BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The second major junior draft conducted by the QMJHL finished up Friday and Saturday.
The first 14 rounds encompassing the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, and Prince Edward Island saw 255 young men get selected.
One American school player was taken second overall in Tyler Peddie (St. Andrews, Nova Scotia) by the Drummondville Voltigeurs from the Shattuck’s St. Mary’s Sabres (MN) program.
The second day of the draft saw the US Draft of 36 players from various northeastern US schools and junior programs selected, among them, nine players from Connecticut.
Kurt Gurkan (Darien) was the first taken in the first round (2nd overall) by the Cape Breton Eagles. Last season, the Phillips Exeter Academy (NHPREP) enrollee played for three New Jersey Hitmen teams (USPHL/NCDC/U-18) and two New York River Rats squads (U-18/U-16).
Joe Connor (Avon Old Farms-CTPREP) was taken by the Moncton Wildcats in the first round 5th overall. He was taken in the spring by Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL Phase-2 Draft.
Alex Pelletier (Manchester/Avon Old Farms) was taken in the first round (12th overall) by the Blainville/Boisbriand Armada, located about 30 minutes from Montreal.
Then taken in the 1st round 14th overall, Matt Fusco, youngest son of former Whaler Mark Fusco was selected. He finished his fourth year at Dexter Southfield School (MAPREP) and is slated to join his older brother John at Harvard University (ECACHL) this fall.
Ryan Sanborn (Brookfield/Mid-Fairfield U-15) was taken in the 1st round (16th overall) by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He was taken by the Youngstown (OH) Phantoms in the USHL Phase-2 draft earlier in the spring.
Then Nick Capasso (Northford) was the third Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers player taken in the 2nd round 23rd overall by Moncton.
Tanner Duncan (Ridgefield) was drafted two selections later by the Rouyn Noranda Huskies, located in Northwest Quebec near Ottawa.
Then the biggest surprise selection was Ben Carfora, from the public school ranks and the West Haven Blue Devils program. He also skated some with the Yale Jr. Bulldogs U-15 AAA team and was taken in the 2nd round 32nd overall by Shawinigan Cataractes, located about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City.
“Cataractes” is the plural form of the word “cataracte,” which means in English ‘cataract’ in the sense of a powerful waterfall, derived from the Latin word “cataracta,” meaning ‘waterfall.’
No relation to eye surgery in any way.
The team is named after the Shawinigan Falls, a prominent waterfall in the city of Shawinigan which till 1951 was known as Shawinigan Falls.
The team is the only team in the league still playing in its original location when the QMJHL was founded in 1969.
According to West Haven hockey sources, he is expected to head to either a prep school or US junior program next season.
The last pick from CT was Wes Zolin (Greenwich) in the second round 33rd overall, who also skated for the Yale Jr. Bulldogs U-16 AAA team last year was selected by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, whose GM is former New Haven Nighthawk, Sylvain Couturier.
