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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, April 10, 2013 | 26 Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports "Connected to your Community" Three Oakville minor midget AAA Rangers players were among the first 10 picks in Saturday's OHL Priority Selection. Rangers captain Matt Spencer (far left) went third overall to the Peterborough Petes, defenceman Kyle Capobiano (bottom photo) was picked seventh by the Sudbury Wolves, and forward Brett McKenzie was selected 10th by the North Bay Battalion. | photos by Aaron Bell -- OHL Images Twelve Rangers, six other Oakville residents selected in OHL draft by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor Oakville might not be home to an Ontario Hockey League squad, but the town could practically ice a team of its own next season. Eighteen players with local connections -- 12 members of the minor midget AAA Rangers and six town residents who played last year for other centres -- were picked in Saturday's OHL Priority Selection. Having a dozen players drafted into the OHL in one year set a new record for the Minor Oaks Hockey Association, exceeding the nine that were selected in 2002. Leading the Oakville contingent Saturday was Rangers captain Matt Spencer, who became the highest-picked Rangers player ever in the OHL draft when he went third overall to the Peterborough Petes. Spencer was flattered but not surprised to be selected so early in the draft. Reports of the Petes' interest in the defenceman came out last week, and the team spent three hours interviewing him and giving him a tour of the city last month. "That was kind of a giveaway that they might be picking (me)," Spencer said. "I know there are a couple players leaving (the Petes) next year, defence in particular, so there will be a few open spots. But, just the same as any other person who got drafted this year, I'll have to earn my ice time and make the team, first and foremost. Though I am the third overall pick, there are no guarantees I'm making the team -- though I'm sure the chances are pretty high that I will." Spencer was the first of three members of the Ontar- io Minor Hockey Association and OHL Cup champion Rangers squad to go in the top 10 of the draft. Fellow blueliner Kyle Capobianco, a Mississauga resident, went seventh to the Sudbury Wolves. High-scoring forward Brett McKenzie, originally from Ottawa, was selected three picks later by the North Bay Battalion. In the second round, Rangers defenceman and New Jersey native Troy Henley was taken 20th overall by the Ottawa 67's. Jesse Barwell became the second Oakville resident picked in the draft when the Mississauga Steelheads snatched up the Rangers forward with the 26th overall choice. Barwell is the fourth local player to be picked early in the draft by the Mississauga organization in the past five years. Forward Damian Bourne went 11th overall to the then-St. Michael's Majors last spring, goaltender Spencer Martin was the Majors' 18th overall pick in 2011 and defenceman Stuart Percy was selected 15th overall in 2009. "I think they see good players coming out of Oakville, so they have a tendency to stick with Oakvile," Barwell said. "But I don't think it's an emphasis (on having Oakville players)." Two more Rangers went in the third round of Saturday's draft, with Andrew Burns going to the Windsor Spitfires and Sarnia native Adam Craievich heading to the Guelph Storm. "Andrew came out of the gates this year and played really well," Barwell said. "To see him go in the third round, I was really happy for him." Sean Kohler became the eighth Rangers player selected, going in the sixth round to the Erie Otters. Af- see Rangers on p.27