When Anthony Cirelli was drafted 72nd overall by the by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the summer of 2015, he was already a big name to those who follow the NHL. Just months earlier, the 17-year old made headlines when he scored the overtime goal in the Memorial Cup finals for the Oshawa Generals. On a team stocked with veterans, it was the undrafted OHL rookie that scored the game winner that gave the Generals their first Memorial Cup since 1995.
Having only 36 points in the OHL to his name, Cirelli’s selection in the top-75 of the NHL Entry Draft might have been a surprise to many – he was ranked as high as 183rd in pre-draft rankings.