NHL Draft This Friday

The NHL Draft runs this Friday and Saturday, June 24-25 in Buffalo, New York, with a few local hockey products hoping to hear their names called.

Chatham’s Joseph Raaymakers and James McEwan, and Thamesville’s Trent Fox, are all considered possible prospects for this weekends NHL Entry Draft.

McEwan climbed throughout the 2015-2016 season, topping out at 163 among North American skaters. The former Chatham-Kent Cyclones and Chatham Maroons forward was the leading scorer of the OHL’s Guelph Storm last season with 25 goals and 52 points.

Raaymakers, a 6’1″ netminder for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds slipped in the rankings this season, but was the 9th ranked North American netminder. He was however, one of the top performers at the NHL Central Scouting combine, shining in the fitness testing portions leading up to the draft. In 28 games with the Greyhounds this season, Raaymakers had a 3.61 GAA and 0.891 save percentage.

Fox, a 6’3″ re-entry prospect, had 28 goals and 50 points for the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs through 67 games this season. He was considered one of TSN’s top 100 prospects early in the season, but has slipped since.

Other local prospects including Levi Tetrault and Brock Philips of the Guelph Storm are draft eligible, but are not considered likely to be selected.