Kingston Frontenacs busy managing the Priority Selection and Playoff Series

Joel Vanderlaan

Photo by Raine Hernandez/OHL Images

It’s going to be a busy week for Kingston Frontenacs General Manager Kory Cooper, and that might be an understatement. Not only is his club gearing up for the second round of the OHL Playoffs after sweeping the Sudbury Wolves, but he’s also leading the front office into the Priority Selection.

Kingston will open their Eastern Conference Semi-finals matchup with the Barrie Colts on Thursday night on the road at Sadlon Arena. Just 24 hours later, Cooper and his scouting staff will turn their attention to the draft, with the first three rounds taking place Friday evening, followed by rounds four through fifteen on Saturday.

Now in his fourth season at the helm, Cooper will be managing both a playoff run and preparing for the future.

The Frontenacs have a total of 16 selections heading into the weekend and are set to make two first-round picks at 9th and 17th overall.

When it comes to building through the draft, Cooper and his scouting staff not only look for high-end skill but also place a major emphasis on character.

"To be honest, we put in a lot of time to make sure we know what it is we're looking for in a player. That may start with the on-ice side of it and the areas that are important to us," Cooper said. "But then we got to take a deeper dive beyond that and find out more about the person and the family. We want great people. We want people who have accountability that show up and play hard for each other every day. Have a high passion for the game. Ultimately, at the end of the day, those are just some of the qualities I think we're looking for that go deeper."

That approach has helped create a positive culture within the Frontenacs organization.

"Certainly here for us, as players work their way through and are here from the start to the finish of their careers, they're able to, when the newer players get here, lead the way and show them what the expectations are, and it becomes a bit of a cycle," Cooper said. "That’s just something we're looking to achieve year in and year out to remain competitive."

Despite his busy schedule this week, Cooper is excited to help the organization take another step forward.

"It's a busy week with us obviously starting round two of the playoffs, the draft, which has a lot of excitement built around it, and it feels like you're torn in a couple of different directions there," he said. "I'm trying to get up to Barrie to watch our playoff games, but also I have to be back in Kingston to focus on the draft, so certainly a lot is going on."

"There's excitement certainly, amongst the scouting staff and group, and our head scout Aaron Van Leusen is a big piece to our future here but also a lot of excitement around our team and trying to continue to advance through the OHL playoffs."

Photo by Robert Lefebvre /OHL Images

Cooper knows what it’s like to be a young player waiting to hear his name called. He still remembers his own draft day experience in 1994 when he was selected by the Belleville Bulls. After being picked he went on to play four seasons in the OHL as a goaltender before going on to a seven-year professional career.

"I just remember it's exciting," he said." But it's nerve-wracking and a little stressful as that day approaches or during the draft when the names are starting to go off the board and you're waiting to hopefully hear your name called."

"At the end of the day, wherever it's called or not called, frankly, the opportunity will always remain open. Guys go to camp and that's when you showcase your talents. We've obviously had high draft picks come in here and do well. We've had some that maybe haven't reached the potential we thought they would. We've had guys like Maleek McGowan that we drafted in the 10th round come in and play a huge part in the organization's success."

Following the Priority Selection, Cooper knows just how important the work behind-the-scenes his coaching staff does to help players reach their full potential is just as important, especially when it comes to building a strong foundation through the draft.

"I'm certainly happy with the way a lot of the players have progressed," Cooper said. "Our scouting staff does a great job of identifying the talent, but more importantly, not just the talent, maybe more so the character of the people that we want in the organization. That goes a long way and it creates a strong room, which is something I think that we certainly have."

"Our coaching staff and the time they put into work and developing these players, the practices that they put together and the development plans and pathways for every individual. That goes a long way in your overall success. It's all these small things that add up together."

While there’s still work to be done, Cooper believes the current group and the franchise are moving in the right direction.

"We’ve been able to build what we think is a strong group that has a lot of depth," he said. "They support each other’s successes, and hopefully that continues here."