Gens sign pair of top draft picks

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

After what has been a mostly quiet off season for the Oshawa Generals, the OHL club announced it had signed a pair of prospects picked up in this year’s entry draft.

Serron Noel, selected 25th overall in this year’s draft by the Gens, committed to the team on July 19. The news was quickly followed by the announcement that defenceman Will Ennis, selected 46th overall had also signed with the team.

“I think it’s exciting to get those guys wrapped up and moving forward,” says Roger Hunt, the club’s vice president and general manager. “This team’s going to get a chance to grow.”

And grow indeed- of the club’s 14 draft entry draft picks this year, 10 were over six-feet tall.

Noel, at six-foot-three, is a big power forward and recorded 28 points in 45 games with his AAA club last year, while Ennis is set to add size to Oshawa’s blue line, standing at six-foot-two. As a steady skater who can move the puck, he has drawn comparisons from Hunt to former Oshawa blueliner Colin Suellentrop.

“Realistically, I think to win games in the playoffs, I think you have to have size,” Hunt says. “You’re playing night after night in the playoffs, you need to have some big bodies that certainly can play.”

For proof, fans don’t have to look far,  as Oshawa is inching closer to their average size when they swept the Memorial Cup tournament in 2015, which sat around six-foot-two and 197 lbs.

“That’s our way of doing things and we’re comfortable with that. We feel that’s the road to success,” Hunt says.

With both players expected to crack the roster this year, Hunt is excited to see what they can contribute to the team.

“I really think that those guys are prospects that will have time to develop here,” he says. “This year’s going to be a really good year for them. They’re going to get the opportunity to grow and to learn the league.”

Along with the two recent signings, the only other commitment over the summer as been the club’s top pick in Danil Antropov, who officially signed on April 28, a few short days after he made his first appearance at the GM Centre during training camp.

However, Hunt is hopeful the team will also be able to secure CHL Import Draft pick Renars Krastenbergs in the next week.

The Latvian was Oshawa’s second pick in the entry draft.

Fans are also curious to hear if Finnish prospect Eeli Tolvanen will be wearing an Oshawa Generals jersey this year.

The Gens’ first pick in the draft is touted as one of the top picks for the NHL draft next year, and while an exciting pickup for Oshawa, the right-winger had already made a verbal commitment to play for Boston College next season.

Hunt assures fans that work is still ongoing in the background to bring Tolvanen to Oshawa for this season, but notes it could be more realistic for the 2017/2018 season.

“We’re going to stick with it,” Hunt says. “We’ll stay on it and keep building that relationship and hopefully Oshawa becomes his home too sooner rather than later.”

And if the team’s recent signings are any indication, Hunt believes players are wanting to commit their junior hockey careers to this club.

“It’s a desirable place to be. Guys want to sign here and guys want to play in the OHL and commit their future to the Oshawa Generals. It’s exciting,” he says.

Fans looking for an early glimpse of some of the team’s young talent can attend the Generals’ training camp on Aug. 30.

Following a three-game roadtrip to start the season, the club opens its season at home on Sept. 30 against the Peterborough Petes.