Chicago Steel NHL Draft Preview
July 21, 2021 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
GENEVA, ILLINOIS - The 2021 Clark Cup Champion Chicago Steel are poised for a record-setting weekend during the 2021 NHL Draft on July 23 & 24, held in a virtual format for the second consecutive season.
The Steel have 10 players with ties to the team ranked on NHL Central Scouting's Watch List including the potential #1 overall pick, Owen Power, who played for Chicago from 2018-2020. Power would become the first USHL alum selected with the first overall pick, outside of those that have played for Team USA.
With eight of the ranked players having played significant roles for the Steel during the 2020-2021 championship season, several Steel franchise records could be broken in this year's NHL Draft including total number of players with Steel ties selected (currently eight set in 2020), highest overall player selected (currently Jamie Oleksiak - #14 overall in 2011), highest defenseman (Oleksiak) and highest forward selected (currently Brendan Brisson - #29 overall in 2020).
In 2020, five players from the previous year's Steel roster, the most of any independent junior team in the world, were taken off the board as well as three additional players with Steel ties. At least one player with Steel ties was selected in each of the draft's seven rounds for the first time in team history in 2020.
The first round of the draft will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 7:00 pm CT on Friday, July 23 with the second through seventh rounds on Saturday, July 24 at 10:00 am CT on NHL Network.
2021 DRAFT PROSPECTS (by NHL Central Scouting ranking)
Owen Power - Defenseman 6'5'' 214 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario, CAN 2020-2021: (University of Michigan) 26 GP, 16 P (3G, 13A) Steel Career: (2018-2020) 103 GP, 65 P (23G, 42A) Individual Honors: (2020-2021) B1G Second Team All-Star, B1G All-Rookie Team. (2019-2020) USHL Defenseman of the Year, USHL First All-Star Team. (2018-2019) USHL All-Rookie Second Team. "Owen is elite in every way. He has amazing physical tools, high level hockey sense both offensively and defensively, and is internally driven to be the best player he can be." - Steel Head Coach Brock Sheahan
9) Matt Coronato - Forward
5'10'' 180 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Huntington, N.Y., USA 2020-2021: 51 GP, 85 P (48G, 37A) Individual Honors: (2020-2021) USHL Forward of the Year, USHL First All-Star Team. (2019-2020) USHL All-Rookie Second Team. "Scoring 57 goals in 59 USHL games, Matt is a proven goal-scorer. He possesses a high motor with a matching compete level. Matt makes an impact every shift." - Steel Associate Head Coach Matt Deschamps
26) Mackie Samoskevich - Forward
5'11'' 190 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Newtown, Conn., USA 2020-2021: 36 GP, 37 P (13G, 24A) "Mackie is a skilled forward who is a playmaker first, with an elite shot and skating ability." - Sheahan
41) Jack Bar - Defenseman
6'2'' 194 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Newmarket, Ontario, CAN 2020-2021: 34 GP, 15 P (5G, 10A) "Jack is an intimidating, physical defensemen that has an offensive touch and cannon for a shot." - Deschamps
43) Ryan Ufko - Defenseman
5'10'' 178 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Smithtown, N.Y., USA 2020-2021: 53 GP, 39 P (10G, 29A) Individual Honors: (2020-2021) USHL First All-Star Team. "Ryan is a complete defensemen who is competitive and thinks the game at a high level both offensively and defensively." - Sheahan
52) Jackson Blake - Forward
5'10'' 152 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minn., USA 2020-2021: 25 GP, 17 P (7G, 10A) "Jackson has magic hands and an elite ability to create offense. He always finds a way to score in the big moments." - Deschamps
87) Josh Doan - Forward
6'2'' 180 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz., USA 2020-2021: 53 GP, 70 P (31G, 39A) Individual Honors: (2020-2021) USHL Second Team All-Star. "Josh is a skilled forward with a great release and hockey sense and also has high compete level and physicality." - Sheahan
91) Jack Harvey - Forward
5'10'' 164 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Stacy, Minn., USA 2020-2021: 48 GP, 17 P (9G, 8A) "Jack is a cerebral player that processes the game at an elite level. Jack can be a positive factor in every aspect of the game: 5v5, power play and penalty kill." -Deschamps
112) Luke Levandowski - Forward
6'0'' 160 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Rosemount, Minn., USA 2020-2021: 9 GP, 3 P (1G, 2A) "Luke might be the fastest skater in the entire draft and has high-end offensive attributes." - Sheahan
186) Lukas Gustafsson - Defenseman
5'10'' 174 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Alpharetta, Ga, USA 2020-2021: 14 GP, 4 P (1G, 3A) "Lukas is an extremely gifted, offensive defensemen. Lukas' mind for offense makes him a consistent threat in the offensive zone and line rush." - Deschamps
Not Ranked) David Ma - Defenseman
5'11'' 175 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Yonkers, N.Y., USA 2020-2021: 38 GP, 11 P (3G, 8A) "David is a poised defenseman who is very skilled and has high-end skating ability." - Sheahan
NR) Dawson Pasternak - Forward
5'8'' 155 lbs. (Shoots: R) Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN 2020-2021: 51 GP, 23 P (6G, 17A) "Dawson is frustrating to play against as he never stops competing. Dawson plays a physical, gritty game both offensively and defensively." - Deschamps
NR) Luca Fantilli - Defenseman
6'0'' 162 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Nobleton, Ontario, CAN 2020-2021: 52 GP, 12 P (3G, 9A) "Luca is a highly competitive and intelligent defensemen that has elite vision." -Sheahan
NR) Sam Lipkin - Forward
6'3'' 190 lbs. (Shoots: L) Hometown: Lafayette Hill, Penn., USA 2020-2021: 30 GP, 11 P (3G, 8A) "Sam is a skilled power forward that plays heavy and always finds himself in the dirty areas of the rink. Sam has high character and it shows in the way he plays the game." - Deschamps
NR) Simon Latkoczy - Goaltender
5'10'' 165 lbs. (Catches: R) Hometown: Trencin, SVK 2020-2021: 16 GP, 2.89 GAA, .898 SV% "Latkoczy is great positionally so he's hard to beat with a first shot. He's a true competitor and has dynamic legs which make him elite in-tight and on second opportunities." - Garman
Season Ticket Plans for the Clark Cup Champion Chicago Steel are on sale now by calling 855-51-STEEL or emailing info@ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com . Group tickets and experiences are also on sale for the 2021-2022 season.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
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