Chad Denny is not only the pride of the Lewiston Maineiacs’ defensive corps, but at only 18-years-old and for at least a day, the 220-pound defenseman from Nova Scotia is the pride of an entire nation.
Denny, selected by the Atlanta Thrashers at No. 49 overall in the second round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, is the first member of the Eskasoni Nation to be drafted into professional sports.
“It’s really special being the first from here,” said Denny, less than one hour after learning about his selection. “At least 200 people up here already know. It’s just great.”
Denny had been ranked 51st among North American skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service. Last year with the Maineiacs, Denny played in 53 games, scored eight goals and added 18 assists for 26 points, while spending 98 minutes in the penalty box.
“My dream has always been to play in the NHL,” said Denny. “But I know this is going to be a big step, this next one. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice just to make it one more step. It’s not easy.”
Denny wasn’t the only player with connections to the Lewiston Maineiacs selected Saturday. Alex Bourret, now with Shawinigan, will join Denny in Atlanta. Bourret was selected 16th overall in the first round by the Thrashers, who traded down twice, originally from the No. 8 spot, to finally select their No. 1 choice.
Marc-Andre Cliche, another current Maineiac, got his potentially life-changing phone call while he was taking a nap.
“The phone was ringing and ringing and I was taking a nap,” admitted Cliche. “I got up right away when I knew it was my agent.”
The New York Rangers selected Cliche at No. 56 overall in the second round. Cliche is the second Lewiston player selected by New York in two years. Last year, the Rangers snagged defenseman Jonathan Paiement in the late rounds.
Last week, during the interview process, Cliche went to New York to meet with team officials. They gave him a tour of Madison Square Garden, and left a large impression on the speedy skater.
“It was all really big,” said Cliche. “I can’t wait to get there.”
In somewhat of a surprise, bruising Maineiacs forward Olivier Legault was the second pick of the fourth round, at No. 93 overall. Legault’s rights are now in the hands of the Florida Panthers. Legault was ranked No. 224 by Central Scouting in advance of this year’s draft.
Perhaps an even bigger surprise was Mathieu Aubin’s tumble through the draft order. The shifty Maineiacs forward who had 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points in just 49 games last season fell from his CSS ranking of 54th all the way to 130th in the fifth round.
One consolation for Aubin, however, was being picked by the team he has cheered for since he was a small child – the Montreal Canadiens.
“I am very, very happy about going to the Canadiens,” said Aubin. “They were my favorite team growing up and now to be drafted by them is incredible. My family, my friends, everyone has been calling me to congratulate me on this. For me, my dream is close to being realized.”
Aubin is a second-generation draft pick. The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Aubin’s father, Normand, in the third round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft (No. 51 overall). Normand went on to play in 69 NHL games over two seasons, recording 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points.
Another player that is likely to be familiar to local hockey fans is Matt Duffy. Duffy played his high school hockey for Cheverus, and spent the last two seasons with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs. Florida used the No. 104 overall pick in the fourth round to snag Duffy, who will skate for the University of Maine this fall.
“He doesn’t even know, yet,” said Duffy’s mother, Cheryl. “He’s up camping. We’ve been trying to call him since the Panthers called us, and we haven’t been able to find him.”
Most of the players selected in Saturday’s draft will continue to play in juniors or in the NCAA for at least another season. Many of the first-round picks, however, might jump directly into the NHL, depending on the team by which they were selected.
By the Numbers, Draft Style
291 – Number of players selected in 2004 (9 rounds)
212 – Number of players selected in 2005 (7 rounds)
27 – Number of players selected from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2004
23 – Number of players selected from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2005
2 – Number of Lewiston Maineiacs drafted in 2004
5 – Number of Lewiston Maineiacs drafted in 2005 (Includes Alex Bourret)
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