CHL Notebook: U-17 hockey challenge a great showcase for NHL Draft

Michael DiPietro made 18 saves and Barrett Hayton scored a fantastic goal as the OHL beat Russia 3-1.

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has long been an opportunity for pro scouts to get an early look at potential prospects.

The annual event routinely sees many of its top players eventually find their way onto the NHL draft stage two years later when they become eligible, and the recently completed 2018 event will not likely be any different.

Consider the fact that the 2018 NHL Entry Draft saw 23 U-17 tournament graduates selected in the first round alone.

Take that a step further and 12 of them are current or former CHL players, including Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, who tore up the 2016 event in Sault Ste. Marie and would eventually join the OHL’s Barrie Colts before being selected second overall last June.

Svechnikov also played in the 2015 event for Team Russia.

Not only is the annual event a quality opportunity for NHL scouts to get an early start on the process, the tournament also allows CHL teams an opportunity to see players from other countries for the annual Import Draft held every summer.

Some international players may find their way onto CHL rosters next season as they continue to move into their draft year. But the 2018 event also saw some strong performances from current CHL players.

Kootenay Ice forward Connor McClennon led the tournament in scoring with eight goals and 11 points while his teammate on Team Canada White, Cole Perfetti of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, finished second with nine points and led the tournament with seven assists.

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defenceman Ryan O’Rourke, who suited up for Team Canada Black, finished tied with Saint John Sea Dogs blueliner Jeremie Poirier for the lead in defenceman scoring with six points.

McClennon and O’Rourke were both members of the tournament all-star team.

Defenceman Daniil Chayka, who is playing this season with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, won gold with Team Russia.

The Russian-born blueliner joined the Storm this season after being selected seventh overall by the team in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection last spring. Despite being born in Russia, Chayka was eligible for the OHL draft after his family relocated to Canada in 2017.

The six-foot-two, 185-pound Chayka spent the 2017-18 season playing with the minor midget Toronto Jr. Canadians and has also represented Russia at the 4 Nations Cup — a U-16 tournament featuring Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic — last spring in Sweden.

CANADA RUSSIA SERIES RESUMES

The CIBC Canada Russia series resumes Monday in Oshawa, Ont. as Team OHL looks to sweep the middle portion of the six-game event.

Backed by strong performances from Barrett Hayton (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) and MacKenzie Entwistle (Hamilton Bulldogs) among others, the OHL beat Team Russia 3-1 last Thursday in Sarnia, Ont. to give the CHL the lead in the series after the Russians split two games with Team WHL.

In the series opener, goaltender Ian Scott (Prince Albert Raiders) was solid, stopping 27 shots as the WHL beat Russia 2-1.

Ty Smith of the Spokane Chiefs had the lone goal for the WHL in Game 2 in a 3-1 loss. Russian goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 33 saves.

Following Monday’s game in Oshawa, the series shifts to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the final two games.

The Palais des Sports Leopold-Drolet, home of the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, will host Game 5 on Tuesday before the series wraps up Thursday night at Centre Marcel Dionne, home of the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

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