Sam Black chosen in fourth spherical of OHL draft

FERGUS – Sam Black doesn’t have to look far for inspiration in his budding hockey profession.

The Waterloo Wolves U16 winger was chosen by the Barrie Colts within the fourth spherical, 73rd total, within the 15-round Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Precedence Choice draft on April 22.

When he steps on the ice for a rookie camp with the Junior A Colts in a few weeks, Sam will likely be aiming to observe within the footsteps of his father, Ryan Black, who performed 4 seasons within the OHL with the Peterborough Petes and London Knights from 1990 to 94.

Ryan, who was drafted within the fifth spherical of the NHL draft in 1992 by the New Jersey Devils, additionally had stints within the skilled ranks within the East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League.

“He drove our household’s ardour to play hockey since we have been very younger,” stated Sam.

 “Everyone in our household performs hockey,” he added,  noting he has two sisters and a brother who additionally play the sport.

Sam counts “my dad and, my grampa, all people in my household,” for offering him with the inspiration and help wanted to play high-level hockey.

Beginning out within the Fergus minor hockey system on the age of 4, Sam remembers, “I caught on fairly quick.”

He graduated to the Waterloo Wolves to play hockey on the AAA stage 4 years in the past. 

This previous season the six-foot, 168-pound winger, scored 11 targets and recorded 25 assists in 32 video games.

Half approach via the season, he started to consider he had a robust likelihood of being drafted.

“I picked up my sport quite a bit … I had a very good second half of the yr,” he notes.

Sam says he didn’t have any expectations on the place he would go within the draft and is happy with the end result.

“I wasn’t anticipating to go in any sure spot,” he informed the Advertiser in an April 25 phone interview.

“Barrie took me and I used to be fairly proud of that.”

Sam will likely be attending the Colts’ essential coaching camp in August, the place he expects his bodily fashion of play and playmaking talents will give him a shot at making a squad that was headed into sport seven of a second-round playoff sequence with the North Bay Battalion because the Advertiser went to press.

“I’ve set to work laborious through the summer time,” he stated.

“I feel that I could make the workforce, however we’ll see what occurs. I’m anxious to get began.”