NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Flint Firebirds

Flint Firebirds 2021 NHL Draft Preview

July 23, 2021 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - The 2021 NHL Draft starts tonight, and three Flint Firebirds are listed in NHL Central Scouting's 'Final Rankings' for the draft. This year's draft will be held virtually from NHL Network's studio over two days, with Round 1 set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 23 (ESPN 2, SN) and Rounds 2-7 scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 24 (NHL Network, SN). For the sixth consecutive year, at least one current Flint Firebird player is expecting to hear their name called on NHL Draft day.

Brennan Othmann (#8 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting) leads the way for Flint as he looks to become just the second Firebird (Ty Dellandrea) ever to be selected in the first round. The accolades continue for Othmann, who has a consensus first-round projection, as TSN's Bob Mckenzie has him as the 16th best prospect going into the draft, as well as Sportsnet having him ranked 14th.

After Othmann, Braeden Kressler (#103 NA skater) and Dmitry Kuzmin (#72 European skater) both look to hear their names called on Day 2 of the draft. Kressler missed out on his 2020-21 season, after concluding 2019-20 with the Firebirds' 2nd best +/- (+16) in his rookie campaign. As for Kuzmin, he stayed back home and played in Belarus' top pro league as a 17-year-old compiling 12 Pts in 46 GP.

Adam Kimelman of NHL.com  believes the OHL will be well-represented in the first round, especially from those who benefited from playing in Europe during the 2020-21 season. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, three OHL players are ranked in the Top 16 prospects going into the draft: Mason McTavish, Brandt Clarke and Flint's own Brennan Othmann. For the past five seasons, the OHL has sent more players to the NHL than any other league in the world. On NHL opening-day rosters in October, one-in-four players (26.4%) competing in the NHL were alums of the OHL, which is also the highest percentage in the world.

Flint Firebirds' forward Brennan Othmann hopes to hear his name called Friday night in Round One.

National television coverage for the first round begins tonight at 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPN 2 in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada. Coverage of rounds 2-7 begins Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (ET) on the NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet in Canada.

Channel Finder: ESPN 2 | NHL Network | Sportsnet

32 NHL teams are selecting in this year's Draft, with the NHL's newest franchise, the Seattle Kraken, making their draft debut. Additionally, for Flint, Zachary Giroux and Amadeus Lombardi are also first-time eligible players to be selected in the NHL Draft.

Othmann was selected by the Firebirds in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2019 Priority Selection Draft. He set the franchise rookie record in both points and goals during the 2019-20 season. Most recently for Othmann, he produced 6 Pts (3 G, 3 A) in 7 GP at the U18 World Junior Championships to help Team Canada bring home the gold. Othmann also played pro hockey this past season on loan with EHC Olten (Swiss League). He produced 16 Pts (7 G, 9 A) in 34 GP.

Kressler was the Firebirds' next pick in 2019, as they selected him 28nd overall. In his first season with the Firebirds, the Kitchener, ON native produced 18 Pts (9 G, 9) in 46 GP. He also participated in the U17 World Hockey Championships for Team Canada Red adding 2 A in 5 GP.

Despite having yet to play a game for the Firebirds, scouts rave about Dmitry Kuzmin's potential. The Firebirds selected Kuzmin 46th overall in the 2020 CHL Import Draft. On top of his success playing pro hockey in Belarus, Kuzmin posted 5 Pts (1 G, 4 A) for Team Belarus at the U18 World Junior Championships this past April. It was there he pulled off the goal of the tournament.

Forward Zachary Giroux only played in five games for the Firebirds back in 2019-20, contributing 3 Pts (1 G, 2 A) along the way. Amadeus Lombardi committed to Flint in May of 2020.

The Firebirds have had eight players selected through the past five NHL Drafts. Last October, forward Evgeniy Oksentyuk was selected by the Dallas Stars in the sixth round (162nd overall).

In 2019, defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok was taken in the second round (#52 overall) by the Florida Panthers, and forward Ethan Keppen was selected in the fourth round (#122nd overall) by the Vancouver Canucks.

In 2018, Ty Dellandrea became the first Flint Firebird to be selected in the first round of an NHL Draft when he was picked 13th-overall by the Dallas Stars. Dennis Busby was also selected that year in the fifth-round (145th overall) by the Arizona Coyotes.

Flint's best showing at an individual NHL Draft is two players selected, which has happened in three of the five NHL Drafts since the Firebirds have been a member in the OHL. Flint has the opportunity to set a franchise record this weekend if three or more Firebirds hear their name called.

Since the Firebirds' inception in Flint, Michigan five seasons ago, there have been nine Firebirds that have played in an NHL regular or preseason game. A total of 19 players that have worn a Firebirds jersey have either been drafted and/or signed by NHL clubs: Will Bitten (Montreal), Dennis Busby (Arizona), Nick Caamano (Dallas), Connor Chatham (New Jersey), Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), Fedor Gordeev (Toronto), Kyle Keyser (Boston Bruins), Ethan Keppen (Vancouver), Vladislav Kolyachonok (Florida), Nick Mattinen (Toronto), Brent Moran (Dallas), Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina), Evgeniy Oksentyuk (Dallas), Alex Peters (Dallas), Vili Saarijarvi (Detroit), Kole Sherwood (Columbus), Jalen Smereck (Arizona), Tyler Tucker (St. Louis) and Josh Wesley (Carolina).

Stay tuned to www.FlintFirebirds.com/NHLDraft for all-access coverage of the Firebirds at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Ontario Hockey League message board...

Ontario Hockey League Stories from July 23, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central