2024 OHL Priority Selection Mock Draft & Preview

The 2024 OHL Priority Selection is set to go this weekend, with rounds 1-3 occurring Friday night. The Windsor Spitfires will select first after winning the draft lottery. It should be noted that this collaborative mock draft was started over a week ago, before things start to leak out regarding placement. Even if the mock does not end up being extremely accurate, the true purpose of this piece is to provide you with information on some of the top players available this year.  This is the sixth year that I have gathered scouts together for this piece. It seems like with each passing year, I am able to see less and less U16 action. This couldn't be more true now that I'm the Director of Scouting for McKeen's Hockey. Thus, I love putting this together to help me learn too. This piece wouldn't be possible without the contributions of some terrific scouts. Helping out with this mock draft are: Connor Williams – Scout for TheScout.ca (@cwilliams_384)Joely Stockl -  OHL Site Editor for The Hockey News & Coquitlam Express (BCHL) & Hamilton Kilty B’s (GOJHL) U16/U18 Scout (@joely_stockl04)Jordan Malette - Scout for Puck Preps (@jordanmalette)Steven Graves - McKeen's Hockey Video Scout (@German_Spitfire)Ethan Atticus Page - Scout for TheScout.ca (@e_pager_)Blake Bell - Scout for TheScout.ca (@Blake_Bell93)Kris Leblanc - Director of Scouting for TheScout.ca (@KLebScouting)Keenan McEwan - Scout for TheScout.ca & Cobourg Cougars Scout (OJHL) (@keenmcewan)Sean Meyers - Director of Scouting for Pickering Panthers (OJHL) & Scout for TheScout.ca (@SeanMeyers)Sean Ellison - Independent Draft Scout & Scout for Blind River Beavers (NOJHL) (@SeanEllison92)If you're hungry for more information on these players, check out the content on the sites of these contributors!Without further ado, here is our first round mock draft and honorable mentions.1. Windsor Spitfires (Steven Graves) - Ethan Belchetz, F, Oakville RangersFor the first time since 1976, the Windsor Spitfires hold the top spot in the OHL draft thanks to winning the draft lottery. Last season saw them finish with the second worst record in the league after only the Niagara Ice Dogs. The Spitfires have been building a lineup that is focused on size with guys like Liam Greentree, AJ Spellacy and Jack Nesbitt already in the fold. They will add to that with OHL Cup MVP Ethan Belchetz this season. The 6’5” 230lb winger will undoubtedly be an elite contributor in the OHL, and is a kid that may not spend all 4 years in the OHL because of how attractive his skillset will be for NHL teams down the line. Belchetz is a rare blend of size, physicality, shooting, and skill - this was on full display at the OHL Cup where Belchetz and the Oakville Rangers beat the favored Vaughan Kings to win the OHL Cup - Belchetz was rewarded with the tournament MVP after 11 points in only 7 games. With most big players, there are concerns on whether or not they’re able to generate offense in transition, and off the rush - this isn’t something Belchetz struggles with. While I wouldn’t call Belchetz’ skating a strength of his game, I also wouldn’t call it bad. He has showcased good straight line speed and acceleration, but maybe isn't the most agile kid either. He does however use his size to great effect in the offensive zone to fight for positioning on the ice and to battle for pucks down low. He combines that with some very good vision as he has shown consistently this year he’s able to feather difficult passes through multiple defenders. He also has a killer shot that is able to beat goalies from most anywhere on the ice. If he gets the puck around the goal mouth in particular, watch out because Belchetz more often than not makes the other team pay. There are many good options for the Spitfires in this spot, but when they inevitably decide to go for Belchetz they’ll have one of the biggest and most physical forward groups in the league in a few seasons, and that could very well help the team become championship contenders. Belchetz is a unicorn-like talent that has a combination of skills you rarely see from a kid his age - scary thing to consider too is that Belchetz could still be growing2. Sarnia Sting (Brock Otten) - Adam Valentini, F, Toronto MarlborosThe GTHL’s player of the year this season, Valentini would be a great choice for Sarnia should he not go first overall to Windsor. His high end vision, skill, creativity, and skating ability all give him an extremely high offensive upside; he’s about as complete an offensive player you’ll find. Sarnia and Dylan Seca have done a great job retooling in the last calendar year, but the one thing that they could use to accelerate their rebuild is a future play driver who can make his teammates better. Insert Valentini.3. Peterborough Petes (Keenan McEwan) - Braidy Wassilyn, F, Markham MajorsWassilyn was a catalyst offensively all season long for the Majors, and should he be available at 3, the Petes won’t let him pass by. His ability to read defences and pick them apart was exciting to watch as he gained speed with powerful strides. Blowing past defenders, he was able to pull off moves at full speed and fire heavy shots at the net with accuracy, picking corners easily from anywhere in the offensive zone. Braidy’s vision is also high end, as he uses his teammates effectively, finding them with tape-to-tape passes with tons of time and space, as well as using the give and go to beat defenders with one touch passes. Should Wassilyn end up in Peterborough, he can step into a top six role right away and create a potent line with himself, Nico Addy, and Caden Taylor.4. Niagara IceDogs (Connor Williams) - Brady Smith, F, North York RangersAnother very big question coming in at number four, similar to their fifth selection in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection is, who will the IceDogs select? After the top three players are selected, there are a number of quality players that could be selected, however with the need for offence from the IceDogs, after drafting a former North York Ranger in Kevin He in 2022, they make look to draft another who does not lack offence, in the Ranger’s Brady Smith.. The vast majority of scoring came from the IceDogs top line of Gavin Bryant, Kevin He, and Ryan Roobroeck with all three putting up 50 plus point seasons and 20 plus goal seasons. Likely looking to add some more scoring depth, Smith certainly has it, scoring 50 goals this season while scoring over 100 points in just over 50 games this season with the Rangers. The highly offensive winger loved to shoot the puck this year, and for good reason. Possessing a high end shot, Smith gave goalies little time to react to his shots with one quick motion from the snap of the wrists he is able to activate the flex of his stick, generating a great deal of power and velocity in his shot. With further connections to the IceDogs organization, don’t be surprised if we see one of the top goal scorers in the 2008 born class off the board early come draft day.5. Barrie Colts (Joely Stockl) - Alex McLean, F, Barrie Jr ColtsThe visionary playmaking winger that could potentially have one of the highest upsides in this draft is Alex McLean. McLean’s vision is already at an elite level. Specifically in the offensive zone, McLean is a catalyst with the puck with his manipulation and creation of lanes. He understands how drawing opponents towards him opens up lanes for his teammates, and he is able to find them every single time. McLean makes the players around him better and he is a perfect complement to any goal scorer. Barrie Colts’ youngsters Cole Beaudoin & Riley Patterson each neared the 30-goal mark this season. By putting Alex McLean on the ice alongside them, those numbers would be a lot higher. Should McLean join the Colts next season, he would be a staple inside their top-six with the talent they have currently.6. Flint Firebirds (Blake Bell) - Colin Fitzgerald, F, Peterborough PetesA player who continually improved all aspects of his game all season, Fitzgerald would be very hard to pass up for Flint with the sixth overall selection should he still be on the board. Fitzgerald is a dominant force in all zones, bringing a dangerous scoring touch along with his play driving capabilities that makes him a highly rounded offensive threat who remains defensively responsible. Flint has some exciting prospects coming up the pipeline, and Fitzgerald would be a perfect addition to provide immediate impact on both ends of the ice at the OHL level.7. Owen Sound Attack (Sean Ellison) - Cole Zurawski, F, Mississauga RebelsOne of the purest goal-scorers in the draft. Zurawski was the driving force of a Mississauga Rebels team that surprised a lot of people this year with their success. Along with his lethal shot, Cole plays a complete game consisting of a strong combination of compete, physicality, and playmaking ability. His consistency is what impressed the most, as he is able to make his presence felt every time he steps on the ice whether it's scoring a big goal or dominating physically, his compete never wavered. Should Zurawski be available at 7, I believe the Attack would do well to take him here. With the loss of Goure, Burroughs, and potentially Barlow up front, Owen Sound will look to replace some scoring. Bringing in Zurawski will help to start to fill that gap, while also adding a physical and competitive type player that fits the Owen Sound brand. 8. Kingston Frontenacs (Jordan Malette) - Nathan Amidovski, F, Barrie ColtsThe Frontenacs have quite the young forward core, and if I had to guess, they might be looking for a defenceman here. However, the defence class is a little awkward in my mind, with two of the top ones seemingly headed the NCAA route. It may be best to wait to see who is still available when the Fronts select near the top of the 2nd as the drop-off may not be that steep in who you're getting. This fuzziness around the defenders made me hesitant to pass up on the value Nathan Amidovski brings. There are quite a few 6'0+ scoring wingers in the draft, and Amidovski is my personal favourite. His ability to play under pressure, in motion, and in small areas is all so exceptional, yielding a player with all the tools to translate seamlessly to the junior game where time and space aren't as easy to find. 9. Guelph Storm (Sean Meyers) - Zach Nyman, D, Vaughan KingsIn my opinion, Nyman has been the top defenseman in the 2008 age group for his entire