Nelson wrote this around lunchtime:
The United States Hockey League’s annual May Entry Draft is less than 30 minutes away. I’m here inside the Black Hawks’ war room at Young Arena and will bring you blow by blow commentary from the opening pick which is owned by the Tri-City Storm.
Waterloo picks ninth.
Here in the room with me are scouts, Greg Naumenko, a former goalie at North Iowa for head coach P.K. O’Handley. Naumenko is Waterloo’s head scout in the Chicago area.
Mas Fukushima, assistant coach Shane Fukushima father, who leads scouting in Minnesota, and Randy Montrose, who scours the Michigan area for the Black Hawks.
Assistant coaches Derrick Johnson, Fukushima and Jason Dobes are also on hand, as is current player Scott Pavelski who is head to New Hampshire this fall.
Shane Fukushima predicts Tri-City will take goalie Willie Yanakeff from Michigan. He plays for the U.S. National Development program.
Two minutes until go time, the mood is getting more serious in here. Fukushima is checking emails on his IPod. Try-City’s pick is now a minute away.
Draft is being delayed as Cedar Rapids is having trouble with its internet. According to the Black Hawks, this has been an annual problem.
To relieve stress, PK is practicing his golf swing in the hall way.
TC finally is on the clock and waste no time taking 6-foot-6 forward Justin DeMartino from Little Ceasers AAA in Michigan. Black Hawks coaches said he will step in and be a major player right away.
DM takes a defenseman, before Sioux City grabs Yanakeff. Five more picks before Waterloo selects.
The Black Hawks have made a trade with Sioux Falls. Waterloo gets Stampede defenseman Blake Thompson of Eden Prairie, Minn., and forward Ryan Kesti of Red Wing, Minn., for its second round pick. It would’ve been the second pick in the second round, which the Black Hawks acquired in the Mike Fink for Nick Pryor trade.
Two picks and until Waterloo is on the clock,.
Black Hawks get the guy they would hope would fall to the United States National Development Team player Tyler Amburgey of Rowlett, Texas, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound defenseman.
Amburgey has played two seasons in Ann Arbor, playing 53 games. He has 2 goals and eigth assists with 110 penalty minutes. Black Hawk coaches describe him as a physical defenseman.
First round is now over, Waterloo doesn’t have another pick the third round when it has two picks.
Waterloo’s two 3rd-round picks are coming up in three picks they will pick 9th and 10th.
The Black Hawks take goalie Alex Vazzano of Bridgeport, CT. He plays for Gunnery Prep in Conneticut. He is 6-foot-t, 175. Waterloo’s coaches and scouts are celebrating. He’s either a steal or probably just the guy they really wanted.
Next pick is forward Zack Phillips of Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada. He plays for Lawrence Academy.
Black Hawks have first pick of fourth round and will take Jamie Hill of Glassboro, N.J., a 5-foot-9, 162-pound forward who plays for Team Comcast AAA in New Jersey. Hill had 1 goal and seven assists in six games at USA Hockey 16-under national tournament in Chesterfield, Mo., last month.
Comcast lost to Team Compuware in the championship game. Waterloo has two more picks left in the fourth round.
Hill is a New Hampshire recruit. Vazzano is a Union College recruit.
With the fourth pick of the fourth round, Waterloo took Alex Guptill of Newmarket, Ont, a forward, who is comitted to Michigan. The Black Hawks have one more pick left in the fourth round.
The Black Hawks took Nick Sorkin a forward from Team Maryland with its third pick in the fourth round. He is from Rockville, Md. Waterloo is now done picking in what is called phase two of the draft.
Once everybody else reaches 23 players (drafted and protected) the draft resumes until each team reaches 30 players.
I’m out. I’ll come back later with commentary on the final seven picks. Ohhh and the Black Hawks have traded defenseman Mike Montrose to the Tri-City Storm.
Here is Waterloo’s 23-man roster prior to phase three of the draft.
Forwards
1. Derek Arnold
2. Tyler Barnes
3. J.T. Brown
4. Matt Johnson
5. Brock Montpetit
6. Eddie Olczyk
Defense
8. Dan Sova
9. Zach Palmquist
Goalie
10. Parker Milner
Affliates added to initial protected list
Forwards
11. Chris McCarthy, USNTDP. F
12. Kevin Bechard, Motor City (NAHL). F
13. Soren Jonzzon, St. Louis Bandits (NAHL), F
14. Tyler Zepeda, Hill-Murray Academy, F
15. Peter De Angelo, Boston Advantage, F
16. Ryan Kesti, Sioux Falls Stampede
Defense
17. Steven Hoshaw
18. Blake Thompson, Sioux Falls Stampede
Draft picks
1-9 – D, Tyler Amburgey, USNTDP, Rowlett, Texas
3-9 – G, Alex Vazzano, The Gunnery Prep, Bridgeport, CT
3-10 – F, Zack Phillips,Lawrence Academy, Fredericton,
New Brunswick
4-1 – F, Jamie Hill, Team Comcast AAA, Glassboro, N.J.
4-4 – F, Alex Guptill, Brampton Capitals, Newmarket, Ont.
4-9 – F, Nick Sorkin, Team Maryland, Rockville, Md.
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