USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2017

December 13, 2016 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Waterloo Black Hawks News Release

Waterloo, Iowa-Three Waterloo Black Hawks veterans have been selected to skate in the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, scheduled for Tuesday, January 10th in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the United States Hockey League announced Tuesday.

Forwards Shane Bowers and Nick Swaney, plus defenseman Mikey Anderson, were among the 40 participants chosen to take the ice from the USHL's member clubs. All three were graded as candidates for the 2017 National Hockey League Draft last month by NHL Central Scouting. This will be the first year of draft eligibility for Bowers and Anderson. The draft will be held June 23rd and 24th in Chicago.

Bowers is one of three "A-rated" players who will appear in the annual league showcase. The grade suggests that NHL scouts believe he is a candidate to be chosen during the first round of next summer's draft. Following the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and comparable events in other junior leagues, Central Scouting will release a January numerical ranking of leading prospects.

Currently, Bowers sits second among Waterloo players in goals (nine) and points (18). He has scored the game-winning goal in four of the Hawks' 14 victories and also owns more than a quarter of the team's power play goals (four). Bowers is committed to Boston University.

Swaney is the only player ahead of Bowers on Waterloo's stat sheet. After leading the team in goals (30) and points (50) last season, he again paces the Hawks in both categories (11 goals, 21 points). He and Anderson are currently representing the United States during the 2016 World Junior A Challenge in Alberta. Both players are committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Anderson leads all Black Hawks players with 11 assists in 2016/17. With a dozen total points, he is currently four shy of his 2015/16 accumulation. Able to be used in all situations, Anderson excels in breaking up opposing scoring chances in transition.

This will be the third consecutive year that the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game has been conducted since the event returned from a hiatus in 2015. The selection process to choose players for the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game was completed in cooperation with NHL team staff, NHL Central Scouting and USHL general managers.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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