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OHL Flint Firebirds

Kolyachonok Selected by Florida Panthers Second Round, 52nd Overall

June 22, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Vancouver, B.C. - The Florida Panthers selected Flint Firebirds defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok in the second-round, 52nd overall, of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft Saturday, making him the first Flint Firebird to drafted in the second round of the National Hockey League.

Kolyachonok, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound native of Minsk, Belarus, finished second among all rookie defenseman in the OHL this season, setting a record for most points by a rookie in a Firebirds' uniform with 30 points (4G, 26A) in 54 games. He was the first ever Flint Firebird to be named to the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) First All-Rookie Team for the 2018-19 season. Along with earning the honor on the league level, he was tabbed as Flint's 'Best Defenseman' at the end-of-year Firebirds' player awards banquet.

On the international level, Kolyachonok was named captain of Belarus' National Men's Under-18 Team for the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Sweden where he finished second on his team and third among all defenseman in the tournament with five points (1G, 4A) in six games.

Rounds 2-7 continue Saturday on the NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.

Three Flint Firebirds that were listed in the NHL Central Scouting's 'Final Rankings' also hope to hear their name called Saturday: Ethan Keppen (#74), Eric Uba (#141) and Luke Cavallin (#23 Goalies). Additionally Kyle Harris, Cody Morgan, Emmet Pierce and Jacob Winterton are also first time eligible players to be selected in the NHL Draft.

Since the Flint Firebirds' inception four season ago in 2015, the club has now had 16 drafted or NHL signed players on its roster consisting of Will Bitten (Montreal), Dennis Busby (Arizona), Nick Caamano (Dallas), Connor Chatham (New Jersey), Ty Dellandrea (Dallas) Fedor Gordeev (Toronto), Kyle Keyser (Boston Bruins), Vladislav Kolyachonok, Nick Mattinen (Toronto), Brent Moran (Dallas), Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina), Alex Peters (Dallas), Vili Saarijarvi (Detroit), Kole Sherwood (Columbus), Jalen Smereck (Arizona) and Josh Wesley (Carolina).

For the past five seasons, the OHL has sent more players to the NHL than any other league in the world. The OHL is first in the world in total players selected in the NHL Draft (197), first and second round selections combined (76), defenseman (80) and forwards (122). 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.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 22, 2019


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