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USHL Players Highlight Roster for All-American Prospects Game
Wednesday August 1, 2012
Luke Johnson, J.T. Compher, and Michael Downing are a trio of USHL players selected to the roster for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. (photos by Kim Fogle, Tom Sorensen, and Jim Naprstek)
32 of 40 selected players have played in the USHL
USA Hockey today announced the roster for the inaugural CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. The game will take place on September 29th at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York – home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Among the 40 players selected to participate in the event, 32 have played in the USHL.
The CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be a showcase event for some of the top American-born players available for the 2013 NHL Draft. Under the NHL structure, players born between January 1st, 1993 and September 15th, 1995 are eligible to be selected in the 2013 NHL Draft.
The Waterloo Black Hawks have four players selected to compete in the game, including forward Taylor Cammarata, the 2011-12 USHL Rookie of the Year, and defenseman Ian McCoshen, who was recently earned “A List” ranking by NHL Central Scouting in their list of first-round prospects for the 2013 NHL Draft. Both Black Hawks goaltenders, Eamon McAdam and Cal Petersen, were also chosen to participate.
A total of 16 players that competed in the USHL with the National Team Development Program’s Under-17 team are on the roster for the game, including top scorer Tyler Kelleher who put up 30 points (17g, 13a) in 36 USHL games along with “A List” forward J.T. Compher. Six players who played in the USHL for Team USA’s Under-18 were also selected for the All-American Prospects Game, including top defensive prospect Seth Jones and forward Ryan Hartman.
Following strong rookie campaigns in the USHL, top prospects Mike Downing (Dubuque Fighting Saints) and Luke Johnson (Lincoln Stars) both earned “A List” rankings from NHL Central Scouting and invitations to the game in Buffalo. The Indiana Ice have connections to a pair of players on the roster – Justin Bailey, who scored a goal in his USHL debut last December, and Adam Erne, a member of the team during the 2010-11 season.
“We’re excited to participate in this new showcase for America’s best young hockey players,” said USHL President and Commissioner Skip Prince. “We’re also honored that more than 80% of these outstanding young prospects have direct ties to the USHL’s 16 Member Clubs, including the NTDP. There is going to be great hockey played this fall in Buffalo.”
Several USHL alumni who will begin their collegiate careers this fall are on the roster, including defenseman Dakota Mermis, a Clark Cup champion with the Green Bay Gamblers, and forward Austin Farley, the leading scorer for the Fargo Force in 2011-12.
In addition to the 32 players with USHL experience, a trio of forwards that will begin their USHL careers this fall are also scheduled to compete in the All-American Prospects Game – Jacob Montgomery (Sioux City Musketeers), Ross Olsson (Lincoln Stars), and Devin Tringale (Tri-City Storm).
CLICK HERE for a full roster for the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrated its 10th season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2011-12. With 28 picks during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and over 280 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools this season, the USHL has emerged as the world’s foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USHL.com or visit the League’s social media platforms, including Facebook (www.facebook.com/ushlhockey), twitter (www.twitter.com/ushl), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/ushlinteractive). Fans can also watch USHL action all season long, live or on-demand via FASTHockey (ushl.fasthockey.com).
It’s not just hockey. It’s the USHL.
