By Warren Kozireski
(Day One McAvoy Photo)
One day after Long Island natives Charlie McAvoy and Tage Thompson heard their name called in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, three more were tabbed on Saturday.
Jericho’s Adam Fox was the 66th overall selection taken in the third round by the Calgary Flames.
Fox finished his second season with the U.S. National Development Program and the right shot defenseman scored five goals and added 17 assists in 25 games. The 5’10, 185 lb. is committed to play college hockey this fall at Harvard.
“It’s so special—it’s something you dream of and experience the whole thing. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Fox said about being drafted.
“I try to model my game after guys like Tyson Barrie and Kevin Shattenkirk—I think those are two guys who are smaller right handed defensemen.
“(The national program) was definitely a great experience and developing under some great coaches. We have some great resources and you build relationships with the 22 guys.”
Teammate and Potsdam native J.D. Greenway was taken just six slots later by Toronto. The 6’4”, 205 lb. blueliner scored twice and had ten points in 25 games in Flint, Michigan with the national program. He is slated to play at the University of Wisconsin in a few months.
East Aurora native Austin Osmanski was selected by hometown Buffalo with their first of two seventh round draft picks. The defenseman played last season with Mississauga where he scored ten points with 53 PIM in 65 games.
“I said to our guys at the table, there is no way to measure what a local kid – and he wasn’t picked just because he’s local, he does play major junior hockey which is a feeder system to us and he’s a good prospect – but there’s no metric to measure that he’s going to be in this building every day, in our gym, trying to become a Buffalo Sabre. He’s going to go above and beyond,” Tim Murray said.
