The Everett Silvertips announced Tuesday they’ve signed 2017 first-round pick Ronan Seeley and. As colleague Nick Patterson noted it was a sigh of relief for an organization that’s recently had trouble signing and/or retaining first-round picks.
A big “phew” for the Tips on this one, since Seeley was on record about exploring his NCAA options. Having the type of season in major midget as a 15-year-old that suggests he’ll be a very good WHL player. Important signing for Everett: https://t.co/QdostplmXc
— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) December 12, 2017
The Tips hit big during general manager Garry Davidson’s first draft in 2012 when they took Kevin Davis in the first round. Davis is now a co-captain and a five-year stalwart on Everett’s blue line.
Then came first-round futility:
2013: Tyson Jost (did not sign)
2014: Jantzen Leslie (traded in Brycen Martin deal, three career points in 74 WHL games with Saskatoon and Edmonton)
2015: no first-round pick (second-rounder Brett Kemp traded to Edmonton in Aaron Irving deal).
2016: Ethan Browne (left team in November, put on suspended list, now playing with Drayton Valley Thunder in AJHL).
So inking Seeley with the specter of NCAA recruiters lurking is a huge get.
Seeley’s father, Patrick, is a former WHL player. But that can work both for and against an organization as it attempts to woo a recruit away from the Junior A/NCAA route.
“I think it depends on the player and the experience the father had,” Davidson told me Tuesday. “They had other options and did their homework and everything, and in the end I think Ronan and his family feel comfortable with what we’re about, and his growth and development by playing in Everett.”
That’s essentially what Seeley told Silvertips broadcaster Mike Benton in a phone interview that aired Tuesday night on the Silvertips Hockey Show on 1380 KRKO:
“It was a long decision and a long process, but it really just came down to what I wanted to do,” Seeley said. “I thought both ways were really good for getting to the next level, but Everett, I thought, would be ideal for me.”
Seeley certainly stood out at training camp. The plan is for him to spend a weekend with the team in January and join the Tips for what they hope will be an extended playoff run when his midget season continues. Davidson reiterated today that he’s looking to add before the Jan. 10 trade deadline, something he told Nick last week.
In other news:
– Carter Hart was named CHL Goaltender of the Week Tuesday. It’s the third straight time he’s won the award. He’s also won four straight WHL Goaltender of the Week Awards and was the November WHL Goaltender of the Month.
For the latest Silvertips news follow Jesse Geleynse on Twitter.
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