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USHL Des Moines Buccaneers

Choupani and Lovell Named to USHL All-Rookie Second Team

May 5, 2020 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Des Moines Buccaneers News Release


DES MOINES - Yesterday, 10 new players were welcomed to the Buccaneers' family. Five forwards, four defensemen, and one goaltender were selected by Des Moines in the 2020 USHL Phase I Draft, consisting of 2004 birth-year players.

With the fourth overall selection in the Phase I Draft, Des Moines selected Penn State University commit Michael Stenberg. The Needham, MA born forward participated in the U.S NTDP 40-Man Evaluation Camp this past March. During his Sophomore Prep School season, he finished 2nd amongst all players at Thayer Academy in scoring, accruing 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points in 27 games played.

Des Moines' next pick came in the second round with the 19th overall selection, and the Bucs drafted defenseman Jackson Dorrington, out of Cushing Academy Prep School. Dorrington was also a member of the U.S NTDP 40-Man Evaluation Camp in March. This past season as a Sophomore at Cushing, Dorrington tallied nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 34 games played.

Des Moines did not have a pick in the third round but made their next pick in round four. With the 49th overall selection, the Buccaneers grabbed their only goaltender of the draft, Lucas Szyszka. The Westmont, IL native has spent three seasons tending goal for Chicago Mission, which included a High Performance Major Bantam Hockey League championship in 2018.

In round five, the Buccaneers used the 61st overall pick to select forward Braedon Ford. The Pittsburgh, PA born Ford has spent three seasons attending Shattuck St. Mary's Prep School, putting up 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points in 46 games last season with the U15 program at Shattuck.

Three picks later at 64th overall, Des Moines used their second pick of the fifth round to secure defenseman Nick Baer. Baer's Sophomore season at Minnetonka High School saw him play in 25 games and register three goals and two assists for five points.

Moving onto the sixth round, the Bucs selected defenseman Reed Kluender with the 79th overall pick in the draft. Kluender played for South St. Paul High School in Minnesota last season, recording two assists in 23 games his Sophomore year.

Des Moines traded their tenth round pick of the Phase I Draft to Chicago in return for the Steel's sixth round pick. The Bucs used this pick to claim forward Jack Brandt with the 90th overall selection. Born in Columbus, OH, Brandt just finished his first season with Tabor Academy in Massachusetts. In 28 games played, Brandt tallied 4 goals and 12 assists for 16 points with the Seawolves.

In the seventh round, the Bucs drafted defenseman Matthew Jovanovic with the 94th overall pick. The Toronto native was a member of the 2020 Canadian Youth Olympic Team that took the Bronze Medal in Lausanne, SWI. He spent his '19-'20 winter season playing with the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) and tallied nine assists in 21 games played.

Pick #109 of the Phase I Draft was used to select forward Yoan Loshing in the eighth round. Hailing from Sainte-Catharine, QC, Loshing played with the Mississauga Senators in the GTHL last season, accruing 24 goals and 12 assists for 36 points in 28 games played. His totals led all Senators in scoring categories and put him seventh overall in the league in scoring.

Des Moines' final pick in the draft came with the 124th overall selection, in the ninth round. The Buccaneers drafted forward Cooper Matthews from Belleville, ON. Matthews had 27 goals and 29 assists for 56 points with Quinte Red Devils Minor Midget AAA last season, which landed him fourth overall in scoring in the entire Eastern Triple A Minor Midget Hockey League (ETAMMHL)

As of this morning, the Bucs are slated for 23 picks today in the USHL Phase II Draft. The Draft commences at 1 p.m CT. Stay tuned to Bucs Social Media (@bucshockey) on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for live updates.

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