John McFarland of Richmond Hill will be the first player selected in Saturday’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
Sports
May 02, 2008 03:36 PM
By: Jim Mason, Staff Writer
It’s official.
John McFarland of Richmond Hill will be the first player selected in Saturday’s Ontario Hockey League draft.
The Sudbury Wolves, owners of the first pick, made the announcement Friday afternoon.
McFarland will receive the Jack Ferguson Award as the first player taken in the draft, which will commence at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Previous recipients include Jason Spezza, Steven Stamkos and Kirk Muller.
McFarland, a right-handed shooting centre scored 96 goals and added 69 assists to go with 176 penalty minutes in 76 games for the GTHL champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens last season.
“John is extremely talented and possesses all the skills necessary to succeed at the next level,” Wolves general manager and coach Mike Foligno said. “He will be a valuable addition to our young and talented team, John is a leader and we look forward to developing his skills along with our young team.”
“This is great news for our team, our fans and the city of Sudbury,” Wolves’ owner Mark Burgess said. “My family is very excited about the upcoming season and what lies ahead for the future.”
John will attend Lasalle Secondary School in Sudbury this fall.
The Wolves, who were playing in the OHL championship series a year ago, finished last overall in the 20-team league this season with a record of 17-46-2-3.
For local coverage Saturday, return to yorkregion.com