TORONTO -- Thunder Bay's Chase Furlong was the first local player taken in the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft.
The Thunder Bay Kings U16AAA goaltender was grabbed in the fifth round, 84th overall, on Saturday by the Erie Otters. The 15-year-old had a 5-3-0 record with a 1.90 goals against average and a .939 save percentage for the Kings in ther Greater Toronto Hockey League this past season. He was 6-3-2 with a 1.93 goals against average and .911 save percentage in non-league contests.
Furlong was the sixth overall goaltender taken.
Thunder Bay's Max Leduc, the Superior International Junior Hockey League rookie of the year, was taken in the 11th round, 218th overall, by the London Knights. The 17-year-old had 18 goals and 45 points in 46 games for the Fighting Walleye, who will restart their quest for their first SIJHL title on Sunday night when they host the Thunder Bay North Stars in the opening game of the Bill Salonen Cup final.
The final local player to hear his name called was Kings goaltender Travis Vanderzwaag, who went in the 15th round, 298th overall, to the London Knights.
Defenceman Matthew Schaefer of the Halton Hurricanes went No. 1 overall. Jack Ivankovic of the Mississauga Senators was the top goaltender taken, going seventh overall to Mississauga.
