Congratulations to alumni Donovan Sebrango and Dylan Peterson who were selected in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.Donovan was taken in the 3rd round, 63rd overall by the Detroit Red Wings and Dylan was selected in the 3rd round, 86th overall by the St. Louis Blues.
At 6’1 and 183 pounds, Donovan is touted as a two-way defenseman with elite skating who has the potential to become a top four defender at the NHL level. He plays with an edge and is a willing combatant in the corners and in front of the net. He was also labeled as the one of the most underrated prospects in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).Born in Kingston, Ontario, Donovan came to CIHA starting in 2015/2016 and played a year above his age group in Major Bantam AAA. Donovan excelled, putting up 11 points in 29 games and showcasing the immense potential he had. The next season in his true Major Bantam year, he put up 29 points in 30 games while being captain of the team. He also played 9 games at the Midget AAA level, contributing 3 assists. Making the full-time jump to Midget AAA in 2017/2018, Donovan continued to thrive, scoring 25 points in 30 games while being named an assistant captain.“Donovan came to the Academy when he was 13 years old and even at that time you knew that he was a special talent,” said CIHA Hockey Director and Donovan’s Head Coach, Andre Savage. “He was an offensive defenseman who was not shy from the physical play and always in good position defensively. Aside from his on ice talent, Donovan was very disciplined off the ice and made sure he created good habits that would transcend on the ice.”After three dominant seasons at CIHA, the Kitchener Rangers had seen all they needed of Donovan and selected him in the 2nd round, 40th overall in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.Before the season was canceled, Donovan put up 6 goals and 24 assists for 30 points in 56 games for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, an improvement on his 26 points in 62 games during his rookie year last season. During that rookie season, Donovan won his team’s Rookie of the Year and Best Offensive Defenseman awards.At every level Donovan has played at scouts and management have taken notice. He made the All-Star Team at the Bantam AAA level, played in the OHL Top Prospects game and has played for Team Canada at the U17 and U18 World Championship.Donovan will likely play a 3rd season in Kitchener to continue his development and take on a major role on and off the ice for his squad this upcoming season. During his two seasons at CIHA, Dylan paired with Donovan to form a dynamic duo and create highlight reel plays every time they were on the ice.A centre from Roseville, California, Dylan joined CIHA in 2016/2017 and played Major Bantam AAA, leading the league with 48 points in 29 games while being named an assistant captain. Early that season, Dylan committed to Boston University of the NCAA, an incredible accomplishment and a true testament to the elite skill and massive potential he possess. The following season at the Midget AAA level, Dylan put up 35 points in 29 games and again was named an assistant captain.“Dylan spent two years with us at CIHA and it was not difficult to see the talent in this young man,” said Andre, who also coached Dylan. “He has great speed, was offensively gifted and made an impact every time he touched the puck. Dylan was a good teammate and was very respected among his peers. His hard work, determination and love for game are some of the reasons why he has excelled on the ice.”After two dominant seasons at CIHA, Dylan moved on to the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP), which is a prestigious program that has teams at the U17 and U18 level. Both teams are based out of a state of the art facility in Plymouth, Michigan, and play in the United States Hockey League, which is a tier I league in the USA. Dylan continued to thrive, putting up 40 points in 84 games for the U17 team, and improving his average totals with the U18 team this year with 36 points in 64 games. He also played for Team USA U17 at the international level.At 6’4 and 192 pounds, Dylan already has NHL size and has the tools to become a power forward that can be slotted anywhere in the lineup. He plays a 200 foot game as well which translates to the NHL level.  Dylan has already begun his season at Boston University where he will continue his development as an NHL prospect. We want to congratulate Donovan and Dylan once again on their achievement. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to themselves and the game has taken them to this level and will continue to bring them to new heights. We can’t wait to see what these boys become as they continue developing as hockey players and young men.Donovan and Dylan join fellow alumni Gabriel Vilardi (11th overall, 2017), Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (2018, 76th overall) and Jasper Weatherby (102nd overall, 2018) who have been drafted to the NHL.We want to give a mention to alum Pavel Gogolev who was in his 3rd and final year of NHL draft eligibility but was not selected.Pavel had a huge season for the Guelph Storm of the OHL and was among the league leaders in all offensive categories with 45 goals, 51 assists and 96 points in 63 games. As shown this season, Pavel has elite offensive skill complimented with above average skating and good size at 6’1.  Pavel won an OHL Championship with Guelph and has attended NHL Development Camps with the Detroit Red Wings in 2018 and the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019. He has the experience and has plenty of room to grow and improve his game and continue to get noticed by NHL teams.Not getting drafted can be a discouraging time but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the line. Keep your head up and continue working hard and good things will come. We look forward to watching your continued development and wish you the best of luck, Pavel!