CHICAGO – The USHL opens its 10th season this week with strong teams across the tables. The league offered a review of its western conference teams.
Des Moines Buccaneers
Despite a winning record last season (29-25-6), the Bucs narrowly missed a playoff berth in the tightly-contested Western Conference. It was the most wins for the club since the 2006-07 campaign, a 29-win year during the first stint with the team for Head Coach Regg Simon.
The Bucs have a mix of key returning players along with several other experienced USHL players that have been acquired in transactions prior to the season opener. Playmaking forward Cal Decowski is team’s leading returning scorer and was the only player on the squad last season to appear in all 60 games. He will be joined up front by captain Gasper Kopitar and Kevin Irwin, who both had double-digit goal outputs a season ago. While the Bucs have seven returning forwards in the lineup, the defense is almost completely overhauled with only Ethan Prow returning on the blueline. Key newcomers for Des Moines include goaltender Jason Kasdorf, who was selected by his hometown Winnipeg Jets in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, and forward Justin Hussar, who put up 66 points (33g, 33a) last season in the NAHL. USHL veterans added to the roster include defenseman Zack Rall (Tri-City/Chicago) along with forwards Austin Hervey (Lincoln) and Matt Hansen (Cedar Rapids).
Fargo Force
For the first time in their short three-year history, the Force did not make the Clark Cup Final series last season. But again it was a highly successful year capped by 33 victories and a playoff berth. Fargo has built a tradition of moving coaches on to the collegiate level, therefore a new boss steps behind the bench in 2011-12 with coaching veteran John Marks.
Still only 17, defenseman Brian Cooper is the veteran of the group as he enters his third USHL season. He is coming off a breakout year in which he earned a spot on the All-USHL Second Team and has scouts talking as one to watch leading into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Big defenseman Justin Wade is also mentioned in NHL scouting circles following his rookie USHL season in 2010-11, while Willie Corrin brings a veteran presence to the blueline. Fargo’s top three scorers, who accounted for nearly 150 points last season, are off to college hockey leaving Colton Hargrove (13g, 14a) as the top returning point-getter. Jonny Brodzinski and Nicholas Stoskopf were impressive during their brief 10-game stints with the Force last season, while Austin Farley is back for his sophomore campaign and USHL vet Luke Sandler adds experience up front. Newcomer Gabe Guertler, the second overall pick in the 2011 USHL Futures Draft, is a 16-year-old with plenty of offensive potential. The Force welcome back NHL draft pick Zane Gothberg (Boston Bruins, 2010) in net after establishing himself as one of the League’s top goaltenders a season ago.
Lincoln Stars
Chad Johnson returned to Lincoln a season ago, a place where his coaching career started as an assistant, and led the Stars to a 33-win season and a playoff berth. He looks to continue that trend during his second full season behind the Stars bench.
The Stars have plenty of leadership returning, including one of the club’s captains Brent Tate. He along with Dominik Shine and Teemu Tiitinen accounted for nearly 80 points in 2010-11, giving the Stars experience on the forward lines. Zach Aston-Reese begins his first full USHL season after breaking into the League last year, and rookie Luke Johnson and internet sensation Kevin Roy will be counted on to add some scoring punch to the lineup. Richard Coyne and Zach Frye are the only returning Stars on defense, but the team added a pair of defenders with prior USHL experience in Colton Saucerman and Brandon Carlson. A familiar face to the Lincoln faithful also returns with the addition of Dax Lauwers, a defenseman who patrolled the Stars blueline during the 2009-10 season before playing collegiately at Army last season. A brand new goaltending tandem minds the crease for the Stars, but both are no strangers to the USHL as Jackson Teichroeb was part of Dubuque’s championship run last year and Charles Williams stopped pucks for Des Moines in 2009-10.
Omaha Lancers
Winning is a habit in Omaha and it was a similar story in 2010-11 as the club earned an unprecedented 22nd consecutive berth in the USHL postseason. In the process, Bliss Littler earned his 300th coaching victory to become just the eighth coach in League history to reach that milestone. The Lancers also marked the seventh consecutive year of having at least one player selected in the NHL Draft (Seth Ambroz).
The Lancers welcome several new faces as the top seven scorers from a season ago have moved on to college hockey. Anthony Hamburg is the leading returning scorer after posting 21 points (6g, 15a) in 31 games while Jonathan Liau had an impressive 20-point season (11g, 9a) in 2010-11. Ken Babinski and NHL draft-eligible forward Adam Chlapik will take on larger offensive roles as they begin their second USHL season. A trio of returning defensemen – David Mead, Dominic Racobaldo, and Nathan Widman – give the club experience on the blueline Key newcomers include forward Matthew Gaudreau, younger brother of 2010-11 USHL Rookie of the Year John Gaudreau (Dubuque), and defenseman Vince Pedrie, who was a high-scoring defenseman at the Minnesota high school level. Forward Jimmy Murray comes in with USHL experience playing 33 games for Fargo last season. Goaltender John Keeney is battled tested as he enters his third USHL season having already won 23 career games for the Lancers and is joined by Alex Lyon, who got his feet wet in the USHL last season appearing in one game for Cedar Rapids.
Sioux City Musketeers
It was a step in the right direction last season as the Musketeers earned a playoff berth for the first time in four years. New coach Brett Larson looks to take the club even further and brings along championship experience after being part of the University of Minnesota-Duluth coaching staff that guided the school to its first NCAA title in 2010-11.
Much of the talk has focused on defenseman Jordan Schmaltz who led all USHL blueliners in scoring with 44 points (13g, 31a) as a rookie last season. NHL scouts are buzzing as the talented 17-year-old is a top prospect for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Incoming defenseman Cliff Watson has also made scouts take notice as he prepares for the NHL Draft in his rookie USHL season. Jose Delgadillo and Larry Smith are experienced Musketeers back on defense while Sam Piazza begins his first full season on defense after a five-game stint with the team last year. Forwards Brad Robbins, Tim O’Brien, Brett Patterson, and Maxim Gaudreault are back for another go-around in Sioux City after combining for nearly 100 points a season ago. Two other forwards with USHL experience join the club as Peter Maric (Cedar Rapids) and Nikita Sirotkin (Green Bay) will don a Musketeers jersey this season. Newcomer Kyle Criscuolo has already shown a knack for scoring as he notched a hat trick during the USHL Fall Classic. One of the team’s most experienced players will be back in the crease as goaltender Matt Skoff returns along with a resume that includes 44 career USHL victories.
Sioux Falls Stampede
The Herd are coming off a 34-win season, which was the second most victories in the Western Conference. One of those victories was the 400th career USHL win for coach Kevin Hartzell, one of seven coaches in League history to reach that milestone.
Hartzell is one of the best developers of players on and off the ice, and will have the task of doing so with a host of fresh faces as the Stampede return only five players from last season’s squad. Austyn Young is the leading returning scorer after an outstanding 32-point season (11g, 21a) in 54 games, which included tying for third on the club with a plus-14 rating. Bryan Moore scored 10 goals for the Herd a season ago while defenseman Joe Lordo played all but one of the team’s 60 regular season games and also collected a plus-14 rating. Goaltender Stephon Williams was a 20-game winner for Sioux Falls and will partner up with highly-touted rookie netminder Charlie Lindgren to provide the puck-stopping tandem. While only five players are wearing the Stampede uniform for the second season, three additions to the roster have prior USHL experience, including defensemen Dan Carlson and Matt Van Voorhis who skated in the League the last two seasons for Team USA. Forward Justin Selman played his rookie season with Des Moines last year and is mentioned among top prospects for the 2012 NHL Draft next June.
Tri-City Storm
Injuries took a toll on the Storm last season and the depleted roster struggled to score goals at times, which left them out of the playoff mix. Third-year coach Drew Schoneck will seek to get the team back in the playoff hunt as he did during his debut season with the organization.
The Storm return their leading scorer from last season as Soren Jonzzon played all 60 games and put up 39 points (17g, 22a). Versatile forward Kenny Brooks and USHL vet Nick Lappin both tallied 26 points a season ago and return for a third season in the League. Brad Schierhorn is also back after tallying 12 goals in his rookie campaign, while Andrew Dorantes and Davey Middleton bring USHL experience to the forward lines. Looking to add some offense, the Storm selected forward Thomas Nykopp with the second overall pick in the 2011 USHL Entry Draft. He dominated AAA hockey last season posting an impressive 97 points (49g, 48a) in 61 games. It will be all new faces on the defensive unit for Tri-City, but J.D. Peterson (Des Moines) and Greg Johnson (Sioux City) have USHL experience from a season ago. A brand new goaltending tandem minds the crease for the Storm with Pheonix Copley, who was solid in the preseason, and recently acquired Trevor Gorsuch, a 17-year-old who posted stellar numbers last season at the midget level.
Waterloo Black Hawks
The Hawks took some lumps a season ago with a team that wasn’t as experienced as most USHL clubs, but showed many positives and earned a playoff berth nonetheless under the guidance of Head Coach P.K. O’Handley, the League’s active leader in coaching victories with 429 heading into the 2011-12 season.
The 50th season of Black Hawks hockey in Waterloo will see a mix of players that gained valuable USHL experience and several highly-touted newcomers. Tyler Zepeda returns after being the club’s leading scorer in 2010-11, which included a team best 15 goals. Jamie Hill heads into his third season with the Hawks and sits one point shy of 50 for his career. Max Edson was a 10-goal scorer a year ago and returns with experienced forwards Vince Hinostroza, Aaron Pearce, and Dan McNamara. A trio of defensemen are back which includes James Hansen and Trevor Owens, along with Ian McCoshen who just turned 16 in August. Forward A.J. Michaelson begins his first full season after appearing in six games a season ago. He showed a knack for scoring in the preseason and scouts have their eyes on him for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Two new Black Hawks have already been noticed by NHL scouts as forward Tony Cameranesi (Toronto Maple Leafs) and defenseman Eddie Wittchow (Florida Panthers) were chosen in the 2011 NHL Draft. Taylor Cammarata, the first overall selection in the 2011 USHL Futures Draft, adds another offensive weapon for the Hawks. A familiar tandem will be in net for Waterloo as both Jay Williams and Eamon McAdam saw USHL action last season. Comment@prohockeynews.com
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