"I was 5-foot-6 and about 150 pounds when I got drafted into the OHL."

Oilers rookie forward Drake Caggiula was well aware that his smaller stature wasn't necessarily turning any heads when he was selected in the third round of the 2010 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Draft at the age of 16.

There was work to be done.

After two seasons in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Caggiula was eligible to be drafted in the 2012 NHL Draft but was not selected.

For many budding hockey players in Caggiula's position that time is a crucial juncture in their young careers and one that brings with it some tough decisions.

College or Major Junior hockey?

Through an arduous process of self-evaluation, combined with reasonable expectations, Caggiula plotted out his next move.

Undersized, undrafted, and overlooked.

What were deemed detractions from his potential, Caggiula used as kindle for his own personal fire - one that he got to stoke further after committing to the University of North Dakota to play NCAA hockey for the Fighting Hawks in the fall of 2012.

"I just didn't think I was mature enough to be playing in the OHL at that time," said Caggiula. "I wanted to give myself a little bit of extra time to develop."

He saw the merits that taking the College route could have, not only for his hockey development but personal development as well. That critical self-awareness factored into his decision.

"I wanted to get my education and have that in my back pocket."

The decision proved fruitful. Caggiula put a big bow on his college career in April of 2016 when he led UND to the NCAA Division I Men's Hockey championship and was named Most Outstanding Player at the Frozen Four tournament in Tampa, Florida. Caggiula also walked away with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in that back pocket.