There wasn’t much intrigue surrounding Great Lakes Pilots‘ first overall pick in this year’s rookie draft, and sure enough, the team drafted centre Connor Bedard to start the day’s proceedings. Bedard was joined by six other forwards drafted by the Pilots, including Cutter Gauthier and Mavrik Bourque: a very different Great Lakes roster is on the horizon.
Adam Fantilli (Clarington), Logan Cooley (Portland), Leo Carlsson (Hershey), and Logan Stankoven (Vancouver) rounded out the top five. The first defenseman picked was Olen Zellweger, who went eighth overall to Winnipeg.
It was a relatively quiet day on the trade front. The Boston Banshees acquired veteran Joe Pavelski from the West Virginia River Rats in exchange for forwards Victor Olofsson and Oskar Olausson and West Virginia’s own second rounder. Not long after, Vancouver sent fan favourite Mark Stone to the reigning champion San Jose Hosers for the Hosers’ first rounder, 22nd overall, with which the Night Train selected Ivan Miroshnichenko. Boston also moved a third rounder this year to Charleston for a second in 2025: the only 2025 pick to change hands so far this year.
Gump Worsley Memorial Hockey League 