Barrie drafts Ekblad at No 1; Domi goes eighth
Posted May 7, 2011 12:15 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
BARRIE, Ont. — The Barrie Colts did the expected Saturday at the OHL draft, selecting underage defenceman Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick.
The move wasn’t a surprise as Barrie had announced Friday it would select the six-foot-three blue-liner. The Belle River, Ont., native is the first player given exceptional player status since John Tavares, who was picked first overall by the Oshawa Generals in 2005.
Ekblad goes to a team that gave up a league-high 348 goals last season and was one of the youngest squads in the OHL.
With the No. 2 pick, the Peterborough Petes took Nicholas Ritchie, a six-foot-two, 205-pound forward from the Toronto Marlboros.
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds followed by selecting Darnell Nurse, a six-foot-three, 175-pound defenceman from the Don Mills Flyers.
Forward Max Domi, a forward with the Don Mills Flyers and son of former NHL tough guy Tie Domi, went eighth overall to the Kingston Frontenacs.
Frontenacs GM Doug Gilmour and head coach Todd Gill were both teammates with Tie Domi on the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
