Storm Select Six in 2012 USHL Futures Draft
May 1, 2012 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release
KEARNEY, Neb. - The 2012 USHL Futures Draft started for the Tri-City Storm as it moved down in the first round from the third to seventh overall pick, and acquired a first round 2012 USHL Entry Draft (May 22) pick from the Fargo Force.
The Storm would lose their third round entry pick from Youngstown in an earlier season trade as part of the deal with futures draft trade with Fargo.
"The big thing with the futures draft is you are building for the future, and we didn't have any first round draft picks in the entry draft," said Storm GM/Head Coach Josh Hauge.
"To be able to move up to No. 8 [in the entry draft] is huge for us. We are in a great spot to get a guy to come in and make an impact right away. And, we got the guy that was No. 1 on our board [in the futures draft]."
With the seventh overall pick, the Storm selected defenseman Kevin Kerr from Team Comcast U16. Kerr had 36 points (11g, 25a) in 33 games last season playing midget minor hockey.
"We feel Kerr is a perfect fit for us," said Hauge. "We like our D to get up in the play and be active. He has creativity and defends well."
Tri-City selected another player in the first round with the 15th overall pick, taking C Dylan Pavelek from Belle Tire U16. Last season, Pavelek had 23 points (13g, 10a) in 40 games.
The Storm had the first pick in the second round and took Buffalo Jr. Sabres U16 C Joshua Gabriel. Gabriel, a native of Lancaster, NY, had 15 goals and 11 assists in 40 games last season.
After not selecting a player in the third round, the Storm would select RW Will Harrison from DC Capitals U16 in the fourth round (50th overall). Harrison had 22 goals and 14 assists in 36 games last season.
Tri-City took another defenseman in the fifth round and selected Travis Brown with the 63rd overall pick. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound blueliner played for Rogers High School in Minnesota and posted three points (1g, 2a).
With the Storm's final pick in the futures draft, they selected goaltender Jake Kielly from Eden Prairie Bantam.
Overall, Tri-City selected three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie in the futures draft.
"We are very excited," added Hauge about the draft. "It went pretty much how we expected it to for the most part. We actually got guys that we had penciled in for earlier rounds later in the draft. Overall, we got great value for where we selected guys."
Hauge and the hockey operations staff will now prepare for the May 22, 2012 USHL Entry Draft that will fill out the Storm's protected roster before the June main camp in Las Vegas, Nev. The main camp will determine which players will come into training camp in August.
Notes: The USHL Futures Draft is comprised of the top 15 or 16 year olds hockey players, who were born in 1996... Last season, the Storm had four of their six picks from the 2011 Futures Draft play games in the USHL - LW Trevor Moore, D Griffin Foulk, RW Kyle Eastman and RW Connor Hutchins
Tri-City Storm - 2012 USHL Futures Draft Selections:
1st Round - 7th overall pick
D Kevin Kerr - 2/9/96, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, 5'11 / 155 lbs
2011-12 Team: Team Comcast U16 (Committed to Penn State Univ.)
11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points in 33 games
Previous Storm Picks in 1st Round: 2011 - LW Trevor Moore; 2010 - NONE; 2009 - D Peter Hand; 2008 - C/LW Jaden Schwartz; 2007 - C Riley Sheahan
1st Round - 15th overall pick
C Dylan Pavelek - 1/16/96, Marysville, Michigan, 5'10 / 180 lbs
2011-12 Team: Belle Tire U16
13 goals, 10 assists, 23 points in 40 games
2nd Round - 16th overall pick
C Joshua Gabriel - 2/13/96, Lancaster, NY, 6'0 / 180 lbs
2011-12 Team: Buffalo Jr Sabres U16
15 goal, 11 assists, 26 points in 40 games
Previous Storm Picks in 2nd Round: 2011 - NONE; 2010 - RW Tim Lappin; 2010 - D Matt Joyuax; 2009 - D Dakota Olvin; 2008 - LW Joey Wilson; 2007 - LW Nick Oliver
3rd Round - NO PICKS
Previous Storm Picks in 3rd Round: 2011 - D Griffin Foulk; 2011 - RW Kyle Eastman; 2010 - D John Dora; 2009 - RW Cody Bisbing; 2008 - NONE; 2007 - C Tyler Pitlick
4th Round - 50th overall pick
RW Will Harrison - 1/7/96, Springfield, Virginia, 5'10 / 200 lbs
2011-12 Team: DC Capitals U16
22 goals, 14 assists, 36 points in 36 games
Previous Storm Picks in 4th Round: 2011 - LW Dan Labosky; 2010 - C Cody Payne; 2009 - D Branden Fisher; 2008 - G Kevin Boyle; 2007 - D Steve Ginand
5th Round - 63rd overall pick
D Travis Brown - 5/6/96, Otsego, Minnesota, 6'1 / 180 lbs
2011-12 Team: Rogers High School (Minn.)
1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points in 17 games
Previous Storm Picks in 5th Round: 2011 - RW Connor Hutchins; 2010 - C Trevor Boyd; 2009 - RW Cory Ward; 2008 - RW Matt Friese; 2007 - C Torin Snyderman
6th Round - 88th overall pick
G Jake Kielly - 9/10/96, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 6'1 / 155 lbs
2011-12 Team: Eden Prairie Bantam A
---Stats not available--- Previous Storm Picks in 6th Round: 2011 - LW Gage Quinney; 2010 - RW Andrew Dorantes; 2009 - NONE; 2008 - RW Beau Bennett; 2008 - C Caleb Herbert; 2007 - D David Chaney
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