67's stock more depth in middle in OHL draft

The Ottawa 67's focused on strengthening the middle by taking centres with their first four picks in the OHL Priority Selection on Friday night.

For their top choice, 12th overall, they stayed close to home with Christopher Barlas from the Navan Grads U18 AAA team. Barlas, a 5-foot-10½ 180-pound Ottawa native, had 25 goals and 51 points in 29 games for the Ottawa 67's U15 AAA team in the 2019-20 season.

With their first pick in the second round, the 67's chose Stoney Creek product Luca Pinelli 28th from the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. At the 32nd spot, which they obtained from Owen Sound, the 67's grabbed Cooper Foster, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound Sault Ste. Marie product who was with the Soo Greyhounds U18 AAA team.

In the third round, the 67's used the 40th overall pick to take Bradley Gardiner, a 6-foot-2, 175-pounder from Aurora who last played with St. Andrew's College Varsity.

Picking first overall, the Sudbury Wolves took right winger Quentin Musty, a 6-foot-1, 180 pound product of Hamburg, N.Y.

Five members of the Oakville Rangers U16 AAA team were selected with the first 11 picks, including centre Calum Ritchie (second, Oshawa), right winger Matthew Soto (fifth, Kingston), right winger Nick Lardis (sixth, Peterborough), centre Luke Misa (ninth, Mississauga) and centre Owen Outwater (11th, North Bay).

Along with Barlas, other local players were sprinkled across the first round, beginning with Carey Terrance, a centre with the Kemptville 73s U18 AAA team who went 10th overall to the Erie Otters.

Justin Cloutier, a right winger with the Ottawa Senators U18 AAA team, was picked 18th by the Soo Greyhounds.

Carleton Place Canadians defenceman Oliver Bonk, the son of former NHLer Radek Bonk, was selected by the London Knights in the second round with the 26th pick.