CANMORE – Canmore Eagles alumni Alex Young is joining the Shark attack.
The 19-year-old centre was selected in the seventh round (196th overall) by the California-based San Jose Sharks at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft on Wednesday (Oct. 7).
“We should have drafted Alex Young last year and we’re lucky we got him this year,” said Doug Wilson Jr., the Sharks director of scouting during a media scrum after the draft.
“We went with best player available [in the draft].”
Welcome to San Jose, Alex Young! @SAPSports | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/ikkXssdFYV
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) October 7, 2020
Young, a five-foot-11, 181-pound Calgary-native had elite statistics the past three years with the Eagles that landed him on two south all-league teams in 2018-19 and 2019-20.
In 172 regular season games with the Eagles, the centre scored 91 goals and had 206 points and is second all time in goals for the Eagles and third all time in points.
During his last season in Canmore, Young scored 36 goals and 82 points in 53 games. It landed the assistant captain as the fifth highest scorer in the league and ninth overall in points. He was an AJHL MVP finalist that season.
“We couldn’t be happier for the entire family, they are very deserving of this," said Eagles head coach and general manager Andrew Milne in a press release. "We congratulate Alex on this accomplishment and wish him all the best in his future.”
This season, Young is attending Colgate University in upstate New York.
In total, four players who were on AJHL clubs last season were drafted: Sherwood Park Crusaders defenceman Michael Benning (95th pick, Florida Panthers), and forward Carter Savoie (100th pick, Edmonton Oilers), Spruce Grove Saints defenceman Ethan Edwards (120th pick, New Jersey Devils), and Young.
Centre Dylan Holloway was drafted 14th overall by the Oilers. He played for the Okotoks Oilers in 2018-19.
