Barrie Colts round out team ahead of return to the ice

BARRIE, ONT. -

After a two-day draft like no other, the Barrie Colts say they are more excited than ever to return to the ice.

The draft for the 2021-2022 season was held virtually this year due to the pandemic. Acting general manager Marty Williamson says while it was different than previous years, it is the highlight of his job.

"It really is the best part," Williamson says to CTV News. "We go through a lot of stress in making the picks, and then you hop on the phone call, and you hear how excited the families are and the player is, and it really is the rewarding part of the job."

As its first pick coming 19th in the first round, the Colts drafted Beau Akey from the Waterloo Wolves. By Saturday afternoon, all fifteen rounds of the draft were complete, with Williamson feeling confident moving forward.

"It's one of the few drafts we kind of said if this was a dream if we could get this guy, this guy and this guy we'd be really happy and we got just about everybody we wanted," says Williamson.

After a year of being forced to the sidelines, Williamson says they are preparing for the start of the next season. The team will gather for a month-long training camp the first week of September.

"We thought we were going to have a good year this year," says Williamson. "This year coming up, we think we can have a great year. We think our team is very special. I think we'll be considered one of the top teams in the OHL."

The OHL season is scheduled to start on Thursday, October 7.