OIH Exclusive – Lucas Lessio

Lucas Lessio wasn’t always going to  play for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League.

After being drafted seventh overall by the Niagara Ice Dogs in the OHL Priority draft in May 2009, Lessio stated that it was still his plan to attend the University of Michigan on a scholarship, rather than sign with the Dogs.

But then things changed last September, when he was traded to the Generals – who gave up a second round pick in 2010 and a conditional pick in 2011 to land the forward.

That, coupled with a lot of courting from the Generals coaching staff and management, and the reputation the OHL has for developing future NHL stars, lead to Lessio’s decision to play in Canada.

It has been beneficial for the 18-year old, who has 23 goals, 47 points and 57 PIM’s in 57 games, good enough to be ranked 44th amongst domestic skaters in Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.

In another great interview conducted by Brandon Sudeyko, Lessio talks about a variety of things, including competing for draft position with Boone Jenner and Nicklas Jensen, the missed opportunity to play with friend and current Ice Dog Ryan Strome, his experience at the Top Prospects Game, and a few other surprises.

As always on OIH, have a listen, and feel free to leave your comments at the bottom of the post!

LucasLessio