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USHL Sioux Falls Stampede

Three Stampede Players Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

December 13, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Sioux Falls Stampede News Release


Three Stampede Players Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Sioux Falls
Three Stampede Players Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Sioux Falls
(Sioux Falls Stampede)

Sioux Falls, SD-The United States Hockey League (USHL) announced today that Stampede players Kasper Kotkansalo (Kot-CAN-Sal-OH), John "Jack" St. Ivany (EYE-Vah-knee) and Matthew Quercia (Core-SEE-ah) have been named to the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. The game will be played at the PREMIER Center on Tuesday, January 10th starting at 6:45 PM with a skills competition.

The selection process for players competing in the game was complete in cooperation with NHL general managers and scouts, NHL Central Scouting and USHL general managers. All 40 players chosen are eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft.

35 of the 40 players were named to NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List on Nov. 16, 2016 including three A-rated players: Shane Bowers (Waterloo Black Hawks), Eeli Tolvanen (Sioux City Musketeers) and Maksim Zhukov (Green Bay Gamblers). 38 of the 40 players have been listed by NHL Central Scouting at some point in their USHL career dating back to last season.

All three Sioux Falls players are in their first year with the club and are listed as players to watch and "C" rated skaters by NHL Central Scouting, meaning they are a projected 4th to 6th round draft choice in the upcoming 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago

Kotkansalo, a defenseman, has tallied two points and is a plus-6 in 17 games so far this season with the Herd. He was the Herd's second round selection in the 2016 USHL Phase II Draft. The Helsinki, Finland native spent last season with the Espoo Jr. Blues where he tallied 19 points (4g, 15a) in 48 games. He also skated with the gold medal champion Team Finland at the U18 World Junior Championship. Kotkansalo recently committed to play collegiate hockey at Boston University.

St. Ivany, also a defenseman, has registered six assists while appearing 18 of the Stampede's 22 games this season. Prior to joining the Herd, St. Ivany tallied 13 points (3g, 10a) in 31 games with the U16 L.A. Jr. Kings last season. The Manhattan Beach, CA native stands at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds and is committed to Yale University.

Quercia, a forward, tallied his third goal of the season last Saturday and has seven points in 21 games this year with a plus-4 rating. He was selected in the sixth round in May's draft after registering 45 points (22g, 23a) in 32 games with the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs U16 squad. The Andover, MA native has already committed to play collegiate hockey at Boston University.

A luncheon will precede the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on January 10th from 12 PM to 1:30 PM in Ballroom "A" of the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The luncheon will feature an introduction of all players and feature keynote speaker Matt Majka, the Chief Operation Officer of the NHL's Minnesota Wild. Tickets for the luncheon are on sale now by calling the Stampede office at 336-6060.

Tickets for the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game are also on sale now through the PREMIER Center or any Ticketmaster outlet. Ticket information for the game and luncheon are available through the Stampede website or.

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Three Stampede Players Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Sioux Falls
Three Stampede Players Named to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Sioux Falls
   



United States Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2016


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