Lawrence, D'Agostini selected at NHL draft

Soo Greyhounds forward Chris Lawrence and Sault Ste. Marie product Matt D'Agostini were selected at the 2005 National Hockey League Entry Draft in Ottawa on Saturday.

Lawrence (pictured), a six-foot-four, 200 pound natural centre, was selected by the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning with a pick obtained from the Dallas Stars at 89th overall.

In the sixth round of the draft, the Montreal Canadiens used the 190th pick to select D'Agostini, a five-foot-11, 170 pound right winger from the Guelph Storm.

Lawrence was the only Soo Greyhound to be selected in this year's draft, after Jordan Smith (Anaheim), Tyler Kennedy (Pittsburgh) and Jason Pitton (New York Islanders) went in last year's NHL Entry Draft.

Last season Lawrence scored 11 goals, and added 40 assists for 51 points while playing in all 68 games. The Toronto native represented Canada at the World Under 18 Championships, which took place this past April in the Czech Republic.

D'Agostini, as a rookie, scored 24 goals and added 22 assists for 46 points in 59 games with the Storm after making the jump from the AAA Midget Soo North Stars.

In all, the Ontario Hockey League saw 43 players selected at the draft. This was up from 42 last year despite the fact that the NHL shortened the draft from nine to seven rounds.

To no one's surprise, the draft got underway with the Pittsburgh Penguins selecting two-time Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year Sidney Crosby.

The draft then had a strong OHL flavour with nine players going in the first round. The first of which was Bobby Ryan of the Owen Sound Attack who was chosen second overall by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks

Minnesota then selected Benoit Pouliot of the Sudbury Wolves fourth overall followed by the New York Rangers' pick of Marc Staal from Sudbury 12th overall. The New York Islanders selected Ryan O'Marra from the Erie Otters 15th overall.

With the 18th pick, Nashville took Ryan Parent from the Guelph Storm, Detroit took Jakub Kindl from the Kitchener Rangers with the next pick while Boston took former Greyhound draft choice Matt Lashoff of Kitchener Rangers with the 22nd pick.

Calgary grabbed Matt Pelech of the Sarnia Sting with the 26th pick while Philadelphia made a shocker pick by taking Steve Downie of the Windsor Spitfires with the 29th selection.

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