The North Bay Battalion selected left-winger Ryland Mosley third overall in the first round of the inaugural Ontario Hockey League Under-18 Priority Selection last night. Mosley was the first of five picks the Battalion made in the draft. The Troops drafted four forwards, and one goaltender in the process. Assistant General Manager Matt Rabideau, who oversaw the Battalion selections, says Mosley was the most valuable player in his league. Rabideau says he’s got elite offensive skills, and his competitiveness is off the charts. He added Mosley was one of the most dynamic players he saw during the winter, and they’re looking for him to come in and challenge for a spot.
The Troops went back to Eastern Ontario in the second and third rounds, grabbing centre Jared Weber of the Canadian International Hockey Academy’s Green team with the 23rd overall pick and left winger Francois Drouin of the Cumberland Grads with the 43rd overall selection. A resident of Pembroke, Ontario, Weber scored 11 goals and added 24 assists for 35 points in 45 games to lead his team in scoring. Rabideau says he plays a 200-foot game, he’s a great skater and very competitive. Drouin, hails from Casselman, Ontario and scored 14 goals and added 25 assists for 39 points and a team-leading 89 penalty minutes in 42 games. Rabideau noted he plays an up-and-down game, and he can bang, compete, and plays very tough on the wall.
In the fourth round the Battalion took goaltender Will Barber of the Oakville Rangers 63rd overall. The Troops’ final pick in the fifth round at 83rd overall was North Bay native Nick Davis. Davis, a right winger with the AAA Midget Trappers who scored 16 goals and added 26 assists for 42 points with 58 penalty minutes in 36 games. Rabideau says he’s a bit slight, but he makes up for that with hard work. He finished by saying Davis is an offensive threat every time he’s on the ice.
