Niagara sign 2nd & 3rd round OHL Draft Picks Maximus Crete, Matthew Humphries, & Nicholas Frasca to OHL Scholarships
The IceDogs management and scouting team are building a bright future in Niagara. They've hit on recent OHL draft picks Kevin He (25th overall in 2022) and Ryan Roobroeck (2nd overall in 2023) and have a potential game-breaker in Braidy Wassilyn who they selected 4th overall in the most recent OHL Priority Selection.
They continue to build through the draft and have signed their second and third-round OHL draft picks, Maximus Crete, Matthew Humphries, and Nicholas Frasca.
"We are thrilled to have Maximus commit to the Niagara IceDogs. He is a dynamic player with excellent skating who can make plays through the middle of the ice at a high rate of speed," said Interim GM Wes Consorti on the signing of Maximus Crete. Crete had an impressive performance at the OHL Cup in March putting up eight points in just four games.
OHL Site Editor Joely Stockl said he probably should've been a first-round pick. Crete was selected in the second round 30th overall by Niagara.
"He has elite vision and high-end playmaking tools for the next level. He's constantly engaged with and without the puck and is always competing. He's very strong for his size and incredibly difficult to knock off the puck. He projects as more of a winger at the OHL level," Joely added.
Matthew Humphries was the second goalie selected in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. The Newmarket, Ontario native played with Braidy Wassilyn for the Markham Majors U16 AAA and has good size for a goaltender at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds.
Adam Munro, Director of Goaltending for the IceDogs had this to say on Humphries: "Matthew is quite possibly the closest to OHL-ready goalie in the draft. A big goalie who fills the net well and battles hard. He's got really good reads on situational plays and can handle the puck well."
Nicholas is the fourth Frasca brother to be drafted in the OHL. His oldest brother Jordan spent five years in the league and now plays in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. The second oldest Jacob wrapped up his OHL career with the Soo Greyhounds. Jacob has attended multiple Toronto Maple Leafs development camps but is searching for a pro contract. Gabriel is the third oldest, currently playing for Kingston, and should surely hear his name get called at the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft.
I'm sure there was no love lost in their competitive mini-stick battles in the basement growing up.
Nicholas played for the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA in the GTHL, registering 30 points in 61 games while patrolling the blueline.
"Nicholas shows high IQ on both sides of the puck and plays a very calm game on the backend. He gets pucks to the net at a very good rate and is a good all-around defenseman," said Interim GM Wes Consorti.
The future is bright in Niagara, particularly up front with their forwards. The IceDogs finished dead last in the OHL this season with a 17-43-6-2 record and a minus-130 goal differential. Niagara last appeared in the OHL playoffs in 2019.
Related: First Overall Pick Ethan Belchetz Signs With Windsor Spitfires
Related: Third Overall Pick Colin Fitzgerald Signs With Hometown Peterborough Petes