Conestogo’s Dustin Good goes to the Soo in first round
Coach sites Good’s skills and work ethic in OHL draft result
THE SUMMERY WEATHER IS COMING
in, but Conestogo native Dustin Good has his focus on hockey. The 6’, 160-pound forward was taken 15th overall by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds earlier this month at the OHL’s Under-18 Priority Selection Draft.
It was an exciting day for the Waterloo Wolves U18 player.
“I was just watching the draft on my phone and all of a sudden I got a message from my friend who got drafted to the Soo last year. He said ‘congrats.’ I was kind of confused at first, but then my name was called and I got a call from the GM right after,” said Good.
“He [Greyhounds manager Kyle Raftis] just said he’s excited to get me down to camp and he’s just happy to have me on a team and he’s looking forward to the future,” explained Good. After the disappointment of not getting drafted as a 16-year-old, getting drafted a year later was a confidence booster for Good.
“It was just a good feeling. I worked hard to get to that point.”
Waterloo Wolves coach Brian Burnley said Good is a very skilled player and has some offensive weapons at his disposal.
“He’s a kid who sees the ice well and makes some good passes when there’s need to, but also has a
fantastic shot and can kind of manoeuvre himself into good scoring opportunities,” Burnely said.
“He likes to work his way through traffic and take on challenges in the open ice so he is a guy who likes to see open ice and see how everything unfolds out in the open,” Burnley added.
Good said that he needs to gain weight and put some muscle on his frame.
“I’m probably going to be in the gym a lot [over the summer],” he said.
“Goody needs to put on some pounds, for sure. I’m not saying he’s slight, but he could benefit from 10 to 15 pounds, for sure, just to be able to maintain control of the puck in the corners and on the half wall and on the boards,” added Burnley.
Burnley said Good is a well-rounded athlete
excelling in multiple sports, including football and basketball.
“He definitely can have a good work ethic. I mean, he’s like any 17-year-old athlete or 16-year-old athlete that has ups and downs, but there are no issues at all.”
While next season is still several months away, Good is hoping to play at the highest level he can.
“Whether it’s the OHL or Junior A or Junior B, I
just want to get that junior feeling,” Good said.
Good is going to be an impact player regardless of what level that is, Burnley predicted.
“Sadly it won’t be with our team. He is certainly beyond the minor hockey realm, but I think that if he does end up in the OHL this year, or the next year, I think he’ll certainly be an impact player offensively. He could play an all-around game,” he said.