USNTDP leads NAHL to new NHL entry draft prominence

June 28, 2006 - North American Hockey League (NAHL) News Release

Frisco, Texas -- North American Hockey League players led the way in the National Hockey League's 2006 Entry Draft on Saturday, June 24 when defenseman Erik Johnson, pictured at left, of the U.S. National Team Development Program was drafted first overall by the St. Louis Blues.

Over the past two seasons, Johnson played 42 NAHL regular season games for the NTDP, scoring 10 goals and adding 17 assists.

Johnson was first, but hardly alone among NAHL players and alumni who were selected by NHL teams.

No fewer than 20 NAHLers are now NHL draft choices. Seventeen of them played for the NTDP, two for the Texarkana Bandits and one for the Springfield Jr. Blues.

A record six NTDP players were selected in the first round, three among the first 10 picks overall. Joining Johnson was forward Phil Kessel (32 goals, 26 assists for 58 points in 44 NAHL regular season games in 2003-05), who was chosen with the fifth pick by the Boston Bruins and forward Peter Mueller (21 goals, 29 assists for 50 points in 57 NAHL regular season games in 2003-05), who went eighth to the Phoenix Coyotes.

With the 19th selection, the Anaheim Ducks selected defenseman Mark Mitera (four goals, 19 assists for 23 points in 59 NAHL regular season games in 2003-05). The Ottawa Senators selected forward Nick Foligno (eight goals, 12 assists for 20 points in 42 NAHL regular season games in 2003-04) with the 28th choice and the Phoenix Coyotes took defenseman Chris Summers (four goals, seven assists for 11 points in 28 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) 29th overall.

"The showing by the NTDP in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, along with the drafting of other NAHLers, shows how significant the NAHL has become in the development ladder," said outgoing NAHL commissioner Michael Santos. "The NTDP players on both the Under-17 Team and the Under-18 Team grow immeasurably playing in the NAHL. Our other teams provide them with top competition and, in turn, the NTDP teams raise the level of play for all our clubs. This shows our decision to extend our partnership with the NTDP was a correct one for both the NAHL and the NTDP.

"And we also congratulate the Bandits and Jr. Blues organizations. Their excellent scouting and coaching have added to the ever-growing number of NAHLers who are noticed and selected by the top league in hockey."

Santos participated in the NHL Entry Draft for his new employer, the Nashville Predators, and his new team drafted another NTDP player in the second round, Blake Geoffrion (13 goals, 24 assists for 37 points in 50 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06), who was taken 56th overall. Geoffrion was one of four NTDP players to be selected in the second round.

Prior to his selection, the Philadelphia Flyers took defenseman Mike Ratchuk (seven goals, 10 assists in 49 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) with the 42nd pick overall and the Colorado Avalanche picked defenseman Nigel Williams (three goals, four assists for seven points in 19 NAHL regular season games in 2005-06) with the 51st pick overall. The fourth NTDP player selected in the second round was defenseman Jamie McBain (two goals, nine assists in 52 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06), who was taken by the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricane 63rd overall.

The NTDP Under-18 Team captain, defenseman Brian Strait (four goals, 13 assists in 57 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06), was picked with the second choice of the third round, 65th overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Forward Michael Carman (18 goals, 25 assists in 56 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) was selected by Colorado with the 81st overall selection.

Former Texarkana defenseman Ryan Turek (six goals, seven assists for 13 points in 29 regular season games 2003-04), voted at the team's top defenseman the year he played with the Bandits, was taken with the first pick in the fourth round, 94th overall by In the fourth round by the St. Louis Blues. He was followed in the fourth round by NTDP goaltender Joe Palmer (23-9-1, 2.62 goals against average, .900 save percentage in 33 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06.)

In other fourth round action, NTDP forward Rhett Rakhshani (25 goals, 28 assists for 53 points in 56 regular season NAHL games in 2004-06) was selected with the 100th overall selection by the New York Islanders while NTDP defenseman Kevin Montgomery (eight goals, 18 assists for 26 points in 55 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) joined former teammates Williams and Carman as selections of the Colorado Avalanche.

Netminder Brett Bennett (13-7-1, 2.51 goals against average, .920 save percentage in 28 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) was chosen with the seventh choice of the fifth round, 130th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes, becoming the third NTDP alumni selected by the Coyotes. Forward Ryan Flynn (17 goals, 13 assists in 58 NAHL regular season games in 2004-06) was selected in the sixth round with the 176th pick by the Nashville Predators.

In the seventh round, Springfield Jr. Blues forward Troy Mattila (14 goals, 22 assists for 36 points in 54 regular season games) was picked by the Islanders and former Texarkana Bandits MVP Erik Condra (20 goals, 24 assists for 44 points in 56 regular season games in 2003-04) was selected with the 211th overall pick by the Ottawa Senators.

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