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Big Weekend for BCHL at 2016 NHL Draft

FROM THE BCHL

BUFFALO – History was made Friday night at First Niagara Center in Buffalo as three BCHL players were selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.

Penticton Vees captain Tyson Jost, a center, went 10th overall to the Colorado Avalanche. His Vees teammate, defenceman Dante Fabbro, went 17th overall to the Nashville Predators and shortly after that, Dennis Cholowski – also a blueliner – heard his name called at 20th by the Detroit Red Wings.

The previous high for the BCHL was two first-round picks in the same draft. The last time it happened was in 2007 when Kyle Turris of the Burnaby Express went third overall to the then-Phoenix Coyotes and Riley Nash of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks went 21st overall to the Edmonton Oilers.

A pair of BCHLers were also drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft when Silverbacks forwards Travis Zajac (20th to New Jersey) and Kris Chucko (24th to Calgary) were selected.

Beau Bennett, a Vees forward, was selected 20th overall in the 2010 Draft by Pittsburgh. With this year’s selections, it makes an all-time total of nine BCHLers taken in the first round:

Jason Marshall – St. Louis, 1989

Travis Zajac – New Jersey, 2004

Kris Chucko – Calgary, 2004

Kyle Turris – Phoenix, 2007

Riley Nash – Edmonton, 2007

Beau Bennett – Pittsburgh, 2010

Tyson Jost – Colorado, 2016

Dante Fabbro – Nashville, 2016

Dennis Cholowski – Detroit, 2016

League alums Mel Bridgman, Paul Kariya and Joe Murphy all became first-round NHL selections after leaving the league for college or major junior hockey.