Doctors told him he would not walk again, but after 18 months of determination and exhausting rehabilitation, Doef walks with the aid of a pole and an electrical stimulation brace.
The 19-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ontario, was given a standing ovation by general managers and team officials on the draft floor at First Niagara Center.
Doef said he appreciated the moment and what it has taken to arrive on the stage.
"A lot of hard work, so it made it feel even more special," Doef said. "It felt great, and once you got out there and saw everybody, to get a standing ovation from everyone, all the general managers and team staff at their tables, that was really special to me because I have a lot of respect for those guys. You see them on TV all the time, so to see them and see them give me a standing ovation meant a lot to me.
"The original prognosis obviously wasn't looking good, but you never know where things are going to go or how things are going to unfold. You just bring that dedication and work ethic every day and just kind of take it day by day and work on getting better and improving."