IceDogs lock up two more picks
The Niagara IceDogs have locked up their top three draft picks from the 2023 Ontario Priority Selection.
The IceDogs inked fifth-overall pick Ethan Czata and 28th-overall pick Artem Frolov a week after signing first overall selection Ryan Roobroeck.
Czata, a 6-foot, 156-pound centre from Brampton, played this past season with the Mississauga Rebels of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. The Rebels qualified for the OHL Cup, going 2-2 and finishing fourth in the Lindros division. Czata played a huge part in his team’s success as he put together an impressive 2022-2023 campaign which saw him record 22 goals, 15 assists for 37 points in 35 games.
“We are excited to have Ethan in our lineup,” IceDogs owner and general manager Darren DeDobbelaer said. “Ethan is a complete player. He is one of the fastest players in this class. Ethan scores, wins face offs, blocks shots, kills penalties and back checks. He truly does it all.”
Frolov, a 6-foot, 184-pound left-handed shot defenceman from Volgograd, Russia, spent the last two seasons in North America playing for the Vaughan Kings in the GTHL. In 49 games this season, Frolov potted nine goals to go along with 22 assists for a total of 31 points.
“Artem is a big addition to our team, he is physically mature and ready to compete at this level. Artem’s skating and puck movement abilities will allow him to immediately adapt to the OHL,” DeDobbelaer said. “Artem plugs a large hole in our back end after losing three overage defencemen.”
The IceDogs also added Frolov’s Vaughan teammate, Ivan Galiyanov, in the fourth round, 68th overall.
Dear reader. If you liked this story or one of the 5,000 other stories found on our website, please consider hitting the Support Us button on the right-hand side of our home page and making a PayPal contribution to our website. Your support would be much appreciated. If you are a business owner, please consider advertising on our site. Our rates are reasonable and we provide plenty of exposure for your business. Contact bpotrecz@outlook.com for more information.
