Hawks take Huff 15th overall in Phase II Draft
Waterloo, Iowa (Courtesy Waterloo Black Hawks) –The 2017 United States Hockey League Draft was completed on Tuesday; the Waterloo Black Hawks chose 21 players during Phase II who could complete to play for the team in the fall.
The Hawks’ first round selection was Sam Huff, chosen with the 15th overall pick. The senior forward led Maple Grove High School with 69 points in 28 games. The Crimson qualified for the Minnesota AA State Tournament. Huff is committed to the University of Minnesota and is ranked as the 131st North American prospect eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft.
The Black Hawks complete selections Tuesday were:
| Rd./Ov. Pick | Player | Pos. | Prior Team |
| 1/15 | Sam Huff | F | Maple Grove HS (MN) |
| 2/23 | Jack Jacome | F | Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) |
| 2/31 | Matej Tomek | G | North Dakota Fighting Hawks (NCAA) |
| 3/43 | Ian Malcolmson | F | Waukesha HS (WI) |
| 4/63 | Joey Cassetti | F | USA NTDP |
| 5/79 | Jared Moe | G | Holy Family Catholic HS (MI) |
| 9/146 | Ian Schumacher | D | Shattuck-St. Mary’s U16 |
| 10/156 | Gabriel Blanchard | D | Buffalo Regals U16 |
| 10/162 | Griffin Ness | F | Wayzata HS (MN) |
| 11/178 | Perry Winfree | D | Oakland Jr. Grizzlies |
| 12/194 | Kyle Koopman | D | Berkshire Prep |
| 13/210 | Aaron White | F | Oakland Jr. Grizzlies |
| 14/226 | Tyrone Bronte | F | Meijer Midget AAA |
| 15/242 | Reid Leibold | F | Washington Little Capitals U15 |
| 16/258 | Jon Richards | F | Austin Bruins (NAHL) |
| 17/274 | Jax Murray | F | Elk River HS (MN) |
| 18/290 | Nicholas Geroy | F | Roseau HS (MN) |
| 19/306 | James Marooney | D | Holy Family Catholic HS (MN) |
| 20/322 | Ethan Martini | D | Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL) |
| 21/338 | Jake Vaughan | F | Shattuck-St. Mary’s U18 |
| 22/354 | Caydon Meyer | D | East Ridge HS (MN) |
The Hawks selected nine players born in 2001 on Monday evening during Phase I of the draft. In Phase Two, generally older players could be chosen from any birth year between 1997 and 2001. While Phase I selections may not appear immediately in the USHL during the season after they are chosen, Phase II picks are generally skaters who will compete for roster spots immediately.
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jimmerdenhollander@gmail.com
Born and raised in Ontario, Canada and moved to the state of Wisconsin in my late 30's. I worked at various newspapers and magazines in various sports positions for 25 years before changing careers five years ago. Now I am streamlining my focus on hockey only and in particular, all levels of hockey in the American Midwest.