Third time worked like a charm for Ondrej Becher.
Saturday’s NHL Draft in Las Vegas marked the third and final time the 20-year-old Prince George Cougars winger has been eligible to be picked by one of the 32 NHL teams and he was too good of a hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings to pass him by.
The Red Wings chose Becher in the third round Saturday, setting up a pro hockey future for the talented two-way forward who drew plenty of interest from the scouts as one of the most improved and effective Cougars during a banner season that saw them win the WHL Western Conference regular season title.
A native of Ostrava, Czechia, Becher doubled his goal output from his rookie season with the Cougars, scoring 32 times, and nearly tripled his point production with 96 in 58 games. His 19 playoff points, including five goals, left him tied for the team lead with Riley Heidt .
Becher also had 10 points in seven games at the world junior tournament. His three goals and five points in the medal round led Team Czechia to a bronze medal win.
Prince George native Miguel Marques, 18, was also selected in the third round, 87th overall, by the Nashville Predators. Marques scored 28 goals and had 46 assists for 78 points in his second season with the Hurricanes.
Heading into the draft, Marques was ranked 54th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Cougar centre Hunter Laing, 18, was also chosen in the draft Saturday, picked 171st overall in the sixth round by the Calgary Flames.
The six-foot-six, 205-pound Kelowna native scored 11 goals and 14 assists in 25 games as a WHL rookie with the Cougars.
On Friday, Cougars right winger Terik Parascak was selected 17th overall by the Washington Capitals.
He became the first Prince George Cougar taken in the first round since Brett Connolly in 2010.
Parascak joins his former Cougar linemate, Zac Funk, on the Capitals’ prospects following Funk’s signing as a free agent with Washington in the spring.
