Rangers make 14 picks in Saturday’s OHL Draft
Posted Apr 7, 2017 04:11:43 AM.
Last Updated Apr 8, 2017 05:32:32 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Kitchener Rangers opened their 2017 OHL Draft by putting a focus on defence.
The East Avenue Blue selected Grayson Ladd of the Chatham-Kent Cyclones with the 13th overall pick in the draft, their first of 14 overall picks.
They continued their focus on the blue line with picking Michael Vukojevic from the Mississauga Rebels with the 33rd overall pick.
They will skip the 4th and 8th, but have two picks in the 10th.
New Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie tells 570 NEWS they don’t go in looking to add specific positions.
“You’re always just looking for good players, no matter style they may be,” says McKenzie.
Attitude is also important for the team.
“We interview kids, we try and get to know them…Just kind of see what kind of people they are, what kind of character they have.” added McKenzie.
Rangers management and scouting staff have been keeping tabs on many of the local players.
“Kitchener’s got a few guys that will be selected fairly early and so does Waterloo, Cambridge does too… We make sure we really try to zone in on those guys, since they are local players,” says McKenzie.
Defender Giovanni Vallati was Kitchener’s first round pick in 2016, selected 16th overall.
