USHL Draft Pt. II

The USHL website finally posted all of their draft results. It's not the same as it was live, but I want to finish what I started. I'm gonna try and cover all 181 picks. I may have to do it in a couple of segments though.

3rd Round 3rd pick Sioux City selects: Matt Crandell, defenseman, St. Cloud Cathedral HS

I've always been very high on Crandell. He's an excellent passer. It will be interesting to see if he plays his senior year next season at Cathedral or in the USHL.

3rd Round 4th pick Columbus selects: Danny Hobbs, Forward, Stanstead College Prep

3rd Round 5th pick Indiana selects: Mike DelMauro, Forward, New Jersey Rockets(AJHL)

3rd Round 6th pick Green Bay selects: Derek Kohles, Forward, Russell Stover Midget

You get some funny sounding team names due to sponsorship, but Russell Stover Midgets is the funniest I've ever heard. He sounds like he's a mini Peep.

3rd Round 7th pick Tri-City selects: Kyle Ensign, Defenseman, New Richmond HS(Wis)

Played for Wisconsin in the Chicago Showcase. That's about all I've got.

Round 3 8th pick Des Moines selects: Ryan Kretzer Forward, St. Louis Jr. Blues

Round 3 9th pick Omaha selects: Nick Larson, Forward, Hill-Murray(Minn)

Larson is committed to Minnesota for either 2007 or 2008. If he goes to the USHL next season, like I'm sure coach Don Lucia would prefer, this is a great pick-up for Omaha.

Round 3 10th pick, Lincoln selects: Kyle O'Kane, Forward, St. Louis Jr. Blues

Round 3 11th pick, Cedar Rapids selects: Mike Seidal, Forward, Chicago Chill AAA

Another member of the Chill gets drafted.

Round 3 12th pick, Waterloo selects: Brian Cramer, Forward, Fargo-Moorhead


Round 4 1st pick, Chicago selects: Mitch Carlson, Defenseman, St. Louis Park HS(Minn)

Carlson is committed to Minnesota State for 2007. I really like the way he plays. He plays a lot like Eric Werner. Chicago adds a quality player that is guaranteed to play for them next season, is a solid defender, and can jump into the play and help the offense if necessary.

Round 4 2nd pick, Waterlook selects: Jon Madden, defenseman, Traverse City North Stars(NAHL)

I had heard Michigan State had shown some interest in him. I'm not sure how much though.

Round 4 Pick 3 Des Moines selects: Tim Buttery, Defenseman, Detroit Catholic Central(Mich)

Funny name.

Round 4 Pick 4 Waterloo selects: Corson Cramer, Goalie, Pikes Peak Miners(Colo)

Waterloo takes their second goalie in as many rounds.

Round 4 Pick 5 Indiana selects: Mike Gurtler, Forward, Georgetown Raiders(OPJHL)

The first Canadian drafted. The USHL is becoming an increasingly more popular option for Canadians.

Round 4 Pick 6 Indiana selects: Robert Martini, Defenseman, St. Andrews College (Quebec)

Funny name number 2.

Round 4 Pick 7 Tri-City selects: Dan Markowitz, Defenseman, New York Bobcats(AJHL)

Round 4 Pick 8 Des Moines selects: Travis Paeth, Forward, Traverse City Stars(NAHL)

Round 4 Pick 9 Omaha selects: Travis Novak, Forward, Canmore(AJHL)

Novak is committed to St. Cloud for next season. He's a very good all-around player The USHL would probably provide better competition for him than the AJHL would. Again, if Omaha can get him in the line-up, he should be very good.

Round 4 Pick 10 Lincoln selects: Rick Carden, Forward, Team Illinois

I'm surprised it took this long for a person from Team Illinois to get drafted.

Round 4 Pick 11 Cedar Rapids selects: Aaron Bogosian, Forward, Cushing Prep

I believe he's the older brother of NTDP defenseman Zach Bogosian.

Round 4 Pick 12 Sioux Falls selects: Joey Miller, Forward, Wayzata HS(Minn)

Miller is a very nice, hard-working player. Though he has the ability to score, I think his future in the USHL and in college is more of a grinder.

Round 5 Pick 1 Chicago selects: Patrick Gaul, Pittsburgh Hornets

Gaul is a '90 birthdate, so he's very young, but he's known as an extremely talented player.

Round 5 Pick 2 Omaha selects: Jack Downing, Forward, Taft Prep

Top forward on Taft's team.

Round 5 Pick 3 Sioux City selects: Tyler Pederson, St. Louis Park HS(Minn)

A big defender that loves to play physical hockey. Moves ok for his size, but could improve his speed and skating ability.

Round 5 Pick 4 Columbus selects: Sean McCauley, Forward, Texas Tornado(NAHL)

Round 5 Pick 5 Indiana selects: Mike Forney, Forward, Thief River Falls HS

Forney is good enough that he's worth taking a flier on here. There are rumors that he might wait a year before entering North Dakota due to him breaking his leg this spring. If that happened, Indiana could pick up a first round NHL draft pick for next season.

Round 5 Pick 6 Green Bay selects: Andy Dittus, Forward, Minot HS(No. Dak)

Top forward at Chicago Showcase for high school seniors.

Round 5 Pick 7 Tri-City selects: Nick Oslund, Forward, Burnsville HS(Minn)

Committed to St. Cloud for 2007. I'm surprised he lasted this long. I think this is a real steal for Tri-City. Oslund is a big forward that can really hit people, and has pretty good hands for his size.

Round 5 Pick 8 Des Moines selects: Will Acton, F, Stouffville(OPJHL)

I got nothing here except that Stouffville got absolutely destroyed by St. Mike's in the OPJHL playoffs.

Round 5 Pick 9 Omaha selects: Wil O'Neil, Defenseman, Tabor Academy

At one time, there were unconfirmed rumors that he committed to St. Cloud. He seems like a talented player though. I like Omaha's draft so far.

Round 5 Pick 10 Lincoln selects: Anthony Principato, Forward, New Jersey(EJHL)

Round 5 Pick 11 Tri-City selects: Andy Sackrison, Forward, St. Louis Park HS(Minn)

Committed to Minnesota State. Tri-City is picking up a very talented offensive player at a pretty low pick. It's what is referred to as a "great value pick"

Round 5 Pick 12 Sioux Falls selects: Jay Clark, Goalie, North Iowa(NAHL)

Sorta confirms the rumors that Sioux Falls goalie John Murray is going to commit to Maine for next season.

Round 6 Pick 1 Indiana selects: Robby Phillipp, Forward, Thief River Falls

A good player that should be able to contribute next season. I think he'll especially be effective as a penalty killer.

Round 6 Pick 2 Waterloo selects: Josh Turnbull, Forward, Duluth East(Minn)

He'll more than likely spend a season in the USHL unless Wisconsin suffers a ton of early defections.

Round 6 Pick 3 Sioux City selects: Eddie Olyczyk, Forward, Pittsburgh Predators

Son of NHLer by the same name. Not as talented as his dad, but a very hard worker.

Round 6 Pick 4 Columbus selects: Kris Massaro, Defenseman, Shady Side Academy(Pa.)

Round 6 Pick 5 Indiana selects: Brian Arrigoni, Forward, Hill-Murray(HS)

Very talented, but his effort has been qustioned at times.

Round 6 Pick 6 Green Bay selects: Baylor Dieter, Defenseman, Bloomington-Jefferson HS(Minn)

A big defenseman that a lot of scouts really like. With some time in the USHL, he'll be a definite college prospect.

Round 6 Pick 7 Tri-City selects: Josh Bergren, Forward, Centennial(Minn.)

Really small, but has a ton of talent.

Round 6 Pick 8 Lincoln selects: Ryan Ruikka, Defenseman, Chelsea HS(Mich)

Played in the Chicago Showcase and apparently was impressive enough to get picked. It's nice to see players that come up through the Chelsea program make it to the next level.

Round 6 Pick 9 Cedar Rapids selects: Matt Tomassoni, Defenseman, Chicago Mission

2008 or 2009 recruit for Miami of Ohio. He'll play in the USHL some day, but I don't see Cedar Rapids holding onto him.

Round 6 Pick 10 Sioux Falls selects: Sam Zabkowicz, Defenseman, Texarkana

Round 7 Pick 1 Waterloo selects: Ian Ruel, Defenseman, Victory Honda

Like Tomassoni, a very good player in the USHL some day down the line, but I'm not sure if he'll ready next season.

Round 7 Pick 2 Sioux City selects: Nick Curry, Forward, Quad City(CSHL)

Round 7 Pick 3 Columbus selects: Andrew Hamburg, Forward, Dallas Stars AAA

Committed to Colorado College for 2008. I think he could play in the USHL next year. He won't be outstanding, but he should be two years from now.

Round 7 Pick 4 Green Bay selects: Patrick Leonard, Compuware AAA

Kind of a weird pick. He didn't have great stats this year for Compuware. He was sort of near the bottom of his team(which wasn't that great). Maybe Green Bay knows something I don't.

Round 7 Pick 5 Tri-City selects: Jordan Van Guilder, Forward, Centennial(Minn)

Gets to stay with lifelong teammate Josh Bergren in Tri-City. Tri-City is all about the Minnesota HS prospects.

Round 7 Pick 6 Cedar Rapids selects: Tyler Kieffer, Defenseman, Stillwater(Minn)

Rumored to be heading to Duluth. Excellent skater and passer. Very good defenseman.

Round 7 Pick 7 Sioux Falls selects: Matt McCollem, Forward, Belmont Hill Prep