Gucciardi Goes in 7th Round
July 8, 2022 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release
Waterloo, Iowa-While playing his first season in the NCAA, former Waterloo Black Hawks defenseman David Gucciardi drew attention from the Washington Capitals, who selected him Friday with the 213th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Gucciardi's 7th round selection came after he played in all 36 of the Michigan State Spartans' 2021/22 games. He recorded five goals and six assists during his freshman campaign. That includes seven points (one goal, six assists) in games versus Big Ten opponents.
Gucciardi was ranked to 57th in NHL Central Scouting's ranking of North American skaters eligible to be drafted in 2022.
During the coronavirus-altered 2020/21 campaign, Gucciardi played in his first game for Waterloo on December 18, 2020, seven weeks after the beginning of the United States Hockey League season. The Toronto native had opened the year skating as a member of the Youngstown Phantoms. He recorded his first Black Hawks' goal to help secure Waterloo's 3-1 New Year's Eve win versus the Des Moines Buccaneers. In total, he tallied seven goals and 10 assists for the Hawks.
There are few NHL teams to which Waterloo has more ties - both in the draft and on the ice - than the Capitals. Zach Sanford, Patrick Wey, John Gruden, Peter Ferraro, and Chris Ferraro have all skated in D.C. Sanford is the most recent draft pick, selected in 2013 and making his debut for Washington in 2016/17 before being traded to the St. Louis Blues later that winter. Wey (2009) and Andrew Thomas (2005) are also Waterloo alumni and previous Capitals selections.
The last Waterloo Black Hawk alumnus to be drafted after a year in college was defenseman Blake Hillman by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016.
Gucciardi will be a sophomore for the Michigan State Spartans this fall. His MSU teammates will include former Waterloo forward Kyle Haskins.
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