Seven players with Ohio ties were selected in Wednesday’s North American Hockey League (NAHL) Draft led by Shaker Heights native and former Cleveland Baron Phil Quetell going to the El Paso Rhinos in the third round.

Quetell, a 20-year-old forward, played for the Barons up through 18U before spending the last two seasons playing Tier II Junior hockey with the Connecticut Jr. Rangers of the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC).

The Johnstown Tomahawks selected Ohio AAA Blue Jacket 18U defenseman Ethan Perrault in the next round, 110th overall. Perrault, a 6’3”, 190-pound blue liner hailing from Tipp City, was called up to play three NAHL games for Johnstown during the 2020-21 campaign.

The Tomahawks also nabbed AAA Blue Jackets 16U forward Will Elger in the eighth round. The Westerville native, who has spent his entire AAA career in the Blue Jackets organization, scored 90 points (33-57-90) in 114 games over the last two seasons.

Elger was also drafted by the Tri-City Storm of the Tier I United States Hockey League (USHL) in the ninth round of their 2020 Futures Draft.

The Shreveport Mudbugs grabbed the Perrott Brothers in the fifth round. 18-year-old Kevin played for the Cleveland Barons in 2019-20 and was supposed to play with the Junior B St. Mary’s Lincolns of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League last season, but junior hockey in Ontario failed to open up during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin was selected 134th overall, followed by his older brother Andrew nine picks later.  Kevin is also a 2019 draft pick of the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) North Bay Battalion.

Andrew has played three seasons of Major Junior Hockey with the London Knights and Owen Sound Attack of the OHL. Andrew was our guest on Episode 52 Of the Ohio Hockey Digest On Air podcast.

Medina’s Spencer Bellina heard his name called by the Maine Nordiques in the seventh round. Bellina is a 20-year-old defenseman who stands 6’1” and 190 pounds. He was a teammate of Quetell’s in Connecticut this past season.  

Cody Brekke went to Amarillo in Round 15. The 19-year-old Oxford native scored 15 goals and 36 points for the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets 18U team this past season. He and Perrault helped that team win the Mid-Am Districts and qualify for USA Hockey Nationals in April.

Prior to the draft, the NAHL’s North Iowa Bulls signed Gilmour Academy Prep forward Charlie Tuggey.

--- Scott Harrington for Ohio Hockey Digest