MUSKEGON, MI — Wednesday afternoon marked the start of the USHL Phase II Draft. Last night during the Phase I draft only players born in 2007 were eligible to be selected, while Phase II will see players born between 2003-2007 be taken. The Lumberjacks selected 10 players on Tuesday night and had a total of 15 picks in Phase II on Wednesday.
Round 1, Pick 4 - Luke Szyszka
With the fourth overall pick in the Phase II draft the Lumberjacks selected goaltender Luke Szyska. A 2004 birth year from Westmont, Illinois Szyska played last season in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs where he held a .907 save percentage and 2.80 goals against average in 21 games played. A goalie with USHL experience his size at 6'2 is pared with terrific mobility and excellent vision. Szyska is committed to the University of Maine for his college hockey career.
Round 3, Pick 44 - Jimmy Dodig
The Lumberjacks selected Jimmy Dodig in the third round at 44th overall. Out of Minneapolis, Minnesota Dodig is a lengthy defenseman standing 6'5 with the ability to affect the game at all three stages through strong puck movement and positioning. The 2006 birth year played Minnesota High School Hockey Cretin-Derham Hall where he had 16 points in 29 games.
Round 5, Pick 66 - Thomas Belzil
Returning to the hometown of Current Lumberjack Sacha Boisvert the Lumberjacks used the 66th pick to select Thomas Belzil from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. This past season at the Bishops College School Belzil had 134 points in 93 games. A player with a competitive edge Belzil can shoot the puck like none other shown by his 53 goals this season.
Round 7, Pick 102 - Matthew Van Blaricom
With the 102 pick in the Phase II Draft the Lumberjacks Selected Matthew Van Blaricom, a 2006 birth year from Southey, Saskatoon. During this past season Van Blaricom showed a high level of compete in the offensive zone by driving to the front of the net, and playing heavy on his stick. Paired with a strong goal scoring ability he recorded a 13-12-25 stat line in 34 games with the Humboldt Broncos of the SJHL.
Round 8, Pick 112 - Mikhail Katin
With the 112th pick the Lumberjacks added more size to the blue line with a big bodied defenseman from Moskva, Russia Mikhail Katin. With elite skating and puck moving skills Katin will be high on NHL draft boards in two seasons.
Round 9, Pick 127 - Stephen Peck
Muskegon added a goalie with the 127th pick of the Draft by selecting Stephen Peck from New York, NY. Peck spent this season at Avon Old Farms playing Jacks affiliate player Joe Connor and some time with the Yale Jr. Bulldogs U18 AAA team. He's got tremendous athleticism, and has a great ability to come up with game saving saves. Peck was ranked 7th among North American goalies in the NHL Central Scouting List.
Round 11, Pick 157 - Graham Greeder
In the eleventh round the Lumberjacks selected Graham Greeder from the Hill Murray School. The Columbus, Minnesota native patrolled the blue line for 30 Minnesota High School hockey games collecting 16 points along the way. Greeder played 14 games with the Blue Army U16 AAA team this year as well.
Round 12, Pick 172 - Arseni Vorobyov
The Lumberjacks went back to Russia with the 172nd pick by selecting Arseni Vorobyov. The 2006 birth year represented his country at the U17 level recording 6 points in 6 games with the Russian national team. With the CSKA Moskva U17 team Vorobyov had 23 points in 14 games.
Round 13, Pick 187 - Cameron Cooke
With the 187th pick the Lumberjacks selected Cameron Cooke from the Boston Jr. Bruins 16U AAA team. A native Pelham, New Hampshire Cooke is a great skater that uses his mobility to create space around high scoring areas benefiting his rapid shot.
Round 14, Pick 202 - Carter Cunningham
With the 202nd pick the Lumberjacks selected a big bodied forward in Carter Cunningham a 2006 forward from Lethebridge, Alberta. A member of the Lethbridge Hurricanes U18 AAA team Cunningham was over a point per game with 41 in 38 games. A bit of physicality is mixed in with the goal scoring ability making Cunningham an effective player in open ice and on the wall.
Round 15, Pick 217 - Olle Karlsson
With the 217th pick Muskegon selected Swedish born defenseman Olle Karlsson. A right handed shot Karlsson thrives in his defensive zone with a quick stick when pressuring puck carriers. Karlsson was the captain on his Örebro U18 team which won the J18 national Championship.
Round 16, Pick 232 - Logan Heroux
The Lumberjacks used the 232nd pick to select New Jersey native Logan Heroux. This past year Heroux played in the NAHL where he recorded 40 points in 55 games as a part of the Shreveport defense. At 6'1 Heroux is a big strong defenseman that can handle the puck at all 200 feet of the ice.
Round 17, Pick 247 - Ryan Comishock
The Lumberjacks doubled up on NAHL players with the 247th pick by selecting Lone Star Brahma Ryan Comishock. The former Shattuck St. Mary player had 33 points on 16 goals and 17 assists in 57 games played this season.
Round 18, Pick 262 - Nils Roberts Maurins
The Lumberjacks went back to Europe to add another netminder, selecting Nils Roberts Maurins a 2006 birth year from Riga, Latvia. Roberts Maurins represented his nation as a member of the Latvian national U17 and U18 teams. He also played with Södertälje SK U18 this past season.
Round 19, Pick 277 - Miles Gust
The Lumberjacks selected Miles Gust with the 277th pick. A 2004 birth year from Chicago, Illinois Gust spent this past season in Canada playing with the La Ronge Ice Wolves in the SJHL. One of the hardest workers on the ice Gust is a versatile player that can affect a game in multiple ways.
Round 20, Pick 292 - Max Matthews
The Lumberjacks rounded out their defense with the addition of Max Matthews in the 20th round. Through parts of two seasons in the NAHL Matthews played in El Paso and Dabury where he provided a steady presence on the back end. The 2004 birth year hails from Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Round 21, Pick 307 - Eric Whitelaw
Eric Whitelaw became a Muskegon Lumberjack as the team's 21st round selection. A North Easton, Massachusetts native Whitelaw played in Corpus Christi for the Ice Rays in the NAHL for a few games this season, but spent most of his time playing with the Bishop Kearney Selects 16U AAA.
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About the Muskegon Lumberjacks
The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud and dedicated members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The club's goal is to create an environment where student-athletes develop into successful young men both on and off the ice, which includes playing the game the right way while keeping up with their studies in the classroom and staying actively involved in the West Michigan community. The organization is committed to providing quality, affordable, and top-notch family entertainment while providing positive role models for the youth and the local community.
