Eight future Terriers taken in 2012 NHL Draft

By Kevin Dillon/DFP Staff

While no Boston University hockey players were selected on Friday’s first round of the 2012 NHL Draft, Saturday’s rounds two through seven featured eight future Terriers drafted to play professional hockey.

The highest drafted recruit was incoming freshman forward Sam Kurker, who was taken in the second round (56th overall) by the St. Louis Blues. The Reading native last played at St. John’s Preparatory School, and was widely regarded as the best Massachusetts prospect in the draft. The Blues currently have a former Terrier on their roster, as defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk won a national title with BU in 2009.

One round later, incoming freshman defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was selected by the team that plays a few miles down the Green Line, as the Boston Bruins grabbed him in the third round (85th overall). Grzelcyk is a Charlestown native and spent last year playing with the U. S. National Team Development Program. At 5-foot-9, 171 pounds, Grzelcyk compares to former a former Terrier defenseman currently in the Bruins’ system, David Warsofsky.

In the fourth round, incoming freshman goaltender Sean Maguire was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins (113th overall). Maguire last played with the Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League and will be competing with fellow incoming freshman Matthew O’Connor for the starting goaltender job this fall. Maguire joins an organization abundant with Hockey East talent, including former Terrier defenseman Brian Strait and former Northeastern University goaltender Brad Thiessen, as well as the freshly acquired Brian Dumoulin, the defenseman who turned pro in April after winning the national championship with Boston College.

The fifth round featured three future Terriers selected. Defenseman Doyle Somerby, taken by the New York Islanders at 125th overall, was the first of those three. Somerby, a Marblehead native expected to arrive at BU in 2013, spent last season playing with Kimball Union Academy. In the 2000 NHL Draft, the Islanders selected former Terrier goaltender Rick Dipietro first overall.

Next was 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon, taken by the Ottawa Senators with the 136th overall pick. The forward and Enfield, Conn., native spent last season playing with the Indiana Ice of the United States Hockey League after graduating from Cushing Academy in 2011. Former Terrier defenseman Eric Gryba is currently playing with the Binghamton Senators, Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate.

Two picks later, the San Jose Sharks took incoming freshman forward Danny O’Regan with the 138th overall pick. The Needham native played with St. Sebastian’s School and the USNTDP last year. The last Terrier to be drafted by the Sharks was Charlie Coyle, whose draft rights were traded to the Minnesota Wild the following year. Former Terrier John McCarthy is a current member of the Sharks.

In the sixth round, the Vancouver Canucks used their pick (177th overall) to take incoming freshman forward Wesley Myron. Myron is a Victoria, British Columbia native who spent last season with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL. It has been a long time since a BU player played with the Vancouver Canucks, as the last to do it was Chris O’Sullivan, who played with the Terriers from 1992-96 and the Canucks in 1999.

The final future Terrier selected in the draft was 2013 recruit forward Brendan Collier, who was taken by the Carolina Hurricanes in the seventh round (189th overall). Collier is another Charlestown native who spent last season with Malden Catholic High School. The last Terrier to play with the Carolina Hurricanes was Dan Lacouture in 2008-09.

Of the nine incoming freshmen coming to BU, five were drafted, while forwards Matthew Lane and Mike Moran, defenseman Marc Hetnik, and O’Connor all went undrafted.