The United States Hockey League held its Phase I draft on Monday and is holding its Phase II draft today. Several players with local ties have been selected.
The USHL is the only Tier I junior hockey league in the country and includes the Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Ann Arbor-based U.S. National Team Development Program.
The Phase I draft consisted of eight rounds. Teams selected players born in 1998. Prior to the draft, some teams opted to forfeit their first-round pick in order to tender a contract to a player. The tender comes with a guarantee that the player will play in at least half of the the team’s games next season.
The Lumberjacks gave up their first-round pick to tender Honeybaked defenseman Mitch Eliot, who has committed to play for Michigan State.
In the Phase II draft, players from other birth years can be selected.
USHL Phase I draft: Local players
First round
No. 2 — Youngstown, used tender on D Ty Farmer (Michigan State commit).
No. 4 – Des Moines, F Mitchell Lewandowski (Michigan State commit), Honeybaked.
No. 7 – Muskegon, used tender on F Mitch Eliot (Michigan State commit), Honeybaked.
No. 11 – Muskegon, F Keeghan Howdeshell, Compuware.
No. 15 – Muskegon, F Dante Palecco, Long Island Gulls U16.
Second round
No. 1 – Fargo, F Cole Gallant, Honeybaked
No. 4 – Des Moines, D Nick McKeeby (Western Michigan commit), Honeybaked.
No. 7 – Muskegon, F Jamie Armstrong, Neponset Valley River.
No. 12 – Cedar Rapids, used tender on D Derek Daschke, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
Third round
No. 2 – Youngstown, D Alec Mahalak, Compuware.
No. 4 – Des Moines, F Noah LaLonde (Michigan State commit), Honeybaked.
No. 5 – Fargo, D Ryan Bederka (Michigan State commit), Honeybaked
No. 9 – Muskegon, G Michael Latorella, Honeybaked.
No. 11 – Des Moines, F Keenan Suthers, Compuware.
Fourth round
No. 2 – Muskegon, F Collin Adams, Honeybaked.
Fifth round
No. 3 – Muskegon, D Alexander Green, Chicago Mission.
No. 6 – Chicago Steel, F Austin Grzenia, Victory Honda.
No. 11 – Dubuque, F Paul Washe, Victory Honda.
No. 13 – Tri-City, F John Sladic, Belle Tire.
Sixth round
No. 1 – Fargo, F Luke Cowan, Honeybaked.
No. 5 – Sioux Falls, F Jack Kopacka, Compuware.
No. 7 – Muskegon, D Dylan Dix, Arizona Bobcats.
Seventh round
No. 6 – Chicago, F Alex Frye, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.
No. 7 – Muskegon, F Casey Gilling, Soo Indians.
No. 15 – Omaha, D Todd Kiilunen, Brighton.
USHL Phase II draft: Local players
First round
No. 6 — Chicago, G John Lethemon, Farmington.
No. 7 — Muskegon, Ryker Killins (Ferris State commit), Stratford.
No. 9 — Bloomington, F Shane Bednard, (Macomb), Johnstown.
No. 10 — Muskegon, F David Keefer, (Michigan State commit), Honeybaked.
No. 12 — Cedar Rapids, F Georgy Gorodetsky, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
No. 18 — Bloomington, D Jalen Smereck, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
Second round
No. 25 — Muskegon, D Bo Hanson, Colorado Rampage.
No. 27 — Bloomington, F Maskim Dzhioshvili, Little Caesars.
No. 28 — Green Bay, F Joseph Wegwerth, U.S. Under-18 team.
No. 30 — Cedar Rapids, G Tyler Parsons, Little Caesars.
No. 32 — Cedar Rapids, D Bryce Hatten, Michigan Nationals.
Third round
No. 43 — Des Moines, D Chris Allemon, Little Caesars.
No. 45 — Madison, F Steve Merl, Belle Tire.
Fourth round
No. 66 — Dubuque, D Lester Lancaster (Ypsilanti), Springfield Jr. Blues.
No. 68 — Muskegon, F Josh Coyle, St. Thomas Stars.
No. 70 — Omaha, D Kyle Froese (Traverse City), Corpus Christi.
Fifth round
No. 80 — Muskegon, D David Trinkberger, Landshut EV Jr.
No. 82 — Bloomington, D Andrew Roye (Orchard Lake), Topeka.
Sixth round
No. 100 — Cedar Rapids, D Anthony Scarsella, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
Seventh round
No. 113 — Bloomington, F Logan Lambdin, Port Huron Fighting Falcons.
Eighth round
No. 129 — Bloomington, F Michael Sabatini (Grosse Pointe Woods), Soo Eagles.
No. 134 — Omaha, F Michael Montambault, Victory Honda.
Ninth round
No. 132 — Muskegon, D Max Gottlieb, Bonyville
10th round
No. 157 — Tri-City, G Blake Weyrick, US Under-18.
No. 158 — Muskegon, D Spencer Kuhlman, Shattuck St. Mary
11th round
No. 174 — Muskegon, F Garrett Hallford, Honeybaked.
No. 175 — Madison, G Alexander Blankenburg, Port Huron Fighting Falcons.
No. 176 — Bloomington, F Mathew Hudie, Little Caesars.
12th round
No. 184 — Dubuque, D Damian Chrcek (Marysville), Salmon Arm.
No. 190 — Muskegon, D Zachary Berzolla, New Jersey Devils.
No. 191 — Madison, F Jared Domin, Belle Tire.
13th round
No. 200 — Fargo, D Brandon Fortunato, U.S. Under-18.
No. 211 — Cedar Springs, F Brandon Morgan, Compuware.
14th round
No. 222 — Muskegon, F Joseph Cipollone, Selects Hockey Academy.
No. 227 — Cedar Springs, D Drew McLean (Waterford), Odessa.
15th round
No. 232 — Fargo, D Michael Underwood, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
No. 238 — Muskegon, F Zach Zech, Victory Honda.
No. 247 — Waterloo, F Ronnie Hein, Lansing Capitals.
16th round
No. 250 — Tri-City, D Benjamin Israel (Bloomfield Hills), New Jersey Hitmen.
No. 254 — Muskegon, F Marshall Moise, St. Clair Shores.
17th round
No. 264 — Fargo, F Braden Brown, Little Caesars.
No. 270 — Muskegon, D Joseph Rutkowski, Chicago Mission.
18th round
No. 286 — Muskegon, F Carter Woolley, Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
19th round
No. 298 — Tri-City, F Adam Goodsir, Lansing Capitals.
No. 300 — Lincoln, D James LaDouce, Honeybaked.
No. 302 — Muskegon, F Michael Maiden, Belle Tire.
20th round
No. 318 — Muskegon, F Alex Falconer, Shattuck St. Mary’s.
21st round
No. 334 — Muskegon, F Jacob Gammicchia, Honeybaked.
22nd round
No. 345 — Youngstown, D Zachary Parrott, Little Caesars.
No. 350 — Muskegon, D Joseph Maguire, New York Bobcats.
23rd round
No. 366 — Muskegon, D Andrew Cordssen-David, Shattuck St. Mary’s.
24th round
No. 382 — Muskegon, F Connor Sundquist, Selects Hockey Academy.
No. 384 — Bloomington, F Bryan Basilico (Rochester), Trail Smoke Eaters.
25th round
No. 398 — Muskegon, F Jake Smith, Nichols HS (N.Y.).
26th round
No. 414 — Muskegon, F Andrew Barbeau, Soo Indians.
No. 416 — Bloomington, F Nathan Bryer, Victory Honda.
27th round
No. 430 — Muskegon, D Charles Young, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.
28th round
No. 446 — Muskegon, G Philippe-Alexandre Vinette, Princeville Titans.
29th round
No. 462 — Muskegon, F Chris Gambardella, New Jersey Rockets.
30th round
No. 478 — Muskegon, D Corey Siwula, West Michigan Hounds.
