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The revelation was made that much more surprising because few — if any other players — have been selected directly out of the AMHL, the province’s top midget league.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of it happening before actually — at least out of our league,” said Blair Courchene-Lystang, Ruscheinski’s head coach with the Northstars. “There’s guys that play in our league and once they get to junior, they get drafted, but to (get drafted) right out of our league is pretty much unheard of, I’d say.

“It was pretty cool to see,” continued Courchene-Lystang. “It was really exciting to see. I’m super happy for him.”

Ruscheinski admits he was all business in the hours after the initial freak-out, especially with Grade 12 diploma exams at hand, but with the completion of those tests in the last few days, the decision by the Canadiens to spend a draft pick on him is sinking in — and now he’s all smiles.

“It’s a crazy feeling, and even crazier when you don’t know it’s coming,” Ruscheinski said. “I’m still trying to process it all. I’m super excited about the future, but I know there’s a lot more work to be done.”

That begins with his trip Sunday to Montreal.

Since his studies kept him from the Habs’ initial development session for recent draftees and prospects, Ruscheinski will check in with the club post-camp to work with coaches, trainers and other staff, whose job it is to help mould him into a future NHLer.

But make no bones about it, the 6-foot-6 Calgarian is headed to La Belle Province because the Canadiens see potential in him.