Congratulations to alumni Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and Jasper Weatherby, who were selected at the 2018 National Hockey League Draft on June 23rd in Dallas, Texas.
Semyon was taken in the 3rd round, 76th overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs, while Jasper went to the San Jose Sharks in the 4th round, 102nd overall. Semyon plays for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League while Jasper played for the Wenatchee Wild of the British Columbia Hockey League.Semyon, a 5’10 playmaking center with elite hockey sense and vision was touted as one of the most underrated players in this draft and could be a steal for the Maple Leafs at #76. He was ranked #82 among North American Skaters by NHL Central Scouting in their final rankings in April.Born in Moscow, Russia, Semyon came to CIHA as a 13 year old in 2014 to pursue his hockey dreams. Semyon played for the Bantam AAA team where he put up 36 points in 30 games. He then moved up to Minor Midget AAA in 2015, where he and draft-eligible forward Pavel Gogolev took Hockey Eastern Ontario by storm. Semyon finished first in assists (49), powerplay assists (15) and points (70) and was named the HEO Rookie of the Year.After completing his Minor Midget season at CIHA, Semyon was selected 27th overall by the Petes in the 2016 OHL Draft. After putting up 29 points in 63 games as a rookie, Semyon took his game to the next level in his second year with 39 assists and 51 points in 68 games for the Petes, establishing himself as a high-end playmaker and offensive leader on his team.While nothing is certain, Semyon projects to continue his development for the Petes for two more seasons, adding strength and speed before taking the next step to the pros. With his newfound expectations of being drafted, he will be leaned upon heavily as a 3rd year player for the Petes, a challenge he will surely meet.When NHL Central Scouting released their midterm rankings in January, Jasper was not ranked among the top 217 North American Skaters. When the final rankings were released in April, Jasper was 198th after nearly leading his team to a national championship and being the top offensive player in the BCHL, leading the league in goals (37) and points (74) while also being named MVP. He also led the playoffs in scoring with 38 points in 20 games as his Wild captured the league championship.Jasper came to CIHA in 2012 and played for the Bantam AAA team, putting up 7 points in 29 games. He took his game to another level in 2013 for his Minor Midget AAA season with 18 points in 32 games before moving to Omaha, Nebraska, to continue his development for two years.A native of Ashland, Oregon, Jasper would then make a decision to play for the Wenatchee Wild of the BCHL which brought him closer to home. He would truly blossom into an NHL prospect during his two years in Wenatchee.After being passed over in the 2016 and 2017 drafts, there was some uncertainty whether Jasper would get drafted, however, the San Jose Sharks had him targeted as they traded their 123rd and 139th picks to move up to 102nd to ensure they could select the 6’4 skilled center.Beginning in September, Jasper will attend the University of North Dakota in the NCAA where he will continue to develop in a program that has produced NHL stars such as Jonathan Toews and T.J. Oshie.We want to wish nothing but the best for Semyon and Jasper as they continue on their path to the National Hockey League.Semyon and Jasper join Gabriel Vilardi as alumni selected in the NHL Draft. Gabe was selected 11th overall to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2017 Draft.