Cole Perfetti (1st round, 10th overall, 2020 Draft)
Perfetti’s draft year came during the COVID-19 pandemic and so the event was held in a remote format. The 21-year-old was at home with family and friends instead of going up on stage, shaking hands with Commissioner Gary Bettman and taking photos.
“It’s not how you dreamt like how you dream it up, your whole life you watch the draft on TV, and you hope one day that you're gonna get your name called and you walk up on stage and meet everyone in the organization, put the jersey on, take the picture, all that kind of stuff. We had the at home draft, but it was unique. It was special. I was actually able at the time in Ontario you're allowed to have I think 70 people or something in a in a in a room at once, I had my friends, family, coaches, people that that helped me get to that point. I got picked, had to do a little bit of media and then over the phone and then it was just celebrating, be with the people that I love. It was a special 24-48 hours. I was actually able to go to one of best friend’s draft party the next day, he got picked by Tampa Bay, so it was cool to be with each other’s families and have that experience.”
Dylan Samberg (2nd round, 43rd overall, 2017 Draft)
“My parents and I were like, this is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity. Might as well take the trip down there. It was in Chicago. An eight-hour drive. And I just kind of wanted to get the full experience. Went to the first day of the draft, which is obviously pretty cool, a long time waiting, but that was a good experience. And being drafted the second day pretty early, which was very cool, unexpected and just being able to hear your name and coming from a small town, it was pretty remarkable. And doing the interviews afterwards, meeting the whole management staff and everything. And then obviously the quick turnaround, because I think it was a Saturday that they had the draft, so we had to drive back right immediately. Oh, we hung out for a little bit of the draft. Had to drive back to Minnesota. Got home at about midnight, had to go to bed, and had a flight out at 6am the next morning to Winnipeg for camp. So that was a crazy one but is obviously a wild and eventful week.”
Dylan DeMelo (6th round, 179th overall, 2011 Draft by San Jose)
“I didn’t go to the draft (which was in Saint Paul, Minnesota) was ranked like 120 out of North American skaters. I’m like there's a chance I don't go. I had a decent draft year as my first full year in the OHL, so I played all the games. Had a great playoff run (with the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors), and we had the Memorial Cup, so I was able to play in those pressure situations and in those moments. So watched the draft and just to kind of see the guys you’re playing against or names you know go and a teammate of mine at the time, Stu Percy, he was also finishing school in Mississauga, so it was him, myself and another player named Justin Rasmussen who hung around. Saw Stu get drafted in first round to Toronto. I knew if I were to go, it would have been day 2, nothing's happening 2nd round, 3rd round, 4th round. I'm kind of going a little stir crazy and talk to my folks on the phone here and there. Talking to a teammate of mine, Dave Corrente and we actually end up going to Five Guys burgers and fries, which will always have a special place in my heart, and we get into the 6th round. My agent called me and said San Jose is gonna call you. So, I make sure I didn't have any fries in my mouth or, you know, have. Burger. So got the call from Doug Wilson. So many emotions and called everybody. It was an amazing feeling.”
