It did not take long for a London, Ont., impact in the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
The Erie Otters announced on Thursday, Apr. 20 that defenceman Matthew Schaefer would be selected first overall, so the biggest suspense heading into night number one of this year’s selection was who the Niagara IceDogs would take with the second pick.
The answer ended up being Londoner Ryan Roobroeck who spent his minor hockey career with the London Jr. Knights and was coached in 2022-23 by former London Knights captain Danny Syvret.
Roobroeck is a dominant offensive player who has excellent high-end skill and potential. His older brother Dylan has played for both Niagara and the Oshawa Generals during his OHL career. Dylan will be heading into his third OHL season next year.
“Roobroeck will not turn 16 until the middle of training camp next year,” says Dave Coulson of Alliance Hockey Scout. “He has a great shot and excellent size and will be able to transition easily to the junior game.”
The London Jr. Knights had a second player selected at number 16 when the Saginaw Spirit chose forward Aiden Young. Young is a 200-foot player who can do everything on the ice and impressed at the OHL Cup in helping the Jr. Knights advance to the quarter-finals with six goals and eight points in five games.
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The London Knights made their first choice with the 18th overall pick and took one of the greatest stories in the draft.
Centre William Moore spent the year with the Toronto Marlboros but he also mixed in some time at Carnegie Hall.
Moore had 60 points in 30 games with the Marlboros and is six-feet-three-inches and 165 pounds.
The Mississauga, Ont., native is a dual citizen who has been offered a place with the U.S. National Team Development Program so he will have some decisions to make. But Moore is used to difficult decisions.
Moore elected to miss a hockey tournament this year to take part in a Young Mozart competition at Carnegie Hall.
The young pianist performed a piece from Chopin.
With their second round pick the London Knights drafted goaltender Alexei Medvedev of the Vaughan Jr. Kings. Medvedev backstopped his team from a wildcard spot at the OHL Cup all the way to the tournament final.
Medvedev had a 1.92 goals against average and a .915 save percentage in 38 games this season.
In the third round the Knights selected Blake Arrowsmith from the Cleveland Barons.
Arrowsmith is from Atlanta, Ga., and had 57 goals and 90 points in 61 games with the Barons in 2022-23.
With their last pick of the evening London chose left defenceman P.J. Fagan of the Don Mills Flyers. He is an old-school physical defender and is considered as one of the toughest prospects to play against in the entire draft class by HockeyProspect.com.
Two other London Jr. Knights heard their names called in the opening three rounds.
Parker Snelgrove was chosen by the Guelph Storm with the 30th pick and Ethan Weir went 42nd to the Kingston Frontenacs.
Snelgrove served as an alternate captain with the Jr. Knights. He had 11 goals and 45 points in 29 games in 2022-23.
Weir is the son of former London Diamond and London National Bill Weir. Bill played for both the Peterborough Petes and the Belleville Bulls in the OHL. Ethan is also a relative of former London Knight Matt Weir.
Cameron Reid grew up in the Aylmer, Ont., area in Copenhagen, Ont. Reid was selected tenth overall by the Kitchener Rangers. He spent this past year with the Bishop Kearney Selects.
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