Rayside signs four rookies
Four young skaters — including a pair from the north — have signed with Rayside-Balfour Canadians of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Rayside president Adrian Gedye confirmed the signing of defenseman Brandon Atkins and forwards Cole Craft, James White and Jacob Partridge.
Craft and Atkins both skated within the Great North Midget Hockey League during the 2016-2017 season and both are 2017 Ontario Hockey League draft picks.
A towering forward, Craft was picked by the Sarnia Sting from the North Bay Trappers in the eighth round of the 2017 OHL minor midget draft.
A defenseman with an offensive upside, Atkins was selected by the Saginaw Spirit from the Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves in the fourth round of the first-ever, 2017 OHL major midget draft.
White is a big forward who played the 2016-2017 season with the Central Ontario Wolves major midgets. He was a first-round pick of the Flint Firebirds at this year’s OHL major midget draft.
A smaller-sized forward, Partridge played for the Barrie Colts minor midgets in 2016-2017 and became an 11th-round OHL draft pick of the Peterborough Petes.