The Ontario Hockey league will likely have another exceptional player to add to its ranks next season.
TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie has reported that 15-year-old Sean Day - a Canadian defenceman who plays for Detroit's Compuware Minor Midgets - has been granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada.
The decision makes him eligible for the 2013 Ontario Hockey League draft, scheduled for Apr. 6.
McKenzie added he expects an official announcement from Hockey Canada in the next 48 hours, which would allow Day to attend the OHL's Draft Combine this weekend.
In 25 games with the Compuware under-16s of Detroit's High Performance Hockey League, Day has registered three goals and eight assists.
Day will become the fourth player ever to be granted exceptional status for the OHL Priority Selection and the third in the past three seasons. The two previous exceptional players were drafted first overall with Aaron Ekblad joining the Barrie Colts in 2011 and Connor McDavid joining the Erie Otters in 2012.
Prior to those two, the only player granted exceptional status was John Tavares, who was selected first overall by the Oshawa Generals in 2005.
The Ottawa 67s have the first pick in the 2013 after finishing last in the OHL with a 16-46 record. The 67s have not held the top pick in the Priority Selection since 1993 when they selected Alyn McCauley.
