CJAHL RELEASE: 15 Current CJAHL Players Drafted At The 2007 NHL Entry Draft
June 25, 2007
The Canadian Junior A Hockey League (CJAHL) is delighted to announce that 15 players which played Junior A hockey during the 2006 / 07 season, were drafted into the NHL Entry Draft this past weekend.
The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was held in Columbus, Ohio on June 22nd – 23rd. The fifteen players selected into the draft include the following.
|
Round
|
Overall
|
NHL Team | Name | CJAHL Team | League |
|
1
|
3
|
Phoenix | Kyle Turris | Burnaby | BCHL |
|
1
|
21
|
Edmonton | Riley Nash | Salmon Arm | BCHL |
|
1
|
27
|
Detroit | Brendan Smith | St. Michael’s | OPJHL |
|
3
|
80
|
Pittsburgh | Casey Pierro-Zabotel | Merritt | BCHL |
|
3
|
87
|
New Jersey | Corbin McPherson | Cowichan V. | BCHL |
|
3
|
90
|
Ottawa | Louie Caporusso | St. Michael’s | OPJHL |
|
4
|
99
|
Toronto | Matt Frattin | Fort Sask. | AJHL |
|
4
|
104
|
Toronto | Ben Winnett | Salmon Arm | BCHL |
|
5
|
129
|
Dallas | Jamie Benn | Victoria | BCHL |
|
5
|
139
|
Buffalo | Bradley Eidsness | Okotoks | AJHL |
|
6
|
154
|
Washington | Dan Dunn | Wellington | OPJHL |
|
6
|
158
|
Columbus | Allen York | Camrose | AJHL |
|
6
|
159
|
Boston | Alain Goulet | Aurora | OPJHL |
|
7
|
208
|
Detroit | Bryan Rufenach | Lindsay | OPJHL |
|
7
|
210
|
Tampa Bay | Justin Courtnall | Victoria | BCHL |
The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) had 7 players selected, with 2 players going in the first round. The Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL) had 5 players selected, with 1 player going in the first round. The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) had 3 players selected.
Several other drafted players currently playing with CHL, USHL, and NCAA hockey clubs, got their junior hockey start playing Junior A in Canada.
Of the drafted players listed, several have played in the Junior A portfolio of national events. Of these players, 3 have played in either the 2006 or 2007 RBC Royal Bank Cup, and 9 have played in the 2006 CJAHL Prospects Game.
Of the 15 players drafted, 7 played for one of the Team Canada squads at the inaugural World Junior A Challenge. There were also 6 European players who played for Russia, Slovakia, and Germany in the World Junior A Challenge, who were selected in this year’s NHL draft.
The CJAHL is an amalgamation of 10 Junior A hockey leagues from across Canada. More information on the CJAHL can be found by clicking on the league website.
