SASKATOON – Another crop of Saskatchewan hockey players is one step closer to the show. A total of 211 players from 14 countries were selected at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, which concluded June 27 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.
By birthplace, around 80 Canadians heard their name called. Among these potential NHLers were a bunch of players born and raised in Saskatchewan.
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Jesse Gabrielle, 18, was picked up 105th overall by the Boston Bruins.
The Moosomin product joined the Regina Pats just ahead of the 2015 WHL trade deadline. The left winger tallied 44 points in 66 games this past season.
The Edmonton Oilers selected Ethan Bear 124th overall. The 18-year-old is from Ochapowace First Nation in southeast Saskatchewan.
Bear, a defenceman, just finished his second season with the Seattle Thunderbirds and was a member of Team Canada when they won gold at the 2014 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
Sam Ruopp, 19, was picked 129th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is the captain of the Prince George Cougars in the WHL.
The product of Zehner, Sask. has an older brother, Harrison Ruopp, who was selected in the 2011 NHL draft and plays in the AHL and ECHL.
Saskatoon’s Connor Hobbs, 18, was taken 143rd overall by the Washington Capitals. He played a couple of seasons with the Saskatoon Blazers of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL).
More recently, the defenceman joined the Regina Pats and tallied 16 points in his final 24 games of last season.
Also taken in the fifth round was Duck Lake’s Ryan Pilon, who went 147th overall to the New York Islanders.
During the 2014-15 regular season, the 18-year-old collected 52 points in 68 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings. His uncle, Rich Pilon, had a 14-season career in the NHL which included playing for the Islanders.
Regina’s Colby Williams was a sixth-round selection by the Washington Capitals. The 20-year-old was chosen 173rd overall.
Williams broke onto the Regina Pats’ roster full-time in the 2012-13 season. The defender just had another career season in 2014-15 where he totalled 41 points and sat among the league leaders in plus/minus with a +45 on the year.
With the second to last pick of the draft, the Vancouver Canucks grabbed Saskatoon’s Tate Olson. He is a former member of the SMAAAHL’s Saskatoon Contacts.
The 18-year-old defenceman plays with the Prince George Cougars. In 68 games this past season, Olson recorded a new career high of 24 points.
Jack Haskins contributed to this story
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