Lancers Land 13 Players in 2012 USHL Entry Draft
Published on May 22, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) are pleased to announce they have selected 13 players today in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft. The 13 skaters chosen by the Lancers were among 210 total players tabbed by USHL teams today to supplement rosters for the 2012-2013 season. Of the 13 players selected today by Omaha, five already have college commitments to Division I hockey programs.
The Lancers began their participation in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft by tabbing forward Philip Zielonka with the 12th overall selection. A 5'11", 175 pound forward from Point Claire, Quebec, Zielonka spent the last two seasons at Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut where he tallied 45 goals, 45 assists and 90 points in 54 career games. Zielonka is already committed to Harvard University for the 2013-2014 season.
Omaha continued to bolster its offensive corps with a pair of forward selections in the second round. First, the Lancers grabbed Alex Rauter out of Morristown, New Jersey with the 23rd overall pick. A 6'0", 177 pound forward, Rauter spent last season at Choate Rosemary High School in Wallingford, Connecticut and is already committed to Cornell University for the 2013-2014 season. Then, with the 27th overall selection, Omaha tabbed forward Luca Frigo out of Moncalieri, Italy. A 6'0", 180 pound forward, Frigo spent the last three seasons playing for Valpellice HC where he registered 18 goals, 24 assists and 42 points in 109 career games. Frigo notched 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 35 games last season.
The Lancers then grabbed their first defenseman of the draft with the first of back-to-back picks in the third round by selecting Tucker Poolman with the 38th overall pick. A 6'2", 180 pound blueliner from East Grand Forks, Minnesota, Poolman spent last season with the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) where he recorded seven goals, 22 assists and 29 points in 59 games. Then, with the 39th overall selection, Omaha tabbed forward Connor Chatham out of Belleville, Illinois. A 6'2", 185 pound forward, Chatham spent last season with the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 team where he notched seven goals, 13 assists and 20 points in 55 games. Chatham is already committed to the University of Denver for the 2013-2014 season.
The Lancers snared another forward in Round 4 by claiming Tyler Hynes with the 57th overall pick. A 5'11", 190 pound forward out of Guilderland, New York, Hynes spent last season at Albany Academy and is already committed to Union College for the 2013-2014 season.
Omaha landed another forward when phase two of the draft began in selecting forward Dwyer Tschantz with the 252nd overall pick. A 6'4", 200 pound forward at just 17 years old, Dwyer spent last season with Team Comcast's Under-18 where he tallied 17 goals, 15 assists and 32 points in 37 games.
The Lancers grabbed just their second defenseman of the draft with the team's 18th round selection by nabbing Jake Schechter out of Naples, Florida. A 5'9", 170 pound blueliner, Schechter spent last season at Lawrence Academy (Groton, Massachusetts).
Omaha then chose forward Matthew Hansen with their 19th round selection and the 282nd overall pick in the draft. A 5'9", 175 pound forward from St. Cloud, Minnesota, Hansen spent last season with the Austin Bruins (NAHL) where he was a point-per-game player notching 12 goals, 23 assists and 35 points in 35 games a season ago. Hansen is already committed to Colorado College.
The Lancers returned to defense in the 20th round by claiming Nash Worden out of Kaysville, Utah. A 6'0", 195 pound blueliner, Worden spent last season alongside Poolman in Wichita Falls (NAHL) where he registered four assists to go along with 77 penalty minutes in 46 games.
In Round 21, Omaha claimed another European player by tagging Leon Bristedt out of Stockholm, Sweden. A 5'7", 158 pound forward, Bristedt spent last season with Linkoping HC in Sweden where he tallied 22 goals, 12 assists and 34 points in 41 games.
Finally, the Lancers closed the 2012 USHL Entry with back-to-back selections. First, Omaha grabbed defenseman James Schuldt out of Minnetonka, Minnesota with the 327th overall pick. Schuldt played last season at Minnetonka High School. Then, the Lancers nabbed forward Jett Bell out of Wichita, Kansas with the draft's final selection. Bell spent last season with the Chicago Fury's Under-16 squad where he led the team in scoring with 20 goals, 23 assists and 43 points in 40 games.
Please find below a complete breakdown of all of Omaha's selections during the 2011 USHL Entry Draft.
Round 1 (12) F Philip Zielonka Point Claire, QUE Salisbury School
Round 2 (23) F Alex Rauter Morristown, NJ Choate Rosemary High School
Round 2 (27) F Luca Frigo Moncalieri, Italy Valpellice HC (Italy)
Round 3 (38) D Tucker Poolman East Grand Forks, MN Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)
Round 3 (39) F Connor Chatham Belleville, IL USNTDP U17 (USHL)
Round 4 (57) F Tyler Hynes Guilderland, NY Albany Academy High School
Round 17 (252) F Dwyer Tschantz Wilmington, DE Team Comast U18
Round 18 (267) D Jake Schechter Naples, FL Lawrence Academy
Round 19 (282) F Matthew Hansen St. Cloud, MN Austin Bruins (NAHL)
Round 20 (297) D Nash Worden Kaysville, UT Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)
Round 21 (312) F Leon Bristedt Stockholm, SWE Linkoping HC (Sweden)
Round 22 (327) D James Schuldt Minnetonka, MN Minnetonka High School
Round 23 (342) F Jett Bell Wichita, KS Chicago Fury U16
Season tickets for the 2012-2013 season of Omaha Lancers hockey are currently on sale! For more information, contact the Lancers front office at 402-344-7825, ext. 1 or visit www.lancers.com .
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