Hounds nab Lawrence with first pick

With the sixth overall pick in the Ontario Hockey League draft, the Soo Greyhounds selected big centre Chris Lawrence on this morning.

The Greyhounds staff joined the other OHL teams to conduct their priority selections over the internet for the third straight season.

Lawrence played with the Toronto Marlboros minor midgets of the Greater Toronto Hockey League last season where he scored 20 goals, 24 assists for 44 points in 36 games with 82 penalty minutes.

The scouting report on the six-foot-four, 180-pound Lawrence says that he can dominate a game with his soft hands and strong skating ability and he works the boards well.

In other first round action around the league, Patrick O'Neill was the first overall pick of the Saginaw Spirit, although the announcement was made public yesterday.

With the second overall selection, Sudbury took defenseman Marc Staal, the brother of Peterborough Petes star Eric Staal. The Kingston Frontenacs used the third pick on right-winger Tony Rizzi, who plays for Greyhound coach Marty Abrams' Wellington Dukes. Erie selected fourth and took centre Ryan O'Marra while Mississauga grabbed centre Cody Bass fifth.

After the Greyhounds, Owen Sound took right winger Bobby Ryan, Guelph selected defenseman Ryan Parent, Barrie grabbed defenseman Steve Spade, London picked right winger Tom Mannino, Oshawa chose defenseman Justin Wallingford and Belleville took centre Mike Roelofsen.

With the 13th pick, Toronto selected right-winger Cal Clutterbuck then Peterborough took centre Daniel Ryder, Brampton chose defenseman Phillip Oreskovic and Windsor picked right-winger Steve Downie.

The Sarnia Sting took Sault Ste. Marie North Stars defenseman Trevor Solomon 17th overall followed by Plymouth, who selected left-winger Michael Lombardi, Ottawa took defenseman Elgin Reid and Kitchener ended the first round by taking defenseman Devereaux Heshmatpour.