It took exactly one pick to throw the floor at the 2019 GWMHL Rookie Draft into a tizzy, as the Great Lakes Pilots surprised many by forgoing phenom centre Elias Pettersson in favour of defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. That meant that the Charleston Chiefs, who dealt Steven Stamkos along with the 10th pick to move up to 2nd with the intention of picking Dahlin had to “settle” for Miro Heiskanen. Pettersson finally went at #3, to Winnipeg, where he’ll learn the ropes from Tyler Seguin.

The South Side Renegades picked Brady Tkachuk with the fourth pick, setting the stage for the next surprise of the morning when the Ice Harbor Storm, with a pick acquired from Denver in a move that sent two players and 6 picks the other way, chose goaltende Carter Hart at #5.

Andrei Svechnikov (Portland), Sam Steel (Hamilton), Roope Hintz (Adirondack), Quinn Hughes (Pittsburgh), and Max Comtois (San Jose) rounded out the top 10.

After Hart, the biggest question among goaltending prospects was Jordan Binnington, thought by some to have the potential to seize a starting job if given the chance. No team wanted to risk a first for him, but he finally went to South Side with the second pick of the second round.

Check out the full results of the 2019 rookie draft here.

It was a quiet draft on the trade front, with teams seemingly content to sit tight and see how the chips fell. Only two player-involved trades were made on the draft floor, beginning with the biggest: Boston trading goaltender Matt Murray, a 3rd rounder, and a 1st in 2020 to Pittsburgh for goalie Ben Bishop, a 3rd and a 4th. Portland also sent goaltender Keith Kinkaid to South Side for a 3rd, while Delta traded a pair of 2020 picks for four late 2019 selections in a pair of deals.