hunder Bay Kings AAA Hockey
Media Update
NAPHL’s Kings see 5 players drafted by OHL clubs
THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Thunder Bay Kings of the North American Prospects Hockey League has seen a total of five players from their under-16 and U-18 clubs taken in the two Ontario Hockey League Drafts.
Four players from the U-16 minor midget squad were selected in the OHL’s Priority Selection while one was taken in their U-18 Draft.
In the U-16 event, the first Thunder Bay player to go was goaltender Christian Cicigoi, who was picked in the sixth round, 103rd overall, by the North Bay Battalion.
Ciccigoi was earlier named to compete in the NAPHL U-16 all-star game and was also named Hockey Northwestern Ontario’s minor midget player of the year.
He was then followed by forward Owen Belisle, who was also secured by North Bay, as he went in the eighth round, 147th overall.
Belisle tied for the team lead in scoring with 22 points in 23 outings for the Kings in the NAPHL with eight goals and 14 assists. He also joined Cicigoi in the NAPHL’s U-16 all-star contest back in December.
Next to go for Thunder Bay was their other netminder in Jordan Smith as he was tabbed by the Peterborough Petes, in the ninth round, 180th overall.
Smith went 5-5 in NAPHL play this season with a 3.22 goals-against average.
Rounding out the U-16 Kings’ pick was forward Keighan Gerrie, who was chosen by the defending OHL and Memorial Cup champion London Knights as they chose Gerrie with their 12th round, 237th overall, choice.
Gerrie joined Belisle for the team-lead in points with 22 as he notched nine markers and helped set-up 13 others.
As for the inaugural five-round OHL U-18 Draft, the lone member of the Kings picked was forward Quintin Loon-Stewardson.
The NAPHL all-star was tabbed by the Windsor Spitfires in the third round, 56th, overall.
Loon-Stewardson led Thunder Bay’s U-18 side in offensive production in NAPHL regular season play in 2016-17 with 19 points in 23 games on a dozen goals and seven assists.
The Kings just finished their second season competing in both the NAPHL’s U-16 and U-18 divisions and are beginning preparations for their third year in the league in 2017-18.
