USHL Entry Draft

So today was the USHL’s Entry Draft, and for the 7th straight year, I’m sad to say that I went undrafted. Maybe next year. A few players that have already committed to schools for 2006, and a large number of players that will eventually end up playing college hockey were drafted. Since I don’t have the time, energy or interest to track down info on every potential college recruit, I’ll stick with the guys that have already committed to schools for 2006. Listed below are the players that were drafted, the school they’ve committed to, the round they were drafted, the overall pick they were taken at, and the team that drafted them.(I don’t think I missed any, but if I did, feel free to let me know and I will add them.)

Kyle Okposo(Minnesota)- 1-1 Des Moines
Jake Marto(North Dakota)1-2 Omaha
John Kemp(UNO)-1-4 Indiana
Ray Kaunisto(NMU) 1-10 Cedar Rapids
Jacob Cepis(BGSU)3-32 Cedar Rapids
Jared Hummel(SCSU)4-36 Sioux Falls

Really no surprises there. It’s not shocking that the players teams were willing to commit to at a young age were among the best in their class. Okposo will be one of the top recruits for the class of 2006. It looks as though Nebraska-Omaha will be getting another talented player in Kemp. They are starting to assert themselves as a bit of a recruiting force with their new arena, dedicated fans, and solid hockey team.

Expect some more names to be added to this list over the summer

There were a few other names of interest in the late rounds of the draft such as Logan Couture, who threw a fit after John Tavares was allowed to be drafted in the OHL draft, thus removing him from the number one draft pick, leading him to threaten to play in the USHL. Brian Yandle, a UNH recruit expected to make an immediate impact next year, was also drafted in the late rounds, but it’s highly unlikely that either of those players will ever see the ice in the USHL. Angelo Esposito, who played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s along with Okposo, Jonathan Toews, and Taylor Chorney and will be one of the top recruits in 2006(most likely heading to WCHA country), was also drafted late.