The Kitchener Rangers added a couple of more options to their talent pool on Wednesday night during the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection.
The team selected Brayden Besner as the ninth overall pick and Artem Narbekov in the second round with the 29th selection.
Besner, who is originally from Glenwalter, suited up for the Ontario Hockey Academy in Cornwall last season where he scored 46 goals and set up 52 others.
“Brayden is one of the purest goal scorers in all of the U-18 Draft this year,” Rangers scout Kenneth Kerto stated. “He’s a natural centreman who does a great job of making defenders forget about him, only to find quiet ice and then find the back of the net.”
Narbekov, who hails from Vaughan, played for the Toronto Red Wings last season where he recorded 15 points in 34 games last season.
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“Artem is perhaps one of the top-five most skilled players available in this year’s U-18 Draft,” Kerto said.
“He’s a dynamic skater with equally dynamic hands. He loves to set up his teammates just as much as he loves to score.”
Last week, the OHL held its annual draft for those born in 2007 where the Rangers selected 16 bodies, whereas this draft is for those who may have developed after and are not currently carded by any OHL teams.
There were three Waterloo Wolves selected on Wednesday night as well with Joseph-Karl Brehmer having been selected by Sudbury Wolves at No. 28, Colton Henderson by the London Knights with pick No. 36.
There is still one draft ahead for the Rangers this offseason as they will have a chance to add some new international talent to the roster through the CHL Import Draft, which usually occurs after the NHL rookie draft.
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