It took until the second day, but the Ontario Hockey League did come calling for Renfrew’s Kale Osipenko.
Kale, a goaltender who put up stellar numbers with the Ottawa Valley Titans Under-16 AAA team last season, was selected by the Sarnia Sting in the seventh round of the OHL Priority Selection draft over the weekend.
He will likely be playing at the local Junior level this year, but Sarnia is betting on his upside as he develops.
Kale says that he didn’t stress over the long wait for his draft day call, something he advises other aspiring draftees from the Ottawa Valley who end up in his situation.
Osipenko is one of two local players drafted to the OHL this year, with Kent Greer selected by the North Bay Battalion.
The two long-time friends and former teammates may very well develop a friendly rivalry in just a few years, when both are expected to be playing for their respective clubs.
Despite that, Kale says he intends to keep in touch.
The Sting’s head coach, Alan Letang, is also a Renfrew native, and the team has a dedicated scout for Ottawa and the Valley who has kept close tabs on Osipenko during his development.
(written by Kasey Egan)
