For the third consecutive year, three Clarkson University Hockey players were selected in the National Hockey League Draft. Incoming Golden Knight freshmen Shea Guthrie, Tyrell Mason and Philippe Paquet were chosen in Saturday’s draft held in Ottawa, Ontario giving the Green and Gold the most selections in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECACHL).
Guthrie was selected in the third round with the 76th pick by the New York Islanders. The first freshman in the ECACHL to be chosen in the 2005 draft and the second overall player from the league to be picked, Guthrie is the highest draft selection for Clarkson since current NHL standout Erik Cole was chosen 71st in 1998 by Carolina.
Mason also went to the Islanders, chosen in the sixth round with the 180th pick, while Paquet was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the seventh round, 229 overall.
An exceptional offensive force, Guthrie enjoyed an excellent senior year with St. George’s Prep, playing a vital role in leading the Dragons to their first ever ISL/New England Division II title in 2004-05. The 6-0, 190-pound forward from Carleton Place, ONT, finished his final season at St. George’s with 50 points on 26 goals and 24 assists. Guthrie earned numerous honors for his outstanding season that included the ISL’s Eberheart Division MVP, a selection to the All-England Division II First Team as well as the NEPSIHA and U. S. Hockey Report (USHR) Division II Player of the Year awards. “Shea is going to be a dynamic player at the college level,” remarked Clarkson head coach George Roll. “He skates extremely well, goes to the net hard and has very good offensive ability. We will rely heavily upon him as a freshman.”
As rookies, Mason and Paquet are expected to see considerable playing time and generate additional offense from the blueline this winter for Clarkson.
Mason, who played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL, is a big (6-2, 180), mobile defenseman who moves the puck well and has good vision on the ice. The Dawson Creek, BC native scored 42 points, including 36 assists in 51 games last year. “Tyrell has good size, competes hard and is a very good skating defenseman,” stated Golden Knights associate coach Greg Drechsel. “He moves the puck well, has good vision and makes an excellent first pass. He should be a key contributor on our power play."
A large (6-3, 200), rangy defenseman from Salisbury Prep, Paquet, a native of Saint-Augustine, QUE, is extremely strong defensively and has an offensive flair. "Phil is a big, strong defenseman, who is very mobile for his size,” stated Roll. “He makes a great first pass out of the zone and has the potential to be an excellent offensive-defenseman. Phil is an excellent student who is fluent speaking both English and French.”
Clarkson, which opens the 2005-06 season on October 7, will have nine players overall on its roster who have been drafted by NHL teams.
