Mike Williamson is said to be big and strong (Spruce Grove Saints/facebook)

From Spruce Grove to Penn State: how you can cover all that territory? By selecting a college-bound defenceman, as the Canucks did with Mike Williamson in the sixth round at the 2013 draft.

A two-year AJHL veteran with the Spruce Grove Saints, 19-year-old Williamson heads to Penn State in September.

It’s a pick much more in keeping with the ‘draft older guys’ philosophy that we’ve so much of from the Gillis/Gilman regime.

More on the 6’3" defenceman after the jump.

This is an off-the charts pick: the Alberta league is not known for its strength, nor is Penn State 

Central Scouting had him rated as 183 among North American skaters; just doing simple arthimetic should tell you he’s a reach, but at this point in the draft, it’s time to take a reach.

Half-a-point per game in a soft league…hmm. 

There aren’t many details out there on Williamson. The brief release about Williamson from Penn State quotes coach Gus Gadowsky:

Williamson did miss a couple months  with a leg injury this past season.