Random Notes

Chicago's Dan Lawson has committed to the University of Vermont for 2007 season. Excellent pick up by Vermont.

"Dan has been our top defenseman since my arrival and I forsee good things at the college level and possibly the pro level down the road," said Steel General Manager Jason Koehler. "He has a nice mix of size, skill, and physical presence when on the ice for us and will be a great addition to the Catamount hockey program next fall."

Lincoln has acquired forward Joey Miller from Lincoln for a draft pick.

* Lincoln acquired forward Joe Miller from Sioux Falls this week in exchange for a future draft pick. The Wayzata, Minn., product was a fourth-round selection of Sioux Falls in this year’s entry draft. He had two goals in 16 games with the Stampede this season.

Green Bay has released forward Justin Maciuk.

Omaha has added veteran forward Ryan Raven to its roster.

Little Commits

Green Bay's Ryan Little has made a committment to the University of Wisconsin for the fall of 2008. Little appears to be very defensive minded, as he has only notched 7 points in 61 career USHL games for the Gamblers.

The Hockey in Wisconsin blog mentions Little committing, plus an article from the Wisconsin State Journal.

A 4.0 student who chose UW over Notre Dame, Little said "you can't ask for much more" than the opportunity to play for you home-state school.

"It was pretty tough to turn down," Little said.

Gamblers coach Mark Mazzoleni described Little - who could enroll at UW next season if unforeseen defections arise - as an "unbelievable skater" whose strengths are in the defensive end.

"He's hard-nosed, aggressive and assertive," Mazzoleni said.

It also appears that Little's teammate, Mike Sislo, could be on the verge of signing with the Badgers as well.

It's possible the Badgers could soon add a third state product to their class for next season. Little's teammate, center Mike Sislo of Superior, is in the process of arranging a campus visit. Winger Josh Turnbull (Hayward) and center Patrick Johnson (Madison) have already made oral commitments.

Sislo, who turns 19 next month, shows 13-5-18 in 24 games with the Gamblers and has "become a hot property" in the USHL, according to Mazzoleni.

"He's a beautiful skater with a nose for the net," Mazzoleni said, adding Sislo has the potential to emerge as one of the elite forwards in the league this season.

Bordson Commits

Cedar Rapids forward Rob Bordson has committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Bordson had previously taken a visit to Colorado College, but ultimately chose the Bulldogs. The Duluth, Minnesota native has recorded 15 points in 15 games for the Riders this season before coming down with mono.

Rob started the year on Cedar Rapids' affiliated list, but quickly played his way onto the official roster.

“Rob has certainly worked hard this season and gotten his junior career off to a good start,” said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. “Now he’ll have the chance to continue to improve as a player over the next season and a half and then have the opportunity to play college hockey in his hometown.”

The Riders selected the 6’ 2”, 175-pound Bordson in the eighth round of May’s United States Hockey League draft with the eighty-fourth overall choice. Bordson was named to the 2005-06 Associated Press Minnesota All-State Second Team after scoring 29 goals and recording 65 points in 31 games for Duluth Marshall High School last season.

Bordson will enroll at UMD in 2008.

Lohry Commits

Sioux City Musketeers forward Kevin Lohry has made a committment to play for the Princeton Tigers beginning next fall.

Lohry, in his second season with Sioux City, has recorded 19 points (5-14--19) in 21 games. Last season, Kevin registered 13 points in 42 games.

The Sioux City, Iowa native is currently third in +/- rating, with a rating of +17.

This is a nice signing for Princeton, as Lohry has really matured and has become one of coach Dave Siciliano's best forwards this season.

Another One Down

Another OHL player has dropped down to the USHL rankings. This time the player comes from the Erie Otters. The player, Christian Olsen, has been added by Sioux City. Olsen has 16 career points in 69 games for Erie before coming to Sioux City.

Christian will bring some much needed size to the Musketeers forward group, as he stands in at 6'4" 210 lbs. The size of this kid reminds me of former Musketeer Christiaan Minella, who stood 6'2" and weighed in at 205.

Olsen should be in the lineup Friday when Sioux City travels to Kearney to take on the Storm. I'm guessing someone will need to be dropped, as Sioux City previously added Kevin Quick to the team after placing Sean Coffey on IR.

EDIT: Quick has been released, as he decided he wanted to stay home.

In some other roster moves today, Omaha released Joe Cucci. Cucci never played in a game for the Lancers.

Chicago Steel released defenseman Gabe Heller.

Indiana activated veteran defenseman Eric Olimb from the IR and released journeyman Toby Heaslip.

Follmer/Lowery Incident

As most of you know, Lincoln's Ryan Lowery and Kyle Follmer had an incident at practice awhile ago. Some think Kyle should have had the book thrown at him, but I think people should get the whole story before jumping at Kyle. Sure, he's had his bad moments in the league, but I believe he can be a good kid. Follmer and Lowery are both excellent players and the loss of Lowery is a huge blow for Colorado College and Lincoln, but Lowery will be back next season to work on things in preperation for CC.

USHR had posted an article about this incident and it is here:

With Teammates Like This…

5’11” Lincoln Stars (USHL) RD Ryan Lowery, a Colorado College recruit for fall ’08, was badly injured in a fight at practice last week.

Reportedly, Lowery’s teammate 6’1” forward Kyle Folmer was able to throw Lowery to the ice hard enough to pop out the defenseman’s shoulder. After getting Lowery’s jersey over his head, Folmer pounded away, breaking his teammate's jaw.

This happened at a captain’s practice. No coaches were on the ice.

Lowery’s jaw is wired shut. That should heal in due time. Of greater concern is Lowery’s shoulder, which will get looked at again right after Christmas. The ’88, who played last season with Team Illinois and was Lincoln’s #1 selection in the 2005 Futures Draft, could miss some serious time – possibly the rest of the season.

Folmer hasn’t missed a game.

Now, I think the right thing to do would to have investigated this matter a little more instead of writing up an article and make Kyle out to be the bad guy in this case. Of course, he didn't end up with any seperations or broken bones, but he could have just as easily.

Kate Crandall, who writes for the Colorado College Tigers, put up an excellent article and she had enough brains to talk with Lowery about it before jumping to conclusions.

Lowery and teammate Kyle Follmer fought after a competition-based practice in which the losing team had to do extra conditioning.

“Even though it’s supposed to be a fun day, it’s still a very competitive day,” coach Steve Johnson said.

Trash talk between the pair boiled over during post-practice stretches.

“It’s pretty common for there to be fights,” Lowery said. “It was more that we just got really competitive.

“We both got kind of angry at each other.”

Follmer, who did not suffer serious injuries in the fight, visited Lowery in the hospital. Otherwise, the two have not spoken, Lowery said, adding that he doesn’t hold a grudge.

So thanks Kate for putting up an excellent article and letting Lowery explain what happened. Now maybe people can let Kyle be. I'm sure he feels awful enough for injuring a teammate and ending his season.


Happy Holidays to everyone and a speedy recovery to Lowery!

Special thanks to USHR for the article.

Steel Coaching Change Release

Steel Names Former NHL Defenseman Steve Poapst Head Coach

Bensenville, IL (December 22, 2006) -- The Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League announced today that Steve Poapst has replaced Chris Imes as head coach, effective immediately. Steel General Manager Jason Koehler made the announcement.

Poapst is a native of Cornwall, Ontario and a graduate of Colgate University who spent eight seasons as a defenseman in the National Hockey League, including four with the Chicago Blackhawks (2000-2001 to 2003-2004). He appeared in a total of 307 NHL games and registered eight goals, 26 assists and 173 penalty minutes with four different teams. Poapst, who will turn 38 years old on January 3, retired as a player after appearing in a combined 62 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues last season.

The Steel did not have to go far in filling the head coaching position. The strong ties and strong hockey network that the Steel hold with the Edge Ice Arena and their ties with the Chicago Blackhawks proved to be a key element in this search. These ties and endorsements proved to be even stronger when the backing of Poapst came from Blackhawks Senior Vice President Bob Pulford, Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon and Blackhawks Head Coach Denis Savard.

This year, Poapst had been serving as coach of the Chicago Mission 1993 hockey club, one of the top-rated bantam minor programs in the country (16-1-2). He will make his USHL coaching debut next Friday -- December 29^th -- at 7:30 p.m. when the Steel hosts the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets at the Edge Ice Arena. No other current USHL coach played in the NHL.

“We’re a much better program than our current record (4-17-1) indicates, and we felt that we needed to go in a different direction for the final 38 games of the season and into the playoffs,” Koehler said. “We believe that Steve Poapst will help change the on-ice direction of this club and improve our focus and attitude. Someone with Steve’s abilities, and his experiences at the highest level of professional hockey, will no doubt benefit our players here in Chicago a great deal.”

Jon Waibel, who was the Steel’s assistant coach under Imes, will continue to serve in that capacity under Poapst.

I think the Steel needs to take a look at Koehler and what he can't do, and that's make the Steel a better team. I think once Koehler goes, the organization can grow and hopefully get a little bit better.

I agree that it was time for Imes to go. Good thing everyone is in the playoffs, or Poapst would have an even tougher task in getting the Steel into playoff contention.

Here's to me wishing Steve Poapst and Jon Waibel good luck in the coaching department.

USHL in Rapid City?

Marc Foster on the Junior Hockey Blog posted a link to an article in the Rapid City Newspaper
about the city possibly building a new multi-use facility. The article mentions the CHL and USHL as leagues that want to place a team there.

Maliske said two leagues have shown an interest in Rapid City: the Central Hockey League, a 17-team mid-level professional hockey league headquartered in Phoenix; and the United States Hockey League, a 12-team Junior league based in Grand Forks, N.D., that develops players for the college and professional levels.

Currently, the CHL has at least two ownership groups interested in Rapid City, and the USHL has at least one ownership group that has shown an interest.

Rapid City is a long trip for anyone, but then again, Ohio is in the USHL. That would be one hell of a roadtrip for those teams. That's about a 19 hour bus trip to and from. I think it would be nice to have another team in a more midwestern area and maybe even give Sioux Falls a South Dakota rival.

Haczyk Commits

Green Bay Gamblers forward Bryan Haczyk has made a committment to Niagara University. He will begin playing for the Purple Eagles next fall.

Haczyk has recorded 14 points (4-10--14) in 24 games this season. Bryan was added during the last half of the season by Green Bay, and managed to post 9 points in 28 games.

Changes in the Windy City

My sources have told me that the Chicago Steel have fired coach Chris Imes. I've been informed that the Steel will announce Steve Poapst as their new head coach.

Maybe this is the kind of thing that can get the Steel going. They have a lot of talent, but just can't pull out many victories.


Look for more changes to the Steel staff in the next few days.

Patrick Johnson Commits

Lincoln's Patrick Johnson has made a verbal committment to attend the University of Wisconsin. Johnson will enroll next fall.


The Madison, Wisconsin native has recorded 13 points in 13 games for the Stars.

Patrick Johnson is aware of his family's standing with the University of Wisconsin men's hockey program.

Knowing he'll continue the tradition that started with his grandfather and ran through his father and uncle is an overwhelming sensation.

Johnson, a 17-year-old winger and the son of former Badgers great Mark Johnson, has verbally committed to play for the UW next season.

"I'm still in shock about it," he said. "It still hasn't hit me yet, to be honest with you."

Committing to any Division I hockey program is special for Patrick Johnson, but he is particularly excited to come home. "Especially because it's Wisconsin," he said.

Johnson is an excellent pickup for Wisconsin. He will bring some much needed offense to their program.

Hunter Bishop Update

The Vernon Vipers announced today that Hunter Bishop would be returning to the team following his departure from the University of North Dakota. Bad news for Lincoln fans, but good news for the rest of the league.

(Vernon)—The Vernon Vipers are pleased to announce the return of 19 year old Hunter Bishop from the University of North Dakota. Bishop had recorded 1 assist while playing in just 4 games for UND. The product of Fairbanks Alaska was third on the Vipers in points last season with 54 and second in goals with 25.

General Manager Troy Mick is excited about the return of the quick skating forward. “Hunter was a big part of our team last year and to have him coming back is a very pleasant surprise. We are looking for him to add that scoring touch and play making ability that he is known for.”

I was actually anxious to see what Bishop would be able to do in the USHL a second time. Good luck to Hunter.

Random Notes

A little late, but Mike Embach has made a committment to Ferris State University for the 07-08 season. Embach has recorded 14 points (7-7--14) in 21 games for the Steel, passing his total from last season (13) in 24 less games. Ferris State picked up a quality player.

"Mike is a tremendous player and asset to our club," said Steel head coach Chris Imes. "He competes very hard, can score, and will be a great addition to the Bulldogs hockey program next fall."

Sioux City placed veteran defenseman Sean Coffey on the IR. Coffey only appeared in 7 games for the Musketeers and recorded 1 assist. Coffey started the season hurt, with a shoulder injury, but finally made his debut November 11th. I'm pretty sure he re-injured his shoulder in a game vs Ohio 2 weekends ago.

Sioux City has added defensemen Kevin Quick to take Coffey's roster spot. Quick has a scholarship to attend the University of Michigan for next fall. He was drafted 78th overall in the 2006 entry draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The smooth-skating, offensively skilled (yet defensively responsible) playmaking defenseman was invited to Tampa Bay’s summer prospect camp. Quick made perhaps the biggest impact of any of the invites, bringing dynamic playmaking ability with levelheaded decision-making far beyond his years to camp.

Also a little old, but the Lincoln Journal Star had an excellent article about Dan Comrie in it. Be sure to give it a read. (Thanks to the Lincoln fan that showed this to me.)

Comrie Trade Follow-up

Omaha has traded forward Zac MacVoy to Ohio for Adam Comrie. MacVoy is gone after this season, so it doesn't make too much sense to acquire him, unless Comrie is for a fact going to the OHL and Harkins knew that.

MacVoy left the University of Michigan and was drafted by Omaha. He has recorded 13 points on the year for the Lancers.

Comrie wasted no time in racking up the points in a Lancer uniform, notching 4 points in his first 2 games with the team. Adam assisted on MacVoy's goal in Friday's win, and MacVoy assisted on Comrie's goal in Saturday's win.

Omaha also sent Andy Taranto to Ohio to complete the Drew Palmisano trade. Hastings had originally sent Dennis Urban, but he broke his collarbone in his Ohio debut.

Taranto managed just 2 assists in 22 games this season.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Junior Blue Jackets acquired Zac MacVoy from the Omaha Lancers in exchange for defenseman Adam Comrie, as well as obtaining Andy Taranto as part of the Drew Palmisano-Dennis Urban trade from last week, General Manager Don Harkins announced today.

"Andy has good size and speed and plays with an edge," said Harkins. "MacVoy is a power forward who has good size and a scoring touch. I talked to both players the other night on the phone and they are excited to come in and help our team after the Christmas break."

Ohio also added futures player George Michalke to the team and released Brian Prost.

Omaha added forward Nic Bownds to the roster, though I believe he was just in town for last weekend's games.

Best Uncommitted

It's been a pretty slow week as far as breaking news goes, and I apologize for the lack of entries this week.

I'm going to take a look at the best players who have yet to commit to a school.

Forwards
Keegan Meuer - Waterloo Black Hawks - Keegan has started off slowly, but that's expected from a 17 year old rookie. He had a breakout game at home vs Indiana, where he notched 2 goals including the game winner.

Justin Cseter - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Justin is closer to home this season, after spending a pair of seasons with Sioux City. He is having his most productive USHL season with Green Bay by lighting the lamp 3 times so far. He had only scored 3 times combined in the last two seasons. Justin is a seasoned vet, as this is his third year and he still has 2 years of eligibility left.

Brian Arrigoni - Indiana Ice - I noticed Brian a lot at the Buc Bowl this pre-season. He is very quick and was fun to watch. Brian only has 4 points, but I'm certain that stat will increase significantly as the year goes on.

Greg Squires - Indiana Ice - Greg played previously with the NTDP and had a decent time with them. He scored 29 points in 58 career games (NAHL games). He is a very quick skater, but I feel he could use some work on his scoring touch. He will have another year to mature and develop into a decent college prospect.

Sean McCauley - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Sean is an excellent player, but just stuck on a miserable team. I feel that if he was on a better team, he could have almost double the points he has now. He seems to have good hockey sense and is in the right place more times than not. McCauley will be a solid college prospect.

Eric Rex - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Eric is a solid player, and I have been impressed with his play the times I was able to see him play. Rex has an outstanding backhand shot that should impress many.

Anthony Maiani - Sioux City Musketeers - Anthony is off to a great start for the Musketeers, notching 17 points in 20 games. He had 24 points last season. Anthony is small, but quick. He is a pass first type of player, but he has an above average shot when given the chance to shoot. Anthony could stand to put on a little more weight, but he should be good in college.

Ben Van Lare - Des Moines Buccaneers - Ben can't commit to a college, but he's still worthy of a mention on this list. The Richardson, Texas native is on pace to score 21 goals for the Bucs. Had Ben not chosen the WHL, he would have been an impact player on the college level.

Kyle Follmer - Lincoln Stars - Kyle is a versatile player, being able to play both forward and defense. He had a solid rookie season with Sioux City, grabbing 32 points. This season with Lincoln, he has 18 points in 20 games, including a hat trick vs Indiana.

Michael Pilot - Tri-City Storm - Pilot has registered 10 points on the early season, tying his total from the past 2 seasons combined. Pilot will probably spend another year in the USHL, but he has matured a lot and should be a decent college player.

Drew Fisher - Sioux Falls Stampede - Drew has posted 16 points this season, equalling his total for all of last year. Drew is a big kid that has a lot of potential, but it hasn't come into play until this season. Fisher will probably commit to a school before the end of the season.

Jarmo Jokila - Omaha Lancers - Jarmo has done a fine job adjusting to the pace of the USHL and has become a goal scorer. He loves to shoot and will take the shot whenever he is given the chance. Jokila is currently back in Finland to attend to family matters.

Ben Arnt - Omaha Lancers - Ben is a solid player for the Lancers, but has yet to contribute significantly on the scoresheet. I'd look for that to improve within the next few weeks. Arnt will be a good college player, and I'd guess he will choose a Minnesota school.


Defensemen
Sergei Kolosov - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Sergei is a draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, and is a solid talent. He most likely won't commit to a school, but is still worthy of the list. He's tall, but lacks the weight to throw around, but he can lay some huge checks.

Tim Buttery - Chicago Steel - Tim has been having a solid season for a not so good Steel team. He has 8 assists on the season, but is a -14. Buttery is someone who should have a scholarship before the season is over.

John Ryder - Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets - Ryder hasn't done much on the scoresheet, but he is quick and mobile. John will jump into the play and is able to read when he should jump. He will need atleast another year to adjust and mature.

Matt Crandell - Sioux City Musketeers - Matt is a rookie from St. Cloud, Minnesota. He has posted 10 points so far this season, and should get to atleast the 20 point mark before all is said and done. Crandell is a good prospect and it's been rumored that Don Lucia is interested in Matt.

Joe Sova - Sioux City Musketeers - Originally, I wouldn't have mentioned Joe on this list, but he has really started to pick it up lately. Sova is on a 4 game point scoring streak, and has been racking up the assists. He has size, and he is just now using it to his advantage. He should be a leader on the Muskies next season.

Tom Mannino - Tri-City Storm - Mannino won't be getting a scholarship anytime soon, but his track record shows he's a very good player. The only thing keeping him down is his attitude, which seems to be a problem with him.

Adam Comrie - Omaha Lancers - Recently acquired Comrie is one of the better 1990 born defensemen in the country. Comrie is pretty big for his age, and just needs some time to adjust to the USHL and he should be a top player in a year or two. Colleges are probably drooling over this kid.


Goaltenders
Kent Patterson - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - Patterson is a very solid goalie, posting a respectable 90.7 save %. He also has a 2.95 GAA, with a record of 8-2-0. He will spend atleast one more year in the USHL before moving onto college. Excellent college prospect.

Bryce Christianson - Lincoln Stars - Bryce is another solid goalie, but could use another year in the league. He has a lot of potential, but needs to see some more action.

Max Strang - Sioux Falls Stampede - Max had a successful season for Green Bay last year, but didn't make the cut this past summer. Sioux Falls added him a few games into the season, and he has posted a 5-0-0 record.

Ambroz Commits

Matt Ambroz has made a committment to play for University of Nebraska-Omaha for the fall of 2007. Matt is in his 3rd year with the Storm, and this season will easily be his best. Ambroz has scored 18 points in 20 games so far, and will be able to eclipse his last season total of 28.

Ambroz joins teammates Jordan Willert and Kyle Ensign, who also committed to UNO. Matt brings some size, so the UNO fans will be extremely excited.

Adam Comrie Traded

Ohio has done it again. They have traded star defenseman Adam Comrie to the Omaha Lancers. Adam was acquired last night, and is in Omaha's lineup tonight. Comrie is a 1990 born player, and already has a lot of hype surrounding him.

I'm not sure what Omaha gave in return, but it sure better be something good.

Don Harkins seems to be an idiot to me, he needs to keep his young studs and trade away the older guys if he feels he needs to make trades.

Kudos to Hastings for getting these two young studs for next to nothing.

Spicer Commits

Chicago Steel forward Chris Spicer has verbally committed to the University of Connecticut for the fall of 2007. Chris played 2 seasons with Sioux City before being drafted by Chicago this past May. He has 30 career USHL points in 106 games.

The Syracuse, New York native appeared in only 16 games before opting for surgery and prematurely ending his season.

Hunter Bishop to Lincoln?

Pointstreak shows Lincoln adding forward Hunter Bishop to their roster. Hunter played 04/05 season with Cedar Rapids, and helped lead them to a Clark Cup. The following year, he decided he wanted to play closer to home and joined on with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL. After a successful year in Vernon, Hunter accepted a scholarship to the University of North Dakota.

Hunter has only played in 4 games this season with the Sioux.

If he does report to Lincoln, this is a very nice addition for them. Bishop was drafted in May by Omaha, but did not report. This marks the 2nd player Lincoln had added this season that was drafted by Omaha last May (Colby Cohen).

College Committments

Let's take a look at the college committments for each team.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (14)
David Boehm - University of Massachusetts - 2008
Evan Stephans - Dartmouth College - 2007
Doug Jones - Princeton University - 2007
Brett Dickinson - Quinnipiac College - 2007
Jacob Cepis - Bowling Green State University - 2007
Scott Wietecha - Ferris State University - 2007
Matt Tomassoni - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2008 or 2009
Tommy Wingles - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2007
Robin Bergman - University of Notre Dame - 2007
Kevin Wehrs - University of Minnesota - 2007
Richard Bachman - Colorado College - 2007
Pat Cannone - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2007
Rob Bordson - University of Minnesota-Duluth - 2008
Aaron Bogosian - St. Lawrence University - 2007

Chicago Steel (8)
Mike Gurtler - Mercyhurst College - 2007
Matt Moulakelis - Merrimack College - 2007
Matt Godlewski - Princeton University - 2007
Andy Miele - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2007
Mike Janda - Rochester Institute of Technology - 2007 -- No longer with team
Chris Spicer - University of Connecticut - 2007 -- No longer with team
Tyler Murovich - Western Michigan University - 2008 or 2009
Sean Dolan - University of Wisconsin - 2007

Des Moines Buccaneers (13)
Jimmy Martin - Yale University - 2007
Aaron Palushaj - University of Michigan - 2007
Jeff Petry - Michigan State University - 2007
Austin Handley - Michigan State University - 2008
Rich Purslow - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007
Ben Ryan - University of Notre Dame - 2007
Shane Sims - Ohio State University - 2007
Travis Paeth - Western Michigan University - 2007
Matt Read - Bemidji State University - 2007
Matt Dalton - Bemidji State University - 2007
Ben Rosen - Brown University - 2008
Andrew Olson - University of Connecticut - 2007
Jordan Tibbett - Michigan State University - 2008

Green Bay Gamblers (13)
Mike Borisenok - University of New Hampshire - 2007
Steve Silva - Northeastern University - 2007
Sergio Somma - Ohio State University - 2007
Channing Boe - Minnesota State University - 2007
Derrick LaPoint - University of North Dakota - 2007
Shea Walters - Bemidji State University - 2007
Adam Avramenko - Niagara University - 2007
Bryan Haczyk - Niagara University - 2007
Ryan Little - University of Wisconsin - 2008
Mike Sislo - University of New Hampshire - 2007
Kurt Davis - Minnesota State Mankato - 2007
Baylor Dieter - Minnesota State Mankato - 2008
Sean Murphy - RIT - 2007

Indiana Ice (12)
Michael Del Mauro - Harvard University - 2007
Nick Bailen - Bowling Green State University - 2008
Mike Phillippi - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007
Eric Olimb - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007
John Kemp - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2008
Eric Kattelus - Michigan Tech University - 2007
Alex Kangas - University of Minnesota - 2007
Brett Peterson - Minnesota State University - 2007
Garrett Roe - St. Cloud State University - 2007
Jake Skjodt - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2008
Brian Keane - University of Massachusetts - 2007
Mike Embach - Ferris State University - 2007

Lincoln Stars (13)
Colby Cohen - Boston University - 2007
Eric Lake - Northeastern University - 2008
Mike Kramer - Princeton University - 2007
Carter Camper - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2007
Bryan Hogan - University of Michigan - 2007
Chad Langlais - University of Michigan - 2007
Jared Brown - University of Northern Michigan - 2007
Ryan Lowery - Colorado College - 2008
Patrick Johnson - University of Wisconsin - 2007
Stephen Schultz - Colorado College - 2007
Matt Bartkowski - Ohio State University - 2008
Jason Gregoire - University of Denver - 2007 or 2008
Daniel Lawson - University of Vermont - 2007

Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (5)
Danny Hobbs - University of Massachusetts - 2008
Charles Brockett - Yale University - 2008
Chris Reed - Ohio State University - 2007
Zac MacVoy - Lake Superior State University - 2007
Danny Markowitz - Dartmouth College - 2007 or 2008

Omaha Lancers (15)
Nick Petrecki - Boston College - 2007
Robby Dee - University of Maine - 2007
Will O'Neill - University of New Hampshire - 2007
Jack Downing - University of Vermont - 2007
Mark Olver - University of Northern Michigan - 2007
Corey Toy - Ohio State University - 2007
Patrick Schafer - Ohio State University - 2007
Brett Bruneteau - University of North Dakota - 2007 or 2008
Jake Marto - University of North Dakota - 2007
Nick Larson - University of Minnesota - 2007 or 2008
Travis Novak - St. Cloud State University - 2007
Matt Thurber - University of Wisconsin - 2008
Barry Almeida - Boston College - 2007
Chris Hepp - St. Cloud State University - Eligible Sept. 2008
Andrew Conboy - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2008

Sioux City Musketeers (10)
Phil DeSimone - University of New Hampshire - 2007
Kyle Medvec - University of Vermont - 2007
Max Pacioretty - University of Michigan - 2007
Dustin Gazley - Michigan State University - 2007
Andrew Rowe - Michigan State University - 2007
Blake Martin - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007
Travis Oleksuk - University of Minnesota-Duluth - 2008
Kevin Lohry - Princeton University - 2007
Mike Beck - University of New Hampshire - 2007
Jerry Kuhn - Northern Michigan University - 2007

Sioux Falls Stampede (15)
Chris Huxley - Harvard University - 2007
Zach Hansen - Quinnipiac University - 2007
Jake Bauer - Quinnipiac University - 2007
Zach Redmond - Ferris State University - 2007
Corey Tropp - Michigan State University - 2007
Nick Dineen - Colorado College - 2007 or 2008
David Grun - University of Minnesota-Duluth - 2007
Brad Malone - University of North Dakota - 2007
Sam Zabkowicz - St. Cloud State University - 2007
Jordy Christian - St. Cloud State University - 2008
David Solway - Bowling Green State University - 2007
Patrick Tiesling - Bowling Green State University - 2007
Matt Lundin - Mercyhurst College - 2007
Dan Sexton - Bentley College - 2007
Erik Peterson - Bentley College - 2007

Tri-City Storm (12)
David Brownschidle - Brown University - 2007 or 2008
Tristin Llewellyn - University of Michigan - 2007
Jordan Willert - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2008
Kyle Ensign - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2008
Mario Lamoureux - University of Northern Michigan - 2007
Calle Ridderwall - University of Notre Dame - 2007
Jesse Martin - University of Denver - 2007
Andrew Sackrison - Minnesota State University - 2007
Nick Oslund - St. Cloud State University - 2007
Chris Hickey - University of Wisconsin - 2008
Matt Ambroz - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007
Ian Keserich - Northern Michigan University - 2007

Waterloo Black Hawks (13)
James Marcou - University of Massachusetts - 2007
Matt Arhontas - Princeton University - 2007
Ryan Rondeau - Yale University - 2007
Vincent LoVerde - University of Miami (Ohio) - 2007
Jan-Mikael Juutilainen - University of Nebraska-Omaha - 2007 or 2008
Billy Maday - University of Notre Dame - 2007
Anthony Schooley - Michigan Tech University - 2008 -- No longer on team.
Craig Smith - University of Wisconsin - 2008 or 2009
Josh Turnbull - University of Wisconsin - 2007
Ryan Cramer - Bemidji State University - 2007
John Lee - University of Denver - 2008
Blake Kessel - University of New Hampshire - 2008
Isak Tranvik - Quinnipiac University - 2007

Total: 143

Juutilainen and Willert Commit

Waterloo's Jan-Mikael Juutilainen and Tri-City's Jordan Willert have committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

As Chris mentioned, some had thought Juutilainen committed a long time ago, but found out that he didn't really commit. He is having a solid season so far with Waterloo (4-4--8).

Willert is working on a good sophomore season in the USHL, garnering 10 points so far this season.

Tri-City seems to be the pipeline to UNO, as the Storm have 4 players already playing with the Mavericks (J.P. Platisha, Mark Bernier, Eric Aarnio, and Scott Parse). UNO also signed Storm forward Bill Thomas, who signed with the Phoenix Coyotes last season.

Dickinson Commits

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Brett Dickinson has committed to Quinnipiac for next fall.

Brett is a strong defenseman and he has registered 11 points on the early season. He has already passed his point total of last season (5) and will continue to rack up the points.

This is also Dickinson’s second season with the Riders. The 20-year Furlong, Pennsylvania, product has scored two goals and notched 11 points while turning in a +4 in 20 games this year.

Dickinson will help shore up the Quinnipiac defense next season.

Cannone Commits

Pat Cannone of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders has committed to play at the University of Miami (Ohio) for next fall.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Pat Cannone has committed to Miami of Ohio, the RoughRiders announced today. Cannone will begin his college career next season.

Cannone, 20, is the Riders’ second leading point-scorer. The Bayport, New York, native has scored eight goals and totaled 20 points in 20 games this season. Cannone is also tied for the team lead in plus/minus rating (+8).

The Riders selected Cannone in the twentieth round of May’s United States Hockey League draft with the one hundred eighty-fourth overall pick. He arrived in Cedar Rapids after skating for the New England Jr. Falcons of the Eastern Junior (B) Hockey League last season.

Cannone should be a welcomed addition to the Redhawks next fall.

Cannone joins Richard Bachman (Colorado College), Robin Bergman (Notre Dame), Jacob Cepis (Bowling Green), Brett Dickinson (Quinnipiac), Doug Jones (Princeton), Evan Stephens (Dartmouth), Matt Tomassoni (Miami of Ohio), Kevin Wehrs (Minnesota), Scott Wietecha (Ferris State) and Tommy Wingels (Miami of Ohio) as the eleventh member of the 2006-07 RoughRiders to make a college commitment.

New GM in Chicago

Not sure it will help, but I suppose it's a good idea to make it appear like you're trying to win.

Chicago hired Jason Koehler to be in charge of the day to day operations of the Steel. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Forge, Youngstown Phantoms, and Sioux Falls Stampede. Jason coming in will let Chris Imes focus on coaching, which the team could really use.

“Bringing in someone of Jason’s caliber is proof that this organization has made a serious commitment toward upgrading the program,” Imes said. “His track record of scouting and developing Junior-A hockey players is second to none, and with him in place as GM, I will be able to focus all of my efforts on improving our play on the ice.”

“I’m very excited to be here,” Koehler said. “Chicago is a great hockey area. There’s a great local talent base here. There’s also a great regional base, and I feel very confident that we can make the Steel a hockey player factory. We will not accept anything less than high-level college prospects and pro prospects here in Chicago.”

There are quite a few hockey players that come from the Chicago area, it's just too bad they don't have any fans. Without fans, your franchise isn't going to survive long. If he won't accept anything less than high-level college prospects and pro prospects, then he will need to trade a bunch of current players on the roster now. Most of the players on the team now aren't high-level, more depth college prospects. Of course, there are a few who are high-level, but I don't see a bunch of kids wanting to play in Chicago. Playing in Chicago seems to take the wind out of a lot of sails of these kids.

Trade

The Omaha Lancers and Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets made a trade today. Omaha acquired goaltender Drew Palmisano from Ohio for defenseman Dennis Urban. This pretty much makes it official that Gudmandson is out.

I can't believe Ohio would do this trade. Palmisano is a very good goalie and still has a couple years of eligibility left, while Troy Redmann is done after this year. Ohio could have built around their goal tending, but I guess they chose to go another route.

Palmisano has posted a 1-6-3 record for the Jackets this season, being in net for the team's only win. Drew has a 3.70 goals against average and a respectable 90.3 save percentage. Despite the horrible record, Palmisano was able to stop a lot of very good scoring chances he faced, but it's tough to win games when you have to face 40-60 shots per game.

Urban was the first round pick of Omaha last May and had recorded 10 points (4-6--10) in 21 games for the Lancers. Dennis played last season for the Mahoning Valley Phantoms of the NAHL and notched 30 points. He also spent time at the forward position this season.

This deal appears to favor Omaha in every way, except it leaves them a little short on the defensive end of things. This trade gives Omaha arguably the two best young goalies in the league.

EDIT: Ohio also received a 4th round pick in next year's draft with Urban. Ohio also added Brandon Czarnecki to become their backup goalie for the rest of the season.

Roster Moves

Not many to report today, but there are a couple.

First off, Tri-City Storm have traded 2nd year forward Sean Wiles to Sante Fe Roadrunners of the NAHL. Sean will join former teammate, Jay Fifield, in New Mexico. Wiles had recorded 6 points (3-3--6) in 17 games for the Storm this season. The Newton, Wisconsin native had 13 points (6-7--13) last season for the Storm.

In another roster move, the Chicago Steel have added forward Joe Whitney to their roster. Joe has been playing this season with Lawrence Academy, so I'm not sure if he will be joining the Steel right away or after his season is over at Lawrence. One could only hope he doesn't report at all. Whitney is a 1988 born player from Groton, Massachusetts and is a former futures draft pick of the Indiana Ice.

On the Omaha Lancers message board, it's been mentioned that coach Mike Hastings will be releasing under-achieving goaltender Scott Gudmandson. Gudmandson is supposed to be headed to Wisconsin next fall, but Mike Eaves may have second thoughts about bringing him in so quickly.

World Juniors

The USA selected their roster for the World Juniors recently, and it included 7 former USHL players.

Leading the list is former Des Moines Buccaneers Trevor Lewis and Kyle Okposo. Lewis is having a solid season in the OHL with the Owen Sound Attack and Okposo is probably one of the best freshman in college hockey this season. Okposo continues to prove he was worth a high draft pick in the most recent NHL Entry Draft.

Others named to the team include Nathan Gerbe (River City), Justin Abdelkader (Cedar Rapids), Brian Lee (Lincoln), Kyle Lawson (Tri-City), and Jeff Zatkoff (Sioux City).

USHL.com gives a brief blurb about each player.

Justin Abdelkader-Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
Abdelkader was with the RoughRiders during the 2004-05 season. In 60 games, Abdelkader scored 27 goals and assisted on 25 others. He was tied for 8^th in goals scored and appeared in the USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. Abdelkader was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the 2005 NHL entry draft and is currently a sophomore at Michigan State University.

Nathan Gerbe-River City Lancers
Gerbe appeared in 25 games with the Lancers during the 2002-03 season when he was only 15 years old. He had three goals and three assists in those 25 games. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL entry draft by the Buffalo Sabres and is currently a sophomore at Boston College.

Kyle Lawson-Tri-City Storm
Lawson spent 2005-06 with the Storm before moving onto the University of Notre Dame, where he is currently a freshman. Last season, Lawson played 49 games with the Storm and scored nine goals and assisting on 13 more for 22 points. He was tied for 13^th in scoring among USHL defensemen. Lawson was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the seventh round of the 2005 NHL entry draft.

Brian Lee-Lincoln Stars
Lee was a before and after player, meaning he spent time with the Stars before and after his high school season. Lee played 12 games with the Stars in 2004-05 and picked up three assists. He made his mark in the playoffs that year, however, scoring two goals and assisting on three more for five points in only four games. Lee was a first round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2005 NHL entry draft and is currently a sophomore at the University of North Dakota.

Trevor Lewis-Des Moines Buccaneers
Lewis was with the Buccaneers for two seasons, and in his second year enjoyed one of the finest seasons in USHL history. Lewis had 97 points in 108 career USHL games. Last season, he finished second in the league scoring race with 75 points, just one point from the league title. He was a captain of a Buccaneers team that won the national championship. Following the season, Lewis was named USHL MVP, USHL Forward of the Year, 1^st Team All-USHL, and the recipient of the Curt Hammer Award. Lewis was also named USA Hockey's Junior Player of the Year. He was chosen in the 1^st round of the 2006 NHL entry draft by Los Angeles. Later in the summer, he chose to bypass a scholarship to the University of Michigan and became the first player ever to sign an NHL contract directly from the USHL. Lewis currently skates with Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League.

Kyle Okposo-Des Moines Buccaneers
Okposo played just one season in the USHL, but it seemed like he was there a lot longer. Okposo appeared in 50 games for the Buccaneers in 2005-06, scoring 27 goals and adding 31 assists for 58 points. He was chosen to play in the 2006 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. He was a 1^st Team All-USHL selection, a member of the league All-Rookie Team and was voted the league's Rookie of the Year. He was also named Clark Cup MVP after helping lead the Buccaneers to a national title. Okposo was chosen 7^th overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft by the New York Islanders and is currently a freshman forward at the University of Minnesota.

Jeff Zatkoff-Sioux City Musketeers
Zatkoff played 24 games for the Musketeers in 2004-05. He had a 13-6-3 record, a 2.55 goals against average, and a .914 saves percentage. He had the fourth highest saves percentage in the league. After one college season, Zatkoff was chosen by the Los Angeles Kings in the 3^rd round of the 2006 NHL entry draft. Zatkoff is currently a sophomore at Miami University in Ohio.

Zach Hansen Commits

Stampede defenseman Zach Hansen has commited to Quinnipiac.

Hansen has put together a pretty solid season for a rookie defenseman, putting up 10 points (5-5--10) in 20 games for the Stampede.

Hansen will enroll at Quinnipiac next fall.

Edit: Thanks Chris

More Additions

The New Jersey Rockets pride themselves on sending kids on whenever they can, even if that means during the middle of the season, or down the stretch. Monday, the New Jersey Rockets have announced they have sent two more players to the USHL. These two players, Gio Capodanno and C.J. Lee, will join the Des Moines Buccaneers and Green Bay Gamblers, respectively.

Capodanno is a 1987 born player who resides in Mountainside, New Jersey. So far this season, Gio had recorded 32 points (16-16--32) in 23 games for the Rockets. He will wear #17 for the Bucs.

Lee is a 1989 born player who resides in Staten Island, New York. Lee had recorded 26 points (12-14--26) in 18 games for New Jersey. He will wear #14 for the Gamblers.

Both are in the top 20 in scoring in the AJHL and will now be competing in the top junior league in the US. "This allows the boys to perform on a big stage in front of every Division I school in the country" said Bob Thornton. "To coach, develop and promote these kids in their pursuit of playing college hockey is a great feeling. I was fortunate enough to play in the USHL for Des Moines in 1995 and win an Anderson Cup, Clark Cup and National championship in one season." The whole experience of playing in front of 3,500 fans a game and many scouts was something I wanted to pass onto my players." Both CJ and Gio have great opportunities ahead of them to play in great environments that will help them develop and mature on and off the ice. " As a coach and developer of players, it is my job to move these kids onto the next step in their young careers." said Thornton.

With Capodanno and Lee joining the USHL, it makes three total for the New Jersey Rockets this year. They also sent Patrick McAuley to the Lincoln Stars prior to the start of the regular season.

Tom Mannino to the Storm

The Storm has picked up another OHL kid, and their 2nd from the Saginaw Spirit, Tom Mannino (the other being Scott Fletcher.) Tom is the cousin to former Storm goalie Peter Mannino. The Farmington Hills, Michigan native has spent time with the London Knights, Windsor Spitfires, and Saginaw Spirit in 4 seasons.

This season, Mannino had 4 assists in 21 games for the Spirit. He had his best season during 04/05, while playing with Windsor and Saginaw. He posted 50 points between the two teams.

"He is an offensive defenseman that has a lot of experience," said Storm head coach and general manager, Bliss Littler.

This is already the third player to drop down from Major Junior ranks, one can only wonder how many more there will be and who the next one may be.

Not a rumor any longer - it was confirmed that Mannino has been sent home by the Spirit. Tom said that he was a top 2 d-man on ANY team in the OHL, Mancini said he was a 6, 7 or 8 d-man on this team & sent him home. Mancini also said Mannino felt that he did not have to attend practice to be a 6 or 7 d-man, hinting that Mannino has skipped practice recently. You could hear anger in Mancini's voice while talking about Mannino during the pre-game last night! Mancini also referred to the "bad advice" Tom continues to get, no doubt referring to Mannino's Dad who thinks Mannino is the best thing to ever lace up the skates. Anyway, seems like Mannino was a liability on & off the ice, not a team player at all.

OHL message Board discussing Mannino.

David Boehm Commits

Cedar Rapids forward David Boehm has commited to the University of Massachusetts for the fall of 2008. The Naples, Florida native is having a very good rookie campaign in the USHL, recording 16 points in 18 games.

"This is obviously great news for David," said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. "He has worked very hard since he arrived in Cedar Rapids and now will have the chance to continue to improve as a player here next season."

David is the 9th RoughRider to commit to a college this season.

Ryan Rondeau

The Waterloo Black Hawks site reports goaltender Ryan Rondeau has commited to play hockey next fall at Yale University.

Rondeau, a Carvel, Alberta native is in his first season with the Black Hawks, and is currently at or near the top of every league statistical category for goaltending. He has a record of 6-1-2 and holds a goals against average of just 2.40.

Ryan also has a .909 SV%, good for 4th in the league. Rondeau has also recorded a shutout this season, making him only 1 of 6 to record one this season.

Next season at Yale, Ryan will battle with Billy Blase and Alec Richards. Blase will be a sophomore and Richards will be a junior. Blase spent time with Sioux City at the start of the 05/06 season before being released and joining the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL. Richards spent time with the Indiana Ice at the end of the 04/05 season.

Patrick Johnson

The Wisconsin State Journal reports Patrick Johnson of the Lincoln Stars will be headed to the University of Wisconsin, even as early as next fall.

All in the family Patrick Johnson, whose father and grandfather are Badgers legends, appears headed for UW and could play as early as next season.

Johnson, 17, now plays for Lincoln (Neb.) of the U.S. Junior Hockey League where he has seven goals, three assists and 10 points in nine games for the Stars.

Johnson definitely deserves a look at big schools, but another year in the USHL may be beneficial. Coach Mike Eaves could use the offense though.

More Roster Moves

Chicago added talented forward Simon Olsson. Olsson had been playing with the Rocky Mountain Wranglers. In 29 games this season with the Wranglers, Simon had scored a team high 55 points. Olsson is a native of Sweden, giving the Steel 3 Euro's on their roster.

The highly-regarded Olsson is considered one of the most dynamic forwards in his age group. The Steel coaching staff anticipates that he will add creativity and instant offense to the forward ranks.

Chicago also added another future's player. They added Mike DiPuma from the Chicago Mission. In 9 league games, DiPuma recorded 8 points on 4 goals and 4 assists. This makes the 3rd future's player Chicago has called up already this season.

Omaha added the leading scorer in the CSHL a couple of days ago. Cory Spradling, of St. Louis, was leading the league in scoring after 28 games, notching 74 points. Spradling is an overager, so this is his last season in juniors.

The Omaha World Herald has reported that freshman Chris Hepp will be leaving Air Force to return to the Lancers and finish out the season with the team. Hepp should bring some veteran leadership to the team and should help solidify their defensive corps.

"He's going to be a great help D-wise, having a veteran like that coming back who's been in the league two years," captain Jake Marto said. "He knows what it's like and knows what it takes to play in this league so that will be a huge help."

Green Bay added Justin Maciuk to their roster yesterday. Maciuk spent last season with the Steel, notching 5 points on 5 assists, and was also a -10. The Antioch, IL native brings a veteran presence to the team.

Tri-City recently traded Jay Fifield to the Sante Fe Roadrunners of the NAHL. Fifield was brought in as an injury replacement for Danny Markowitz. Fifield recorded 2 assists while with the Storm.

Chris on the Western College Hockey Blog reports Jared Hummel will be enrolling at D-III Hamline University.

Joe Pavelski

Pavelski is off to a hot start for the San Jose Sharks since he was called up from their AHL affiliate. Joe has scored a goal in his last 3 games, including a goal in his first career NHL game vs the Los Angeles Kings. Joe played 2 seasons in Waterloo for the Black Hawks, and recorded 145 points in 133 games. He lead the Hawks to a Clark Cup title in 2004. He earned a scholarship to Wisconsin and eventually lead them to the NCAA title last season. Joe signed with the Sharks this summer and was playing with the Worcester Sharks. Pavelski had notched 26 points in 18 games for Worcester, and San Jose gave him the opportunity to play in the NHL and he has made them look extremely intelligent for giving him a chance.

He is doing quite well for a 7th round draft pick in 2003. Joe has been playing alongside Patrick Marleau and Steve Bernier, and if he can stick with them, he should see many more points come his way. Jonathan Cheechoo is scheduled to be back tonight, so that may force Pavelski to drop down a line.

Good luck to Joe and his NHL career, it's always nice to see former USHL players make it to the show.

USHLers playing Major Juniors

Just a quick glance at rosters from the three CHL leagues (WHL, QMJHL, and OHL) to see how many guys with any USHL ties were playing in the CHL. Now, these ties may be nothing more than being a draft pick, but it's always fun to see where some former draft picks have gone.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (4)
Joel Rechlicz (Chicoutimi Sagueneens) - Joel played a total of 4 USHL games, 2 with Indiana and 2 with Des Moines. He racked up 20 PIM in those 4 games, while recording 0 points.

Todd Chinova (Quebec Remparts) - Waterloo's 7th Round Pick, 72nd Overall in 2005.

Angelo Esposito (Quebec Remparts) - Chicago's 9th Round Pick, 89th Overall in 2005.

Kyle Kelly (Victoriaville Tigres) - Waterloo's 19th Round Pick, 163rd Overall in 2005.

Western Hockey League (9)
Peter Mueller (Everett Silvertips) - Peter was a former futures pick of Sioux City, and was scheduled to be at camp the following June, but decided on the Major Junior route instead.

Kaspars Saulietis (Kelowna Rockets) - Kaspars suited up in 10 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers back in 04/05, and recorded 5 points (3-2--5.)

Tysen Dowzak (Kelowna Rockets) - Tysen is a former 1st round draft pick of the Lincoln Stars, but never suited up for them.

Randy King (Lethbridge Hurricanes) - Randy spent a couple seasons with Green Bay before being dealt to Everett Silvertips.

Martin Hanzal (Red Deer Rebels) - Martin spent 19 games with the Omaha Lancer last season, and put up 19 points. Hanzal is a very tall player, who played soft at times, but was always a focus point for the other USHL teams. He is playing some pretty good hockey in the Dub, racking up 47 points in just 31 games for the Rebels.

Jared Spurgeon (Spokane Chiefs) - Jared was a futures draft pick of Cedar Rapids last year, but opted for the WHL.

Erik Felde (Tri-City Americans) - Erik played 1 season with the Riders, but it was a pretty good season for him. He notched 31 points and helped lead the Riders to their first ever Clark Cup title in 2005.

Tommy Tartaglione (Regina Pats) - Ice's 17th Round Pick, 139th Overall in 2005.

Chris Francis (Portland Winter Hawks) - SF's 14th Round Pick, 121st Overall in 2006.

Ontario Hockey League (23)
Luke Lynes (Brampton Battalion) - Luke was a former draft pick of the Sioux Falls Stampede, but never suited up for the Pede.

Kevin Mole (Kingston Frontenacs) - Kevin was a futures draft pick of the Des Moines Buccaneers, but opted for the OHL instead.

Aaron Rock (Kingston Frontenacs) - Aaron spent last season with the Tri-City Storm and was one of the best goalies in the league. He hasn't been able to put up the numbers he did in the USHL, going 3-10-2 in his OHL career.

Victor Oreskovich (Kitchener Rangers) - Victor spent a year with the Gamblers, and had a pretty good season. He earned a scholarship to Notre Dame and was drafted in the 2nd round by the Colorado Avalanche. He left the Irish mid-way through last season to play in the O. Chris Heisenberg's blog talks about Oreskovich no longer being on the team.

Robert Bortuzzo (Kitchener Rangers) - Robert was a futures draft of the Musketeers, but chose the OHL route.

John Murray (Kitchener Rangers) - John was a standout goaltender last year for the Stampede.

David Meckler (London Knights) - David spent 2 seasons with the Waterloo Black Hawks and was a goal scoring machine in his 2nd season with the team.

Patrick Kane (London Knights) - Kane was first pick in the 2005 futures draft by Omaha and was on their protected list prior to the start of this season.

Sam Gagner (London Knights) - Sam is one of the best talents in the OHL and played a year with Sioux City before making the jump.

Kevin Bodker (London Knights) - Bodker earned a spot on Sioux City's roster early last season and became the youngest player in the league that season.

Logan Couture (Ottawa 67's) - Couture was a late round draft pick a couple years back for the Lincoln Stars.

Trevor Lewis (Owen Sound Attack) - The USHL's 2nd leading scorer last year finds himself playing in the OHL this year. Lewis was scheduled to play for the Michigan Wolverines this year, but the Los Angeles Kings offered him a contract and wanted him to play in the OHL. Lewis has 39 points in 29 games so far, so he's continuing where he left off last year.

David Kolomatis (Owen Sound Attack) - David was on Omaha's protected list prior to the start of the season. Just a few months before the start of the season, it was announced David would be reporting to Owen Sound.

Zach Bogosian (Peterborough Petes) - Zach was a draft pick of Cedar Rapids this past May. His brother, Aaron, was also drafted by Cedar Rapids and is currently on the roster.

Jared Boll (Plymouth Whalers) - Jared is in his 2nd season with the Whalers after spending a pair in Lincoln.

Frank Grzeszszak (Plymouth Whalers) - Sioux City lost another key young player from last year's team when Pacho decided to join the Whalers this season.

Tyler Haskins (Saginaw Spirit) - Tyler spent one season in Sioux City, helping them to the Clark Cup title.

Christian Steingraber (Sarnia Sting) - Christian made the Musketeers roster out of camp and was released mid-way through the season. He was then picked up by Des Moines and won a Clark Cup with them. He was scoreless in 42 career USHL games. He tried out for Cedar Rapids this past summer, but did not make the team. Christian has only played in 10 of Sarnia's 29 games.

Barry Sanderson (Mississauga IceDogs) - Tri-City's 18th Round Pick, 164th Overall in 2006.

Jack Combs (Saginaw Spirit) - Lancers draft pick in 2004.

Vladimir Nikiforov (Barrie Colts) - Indiana's 2004 1st round Future's Pick.

Nigel Williams (Saginaw Spirit) - Indiana's 2004 4th round Future's Pick.

Philip McRae (London Knights) - Des Moines' 17th round pick, 136th overall in 2005.

Some of these guys are just loosely linked to USHL teams, and I'm aware of that. I may decide to do something like this for pro leagues in the future.

EDIT: Thanks to my anonymous poster for giving me a heads up on a few that I missed!

Danowski to Cedar Rapids

Derek Danowski has a new home, and that's in Cedar Rapids. Danowski comes over from the Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets, where he appeared in 11 games. The Warren, MI native posted 4 points for the Jackets while he was there. Prior to joining Ohio, Derek played for the Texas Tornado of the NAHL. While playing for Texas, he was able to capture two league titles with the Tornado. Derek also had a short stint with the Green Bay Gamblers in 2004-2005 and recorded 5 points in 25 games. He should be a nice addition to the Rider lineup, as he brings veteran leadership and USHL experience with him.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Junior Blue Jackets traded forward Derek Danowski (Warren, Mich.) to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for a pick in the 2007 United States Hockey League Draft in May, General Manager Don Harkins announced today.

"As we look to develop our younger players with additional ice time, we felt we couldn't give Derek the kind of playing time he desired," said Harkins. "Derek is a great kid and we wish him the best of luck."

Link to article

Chicago Trades Scott Kozlak

The Chicago Steel made another move recently, this time trading veteran forward Scott Kozlak. Kozlak was traded to the Southern Minnesota Express (NAHL) and will join former teammate Ben Beaudoin there.

The deal will send overage forward Scott Kozlak (Duluth, MN) to the Southern Minnesota Express of the NAHL in exchange for future considerations. The 5'11", 175 pound centerman had 8 points this season (2-6--8) and was plus-1 in 15 games. He is expected to join the Express immediately. Kozlak was in his second USHL season, beginning his career last year in Des Moines before being acquired by the Steel last December. He had the top shootout percentage of any player in the USHL last year.

It was reported that Kozlak asked for a trade and didn't travel with the team on their past road trip. Scott was 4th on the team in scoring prior to the trade. Kozlak becomes the Express' 8th overage player.

NCAA Hockey Has Distinct Advantages

There was an article posted on USHL.com, via The Hockey News, regarding NCAA hockey. If you get a chance, take some time to read this article.

My favorite part of the article:

When Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, 48, scouted his first college game at Wisconsin several years ago he came away feeling like a man who had just been let in on hockey's best secret.

12-02-06 Recap

Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets @ Omaha Lancers

Another shootout between these two, making 4 in a row. Omaha has come out on top every shootout against the Jackets too. Ohio got out to another 2 goal lead tonight, just to see it disappear. Derek Roehl put the Jackets up by a goal with less than 3 minutes left in the game. Brett Bruneteau put a dagger into the Jackets hopes of winning in regulation, scoring with just 18 seconds left. Ohio only managed 17 shots on goal, but the defense showed up a little bit, only allowing 33 shots on goal. Appears to be a pretty clean game played by both teams.

My Three Stars:
1. Brett Bruneteau
2. Derek Roehl
3. Troy Redmann

Lincoln Stars @ Sioux City Musketeers

Sioux City jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after 1, and bumped to to 4-0 in the 2nd. Lincoln got one goal in the 2nd to cut the lead back down to 3. Lincoln came out in the 3rd and totally dominated the game. The Stars were able to climb back into the game, capitalizing on Sioux City penalties late in the game. Lincoln put a whopping 53 shots on goal, but Jerry Kuhn was up to the challenge and stopped 49 of those shots. Phil DeSimone started the shootout for the Muskies with a nice move to beat Bryan Hogan. Stephen Schultz poked one past Kuhn to keep Lincoln in it, but Kevin Lohry beat Hogan to seal the win for the Musketeers. Highlight of the game: When the drunk guy next to me fell over the railing onto the seats below.

My Three Stars:
1. Kevin Lohry
2. Carter Camper
3. Jerry Kuhn

Chicago Steel @ Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

Cedar Rapids was coming off a disappointing loss at home to Indiana on Friday, and were looking to redeem themselves. Chicago started the game off on the right foot when Sean Dolan beat Kent Patterson. Cedar Rapids went on to score 3 unanswered goals to finish off the game. In his return to Cedar Rapids, Pat McGann stopped 43 shots on the night.

My Three Stars:
1. Kent Patterson
2. Robin Bergman
3. Sean Dolan

Indiana Ice @ Waterloo Black Hawks

The Ice were coming off a solid road victory in Cedar Rapids, but tonight just wasn't meant to be. Indiana managed to get a point though, which was a positive for them. Both goalies looked to have played well tonight, but the Black Hawk offense was just too much for Kangas.

My Three Stars:
1. Keegan Meuer
2. Ryan Rondeau
3. Alex Kangas

Sioux Falls Stampede @ Green Bay Gamblers

Sioux Falls completed the road sweep of Green Bay by defeating the Gamblers 2-1 in a shootout. After a scoreless 1st period, both teams each got a goal in the 2nd. The Gamblers received 3 Disputing an Officials Decision Misconducts in this game, so they weren't too happy with the job McCreary was doing.

My Three Stars:
1. Matt Lundin
2. Adam Avramenko
3. Nick Dineen

Futures Making an Impact

We are just over a quarter of the way done with the season, and already some futures are up and playing with the USHL team that drafted them. Let's take a look at each player that has stepped onto USHL ice this season.

Round 1:
Josh Robinson (G) Sioux City - Josh came to town almost immediately after he was drafted and was given a roster spot over Seth McNary. Robinson has played pretty well so far, but had a tendency to leave one side of the net wide open too often.

Round 2:
Josh Bemis (D) Chicago - Josh has played 3 games for the Steel so far, but hasn't posted any points. He has a +1 rating though, so having a + rating in Chicago is probably a good sign.

Round 3:
John Carlson (D) Indiana - John is a huge kid, measuring in at 6'2" 200 lbs. This kid isn't even 17 yet, so he will continue to grow. He has appeared in two games for the Ice, posting 0 points and 6 PIM to go along with a -2 rating. He should be able to be an asset for this team down the line once he matures a little more.

Round 4:
Justin Crew (F) Lincoln - Justin is making his debut tonight for Lincoln, so I can't comment much about him at this time.

Round 5:
Patrick Johnson (F) Lincoln - Patrick has to be the best future to have been called up so far this year. He has 6 points (4 G 2 A) in 7 games played for Lincoln, and he has added two more goals tonight. He has a nice scoring touch, though he is small, he still manages to be at the right place at the right time.

Round 7:
Mike Marcou (D) Waterloo - Mike has appeared in 5 games for the Black Hawks and has posted 0 points. He is -3 on the season, which could be seen as bad since Waterloo has the best defense so far this year.

Round 9:
Tyler Murovich (F) Chicago - Tyler played 2 games with the Steel last weekend and earned no points and came away with an even +/- rating. He should be a solid player in a year or two.

Joe Hartman (D) Sioux City - Joe played 1 game for Sioux City when they traveled to Ohio. He was brought in as an emergency defenseman, as Sioux City was short in that department. Not too high on him, don't see him being an impact player.