Sean Day receives ‘exceptional’ status
Designation will allow 15-year-old defenceman to enter OHL draft
For the third year in a row, a 15year-old has been declared eligible for the upcoming Ontario Hockey League draft.
Sean Day, a Canadian who plays for Detroit CompuwareAAA minor midgets, was granted so-called “exceptional player” status Thursday after a review by Hockey Canada.
“I’m relieved about the decision,” Day, a 6-foot-2, 197-pound defenceman, told reporters.
Day, who turned15 in January and has been playing with kids a year older than he is, described himself as a Paul Coffey-type offensive rear guard with good vision who likes to pass, but can also play shutdown defence.
Day is the fourth player granted the exemption to start his junior-A career a year early, following in the strides of forward Connor McDavid (2012), defenceman Aaron Ekblad (2011) and forward John Tavares (2005).
But while the other three went first overall in their subsequent OHL draft, Day may not be snapped up by either the Ottawa 67’s or Erie Otters, the teams who have the opening pair of selections in the April 6 draft.
Day insisted he’s not bothered by who picks him and when.
“I’m prepared to go wherever I’m taken,” said Day, adding that neither he nor his representatives have talked to either team. “The point of getting this is to be able to play in the OHL.”
Phil McKee, executive director of the Ontario Hockey Federation, which oversaw the application pro- cess, rejected suggestions the “exceptional player” tag is being overused since it’s been granted a third straight year.
The process not only involved evaluating Day as a player and a student but also “reviewed his maturity and capability as a young man,” McKee said.
That included writing an essay and a four-hour session with a psychologist.
“This is definitely the hardest thing I’ve done,” said Day, who was born in Belgium and lives in Rochester, Mich., but is a Canadian citizen.
Keith Day, Sean’s father, said despite media reports that the youngster was going to play in the USHL next season if his application was turned down, his son would have simply played another year and gone into the OHL draft. As Canadians, rather than dual citizens, they are committed to Hockey Canada, Keith Day said. He added the application was made because he and his wife wanted to let their son “live his dream” to play at the next level. Sean Day, who has been advised by former NHL defenceman Jason Woolley for the past18 months, said he realized in recent months that he had outgrown his competition and needed more of a challenge. “I feel like I’m not even trying right now,” said Day, who had 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 63 games for Detroit Compuware this season. He had a plus-47 rating with the highly rated team, which appeared in several Ontario-based tournaments, including the Whitby Silver Stick where they lost in the championship final to the Toronto Marlboros. Day, who said he exchanged texts with Ekblad about the challenges of making the move, said he has no great expectations going into the OHL next season, saying “I’m just looking forward to playing.” The three other players granted exceptional status have excelled — Tavares had 433 points in 247 OHL games and then went first overall to the NHL’s New York Islanders in 2009; Ekblad was the OHL rookie of the year last season; McDavid had 66 points in 63 games to finish second among rookies.