By Matt Stefano
May the 5th be with you!
Thursday, May 5 was a historic day for the Great North Under-18 Hockey League, as one player out of that league ended up being taken first overall in this year’s Ontario Hockey League Under-18 Priority Selection.
With the first overall pick in this year’s draft, the Saginaw Spirit selected Soo Jr. Greyhounds forward and Garden River, Ontario product Lincoln Moore.
Moore, who was the first pick in this year’s draft, became the first player in Great North Under-18 Hockey League history to be drafted first overall in the Ontario Hockey League Under-18 Priority Selection.
“It’s truly an honour,” Moore said. “I just want to thank everyone in the Soo Jr. Greyhounds organization for what they’ve done for me and my family.”
Moore, who is a 2005-birth-year forward, spent the 2021-2022 season with the Great North Under-18 Hockey League’s Soo Jr. Greyhounds, where he led all Great North Under-18 Hockey League players in scoring with 37 points in 24 regular season games.
During the 2021-2022 regular season, the Garden River, Ontario product also suited up for 4 games as an affiliate player with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Soo Thunderbirds, where he recorded 2 assists.
Soo Jr. Greyhounds head coach Jamie Henderson also spoke of how rewarding it was for Moore to be drafted in the OHL Under-18 Draft, after he was not selected in the OHL Draft last month.
“Lincoln, like many players who was bypassed in the OHL Priority Draft last month, was upset, but it only fuelled and motivated him,” said Soo Jr. Greyhounds head coach Jamie Henderson, who coached Moore this season. “He had a great summer training with Michael Barbeau and he brought a great attitude to the rink right from day one. We are really happy for Lincoln and his family.”
This season, Moore also led the Jr. Greyhounds to their first ever Great North Under-18 Hockey League playoff title.
(Photo of Lincoln Moore credit to Bob Davies)