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September 24/10 7:05 PM

Trio of Blades’ Selected in 7th Round

The Saskatoon Blades Hockey Club is pleased to announce that forwards Josh Nicholls and Randy McNaught, plus defenceman Teigan Zahn, were all selected in the 7th and final round of today’s National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Nicholls was taken 182nd overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Zahn was picked by the Tampa Bay Lightning at 186th with McNaught chosen 190th overall by the New York Rangers.
 
       Nicholls scored 18 goals and added 30 assists for 48 points in 71 regular season games while adding five assists in 10 playoff games in the 2010-2011 season…his second as a member of the Blades.
 
       “It was a long morning,” exclaimed the 18-year-old who was 93rd amongst North American skaters in the final Central Scouting Bureau rankings. “In the end, the team that wanted me, got me so I’m definitely happy to be a Leaf.”
 
       For Zahn, this is the second time he has been selected in an N.H.L. Draft. The first time was by Chicago in 2008 in the 5th round, 132nd overall. The Bethune product became eligible again when the Blackhawks did not sign him prior to June 1.
 
       “It’s nice to be picked again…it doesn’t happen very often,” explained the four-year Blades’ veteran who was the team’s first round pick, 4th overall, in the 2005 W.H.L. Bantam Draft. “I’ve got to go out and prove myself again.”
 
       At 6’5, 221 lbs., McNaught was the Blades’ policeman after being acquired from Chilliwack on October 6, 2009…piling up 163 penalty minutes in 65 games, including 20 fighting majors.
 
       “I talked to quite a few teams before the draft. I didn’t really know if it was going to happen. It was 50-50 by what my agent told me, but it’s nice to get drafted,” said the 19-year-old Nanaimo, B.C. native. “A lot of credit goes to the Saskatoon Blades who helped me out a ton. I was really lucky to play for a guy like Lorne and he gave me an opportunity to play which was great!”
 
       When contacted in Los Angeles about the flurry of Saskatoon selections in the 7th round of the draft, Blades’ Alternate Governor, General Manager and Head Coach Lorne Molleken said, “You would hope they would’ve gone a little earlier, but I think with today’s format, getting drafted at any time is an honour.”
 
       The selections of Nicholls, Zahn and McNaught gives the Blades four players taken in the 2010 N.H.L. Entry Draft. The fourth player was left winger Curtis Hamilton, chosen in the 2nd round by the Edmonton Oilers, 48th overall. In 44 years of Saskatoon Blades’ Major Junior franchise history, this is the 38th season in which at least one member of the Blades has been picked in the draft…a total of 116 players have had their names called.
 
Name:
Josh Nicholls
Position.:
Centre
Shoots:
Right
 
Height:
6'2
Weight:
180
Birthdate:
1992-04-27
Hometown:
Tsawwassen, BC
Regular Season Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2009-10 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
71
18
30
48
19
55
2008-09 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
63
9
16
25
6
37
 
TOTALS
134
27
46
73
25
92
 
Playoff Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2010 WHL Playoffs
Saskatoon Blades
10
0
5
5
0
6
2009 WHL Playoffs
Saskatoon Blades
7
2
0
2
0
4
 
TOTALS
17
2
5
7
0
10
 
Name:
Teigan Zahn
Position:
Defence
Shoots:
Left
 
Height:
6'2
Weight:
220
Birthdate:
1990-04-01
Hometown:
Bethune, SK
Regular Season Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2009-10 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
44
0
3
3
-3
84
2008-09 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
62
5
11
16
5
160
2007-08 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
69
4
15
19
-28
104
2006-07 WHL Season
Saskatoon Blades
39
0
3
3
-19
68
2005-06 WHL Season
Saskatoon Blades
1
0
0
0
0
2
 
TOTALS
215
9
32
41
-45
418
 
Playoff Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2010 WHL Playoffs
Saskatoon Blades
10
0
2
2
1
8
2009 WHL Playoffs
Saskatoon Blades
7
1
2
3
1
12
 
TOTALS
17
1
4
5
2
20
 
Name:
Randy McNaught
Position:
Right Wing
Shoots:
Right
 
Height:
6'5
Weight:
221
Birthdate:
1990-08-05
Hometown:
Nanaimo, BC
Regular Season Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2009-10 Regular Season
Chilliwack Bruins
6
0
0
0
-2
32
2009-10 Regular Season
Saskatoon Blades
59
6
6
12
-4
131
2008-09 Regular Season
Chilliwack Bruins
51
5
4
9
-14
78
2007-08 Regular Season
Chilliwack Bruins
30
3
1
4
-4
53
 
TOTALS
146
14
11
25
-24
294
 
Playoff Stats
Season
Team
GP
G
A
PTS
+/-
PIM
2010 WHL Playoffs
Saskatoon Blades
5
0
0
0
0
11
2008 WHL Playoffs
Chilliwack Bruins
4
0
0
0
0
2
 
TOTALS
9
0
0
0
0
13


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