Five Eagles Taken in 2014 NHL Entry Draft

A trio of top players with ties to Boston College were selected over the weekend at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. 

Left wing Sonny Milano and right wing/center Alex Tuch both went in the first round on Friday evening. Milano was taken 16^th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tuch followed two picks later when he was tabbed by the Minnesota Wild. Both will be enrolling at the Heights this fall, and both played for the U.S. Under-18 Team in the United States Hockey League last season. Milano finished with 24 goals and 48 assists for 72 points, while Tuch accumulated 28-32—60 points.

Boston College rising freshman netminder Thatcher Demko, who was ranked the No. 1 North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting, was taken on Saturday by the Vancouver Canucks at 36^th overall. The 6-foot-3 Demko finished 16-5-3 overall last season with a 2.16 goals-against average in backstopping the Eagles to the Frozen Four in April, which was also held in Philadelphia. BC fell to eventual national champion Union College, 5-4, in the semifinals.

Also chosen in the sixth round back-to-back, and headed to BC in the fall of 2015, were centers Chris Brown and Joey Dudek, the first two picks in that round. Brown, who posted 23-27—50 totals last year for the Cranbrook-Kingswood School in Michigan, was selected 151st overall by the Buffalo Sabres, while Dudek, who put up 9-35—44 numbers last year for Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire, was taken with the very next pick by the New Jersey Devils.

BC and Hockey East rival Boston University tied for the NCAA lead in this year’s draft with five selections apiece.