June 21, 2008

Boston College hockey players Jimmy Hayes, Cam Atkinson and Ben Smith were selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

Hayes was a second-round pick (60th overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Atkinson was a sixth-round choice (157th overall) of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hayes and Atkinson, both forwards, will enroll at Boston College in September and are eligible to play in the 2008-09 season.

Rising junior Ben Smith was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round (169th overall). The Avon, Conn., resident recorded 50 points - 25 goals and 25 assists - in 50 games during BC's 2007-08 national championship season. Smith shared the James E. Tiernan Award with Pat Gannon as the team's most improved players last winter.

Hayes, a native of Dorchester, Mass., finished his 2007-08 season with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League where he registered 24 points - eight goals and 16 assists - in 29 games.

Atkinson, a native of Greenwich, Conn., helped guide Avon Old Farms to a 27-1 record last winter and its second straight New England Prep School title. Atkinson recorded 63 points - 26 goals 37 assists - during his senior season.

Boston College will enter the 2008-09 campaign with 11 players on its roster who have been selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft.

Current Eagles Drafted By NHL Teams
	Pos.	Name	Team/Round/Year
	D	Anthony Aiello	Minnesota/5th/2005
	F	Cam Atkinson	Columbus/6th/2008
	F	Brock Bradford	Boston/7th/2005
	D	Tommy Cross	Boston/2nd/2007
	F	Benn Ferriero	Phoenix/7th/2006
	F	Jimmy Hayes	Toronto/2nd/2008
	D	Tim Kunes	Carolina/5th/2005
	F	Andrew Orpik	Buffalo/7th/2005
	D	Nick Petrecki	San Jose/1st/2007
	F	Ben Smith	Chicago/6th/2008
	D	Carl Sneep	Pittsburgh/2nd/2006

BC's incoming class consists of nine freshmen - F Barry Almeida, F Cam Atkinson, F Tom Atkinson, F Paul Carey, D Tommy Cross, F Jimmy Hayes, D Malcolm Lyles, D Edwin Shea and G Chris Venti. There are five forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. Five skaters - Almeida, Carey, Hayes, Shea and Venti - are Massachusetts natives, while the Atkinson brothers and Cross are Connecticut residents; Lyles hails from Miami Gardens, Florida.

Boston College has 25 players on its 2008-09 roster - 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders - John Muse, Alex Kremer and Venti.

********

Three members of Boston College's 2008-09 hockey team - freshman Tommy Cross, rising sophomore Nick Petrecki and freshman forward Jimmy Hayes - have been invited to participate in the 2008 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. from Aug. 1-9.

Participating players are candidates for the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2008-Jan. 5, 2009, in Ottawa, Ontario.

Boston College associate head coach Mike Cavanaugh will serve as a coach at the evaluation camp.