NHL Draft Approaching For Local Prospects
Bo Horvat accepting the Gretzky 99 Award from David Branch – Photo Terry Wilson/OHL Images
One player, Rodney’s Bo Horvat, whose family grew up in Bothwell, will undoubtedly hear his name called, and won’t have to wait long.
Horvat, was the 15th ranked North American skater in the final NHL Central Scouting ranking, but undoubtedly saw his stock rise after scoring seven goals in the Rogers OHL Championship Series including three game-winners, en route to being named the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award winner, as the OHL’s Playoff MVP. Then, in the Mastercard Memorial Cup, Horvat again received some hardware receiving the George Parsons Trophy, as the tournaments Most Sportsmanlike Player.
He was projected to go 10th overall by the Hockey News in their annual draft preview.
In 67 regular season games, Horvat, who is seen as an all around, two-way player and leader, scored 33 goals and added 28 assists for 61 points.
Another local player hoping to hear his name called is second year eligible forward Dane Fox of Thamesville.
Last year, Fox was ranked in the top 50 North American skaters for the draft, and participated in the CHL’s Top Prospects Game, but slipped through the draft unselected.
Fox does however, have hope, as his former teammate with the Chatham-Kent Cyclones, Seth Griffith, was selected on his second go around through the draft.
After missing nearly the first half of the season with an offseason foot injury, Fox returned strong, scoring nearly a point per game, picking up 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points in 37 games. Fox was also strong defensively for the Erie Otters, registering a -1 rating, tops among all regular Otters skaters.
The NHL Draft will be held June 30th in New Jersey.