Luke Mittelstadt was chosen second overall Monday in the USHL Phase I Draft
Chase Beacom was chosen 40th overall in the third round by Cedar Rapids
The USHL held its annual Phase I entry draft Monday night -- ten rounds of selecting 15/16 year old players born in 2003. This year 28 players from Minnesota were chosen by teams from the only Tier 1 junior league in the United States. Each year, Minnesota players value to a team can be measured in so many different ways besides talent. How much service will the player give because of high school hockey? How many years and what years will they actually play when they play for the team?
The 2003's is a deep year for defenseman, two Minnesota players Luke Mittelstadt (Eden Prairie) and Jack Peart (Grand Rapids) were both invited to play for the National Team Development Program but declined head the list. Mittelstadt was chosen second overall by the Madison Capitals and Peart was taken seventh overall by the Fargo Force.
Speaking of Fargo, the Force took the most Minnesota players in Phase - nabbing five players. After Peart, they chose Joe Palodichuk (Hill Murray), Charlie Lurie (Shattuck-St. Mary's), Jackson Borst (Edina) and Anton Castro (Gentry Galaxy). Four other teams chose three Minnesota players - Chicago, Dubuque, Madison and Sioux Falls.
Every year, players from Minnesota are left off the Phase I list who some day end up playing significant minutes in their league. Here are five players we think could play in the USHL someday.
1. Connor Mahony (Shattuck-St. Mary's U15) - Mahony has been chosen to the USA National Camp each of the last two years. Lightning speed and scoring touch will always be valued.
2. Brandon Reller (Maple Grove HS) - Another big-boded, power forward who has really progressed his game nicely the last two years.
3. Andrew Carls (Coon Rapids HS) - Posted 36 points last year for a subpar Coon Rapids team as a freshman. Great hands and playmaking skills translate well to the next level.
4. Hogan Sinjem (Champlin Park Bantam) - An underage '03, Sinjem is hitting his stride heading into high school hockey. Fluid skill and a high hockey IQ bodes will for his future.
5. Cal Thomas (Maple Grove HS) - With superstars Brock Faber and Connor Kelley departed to the NTDP, Thomas seized his opportunity with solid play for the Crimson.
Hogan Sinjem...rising star
Many hockey purists exclaim that there is no way to project young players to the next level. Bantams are hard to project to high school, high school are hard to project to college and college hard to pro. The 2013 Team Minnesota Brick team had eight players chosen or tendered into the USHL on Monday. Including Chaz Lucius who was invited to the NTDP, an astonishing number of young men who played in the Brick six summers ago were chosen in the draft.
Forwards: Carter Batchelder, Jackson Blake, Jack Harvey and Chaz Lucius
Defense: Max Burkholder, Luke Mittelstadt and Jack Peart
Goalie: Anton Castro
The Minnesota boys took third. Chaz Lucius led the Blades with 10 points in eight games. Sound familiar?
2013 Brick Team...seems like yesterday
Round | Pick | Team | Player | POS | Hometown | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Madison | Luke Mittelstadt | DEF | Eden Prairie, MN | Eden Prairie HS |
1 | 4 | Omaha | Bennett Schimek | FWD | Mendota Heights, MN | Gentry Academy Galaxy 15's |
1 | 7 | Fargo | Jack Peart | DEF | Grand Rapids, MN | Grand Rapids HS Thunderhawks |
2 | 16 | Lincoln | Henry Nelson | DEF | Maple Grove, MN | Maple Grove HS Crimson |
2 | 17 | Madison | Tyler Haskins | FWD | Rochester, MN | Chicago Mission 16U |
2 | 19 | Chicago | Jack Harvey | FWD | Stacy, MN | Gentry Academy Galaxy 15's |
2 | 20 | Dubuque | Hobie Hedquist | GOALIE | Heron Lake, MN | Sioux Falls POWER 16U |
2 | 22 | Chicago | Jackson Blake | FWD | Eden Prairie, MN | Eden Prairie Eagles 14UAA |
3 | 36 | Dubuque | Max Burkholder | DEF | Chaska, MN | Chaska/Chanhassen Stormhawks 14UAA |
3 | 37 | Sioux City | Griffin Ludtke | DEF | Elko, MN | Lakeville South HS Cougars |
3 | 40 | Cedar Rapids | Chase Beacom | DEF | Bloomington, MN | Bloomington Kennedy HS Eagles |
3 | 43 | Waterloo | Carter Batchelder | FWD | Eden Prairie, MN | Eden Prairie HS Eagles |
3 | 44 | Waterloo | Joey DelGreco | FWD | Grand Rapids, MN | Grand Rapids Thunderhawks 14UAA |
4 | 48 | Madison | Trey Fechko | FWD | Eden Prairie, MN | Holy Family Catholic HS Fire |
4 | 49 | Green Bay | Brody Lamb | FWD | Kasson, MN | Dodge County JV |
4 | 58 | Sioux Falls | Adam Marshall | FWD | Plymouth, MN | Benilde/St. Margaret's HS Red Knights |
5 | 68 | Fargo | Joe Palodichuk | DEF | Cottage Grove, MN | Hill-Murray HS Pioneers |
5 | 72 | Chicago | Thor Byfuglien | DEF | Roseau, MN | Roseau VFW 14UAA |
5 | 73 | Sioux Falls | Mario Gasparini | FWD | Lakeville, MN | Lakeville North HS Panthers |
5 | 74 | Sioux Falls | Max Rud | DEF | St. Cloud, MN | St. Cloud 14UAA |
6 | 83 | Fargo | Charlie Lurie | FWD | Edina, MN | Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres 15's |
7 | 99 | Des Moines | Hayden Kruse | FWD | Nisswa, MN | Brainerd HS Warriors |
8 | 109 | Green Bay | Luke Delzer | FWD | Rogers, MN | Totino-Grace HS Eagles |
8 | 111 | Dubuque | Connor Kurth | FWD | White Bear Lake, MN | Gentry Academy Galaxy 15's |
8 | 121 | Tri-City | Paul Huglen | FWD | Roseau, MN | Roseau HS Rams |
9 | 128 | Fargo | Jackson Borst | FWD | Edina, MN | Edina HS |
9 | 132 | Fargo | Anton Castro | GOALIE | Maple Grove, MN | Gentry Academy Galaxy 15's |
10 | 151 | Tri-City | Ethan Elias | DEF | Maple Grove, MN | Maple Grove HS |
Lakeville North's Mario Gasparini was chosen in the fifth round by Sioux Falls Monday