Grayson Ladd. (Photo courtesy of Paul Kidd)Grayson Ladd. (Photo courtesy of Paul Kidd)
Chatham

Ladd Preparing For OHL Entry Draft

Chatham-Kent Cyclones defenceman Grayson Ladd will be glued to the computer screen this weekend.

The 16-year-old is anxiously waiting to see which team chooses him in the OHL Priority Selection.

The results will be posted live online at ontariohockeyleague.com starting at 9am Saturday.

"My hopes are obviously to be drafted as high as I can," says Ladd. "Then go up to the team's rookie camp and have a good performance there... then make it back to the main camp and hopefully make the team for next year."

Being a highly-touted prospect isn't easy -- Ladd is expected to be selected somewhere in the first or second round of the draft.

He admits it can be a lot of pressure to deal with, but says he tries to stay away from reading too much about what other people think of him.

"You stay away from reading any scouting agencies or anything like that -- you know you're a good player," says Ladd, adding there's extra pressure when you know scouts are watching you play. "It's pretty nerve-racking that's for sure, but you also feel proud of yourself for the work you've put in and the success you're having."

Ladd says no matter where he ends up, he'll be committed to working hard in preparation of making the jump to the next level.

"If you stop learning, you stop caring," says Ladd. "In our household, there's no regrets -- that's our motto."

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