Black Hawks Eyed by NHL
Published on November 12, 2018 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
Waterloo, Iowa - The latest round of NHL Central Scouting grades released Monday include strong evaluations of three Waterloo Black Hawks eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft.
Forward Vladislav Firstov was boosted from his initial status as a "C" prospect to a "B," joining teammate Austin Swankler at that designation. Ryan Drkulec held steady as a "C." According to Central Scouting, a "B" mark suggests that scouts currently believe a player is in the running to be chosen in the second or third round next June. "C"s mean that they could be chosen in the fourth through sixth rounds, based upon Central Scouting's current observations.
At this time, Firstov leads all United States Hockey League rookies with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 15 games. It's a point total which puts him in a tie for fifth overall in the USHL. Friday, Firstov scored the winning goal in Waterloo's 4-2 road victory versus the Chicago Steel. Nine of his points have come in power play situations, helping the Hawks to a league-best 34.5 percent conversion rate.
Swankler's creativity is reflected in his assist count (eight), which ranks fourth on the team. The University of Michigan recruit currently ranks seventh in scoring for the Hawks while standing as the team's third-youngest player. He recorded his first USHL goal during a power play against the Fargo Force on October 26th.
Drkulec has scored in back-to-back games, including Waterloo's overtime game-winning goal against the Green Bay Gamblers on Saturday. He has five goals and five assists through 15 appearances, with a +3 plus/minus differential. Six of Drkulec's points have been recorded in the last six games.
The next notable milepost on the NHL Central Scouting calendar will come in January when numerical "midterm" rankings of top prospects from North America and Europe will be revealed
The Black Hawks are on home ice for games Friday and Saturday versus the Tri-City Storm and the Lincoln Stars. Both matchups begin at 7:05, and both feature the Black Hawks' Family 4 Pack, including four tickets, four concession vouchers, and four chuck-a-pucks for $48. To order, call the Domino's Black Hawks Box Office at (319) 291-7680.
United States Hockey League Stories from November 12, 2018
- Black Hawks Eyed by NHL - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Stars Maintain Four Players, Two Affiliates on Central Scouting Watch List - Lincoln Stars
- Joe Lamoreaux Commits to St. Cloud State - Madison Capitols
- USHL Leads the World on Updated NHL Central Scouting List - USHL
- Petersen Called Up by Los Angeles - Waterloo Black Hawks
- Gamblers Earn Two Points on the Weekend - Green Bay Gamblers
- USHL Names Players of the Week for Week 7 - USHL
- Mucitelli Nabs Pucks, Recognition as USHL Goaltender of the Week - Lincoln Stars
- RoughRiders' Looft Is USHL Defenseman of the Week - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
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.
Other Recent Waterloo Black Hawks Stories
- Winds Shift against Hawks
- Hawks Call in Callaway
- McMorrow Plays for Team USA
- Waterloo Black Hawks Weekly Preview
- Hawks Fall, 4-0, Against Bucs
