"So we've just seen Kaspars Claude go to Tampa Bay with the first overall pick of the draft, and that comes as no surprise to people who have followed rumours leading up to the draft, but with Hamilton on the clock now at second overall it's a bit more up in the air. Lots of potential targets for them have come up, like Calogero Crudelli, Mika Kandinsky or Lyle Odelein, but they are making their pick now and it will be Nour Harrak stepping up to the podium for the pick."

"With the 2nd overall pick of the S48 SHL Draft, the Hamilton Steelhawks are proud to select, a defenseman from the Anchorage Armada, Gabriel Johnson."

"Wow! This one is a really off the board pick up high. It was known that Hamilton were high on Johnson leading up to the draft, but it was very unexpected that they would go right for him with the 2nd overall pick."

This was a great moment for me because leading up to the draft I really wanted to go to Hamilton after scouting talks with them, and I've met so many people there I can consider more than just 'my SHL friends'. The time leading up to the draft and all the uncertainty around if I would be worth the second overall pick was really tense and stressful, and I won't forget that.

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