[2016 OHL Priority Selection] GUE Selects D Ryan Merkley 1st Overall

[SensArmy93]

Guelph selects the small, offensive d-man from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. Draws comparisons to Ryan Ellis and Ryan Murphy (besides their first names of course).

https://twitter.com/Storm_City/statu...58254658027520

Rest of the draft begins tomorrow morning at 9:00!

[Goldendelicious]

Hockey Prospect (http://www.hockeyprospect.com/hockey...aft-prospects/) had Merkley ranked 3rd in their final top-10. I'm actually surprised they went the small defender first overall. Everything I read was Nizhnikov being the consensus top pick. Interesting.

As a Rangers fan, I'm glad they didn't take a top end scorer.

[SensArmy93]

The draft will be interesting for sure. Lots of question marks due to the high-volume of American players in the '00 class that have committed to the NTDP as well as NCAA.

Rossy took another stab at a first-round mock draft today: http://thescout.ca/web/index.php/928...ft-version-3-0

[Goldendelicious]

Thanks for the update! Was looking for an updated one...trades are starting to fly around as well the last couple of days as teams prepare!

[SensArmy93]

Everything I read was Nizhnikov being the consensus top pick.

To go along with this, it's rumoured he will not report to an American team. So if Sudbury or Hamilton pass on him, he likely winds up in Oshawa or Mississauga!

[Goldendelicious]

To go along with this, it's rumoured he will not report to an American team. So if Sudbury or Hamilton pass on him, he likely winds up in Oshawa or Mississauga!

It's scary to think how good Mississauga will be next year...if he slips there, oh boy.

I forgot about Dudas too. A few weeks ago when I was looking at things, thought he could have been the main push on Niz for 1st overall.

[SensArmy93]

The NTDP announced their roster. Plenty of potential OHL draft selections on there.

http://www.usahockeyntdp.com/news_ar...rrer_id=666974

[SensArmy93]

A look at the first two rounds for those who are interested/haven't seen it yet. Full results can be found here: http://new.ontariohockeyleague.com/2016-draft/

1. Guelph - Ryan Merkley (D, Toronto Jr Canadiens)
2. Sudbury - Owen Lalonde (D, Windsor Jr Spitfires)
3. Hamilton - Connor Roberts (C, Grey-Bruce Highlanders)
4. Saginaw - Blade Jenkins (C, Detroit Compuware)
5. Flint - Ty Dellandrea (C, Central Ontario Wolves)
6. Oshawa - Danil Antropov (RW, Toronto Marlboros)
7. Mississauga - Kirill Nizhnikov (RW, Toronto Jr Canadiens)
8. Peterborough - Pavel Gogolev (LW, CIH Academy)
9. Sault Ste Marie - Barrett Hayton (C, Toronto Red Wings)
10. Owen Sound - Aidan Dudas (C, North Central Predators)
11. Ottawa - Peter Stratis (D, Mississauga Rebels)
12. Niagara - Akil Thomas (C, Toronto Marlboros)
13. North Bay - Adam McMaster (C, Niagara North Stars)
14. Barrie - Tyler Tucker (D, Toronto Titans)
15. Sarnia - Tyler Weiss (C, Don Mills Flyers)
16. Kitchener - Giovanni Vallati (D, Vaughan Kings)
17. Kingston - Nathan Dunkley (C, Quinte Red Devils)
18. London - Liam Foudy (C, Markham Majors)
19. Erie - Allan McShane (C, Toronto Marlboros)
20. Barrie - Jack McBain (C, Don Mills Flyers)

21. Windsor - Connor Corcoran (D, Barrie Jr Colts)
22. Flint - Hunter Holmes (C, Niagara North Stars)
23. Flint - Dennis Busby (D, Barrie Jr Colts)
24. Peterborough - Declan Chisholm (D, Don Mills Flyers)
25. Oshawa - Serron Noel (RW, Brockville Braves)
26. Mississauga - Jacob Ingham (G, Barrie Jr Colts)
27. Peterborough - Semen Der-Argunchintsev (RW, CIH Academy)
28. Guelph - Cameron Hillis (C, York Simcoe Express)
29. Kitchener - Riley Damiani (C, Mississauga Rebels)
30. Ottawa - Carter Robertson (D, York Simcoe Express)
31. Ottawa - Kevin Bahl (D, Toronto Marlboros)
32. Oshawa - Jack DeBoer (C, Salisbury Prep School)
33. North Bay - Rhys Forhan (C, York Simcoe Express)
34. Sudbury - Owen Gilhula (C, Huron Perth Lakers)
35. Saginaw - Bode Wilde (D, Chicago Mission)
36. Kitchener - Merrick Rippon (D, Ottawa Senators)
37. Saginaw - Maxim Grondin (C, Vaughan Kings)
38. Kingston - Sergey Popov (LW, Toronto Jr Canadiens)
39. Hamilton - DJ King (D, Mississauga Rebels)
40. London - Billy Moskal (C, Sudbury Wolves)
41. Flint - Jack Wismer (RW, Hamilton Jr Bulldogs)

[Goldendelicious]

Not too often you see the OHL Cup champs (York-Simcoe in this case) not have multiple 1st round selections....let alone not even having one selection!

[SensArmy93]

Not too often you see the OHL Cup champs (York-Simcoe in this case) not have multiple 1st round selections....let alone not even having one selection!

I think the players they had go in the second round (Hillis, Robertson and Forhan) could arguably be first round talents, if not for the depth of this years class. I've seen mentioned multiple times that players were ranked all over the place in the top-40.

[Goldendelicious]

I think the players they had go in the second round (Hillis, Robertson and Forhan) could arguably be first round talents, if not for the depth of this years class. I've seen mentioned multiple times that players were ranked all over the place in the top-40.

Absolutely. Robertson is an animal, fun watching him with YSE, they just would not let him come off the ice.