Like father, like son.
Prince George Cougars forwards Jansen Harkins and Brad Morrison are following in their dad's footsteps now that they've been drafted by NHL teams.
The Winnipeg Jets selected Harkins, an 18-year-old from North Vancouver who led the Cougars in scoring last season with 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points, in the second round of the NHL draft, 47th overall Saturday morning in Sunrise, Fla.
Then in the fourth round, 113th overall, the New York Rangers picked Morrison, 18, who ranked fourth in Cougars scoring with 23 goals and 50 points.
"It's exciting," Harkins told The Canadian Press. "You wait pretty much your whole life for this day. I know this is going to get harder, but this is the start of my NHL career and I'm very happy with Winnipeg and hopefully I can prove them right with their pick."
The six-foot, 182-pound Harkins sat through the draft proceedings with his dad and his mother Kirsten and brothers Nicklas and Jonas. His uncles Brett (a former NHL winger) and Donnie, grandparents Don and Sandee Harkins and family friends were also in the stands Saturday at BB&T Centre, the home of the Florida Panthers.
Like many players in the building touted as potential first-round picks, Harkins was disappointed when he was not one of the top-30 selections Friday night.
"(Friday) was tough," he said. "You can't really expect to go first round, but I was pretty optimistic and thought I would be. It was a tough night, but obviously this is probably one of the most exciting days of my life and I'm excited to get going with the Jets.
"I'm pretty thankful I was picked in the second round and moving forward hopefully I can prove them right with their pick. I'm happy with where I'm going to Winnipeg. I know they have lots of good prospects already in the pipeline. Hopefully I can add t the depth and play for the Jets."
Only the first-round picks get called to the stage at the draft but Harkins was invited to walk down to the floor to the Jets' corner to meet Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice. Harkins had been ranked as high as 21st overall and was the 15th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting's final list.
"It's one of those things where sometimes there's players that are ranked a lot higher throughout the different rankings that for whatever reason fall in to your lap," Cheveldayoff told The Canadian Press. "He's a skilled centreman, obviously, over a point a game in his draft year in the Western Hockey League. Good two-way player, real smart, good puck distributor."
Harkins will remain in Florida for a holiday with his family before he reports to the Jets' five-day development camp in Winnipeg on Thursday.
Harkins' father Todd was chosen in the second round of the 1988 draft, 42nd overall by the Calgary Flames and went on to play 48 games in the NHL as a winger for the Flames and Hartford Whalers.
The six-foot, 154-pound Morrison also has extensive NHL bloodlines. His father Doug was the Boston Bruins' second-round pick, 36th overall, in 1979. He played 23 games over four seasons for the Bruins. Brad's uncle Mark Morrison was also drafted by the Rangers in 1981 in the third round, 51st overall. Another uncle, Garth Butcher, was taken 10th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 1981. Brad's brother-in-law is Buffalo Sabres defenceman Josh Gorges.
"It's really exciting, it's the coolest team to get drafted to, they're a well-respected organization in the NHL and I heard they have room in the minors for when I get older and I couldn't be happier," said Morrison, from his mother Pauline's home in Kelowna.
Having so many NHL hockey ties in the family has obviously helped Morrison's progress.
"I know they all went through it and have had the opportunity to play at that level and also watching my brother-in-law Josh and what he goes through every day has been an interesting thing for me to learn from," said Morrison. "My dad and Mark and Garth are so proud of me. It looks like I'm in a good spot now."
Morrison got the call Saturday from his agent, Kevin Epp, and later talked to Rangers scout Ernie Gare. The 18-year-old Prince George minor hockey product will be in New York City on Monday for the Rangers' development camp.
"I'm excited for that, it's going to be a fun experience," Morrison said.
Cougars 19-year-old defenceman Sam Ruopp was picked in the fifth round, 129th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 64 games last season, the six-foot-three, 179-pound Cougars captain collected three goals and 23 assists for 26 points and 140 penalty minutes. Ruopp was driving back to his home on the farm near Zehner, Sask., when he got the call from his agent Jason Taylor.
"I was just shaking, I've never been that excited in my life when my agent called," said Ruopp. "It's the best day of my life."
Ruopp celebrated with his parents and older brother Harrison, a Pittsburgh Penguins prospect and his billets, Neil and Monette Boyes, who were visiting from Prince George. Harrison, 22, was drafted in the third round in 2011 by Phoenix.
"I was super-excited for my brother when he got drafted but this is a completely different experience, I've never felt this before," said Sam, who was left off the list of drafted players in his first year of eligibility.
"That motivated me more," he said. "I just really wanted to prove that I belonged there and I just went into the season in the best shape I could."
Ruopp leaves Sunday for the Blue Jackets' development camp in Columbus, Ohio.
One other Cougar was chosen in the draft; defenceman Tate Olson was snapped up by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round, 210th overall. Olson was the second-last pick of the draft.
Olson, 18, a six-foot-two, 174-pound native of Saskatoon, picked up five goals and 19 assists in 68 regular season games and also scored three goals in the Cougars' five-game playoff series against Victoria.
"My emotions were getting kind of low, I was getting pretty discouraged but finally it happened so it was great," said Olson, while driving with his family Saturday to Christopher Lake, north of Prince Albert, Sask.
"I didn't think I was going to watch it on the computer but I did. I got a call from someone from the Canucks and couldn't really hear his name, and then my agent (Jason Taylor) called. I go to the Canucks' camp in a week or so but I'm not sure where. I'm really happy to be going to the Canucks. It's a Canadian team, close to where we play, so we'll get to see them lots. It's exciting."
Todd Harkins said having four drafted players is a credit to the Cougar organization and the work of its scouts who picked each of the players in the bantam draft as well as the efforts of team owners to build an organization that prepares its players to take the next step to pro hockey.
"We're just thrilled for Jansen, Brad, Tate and Sam, for all four to get drafted -- their NHL dream starts today," he said.
GM Harkins won't have much time to relax by the pool in Florida. On Tuesday he'll be on his phone to determine who the Cougars will pick in the CHL import draft. The Cougars have the 20th and 80th selections, but Harkins says the team will likely move up a few spots before they make their second choice because some of the other major junior teams won't be picking two players.
