Son of Former Vancouver Canuck Is Following in His Fathers Footsteps After Being Drafted

On Friday night, the Ontario Hockey League began their 15-round Priority Selection Draft and it was a big night for the sons of former NHLers, including an ex-Vancouver Canuck.

Early in the second round, the Sarnia Sting selected the Sarnia Sting selected Kaden Aucoin, son of former Canucks defenseman Adrian Aucoin and yesterday, there was another father-son Vancouver connection in the OHL draft.

Following in the footsteps of his father Andrew and his brother Cole, Cruz Cassels was drafted into the Ontario Hockey League on Saturday morning where he was selected in the tenth round, 199th overall by the Barrie Colts.

Cruz Cassels spent the 2024-25 season with the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets Under 15 squad where he tallied 23 points (ten goals, 13 assists) and 65 penalty minutes in 38 games.

Cassels' father, Andrew, was a first round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft and went on to spent parts of 16 seasons in the league, including three with the Vancouver Canucks from 1999-00 to 2001-02, registering 168 points in 198 games.

As for Cruz Cassels' brother, Cole, he was selected in the third round, 85th overall by the Vancouver Canucks during the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and spent three seasons with their AHL affiliate in Utica.

Cole Cassels is coming off his first season in the KHL where he played with Avangard Omsk and CSKA Moscow, the latter of whom he'll be returning to for the 2025-26 campaign.