Local athlete picked by the New York Rangers
Joyce Beauchamp
Special to the Tribune
Many West Nipissing residents watched the 2026 NHL entry draft with anticipation on June 26 and 27. Past coaches, teammates, friends and family of 19-year old André Mondoux all cheered from their living rooms as the West Nipissing athlete was drafted to the New York Rangers in Round 6 on Saturday, June 27.
Mondoux himself watched the draft from the comfort of his home in Sturgeon Falls, with family around him. He was ranked #142 by the NHL – a promising pick as described in the Elite Prospects scout-written NHL Draft Guide profile: “A hard-hitting, battling defenseman, Mondoux already understands how to use his size [6’4”, 201 lbs] to his advantage. He’s a tight rush defender, closing gaps on the reception and denying the space for opponents to build speed. On retrievals, he engulfs the puck from opponents…”
Despite the solid endorsement, there were no guarantees and it was a nail-biter of a weekend for the family. Mondoux says “I had an idea I was going to get picked. But all the same, I had no nails left and my mom and dad were stressed.”
