RoughRiders Select Four In Futures Draft
August 24, 2004 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders News Release
Cedar Rapids, Iowa- The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders selected four players- defensemen Nick Jaskowiak and Kevin Wehrs and forwards Ryan Santana and Gary Steffes- in last Thursday's United States Hockey League futures draft.
The four draftees are Cedar Rapids' affiliated players. While they are not currently on the RoughRiders roster, the Riders do control their USHL rights.
"We're extremely pleased with the four players we selected," said RoughRiders coach and general manager Mark Carlson. "We anticipate all four of these players making significant contributions to the RoughRiders in 2005-06."
The Riders took Jaskowiak with the eighth overall pick in the draft. The 15-year old Bloomington, Minnesota, native will play for Benilde St. Margaret High School this season.
Santana, another 15-year old, was chosen in the second round with the nineteenth pick. The Yorba Linda, California, product played midget AAA hockey for the California Wave last season.
The RoughRiders selected Plymouth, Minnesota, native Wehrs in round three with the thirtieth choice of the draft. Wehrs, 16, will play for Wayzata High School this season.
Steffes, 17, was tabbed in the fourth round with the forty-first selection. The Grand Blanc, Michigan, native is set for his second campaign with the Stratford Cullitons of the Ontario Hockey Association's Midwestern Junior B League this coming season. Last year Steffes helped Stratford to the Ontario Junior B title, the Sunderland Cup. He totaled five goals and 18 points in 28 regular season games as the Cullitons rolled to a 42-4-1 record.
In addition, Steffes was part of the United States Select Team that finished fourth in the Under-18 Junior World Cup in Slovakia and the Czech Republic earlier this month. Steffes scored a pair of goals as the U.S. posted a 2-3 record in competition against Canada, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the co-host Czechs. Forward Hunter Bishop and defenseman Alec Martinez, who will both skate for the RoughRiders this season, were among Steffes's U.S. teammates.
Each of the RoughRiders' four selections participated in this summer's USA Hockey Select Festivals. Jaskowiak had four assists in six games with Team Royal at Select 15 Development Camp in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Santana scored twice and added an assist in four games with Team Pacific at the Select 16 Festival in Rochester, New York. Wehrs skated in all six games with the strong Minnesota Select 16 squad, picking up one assist for a unit that finished the festival with an impressive 4-1-1 record. Steffes notched two goals and two assists as Team Michigan posted the best record (5-1-0) at the Select 17 Festival in St. Cloud.
The RoughRiders will open their sixth season on Saturday, September 25 when they visit the Des Moines Buccaneers. The RoughRiders play their home opener on Saturday, October 16, when they host their arch rivals, the Clark Cup champion Waterloo Black Hawks.
2004-05 season tickets are currently available through the RoughRiders' business office (247-0340). Fans who pay for season tickets in full before August 31 will receive a 10% discount in addition to a host of other benefits available exclusively to season ticket holders.
Over their first five seasons, the Riders have secured a place as one of the top organizations in the USHL. The RoughRiders are one of just three teams to have reached the USHL playoffs each of the last four seasons and last year set a franchise record for wins in a season. The Riders are also annually among the league leaders in attendance, frequently drawing sellout crowds to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.
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United States Hockey League Stories from August 24, 2004
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- RoughRiders Select Four In Futures Draft - Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
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