Cirelli, Vande Sompel remain as top picks
Anthony Cirelli celebrates with his teammates during the Memorial Cup in Quebec City. Cirelli was recently named in the top 75 NHL draft picks with fellow General Mitchell Vande Sompel.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
Once again, Anthony Cirelli and Mitch Vande Sompel have been named as top picks heading into the NHL Entry Draft on June 26 and 27.
In the final top-75 rankings from TSN, Vande Sompel appeared at number 63 and Cirelli at 71.
Both players have had break out seasons with the Oshawa Generals. Vande Sompel, a versatile player who has been a key component behind the Gens’ powerplay success, netted 17 goals and 60 assists throughout this past season, with five of those goals and nine of those assists coming in the playoffs.
Cirelli, most recently acclaimed for scoring the two goals to win the Memorial Cup final for the Gens, was pulled up from the Mississauga AAA team before playing a full season with the Generals this year.
He managed 13 goals and 23 assists in his rookie season and proved himself as a tireless and fearless player.
To the surprise of no one in the hockey world, Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters topped the list as the number one pick, followed closely by Jack Eichel of Boston University.
Both Cirelli and Vande Sompel attended the NHL Combine in Buffalo, which ran from June 1 to 6.
The combine runs NHL draft prospects through medical, physical and mental tests in the presence of scouts prior to the draft.