New York Riptide take Jeff Teat No. 1 overall in National Lacrosse League draft

Highly touted forward Jeff Teat was selected first overall by the New York Riptide in the National Lacrosse League draft on Thursday night.

Teat, from Brampton, Ont., led Cornell University with 15 assists and 27 points

He was put on the watch list for the Tewaaraton Award, the NCAA’s most valuable player trophy, after the season came to an abrupt end due to COVID-19.

Teat also had 213 goals and 364 assists over 98 career games with the Brampton Excelsiors junior A team.

A draft night trade with the Rochester Knighthawks allowed the Vancouver Warriors to draft second, where they selected defenceman Reid Bowering.

Rochester took forward Ryan Smith third overall.

The Calgary Roughnecks picked forward Tanner Cook fifth and the Saskatchewan Rush selected forward Marshall Powless seventh.

Defenceman Ethan Riggs went to the Halifax Thunderbirds 11th overall and with the next pick Saskatchewan took defenceman Connor McClelland.

Calgary, using a compensatory selection, picked transition player Harrison Matsuoka 14th overall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 17, 2020.