Ward tops Storm’s Phase II Draft list

Kearney, Neb (Courtesy Tri-City Storm) – The Tri-City Storm picked forward Tyler Ward with the seventh overall pick and goaltender Filip Larsson with the eighth overall selection in the 2017 USHL Phase II Draft on Tuesday. Ward is committed to the 2017 NCAA National Champion Denver. Larsson was selected in the 6^th round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. T

Tri-City drafted 11 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies.
Ward, 17, scored 14 goals and 30 points in 34 games with Merritt (BCHL) this season. In the BCHL playoffs, Ward scored nine goals and 16 points in 11 games. Ward stands 5-foot-10, weighs 170 pounds and is a native of Kamloops, British Columbia. In two years with Merritt, he has scored 31 goals and 57 points in 86 games.
Larsson played junior hockey in Sweden for Djurgardens IF 20, pitching a 2.24 goals against average and .925 save percentage in 31 games. The 6-foot-2, 185-lb. backstopper is a native of Stockholm, Sweden. In 2015-16, Larsson and Sweden won a silver medal in the U18 World Junior Championship. Larsson said his favorite player is New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is also from Sweden.

The Storm also drafted Janesville Jets (NAHL) goaltender Jake Barczewski in the 3^rd round, 34^th overall. Barczewski went 27-6-0-1 this season and was 3^rd in the league in goals against average (1.94) and second in save percentage (.929).

The Storm picked four forwards in the first four rounds, including Brown University commit Michael Maloney at no. 18 and Lake Superior State commit Jake Crespi at no. 32. In the fourth round, Tri-City drafted Filip Forsmark from Sweden.
To help the defensive corps, the Storm selected two in a three-pick span. At no. 62, the Storm selected Canadian Daniel Hilsendager and Swedish-born Hugo Blixt.
Tri-City looked for youth in the seventh, eighth and ninth rounds, selecting 17-year-old Ben Almquist and 16-year-olds Grayson Valente and Jami Krannila.