Hawks Dealing on Draft Day

May 2, 2022 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release

Waterloo, Iowa - The Waterloo Black Hawks acquired the first overall pick during Phase I of the 2022 United States Hockey League Draft Monday in order to choose forward Matthew Frost of South Kent Selects Academy, the first of 10 picks during the day.

The 5-foot, 10-inch center had 62 points (26 goals, 36 assists) in 58 16U games this winter. Waterloo snagged the lead-off selection through a deal with the Des Moines Buccaneers. The Hawks had already exchanged their own first round pick (fourth overall) in order to tender defenseman Keith McInnis last month.

Frost's addition to the organization marks the first time Waterloo has had the top Phase I (previously "Futures Draft") choice since 2011. That year, the Hawks selected Taylor Cammarata, who went on to win the USHL Rookie of the Year Award in 2011/12, then the league Player of the Year title in 2012/13.

The Number One overall selection was just the beginning of an early sequence that featured Waterloo making four of the first 23 picks. Defenseman Kiernan Poulin was the first of three choices in the second round, as the Hawks brought the Massachusetts native into the fold with the 19th overall selection. Poulin spent 2021/22 with the Boston Advantage.

Back on the clock two slots later, Waterloo added forward Callum Hughes of the Long Island Gulls, a teammate of Griffin Erdman, who is currently skating for the Hawks as an affiliate. Then with the 25th pick, Waterloo selected winger Eero Butella, who helped the Chicago Mission to USA Hockey's 15U National Championship in early April. The Hawks would go back to the Gulls and the Mission when later drafting Michael Phelan and Jack Genovese respectively.

Waterloo's complete Phase I results from Monday are below:

Round/Overall Pick Player Pos. 2021/22 Team

1/1 Matthew Frost F South Kent Selects Academy 16U

2/19 Kiernan Poulin D Boston Advantage 15s

2/21 Callum Hughes F Long Island Gulls 16U

2/23 Eero Butella F Chicago Mission 15s

3/41 John Stout D Minnetonka (MN) High School

5/64 JJ Monteiro F Mount St. Charles Academy 15s

6/79 Michael Phelan D Chicago Mission 15s

7/94 Lincoln Hjelm F North Star Christian Academy 16U

8/109 John Mustard F Bergen Catholic High School (NJ)

10/139 Jack Genovese F Long Island Gulls 16U

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