CHICAGO – After all seven rounds of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft were complete, a total of 28 players who skated in the USHL during the 2010-11 season had their names called by NHL clubs.
The second round began on Saturday morning and it didn’t take long before USHL players were selected. Team USA forward Rocco Grimaldi was chosen 33rd overall by the Florida Panthers. Just moments later with the 34th pick, the New York Islanders selected Youngstown Phantoms defenseman Scott Mayfield . Goaltender John Gibson went five picks later to the Anaheim Ducks at 39th. He was the first goaltender selected in the 2011 NHL Draft.
USHL Player of the Year, Blake Coleman of the Indiana Ice, was all smiles after being picked by the New Jersey Devils in the third round (75th overall). It would be long before a pair of his Indiana Ice teammates were also chosen as Brian Ferlin was selected in the fourth round (121st overall) by the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins and Sean Kuraly was picked in the fifth round (133rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks.
Coming off a Clark Cup title and earning USHL Rookie of the Year honors, Dubuque Fighting Saints forward John Gaudreau was picked in the fourth round (104th overall) by the Calgary Flames. Two-time USHL All-Star forward Seth Ambroz of the Omaha Lancers was taken in the fifth round (128th overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Green Bay Gamblers had four players who played in the 2011 USHL Clark Cup Final that were selected on Saturday – Andy Welinski (83rd overall), Adam Wilcox (178th overall), Aaron Harstad (187th overall), and Alex Broadhurst (199th overall)
In addition to the 28 players from this season, another nine USHL alumni were picked in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Former Des Moines Buccaneers forward T.J. Tynan , who earned Rookie of the Year honors in college hockey after leading the University of Notre Dame to the NCAA Frozen Four, was chosen in the third round (66th overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
USHL Players Selected in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
First Round
J.T. Miller (F), Team USA – 15th overall, New York Rangers
Connor Murphy (D), Team USA – 20th overall, Phoenix Coyotes
Tyler Biggs (F), Team USA – 22nd overall, Toronto Maple Leafs
Second Round
Rocco Grimaldi (F), Team USA – 33rd overall, Florida Panthers
Scott Mayfield (D), Youngstown Phantoms – 34th overall, New York Islanders
John Gibson (G), Team USA – 39th overall, Anaheim Ducks
Third Round
Michael Paliotta (D), Team USA – 70th overall, Chicago Blackhawks
Steven Fogarty (F), Chicago Steel – 72nd overall, New York Rangers
Blake Coleman (F), Indiana Ice – 75th overall, New Jersey Devils
Andy Welinski (D), Green Bay Gamblers – 83rd overall, Anaheim Ducks
Kyle Rau (F), Sioux Falls Stampede – 91st overall, Florida Panthers
Fourth Round
Robbie Russo (D), Team USA – 95th overall, New York Islanders
Josiah Didier (D), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders – 97th overall, Montreal Canadiens
Reid Boucher (F), Team USA – 99th overall, New Jersey Devils
John Gaudreau (F), Dubuque Fighting Saints – 104th overall, Calgary Flames
Brian Ferlin (F), Indiana Ice – 121st overall, Boston Bruins
Fifth Round
Seth Ambroz (F), Omaha Lancers – 128th overall, Columbus Blue Jackets
Blake Pietila (F), Team USA – 129th overall, New Jersey Devils
Sean Kuraly (F), Indiana Ice – 133rd overall, Indiana Ice
Sixth Round
Max McCormick (F), Sioux City Musketeers – 171st overall, Ottawa Senators
Travis Boyd (F), Team USA – 177th overall, Washington Capitals
Adam Wilcox (G), Green Bay Gamblers – 178th overall, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seventh Round
Aaron Harstad (D), Green Bay Gamblers – 187th overall, Winnipeg Jets
Zac Larraza (F), Team USA – 196th overall, Phoenix Coyotes
Alex Broadhurst (F), Green Bay Gamblers – 199th overall, Chicago Blackhawks
Max Everson (D), Team USA – 203rd overall, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ryan Dzingel (F), Lincoln Stars – 204th overall, Ottawa Senators
Garrett Haar (D), Fargo Force – 207th overall, Washington Capitals
USHL Alumni
Jamie Oleksiak (D) 1st round, 14th overall, Dallas Stars (Sioux Falls Stampede/Chicago Steel, 2008-10)
Adam Clendening (D), 2nd round, 36th overall, Chicago Blackhawks (Team USA, 2009-10)
Brandon Saad (F), 2nd round, 43rd overall, Chicago Blackhawks (Team USA, 2009-10)
Matthew Nieto (F), 2nd round, 47th overall, San Jose Sharks (Team USA, 2009-10)
T.J. Tynan (F), 3rd round, 66th overall, Columbus Blue Jackets (Des Moines Buccaneers, 2009-10)
Nicholas Shore (F), 3rd round, 82nd overall, Los Angeles Kings (Team USA, 2009-10)
Michael Mersch (F), 4th round, 110th overall, Los Angeles Kings (Team USA, 2009-10)
Matthew Mahalak (G), 6th round, 163rd overall, Carolina Hurricanes (Youngstown Phantoms, 2009-10)
Chase Balisy (F), 6th round, 170th overall, Nashville Predators (Team USA, 2009-10)
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