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RoughRiders Select Eleven in Futures Draft
Cedar Rapids, Iowa- Defenseman Chris Wideman was the first of eleven players selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in today's United States Hockey League Futures Draft.
The eleven draftees have been added to the RoughRiders' affiliated player list. Players on a USHL team's affiliated list are protected by that team but are not on its 23-player active roster.
"We're very happy with all of the players we've selected," said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. "We think these players have a chance to play key roles for the RoughRiders in the future."
The Riders took Wideman with the fourth overall pick of the draft. The 16-year old St. Louis native currently plays midget hockey for the St. Louis Jr. Blues.
The Riders selected New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs forward Greg Burke, 16, in the second round with the sixteenth choice. Burke, a native of Lee, New Hampshire, has already committed to the University of New Hampshire.
Michigan high school defenseman Greg Pateryn was the Riders' third round selection, taken with the twenty-eighth pick. Pateryn, a 16-year old native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, skates for Brother Rice High.
The Riders went with Team Illinois midget forward Chris Bournazos in the fourth round with the fortieth choice. Bournazos, 16, hails from Naperville, Illinois.
The Riders had a pair of fifth round picks and used both on forwards. Cedar Rapids tabbed Grant Blakey with the fifty-second selection and Ryan Knutson with the fifty-fourth- a pick acquired in a trade with the Chicago Steel. Blakey, a 17-year old native of Canton, Michigan skates for the Victory Honda midget program. Knutson, also 17, plays for Rochester (Minnesota) Century High School.
The Riders looked north in the sixth round, taking Sterling, Alaska, native Charlie Smith with the sixty-fourth choice. Smith, 17, currently plays midget hockey in Michigan for Belle Tire and will play collegiately at Northern Michigan.
In the seventh round the Riders grabbed 17-year old defenseman Eric Springer- a Team Illinois teammate of Bournazos- with the seventy-sixth overall pick. Like Bournazos, Springer is also a product of Naperville, Illinois.
The Riders went for strong hockey bloodlines when choosing Dean Chelios, the son of National Hockey League great Chris Chelios, in the eighth round with the eighty-eighth overall selection. The younger Chelios, 17, resides in Bloomfield, Michigan and plays forward for Cranbrook Kingswood High School.
In round nine, the Riders made 16-year old International Falls (Minnesota) High School goaltender Brady Hjelle the one hundredth pick of the draft.
The Riders closed out the draft by taking Westland, Michigan, defenseman Phil Wendecker in the eleventh round with the one hundredth twenty-fourth selection. Wendecker, 17, currently suits up for Churchill High School.
In all, the RoughRiders drafted six forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender.
The RoughRiders open the 2006-07 season Saturday night at 7:05 against the Green Bay Gamblers at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Tickets to Saturday night's game- and all remaining RoughRider home games- can be purchased in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days, including Saturday. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game day. Beginning with the home opener, the RoughRiders will be in action at the ice arena on five consecutive Saturday nights.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa- Defenseman Chris Wideman was the first of eleven players selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in today's United States Hockey League Futures Draft.
The eleven draftees have been added to the RoughRiders' affiliated player list. Players on a USHL team's affiliated list are protected by that team but are not on its 23-player active roster.
"We're very happy with all of the players we've selected," said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. "We think these players have a chance to play key roles for the RoughRiders in the future."
The Riders took Wideman with the fourth overall pick of the draft. The 16-year old St. Louis native currently plays midget hockey for the St. Louis Jr. Blues.
The Riders selected New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs forward Greg Burke, 16, in the second round with the sixteenth choice. Burke, a native of Lee, New Hampshire, has already committed to the University of New Hampshire.
Michigan high school defenseman Greg Pateryn was the Riders' third round selection, taken with the twenty-eighth pick. Pateryn, a 16-year old native of Sterling Heights, Michigan, skates for Brother Rice High.
The Riders went with Team Illinois midget forward Chris Bournazos in the fourth round with the fortieth choice. Bournazos, 16, hails from Naperville, Illinois.
The Riders had a pair of fifth round picks and used both on forwards. Cedar Rapids tabbed Grant Blakey with the fifty-second selection and Ryan Knutson with the fifty-fourth- a pick acquired in a trade with the Chicago Steel. Blakey, a 17-year old native of Canton, Michigan skates for the Victory Honda midget program. Knutson, also 17, plays for Rochester (Minnesota) Century High School.
The Riders looked north in the sixth round, taking Sterling, Alaska, native Charlie Smith with the sixty-fourth choice. Smith, 17, currently plays midget hockey in Michigan for Belle Tire and will play collegiately at Northern Michigan.
In the seventh round the Riders grabbed 17-year old defenseman Eric Springer- a Team Illinois teammate of Bournazos- with the seventy-sixth overall pick. Like Bournazos, Springer is also a product of Naperville, Illinois.
The Riders went for strong hockey bloodlines when choosing Dean Chelios, the son of National Hockey League great Chris Chelios, in the eighth round with the eighty-eighth overall selection. The younger Chelios, 17, resides in Bloomfield, Michigan and plays forward for Cranbrook Kingswood High School.
In round nine, the Riders made 16-year old International Falls (Minnesota) High School goaltender Brady Hjelle the one hundredth pick of the draft.
The Riders closed out the draft by taking Westland, Michigan, defenseman Phil Wendecker in the eleventh round with the one hundredth twenty-fourth selection. Wendecker, 17, currently suits up for Churchill High School.
In all, the RoughRiders drafted six forwards, four defensemen and one goaltender.
The RoughRiders open the 2006-07 season Saturday night at 7:05 against the Green Bay Gamblers at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Tickets to Saturday night's game- and all remaining RoughRider home games- can be purchased in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office, over the phone at (319) 261-4625 or on line at www.roughridershockey.com. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM on weekdays and from noon through the end of the second period on game days, including Saturday. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game day. Beginning with the home opener, the RoughRiders will be in action at the ice arena on five consecutive Saturday nights.