HEADLINE

Eleven CJHL Players Drafted

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Eleven Canadian Junior Hockey League players were selected in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Beau Bennett of the Penticton Vees in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) was selected in the first round, 20th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In total, four players from the BCHL were selected in the NHL Entry Draft. Alberni Valley Bulldogs forward Mark MacMillan was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round, 113th overall. MacMillan was the Coastal Conference\'s Rookie of the Year. Penticton Vees defenceman Isaac MacLeod was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round of the draft, 136th overall. Vernon Vipers centre Kellen Jones was the final BCHL player selected after being chosen by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round, 202nd overall. Jones was a two-time Fred Page Cup and RBC Cup winner with the Vipers.

Three Central Canadian Hockey League (CCHL) players were drafted in this year\'s Entry Draft. Julian Melchiori (Newmarket) and Alexander Guptill (Orangeville) were both third round draft picks by the Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Stars respectively. In the fifth round, Zach Hyman (Hamilton) was selected by the Florida Panthers.

Goaltender Sam Brittain (Canmore Eagles) and defenseman Ben Gallacher (Camrose Kodiaks) of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) were selected by the Florida Panthers in the 4th Round. The Panthers selected Brittain 92nd overall, followed by Gallacher 93rd overall.

The Winnipeg South Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) had two players chosen in the NHL Entry Draft. Brendan O\'Donnell was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 6, while teammate Peter Stoykewych was selected in the 7th Round by the Atlanta Thrashers.

Round / Overall Pick / NHL Team / Player / Position / CJHL League / Team

1 20 PIT BEAU BENNETT RW BCHL PENTICTON
3 77 DAL ALEXANDER GUPTILL LW CCHL ORANGEVILLE
3 87 ATL JULIAN MELCHIORI D CCHL NEWMARKET
4 92 FLA SAM BRITTAIN G AJHL CANMORE
4 93 FLA BENJAMIN GALLACHER D AJHL CAMROSE
4 113 MTL MARK MACMILLAN F BCHL ALBERNI VALLEY
5 123 FLA ZACH HYMAN C CCHL HAMILTON
5 136 SJS ISAAC MACLEOD D BCHL PENTICTON
6 156 TBL BRENDAN O\'DONNELL C MJHL WINNIPEG SOUTH
7 199 ATL PETER STOYKEWYCH D MJHL WINNIPEG SOUTH
7 202 EDM KELLEN JONES F BCHL VERNON

Fourteen Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) players were selected in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, QC. Kyle Turris of the BCHL\'s Burnaby Express was selected 3rd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes and remains the highest ever selection from the CJHL.