Excitement to the Maks on draft day
Watching the Ontario Hockey League draft on TV Saturday morning, Maks Corovic knew something was up when his cellphone started ringing.
“Our TV was actually delayed and I didn’t know right away. I was getting a bunch of texts saying congratulations,” the 15-year-old St. Catharines resident said.
The well wishes were in regard to the 6-foot-1, 174-pound Niagara North Stars goalie being selected in the fifth round, 84th overall by the Brantford Bulldogs.
“Then I got a call from Chris Whalen (Brantford’s special advisor to hockey operations) saying that they had selected me and I was super pumped, excited and I got to enjoy that moment with my family.”
The first thing that popped into the head of the Grade 10 student at Sir Winston Churchill was gratitude.
“I was super excited and thankful to be drafted by a great organization. When they were in Hamilton and they won the 2022 OHL championship against Windsor, it was a great experience,” he said. “I am also really fortunate that Nick Grainger is the goalie coach of the team. I have been working with Nick since I was little and he has helped me become the goalie I am today.”
The sixth goalie selected in the draft had many teams contact him prior to the draft and had several interviews. He was not surprised that Brantford drafted him.
“I had a strong feeling going into the draft that it was going to be Brantford. It was just the conversations that I had had with them and going and training with Nick, we had talked about the draft.”
After taking to Whalen on draft day, he also had chance to speak with Grainger.
“They told me they were super excited to have me and they welcomed me to the Bulldogs.”
After getting drafted Saturday, he went up to meet people and tour the facility.
“It was incredible and an awesome experience.”
Corovic, who grew up in Stoney Creek and played with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Hamilton Huskies, Burlington and Oakville before joining the Niagara North Stars in the 2023-24 season, has always had a desire to play in the OHL.
“I am super interested to play in the OHL because it is a great league with high-level hockey hockey. It is a good step and it will help develop me to go further.”
He realized he had a shot of getting drafted throughout the entire season with the North Stars.
“I didn’t know exactly where or when but I had a good feeling.”
This past season, Corovic has a 2.31 goals against average in 20 regular season games with the North Stars and a 2.07 goals against average in six playoff games. He was also an affiliated player with the Niagara Falls junior A Canucks and practised with the team.
“Maks has been an elite goalie in the OMHA for several years. His preparation and mental focus demonstrated to the rest of the team what it took to be an elite competitor,” Niagara North Stars head coach Jay Glenney said. “He always had a positive attitude and was technically sound.”
Corovic describes himself as a big, athletic goalie who likes to use his size and foot speed to his advantage.
He feels 2023-24 was a good development year.
“One big thing that I worked on is holding my feet, reading plays and making it easier on myself to make saves.”
He is from a hockey-playing family. His older brother, Mihailo, played goal for the Niagara Falls junior B Canucks and his cousin, Stevan Manojlovic, now 33, played in the OHL with the Mississauga IceDogs.
