NHL: GTHL has 15 players selected in 2017 draft
By Chris Mckee
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) is the largest and most competitive minor hockey organization in the world. They showed their pedigree again this weekend, with 15 players selected in the 2017 NHL draft.
Since the league’s inception in 1911, the GTHL has produced hundreds if not thousands of future NHL players. This weekend’s NHL Draft was no exception, where 15 players selected were GTHL alumni.
The highest former GTHL player selected was Owen Tippett, who was selected 10th overall by the Florida Panthers. The 6-foot-1 right winger played his GTHL hockey for the Toronto Red Wings and had 44 goals this past year, for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL.
Among other notable GTHL players selected were Matthew Strome, who was taken in the fourth round by Philadelphia with the 106th overall selection. Stome’s older brothers are also former GTHL players who faired much better in their draft years, with Dylan Strome being taken third overall by Arizona in 2015 and Ryan Strome picked fifth overall by the New York Islanders in 2011.
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Ryan was just traded this week to Edmonton, where he will team up with another well-known GTHL alumnus in Connor McDavid. McDavid played his minor hockey for the famed Toronto Marlies organization and is one of 60 GTHL alumni who featured on NHL rosters this past season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Fedor Gordeev in the fifth round with the 141st selection. The 6-foot-6 defenceman played his GTHL hockey with the Toronto Red Wings, after moving to Canada from Russia at age seven.
The current GTHL alumni playing in the NHL reads like the whose who of the league. It includes P.K Subban, John Tavares, Rick Nash, Brent Burns, Tyler Seguin, Steven Stamkos and more.
In the history of the organization, no other player received as much attention and hype while playing in the GTHL as Eric Lindros. The former Toronto Young Nationals star would pack the famed arena’s of Toronto, including North Toronto and St. Mike’s, with thousands of fans who were all eager to get a look at the future Hall of Famer.
Here is the complete list of GTHL players selected in the 2017 NHL Draft:
| Name | GTHL Team | Selected | NHL Team |
| Owen Tippett | Toronto Red Wings | 10 | Florida Panthers |
| Alex Formenton | Mississauga Rebels | 47 | Ottawa Senators |
| Mario Ferraro | Don Mills Flyers | 49 | San Jose Sharks |
| MacKenzie Entwistle | Toronto Marlboros | 69 | Arizona Coyotes |
| Zach Gallant | Mississauga Rebels | 83 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Matthew Strome | Toronto Marlboros | 106 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| Noel Hoefenmayer | Don Mills Flyers | 108 | Arizona Coyotes |
| Bryce Misley | Don Mills Flyers | 116 | Minnesota Wild |
| Markus Phillips | Toronto Titans | 118 | Los Angeles Kings |
| Fedor Gordeev | Toronto Red Wings | 141 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Kirill Maximov | Toronto Jr. Canadiens | 146 | Edmonton Oilers |
| Jacob Golden | Mississauga Rebels | 147 | Minnesota Wild |
| Nicholas Campoli | Toronto Jr. Canadiens | 158 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Reilly Webb | Toronto Titans | 164 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Ben Jones | Toronto Marlboros | 189 | Vegas Golden Knights |
To view the complete list of GTHL alumni in the NHL click here.
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Which of the 15 GTHL players drafted, are you most looking forward to seeing at the NHL level? Further, have you had the opportunity to watch any of them play in person? Share your thoughts in the comments section.