Like all teams. The Soo Greyhounds entered the first day of the Ontario Hockey League 2022 Priority Selection, trying to create the franchise for the future, and left the first three rounds of the two-day draft happy with the way they played. “We were excited to get into it, as soon as we had those four options tonight, we felt we could fit in nicely and we felt we did,” said Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis. “It was not design that we added in a few different positions, but at the same time, these guys were high on our dashboard in those positions.” Holding the 16th pick in the first round, the Greyhounds selected center Christopher Brown of the North York Rangers U16 team. “Brown is a top skater, really creative on the bench and he can just find and create routes for himself and his teammates,” said Raftis. “He’s just someone who makes everyone around him better. He has an excellent engine in terms of his work ethic. He has many of these tools in the way he thinks about the game, his skating and his skill level, which as soon as this power comes, will be a real power for us “. In 46 games with the Rangers this season, Brown has scored 19 goals and 60 points. In the second round, using a pick acquired from Ottawa on Thursday, the Greyhounds selected goalkeeper Landon Miller of Vaughan Kings U16. “Landon was a goalkeeper we watched quite well all year,” said Raftis. “He has great size, great athleticism, but what really stands out is the way he thinks about the game. This is something that is interesting when you talk about goalkeepers. “The way he can watch the bolts and how he sees the toy, combined with his raw tools and its size, really puts him in a good position on our board.” Miller joined Vaughn’s program after spending time in another hockey program for young children in the Toronto area. “He wanted to go to Vaughan to be challenged a little more,” Raftis said. With a pair of options in the third round, the Greyhounds selected left-back Broden McConnell-Barker. “Broden is a very good defender in skating,” said Raftis. “He has a great job and he plays with some disgust in his game.” McConnell-Barker, who had eight goals and 36 points in 33 games this season, made the transition to defense before this season. “It will be interesting to see, with this flexibility, in what position he will play,” said Raftis. “At the same time, he had a great year in defense.” McConnell-Barker is the younger brother of current Greyhounds striker Bryce McConnell-Barker. Raftis said the addition of a player like the younger McConnell-Barker who can play both attacking and defensive was considered in the selection. “It plays a role, because you can see how he sees the game,” said Raftis. “You can see how he walks on the line and how he can create in the offensive zone. There is just this extra skill level. Sometimes, when the defenders play only the D until the end, they reach the other blue line and get lost in their tracks. “With Broden, he just has that ability to see the ice very well and, combined with his skills, sets him apart from the team.” With the 58th overall choice, the Greyhounds chose Markham Majors U16 winger Alex Kostov. “Alex can really shoot the elf,” said Raftis. “It’s a big, strong step. He is already physically mature and it is something that, as we watched him this year, he just kept improving. We had some good luck with the extreme we brought and they have similar skills to him. “When you combine this set of skills with his size, we think he will be a really dangerous scorer.” Kostov had 12 goals and 19 points in 23 games this season. Among the first selections made on Friday was a player with family ties to Sault Ste. Marie with winger Porter Martone, Mike’s son, a native of Sol, who played for Peterborough Pits in the mid-1990s. The younger Martone, a Peterborough, Ont. local who played this season with Toronto Jr. Canadiens, was selected fifth overall by the Sarnia Sting. Saginaw Spirit held the top spot and selected Mississauga Senators center Michael Misa, who received outstanding player status before the draft, allowing him to enter the draft a year earlier. Misa has scored 16 goals and 43 points this season before adding 10 goals and 20 points in seven games in the OHL Cup to end the season. The 15-round draft continues on Saturday morning at 9 p.m. The Greyhounds enter the second day with 12 options left.
