Bobcats Make Otto Top Pick, Select Six in 2017 Draft
FRISCO, TX – After trading up earlier in the day to move into the first overall selection, the Bismarck Bobcats made forward Eric Otto the number one pick of Tuesday’s 2017 NAHL Entry Draft—selecting six players in total.
Otto, a native of Savage, Minn., put up 13 points (6g, 7a) in 52 appearances with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in 2016-17.
All told, the Cats picked four forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender Tuesday.
| Rd | Overall | Name | Pos | Year | Last Team |
| 1 | 1 | Eric Otto | F | 1997 | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) |
| 2 | 29 | Adam Stacho | F | 1999 | Team Slovakia U18 (IIHF) |
| 4 | 75 | Jaxson Stauber | G | 1999 | Victory Honda U18 (T1EHL) |
| 4 | 78 | Pavel Kharin | F | 1999 | Compuware U18 (HPHL) |
| 6 | 123 | Jake Olson | F | 1999 | Eden Prairie High School (MN HS) |
| 7 | 146 | Aiden Gallacher | D | 2000 | Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16U (T1EHL) |
“We had 10 defensemen on our protected list, so we felt comfortable targeting forwards that will work well with our strong group of returners up front,” remarked Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie.
Among the Bobcats’ six selections, only Otto is in his final year of junior eligibility: the other five players picked have three or four seasons of eligibility remaining.
Regardless of the round in which they were picked, the Bobcat staff is confident in each of the players taken.
“You look at last year, you see Cooper Haar and Luke Millen taken in the ninth and 11th rounds (respectively), and they were huge contributors this past season,” added Sedevie, “so it doesn’t matter where we drafted these guys, we know that each of them can come be a contributor.”
The Bobcats’ annual Pre-Draft Camps continued to yield success as Kharin, Olson and Gallacher—half of the team’s picks—were all players who gained the attention of the Cats’ coaches in Lakeville, Minn., and Fraser, Mich, camps in late May and early June.
Now the Cats turn their attention to their Main Tryout Camp at the VFW Sports Center, scheduled for July 21-23. Admission will be free and open to the public, as always, for the Bobcats’ Main Camp.
Season tickets for the 2017-18 campaign are now available for pre-order: fans can get more information or reserve their seats for all of next year now by calling 222-3300 or by texting TICKETS to 701-390-7422.