Team USA players popular with NHL draft selectors

June 27, 2010 at 12:08a.m.

By tom Williams

YOUNGSTOWN

The addition of the USA Hockey’s National Development Program has bolstered the USHL in the eyes of National Hockey League personnel directors.

Of the 20 USHL players who were selected in this weekend’s NHL Draft, 10 were members of the Team USA 18-under squad. Three were selected in the first round.

With the 11th overall pick, the Dallas Stars took Team USA goaltender Jack Campbell who posted a 6-3-1 record in USHL games with a goals-against average of 2.21. Campbell’s other games were in international tournaments.

Three picks later, the St. Louis Blues selected Tri-City Storm center Jaden Schwartz, the USHL’s leading scorer during the 2009-10 season (33 goals, 50 assists, 83 points). Schwartz was voted the USHL’s Player of the Year.

“I expected him to be a first-round pick based on his performance against us, especially late in the season,” Youngstown Phantoms coach Curtis Carr said. “He was the best player we saw all year. We were fortunate to have him play twice in our building.”

Right after Schwartz was picked, the Los Angeles Kings took Team USA defender Derek Forbert. With the 22nd selection, the Montreal Canadiens selected Team USA defenseman Jarred Tinordi.

“All four of those played at the Covelli Centre,” Carr said.

Like Team USA, the Phantoms were a USHL expansion team this season. In 2008-09, Team USA’s league affiliation was to the North American Hockey League. Phantoms owner Bruce Zoldan’s former team, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms, also was in the NAHL before disbanding. This year, no NAHL player was drafted.

As the draft progressed, Carr said he received calls from NHL scouts about three Phantoms. None were drafted.

“We expect that some of our players will receive invitations to [NHL] training camps,” Carr said.

In Saturday’s second round, five USHL players were taken (four from Team USA, one from Des Moines). The Nationals were defensemen Justin Faulk, Jonathon Merrill and Stephen Johns, and left winger Jason Zucker. The Buccaneer was center Connor Brickley.

Des Moines, the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders and the Indiana Ice each had two players taken. In addition to Tri-City, franchises with one were the Sioux City Musketeers, Chicago Steel and Green Bay Gamblers.

Boardman native Michael Houser, a 17-year-old goaltender with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, was not selected. Houser’s father, Dr. William Houser, is an allergist in Boardman.

Houser, who attended Boardman’s St. Charles School before moving to Wexford, Pa., remains eligible for next year’s draft. Before the draft, Houser was ranked as the 11th top North American goalie prospect by Central Scouting Rankings.