Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
By: MJ Baird
June 25, 2016 was just another Saturday for many, but for some NHL hopefuls, it meant draft day.
Quinnipiac defenseman Chase Priskie heard his name called at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York on Saturday.
The Washington Capitals selected the rising sophomore in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL entry draft, number 177 overall.
Buffalo is almost 1400 miles from Priskie’s hometown in Pembroke Pines, Florida. However, no distance is too far to hear your name selected as a draftee of the big leagues.
Priskie was ranked 126 overall on the NHL Central Scouting report for 2016 prior to the draft.
Before Quinnipiac, Priskie played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League. In one season, he appeared in 57 games and tallied 20 points.
As a top four defenseman for the national runner-ups, Priskie finished his freshman campaign ranked third among team defenders in points, with 26. He tallied four goals and 22 assists in 43 games for Rand Pecknold’s Bobcats.
Priskie will certainly be a top defender for Quinnipiac next season, as it lost Devon Toews who signed an NHL contract with the New York Islanders electing to forgo his senior season.
Priskie becomes only the second NHL draft pick to line the Bobcat’s roster next season.
Fellow defenseman Connor Clifton is a 2013 draft pick of the Arizona Coyotes, and will also return to Quinnipiac to complete his senior season.
