Blue Jackets a fit for Spitfires veteran
Better late than never for Spitfires centre selected 212th overall at NHL Entry Draft
Windsor Spitfires centre Tyler Angle did everything he could on Saturday to take his mind off the NHL Entry Draft.
“I was golfing during the day hoping there may be a chance I would go (in the draft) when golfing,” the 18-year-old Angle said.
He finished his round and had heard nothing from agent Mark Guy, so he headed home.
“I went home and got a call from my agent right when I got home,” Angle said. “It was heart-stopping and a crazy feeling.”
With six picks to go in the draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets grabbed Angle in the seventh round with the 212th selection.
“Coming down to the last couple of picks, I didn’t know if I would get picked, but I got the call and it was crazy,” Angle said.
Angle was just the third player the Blue Jackets selected in the draft. The club’s other two picks came in the fourth round.
“Looking back, Columbus was one of the best teams because of the short amount of prospects,” Angle said. “I was their third prospect in the draft and I think it’s an opportunity for me.”
He’s headed to prospects camp this week and he’ll have company. Although he was not drafted, Spitfires defenceman Louka Henault accepted an invitation to attend camp with Columbus.
“Columbus reached out to me after the draft and extended an invitation to their camp,” the 18-yearold Henault said. “It’s great to get the same opportunity as drafted players to go to the camps, even though I wasn’t selected.
“I realized afterwards I would be going it with Angle and I thought that was great news to know you’re going in there with a familiar face and someone you’re comfortable with.”
Angle was the only member from Windsor’s 2018-19 team selected in the draft. However, like Henault, defenceman Nathan Staios is off to a prospects camp, his run by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I was contacted by them about five minutes after the draft,” the 18-year-old Staios said. “My agent and I thought it was a good place for me to go because they look for players with skill and hockey sense.”
And while he only signed on with the Spitfires just over a week ago, Egor Afanasyev was taken by the Nashville Predators in the second round of the draft on Saturday with the 45th pick.
“I’m just so blessed to be part of such a great organization,” the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Afanasyev said.
The Russian-born winger was considered a potential first-round prospect, but sat without being selected on Friday before Nashville took him early Saturday.
“Me and my parents were a little nervous,” Afanasyev said. “I’m just so happy. I got goosebumps for a couple of minutes (after being taken). I can’t wait to get things going with that team.”