NHL Draft drama complete for USHL prospects
Published on June 28, 2004 under United States Hockey League (USHL) News Release
Seventeen players with roots in the United States Hockey League (USHL), and five who hope to plant them this season, were selected at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft yesterday and today in Raleigh, N.C.
Leading the way was a USHL prospect, the Breck School's Blake Wheeler (Robbinsdale, Minn.), a 6-foot, 3-inch forward who was selected No. 5 overall by the Phoenix Coyotes. Wheeler is protected by the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers.
The first player selected directly from the USHL was Green Bay forward Victor Oreskovich (Whitby, Ontario) who was selected in the second round by the Colorado Avalanche with the 55th pick overall.
In all, twelve players were selected directly from USHL teams, a figure which far exceeded that of any other single American development program. The complete list of selections is below.
ROUND, OVERALL NAME USHL TEAM NHL TEAM
2nd, 55 Victor Oreskovich Green Bay Colorado
2nd, 57 Geoff Paukovich Tri-City (2002-03) Edmonton
2nd, 61 Alex Goligoski Sioux Falls Pittsburgh
3rd, 74 Kyle Klubertanz Green Bay Anaheim
4th, 115 Wes O'Neill Green Bay NY Islanders
5th, 141 Jim McKenzie Sioux Falls Ottawa
5th, 144 Chris Zarb Tri-City Philadelphia
5th, 162 Tyler Haskins Sioux City (2001-02) Detroit
6th, 174 Scott Parse Tri-City (2002-03) Los Angeles
6th, 184 Derek Peltier Cedar Rapids Colorado
7th, 205 John Curry Sioux City Los Angeles
7th, 213 Jimmy Spratt Sioux City Calgary
8th, 250 Nathan Perkovich Cedar Rapids New Jersey
8th, 251 Matthew McIlvane Chicago Ottawa
8th, 256 Matthew Ford Sioux Falls Chicago
9th, 263 Travis Morin Chicago (2000-03) Washington
9th, 283 Luke Beaverson Green Bay Florida
USHL PROSPECTS
ROUND, OVERALL NAME USHL TEAM NHL TEAM
1st, 5 Blake Wheeler Green Bay Phoenix
3rd, 85 Brian Gifford Indiana Pittsburgh
7th, 194 Chris Peluso Sioux Falls Pittsburgh
7th, 218 Sergei Kukushkin Indiana Dallas
8th, 233 Matt Greer Des Moines Columbus
United States Hockey League Stories from June 28, 2004
- Two Steel Alumni Selected at annual NHL Entry Draft - Chicago Steel
- Buccaneer recruit selected in 2004 NHL draft - Des Moines Buccaneers
- Parse also taken in NHL draft - Tri-City Storm
- NHL Draft drama complete for USHL prospects - USHL
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