Alex McLean has never been to Guelph, but he's sure looking forward to getting here.
Picking ninth overall in the OHL Priority Selection Friday, Guelph drafted McLean, a centre from the Barrie Jr. Colts who had 30 goals and 47 assists in 33 games last season.
The first three rounds of the draft went online Friday. The rest go Saturday.
A Perth native, near Brockville, McLean is listed at 5'9", 162 pounds.
"I couldn't be more excited. Guelph was my number one team," said McLean over the phone from his home in Perth, near Brockville.
"We have a bunch of friends and family over and it was really exciting. I knew I was going to go in the first round and I know Guelph liked me," he said.
As for what he thinks of the Royal City.
"Actually I've never been there," said McLean, who played most of his minor hockey in Ottawa before joining the Barrie squad for his minor midget season.
"But I like how they run the team and I know they've sent a bunch of guys to the NHL."
McLean is represented by the same agency as last year's first rounder, Quinn Beauchesne, and trains with Beauchesne in the summer. Beauchesne and several other Storm players had already texted him Friday shortly after being selected.
"I'm super excited to get down there and get started," said McLean, whose older brother Lleyton is a 6'1" winger who plays tier II hockey in Carleton Place.
Storm general manager George Burnett called McLean an "elite offensive player" on one of the top minor midget teams in the province.
"He's been one of the top players in his age group for a number of years now. A guy that can play the game at both ends of the rink and competes extremely hard."
In the second round, 35th overall, Guelph selected 6'1", 155 pound centre Carter Stevens from Ottawa. He had 18 goals and 25 assists in 27 games.
Ranked highly all year, Stevens really came on at the all-important OHL Cup competition at season's end.
"Absolutely," Burnett said. "Playing against the elite players in the province he stood out."
"He's a 6'2" right shot, right winger who skates extremely well," Burnett said. "We needed to get a little bigger and a little stronger up front and improve our skill as well."
With their first of two picks in the third round, 43rd overall, they took 6'5", 187 pound defenceman Eric Frossard from the London Jr. Knights. Frossard had five goals and 18 assists in 30 games.
Frossard is not committed to the OHL but Burnett said they have had positive conversations with the Frossard family and a good exchange of information.
"One of the most improved players in the draft," Burnett said. "We had him ranked high in the first round."
Whether he shows up remains to be seen.
"It's a flyer. They've been very transparent with us. We had a great meeting a few weeks ago and had a meeting a couple of days ago. They've considered some other options and all we're asking is for an opportunity to provide some information to their family."
Frossard played for former OHLer Danny Syvret last year.
With their second pick of the third round they took 6'1" goaltender Colin Ellsworth from the York Simcoe Express, the third goalie taken in the draft.
"Maybe the best goaltender in the draft," Burnett said of Ellsworth, a late birth date.
This year's picks will be invited to an orientation camp in Guelph next weekend.
Guelph has a total of 16 picks in this year's draft, which continues with rounds four through 15 Saturday.
Ethan Belchetz, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound winger from Oakville was taken first overall Thursday by the Windsor Spitfires.
Full draft results can be found here.
