USHL

Ahead of the 2022 NHL Draft, the USHL will highlight each of its Member Clubs top NHL Draft prospects.

Coming off a Clark Cup Championship, forward Dylan James leads the Sioux City Musketeers into the 2022 NHL Draft. The Calgary, Alberta native made an immediate impact for the Musketeers in his first USHL season, picking up 61 points (28-33-61) in 62 regular season games. James' performance led him to USHL Rookie of the Year honors as well as a spot on the USHL All-Rookie First Team. The University of North Dakota commit was pivotal for the Musketeers in the Clark Cup Playoffs, collecting eight points (5-3-8) in 10 games, including four points (3-1-4) in the Final. James was named USHL Forward of the Week twice during the season, including during the Clark Cup Final, and has improved his Draft stock after having been ranked 67th among North American Skaters in the Midseason Rankings and appearing as a C-rated skater on the Preliminary List.

"Dylan is an amazing human with a great game," said Sioux City Musketeers Head Coach Luke Strand. "He can impact a game at many different levels with his skating ability, puck touch and two-way, responsible game. His consistency to bring his attributes to a game are high-end. Dylan will make the NHL team that Drafts him very excited to see his game come to the forefront."

Four Musketeers were selected at the 2021 NHL Draft, and the Musketeers have had at least one player picked in each of the last 18 NHL Drafts dating back to the 2004 Draft. Zachary Bolduc (St. Louis Blues - 17th Overall) and Shai Buium (Detroit Red Wings - 36th Overall) were selected in the First and Second Rounds, respectively before Owen McLaughlin (Philadelphia Flyers - 206th Overall) and Daniel Laatsch (Pittsburgh Penguins - 215th Overall) were picked in the Seventh Round. Bolduc represented the Musketeers' eighth First Round pick, the first since 2017 and the highest selection since Sam Gagner was taken 6th Overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2007. Gagner's selection marked the second-highest pick in Sioux City history, following Rostislav Klesla being taken 4th Overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2000 NHL Draft.

Fellow Musketeers Garrett Brown (defenseman), Dylan Godbout (forward) and Nicholas Pierre (forward) were ranked 102nd, 129th and 144th in the Final Rankings as well as Axel Mangbo who was ranked 26th among North American Goaltenders. Former Musketeers defenseman David Gucciardi was ranked 57th in the Final Rankings and former forward Connor Welsh appeared as a C-rated skater on the Preliminary List.

Fifteen of the last 16 defending Clark Cup Champions have seen at least one players selected in the concurrent NHL Draft, including a combined 12 in the last two Drafts that featured a Clark Cup Championship roster. The Chicago Steel had seven rostered players selected in 2021 and the Sioux Falls Stampede had five selected in 2019. 

Two of the three Clark Cup Champion Musketeers rosters, dating back to 1982, have had at least one Drafted player. John Zeiler was picked 132nd Overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2002 NHL Draft while Brian Williams (Montreal Canadiens) and Mark Vichorek (Philadelphia Flyers) were selected 187th and 245th Overall, respectively, in 1982. 

The USHL has had 50-or-more players Drafted in each of the last four NHL Drafts, dating back to a league-best 57 players at the 2018 Draft. The League has seen 933 of its players selected in total, with at least one player taken in each Draft but one dating back to 1981.

Luke Antonacci (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Jon Bell (Defenseman) - 2018-19 
Ralfs Bergmanis (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Garrett Brown (Defenseman) - 2020-22 
Evan Bushy * (Defenseman) - 2019-20 
Luke Buss * (Forward) - 2020-21 
Damien Carfagna (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Anthony Cliche (Defenseman) - 2019-20 
Samuel Deckhut (Forward) - 2021-22 
Ben Doran (Forward) - 2019-22 
Kriistoffer Eberly (Goaltender) - 2021-22 
Owen Fowler (Forward) - 2021-22 
Jaden Grant (Forward) - 2019-20 
Dylan Graton (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Doug Grimes (Forward) - 2020-21 
David Gucciardi * (Defenseman) - 2019-20 
David Hymovitch (Forward) - 2019-20 
Dylan James (Forward) - 2021-22 
Christian Jimenez * (Defenseman) - 2018-21 
Anthony Kehrer * (Defenseman) - 2018-20 
Joe Kelly * (Forward) - 2019-20 
Tomi Leppanen (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Carter Loney * (Forward) - 2020-21 
Griffin Ludtke (Defenseman) - 2019-22 
Joel Maatta * (Forward) - 2019-21 
Axel Mangbo (Goaltender) - 2021-22 
Eero Niemi * (Forward) - 2019-20 
Jackson Nieuwendyk * (Forward) - 2019-21 
John Opilka * (Defenseman) - 2019-20 
Landon Parker * (Forward) - 2018-20 
Nick Pierre (Forward) - 2020-22 
Peteris Purmalis (Forward) - 2021-22 
Bennett Schimek (Forward) - 2020-22 
Travis Shoudy (Defenseman) - 2019-20 
Grant Slukynsky (Forward) - 2021-22 
William Smith (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Ben Steeves (Forward) - 2020-22 
Leyton Stenman (Defenseman) - 2021-22 
Drew Tsakounis * (Defenseman) - 2020-21 
Noah Tussey * (Forward) - 2018-19 
Connor Welsh (Forward) - 2020-22