NCDC teams select 20 from Midwest at Inaugural Draft

The 11 teams of the United States Premier Hockey League’s National Collegiate Development Conference held an entry draft May 17 to set the core of their respective teams from the upcoming season.

The teams combined to draft 20 players from the American Midwest Region, two of the teams combining to scoop up 11 players.

The Syracuse Stars had a definite eye to the Midwest, naming six to its roster, including the only first round selection from the Midwest, Anthony Tzveyn, 20, from Skokie, IL. Tzveyn, played for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL last season, collecting 18 points (9g, 9a) in 47 games. After moving from the Northeast Generals where he played the first seven games and scored three goals.

Also stocking up on Midwest talent was the New Jersey Hitmen with five selections. The Northern Cyclones and South Shore Kings selected two players apiece while the Connecticut Jr. Rangers, New Jersey Rockets, P.A.L. Junior Islanders, Boston Bandits and Rochester Monarchs picked one each. The Islanders and Jr. Bruins drafted no players from the Midwest.

Here is a quick look at the talent that will be competing for positions on the first NCDC teams this fall.

Syracuse Stars

After taking Tzveyn with its first pick, the Stars added another from the Midwest in Donald Borgula with its fourth selection. A 17-year-old native of Canton, MI, Borgula played for the Compuware U-16 team this past season collecting six points (2g, 4a) in just 11 games played.

With its sixth selection, the Stars picked up Justin Kelley, 18, from Maple Grove, MN. Last season Justin Kelly played for the Maple Grove High School varsity team where he collected 48 points (23g, 25a) in 24 regular season games and then added another two assists in three playoff encounters.

Next Midwest pick came in the eighth round when the Stars picked up a teammate of Borgula’s on the Compuware U-16’s, Reggie Millette, also from Canton, MI. In later rounds, the team added Shayne Monahan, a Defenseman from Lakeville, MN who played with Tzveyn on the Kenai River Brown Bears. The 20-year-old Lakeville, MN native collected nine points (3g, 6a) in 52 games with the Brown Bears and Timothy Kennedy, an 18-year-old forward from Armada, MI who picked up 10 points (1g, 9a) in 13 games with the Little Caesar’s 18U team this past season.

Jersey Hitmen

The Hitmen used its second-round selection to draft Trevor Miklya, 18, from Eagan, MN. In his senior year at Eagan High, the defenseman collected 13 points (8g, 5a) in 25 games and he also appeared in another 21 games with the Minnesota Blades 18U team, adding another 15 points (4g, 11a).

In the following round, the Hitmen added Ben Dirks, 18 from Fargo, ND. In 32 games with the Iowa Wild 18U squad, Dirks collected 20 points (10g, 10a).

Mac Welsher, an 18-year-old forward from Grosse Pointe Farms, MI came to the Hitmen with its seventh selection. Welsher played for the Oakland Junior Grizzlies 18U team, collecting 39 points (11g, 28a) in 31 games and he also added one more game with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League.

Ryan Burnett, a 19-year-old forward from Brighton, MI and Ryan McInchak, a 17-year-old goaltender from Trenton, MI were selected as well by the Hitmen.

Burnett, played 56 regular season games with the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the NAHL, picking up 45 points (23g, 22a). McInchak played 22 games in foal for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 18U team posting 2.30 Goals Against Average and a .908 Save Percentage.

Northern Cyclones

The Cyclones picked up a pair of Midwest players in the later rounds – Jordan Steinmetz, an 18-year-old forward from Chippewa Falls, WI and Parker Schultz, a 17-year-old defenseman from Plainville, IL.

Steinmetz led the Chippewa Falls Cardinal High School hockey team with 46 points (26g, 20a) and played another 21 games with Team Wisconsin where he collected 14 points (7g, 7a) in 21 games.

Schultz had no stats available with Albany Academy for this past season. Last year, the defenseman picked up seven points (1g, 6a) in 34 games.

P.A.L. Junior Islanders

The Jr. Isles selected Brendan Prappas, a 19-year-old forward from Huntington Woods, MI with its second pick. Prappas played on the Honeybaked 18U team this past season collecting 12 points (4g, 8a) in 22 games and then played three games with the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the North American Hockey League.

South Shore Kings

The Kings selected J.P. Lafferty, an 18-year-old forward from Detroit, MI with its fourth selection. In 32 games with Victory Honda 18U, Lafferty collected 12 points (5g, 7a) and he also played two games with the Minot Minotauros of the North American Hockey League.

A teammate of Lafferty on Victory Honda, Nick Blankenburg, 19, from Washington, MI was selected later by the Kings. Blankenburg collected 28 points (10g, 18a) in 32 games with Victory Honda.

Boston Bandits

The Bandits selected Griffin Neault, an 18-year-old defenseman from Kildeer, IL. Neault played 22 games and picked up 11 points (4g, 11a) for the Chicago Mission 18U team this past season.

Connecticut Jr. Rangers

The Rangers used its seventh pick to select Max Cavallini, a 20-year-old forward from Barrington, IL. Last season, Cavallini split time between the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he collected three assists in 15 games and the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League where he played 22 games and picked up 12 points (5g, 7a).

New Jersey Rockets

The Rockets selected Dallas Maurovic, an 18-year-old forward from Detroit, MI with its fifth selection. Maurovic played 47 games with the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, picking up 30 points (12g, 18a).

Rochester Monarchs

The Monarchs picked up Trent Grimshaw, an 18-year-old forward from Saline, MI. Grimshaw played 27 games this past season with the Victory Honda U18 team, collecting 14 points (4g, 10a).

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