Austin Watson
Encyclopedia
Austin Watson is an American
major junior ice hockey
left winger
for the Peterborough Petes
of the Ontario Hockey League
(OHL). He was selected 18th overall by the Nashville Predators
in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
.
, and one year at Father Gabriel Richard High School before he was drafted into the OHL
, where he attended St. Anne's High School, and after being traded to Peterborough, finishing high school there. Watson played for the high school golf team at Father Gabriel Richard, where they went to state finals.
, whose home arena is Compuware Arena. While playing for the Ambassadors, Watson received early exposure to OHL hockey, as Compuware Arena is also home to the Plymouth Whalers
.
Black Bears
, planning on playing for the US U-17 team. Because of his plans to play college, although he was projected to go second overall in the OHL draft, he ended up going 36th overall. Because the U-17 delayed on giving him a spot, Watson decided to forgo his verbal commitment to Maine and play with the Windsor Spitfires
.
. The trade was smart for him career-wise as he now receives a chance at more playing time on this younger team.
Watson played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game for Team Cherry, and played well, as he, among other things, broke up a 5-on-3 penalty kill, though unfortunately broke his ankle blocking a second shot and could not play for a month with the Petes.
, but after an advantageous trade to the Petes, he jumped in rank 11 places and was ranked 14th in April, where the NHL Central Scouting Final Ranks place him. According to the ISS he ranks 12th.
Watson was drafted 18th overall by the Nashville Predators
.
His entire family was there to support him – all nine siblings including another one on the way.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
major junior ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
for the Peterborough Petes
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHL). He was selected 18th overall by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
.
Personal life
Austin Watson was born January 13, 1992, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he grew up with his father and mother, Mike and Mary Watson. He is the oldest of ten children, nine boys and one girl. He went to school one year at Detroit Catholic Central High SchoolDetroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school in Novi, Michigan. Founded in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the school is operated by the Congregation of St. Basil...
, and one year at Father Gabriel Richard High School before he was drafted into the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
, where he attended St. Anne's High School, and after being traded to Peterborough, finishing high school there. Watson played for the high school golf team at Father Gabriel Richard, where they went to state finals.
Early career
Before the OHL, Watson played all of his early hockey with the Detroit Compuware AmbassadorsDetroit Compuware Ambassadors
The Detroit Compuware Ambassadors are an elite Midget Major ice hockey team playing in the Tier I Elite Hockey League. The Ambassadors have previously had separate franchises that competed in North American Hockey League and in the Ontario Hockey League for two seasons from 1990 to 1992...
, whose home arena is Compuware Arena. While playing for the Ambassadors, Watson received early exposure to OHL hockey, as Compuware Arena is also home to the Plymouth Whalers
Plymouth Whalers
The Plymouth Whalers are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They play out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA.-History:...
.
Junior hockey
At first, Watson did not show interest in the OHL, and verbally committed to the University of MaineUniversity of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
Black Bears
Maine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
, planning on playing for the US U-17 team. Because of his plans to play college, although he was projected to go second overall in the OHL draft, he ended up going 36th overall. Because the U-17 delayed on giving him a spot, Watson decided to forgo his verbal commitment to Maine and play with the Windsor Spitfires
Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...
.
Windsor Spitfires
Although it was a gamble, the Spitfires took a chance and drafted Watson. Their bet paid off. Watson came into the OHL with a bang, surprising people with his fast skating and smart playing. Despite the fact that Watson hit a slump mid-season, he came out with 10 goals and 19 assists, for a total of 29 points. During playoffs, after a total of 20 games played, he snatched up 3 more points in the form of assists. While Watson had a remarkable rookie season, he accompanied the Spitfires to becoming the most elite in the league, the CHL Memorial Cup champions, at the same time breaking the record and becoming the first team to ever come back for an overall win from fourth place in the finals. Also, it was the first Spitfires franchise win of the Memorial Cup.Peterborough Petes
On January 11, 2010, the Spitfires traded Watson to the Peterborough PetesPeterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
. The trade was smart for him career-wise as he now receives a chance at more playing time on this younger team.
Watson played in the 2010 CHL Top Prospects game for Team Cherry, and played well, as he, among other things, broke up a 5-on-3 penalty kill, though unfortunately broke his ankle blocking a second shot and could not play for a month with the Petes.
International play
Watson was selected to play for the USA national team for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Despite the fact that the US did not win, Watson played well.2010 IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championship
Selected to play for the U.S. National team, Watson played with them to win the gold medal ultimately, even though he was ejected from the game 5 minutes in for a boarding call.NHL Draft 2010
While playing with the Spitfires, Watson was projected to go 25th according to the International Scouting Service(ISS) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
, but after an advantageous trade to the Petes, he jumped in rank 11 places and was ranked 14th in April, where the NHL Central Scouting Final Ranks place him. According to the ISS he ranks 12th.
Watson was drafted 18th overall by the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
His entire family was there to support him – all nine siblings including another one on the way.
Awards
- OHLOntario Hockey LeagueThe Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
Academic Player of the Month of the West Division for the month of December 20082008–09 OHL seasonThe 2008–09 OHL season was the 29th season of the Ontario Hockey League . Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 17, 2008 and concluded on March 15, 2009....
. - Won the J. Ross Robertson CupJ. Ross Robertson CupThe J. Ross Robertson Cup is an ice hockey trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Ontario Hockey League playoff championship. It was presented by and named for John Ross Robertson, the president of the Ontario Hockey Association who served from 1899 to 1905.Originally it was awarded to the...
with the Windsor SpitfiresWindsor SpitfiresThe Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The...
in 2009. - Won the Memorial CupMemorial CupThe Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
with the Windsor Spitfires in 20092009 Memorial CupThe 2009 Memorial Cup was a four-team round-robin format ice hockey tournament played during May 2009 in Rimouski, Quebec to determine the junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Hockey League. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced on April 3, 2008, that the Rimouski Océanic were...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 OHL season The 2008–09 OHL season was the 29th season of the Ontario Hockey League . Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 17, 2008 and concluded on March 15, 2009.... |
Windsor Spitfires Windsor Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953.-History:The... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
63 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 41 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 OHL season The 2009–10 OHL season was the 30th season of the Ontario Hockey League . Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 17, 2009 and ended on March 14, 2010.... |
Windsor Spitfires | OHL | 42 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Peterborough Petes Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:... |
OHL | 10 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 OHL season The 2010–11 OHL season is the 31st season of the Ontario Hockey League . Twenty teams played 68 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on September 23, 2010 and ended on March 20, 2011.... |
Peterborough Petes | OHL | 68 | 34 | 34 | 68 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| OHL totals | 183 | 64 | 87 | 151 | 117 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 17 | ||||