Started from the bottom; now he’s here.
Cole Moberg can officially say he’s an NHL Draft pick.
In the final round of the 2019 NHL Draft, with the 196th overall selection, the Chicago Blackhawks went north and added the Prince George Cougars defenseman to their prospect list.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet, but it just feels amazing to be recognized for all the hard work I put in and to see it pay off.”
Moberg said he was watching the draft on television at home with family in what he called a small gathering in North Vancouver. When he heard his name called, it all turned into a rush of emotions.
“A lot was running through my mind. I was happy, my family was happy, everyone was just happy”
But the happiness was put on pause for the North Shore Winter Club product who said he quickly returned to the TV to see if his teammate Taylor Gauthier would be selected.
“It was honestly one of the main things I was thinking about after I heard my name called.”
The offensive defenseman has turned into quite the story. After going undrafted in Bantam, Moberg earned a spot on the Cougars protected list and a call up in 2016-17 for four games where he got his feet wet. After the four game stint, he returned to attend training camp in August 2017 where he earned a spot on the roster.
Last season, the 18-year-old set a career high for goals at 13 and for assists at 27. That says a lot for a team which ranked in the bottom of the WHL in offensive production. The now Blackhawks prospect finished third in team scoring and first in team scoring for defensemen.
Moberg is now the only drafted player on the Cougars roster. He is the last official NHL draft selection since 2017 when Nikita Popugaev was taken by the New Jersey Devils, but the first North American skater since 2016 when defenseman Josh Anderson was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round.
Cougars General Manager and Interim Head Coach Mark Lamb credited Moberg’s work ethic, saying he has earned everything that has come his way.
Arguably one of the Prince George Cougars’ most improved players in quite some time, he has become a multi-tooled player seeing time on all special teams.
Moberg said he felt his season turned around after his end-to-end rush in Lethbridge, which was just recently dubbed ‘Goal of the Year’ as part of a social media contest voted on by the fans — a moment which he credits was when he really came into his own.
Luckily, Moberg said he doesn’t have a favourite NHL team but is happy to call Chicago his team now.
The 18-year-old is set to attend a Blackhawks prospects development camp in July before returning to the Cougars Training Camp in mid-August.
Moberg joins few other Prince George Cougars in franchise history to be drafted into the NHL while not being selected by the franchise in the Bantam Draft and not acquired via trade:
- Zach Pochiro, who was selected in the fourth round in 2013 by the St. Louis Blues.
- Jesse Dudas, who was selected in the sixth round in 2006 by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- Derek Boogaard, who was selected in the seventh round in 2001 by the Minnesota Wild.
