Halifax Mooseheads win QMJHL draft first overall pick
'We were very excited. It's an important day,' says Mooseheads General Manager Cam Russell
Even though the team failed to make the playoffs, the Halifax Mooseheads picked up a win of sorts Thursday.
The Mooseheads captured the 2016 first overall pick in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft lottery.
"We were very excited," Mooseheads General Manager Cam Russell said. "It's an important day and it's exciting for our fans."
The Mooseheads are in the middle of a re-building process. The team traded away a number of their top players earlier this season prior to the trading deadline, including Timo Meier and Danny Moynihan.
In return, the team received younger players coaches believe will be part of the team's re-build, as well as a number of draft picks that put them in a very enviable position.
'Good growing year'
The Mooseheads will have six picks in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft, three in the first round and three in the second.
The talent the team should get with some of those picks likely will fit in well with the quality young players already on the teams roster, Russell said.
"It was a tough year and we knew what the plan was and that was to move some of our older players and give our younger guys an opportunity to play," Russell said.
"It was a good growing year for those young guys."
The first overall pick in the QMJHL draft has belonged to Halifax only once before. That was in the team's inaugural season in 1994 when forward Etienne Drapeau was selected.
Jared McIsaac among top prospects
Cole Harbour hockey stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon were both number one selections in the Q draft.
MacKinnon was taken by Baie-Comeau in 2011 and was later traded to Halifax. Crosby was the Q League's top pick in 2003 when he was selected by the Rimouski Oceanic.
It's possible another player from Cole Harbour could be selected number one.
Cole Harbour Wolfpack defenceman Jared McIsaac is rated among the top prospects, along with forward Benoit-Olivier Groulx, the son of Gatineau coach Benoit Groulx.
"We like Jared McIsaac and there are a few really good players that are at the top," Russell said.
"We don't have our minds made up and we'll make sure we do our homework — and hopefully we make the right decision."
Another potential top pick is Gabriel Fortier, the younger brother of Halifax forward Max Fortier. The Q League draft will be held in Charlottetown on June 4.
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