Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Ice: Draft release

The official team release from the Indiana Ice regarding the 2013 USHL Draft.


TEAM PICKS 18 FORWARDS, FIVE DEFENSEMEN AND FIVE GOALTENDERS IN DRAFT


INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Ice capitalized on five first-round draft picks and six of the first 20 selections to reload the squad for the 2013-2014 season and beyond.  Indy had 28 total picks in the seven-hour event, acquiring 18 forwards, five defensemen and five goaltenders.
 
The Ice selected forward Aiden Muir from the Victory Honda (MI) program with the first overall pick.  Muir recorded 40 points (17G, 23A) in 37 games with Victory Honda while earning a scholarship to Western Michigan University.  He is also listed as the 108th ranked skater on the Final Scouting Rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft on June 30.
 
Back-to-back picks with the sixth and seventh selections saw Indy pick up Brian Pinho (St. John’s Prep-MA) and Scott Conway (Texas-NAHL) to further boost the Ice offense.  Pinho immediately follows Muir on the Central Scouting list at the 109th spot while Conway was the top-scoring 1995 forward for the Tornado with 54 points (18G, 36A).
 
Indy rounded out their first group of picks with Brett Beauvais (Kalamazoo-NAHL), a 6-0 defenseman from Summerside, P.E.I. and Jason Pawloski (Austin-NAHL), a 6-0 goaltender from Omaha, NE.  Beauvais finished the season tied for fourth among NAHL blueliners in assists (27) while Pawloski recorded 17 wins and two shutouts in 24 contests.  The Ice also had some local flavor as the Ice selected captain Joe Chitwood from the Indiana Jr. Ice U18 program.
 
“I thought the draft went extremely well for the Indiana Ice,” said head coach and general manager Jeff Brown.  “We’re excited about the players we were able to acquire and we can’t wait for camp and the next hockey season.  It’s going to be a very competitive.  The talent level is extremely good and we hope to turn things around next season.”
 
2013 USHL ENTRY DRAFT SELECTIONS
Aiden Muir-F, Victory Honda U18
Brian Pinho-F, St. John’s Prep (MA)
Scott Conway-F, Texas (NAHL)
Brett Beauvais-D, Kalamazoo (NAHL)
Jason Pawloski-G, Austin (NAHL)
Tyler Andrew-F, Topeka (NAHL)
Jacob Pritchard-F, Victory Honda U18
Timothy Shoup-D, Pittsburgh Penguins U18
Samu Perhonen-G, Akatemia (Finland)
Karl El-Mir-F, Selects Academy U16
Nick Kunin-F, St. Louis Blues U18
Roy Radke-F, Culver U16
Michael Ederer-F, Nichols School (NY)
Christopher Forney-D, Thief River Falls (MN)
Nathan Churchill-G, Omaha AAA U16
Alex Alger-F, Cranbrook (MI)
Nick Azar-D, Belle Tire U16
Vaughan Ahrens-G, Wayzata (MN)
Ryan Collins-C, Ottawa (CCHL)
Michael Turner-F, Cushing (MA)
Tyler Boston-C, York Simcoe Express
Tyler Augustinsen-F, Selects Academy U16
Joe Chitwood-F, Indiana Jr. Ice U18
Andrew Debrincat-D, Cumberland (CCHL)
Mitch Slattery-F, Hill Murray (MN)
Drew Best-F, South Surrey (BCHL)
Nick Vilardo-G, WBS Knights
Logan Brown-F, St. Louis Blues 98’s
 
The Indiana Ice is now taking deposits for 2013-2014 season ticket packages.  Call the Ice office at 317-925-4423 or visit www.indianaice.com.
 
The Indiana Ice is a member of the United States Hockey League, America’s only Tier One League.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Welcome to Hoosier Puck Report

Welcome to the Hoosier Puck Report. This blog will try to cover all things hockey in Indiana, from the state's professional teams (the ECHL Evansville IceMen & Fort Wayne Komets) to the USHL Indiana Ice, to the NCAA Notre Dame Fighting Irish, as well as the state's college club programs, midget hockey, high school hockey and players with Hoosier ties in the NHL.

If you have info to share, please do so, via the comments at the moment. Later,

There will be a significant history component, and if all goes well, a weekly podcast to go along with the blog. This is an expansion of the Indianapolis Hockey blog that I had done -- but had to shelve for the last season and a half due to personal issues. We'll also try to interview key people with regards to hockey in the Hoosier state at all levels and post them both on the podcast and here.

Sit back & enjoy the game we love, hockey!

You can follow us on Twitter at @HoosierPuck.

You can also subscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of the main page.

Ice: USHL Entry Draft

The Indiana Ice continued to stock their team with the USHL Entry Draft (or, what is now known as the Phase II draft). These players are of any birth year, while the Futures Draft is primarily '97 birth year players. The Ice did draft multiple '97s in this year's Phase II draft, but also a '98 and a handful of 198 and 19-year-olds who should be ready to jump in.

The Ice had five first-round picks, including the No. 1 overall pick. They also had the top pick of the second round, giving them six of the first 16 selections to re-stock the roster. Several of the top picks are from the North American Hockey League, so they already have junior experience. One is an NHL draftee, and a handful of others are ranked in the NHL CSB rankings.

The full list below the jump.

Ice: USHL Futures Draft selections

The Indiana Ice began steps toward their 10th season in the USHL this week with the two USHL drafts.
The first day is the so-called Phase I draft (formerly known as the Futures Draft), in which teams select underage players who are longer-term projects. Some are immediate prospects, too.
On Tuesday, the Phase II draft (the Entry Draft) takes place. The Ice have four first-round picks in the Entry Draft. (note that all ht/wt/DOB data is from eliteprospects.com)

Here is the official team release

Quoting Ice coach Jeff Brown: “Our organization is ecstatic about the talent level of our selections tonight,” said head coach Jeff Brown.  “So many different things fell into place for us in this draft.  All these selection will be future stars on the Indiana Ice roster. 

The full list below the jump.