USHL Tri-City Storm

Goaltender tops Storm's entry draft list

Published on May 4, 2006 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Tri-City Storm News Release


KEARNEY - The Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League selected 15 players today in the USHL's entry draft beginning with goaltender Bryce Christianson. He was the 14th overall selection in the draft.

Christianson, who spent the 2005-06 season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League, played in 36 games this past year and recorded a 14-13-7 record and a .912 save percentage.

This marks the third consecutive entry draft that the Storm has selected a goaltender with its first pick.

"If you would have asked me yesterday we weren't taking a goaltender with our first pick. Some goalies were taken immediately and it changes your draft board," said Storm general manager and head coach Bliss Littler. "Bryce is an established junior hockey player that we've heard a lot of good things about plus we like the other two goalies on our list."

Forward Calle (pronounced Cali) Ridderwall, formerly of the Chicago Chill, was the Storm's second selection. Ridderwall is scheduled to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2007.

Littler and his staff used seven of their first 10 draft picks on forwards.

"If you follow the draft for the past five or six years you would think I was locked away somewhere. That was uncharacteristic," Littler joked. "However, you remember your last 10-12 games and we had a tough time scoring. Team speed and scoring were two issues last year and hopefully we improved those somewhat with today's draft."

The Storm will now take the 10 returning players, five futures players, 15 drafted players and numerous other invitees to tryout camp being held June 2-4 in Bloomington, Minn.

"This is the time for assistant coaches and scouts to shine," Littler said. "This is the start of 06-07 season and hopefully our drafted players will help us be contenders for the Anderson and Clark Cups."

TRI-CITY STORM 2006 ENTRY DRAFT SELECTIONS
Rd. Pick Name Pos. Previous Team
2 14 Bryce Christianson G Fairbanks Ice Dogs
2 19 Calle Ridderwall F Chicago Chill
3 31 Kyle Ensign D New Richmond H.S.
4 43 Dan Markowitz D NY Bobcats
4 47 Mick Oslund F Burnsville H.S.
5 55 Andrew Sackrison F St. Louis Park H.S.
6 67 Josh Bergen F Centennial H.S.
7 75 Jordan Van Guilder F Centennial H.S.
14 104 Aaron Marvin F Warroad H.S.
15 116 Chris Hickey F Cretin H.S.
16 128 Peter Child D St. Paul School
17 140 Ryan Peltoma D Brainerd H.S.
18 152 Brandon Martel D Elk River H.S.
19 164 Barry Sanderson F Detroit Honeybaked
20 176 Bryan Brutlag D Academy of Holy Angels

Check out the Tri-City Storm Statistics

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United States Hockey League Stories from May 4, 2006


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