Futures Draft Results
Bensenville, IL (May 18th, 2010) -  The 2010 USHL Futures Draft took place today and the Chicago Steel drafted six players; 3 forwards, 2 defensemen and 1 Goaltender.  The USHL Futures Draft consists of six rounds and allows each of the 15 member clubs to draft players who were born in 1994.  These players will then be placed on the affiliate list for the 2010-11 season.  USHL teams retain the rights to players selected in the Futures Draft for three years and can add these players to the active roster at any time during the season. 

Round 1 Pick 13: Goaltender – Zach Thompson (Duluth-Denfeld Minnesota High School)

Zach is an elite 1994 goaltender taken in this year’s Futures Draft, he has all the intangibles such as size, speed, and agility to be a top goaltender in the USHL.   Zach played in 19 regular season games last season for the Duluth-Denfeld Hunters as a Freshman.  He posted a 9-7-2 record, with a 2.29 GAA and a Save% of .921.  Zach also played in 3 playoff games for the Hunters, going 2-1 with a 2.54 GAA and a .920 Save%. 

Round 3 Pick 35: Defensemen – Mitchell Wedding (Honeybaked U16)

Mitchell is a 5’10” 195 pound Defensemen from Tier 1’s Honeybaked U16 Team.  The Steel feel that Mitchell has good size and puck poise which will help him be a solid defensemen and make an impact in the USHL.  Mitchell played in 35 league games last season, posting 4 goals and 11 assists for 15 points.  He also tallied 84 penalty minutes and 1 game winning goal.  Mitchell also played in 4 games of the MAHA State Playoffs, he tallied 1 goal and 8 penalty minutes. 

Round 3 Pick 43: Forward – Christian Heil (Colorado Thunderbirds U16)

Christian is a 6’ 150 pound Forward from Tier 1’s Colorado Thunderbirds U16 Team.  Christian has the speed and agility to compete in the USHL, and the Chicago Steel staff feels that he will provide an impact in the league.  Christian played in 38 league games last season, he had 5 goals and 8 assists for 13 points and also had 34 penalty minutes.  Christian helped his team amass a 22-8-8 record last season in the Tier 1 league a West Division best; he also helped his team earn a State Championship and a National Tournament berth. 

Round 4 Pick 57: Forward – Levi Talarico (Duluth-Denfeld Minnesota High School)

Levi is a Freshman Forward from the Duluth-Denfeld Hunters, teammate to first round pick Zach Thompson.  Levi is a good skater with a scoring touch, and the Steel feel that he has great potential for the USHL.   Levi led the Hunters in points this season amassing 15 goals, 22 assists for 37 points in only 25 games.  Levi also posted a plus/minus rating of +17 and had 10 penalty minutes.  Levi played in 3 playoff games and again led the team in points with 2 goals, 4 assists, for 6 points and a plus/minus rating of +3. 

Round 5 Pick 73: Defensemen – Nolan Gluchowski (Detroit Catholic Central Michigan HS)

Nolan is a Sophomore from Detroit Catholic Central in Michigan.  Chicago feels that Nolan is a solid two way defensemen with great potential and he shows the ability to step in and provide an impact.  Nolan played in 30 games last season and amassed 1 goal, 12 assists for 13 points.  Nolan also had 20 penalty minutes and a +24 rating while helping his team to a League, Regional, and State Championship at the Division 1 level in Michigan.  

Round 6 Pick 78: Forward – Jared Thomas (Hermantown Minnesota High School)

Jared is a Sophomore Forward from Minnesota’s Hermantown Hawks.  The Steel feel that Jared is a good skater with the ability to make plays, Jared has shown success in playoff situations which will transition over to make him a threat in the USHL.  Jared played in 25 regular season games for the Hawks amassing 11 goals, 12 assists for 23 points, he had 4 penalty minutes and a +18 rating.  Jared helped his team to a Section 4A title, scoring 2 goals and 2 assists and propelling them to the Minnesota State Playoffs.  During the State Playoffs Jared Thomas led his team in points with 1 goal, 5 assists for 6 points with a +3 rating. 

The Chicago Steel are excited about pushing for the Clark Cup in ’10-’11 and invite you to be a part of it by calling (630) 594-1165.