Meet Tyler Peddle — the only Nova Scotian drafted into the NHL this year

It was a long wait for Tyler Peddle, but it was worth it.

Surrounded by 12 family members in the stands at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Peddle had to wait for 223 players to have their names called.

While many would have lost hope near the end of Thursday's rounds, the 18-year-old from Antigonish, N.S., said he had a gut feeling he should stick around. Finally, the Columbus Blue Jackets called him as the 224th and final pick.

"I kind of blacked out," Peddle said Saturday. "Like, all I heard was Quebec Major Junior and then my club team, Drummondville. I didn't even hear my name. I just heard my family, like, started screaming.

"And so I figured that was probably me if they were screaming. So, no, it was crazy. I mean, it was a blur. But it's a moment I'm never going to forget for the rest of my life."

Peddle grew up playing for the Antigonish Bulldogs, where his father Brad — who is the head coach of the St. FX X-Men hockey team — helped him develop as a player.

"He's one of the reasons why I'm where I am today," Tyler Peddle said.

'I'm going to prove myself'

Peddle plays centre and left wing for the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

He'll return to the Voltigeurs for training camp in August, but first he'll join the Blue Jackets for a development camp in Ohio starting Sunday.

"I'm going to prove myself, I feel like that's pretty important," he said. "I'm ready and I'm more motivated than ever."

He wants other young players in Nova Scotia with big hockey ambitions to "keep the dream alive."

"You can be as talented as you want," he said. "But I think work ethic — that's the reason I got where I am right now. That's a pretty important thing to me. Keep believing."

3 other players with N.S. connections drafted

Three other players with Nova Scotia connections were drafted.

Mathieu Cataford, a left winger for the Halifax Mooseheads, was drafted 77th overall to the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights and his teammate, defenceman Dylan MacKinnon was drafted 83rd overall by the Nashville Predators. Cataford is from Saint-Constant, Que., and MacKinnon is from Riverview, N.B.

The Golden Knights posted a video of Cataford saying he was "very excited to be drafted by Vegas" and that he "can't wait to go."

Fellow Moosehead Zachary L'Heureux, who was drafted to the Nashville Predators in the 2021 draft, posted a video message to MacKinnon to Twitter.

"I'm fired up that you're in Nashville. Seeing you over the last couple of years and your progression and the work you've put in, it's truly awesome. You're an unbelievable teammate and an even better person. I'm super excited to be able to spend some time with you down in Nashville," L'Heureux said in the video.

On its website, the Halifax Mooseheads noted Cataford and MacKinnon were the 58th and 59th players in the history of the team to be drafted by a National Hockey League team.

Right winger Cam Squires of the Cape Breton Eagles was drafted 122nd overall to the New Jersey Devils. Squires is from Charlottetown.