‘He has that knack you can’t teach’
Turcotte was drafted third overall in the OHL U18 Priority Selection by the Petes on Wednesday
If Dylan Turcotte keeps growing and keeps scoring he could jump from AA to AAA to the OHL within two years.
In his first full year of AAA hockey, Turcotte won the Hockey Eastern Ontario U18 scoring title while leading the Ottawa Jr. 67’s U18s to a league championship and a bronze medal at the Telus Cup Ontario U18 championship tournament. He also grew four inches and added 25 pounds in the past year. It got him drafted third overall in the OHL U18 Priority Selection by the Peterborough Petes on Wednesday night. The Petes also added a big body on defence in six-foot-four, 220-pound Cameron Martin of the Barrie JR. Colts U18s.
The six-foot-one, 160-pound Turcotte, a left wing and Orleans, Ont. native, scored 28 goals and 21 assists for 49 points in 30 games. He added seven goals and 15 points in 10 HEO playoff games. At the Telus Cup he finished tied for third in scoring with 11 points in seven games. Turcotte played in four games for the EOJHL’s Ottawa Jr. Canadians this year, picking up six points, while also appearing in two games with the CCHL’s Ottawa Jr. Senators.
“Dylan is a kid who has been able to score at every level,” said Petes U18 scout Brian Errey. “He just seems to find a way. He has that knack you can’t teach kids. He’s a big, strong kid who has grown quite a bit this year and we’re hoping he continues to fill out and becomes the player we hope he can be. That’s a big, strong, physical force who can impact a hockey game in a lot of different ways.”
Turcotte said he scored at a twopoints-per-game pace at AA before moving up to AAA this season.
“It was a big step in my journey to become an OHL draft pick,” said Turcotte.
The OHL really became his focus last summer.
“I started putting work in five days a week at the gym. I started realizing it was not too far of a goal for me to achieve. I started this season on a good note and I just kept going,” he said.
“Dylan has a good combination of skill, skating, shot, hockey sense” said Petes GM and VP of operations Mike Oke.
“Maybe lightning will strike twice with us picking a player from the Ottawa area in the U18 draft with Sam Mayer in a similar situation where he showed improvement year over year. We all know what Sam has gone on to do at the OHL level and what he did for the Peterborough Petes.”
The Petes took Martin, a left-shot defenceman from Minesing, Ont., In the second round, 23rd overall. He scored four goals and added 13 assists for 17 points in 32 games. He also played in 13 playoff games, picking up four assists.
The Petes saw a lot of Martin as he played with 2023 draft pick Francis Parish.
“Cameron is a big, strong kid who has progressed this season,” said Errey.” His skating has come along. The kid is six-foot-four, 220 pounds and all muscle. Sometimes it takes those bigger guys a little longer and I think that’s a big part of what this draft is all about. We’re hoping he’s one of those guys who is a diamond in the rough. He keeps it simple and that’s an ingredient a lot of successful defencemen in the OHL have.”
“He uses his size well and defends very well in his own end and moves the puck up the ice quick with a good easy pass,” said Oke.
The Petes and their fans will get their first look at the Petes U16 and U18 draft picks April 26-28 when they hold their rookie development camp at the Memorial Centre.