NHL Draft
2012 USHL Fall Classic
One of the most heavily scouted junior events in North America takes place this week in Sioux City, Iowa. HockeyProspect.com will be there to take in the action.
The United States Hockey League’s Fall Classic, which runs from September 19th to 22nd, attracts several NHL & NCAA scouts to the four-day showcase.
The event features all of the league’s 16 teams and each of them will play in three exhibition games.
The USHL made history in 2012 as a record six players were chosen in the 1st round of the NHL Draft, including defenceman Jacob Trouba (9th, Winnipeg) & Zemgus Girgensons (14th, Buffalo). In total, 28 USHL players were drafted in 2012.
Here is a look at eight players that scouts will be watching as potential early picks for the 2013 draft. All of them will be participating in the ‘All-American Prospects Game’ later this month.
J.T. Compher – Centre, U.S. National Team Development Program
2011/12 – 32 GP, 13-14-27 Pts, +11
Compher is an outstanding skater that is smart with the puck and extremely dangerous in the offensive zone. He is rated as an ‘A-List’ player by NHL Central Scouting and is expected to be one of the first Americans chosen in the 2013 draft.
Compher led his team in scoring at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge earlier this year. His 4 goals & 7 assists in 6 games helped the U.S. to a silver medal. He followed that up by capturing a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship in April. In 6 games with Team USA, he recorded 2 goals, 3 assists and was a plus 7.
Steve Santini – Defenceman, USNTDP
2011/12 – 36 GP, 1-4-5 Pts, 41 PIM
At 6-foot-2, 205 lbs, Santini is a very good two-way defenceman that uses his size and strength to punish opponents with big checks. Despite his big frame, he is an excellent skater and has shown the ability to rush the puck effectively.
Earlier this year, he helped the U.S. team to a silver medal at the 2012 World Under-17 Challenge. He recorded 1 goal, 1 assist & 18 penalty minutes in 6 games.
Santini passed on playing in the OHL in favour of the U.S. National Team Development Program. He is committed to Boston College in 2013.
Hudson Fasching – Forward, USNTDP
2011/12 – 37 GP, 7-14-21 Pts, 38 PIM
Fasching started his high school career with two seasons as a member of Apple Valley High in Minnesota, where he scored 38 goals & 50 assists in 52 games.
The 6-foot-3 forward spent last season with the U.S. National Team Development Program and showed that he isn’t afraid to drive to the net and go into the corners.
He has the potential to be a great power forward and is expected to be a 1st or 2nd round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.
He is committed to the University of Minnesota in 2013. His CHL rights are owned by the Kelowna Rockets.
Michael Downing – Defenceman, Dubuque Fighting Saints
2011/12 – 54 GP, 4-10-14 Pts, 68 PIM
Downing was drafted 3rd overall by the Fighting Saints in the 2011 USHL Futures Draft. He entered his rookie season with the Fighting Saints as a 16-year-old and was the youngest player on the team by almost a year.
Downing won a silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge this past season, recording 1 assist in 5 games. Last month, he represented the USA at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament, playing in 4 games and registering 1 assist.
Luke Johnson – Centre, Lincoln Stars
2011/12 – 55 GP, 20-35-55 Pts, 52 PIM, +22
Before joining the Lincoln Stars last season, Johnson played hockey at Grand Forks Central High School in North Dakota. In two seasons, he scored 34 goals & 54 assists in 52 games.
Johnson was drafted 11th overall in the 2010 USHL Futures Draft. He averaged a point per game during the 2011/12 regular season and was tied for second in team scoring. NHL Central Scouting has listed him as a potential 1st round pick in next year’s draft.
Ian McCoshen – Defenceman, Waterloo Black Hawks
2011/12 – 55 GP, 8-12-20 Pts, 43 PIM
McCoshen is entering his third season with the Black Hawks. He is one of eight defencemen on Central Scouting’s ‘A-List’ of 36 players.
He contributed 4 goals & 3 assists in 15 games during Waterloo’s run to the USHL final. Most recently, McCoshen helped the Black Hawks to a silver medal at the 2012 Junior Club World Cup last month. He recorded 1 goal & 2 assists in 6 games.
Taylor Cammarata – Forward, Waterloo Black Hawks
2011/12 – 60 GP, 27-42-67 Pts, 6 PIM
Cammarata led the Black Hawks in scoring last season, recording 25 more points then the next highest player on the team. His 69 points were the most by a 16-year-old in the USHL Tier 1 era.
In the playoffs, he finished second in league scoring with 8 goals & 8 assists in 15 games, helping Waterloo to within one game of winning the Clark Cup.
He was named the USHL Rookie of the Year, joining Joe Pavelski as the only other Black Hawks player to earn the award.
Ross Olsson – Right Wing, Lincoln Stars
2011/12 – 24 GP, 4-12-16 Pts (Williston Northampton School)
2010/11 – 18-25-43 Pts (Billerica Memorial High School)
After spending the first part of his high school career with Billerica Memorial, Olsson played for Williston Northampton last season, a member of the competitive Division 1 New England Prep Ice hockey Association.
The 6-foot-4 power forward was drafted by the Lincoln Stars in the 5th round, 73rd overall, in the 2012 USHL draft.
Olsson is the only high school athlete from last season that is among the ‘A-List’ players in the NHL Central Scouting’s initial rankings for the 2013 draft.
He is committed to Northeastern University next year.
USHL Fall Classic Schedule
Wednesday, September 19
1:00 PM – Des Moines Buccaneers vs. Cedar Rapids Roughriders
2:00 PM – Chicago Steel vs. Omaha Lancers
4:00 PM – Tri-City Storm vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
6:00 PM – Fargo Force vs. Lincoln Stars
7:00 PM – Sioux City Musketeers vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
Thursday, September 20
10:00 AM – Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
10:00 AM – Indiana Ice vs. Tri-City Storm
1:00 PM – Fargo Force vs. Chicago Steel
2:00 PM – Youngstown Phantoms vs. Des Moines Buccaneers
4:00 PM – Cedar Rapids Roughriders vs. Lincoln Stars
6:00 PM – Omaha Lancers vs. Green Bay Gamblers
7:00 PM – Dubuque Fighting Saints vs. Team USA
Friday, September 21
10:00 AM – Des Moines Buccaneers vs. Indiana Ice
9:30 AM – Chicago Steel vs. Waterloo Black Hawks
1:00 PM – Fargo Force vs. Green Bay Gamblers
2:00 PM – Tri-City Storm vs. Cedar Rapids Roughriders
4:00 PM – Muskegon Lumberjacks vs. Sioux Falls Stampede
6:00 PM – Youngstown Phantoms vs. Dubuque Fighting Saints
7:00 PM – Sioux City Musketeers vs. Team USA
Saturday, September 22
10:00 AM – Green Bay Gamblers vs. Youngstown Phantoms
11:00 AM – Sioux Falls Stampede vs. Team USA
1:00 PM – Lincoln Stars vs. Muskegon Lumberjacks
4:00 PM – Waterloo Black Hawks vs. Indiana Ice
7:00 PM – Sioux City Musketeers vs. Omaha Lancers