Pettipiece and Graham hear their names in OHL U18 draft

A pair of local hockey players were chosen in the Ontario Hockey League U18 draft held on Wednesday evening.

Merlin’s Chase Pettipiece was selected in the first round, eighth overall by the Flint Firebirds. Chatham’s Parker Graham was selected by the London Knights in the second round, 40th overall.

Pettipiece and Graham were teammates played with the Elgin-Middlesex Canucks in the U18 ALLIANCE league.

An affiliate player of the Chatham Maroons, in 35 regular season games with Elgin-Middlesex, Pettipiece scored 48 points (26 goals, 22 assists). In eight playoff games, Pettipiece has nine points.

Pettipiece has dual United States and Canadian citizenship. His mom Meaggan Pettipiece represented Canada in softball at the 2000 Summer Olympics, helped Canada to a pair of silver-medal finishes in the 1999 and 2003 Pan-Am Games.

Graham played in 34 regular season games with Elgin-Middlesex, notching 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists). In 10 playoff games, Graham has 13 points.