Steel Complete 2026 USHL Draft with 13 Phase II Selections
Published on May 5, 2026 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Chicago Steel News Release
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - The Chicago Steel finished the 2026 USHL Draft on Tuesday, rounding out their Phase II class with 13 selected players.
The selections join forward Harrison Smith, who was a Phase II tender by the Steel prior to the draft.
"We feel very good about the group we've assembled," said Steel General Manager Bobby Goepfert. "There's a lot of readiness and potential here, and we expect several of these players to impact our lineup immediately as we move into a new chapter of Steel hockey."
Chicago used its first selection at #5 overall in Round 1 to select defenseman Cole Peters. A 2007-born left-shot blueliner, Peters spent last season with Smith with the Maryland Black Bears in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). In 54 games, Peters potted 18 assists and had 166 penalty minutes. He had the third-most points among team defensemen and had the fourth-best plus-minus rating.
Arseni Savin, a forward from St. Petersburg, Russia, was Chicago's next selection at 11th overall in Round 1. A 6'5" forward, Savin surged with the Pittsburgh Stars 16U AAA last season, ranking second in points (83), goals (49), and assists (34), and also boasted the best plus-minus on the roster (+57). Savin also played up with the U18 team for seven games last season and impressed with two goals and three assists.
The Steel traded picks with Waterloo to move up to the 21st overall pick and the first selection in Round 2 and selected goaltender Stepan Houdek. A native of Praha, Czechia, Houdek appeared in 38 games with HC Plzeņ U20 last season and owned the crease. He posted a 2.36 goals against average and a .927 save percentage while also recording six shutouts. In playoff competition, the athletic netminder had a sparkling 1.95 goals against average and a .944 save percentage in seven games.
Chicago's next pick came in Round 4 at 46th overall when it drafted Joey Habbe, a 6'4" defenseman from South Dakota. Habbe played at the Northstar Christian Academy 18U AAA team last season and scored 18 points (2G-16A). He played for the 16U squad the year prior and potted 17 points with 13 assists.
For their next pick at 109th overall in Round 7, the Steel selected Niklas Helppi. A 6'3" forward from Finland, Helppi scored at over a point-per-game pace last season with U18 SM-sarja, registering 53 points (22G-31A) in 41 games. During the playoffs, Helppi scored in nearly every game, scoring five goals and five assists in 12 outings.
Forward Jacob Lukes was Chicago's next selection in Round 8 with the 124th overall pick. From Elk Grove Village, IL, Lukes played for Team Illinois 16U last season and put up impressive numbers. In 58 games, the skater scored 26 goals and 60 assists, totaling 86 points in 58 games. His 86 points led the team and were 18 points higher than the next-best scorer, as were his 60 helpers.
Lukes also found the scoresheet at a high pace in 2024-2025 with the 15U team, potting 42 points (15G-27A) in 43 games, which also led the team.
With the 139th overall pick in Round 9, the Steel selected goaltender Oliver Kanat. The Newport Beach, CA native put up a .933 save percentage with the Chicago Mission 16U AAA team in 2024-2025 and jumped to the BCHL last season to play for the Vernon Vipers. In 2023-2024, Kanat stayed in his home state and played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings 15U team, posting a .903 save percentage in 36 games. He also appeared in one game at the 16U level and posted a 2.00 goals against average and a .937 save percentage.
Chicago added another defenseman in Round 10, selecting Cal Grilz with the 154th overall pick. Standing 6'4" and weighing 223 pounds, Grilz patrolled the blue line with the Wisconsin Windigo in the NAHL last season and collected 17 assists and three goals. In two seasons of high school hockey in Minnesota, he tallied 28 points (8G-20A).
The Steel drafted defenseman Cameron Merrick, brother of 2025-2026 Steel forward Adyn Merrick, in Round 11 with their 169th overall pick. A Ferris State commit, Merrick skated in 30 games at Minnetonka High in Minnesota last season and scored two goals and five assists. Before high school play, Merrick played in the Upper Midwest HS Elite League Hockey and scored 11 points (3G-8A).
Jake Caffrey, a forward from Buffalo, NY, was the next Steel pick at 184th overall in Round 12. Caffrey was an important asset for the Bishop Kearney Selects 18U team last year, leading the team in goals (40) and ranking second in points (70) and assists (30). His sparkling 2025-2026 season came one year after playing up at the U18 level last season, where he recorded 19 points (12G-7A) in 52 games.
At pick #199 in Round 13, Chicago selected Aidan Ryan, a defenseman from Milton, ON, CAN. Another tall blueliner at 6'4", Ryan played in his home province for the Credit River Capitals U18 AAA squad for 65 games and scored two goals and added ten assists.
Chicago used its #214 pick in Round 14 to select Graham Karlsen, its third goaltender of the Phase II Draft. A lengthy, 6'5" goalie, Karlsen played in his home state of Minnesota for Elk River High, posting two shutouts with a 2.48 goals against average in 15 games.
With their final pick in the Phase II Draft, the Steel selected Nikita Bloch in Round 15 with the 229th pick. Bloch played for the Red Bull Hockey Club for 26 games last season. He also appeared with EC Salzburg U20 and scored 24 points (17G-7A) in 18 games.
Chicago will host its 2026 Tryout/Development Camp, which is scheduled to take place from June 4 to June 8, held for the first time at USG Arena inside Blackhawks Ice Center presented by Fifth Third Bank.
The 2026-2027 Steel schedule is expected to be released in June.
Season ticket memberships for the Chicago Steel's inaugural 2026-2027 season at USG Arena inside Blackhawks Ice Center are on sale now. More information regarding premium seating areas, special ticket packages, and more will be released soon.
For more information, call 855-51-STEEL or visit ChicagoSteelHockeyTeam.com.
United States Hockey League Stories from May 5, 2026
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- Black Hawks Cast Wide Net - Waterloo Black Hawks
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