Roulette helps capture gold at world tournament during rollercoaster draft year
Sam Laskaris, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com
May 14, 2021
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Like many young hockey players, Conner Roulette’s 2020-21 hockey season was drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The inability to play a full season due to various pandemic restrictions was even more frustrating for Roulette, a member of Misipawistik Cree Nation in Manitoba, as it was also his pro draft year.
Though he was unable to properly showcase his skills over several months before the National Hockey League’s Entry Draft this summer, where he is expected to be chosen, Roulette will still have some fond memories of the season.
Since leaving Prince Albert after the Western Hockey League (WHL) championship season in 2018-19, Kelly has suited up in 85 games in Belleville, and has one year remaining on his entry-level contract with the Ottawa organization.
Kelly made the Raiders lineup as a 16-year-old rookie despite not being selected until the seventh round of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft. At the pro level, Kelly was undrafted in the 2017 NHL Draft, but earned an entry-level contract based on a rookie camp invite that fall.
Fonstad heading to Cleveland
Former Raider Cole Fonstad has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, the top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.