Round 3B: Kieron Walton, C/Sudbury
Oftentimes, throughout this mock simulation, I listed players with the potential to put on NHL-caliber size, but few in this class already have that size. Kieron Walton is the one exception, as the versatile center/winger is 6’5, 203 pounds, and there is a good chance he rivals former St. Louis Blues first-round pick Tage Thompson after a few years.
His points production sat at just 43 in 74 regular season and playoff games, with 18 goals scored in the process. He was shutout in goals and assists during the postseason, but with Walton heading into his age-18 season, expect that trend to change.
Round 4: Zachary Bowen, G/Peterborough
The more you read my mock draft simulations, the more you’ll know that I’m taking one goaltender, sometimes two. And in this sim, Zachary Bowen of the Peterborough Petes fell to me. You may not like Bowen’s numbers, but he’s a gritty goaltender who was forced to play for one of just three teams in the OHL that ended the year with fewer than 50 points.
I wouldn’t hold that 3.84 GAA against him just yet, and instead judge Bowen more based on what he did in 2022-23 while with the London Knights. They allowed the fewest goals of any team in the OHL’s Western Conference that year, and Bowen’s play in the crease was a big reason for that.