Sports stats



USHL Des Moines Buccaneers

2021 USHL Phase II Draft Recap

May 28, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Des Moines Buccaneers News Release


Urbandale, IA - The Des Moines Buccaneers made 21 selections in Phase II of the USHL Draft on Thursday. 13 forwards, five defensemen and three goalies were taken by the Bucs comprised of 18 Americans, two Canadians and one Austrian who spent the 2020-21 season playing in Des Moines, IA.

Josh Barnes was the first pick made by Des Moines in the 3rd round going 36th overall and is committed to play collegiately at Penn State. The center from Cornwall, Ontario already has 15 games of USHL experience with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the now-defunct Central Illinois Flying Aces. Joey Muldowney led the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U both in goals (15) and points (26) last season and was the first of two 4th round Buccaneers picks alongside left wing Ben MacDonald who has played for Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA for the past two seasons.

Des Moines' fourth pick was their first defenseman taken in Jack Pascucci who is committed to the University of Connecticut. Pascucci was second in points among defensemen for the Boston Jr. Bruins, just a point behind the team's leading blueliner last season. The Buccaneers' made another selection in the 6th round and again went with a defenseman as Nicholas O'Hanisain was selected eight spots after Pascucci.

Minnesota provided the most Phase II picks for Des Moines as five players selected Thursday hail from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, followed by four from Massachusetts and three from New York. The other six Americans each come from a different state, representing Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Ohio. The only player not from North America, ironically, is the most familiar with Des Moines, having already played a season in Iowa's capital city. Center Jack Linton, who hails from Klosterneuburg, Austria, was the captain and leading scorer for the Des Moines Buccaneers' AAA 16U team for the 2020-21 season (12-28-40 in 57 games played).

The Buccaneers rounded out their draft with Brunswick School's Luke Drury, the son of NHL legend Chris Drury. In 12 NHL seasons Drury's father scored over 300 goals and 700 points in more than 1,000 games in the regular and post season combined. Chris Drury's resume includes an NCAA Championship at Boston University in 1995, the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men's hockey player in 1998, the Calder Memorial Trophy Award as the NHL's Rookie of the Year in 1999, Olympic Silver Medalist in 2002 and 2010, and Stanley Cup Champion with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. He was also named General Manager and President of the New York Rangers earlier this month.

Check out the Des Moines Buccaneers Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United States Hockey League message board...

United States Hockey League Stories from May 28, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central