Serensits and Marko Jakovljevic are just a few of the players who have made their way into the OHL by way of the Under-18 Priority Selection following a season of Midget AAA hockey.
Kaleb Pearson (Owen Sound Attack):
Flint’s 2nd round (29th overall) pick in the 2017 OHL U18 Priority Selection
Sophomore forward Kaleb Pearson of the Owen Sound Attack enjoyed a productive season with 28 goals, 22 assists and 52 points over 62 contests. The St. Marys, Ont. native had a big second half, with 34 of his 52 points coming over his final 27 games of the regular season. Pearson is a graduate of the Huron-Perth Lakers program and went undrafted in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. He returned a year later to put up 38 points (28-10–38) over 35 games in Midget AAA action before spending a season of development with the GOJHL’s Stratford Warriors. The Attack acquired Pearson’s rights from Flint in August 2018.
Daniel D’Amato (Erie Otters):
Erie’s 1st round (4th overall) pick in the 2018 OHL U18 Priority Selection
Featured in a story on ontariohockeyleague.com, Daniel D’Amato‘s path to the OHL includes overcoming a serious injury during his minor midget season. The 19-year-old Maple, Ont. native comes off an improved season with the Otters, posting 18 goals, 14 assists and 32 points over 63 games. D’Amato went undrafted after a Minor Midget season with the Markham Majors, returning to star for the Vaughan Kings Midget AAA club in 2017-18. He made the jump to the Otters lineup the next season and hasn’t looked back since.
Victor Hadfield (Barrie Colts):
Barrie’s 1st round (1st overall) pick in the 2017 OHL U18 Priority Selection
The first player to ever be picked in the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection, Barrie Colts utility man Victor Hadfield has gradually developed his game and emerged as one of the best skaters in the Eastern Conference. Hadfield registered 26 points (8-18–26) over 46 games in his third OHL campaign, transitioning to full-time duty up front for the Colts after initially being drafted as a defenceman. The grandson of former NHL great Vic Hadfield has proven to be a highly effective penalty killer with the Colts and has now appeared in 124 career regular season games. Hadfield was passed over in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection before impressing as a member of the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs Midget AAA team.
Emmett Serensits (Sudbury Wolves):
Sudbury’s 1st round (7th overall) pick in the 2017 OHL U18 Priority Selection
Third-year Sudbury Wolves defenceman Emmett Serensits plays the game hard, a quality the Wolves recognized during his Midget AAA season with the Oakville Rangers in 2016-17. The 6-foot-1, 180Ib. blueliner recorded 25 points (1-24–25) over 63 games this past season, serving as a valuable member of the Wolves’ penalty killing corps. The 19-year-old has now appeared in 187 career regular season OHL contests, picking up 49 points (6-43–49) along the way.
Marko Jakovljevic (Sarnia Sting):
Sarnia’s 2nd round (28th overall) pick in the 2017 OHL U18 Priority Selection
A 6-foot-4, 208Ib. defenceman who plays the game with a mean streak, Sarnia’s Marko Jakovljevic made his way into the League after being a second round pick in the 2018 OHL U18 Priority Selection from the Brantford 99ers Midget AAA program. His 18 points (4-14–18) in 32 games during the 2016-17 season caught the eye of the Sting who scooped him up and added him to their blue line the following season. The Brantford, Ont. native recorded six points (2-4–6) over 59 games this season and has appeared in 143 contests since entering the OHL.