Force selects Kessel 11th Overall in Phase II Draft

FARGO, ND (Courtesy Fargo Force)  – The Fargo Force selected defenseman Matt Kessel in the first round with the eleventh overall pick in Phase 2 of the 2017 USHL Draft conducted on Tuesday, May 2.

The coaching staff selected 20 total players, drafting 14 forwards, five defensemen and one goaltender. All players will compete for a 2017-18 roster spot at Fargo’s main tryout camp this June in Fargo.

Matt Kessel, a 16 year old out of Bloomfield Hills, MI, suited up for Detroit Compuware U16 in the HPHL (High Performance Hockey League) during the 2016-17 season. He played in 70 total games scoring 18 goals and adding 28 assists for 46 total points. He ended the season with a plus/minus rating of +69 and had 108 penalty minutes. The defenseman is committed to Miami University (Ohio) following his junior hockey career.

“Today’s Phase 2 of the USHL Draft is extremely important in building the Force for the 17-18 season,” said head coach Cary Eades. “Good defenseman are hard to find, so that was a focal point of our scouting staff – especially early on in the draft. We then filled in other needs with some versatile forwards – some with a high skill level  and others with a more physical / aggressive style. We can’t wait to get these guys on the ice at our main tryout camp in June. Look for a bunch of these guys to wear the black and blue next season, while others can be placed on our affiliate list where they can develop elsewhere next season for future Force teams.”

For Phase 2, USHL teams selected players from multiple birth years (1997-2001) looking to fill their protected lists with players who will compete for roster spots for the 2017-18 season.  Phase 2 continued until all USHL teams had secured 45 players on their Initial Protected List.  That list includes affiliate players from the 2016-17 season, players selected in Phase 1, and players signed to a tender.

The Fargo Force selected the following players (in order of when selected):

Round 1 (11 overall pick)
Matt Kessel; Defenseman; Bloomfield Hills, MI (Detroit Compuware 16U HPHL)
*Committed to Miami University (Ohio)
Round 2 (27 overall pick)
Cameron Ginnetti; Defenseman; Vancouver, BC, CAN (Langley Rivermen BCHL)
*Committed to Clarkson University
Round 4 (52 overall pick- from Omaha)
Joey Strada; Forward; Scottsdale, AZ (Aberdeen Wings (NAHL))
*Committed to Arizona State University
Round 4 (53 overall pick)
Colton Kalezic; Forward; Toronto ONT, CAN (Toronto Lakeshore Patriots OJHL)
Round 6 (83 overall pick-from Cedar Rapids)
Grant Cruikshank; Forward; Delafield, WI (Penticton Vees BCHL)
*Committed to University of Wisconsin
Round 6 (87 overall pick- from Madison)
Nicholas Cardelli; Forward; Wood Dale, IL (Brookings Blizzard NAHL)
Round 6 (93 overall pick)
Logan Jenuwine; Forward; Romeo, MI (Aberdeen Wings NAHL)
*Committed to Western Michigan University
Round 7 (110 overall pick)
William Fallstrom; Forward; Stockholm, SWE (Djurgarden IF Jr.)
*Committed to University of Minnesota
Round 7 (114 overall pick-from Waterloo)
Dorian Dawson; Defenseman;  Barrie, ON, CAN (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton NAHL)
*Committed to Brown University
Round 8 (124 overall pick-from Omaha)
A.J. Drobot; Forward; Churchville, PA (Austin Bruins NAHL)
*Committed to University of Maine
Round 9 (142 overall pick)
Spencer Meier; Defenseman; Sartell, MN; (Sartell/St. Stephen HS MN-HS)
Round 10 (158 overall pick)
Jake Schmidt-Svejstrup; Forward; Charlottenlund, DEN (Coulee Region Chill NAHL)
*Committed to University of Maine
Round 11 (174 overall pick)
Grant Hebert; Forward; St. Andrews West, ON, CAN (Cumberland Grads CCHL)
*Committed to Robert Morris University
Round 11 (177 overall pick – from Chicago)
Blaine Warnert; Forward; Chaska, MN (Chaska HS MN-HS)
Round 12 (190 overall pick)
Grant Johnson; Forward; Grand Forks, ND (Grand Forks Central HS ND-HS)
Round 13 (206 overall pick)
Robert Blueger; Forward; Riga, LAT (Fairbanks Ice Dogs NAHL)
*Committed to Lake Superior State University
Round 14 (222 overall pick)
Griffin Loughran; Forward;  Orchard Park, NY (Corpus Christi Ice Rays NAHL)
Round 15 (238 overall pick)
John Schuldt; Defenseman; Minnetonka, MN (Langley Rivermen BCHL)
Round 16 (254 overall pick)
Mason Primeau; Forward; Etobicoke, ON, CAN (Toronto Nationals Minor Mdgt AAA)
Round 17 (270 overall pick)
Adam Scheel; Goaltender; Lakewood, OH (USA U18 (USHL)
*Committed to University of North Dakota
Being drafted doesn’t guarantee a spot on the team as all players selected will be invited to the Fargo Force Main tryout camp June 4-7, 2017 in Fargo to compete for a spot on the 23-man roster for the 2017-18 season.