Brampton Steelheads Have Five Players Selected at 2024 NHL Draft

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OHL Brampton Steelheads

Brampton Steelheads Have Five Players Selected at 2024 NHL Draft

June 29, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brampton Steelheads News Release


At day two of the NHL entry draft, five different teams selected Steelheads players

It was a historic day two for the Brampton Steelheads at the 2024 NHL Draft in Vegas, seeing five players selected, including one forward, three defenceman and a goaltender. This marks the second highest number of Steelheads taken in one draft year with five prospects selected. In the 2016 NHL Draft, the team had six players selected.

Holding a 5th round pick at 150th overall the Calgary Flames drafted centreman Luke Misa. Leading the way for the Steelheads in scoring, Misa registered 81 points including 26 goals and a single season club record 55 assists. The third year forward has 150 points (43G,107A) over his OHL career. With the selection, the Oakville native native became the first Steelhead in franchise history to be drafted to the Flames. Misa joins former Steelheads forward Cole Schwindt as part of Calgary's prospect pool.

In the 6th round the Steelheads saw a second player taken off the draft board. At 174th overall the Minnesota Wild selected Stevie Leskovar. The 6'3" left shot defenceman, played 61 games for the Steelheads putting up 12 points (2G,10A) and had a +11 rating. The Steelheads acquired the Cambridge native from the Peterborough Petes in the 2022-23 season. Leskovar is the first Steelheads prospect to be drafted by the Minnesota Wild franchise.

Just one round later Brampton saw three players drafted including a second defenceman. At 202nd overall the Seattle Kraken selected Jakob Fibigr. From Unicov, Czechia, Fibigr finished with 43 points (7G,36A) in 61 games. His 36 assists were third best for the Steelheads in the 2023-24 season. Internationally the 17-year-old represented Czechia at the U18 World Championship and was recently invited to the U20 National Team's training camp. Fibigr became the first Steelhead in franchise history to be taken by the Seattle Kraken.

With the 219th overall pick in the 7th round, the Buffalo Sabres selected netminder Ryerson Leenders. The Nanticoke native led the league in save percentage (.909), ranked seventh in GAA (3.12) and was tied for fourth in shutouts (3) in the 2023-24 season. Leenders also represented Canada on the international stage at the U17 and U18 level including a gold medal at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup during the Men's World Championship. He becomes the third goalie in franchise history to be taken at the NHL draft joining Spencer Martin and Jacob Ingham. The Buffalo Sabres have taken three Steelheads players including Ryerson Leenders, Alexander Nylander and Austin Osmanski.

Just four picks later, the Steelheads had their fifth player and third defenceman named in Vegas. With the 223rd overall pick in the 7th round, the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Finn Harding. The 19-year-old has played 131 games over his OHL career registering 44 points (12G,32A). Harding set a single season franchise record this past year boasting a +39 rating. The Toronto native became the first Steelheads player to be drafted to the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise.

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