Cape Breton players selected at QMJHL draft
Chase Ellis selected in the third round by Drummondville
There was a plenty of Cape Breton talent scooped up in Saturday’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft.
The first local taken was Chase Ellis of Whycocomagh. The Cape Breton West Islanders forward was selected in the third round, No. 50 overall by the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The 16-year-old scored eight goals to go along with 19 assists for 27 points in 33 games in his rookie season. Ellis, a 6-2, 216pound centre, is the cousin of goaltender Colten Ellis of the Rimouski Océanic.
The Halifax Mooseheads then selected Sonny Kabatay in the fifth round, No. 80 overall. The 5-10, 165-pound centre from Membertou scored 18 goals to go along with 24 assists for 42 points in 34 games in his rookie season with the Cape Breton Unionized Tradesmen. Kabatay is a graduate of the Joneljim Cougars and in his final season in major bantam in 2016-17, he won the league’s scoring title with 60 points (25 goals, 35 assists) in 30 games.
Matthew Ellis of River Denys, the younger brother of Colten Ellis, could join his brother this fall. The Océanic selected the Cape Breton West left winger in the seventh round, No. 110 overall.
Rimouski also picked Cape Breton West forward Calum MacPherson in the 10th round, No. 177 overall, while Charlottetown selected Cape Breton West defender Dell Welton in the 11th round, No. 190 overall.
The Mooseheads picked Nathan MacMillan, a forward with the Tradesmen, in the 11th round, No. 196 overall, while Tradesmen goaltender Josh Leudy went to the Screaming Eagles in Round 14, No. 241 overall.