It's Coming Together

Although the 2012-13 United States Hockey League season is in the midst of the Clark Cup Playoffs, the Chicago Steel and fourteen other teams from the league were hard at work, last week, building their programs for the future and this coming season. Today we thought that we would recap the draft from last week incase some of you missed it.

The Steel  had eight picks in this year’s USHL Futures Draft, with no first or second selections. All players selected will be placed on Chicago’s affiliate list for the 2013-14 season. USHL clubs retain the rights of their draftees for up to three years and have the opportunity to call up any affiliate list player and add them to the active roster during the season.

With their first pick (third-round selection) in the 2013 USHL Futures Draft, the Chicago Steel selected forward Robby Jackson from the L.A. Jr. Kings.  Jackson is a 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward out of Alameda, Calif.  In 40 games, Jackson had 29 goals and 49 assists.

With the sixth pick in the third-round, the Steel select Charlie Raith out of the Chicago Young Americans.  In 2012-13 with CYA’s Midget Minor team, the 5-foot-10, 155-pound defenseman, tallied one goal and seven assists in 15 games.

With the sixth pick in the fourth-round, the Chicago Steel selected forward Tanner Laczynski out of the Chicago Mission. Laczynski competed in 25 games for Mission’s Midget Minor squad in 2012-13 and scored 12 goals and added 11 assists.  The 5-foot-11, 160-pound forward, helped the Mission to a U-16 USA Hockey National Championship last season.

With the first pick in the fifth-round, the Steel take Mason Kohn from Shattuck St. Mary’s U-16 team.  The 5-10, 165-pound left-shot forward, scored 23 goals and had 18 assists for Shattuck’s in 2012-13.  Kohn hails from Davie, Fla.

With the sixth pick in the fifth-round, the Steel select Bailey Seagraves out of Hilliard, Ohio.  Last season the 5-foot-11, 174-pound goalie played for the Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets.

With the sixth pick in the sixth-round, Chicago has chosen Nolan Schaeffer out of Team Illinois.  Schaeffer is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound defenseman who is from Marshall, Minn.  In 2012-13 for TI’s Midget Minor team, he played in 26 games and tallied seven points (3g, 4a).

With the sixth pick in the seventh-round, the Steel select Christiano Versich out of St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minn.   The 5-foot-9, 160-pound forward, racked up 14 goals and 24 assists in 30 games during the 2012-13 season for St. Thomas.

With the sixth pick in the eighth-round, Chicago takes Jonny Edelson from the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals.  The 5-foot-10, 175 pound forward, hails from Northbrook, Ill. Edelson scored nine goals and nine assists last season for the Admirals Midget Minor team.

After a successful 2013 USHL Futures Draft Monday evening, the 2013 United States Hockey League Entry Draft found each member team drafting their prospects.  As per USHL rules, “The number of rounds for the 2013 USHL Entry Draft are based on how many rounds necessary to bring each USHL Member Club’s player roster to 45.”

With their first pick (second-round, 21st overall) the Chicago Steel selected forward Mason Bergh.  Mason, from Eden Prairie Minnesota, comes in at 6’0, 161 lbs and had 23 goals and 20 assists in 27 games.

In the third-round with the 36th overall pick the Steel selected Niko Coffmann.  A 5-foot-11, 181-pound defenseman, comes to the Steel after scoring three goals and putting up 10 assists in 2012-13 for Little Ceasars Midget Major team.  He is a right handed shot and hails from Chelsea, Mich.

In the fourth-round with the 46th overall pick, Chicago drafted Matthew Berkovitz, a defenseman out of Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Berkovitz comes in 6’1 and is 175 lbs and is a Wisconsin Badger recruit who had 11 goals and 14 assists in 24 games for Ashwaubenon High.

The fifth-round found the Steel drafting forward Matt Seidel with the 68th overall pick.  Seidel comes to the Steel from the Kenai River Brown Bears and had 23 goals and 19 assists in 57 games last year.  Matt is a 1994 birth year and is 6’3 and 185 lbs from Troy, Michigan.

In the sixth-round, 81st overall,  Zach Lavalle was selected by the Chicago Steel.  The 5’11 185 lb centerman from Oakdale, MN had 27 goals and 33 assists for the Hill-Murray Pioneers last season.
The Steel used their eighth-round pick, 111th overall, to draft defenseman Connor Brassard.  The 6’0, 161 lb Fitchburg, MA native played for Cushing Academy last season.

With the 122nd overall pick, ninth-round, the Steel chose left wing Patrick Curry.  The 5’10 172 lb forward is from Schaumburg, IL and played with the Chicago Young Americans last season.  In 21 games with CYA Curry had nine goals and 12 assists.

Five picks later Chicago drafted Jake Bunz, 126th overall (ninth-round).  Bunz, a defenseman from Madison, WI, had one goal and three assists in 19 games for Wisconsin Upper Midwest.

In the 10th round with the 141st overall pick, the Steel selected Ryan Coulter.  The 5’10.5, 168 lb left wing played with Culver Academy last season and had 17 goals 29 assists in 33 games.  Coulter is from Dundas, Ontario.

With the 156th overall pick, 11th round, Chicago drafted TJ Schultz.  A 6-foot-3, 150-pound defenseman, Schultz played for the Chicago Young Americans Midget Majors in 2012-13.  In 25 games last season, he scored one goal and added two assists. Schultz is from Evanston, Ill.

In the 12th round with the 171st overall pick the Chicago Steel drafter Taylor Fisher from the Winnipeg Wild.  Fisher, a 6’1, 215 lb defenseman had six goals and 13 assists in 20 games.

The Chicago Steel used their 13th round pick, 186th overall, to select Jonathan Ernsting from Naperville, IL.  Last season Ernsting played for the Chicago Mission.  Jonathan is a forward that comes in at 5’10, 170 lbs and had 18 goals and 18 assists in 31 games last season.

Kevin Gollmer was the 201st overall pick, 14th round.  The first goaltender selected by the Steel in this phase of the draft played for Team Comcast last season.  In 24 games he went 18-3-2 with a .937 save percentage and a 1.82 GAA.  Golmer is 6’0 and 185 lbs.

With their 15th round pick, 216th overall, the Steel drafted Jared Walsh.  The 5’10, 175 lb defenseman comes to the Steel from Etobicoke, Ontario and played with the St. Michael’s Buzzers last season and recorded four goals and 17 assists in 49 games.  He was also a member of Team Canada East for the World Junior Challenge.

In the 16th round with the 231st overall pick, the Steel selected Guyot Lapointe from the Chicago Mission.  The 6’0, 185 lb right winger is the son of former NHL’er Martin Lapointe and had four goals and seven assists in 26 games last season.  Lapointe is from Hinsdale, IL.

The 17th round, 246th overall, found the Chicago Steel selecting Vincent Ditmore.  During the 12-13 season, the 5’9, 170 lb defenseman had one goal and three assists in 18 games for Choate Rosemary Prep. The 1997 birth year is from Alpharetta, GA.

Chase Jungels was selected with the 18th round pick, 261st overall.  The forward from Edina, MN is 5’9 and 160 lbs, had six goals and 14 assists in 23 games for Benilde-St. Margaret’s.

In the 19th round with the 276th overall pick, the Steel drafted Vince Marinaro.  The 1997 Team Illinois forward had eight goals and five assists in 26 games this season.  Marinaro is from Algonquin, IL and is 5’10, 155 lbs.

The 291st overall pick, 20th round, was Connor Murphy for the Chicago Steel.  Murphy comes to the Steel from the Caledonia Pro Fit Corvairs and is 5’8.5 and 170 lbs.  In 51 games he recorded 26 goals and 45 assists.  Murphy is from Ancaster, Ontario.

With the 305th overall pick, 21st round, the Steel drafted Brandon Kearney.  Brandon is a forward from Northville, MI who played for Detroit Honeybaked Ham Major Midget last season.  In 26 games he had 12 goals and 15 assists and he is 6’0, 185 lbs.

In the 22nd round of the USHL Phase 2 draft, the Chicago Steel selected Joe Wilkinson with the 321st overall pick.  Wilkinson comes to the Steel from the Chicago Young Americans.  The 6’2, 183 lb defenseman had one goal and six assists in 26 games last season.  Wilkinson is from Crystal Lake, IL.

The 336th overall pick, 23rd round, the Steel chose Lukas Kania from Shattuck St. Marys.  Kania is the second goaltender drafted in the second phase of the USHL draft and comes in at 6’1, 169 lbs.  In 32 games he went 26-3-1 with a .924 save percentage and 2.00 GAA. Lukas is from Chicago, IL.

With their 24th round pick, 351st overall, the Steel selected Lukas Wallmark.  The Umea, Sweden forward played for Skelleftea AIK Jr. and recorded five goals and eleven assists in 14 games.  Wallmark is a 1995 birth year and is 5’10.5 and 176 lbs.

In the 25th round, with the 366th overall pick, the Chicago Steel drafted forward John Adams.  The Boxford, MA native is 6’0, 160 lbs and is the brother of former Steel defenseman Mark Adams.  John played for Malden Catholic last season and had one goal and one assist in 20 games.

With the 381st overall pick, 26th round, the Chicago Steel selected defenseman Brian LeBlanc.  Brian played 22 games with the Chicago Steel last year before getting moved to the Wichita Falls of the NAHL where he played 27 games and had two goals and three assists.  Brian is from Hermantown, MN and is 5’10, 180 lbs.  Brian is the younger brother of former Steel forward and current Chicago Blackhawk and 2013 Hobey Baker winner, Drew LeBlanc.

In the 27th round, 396 overall, the Chicago Steel selected Sam Saliba.  Last year while playing for Team Illinois Midget Major the 6’0, 171 lb forward recorded 14 goals and 20 assists in 31 games.  Saliba’s hometown is Lake Forest, IL.

With their final pick in the 2013-2014 USHL draft, The Chicago Steel are extremely proud to announce that they have drafted forward Jack Jablonski from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

With this outstanding group of young men drafted to the Chicago Steel, make sure to buy your season tickets and flex plans now, so you can see them in action at the Edge.