Oshawa’s Sennecke should hear name called early in NHL draft

A pair of Oshawa Generals will be among a host of prospects who have their NHL dreams come true this weekend.

Forward Beckett Sennecke and defenceman Ben Danford will be among the names called when the 2024 NHL Entry Draft gets underway Friday night (June 28) at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The first round is set to go Friday night, with the remaining second to seventh rounds held on Saturday.

Sennecke likely won’t have to wait long as the skilled winger, ranked 13 overall among North American skaters in the 2024 NHL Central Scouting List final rankings, is expected to be selected in Friday night’s opening round.

The six-foot-three, 178-pound winger was a key member in Oshawa’s drive to the OHL finals with 10 goals and 22 points through 16 playoff games.

The 18-year-old Toronto native built on an impressive rookie season (20-35-55) with 27 goals and 68 points in 63 games and helping the Generals win the East Division title.

Danford is expected to go as early as the second round and as late as the third. The shutdown blueliner, who was Oshawa’s 14 overall pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, was ranked 35 overall in the final NHL Central Scouting ranks.

The six-foot-two, 190-pound native of Madoc had 1 goal and 33 points in 64 games in his second OHL season and was an impressive plus 27 in plus/minus. The physical defender had 4 goals and 10 points in 21 playoff games.

Danford likely won’t be the only Oshawa defenceman to be selected this weekend. Teammate Luca Marrelli finished 46 overall in the final NHL draft rankings.

An offensive defenceman, the six-foot-two, 185-pound defender had six goals and 57 points in 67 games to lead all Oshawa defencemen in scoring this season.

Oshawa backup Noah Bender finished 19 overall in the NHL Central Scouting List final rankings for North American goaltenders.

The hulking six-foot-four, 190-pound Waterloo native got into 12 games, finishing with 3.26 goals against average and .894 save percentage.