A history-making weekend is being celebrated by the Quinte Red Devils AAA hockey organization.
The Red Devils saw seven of their U16 2010-born players picked in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft Friday and Saturday in Kingston.
For the first time in the organization’s history, two players were taken in the first round, Lauchlan Whelan of Cobourg going 16th overall to the Windsor Spitfires and Andrew Laurin of Belleville two spots later to the Ottawa 67s.
Whelan notched 54 points in 34 regular season games, then added 12 goals and 15 points in the OMHA playoffs.
Laurin wasn’t far behind in points, compiling 51 during the season and another 12 in the postseason.
Austin Ottenhof (Odessa) was drafted in the third round, 48th overall to the North Bay Battalion, followed by fifth round, 89th overall pick Trent Clow (Cobourg) to the Brantford Bulldogs.
In Round 7, Jax Martin (Foxboro) was selected with the 123rd overall pick by the Soo Greyhounds.
The Kingston Frontenacs chose goaltender Nathan Ferriss of Belleville and forward Lawson Liboiron-Minifie in the 13th and 15th rounds.
Additionally, two other players with ties to the Quinte area were picked, with Belleville’s Brycen McCoy going in the 13th round to the Sudbury Wolves after playing with the Kingston Canadiens AA team this past season and former Red Devil and current Ajax-Pickering Raider Brechyn Aird being taken in the 15th round by the Owen Sound Attack.
