Davis waiting for a call from the OHL

According to a number of OHL and junior hockey scouts, Mitchell Davis will be the only North Bay area player drafted on Saturday during the 2008 OHL Priority Selection.

Early in the year it appeared as though a handful of North Bay Trappers would be put on the OHL draft list but those sources say he was the only one put on draft list which makes him eligible to be taken in the annual minor midget draft.

“It’s going to be quite the day, draft day and I’m really hoping to get drafted but if it doesn’t happen there are other options,” Davis said.

The North Bay Trappers forward was named the Great North Midget League's rookie of the year. He finished with 30 goals and 32 assists in 34 regular season games with the Trappers this season. Davis was also the NOHA All-Stars leading scorer at the OHL Cup but was cut at the Northern Ontario Under-17 camp recently in Espanola.

Perry Olivier, a regional scout for the OHL’s Erie Otters, has been watching Davis for a long time.

“His biggest asset is he’s willing to work and compete at the level he needs to be at to be a successful player,” said Olivier, whose son Jamie was the only North Bay area player drafted last spring.

“He has determination but it’s a well known fact he needs to work on his skating.”

Under the spotlight again

Being under the spotlight is nothing new for the Callander native. In January of 2000, Davis got national recognition when he broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for goals by a 7-year-old by scoring 105 goals in only 17 games with the Niroc Tykes in Astorville.

But over the years the amazing scoring feat may have done more harm than good as the record seemed to create a spawning ground for jealousy towards a player who simply loves the game.

"There is still talk about it and everyone still mentions something about it whether it's good or bad but not everyone is going to like you so you just try your best to do what you can on the ice and be a good example off the ice," said Davis.

Many expect Davis to be a mid-round selection in the OHL Draft which is done over the internet.