Guelph Storm picks second overall in Saturday's OHL draft

As always, there is a certain degree of uncertainty heading into Saturday's Ontario Hockey League draft.

The Guelph Storm will pick second overall, behind the Barrie Colts in the online draft with Barrie announcing their pick on Friday.

It was reported Monday that Jack Hughes, the consensus number one ranked player most of the year, will be playing in the U.S. national program next year and Alex Turcotte, a centre from Chicago, is already committed to an NCAA school.

Conspiracy theorists amongst us might see that as posturing to land at a desired team, but either way it likely moves skilled forwards like Ryan Suzuki and Tag Bertuzzi, son of Todd and cousin of Tyler, into the top of the mix.

"Leverage and options, leverage and options," said Storm GM Mike Kelly.

"Sitting across a table and have a candid discussion and leave things on the table is not how it works unfortunately," he said.

"You just have to be prepared for what's there and we'll select the best player for our needs at number two. You can't be too surprised when you're selecting number two, there's only so many options there."

Bertuzzi and Suzuki are both big, skilled forwards who have played wing but likely project as centres.

Michael Vukojevic of Mississauga is likely the top defenceman who is coming to the OHL, but Kelly said for the most part 15 of the top 20 prospects are forward.

Locally, Guelph minor hockey goaltender Matt Dunsmoor and Wellington County native Nick Wong, a forward who played in Mississauga, are high on the draft rankings.

Guelph has the first pick of the second round and then three picks in the third round.

"I truly believe we're going to get a high-end player. This draft has turned out to be a lot deeper than a few of us predicted in December. There's been a lot more players come to the forefront. Anybody picking in the top 10 is going to get a really good player," Kelly said.

Kelly said the Storm is not committed to taking a forward but is "leaning that way" with its first pick.

Kelly said the team maintains good relations with highly-regarded former picks David Farrance (committed to Boston College) and Cam Hillis (committed to Providence College) and that their is still a chance they could play in Guelph one day.

Kelly also confirmed the team has agreed to an agreement with Keegan Stevenson, a rangy forward from Sault Ste. Marie taken in the fifth round of last year's draft.

"If he had been born 15 minutes later he would have been in this year's draft," said Kelly of Stevenson, who played wing for the tier II Soo Thunderbirds last season but who Kelly sees as a centre in the OHL.

Kelly said Stevenson would have gone in the top three rounds this year if he was in this draft.