Like every other Ontario Hockey League club, the Soo Greyhounds are happy with the way Saturday's OHL Priority Selection went for them.
While they felt that they took the best player available with each pick, the Greyhounds came away from the draft feeling confident in the picks they made.
Contrary to the thoughts of many, the Greyhounds made a defenceman their first pick as they selected left-shooting defenceman Jacob Muzzin with the eleventh overall selection.
Muzzin, who spent last season playing with the Brantford 99'ers Minor Midget team, is seen as a strong, physical defenceman with an offensive touch.
"Well, Muzzin's a big kid on defence," Hounds General Manager Dave Torrie said of his pick. "He's got upside on both sides of the redline. He's got some real offensive upside. He's got the best shot of any player in the draft. On the defensive side he's a punishing guy. We think with some good development over the next two years he could be 6'3" or 6'4" and 220 or 225 and nasty to play against and still be out there on your power play."
The Greyhounds did not hold another selection until the third round where they selected winger Josh Moes from the St. Catharines Sabres minor midget team. Moes, who posted 17 goals and 60 points in 34 games with the Sabres, was a player Torrie was happy to select.
"He's a big kid," Torrie said of Moes. "He's 6-foot-3, 210- 215-pounds. He played a little bit of junior B and a little bit of minor midget. His speed and his talent level are pretty high. We have to get him to be consistent. That's the only knock and the only reason he was there (available in the third round). (Our coaches) are going to have to get him to bring what he's capable of bringing and if we get that out of him, we've got a pretty special player."
Torrie went on to comment on ninth round selection Matthew Thurber from the Madison (Wisconsin) Capitals, comparing the centre to Hounds veteran Tyler Kennedy.
"(He's) a fantastic hockey player," Torrie said of Thurber. "He seems excited (to be selected by the Greyhounds). To us, he should have been a second round pick, but we knew he wasn't really educated towards the league. I've talked to him three or four times in the past week-and-a-half.
"We're the closest (OHL) team to Wisconsin. (He's) actually very excited about us drafting him. If we can get him to play and if he wants to play, we think we hit an absolute homerun with this pick. We feel there's a legitimate opportunity that he might want to play."
Overall, Torrie was pleased with the way the draft went, specifically with the opportunity to add some size at most positions.
The draft also allowed the Greyhounds to add a pair of local products to their list of prospects as they selected Soo North Stars defenceman Mike Quesnele in the fifth round and right winger Brad DiCandia, also of the North Stars in the 13th round.
Other local products that were selected included Zack Torquato, who played in Stratford last season. Torquato was selected third overall by the Saginaw Spirit while the Sudbury Wolves used a ninth round selection to pick Soo North Stars winger Paul Dupont.
Also, Jordan Nolan, son of former Greyhounds coach Ted Nolan was also selected as the Erie Otters made the young centre their third round pick.
Both Torrie and Craig Hartsburg were pleased to be able to add two local products.
"(With Quesnele) we were happy to get him where we did," Torrie said. "We took him where we had him rated. We were worried that another team might have him rated a little higher. We were worried about whether he would be there. There was no hesitation to take him.
"With DiCandia, size is a little bit of a concern (5.08, 160)," Torrie continued. "He plays with a lot of heart though and he plays beyond his size. I'm not worried about his size. He's got some developing to do. He has a lot of heart and I know he's very excited to be drafted by the Soo Greyhounds.
"I personally think that with the Soo kids, we have to try to get them when we can," Hartsburg added. "But for any Soo kid in the draft, if he falls into the right spot, it's important for the kids in the Soo that they have a chance to play here."
Greyhounds fans will get an opportunity to see the future of the hockey club in early June as the Greyhounds plan to hold a mini-camp on June 4 and 5. The camp will feature all of the 2005 draft picks and many of the Greyhounds selections from the 2004 draft as well.
*** SOO GREYHOUNDS DRAFT SELECTIONS:
Following is a complete rundown of the Greyhounds picks in the draft (height, weight, position and team in parenthesis):
1st Round – Jacob Muzzin (6.02, 200, LD, Brantford 99'ers Minor Midget) 3rd Round – Josh Moes (6.03, 215, RW, St. Catharines Sabres Minor Midget) 4th Round – Grant McGee (6.02, 180, C, Mississauga IceDogs Minor Midget) 5th Round – Mike Quesnele (5.09, 180, LD, Soo North Stars Midget) 6th Round – Ben Smith (5.11, 165, G, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs Minor Midget) 7th Round – Bryan Cooper (6.02, 160, RD, Chatham-Kent Cyclones Minor Midget) 8th Round – Andrew Perdicaro (6.00, 180, C, Long Island Gulls U-18 Midget) 9th Round – Matthew Thurber (5.08, 150, C, Madison Capitals Midget) 10th Round – Chris MacKinnon (5.08, 170, LW, Mississauga Senators Minor Midget) 11th Round – Nick Borg (6.02, 175, LW, Jr. Canadiens Minor Midget) 12th Round – Dylan Tice (6.02, 170, RD, Peterborough Petes Minor Midget) 13th Round – Brad DiCandia (5.08, 160, RW, Soo North Stars Midget) 13th Round – Nick Holmberg (6.01, 180, LD, Ajax Pickering Minor Midget) 14th Round – Josh Robinson (5.11, 170, G, Midland Midget "A") 15th Round – Mike Nedilsky (5.10, 155, RW, St. Catharines Sabres Minor Midget)
(PHOTO: (l-r) Greyhounds assistant coach Denny Lambert, head coach Craig Hartsburg, Mike Quesnele and general manager Dave Torrie.)