DALLAS, Texas – The Austin Bruins of the North American Hockey League have selected four players in this year’s NAHL Draft including three defensemen and one forward.
Rd. 1, 17 overall – Chris Tamer – Defense – Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
Rd. 2, 40 overall – Camden Gallagher – Defense – Lloydminster Bobcats (AJHL)
Rd. 2, 43 overall – Cullen Rush – Forward/Defense – Rochester Grizzlies (NA3HL)
Rd. 3, 69 overall – Mason McCormick – Forward – Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
Austin began the day by selecting Chris Tamer with the 17th overall pick. Tamer, a 6-foot-1-inch defenseman most recently with the Trenton Golden Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, netted three goals and added five assists in 46 games played in New Jersey. The Brighton, MI native, isn’t an unknown player to the Bruins as the 19-year-old suited up for Austin during the 2017-18 campaign for a single game.
With two picks in the second round, the Bruins used their first to address the blueline again. Off the board with the 40th pick overall, the black-and-gold selected defenseman Camden Gallagher from the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Standing at six-foot-two, Gallagher registered a goal and five assists in his first junior season with the Bobcats. The Boise, ID, native wasn’t afraid of the penalty box racking up 63 penalty minutes in his 46 games played.
With their follow-up selection in the second round, the 43rd pick overall, Austin went with a familiar face selecting Cullen Rush from the team’s NA3HL affiliate Rochester Grizzlies. Rush played nine games with the Grizzlies including all three of the teams’ playoff bouts. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Rush earned three assists in his nine games as a defenseman. Prior to joining the NA3HL, the Alexandria, VA, native played primarily as a forward in the USPHL with the Atlanta Jr. Knights.
Austin used their final selection of the day on some true offensive power selecting winger Mason McCormick in the third round with the 69th overall pick. McCormick spent 2018-19 in the USHL where he competed in 30 total games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The Verona, WI native scored one goal in his 30 games with the Fighting Saints and played in four postseason games. At 6-foot-3, 193-pounds, McCormick was the largest player selected by the Bruins in the 2019 NAHL Draft.
The Bruins coaching staff and scouting department will use a mixture of draft picks, protected players from last season, and tendered players to make up their preseason roster. The team will hold training camp later this summer with details to follow regarding the team’s annual All-Star Game coming this July.
