As a result of the expanded unbalanced schedule that the league is using for the 2021-22 campaign, the Ontario Hockey League will be holding a lottery to determine the top four picks in next year’s draft.
“The four teams finishing outside of a playoff spot in the OHL regular season standings will have an equal chance of securing the first overall selection through a randomized draft lottery process to be held following the conclusion of the regular season schedule,” the league said in a prepared statement.
While the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League have used a lottery in recent years, the OHL has traditionally determined their top four picks as a result of where each team ended up in the league table.
That wasn’t the case this past spring, when a lottery was held to determine the entire draft order due to the fact the 2020-21 OHL season was cancelled.
The Sudbury Wolves ended up landing the first overall pick and selected American forward Quentin Musty, who has committed to play for the team this fall.
The OHL also announced in their press release that they will revisit this format ahead of the 2023 draft.
Around the WHL
The Regina Pats have added another big piece to their roster to play with star forward Connor Bedard.
Nearly a week after acquiring forward Zack Stringer from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the 10th overall pick in December’s WHL Prospects Draft, the Pats signed Czech blueliner Stanislav Svozil to a standard player agreement on Tuesday afternoon.
Svozil was taken 15th overall by Regina in the 2020 CHL Import Draft and was a third round choice by the Columbus Blue Jackets in last month’s NHL Draft.
The 18-year-old inked a contract with the Blue Jackets on Aug. 13.“We feel we’re adding a really good player,” Pats general manager John Paddock said in a prepared statement.
“Stanislav is someone who has already played at the World Junior Championships, is already drafted and has signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. We’re excited to add him to our lineup.”
Svozil has spent the last two seasons with the HC Kometa Brno program in his home country, where he had eight points in 71 regular season games.
He’s also represented his country at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the World Under-18 Hockey Championship and the World Juniors over the last two seasons.
The Pats still have one open import slot on their roster for the upcoming season, which they hope to use on Finnish forward Joakim Kemell or Swedish forward Alexander Suzdalev, who they selected in June’s CHL Import Draft and are both eligible for next year’s NHL Draft.
Regina also announced their new play-by-play announcer for the upcoming campaign on Wednesday.
Dante De Caria, who has previously called games for the Central Canadian Hockey League’s Ottawa Jr. Senators and the British Columbia Hockey League’s Powell River Kings, will be taking over the role from Phil Andrews, concluded a 10-year run in April to take a position with the campus staff for Athletes in Action at the University of Saskatchewan.
Winnipeg Ice blueliner Carson Lambos is the latest WHL player to ink a deal with a NHL club as he signed a standard player agreement with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old blueliner, who was the 26th overall pick in last month’s NHL Draft, had 32 points in 57 games during his rookie campaign in the WHL but was limited to just two games during the 2020-21 campaign due to an injury.
Meanwhile, the Everett Silvertips added a veteran forward to their lineup on Wednesday night as they acquired 20-year-old Alex Swetlikoff and a sixth round pick in the 2023 WHL Draft from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for 17-year-old forward Max Graham.
Swetlikoff was tied for second in team scoring for the Rockets last spring with 15 points in 15 games, while Graham had a pair of assists in 18 contests during his rookie campaign in the WHL.
Fantilli Commits to Michigan
Adam Fantilli, who is one of the top prospects for the 2023 NHL Draft, will be heading to the NCAA before starting his pro career.
The 16-year-old forward from Nobleton, Ont. has committed to the Michigan Wolverines for the 2022-23 campaign, where he will be teaming up with his older brother Luca.
Fantilli was considered to be the best player available for the 2020 OHL Draft, but he dropped to the 18th overall selection and was taken by the Saginaw Spirit due to his interest in playing college hockey.
He spent this past season in the USHL with the Chicago Steel, where he had 36 points in 49 games and nine points in eight post-season contests on his way to earning playoff MVP honours.
Fantilli also posted six points earlier this month during Hockey Canada’s Under-18 summer camp.
