The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) held its annual draft over the weekend. The 2024 OHL Priority Selection process spanned over two days, where 21 member organizations took turns drafting players from the 2008 birth year in preparation for next fall. Among the 302 prospects to have their names called, Detroit Catholic Central sophomore Brooks Rogowski was the first of 12 Michigan youth hockey players to be selected, going 38th overall to the Oshawa Generals. 

Rogowski is a 6-foot-4 power forward who led the Shamrocks in scoring this season with 21 goals and 47 points. He was the first sophomore to lead the program in scoring in at least 30 years, and in doing so, earned a spot on the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches’ Association (MHSHCA) 2024 Dream Team as one of the best players in the state.

He’s the third player to be selected out of Michigan high school hockey into the OHL Draft in the last two years, joining Alpena’s Harrison Kaszubowski and Jack Beardsley from Novi. Selected in the second round, though, Rogowski is the highest selected MI-HS prospect ever to be taken in the OHL Draft. 

Major junior hockey in Canada has not been an overly common path for Michigan high school prospects, with Rogowski being just the fifth player selected in the OHL Draft since 2019. In fact, it’s become less and less common for youth hockey players from the state of Michigan altogether. But, MI-HS alumni like Calumet’s Dean Loukus have certainly been able to benefit from this particular path. 

Loukus was a four-year player for the Copper Kings, selected in the 2019 OHL Draft. He has spent the last three seasons in the OHL, scoring 58 goals and 167 points in 210 games.

Rogowski is eligible for the upcoming 2024 United States Hockey League (USHL) Phase-I Draft as well. That selection process is slated to take place on May 6th, where 15 member organizations will take turns drafting the best 2008-born prospects in the country.