Belleville Bulls defenceman Shawn Lalonde, goaltender Mike Murphy and forward Stephen Johnston were all selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft held June 20-21 in Ottawa. Lalonde was selected in the third round, 68th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks while Murphy and Johnston were both taken in the sixth round. Murphy was selected 165th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes while Johnston went 181st overall to the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. It marks the fourth consecutive season that at least two Bulls players were selected in the NHL Entry Draft.
Lalonde enjoyed a strong sophomore campaign with the Bulls during the 2007-2008 season where he recorded nine goals and 31 points in 66 games played. He also added 67 penalty minutes and finished with an impressive +28 rating. Lalonde then scored twice and added seven assists in 21 playoff games. The native of Orleans, Ontario also participated in the ADT Canada Russia Challenge this past November in Sudbury. Lalonde is the fifth Bull in franchise history to be selected by the Blackhawks and first since Evan Brophey was also selected 68th overall by Chicago in 2005.
The selection by Carolina caps a terrific season for Murphy in which he was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year and a First Team All-Star. The Inverary, Ontario native set Bulls team records for most wins, lowest goals against average, and best save percentage in a single season during the 2007-2008 campaign and participated in the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic. Murphy finished the regular season with a sparkling 36-7-3-1 record along with a league leading 2.24 GAA and .929 SV%. He then finished with a 14-4 record in the playoffs along with a 2.32 GAA and .927 SV%. Murphy becomes just the fifth goaltender in Bulls history to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft.
Johnston helped his draft status following a very strong playoffs to conclude his rookie season with the Bulls. In 56 regular season games with Belleville, Johnston scored twice and added seven assists before recording five goals and seven points in 21 playoff games to help the Bulls reach the Memorial Cup. The Guelph, Ontario native was selected by Belleville in the sixth round of the 2006 OHL Priority Selection and led the team in preseason scoring in September. Johnston becomes the fourth player in team history to be selected by the Red Wings.
