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Battalion select three in OHL U-18 Priority Selection

Battalion take the lone player from the Great North Midget League
20200408Kevin Henstock
First overall U-18 pick Kevin Henstock with the Oakville Rangers. Photo courtesy Elite Prospects.

The North Bay Battalion selected forward Kevin Henstock with the first overall pick in the OHL Under-18 Priority Selection which began online at noon on Wednesday. 

The 2003 birth year forward listed at 6'1" and 179 pounds netted 18 goals along with 24 assists for 42 points in 32 games with the Oakville Rangers last season. Henstock also added 16 points in 12 playoff games with the Rangers as well. 

He's described by some scouts as "a big powerful player who skates well and has a good shot."

Adam Dennis, Battalion GM says Henstock suffered through some injuries in his minor midget season that may have hurt his draft rankings last year.  

"Kevin is a highly skilled player, he can find the net as well as anyone at the midget level, he is just a very heady player and has a good chance to come in and compete for a spot in September." 

The Troops selected goaltender Wade Monague with the 21st overall pick. The 6'0", 180-pound goaltender played last season with the North Central Predators.  In 23 games last season Monague had a 3.48 goals-against average along with a pair of shutouts.  

"This is a goaltender we had on the list and thought would be drafted last season," Dennis said about Monague. 

"He got a lot of rubber this year and he's a big kid that his athletic and has a lot of potential so I think he joins a good young goalie corps that we are excited to work with."  

With their third pick, the Troops stayed close to home taking North Bay AAA Trappers defenceman Alex Little.

The 5'11", 150 pound Minden, Ontario product had nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 38 games with the Trappers this past season. He also played four games as an affiliate player with the NOJHL's Powassan Voodoos. 

Little was the only northern player from the Great North Midget League selected in the 50-player draft. 

"I think like a lot of defence that we have, Alex is a hockey player," said Dennis. 

"He is very versatile, he can do a lot of things. He can play the left side or the right side. He is a very responsible young man that we got to know quite well this season and is a high character kid from a high character family and we are excited to have him join our crew." 

The three-round fourth annual OHL Under-18 Priority Selection included 2002 and 2003 birth year players chosen from Midget AAA programs from across the province.

Battalion defenceman Ryan Thompson, taken eighth overall in the 2019 U-18 Priority Selection was one of a dozen U18 selections that played in the league last year. 


Chris Dawson

About the Author: Chris Dawson

Chris Dawson has been with BayToday.ca since 2004. He has provided up-to-the-minute sports coverage and has become a key member of the BayToday news team.
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