Dobson ranked fifth
Summerside native expected to be high selection at NHL draft
Summerside native Noah Dobson is ranked fifth among North American skaters for June’s NHL draft in the final rankings by the league’s central scouting.
The six-foot-three, 180-pound defenceman had 17 goals and 52 assists for 69 points in 67 regular season games during his sophomore campaign with the Acadie-Bathurst
Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He has a goal and three assists for four points in
10 games during the playoffs. The Titan open the third round Friday at home against the Victoriaville Tigres.
Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin was ranked the top international skater and is wildly considered to be the draft’s top prospect.
Twenty-one of the top 31 ranked North American prospects were from the Canadian Hockey League, led by Barrie Colts forward Andrei Svechnikov.
Other QMJHL players ranked among the top 30 North American skaters were Halifax teammates Filip Zadina (third), Jared McIsaac (13th) and Benoit-Olivier Groulx (20th) and Drummondville’s Joseph Veleno (eighth).
Islanders defenceman Saku Vesterinen is ranked 143rd, former Isles forward Shawn Boudrias is ranked 153rd while Summerside native Jeremy McKenna, a Moncton Wildcats forward, is ranked 162. All went through the draft a year ago.
Drummondville’s Olivier Rodrigue is the top North American goalie followed by Cape Breton’s Kevin Mandolese, Halifax’s Alexis Gravel and Chicoutimi’s Zachary Bouthillier. The QMJHL had 37 players ranked, led by Drummondville’s eight.
The draft will take place June 22-23 in Dallas.
Dobson was drafted sixth overall by the Titan during the 2016 draft at the Eastlink Centre.