Toronto, Ont. – A total of six OHL players were selected in Friday’s first round of the 2021 NHL Draft that was held virtually online and aired across the globe.
The six OHL players were among the 15 CHL players chosen in the draft’s opening round.
Peterborough Petes centreman Mason McTavish led the way for the OHL, being selected third overall by the Anaheim Ducks. The 18-year-old from Carp, Ont. is the highest-drafted Petes player since Nick Ritchie was selected by the Ducks with the 10th overall pick in 2014. McTavish joins a Ducks franchise currently coached by Petes alumnus Dallas Eakins (1984-88) and is the highest-drafted OHL player by the Ducks franchise since Owen Sound’s Bobby Ryan went second overall in 2005.
“We talked two or three times and to be honest I didn’t really know where I was going to end up,” said McTavish. “I’m super fortunate that they took me and I’m really looking forward to the future.”
Offensively gifted Barrie Colts blueliner Brandt Clarke followed McTavish on the journey to Southern California, being selected by the Los Angeles Kings at eighth overall. Joined by older brother and New Jersey Devils prospect Graeme, Brandt was overwhelmed with excitement upon hearing his name called by the Kings.
“I have a really good support system, a lot of people there supporting me and it was amazing,” Clarke described. “It was just raw emotion. I was just really excited and it’s the best day of my life.”
Clarke, who posted 38 points (6-32–38) in 57 games with the Colts as a rookie in 2019-20, becomes the fourth Barrie player in the past decade to be chosen in the top-10 selections at the NHL Draft, joining Andrei Svechnikov (2nd overall, 2018), Aaron Ekblad (1st overall, 2014) and Mark Scheifele (7th overall, 2011).
Fellow 2019 OHL Cup champion and past Don Mills Flyers teammate Brennan Othmann followed Clarke at 16th overall, being selected by the New York Rangers. Othmann, who set Flint Firebirds rookie records with 17 goals and 33 points in 2019-20, expressed excitement about his new destination.
“I think I fit in great. Kakko and Lafreniere – they’re two studs, two great players,” he said. “I think if I’m able to play with those guys, those guys are playmakers and if I’m able to find the right spots on the ice, I think they’d feed me and I’d put the puck in the back of the net all the time.”
Othmann becomes the second Firebirds player to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft, following former captain and Dallas Stars prospect Ty Dellandrea (13th overall, 2018).
Dallas added dependable two-way Windsor Spitfires centreman Wyatt Johnston with the 23rd overall selection, giving the Stars first round picks out of the OHL in three of the past four years. Johnston recorded 30 points (12-18–30) as a Spits rookie in 2019-20 and played a key role on Canada’s gold medal-winning National Under-18 team this past spring.
“Jamie Benn called me and that was an amazing moment,” Johnston described. “I was pretty star-struck just hearing him on the other side of the phone. That was a special experience.”
The New Jersey Devils nabbed a competitor with the 29th overall selection, taking third generation OHL talent Chase Stillman of the Sudbury Wolves. The son of two-time Stanley Cup champion Cory Stillman and younger brother of Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Riley Stillman, Chase put up 13 goals and 34 points as a Wolves rookie in 2019-20. Following second overall pick Quinton Byfield (Los Angeles) in 2020, Stillman’s selection gives the Sudbury franchise first rounders in back-to-back years for the first time since 2005 & 2006.
“It was a remarkable moment, it’s a huge relief and I’m beyond excited,” said Stillman. “I talked to multiple people in the organization and I had a good feeling. New Jersey is a great organization that has done very well. To throw on a Devils jersey will be an awesome experience.”
The Montreal Canadiens rounded-out OHL selections in the first round by picking London Knights blueliner Logan Mailloux at 31st overall.
The 2021 NHL Draft resumes with Rounds 2-7 on Saturday, beginning at 11:00am ET.
OHL Players Selected in the First Round of the 2021 NHL Draft:
Click on player name below to watch pick announcement and media availability
3. Mason McTavish (Peterborough Petes) – Anaheim Ducks
8. Brandt Clarke (Barrie Colts) – Los Angeles Kings
16. Brennan Othmann (Flint Firebirds) – New York Rangers
23. Wyatt Johnston (Windsor Spitfires) – Dallas Stars
29. Chase Stillman (Sudbury Wolves) – New Jersey Devils
31. Logan Mailloux (London Knights) – Montreal Canadiens
For more information on the 2021 NHL Draft including full results visit nhl.com.
About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league.
With exceptional mobility and speed, Clarke is almost like a fourth forward when transitioning to offence and jumping up into the play. It should come as no surprise since he models his game after Erik Karlsson. He plays a very poised game, patient with the puck, and rarely turns it over. He has excellent hockey senses and is a superb passer. His defensive game showed marked improvement as the season progressed. He gets back quickly because of his skating, has good gat control and is effective with his stick. And he doesn’t shy away from the physicality and began to be the player who initiated contact rather then the receiver as the season went on. Clarke finished the season with 6 goals and 32 assists in 57 games and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. 
The offensively talented McTavish led all 2003 born players in goals and points despite not always getting the best offensive opportunities with the Petes, moving up and down the lineup. He’s a puck possession beast, seemingly having the puck on a string. He’s not shy about going end-to-end, is patient with the puck and is very adept at creating space. He reads the play extremely well and is able to find soft spots undetected. He is willing to drive the net with or without the puck. McTavish is a pure sniper with a pro caliber shot and release already. He’s already physically strong and yet there is still room for more. He’s also a top player in the faceoff circle. McTavish finished the season with 29 goals and 13 assists in 57 games and was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team.
At this point, it may not be a reach to say that Pinelli is the best two-way player out of the draft class and that ability coming straight from minor midget earned him the trust of the Rangers coaches. He’s a versatile player who can play both the wing and down the middle. He works hard from shift-to-shift and is not afraid to play a physical game. He has high hockey senses, is positionally sound and creates turnovers almost at will. He’s a strong skater with a unique ability to draw in defenders and make a perfect pass. He has a superb one-timer and can unleash it with accuracy and it is especially dangerous on the pp with space. He finished fourth among rookies with 18 goals and 23 assists in 59 games.
When watching Othmann play, it’s obvious his deadliest asset is his shot. He possesses and excellent one-timer and a snap shot that is deadly accurate with a superb release. Maybe it was a lack of confidence in his abilities, but he just didn’t use that shot enough as he chose to dish off rather then take his shot. That said, he is a very good playmaker as well, so maybe he was reading something else on the ice. One might raise the question if it’s his hockey sense/vision that comes into play. However, I believe it’s just a question of confidence in his ability to beat goaltenders and with a year under his belt, those questions will be answered. Othmann finished the season with 17 goals and 16 assists in 55 games and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.
With a late 2002 birth date, Chayka will be in his third OHL season come his draft year and the young Russian has already made a name for himself. He is a smooth skater, plays in all situations and eats up huge minutes. Chayka is a pass first defender but is more then willing to jump into the play on offence. He has a good shot from the point but doesn’t try to overpower goaltenders and shoots with a purpose. Defensively his size and skating make him hard to beat one-on-one. Even at a young age, Chayka has shown excellent leadership qualities. Chayka finished the season with 11 goals and 23 assists in 56 games. He was named to the 2018-2019 OHL Second All-Rookie Team.
While the attention in Sudbury was all on Quinton Byfield, Stillman quietly put up a very good rookie season. The son of former NHL’er Cory Stillman and younger brother of Riley, he comes from a family with hockey blood lines. He is a swift skater he has a high level of hockey smarts. Stillman is a coachable player – not because his father is a coach in Sudbury, he stayed with a billet family, but he took directions well from the older players. Expect Stillman to be one of the go-to guys for offence in Sudbury next season. He finished the year with 13 goals and 21 assists in 58 games. He was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team.
OHL Writers 