Chicago Blackhawks Select Matt Iacopelli in Third Round of NHL Entry Draft
Published on June 28, 2014 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, Michigan - As day two of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft was in its beginning stages from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Chicago Blackhawks made a trade with the Calgary Flames to move up to the 23rd pick in the third round (83rd overall) and used their second overall pick in this year's Entry Draft on selecting Muskegon Lumberjacks Forward Matt Iacopelli.
Iacopelli, the Woodhaven, Michigan native, becomes the first Lumberjack to be selected by the Blackhawks organization and is the seventh Lumberjack of past and present to be drafted by a National Hockey League (NHL) team out of the Western Conference joining the likes of Matt DeBlouw (2012 - Calgary); Jaycob Megna (2012 - Anaheim); Michael Brodzinski (2013 - San Jose); Adam Gilmour (2013 - Minnesota); Matej Paulovic (2013 - Dallas); and Ben Storm (2013 - Colorado).
"It's a huge honor to be drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks organization and getting a chance to be a part of an Original Six team someday," shared Iacopelli. "It's a surreal feeling right now as I really didn't have any expectations of how high I was going to get selected. I was just happy to be picked as I couldn't have accomplished it without the help of my family, friends, and coaching staff. This past season (with the Lumberjacks) was all about hard work, sacrifice, and having a little fun along the way to help get to me to where I am at today."
During the 2013-14 season in Muskegon, the future Western Michigan Bronco broke two USHL team single season records in goals scored (41) and points (63) while becoming the third player in the league's Tier I era (2002-present) to amass 40 goals in a single season. In addition, Iacopelli was a one-time USHL "CCM Co-Forward of the Week" along with being named as an Eastern Conference First Team Midseason All-Star and making the postseason's All-USHL First Team.
In exchange for moving up and drafting Iacopelli, the Blackhawks sent Forward Brandon Bollig to their Western Conference counterpart in the Flames.
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