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For Grand Rapids' Avery Peterson, NHL Draft 'worth the wait'

By Rick Weegman, Duluth News-Tribune

Grand Rapids' Avery Peterson (right) controls the puck near Benilde-St. Margaret's Seth Chumley during Hockey Day Minnesota events on Pokegama Lake at the Pokegama Golf Course in Grand Rapids on Jan. 19, 2013. (Clint Austin/News Tribune)

Avery Peterson spent longer than he expected Sunday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., waiting for his name to be called during the NHL Draft.

But when Peterson finally was taken by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round, the Grand Rapids senior-to-be said the wait was worth it.

“I was sitting there waiting, waiting, waiting, and finally it just happened; it’s all a blur from there,” the 18-year-old center said by phone Monday after flying back to Minneapolis.

Peterson was ranked 77th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and had hoped to sneak into a higher draft position.

“As a hockey player you are competitive, so obviously you want to go as high as you can in the draft,” he said. “I wanted to go...

CLICK HERE to read the full article. Courtesy: Duluth News-Tribune