May 3, 2010
Season 5 on the horizon - teams assemble for AGM and GMHL Draft!
May 3, 2010
5th Annual AGM and Draft
This past weekend, 13 teams comprising the 2010-2011 season met in Gilford for the annual AGM and Draft, and as preparations continue for the GMHL's 5th season, there is lots to talk about, and much was accomplished.
1) The King Wild are no more! No, they're not folding, but changes are on the way!
The team will be moving to the Vaughan Iceplex, originally known as Doublerink Arenas, near Jane St. and Highway 7.
Not only will they now be known as Vaughan, you can look forward to a new name and new look for the club.
Tom Nickolau, who came on board as Head Coach of the club late last season, will play in integral role in the new organization, and just confirmed the agreement with the arena, which will see the team play out of the Red Rink at the Iceplex!
The Wild, under owner Naz Marchese, are one of the original founding members of the GMHL, and after 2 seasons at the King City Arena, have played the last 2 years in Nobleton.
2) The league has modified its rule on overage players - 21 year olds.
Last season, the league allowed each team to sign three 21 years olds, over and above the eight twenty year olds as in previous seasons, provided those 21's were in our league the previous season.
We had already added the requirement that overage players had to play a minimum of 5 regular season games the previous year in order to be eligible.
As of this season:
a) Each team may sign a maximum of three overagers;
a) Each team may sign a maximum of three overagers;
b) Overagers are counted toward a maximum of eight 20/21 year olds;
c) Two overagers must still be a rostered player in the GMHL the previous season - rostered meaning signed by the January 10th deadline, and have a minimum of 5 regular season games played.
d) Teams are allowed to sign one 'Free Agent', a 21 year old that is not required to have played in the league the previous season.
The owners felt this was a good opportunity to reduce the number of older players back to eight as in previous seasons, opening the door for more younger players, and offer an opportunity to an outside player that would contribute to the continued rise in the calibre of play in the league, thereby attracting more scouts and recruiters in the process.
3) Expansion. The league has added 2 new teams for this season - the Shelburne Red Wings and the Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks - and while we are not aggressively intent on creating a much larger league, we are still in discussions with a few more possible locations and existing clubs that may lead to more teams this season. Official news and details will have to wait until something is more concrete, but considering the recent folding and merging of Provincial Jr. A clubs in various areas, we have chosen to pursue the possibility that those towns may be interested in maintaining their Jr. A traditions with a new team in the GMHL! Hopefully, more to come in that regard soon!
4) Finally, the Draft. 10 Rounds, teams able to protect up to 3 overage players 21 years old, teams able to draft those overagers left unprotected, players drafted from all over the world, including Japan for the first time this year, with the most recent teams to join the loop having to select last in each round.
There were a number of trades over the season which included the transfering of draft picks, even on the day of the draft, and selections made out of order as a result are indicated noting the team from whom the pick was received.
The Draft results are as follows:
GMHL DRAFT (please note some players require further information)
TEAM PLAYER RESIDENCE / TEAM
ROUND 1
STURGEON FALLS (from POW), Andre Leclair, Temiscaming Royals
ORO-MEDONTE, Mike Lefrenier, Detroit Little Ceasars
TORONTO, Nicholas Crescenzi, Richmond Hill
ELLIOT LAKE (from ALG), Greg Walton, Carolina Hurricanes AAA
VAUGHAN, Alex Bontje, York Simcoe Express
BROCK, Ivan Smirnoff, Ukraine
INNISFIL, Jacob Copeland, Allison
DESERONTO, Cory Brant, Bellville Quinte Red Devils
BRADFORD, Lain Bass, Ontario Hockey Academy
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Ryan Purvis, Couchiching Terriers
ELLIOT LAKE, Jonathan Robinson, Carolina Hurricanes
SHELBURNE, Sergei Stapanov, Bradford Rattlers
POWASSAN (from STU), Stanislov Tochilov, Binghampton Jr. Senators
ROUND 2
POWASSAN, Scott Mathis, Philadelphia Thunder
ORO-MEDONTE, Matt Chowaniec, Chicago Fury AAA
ORO-MEDONTE (from TOR), Jason Suvak, Ohio
ALGOMA, Albert Bolush, HT Latgale, Latvia
VAUGHAN, Joey Borsa, York Simcoe Express M. Midget
BROCK, Mikhail Rudenko, Ukraine
BRADFORD (from INN), Alex Labrosse, Oakville
ORO-MEDONTE (from DES), Eric Combs, St. Louis, MO
BRADFORD, Nick Labrosse, Oakville
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Taylor Holloway, Couchiching Terriers
ELLIOT LAKE, Sean Devlin, Quad City Jr. A
SHELBURNE, Vladislav Danaev, Russia
STURGEON FALLS, Tayler Love, Dallas Star U18 AAA
ROUND 3
POWASSAN, Brendan Phelps, Rocky Mountain AAA
INNISFIL (from ORO), Josh Lopez, Aurora, ON
TORONTO, Mark Tenuta, Toronto Aeros
ALGOMA, Patrick Lebeau, Express AA
VAUGHAN, Matt Lemasiuer, York Simcoe Express AAA
BROCK, Deniss Baskatous, Riga, Latvia
INNISFIL, Adam Roy, Owen Sound
DESERONTO, Jaryd Ramborger, USA
BRADFORD, Magnus Hellberg. Sweden
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Daniel Clairmont, Couchiching Terriers
POWASSAN (from EL), Luke Branin, Team Maryland U18 AAA
SHELBURNE, Alexei Kozlov, Russia
STURGEON FALLS, Sebastien Prytikin, Sisec Selects
ROUND 4
POWASSAN, Jordan Tuttle, Midget U18 Thunder
POWASSAN (from ORO), Kyle Watne, Coeur D'Alene U18 Midget AA
BROCK (from TOR), Domenic Dimatteo, Port Colbourne
ELLIOT LAKE (from ALG), Michal Pastor, Slovakia
VAUGHAN, Brandon Devlin, Brampton Battalion
BROCK, Aeric Annetta, Don Mills Flyers AAA
INNISFIL, Michael Wilson, Michigan
ORO-MEDONTE (from DES), Pat Thornton, Couchiching Terriers
BRADFORD, Eric Mong, Dallas, TX
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Andrew Parks, Couchiching Terriers
ELLIOT LAKE, Peter Bustin, Slovakia
SHELBURNE, Artem Gavrilov, Russia
STURGEON FALLS, Pascal Seguin, Sturgeon Falls
ROUND 5
POWASSAN, Maciej Rompkowski, Poland
ORO-MEDONTE, Sam Heslip, Oro-Medonte Minor Hockey
BROCK (from TOR), Mitch Lutz, Oslo, BC
ALGOMA, Trevor Gorsuch, Chesterfield Falcons
VAUGHAN, Jackson Howe, Markham Waxers
BROCK, Tyler Ross, Detroit, MI
INNISFIL, Zach Dixon, California
DESERONTO, Ryan McConnell, Deseronto Midgets
BRADFORD, Marcus Dahlstrom, Sweden
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Tyler Lumley, Penetang Kings
ELLIOT LAKE, Sean Foster, Alliance AAA Bulldogs
SHELBURNE, Andrey Rodichev, Russia
STURGEON FALLS, Bradley Prescott, North Bay, ON
ROUND 6
POWASSAN, Bartlomiej Bychowski, Poland
ORO-MEDONTE, Jordan Minners, Oro-Medonte M.H.
TORONTO, Steve Douitsis, Ajax Jr. A
ALGOMA, Chad Breunig, Green Bay Gamblers AAA
VAUGHAN, Daniel Lombardi, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
BROCK, Nico Opree, Koln, Germany
POWASSAN (from INN), Mariusz Gurazda, Poland
DESERONTO, Mike Hersom, USA
INNISFIL (from BRA), Ryan Ruck, California
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Derek Van Ness, Collingwood Blues Jr. A
ELLIOT LAKE, Philip Winkler, Slovakia
SHELBURNE, Owen Bennington, Grey Bruce Islanders AAA
STURGEON FALLS, Robin Bonvin, Sisec Selects-AB
ROUND 7
POWASSAN, Josh Ward, United Kingdom
ORO-MEDONTE, Kyle Novak, St. Louis Jr. Blues
POWASSAN (from TOR), Christoff Bojanowski, Poland
ALGOMA, Brian Nanne, Soo North Stars
VAUGHAN, Taylor Chick, York Simcoe Express AAA
BROCK, Robert Farmers, Sheffield Steelers, United Kingdom
INNISFIL, Danny Fetzer, Chicago
DESERONTO, Cameron Walsh, King Wild
INNISFIL (from BRA), Daniel Orsborn, Colorado
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Jeff Vanzant, Seguin Bruins
ELLIOT LAKE, Eric Semonovic, Slovakia
SHELBURNE, Ilja Goncharov, Russia
STURGEON FALLS, Roman Shumikhim, Latvia
ROUND 8
POWASSAN, Aelia Nemeth, Hungary
ORO-MEDONTE, Jordan Belanger, Wallaceburg Lakers
TORONTO, Holden Macdonald, St. Mary High School, Pickering
ALGOMA, Remo Febbraro, St. Mary's College, SSM
VAUGHAN, John Ricci, Brampton Battalion
BROCK, Sebastian Hellegard, Sweden
INNISFIL, Jake Orsborn, Colorado
DESERONTO, Brent Brant, Tyendinaga
BRADFORD, Jake Ryan, California
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Troy Craig, Segin Bruins
ELLIOT LAKE, Robert Sebesta, Slovakia
BROCK (from SHE), Jonas Brodin, Sweden
STURGEON FALLS, Armin Trautmann, Sisec Selects
ROUND 9
POWASSAN, Kristov Hentes, Hungary
ORO-MEDONTE, Pierre Alex Leblanc, Culvert Academy
ORO-MEDONTE (from TOR), Jeremy Humenny, USA
ALGOMA, Matt Jones, Thessalon Midgets
VAUGHAN, Ryan Lomberg, Mississauga Reps
BROCK, Patrik Maslund, Sweden
INNISFIL, Victor Carlsson, Sweden
DESERONTO, Shane Wright, South Muskoka Shield
INNISFIL (from BRA), Zach Russell, California
SOUTH MUSKOKA, Brad Baum, Penetang Jr. C
ELLIOT LAKE, Igor Cervenan, Slovakia
BROCK (from SHE), Sebastian Dyk, Sweden
STURGEON FALLS, Jan Tuesher, Sisec Selects
ROUND 10
POWASSAN, Krzyztof Kanter, Poland
ORO-MEDONTE, Dan Minor, Barrie Colts, OHL
TORONTO, William Phippen, Richmond Hill
ELLIOT LAKE (from ALG), Branden Morganroth, S2 AAA Kalamazoo Midget
VAUGHAN, Matteo Condotta, Mississauga Senators
BROCK, Andre Johnson, Bradford Rattlers
INNISFIL, Patrick Sexton, Ottawa, ON
DESERONTO, Brett Maracle, Tyendanaga
BRADFORD, Jacob Allert, Sweden
ELLIOT LAKE (from SMS), Brandan Duhaime, Blind River AA
ELLIOT LAKE, Chad Braun, X2 AAA Midget
BROCK (from SHE), Yugo Nishiguchi, Japan
STURGEON FALLS, Michel Dumont, Sturgeon Falls
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