Winnipeg Jets select centre Chaz Lucius with No. 18 pick in NHL entry draft
Chaz Lucius wasn't shy about mentioning his admiration of Jets star Mark Scheifele in his pre-draft interview with Winnipeg
The honesty obviously worked -- Winnipeg selected to select Lucius 18th overall in the NHL entry draft on Friday.
The six-foot-one, 185-pound centre is excited about the chance to work and train alongside a player he's long admired.
"I really look up to up to Mark Scheifele. He's a guy I try to model my game after," Lucius said. "It's pretty cool that now that I've been drafted by the Jets and to have him in as an idol of mine. I'm really looking forward to the opportunity there and I'll keep watching his games."
Lucius comes to Winnipeg from the U.S. National Team Development Program where he tallied 20 points (13 goals, 7 assists) in 13 games after recovering from a knee injury last season.
The adversity he faced probably helped the dynamic forward land with the Jets, said Winnipeg's general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.
"We're real excited. I think it's a good value pick where we got it," he said. "A really skilled player, a really good character player."
Lucius was the No. 12-ranked North American skater and is set to play at the University of Minnesota next fall.
He's looking forward, though, to eventually joining the Jets' ranks.
"(Winnipeg's) a really fun team to watch, fast paced," he said. "There's a really bright future for the Winnipeg Jets and I'm just looking forward to being a part of it.
The draft is being held virtually for the second year in a row, so Cheveldayoff announced the selection via video from the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg finished the regular season third in the North Division with a 30-23-3 record and swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs. The Jets struggled in round two, however, and were ousted by the Montreal Canadiens in a four-game series.
The Jets will have three more picks to make (No. 50, 82, 146) when the draft resumes with the second round on Saturday.
Winnipeg took centre Cole Perfetti 10th overall in the 2020 draft.
The 19-year-old from Whitby, Ont., spent last season with the Jets' American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, and registered 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 32 games.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.