Warriors coach-general manager Moe Mantha and director of scouting Tom Boileau told Maghielse that character was a priority in going through the draft process.
"Going through this process, we've spent from Christmas on doing a lot of homework, asking coaches and other scouts a lot of questions about these players and the main thing with me is that it always came back to character," said Mantha. "It's a big part of how you take the ice but also how we get involved in the community. What kind of character do these guys have when it comes to getting out in the community? That's part of what we're looking to do here. We want guys that are here for the right reasons and I think we got that."
With their first selection in the draft, sixth overall, the Warriors opted for 1993 birth year forward Jake Hopfner.
Hopfner played nine games in the NAHL for the Jamestown Ironmen last season before being injured and then released. A free agent, the Warriors jumped at the chance to take Hopfner.
"Jake is a real talent who we'd been watching for quite a while," said Boileau. "He played midget major hockey and played in the NAHL to start the season and (Jamestown) got impatient with his injury and cut him loose. We just kind of laid back and didn't say much about anything because we didn't want somebody else to get onto him, but he was our obvious choice."
Hopfner battled back from a broken arm and a herniated disc to finish up with the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Jr. Hockey League this past season.
"I'm just blessed to have this opportunity," Hopfner told Maghielse shortly after he was drafted. "I had a rough year last year with injuries but am glad I got back to 100 percent."
Interestingly, in the fourth round the Warriors scooped up forward Connor Lyons, who played in the NOJHL with the Soo Eagles last season, scoring 14 goals in 47 games as a hard-toiling winger. Lyons was taken 77th overall, just before the Eagles made their fourth-round selection at no. 78.
Lyons, who hails from Davisburg, which is about 25 miles from Flint, attended the Warriors tryout camp last fall before signing with the NOJHL Eagles.
"I have always liked him," Mantha said of Lyons.
BLOODLINES
NAHL champion Texas Tornado opted for 1995 birth year forward Scott Conway from the Detroit Victory Honda under-18 team in the fifth round.
Conway, who is originally from the United Kingdom, is the son of British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame right winger Kevin Conway.
The elder Conway, who was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., scored 63 goals for the erstwhile Kingston Canadians during the 1983-84 Ontario Hockey League season before embarking on a 20-year playing career in the United Kingdom. While playing for the Telford Tigers of the British Hockey League, Conway scored a remarkable 148 goals during the 1987-88 season.
As for the younger Conway, he tallied 20 times in 40 games with Victory Honda this past season.
