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Former Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick among players at World’s Longest Hockey Game

Doug Greschuk was drafted by the Penguins 212th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He's one of the players taking part in the World's Longest Hockey Game east of Edmonton this February. Kevin Karius/ Global News

If the Pittsburgh Penguins need to add some depth down the stretch, maybe they can tap on the shoulder of one of their former draft picks currently taking part in the World’s Longest Hockey Game east of Edmonton.

Doug Greschuk was drafted by the Penguins 212th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

“I read it in the [Edmonton] Journal the next day, called my mom and dad and told them,” Greschuk recounted on Friday. “They said, ‘That’s nice, make sure you bring hot dog buns when you come out to the lake!'”

Greschuk was actually drafted two spots ahead of Russian forward Igor Larionov, a Hockey Hall of Famer.

“It’s good trivia for all my buddies,”Greschuk said.

The Penguins drafted Greschuk from the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s St. Albert Saints.

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Doug Greschuk was drafted by the Penguins 212th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He’s one of the players taking part in the World’s Longest Hockey Game east of Edmonton this February. Kevin Karius/ Global News

The 2018 edition of the World’s Longest Hockey Game marks the fifth time Greschuk has taken part in the event. Like everyone else playing in the game, he has close ties to the cause and is a very close friend of organizer Brent Saik.

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READ MORE: How to follow, cheer on World’s Longest Hockey Game at Saiker’s Acres

One of Greschuk’s favourite memories of all the World’s Longest Hockey Games is being the first person to embrace Saik after the record was broken in 2005.

“This is a big sacrifice by my family,” he said. “They are in it with me too.”

READ MORE: IN PHOTOS: World’s Longest Hockey Game at Saiker’s Acres

For more information on the World’s Longest Hockey Game, click here.

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Watch below: The clock is running on the World’s Longest Hockey Game as the epic event got underway as the sun was rising on Friday. We checked in with Kevin Karius on Friday afternoon and Jesse Beyer gave us his forecast from the outdoor rink in Strathcona County.

Click to play video: 'Cold start to the World’s Longest Hockey Game east of Edmonton'
Cold start to the World’s Longest Hockey Game east of Edmonton

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