Halifax Mooseheads snag local star after QMJHL blockbuster deal

Jared McIsaac had no idea how his Saturday was going to play out.

The top rated defenceman heading into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft, held over the weekend in Charlottetown, was hoping he would get picked first overall by the Halifax Mooseheads.

That didn't happen.

The Mooseheads selected Benoit-Olivier Groulx, a highly touted forward from Gatineau, Que.

"I figured they were going to pick him. He's a great player and a really good person off the ice, too,"McIsaac said Monday after school.

"There were a lot of things going through my mind."

Drafting second was the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, a team McIsaacwasn't interested in.

'Hometown team'

But Mooseheadsgeneral manager Cam Russell made a blockbuster deal before Baie-Comeau made itspick.

Halifax gave the Drakker three picks so it could have the second selection.

Russell picked McIsaac,and in the process, snagged the top two players in the draft.

"Obviously, you want to play for your hometown team and I'm able to do so,"said McIsaac, a Grade 10 student from Truro, N.S.

"When my name was called and the trade was put up on the board, I was pretty ecstatic."

'Pretty special'

The Mooseheads had stockpiled a number of draft picks when the team traded veteran players like Timo Meier and Danny Moynihan during the regular season.

"Winning the draft lottery and choosing first was a big bonus," CamRussell said.

"We just felt that if we could make it work to get the second overall pick,that it would be something that would be pretty special."

When it comes to large scale drafts, anything can happen.

It can be compared to a poker game. When you have six picks in the first two rounds, you have a pretty good hand.

"If you're realistic about it, those six players all aren't going to make the team,"Russell said.

"We were fortunate that we could put those picks together and make it work and it came together for us, fortunately."

Just turned 16

McIsaac just finished his second season of midget hockey with the Cole Harbour Wolfpack, and is eligible to play there next season.

He just turned 16 in March, but at 6'2and 203 pounds, scouts love his size.

Add in his puck moving skills and offensive ability, and the Mooseheads feel the teamhasanother big building block to work with.

"Hopefully we can bring a President's Cup back here in a couple of years and a chance at the Memorial Cup," McIsaacsaid.

'We're pretty excited'

McIsaac,from Truro,has lived in Dartmouth the last three years, most recently attending the community'sMaritime Hockey Academy.

In September, he'llattend Prince Andrew High School and live at home in Dartmouth while playing for the Halifax-based team.

With the two top picksand goaltending prospect Alexis Gravel (chosen asthe second ranked goalie available with the 20th overall pick) all on the teams roster, the Mooseheads's future looks bright.

"At the end of the day, we landed three players that played for Team Canada at the Youth Olympics in Norway,"Russell said. "We're pretty excited."