USHL to conduct three drafts

Special to The Vindicator

YOUNGSTOWN

The 2010-11 hockey season has already begun for the United States Hockey League.

Next week the USHL will conduct three player drafts in three days.

First on the league schedule is the expansion draft on Monday, as USHL builds its two newest teams, the Dubuque (Iowa) Fighting Saints and the Muskegon (Mich.) Lumberjacks.

Each of the 13 non-expansion teams, excluding Team USA, will have to submit a protected list of veterans (players who’ve dressed for 10 or more USHL games). Each club will be allowed to lose only one unprotected player.

On Tuesday is the futures draft, six rounds of selections with only players born in 1994 eligible to be taken.

Teams will pick in reverse order in alternating rounds. As determined by a random drawing, the Phantoms will select 12th in the first round.

Finally, the USHL Entry Draft will take place Wednesday, with the Lincoln Stars holding the first pick. Youngstown will pick second.

The pool of eligible players for the Entry Draft consists of players born in 1990 or later.

Every club will pick 23 players (consisting of protected veterans and club-controlled affiliates under the age of 18), which will complete the first stage of the draft. The second stage will then commence, with each team selecting until they have reached 30 players.