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18 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2012 Cold reception at NHL draft doesn't bother Laughton Centre selected 20th overall by Philadelphia Flyers a young guy, that's a trait that's not easily found," Pryor said. "Most of the good young OAKVILLEBEAVERSTAFF guys, their weakness might be their play withAt some point in their career, every player out the puck because they always have the who strives to play at the highest level will puck. That's what makes him different. He's very competitive." draw the scorn of opposing fans. "We like those kind of players," Pryor The first-round picks in Friday's NHL Entry Draft received receptions ranging from polite added. Laughton never actually heard his name applause to roaring cheers from the crowd inside Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Centre. The called. Or if he did, he doesn't remember it. "I only heard `from the Oshawa Generals,'" lone exception was Scott Laughton. You would think the Oakville native had arrived in Laughton said. "I didn't hear a lot after that. It was unbelievable. I was just Pittsburgh waving a `Sidney excited to share it with my Crosby sucks' banner, judg- "Most of the good young family and everyone who ing by the reception he guys, their weakness might had supported me." received. be their play without the The Laughton continHis crime was far worse puck because they always gent was about 25 strong in the eyes of Penguins fans, and, with all the hugs and though -- he was drafted by have the puck. That's what handshakes, it took him the hated cross-state rival makes him different. He's more than a minute to Philadelphia Flyers, who very competitive." reach the arena floor. The used the 20th pick overall to Flyers' staff was willing to select the Oshawa Generals Philadelphia Flyers director of wait, but not in the draft. centre. That guaranteed that player personnel Chris Pryor, Even though Laughton was Laughton's road to the NHL talking about Scott Laughton ranked lower, they knew he began with the boos of 10,000 would be long gone by their next pick, 45th fans raining down on him. "I know it's not personal," Laughton said. "I overall. "He plays the game the right way. He plays know the rivalry is big there so it's not that big of a deal. It was great to feel the intensity in the both sides of the puck," Pryor said. "He's competitive, he's smart and he's got a little bite in arena when my name got called." The boos had actually started before his game. He's another young centre for us Laughton's name was uttered by Flyers gen- and we were very happy when he was still eral manager Paul Holmgren, who quipped, there." The Flyers will get their first look at "Well, I was going to thank the city of Pittsburgh for their warm welcome," before announcing Laughton as a member of their organization when he reports to their prospect camp next the team's pick. In the crowd, Laughton waited anxiously. month. As for a timetable, with young centres He had met three times with the Flyers lead- like Sean Couturier, 19, and Brayden Schenn, ing up to the draft, more than any other 20, in the lineup, the Flyers don't feel a need to rush Laughton. team. "You never know when a kid is going to "I really didn't know where I was going. The Flyers picked 20th and I was ranked lower than come up," Pryor said. "But for Scott, we're in that," said Laughton, who was ranked from no hurry. If he goes back to junior, he'll con23rd to 28th by various sources. "I just tried to tinue to build and Oshawa has a good history take a deep breath. At the end of the day, it's of developing players." Laughton believes he would benefit from not how high you get picked, it's what you do more time in junior to improve his strength with it after." It was that type of attitude that attracted the but said with so many young players making Flyers to Laughton. Chris Pryor, Philadelphia's the jump to the NHL, "you never know." When he does make that jump, everyone in director of player personnel, said their interviews with Laughton revealed "a very ground- Pittsburgh -- including Sidney Crosby -- will ed individual, very humble," but also one who at least have a more legitimate reason to hate possessed a strong work ethic. Pryor said there Scott Laughton. are parallels between Laughton's personality -- Herb Garbutt can be followed and the way he plays the game. on Twitter @Herbgarbutt "He works hard from the back end and for By Herb Garbutt PHOTO COURTESY AARON BELL / OHL IMAGES DRAFTED: Oakville native Scott Laughton, pictured last season with the Oshawa Generals, was selected 20th overall in last week's NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Late-blooming blueliner selected in fourth round by Anaheim Ducks Two years ago, Andrew O'Brien wasn't on anyone's radar. Just 5-foot-6 in his OHL draft year, the undersized defenceman was overlooked by major junior teams. Now standing 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, O'Brien has the size that teams covet. Saturday, O'Brien finally realized his dream of being drafted, this time by the NHL's Anaheim Ducks, who picked the Oakville native in the fourth round, 108th overall. After going undrafted in the OHL, O'Brien played a season for the Dixie Beehives of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. The following season, he earned a pair of tryouts with teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, eventually landing with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. He put up 10 points in 55 games in his rookie season and this year complemented his solid defensive play by almost tripling his point total, finishing with eight goals and 21 assists in 68 games. He continued to show his improved offensive game during the playoffs, where he had a goal and nine assists in 18 games as Chicoutimi advanced to the QMJHL semifinals, where it eventually fell to the defending Memorial Cup champion Saint John Seadogs. -- Herb Garbutt