The general manager of the Renfrew Wolves has finally gotten the chance for a little rest after a long night at Tuesday night’s CCHL draft.
Jerrett DeFazio welcomed thirteen players to the franchise that evening, on top of two picks to protect young affiliated talent, as the team focused much of their early selections on long-term improvements to a forward corps that struggled to put the puck in the net last season.
While the Wolves answered their biggest need, one of the biggest questions being tossed around the Nepean Sportsplex on Tuesday was if Renfrew would use their plethora of early draft picks to take a flyer on Braeside phenom Kaden McGregor, who is almost a sure bet to play for the Peterborough Petes next season.
Conversations were had, but the Wolves were realistic about the chances of McGregor suiting up in Junior A.
That didn’t stop the Wolves from taking other players with OHL commitments, as DeFazio explains that the goal of any coach or front office executive at the junior level is to develop players to be ready to take the next step up the hockey ladder, and consistently developing OHL-ready talent pays off for the Wolves and fans.
He points to Cobden-born defenseman Andrew Enright as someone who could make that jump after some seasoning at the myFM Centre.
The Wolves now have a short break before returning to the rink to welcome Renfrew’s newest prospects early next month.
DeFazio also took us through each pick of the draft, giving us the scout’s perspective on who’s coming to Renfrew for the 2025–26 season:
PROTECT ROUND 1: LD Andrew Enright (Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA)
“[The Enright family] has great hockey players, and Andrew is no different. He’s tall, has size, skates well, and is a very smart player. Great hockey IQ.”
PROTECT ROUND 2: F Benjamin Carr (Ottawa Myers Automotive U16 AAA)
“A 200-foot player at 6’6″, he can hit, he can score. He can do a lot of things, and as he grows into his body, he’s just going to get better and better. Real strong leadership.”
ROUND 3: F Quinn Young (Upper Canada Cyclones U16 AAA)
“A natural goal scorer. Saw him score a hat trick at the OHL Cup against best-on-best. He’s smart with a great hockey sense and can find holes in defences.”
ROUND 3: F Hunter Sim (Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA)
“Arguably the best 200-foot forward in the draft. A character player and relentless worker who can play anywhere up and down your lineup— and he has a little bit of a scoring touch as well.”
ROUND 3: RW Liam Hayes (Ottawa Myers Automotive U16 AAA)
“A skilled defensive hockey player. A good passer who really complements some of the players we’ve picked. A couple of people said this is a sleeper pick; if he grows a little bit more, look out because he could be a real threat in the CCHL.”
ROUND 3: D Jacob Lalande (Ottawa Jr. 67’s U16 AAA)
“A big defenseman who hits, moves pucks, and knows his role already at a young age. If you get to the front of the net, he’s able to move you and protect the goalie. A real shutdown guy.”
ROUND 3: F Jacob Saumure (Eastern Ontario Cobras U16 AA)
“He was at the combine, and it was incredible to watch how much skill this forward had. When we started doing our research, we found that this could be a really special player who can put the puck in the back of the net. We knew other teams would take him high, and we stepped up.”
ROUND 4: F Ethan Gillespie (Upper Canada Cyclones U16 AAA)
“One of the toughest kids in the league. He finishes his checks and was nasty to play against. [The Cyclones] put him on the power play late in the season, so we also got to see those hands a little bit. A big power forward who can tip and has a good shot in tight around the net.”
ROUND 5: D Matthew Bronsard (Ottawa Jr. 67’s U16 AAA)
“A quarterback on the power play. A smaller defenseman who is an elite skater and never misses on his first pass. His hockey IQ is off the charts when it comes to finding players and making plays. An Erik Karlsson-type player. We’re thrilled he was available.”
ROUND 6: D Joseph La Vecchia (Ottawa Valley Titans U16 AAA)
“The brother of Wolves forward Leo. Big, tough, stay-at-home defenseman who could be a great pairing with [Jacob] Lalande down the road. Competes hard and has high character— those are the type of players who win in the playoffs.”
ROUND 7: F Noah Sonego (Gloucester Rangers U16 AA)
“A big winger who can score goals. When you look at potential, he fits the bill of a player who could really break out. He’ll need another year of development, but we think there will be lots of opportunities for him with that kind of size and skating.”
ROUND 8: F Taavi Stevenson (Upper Ottawa Valley Aces U16 AA)
“A skilled hockey player who’s nifty with the puck. He creates offence, passes well, and is like his brother, [Wolves Captain] Tal: real smart and a great hockey IQ.”
ROUND 10: F Preston Charron (Nepean Raiders U18 AA/Arnprior Packers Jr. B)
“A pesky forward who reminds me of a Brad Marchand-type player. He’s in your face, he’s hard on the puck, and he can score. I think he’s a real sleeper pick.”
ROUND 11: G Liam Welsh (Gloucester Rangers U16 AA)
“We had at least three or four people in the loop who said, ‘This is the guy.’ He might be a touch behind some of the AAA guys, but he should have probably already been in AAA with his potential. A big goalie with strong legs and great side-to-side movement. We’re excited for him long-term.”
ROUND 12: D Hayden Reid (Renfrew Timberwolves Jr. B)
“One of the premiere defensemen on the Timberwolves last year. We love him. We’re really excited to have him push into the lineup right out of the gate, and we’re excited for his chances at the development camps.”
(written by Kasey Egan)
