Søgaard drafted to Senators

By medicinehatnews on June 24, 2019.

Mads Søgaard is an Ottawa Senator.

The 18-year-old Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender became the 37th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft after the Carolina Hurricanes traded their selection to Ottawa in the second round.

Søgaard — who joined the Tigers as the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 CHL import draft — finished his rookie WHL season with a 19-8-2-2 record, three shutouts, a 2.64 goals against average and a .921 save percentage — good enough for sixth in the league.

The Aalborg, Den. product also took home a handful accolades over the course of the season, earning CHL goaltender of the week honours twice and competing on the international stage on two occasions, first with Denmark at the IIHF World Junior Championship then with Team Cherry at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Søgaard became the third goaltender selected in the draft after US national development team netminder Spencer Knight — the lone goalie drafted in the first round, by the Florida Panthers at 13th overall — and Russia’s Pyotr Kochetkov, who went to the Carolina Hurricanes one pick before Søgaard. 

Fellow Tigers goaltender Jordan Hollett — who shared the crease with Søgaard this season — was also drafted to the Senators in 2017, at 183rd overall in the sixth round, though Hollett was not signed to a contract.

Søgaard will attend development camp with the Senators this week, however he won’t be the only member of his team getting a taste of the big leagues. 

Tigers centre Brett Kemp went overlooked at the draft despite being ranked 171st among North American skaters, but he earned an invitation to participate at camp with the New York Rangers. 

Tigers captain James Hamblin will be in Toronto competing with the Maple Leafs, while defenceman Dylan MacPherson — who parted ways with the Tigers at the end of the season  — will be in Florida with the Panthers. 

Søgaard was not made available by the Tigers by press time Sunday.

11
-10