David Levin chosen 1st overall in OHL draft by Sudbury
Don Mills winger had 80 points in 55 games this season
The Sudbury Wolves selected Don Mills Flyers right-winger David Levin with the first overall pick of the Ontario Hockey League draft on Saturday.
He had 80 points (39 goals, 41 assists) in 55 games this season for the triple-A minor midget club.
Levin was born and raised in Israel and learned to play hockey on in-line skates instead of ice skates. The teenager moved to the Toronto area three years ago and transferred his hockey skills to the ice.
"Every day I'm waking up in the morning and thinking about hockey," he told the Toronto Sun earlier this week, "working hard to get to the NHL so I can move my family here."
In the summer of 2012, 12-year-old David left behind his brother Mike and parents to pursue a professional hockey career.
He has the ability to make an opposing player look very silly and he does it with such ease.- OHL Central Scouting director Darrell Woodley on David Levin
"David is an outstanding hockey player and is the dynamic forward that the Sudbury Wolves need to build a winning team around," Wolves president and general manager Blaine Smith said in a statement released by the OHL team on Friday.
Levin is "one of the most purely gifted offensive talents in this year's draft," added OHL Central Scouting director Darrell Woodley.
"He has the ability to make an opposing player look very silly and he does it with such ease," Woodley said. "Things come very easy for him which is impressive considering he has only been playing hockey for three seasons."
Levin is the 2015 recipient of the Jack Ferguson Award presented annually to the player selected first overall in the OHL Priority Selection.
Sudbury is fresh off a season that ended with the worst record in franchise history at 12-54-2.
Centre Gabe Vilardi of the Canadian International Hockey Academy went second overall to the Windsor Spitfires. The Flint Firebirds used the third pick to select centre Ryan McLeod of the Toronto Marlboros.
The Mississauga Steelheads picked Toronto Red Wings right-winger Owen Tippett fourth overall and the Peterborough Petes took Mississauga Rebels centre Zack Gallant at No. 5.
In total, 301 picks will be made over 15 rounds.
With files from CBC News