Greyhounds add NCAA-committed centre ahead of training camp

With training camp days away, the Soo Greyhounds have added a player to the mix.

On Thursday, the team acquired the rights to forward Harrison Ballard from the Kingston Frontenacs in exchange for a conditional 15th round draft pick in the 2026 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

Ballard spent the 2021-22 season with the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Wellington Dukes where he scored 14 goals and 28 points in 54 games.

An eighth round pick by the Frontenacs in the 2020 draft, Ballard is a dual citizen and has a commitment to the University of Massachusetts to play hockey this fall.

Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis confirmed Thursday evening that the 18-year-old centre will be in training camp when it opens next week.

“The opportunity to get Harrison up now made sense to see where he fits in, if he’s going to fit in with the group,” Raftis said of the deal. “Training camp is a good time to meet staff and get everyone accustomed to it. With him, he’s a good-sized centreman. He had a great first half of last year. He came back and had a solid second half.”

“He’s got great speed,” Raftis added. “He’s a relentless worker. He can play center and play the wing and gives us a little bit of flexibility on that side of things too. For the price of a conditional pick, we decided to roll the dice.”

Raftis confirmed that the conditional pick moves up should Ballard sign with the team.