Stampede Go Offensive in USHL Phase II Draft
May 3, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release
Espoo Jr. Blues Forward Emil Oksanen
(Sioux Falls Stampede)
Sioux Falls, SD - The Sioux Falls Stampede beefed up their roster on Tuesday, adding 20 players during the USHL Phase II Draft. The Herd looked to add some offense to their lineup, selecting 13 forwards, 5 defenseman and 2 goaltenders. Prior to making selections, each USHL team was required to submit a protected list of players from last year's team as well as players held on their affiliate list and those taken in the Phase I draft on Monday. Each team selected players until their roster totaled 45 players.
"Overall, as a staff we were very pleased with the draft," said Stampede GM/Head Coach Scott Owens. "We think we addressed a number of our immediate needs with also an eye to the future. We have a nice mix of size, speed, skill and are excited for this players to attend camp next month."
With their first pick of the Phase II USHL Draft (9th overall) the Stampede selected Finnish forward Emil Oksanen (Ox-sah-nen) from the Espoo Blues Jr. in Finland. The 6-foot, 181-poound right-winger tallied 59 points (28g 31a) in 45 games last season with the Blues. He recently skated with Team Finland at the U18 World Junior Championship where he posted a goal in six contests to help Finland capture the Gold Medal in Grand Forks, ND. He is eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago and is a native of Kirkkonummi, Finland.
In the second round, Sioux Falls picked Oksanen's teammate from the Espoo Jr. Blues, defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo of Helsinki, Finland. The left-handed shot recorded 19 points (4g, 15a) in 48 games. He also skated with the gold medal champion Team Finland at the U18 World Junior Championship, dishing out four assists in six games. He has great size at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds and is also eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft.
In round three, the Stampede held the first pick and selected forward Austin Albrecht from Wichita Falls in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). During the regular season, the Flemington, NJ native led the Wildcats in scoring with 60 points (26g, 34a) in 58 games. He is currently still skating with Wichita Falls in the NAHL playoffs where he leads the team in scoring with 10 points (5g, 5a) in five games. The Wildcats have advanced to the Robertson Cup semi-finals in Minnesota.
With their second pick in the third round, Sioux Falls selected defenseman Paul DeNaples from Moscow, PA. The 6-foot, 174-pound, right-handed shot spent this past season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights of the NAHL where he recorded 14 points (3g, 11a) in 51 games. The 17-year-old played with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights 16U and 18U team in the USPHL.
In round four, the Herd went back on the offensive and selected centerman Nolan Walker from the Culver Military Academy Prep School. In 49 games this past season, the Anchorage, AK native posted 75 points (30g, 45a) in just 49 games. He spent the previous year with Culver's U16 Midget team where he tallied 42 points in 37 games.
In the fifth round, Sioux Falls went with de-man John St. Ivany from Manhattan Beach, CA. At just 16-years-old, Ivany recorded 13 points (3g, 10a) in 31 games with the U16 L.A. Jr. Kings. He stands at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds and eight points in 24 games in 2014-15 with the U16 club.
The Stampede had three picks in the sixth round. With their first pick of the round (90th overall), they selected goaltender Eric Dop, a goaltender from the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets U18 team. In 18 games he posted an impressive 1.47 GAA and a .952 save percentage. He also appeared in one game with the Minot Minotaturos of the NAHL, posting a 1.00 GAA and a .968 save percentage. The Lewis Center, OH native stands at 6-foot, 165-pounds and has already committed to play collegiate hockey at Bowling Green State University.
With the very next selection, Sioux Falls took forward Matthew Quercia of the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs U16. The Andover, MA native registered 45 points (22g, 23a) in 32 games. He went on to post seven points (4g, 3a) in nine postseason games. He stands at 6-foot-1, 176-pounds and has already committed to play college hockey at Boston University.
With their third pick of the sixth round (95th overall), the Herd chose forward Austin Martinsen from the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL. In 59 games, the 6-foot, 170-pound left-winger, recorded 29 points (17g, 12a). The Farmington, MN native spent the year before with Farmington High School where he posted 46 points (23g, 23a) as a junior.
After no selection in round seven, the Herd took forward Michael Zuffante of the Chicago Fury 18U in round eight. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound right-winger, tallied 60 points (14g, 46a) in just 32 games for the Fury in the Tier I Elite Hockey League. He also appeared in two games with the Minnesota Wilderness of the NAHL where he posted two points (1g, 1a) in two games.
In the ninth round, the Stampede selected forward Khristian Acosta of the New Jersey Hitmen 18U. In 30 games, the right-handed shot put up 20 points on 5 goals and 15 assists. The Port Monmouth, NJ native is 17-years-old and is 5-foot-9, 170-pounds. He has already committed to Quinnipiac University.
In round 10, the Herd went back to the blue line and selected defenseman Nick Perbix from Elk River, MN. He will bring some great size to the de-group at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds and has skill with the puck as well, recording 22 points (5g, 17a) in 25 games with Elk River this past season. He helped lead the Elks the Section playoffs where he tallied four points on a goal and three assists in just two games.
In the 11th round, the Herd took forward Ethan Kimball from St. Mark's PS Lions. The Holden, MA native registered 38 points (21g, 17a) in 30 games as a junior with the Lions.
The Stampede selected another goaltender in round 12 of the draft, going with Jeremy Swayman of the Pikes Peak Miners 18U. In 18 games, he posted a 1.79 GAA and a .940 save percentage. He also appeared in four playoff games, earning a 2.01 GAA and a .931 save percentage. The Anchorage, AK native spent the 2014-15 season with South Anchorage High School where he recorded a 1.27 GAA and a .948 save percentage.
In round 13, Sioux Falls grabbed right-handed defenseman Jacob Levin of Mequon, WI. The 6-foot, 170-pound defender spent this past season skating with the Odessa Jackalopes of the NAHL where he registered 13 points (3g, 10a) in 52 games. He has already committed to play college hockey at Air Force Academy.
In the 14th round, the Herd selected 16-year-old forward Joe Mack from New Hudson, MI. He spent this past season skating with Detroit Little Caesars 16U where he recorded 14 points (6g, 8a) in 22 games. He also played with Team Kelly at the USA-Select Tournament where he registered five points (3g, 2a) in five playoff games.
With the 239th overall pick in Round 15, Sioux Falls grabbed 15-year-old forward in Matthew Cameron of Berwyn, PA. He is already at 5-foot-10, 181-pounds and recorded 61 points (34g, 27a) in 58 games this past season with the New Jersey Avalanche U16 team. In 10 playoff games, he added 12 points in 10 games.
With their 16th round selection. Sioux Falls went with forward Cade Borchardt from Burnsville High School in Minnesota. The junior tallied 44 points (19g, 25a) in 25 games with the Blaze this past season. He went on to have an amazing section playoff run, leading the Blaze to the Minnesota State AA Hockey Tournament after recording 14 points (9g, 5a) in just three games. Prior to his high school season, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound winger posted 12 points (3g, 9a) in 19 games with Team Southeast in the Minnesota Elite League.
In Round 17, the Herd selected defenseman Joseph Campolieto from Enyon, PA. The 6-foot, 181-pound, left-handed shot tallied three points (2g, 1a) in 21 games while skating with sixth round pick Paul DeNaples with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights of the NAHL. He skated with He posted 24 points (8g, 14a) in 28 games for their 18U team as well.
With their final pick in the draft, the Herd selected forward Nikita Alexandrov who hold dual citizenship with Russia and Germany. He skated with the Iserlohner EC U16 this past season, posting 75 points (38g, 37a) in 26 games before recording 19 points (14g, 5a) in 14 games with their U19 team. The left-handed shot was born in Burgwedel, Germany.
All players that were selected today along with players from the Phase I draft will be invited to Stampede tryout camp, June 10-13 at the Scheels' IcePlex in Sioux Falls. Coaches will also send out camp invites to a handful of players who were not drafted by any USHL team. For the latest Stampede information, visit sfstampede.com and follow the Stampede on Twitter and Facebook @sfstampede.
2016 USHL Phase II Stampede Draft Picks
RD Name Pos HT WT DOB Hometown Previous Team
1 Emil Oksanen F 6'0" 179 9/25/98 Kirkkonummi, FIN Espoo Jr. Blues
2 Kasper Kotkansalo F 6'1" 189 11/16/98 Helsinki, FIN Espoo Jr. Blues
3 Austin Albrecht F 6'0" 185 5/14/96 Flemington, NJ Wichita Wildcats
3 Paul DeNaples D 6'1" 170 9/19/98 Moscow, PA Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
4 Nolan Walker F 5'9" 156 10/20/98 Anchorage, AK Culver Military
5 John St. Ivany D 6'2" 180 7/22/99 Manhattan Beach, CA L.A. Jr. Kings
6 Eric Dop G 5'11" 155 8/23/98 Lewis Center, OH Ohio Blue Jackets
6 Matthew Quercia F 6'1" 175 2/24/99 Andover, MA NH Jr. Monarchs
6 Austin Martinsen F 5'11" 175 5/10/97 Farmington, MN Minot Minotauros (NAHL)
8 Michael Zuffante F 5'9" 175 3/17/98 Bloomingdale, IL Chicago Fury
9 Khrisitan Acosta F 5'9" 165 5/4/98 Port Monmouth, NJ Jersey Hitmen
10 Nicklaus Perbix D 6'3" 190 6/14/98 Elk River, MN Elk River HS
11 Ethan Kimball F 6'0" 175 4/1/99 Holden, MA St. Marks PS Lions
12 Jeremy Swayman G 6'2" 185 11/23/98 Anchorage, AK Pikes Peaks Miners 18U
13 Jake Levin D 6'2" 190 2/2/97 Mequon, WI Odessa (NAHL)
14 Joseph Mac F 6'1" 163 1/5/00 New Hudson, MI Detroit Little Caesars AAA
15 Matthew Cameron F 5'11" 189 6/7/00 Berwyn, PA NJ Avalanche U16
16 Cade Borchardt F 5'10 165 7/5/98 Burnsville, MN Burnsville HS
17 Joseph Campolieto D 5'11 175 4/28/98 Eynon, PA Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights
18 Nikita Alexandrov F 5'6" 132 9/16/00 Burgwedel, Germany Iserlohner EC U16 & U19
Images from this story
 Espoo Jr. Blues Defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo |
 Espoo Jr. Blues Forward Emil Oksanen |
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