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USHL Madison Capitols

Capitols Select Thirteen Players in USHL Phase II Draft

May 4, 2023 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Madison Capitols News Release


MIDDLETON, Wisc. - The Capitols rounded out the remaining portion of their 45-man Initial Protected List on Wednesday afternoon as the team selected thirteen players in the Phase II portion of the 2023 USHL Draft. Players selected in the Phase II Draft are any players eligible to play in the league next season that are not protected by any other teams in the league.

Coming into the draft on Wednesday, the Capitols were scheduled to have six picks in the first two rounds of the draft, four of which were acquired through trade throughout the season. Like Tuesday's Phase I Draft, Madison was scheduled to have the number one overall pick in the draft, but the team traded the first overall pick to the Youngstown Phantoms in exchange for Future Considerations, which will be announced at the conclusion of the Phantoms season.

Prior to the draft, Madison also moved the 29th overall pick, originally Chicago's second round pick, to Fargo in exchange for an affiliated player. A full release of that player's acquisition will be released in the coming days. After the trades, the Capitols still held onto one first round pick (14th overall-CHI) and three second round picks (17th overall, 23rd overall-CR, and 28th overall-WAT).

The Capitols selected Nathan Tobey, a defenseman from the US National Team Development Program, with the 14th overall pick. This marks the third straight season that the Capitols selected a defenseman in the first-round dating back to Ben Dexheimer being selected in the 2021 Phase II Draft. Tobey is committed to playing for reigning national champion Quinnipiac following his junior career.

Carsen Musser, a goaltender, and Austin Burnevik, a forward, joined Tobey with the Capitols at picks 17 and 23. Burnevik, Musser, and Tobey were teammates last season with USNTDP, which is a program that's alumni include 363 NHL Draft Picks since the program's first eligible draft in 1999. All three of the Capitols first draft picks have been ranked by NHL Central Scouting's rankings at points throughout the season. Carsen Musser is committed to Colorado College. Austin Burnevik is committed to St. Cloud State.

With the team's final pick of the second round, the Capitols selected Diego Johnson. Johnson played the 2022-23 season in the BCHL with Merritt. The Canadian born forward scored twelve goals in 49 games for Merritt. Johnson is committed to playing division one hockey at the University of Wisconsin.

The remainder of the Capitols draft consisted of Ronan Buckberger (63rd overall), Sam Rice (79th overall), Jack Henry (85th overall), Easton Adrian (94th overall), James Mackey (124th overall), Aiden Long (139th overall), Jake Schultz (154th overall), Eron Mitchell (169th overall), and Evan Hunter (184th overall).

Along with the returning veterans, affiliated players, and players acquired as future considerations, the players drafted in the Phase I and Phase II drafts will compete for a chance to make the 30-man roster in June at the team's main camp.

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