Screaming Eagles in Draw for First Overall Draft Pick

Press Release

Sydney – The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles will find out Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm if they will have the first overall pick at the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft.

The Screaming Eagles are one of two teams in the draw for the pick, the other team being the Shawinigan Cataractes who also missed the QMJHL playoffs this season.  Both teams have a fifty percent chance of landing the first overall pick; the unsuccessful team will receive the second overall pick.

Prior to 2005 the first overall pick was automatically awarded to the last place team in the standings but for the last 8 years the league has been using the current draw format.  The Screaming Eagles have only picked first overall once in their 16 year history; in 2004 they used a pick obtained from the Halifax Mooseheads to select James Sheppard first overall.

The 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft will be held on June 8th, in Chicoutimi, QC.  The Screaming Eagles currently possess a total of 14 picks at the draft including three picks in the first two rounds.

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)