Lancers Select 29 in 2016 USHL Draft
May 3, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Omaha Lancers News Release
Ralston, NE - The Omaha Lancers selected 29 players over a two-day span during the 2016 USHL Draft that ended Tuesday afternoon. Overall, the Lancers added 18 forwards, 10 defensemen, and one goaltender.
After signing Emilio Pettersen and Jack Randl to tender deals prior to the USHL Draft, Omaha's first pick in Phase I came in the third round, 35th overall. Defenseman Dawson Klein was the first on the board for the Lancers out of Lakeville South High School in Minnesota. The 2000-birth-year had five points in 19 games and added three points during the playoffs in just two games.
Following Klein, Omaha went after another defenseman, selecting Jimmy Dowd Jr. in the fourth round, 51st overall. The next two picks were forwards for the Lancers. Dylan Schneider and Tyler Carpenter were selected in the fifth and sixth round. Rounding out Phase I, Omaha tabbed defensemen Mike Higgins and Adam Steinwold, along with forwards Luke Mountain and Reed Stark.
"We're very happy with our draft results," said Lancers head coach Brian Kaufman. We added players who will fill a variety different roles."
Phase II on Tuesday saw 14 forwards get pulled off the board. Three of which came in the first five picks. With their first selection of Phase II, the Lancers drafted Connor Marshall third overall in the opening round. This season with Selects Hockey Academy, the Parkland, FL native racked up 50 points in just 24 USPHL games. In the past three years, Marshall has 97 points in 76 USPHL games.
The first defenseman chosen by Omaha in Phase II was Brian Matthews, a Yale University commit. The 6-foot, 187-pound blueliner had 12 goals and 14 assists in 33 games with Belmont Hill High School. The next three picks came from the Tier II North American Hockey League. Fairbanks defenseman Alex Mehnert, Austin forward Jacob Paganelli, and Minnesota Magicians forward Pierce Crawford all combined for 122 points during the 2015-2016 season.
Omaha's sixth, seventh, and eighth picks during Phase II of the USHL Draft all are committed to play collegiate ice hockey. Derek Hamelin will attend Canisius College, Zac Herrmann will go to Niagara University, and Sam Craggs is a commit of Bowling Green State University.
Joseph Berg, Christian O'Neill, Aleksi Peltonen, Joona Koppanen, Brenden Rons, and Kip Hoffmann all combined for 161 points, including 52 by Aleksi Peltonen at Northwood School Junior. All six skaters were picked before the Lancers selected their first goaltender of the USHL Draft. Finland's Severi Isokangas went in the 10th round, 153rd overall and was the only netminder drafted by the Lancers.
Of the final six picks for the Lancers, three of them had at least 34 points this past year. Sweden's Daniel Hakansson led the way with 40 points in 37 games. Ben Schmilding notched 39 points with the Skipjacks Hockey Club in the USPHL, while in the MJHL, Riley McKay put in 34 points with the Swan Valley Stampeders. Hakansson, Schmilding, and McKay, along with Joshua Maine, Brian Silver, and Anthony Mastromonica rounded out the picks for Omaha in the 2016 USHL Draft.
"We were able to acquire some players who will fill immediate voids in our lineup as well as players who will help us in the future," Kaufman added. "We look forward to getting these players to camp next month."
Season Tickets for the 2016-2017 season of Omaha Lancers hockey are on sale now! For more information, including pricing, visit www.lancers.com or call the Lancers front office at 402-344-PUCK.
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United States Hockey League Stories from May 3, 2016
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