Hello OHL fans! Wow, how about that 2006 OHL Priority
Selection Draft! It was a banner year for local talent as no
less than 14 players from the Greater Sudbury area were picked
in the draft.
The Plymouth Whalers got the ball rolling when they grabbed
coveted speedster Vern Cooper 14th overall.
Cooper was highly touted. Some scouts thought he would go
first or second overall.
Like last year, the Kitchener Rangers spent their second round pick on a local boy, selecting Rayside Balfour Sabrecats forward Mike Mascioli.
Prior to the draft, Mascioli had spoken about being picked
by a good team and he got his wish. The Rangers have been one
of the top dogs in the Western Conference for the last four
seasons.
The Sudbury Wolves got in on the local talent buffet in the
fourth round when they took Kyle Tarini 51st overall.
The six-foot-one winger produced 18 goals and 41 points in
just 30 games with the Sudbury Nickel Capitals Wolves AAA
midget squad.
Tarini relished the thought of being picked by his hometown
team, and a team he has watched intently since he could go to
Wolves games.
The Wolves quickly went for seconds at the local talent
buffet when they selected goalie Al Valiquette, 71st overall.
Valiquette was one of the hottest commodities going into the
draft after his break out season with the Rayside Balfour AAA
midget club.
Valiquette posted tremendous numbers with Rayside and helped
the team  earn much respect in the Great North Midget
League.
Sudbury also picked up the son of Wolves assistant coach
Bryan Verreault, Jeff, who also played for Rayside.
The Copper Cliff Redmen achieved their goal of having
players selected when Shane Innes (10th round to Ottawa) and
Matt Webkamigod (11th round to Mississauga) were selected.
Zac McGillis (Kingston), Luc Comtois (Peterborough), Alex Fiset (Kitchener), Shawn Sirman (Oshawa), Chris Shawanda (Ottawa) Tyler Beskorowany (Owen Sound) and Mathieu Pelland (Oshawa) were the other players taken.
