Montreal, PQ – The Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club is proud to announce that defenceman Taylor Doherty has been selected by the San Jose Sharks in the second round (57th overall) at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal, Quebec.

Doherty, a Cambridge native, joins teammate Ethan Werek in a group of elite players who were selected early Saturday morning in the second round of this year’s draft. He quickly caught the attention of NHL scouts at the recent NHL Combine in Toronto, Ontario, where he was regarded as one of the most physically fit players participating at the event, based on his results from the numerous physical and fitness tests.

His leg strength and hand-eye coordination, in combination with his 6.07, 215-pound frame, made Doherty a top blueline prospect among the Sharks’ brass and was even considered “a hidden gem” by NHL scouts across the league.

Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News identifies Doherty as “A physical beast at nearly 6-foot-7, 218 pounds, Doherty naturally did well in wingspan measurement, but also excelled in leg power – so once he fully develops, Doherty will be very difficult to get past if you’re an opposing forward. He’s gaining a lot of experience in Kingston, too”. Doherty’s size and physical ability on the ice has also been compared with NHL All-Star Zdeno Chara.

Doherty was selected by the Frontenacs in the second round (29th overall) during the 2007 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. In two seasons with the Frontenacs (132 games), he scored eight goals and 32 assists for 40 points, while amassing 258 minutes in the penalty box. He is best known for his tight-defensive, physical brand of hockey and is not afraid to make the big play in his own end. Doherty is used in all key situations of a game, including the power play and penalty kill.

Because of his strong work ethic off the ice to maintain a high fitness and endurance level, Doherty can also be considered an “iron-man” as he rarely misses time due to fatigue or injury. At the conclusion of the 08/09 regular season, he joined teammates Ethan Werek and Erik Gudbranson with Team Canada at the 2009 IIHL World Under-18 Championship in Fargo, North Dakota.

His international experience does not end there. Doherty was also a member of Team Canada and Team Ontario, winning gold on both occasions at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and 2008 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge respectively.

One thing is certain; the future looks bright for Doherty and the San Jose Sharks, who have just found themselves a “hard-to-miss hidden gem”.

With files from the Kingston Whig-Standard and the Hockey News. Photo Credit: Aaron Bell/OHL Images.