Another day, another draft in the Ontario Hockey League.
The London Knights had the first overall pick in Wednesday’s Under-18 Priority Selection which allows OHL teams to draft players from what used to be called Major Midget and is now U18.
London used the first selection of the day on six-foot-one, 177-pound winger Abakar Kazbekov who grew up in Russia but moved to the Greater Toronto Area in 2019. That’s where the Knights’ scouts and managers first noticed him.
“Mark (Hunter) and I were able to watch him in his minor midget year,” said London associate GM Rob Simpson. “He came over from Russia right at the end of the season and played with the Vaughan Kings. He pushed them all the way to the finals before the shutdown. He has tons of hockey sense and tons of playmaking and skill and we’re really excited to see how he looks in a London Knights uniform.”
This was the first time Knights general manager Mark Hunter had owned a first overall pick in a draft.
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“It was something new,” chuckled Simpson. “It was pretty exciting to have the first pick and get to choose who you want.”
Hunter himself was actually taken first overall by the Brantford Alexanders in 1979.
With their second pick, London drafted goaltender Adrian McBride from the Windsor Jr. Spitfires.
Knights’ goalie coach Daren Machesney liked McBride’s combination of size and athleticism and his long-term potential.
By U18 Priority Selection rules, a team that selects a goaltender gets a third pick, something ten teams took advantage of.
Round 3 saw London take a player from their very own backyard in six-foot-two centre Jacob Julien of the London Jr. Knights U18 AAA team.
Simpson says the third pick allowed them to revisit their scouting notes from two years ago.
“What you do in your (Under-16) year carries over. We actually went back and looked at players who we had rated and who weren’t drafted and he was one of them. I think he has a chance to play with a few Junior B teams next year. He has great size and skates at the OHL level and just needed to put on a little more strength.”
Londoner Tage Gallant of the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs was chosen 34th overall by the Hamilton Bulldogs.
There is still one more draft to go this summer before the start of the 2021-22 season, which is scheduled for Oct. 7. All teams under the Canadian Hockey League umbrella will participate in the CHL Import Draft on June 30.
The Knights own the 12th overall selection.
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