USHL

Montreal, QUEBEC - The United States Hockey League (USHL) completed the 2022 NHL Draft with 57 players selected in the past two days from Bell Centre in Montreal. The 57 total selections matches the League record, previously set at the 2018 NHL Draft, and extends the USHL to five-straight Drafts with 50-or-more players selected. 

FULL USHL DRAFT LIST

The USHL saw 42 forwards, 12 defensemen and three goaltenders selected in total. Among the Drafted were 47 college commitments, as well as seven players currently playing Division I hockey. Of the 57 total Draft picks only three are not committed to a Division I school as the USHL continues to promote players to the highest level of collegiate hockey. The League had more than 900 alumni across the NCAA Opening Night rosters last season. The USHL's 57 players came from four countries, with the United States leading the way with 42, Canada following with 13 and each of Finland and Slovakia producing a selection.

"The 2022 NHL Draft was a record year for the USHL and we could not be happier for each of the 57 players who have played in our League that heard their name called this week in Montreal," said USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson. "This has been a historic two days for our League and again shows the impact of our product in the hockey world. We are hopeful that many of these talent players will move on to successful careers." 

While the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) led the way with 23 selections, a total of 14 of the USHL's 16 Member Clubs produced a Draft pick and 12 of those Clubs had two-or-more picks. The Muskegon Lumberjacks (6) followed the NTDP with the Lincoln Stars (5), Omaha Lancers (5), Chicago Steel (4), Des Moines Buccaneers (4), Dubuque Fighting Saints (4), Sioux City Musketeers (4), Green Bay Gamblers (3), Tri-City Storm (3), Waterloo Black Hawks (3), Youngstown Phantoms (3), Sioux Falls Stampede (2) and Madison Capitols (1) rounded out the USHL picks. Ten of the USHL's 57 picks played for multiple Clubs in their time with the USHL. 

The NTDP's 23 selections not only matched the Program's previous high set in 2019, it also pushed them to 301 total NHL Draft picks while a part of the USHL. Both the Lumberjacks and Fighting Saints matched their previous best marks for selections in an individual Draft and both the Sioux City Musketeers (62) and Lincoln Stars (61) surpassed the 60-pick mark, bringing the League to four Clubs with 60-or-more NHL Draft picks. The Omaha Lancers are currently second with 76 all-time picks.

The 2022 NHL Draft marked the second-straight year the USHL has had 27 players selected who have appeared at the BioSteel All-American Game in its three-year history. In total, 80 players from the Game have been Drafted over the last three years and 24 of the 27 picks in this year’s Draft played in the 2022 installment of the Game. 

Of the 26 USHL players who attended the NHL Scouting Combine last month, 25 were selected in the 2022 NHL Draft. 

On the NHL side, 28 of the League's 32 franchises picked at least one USHL player and 18 made multiple picks from the USHL player pool. The Chicago Blackhawks led NHL teams with five USHL selections, bringing their all-time total to 52 picks and making them the first NHL team with 50-or-more USHL selections all-time at the NHL Draft. Both the Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks extended their league-leading Draft streak to 14-straight Drafts with a USHL selection dating back to the 2009 NHL Draft. The Ducks, New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks all reached 40 for the total number of USHL players taken at the Draft. They are the second, third and fourth NHL teams to reach 40 picks, trailing only the Blackhawks for most all-time picks. The Nashville Predators (3), Pittsburgh Penguins (2) and Tampa Bay Lightning (2) all made multiple USHL selections at this year's Draft and extended each of their USHL streaks to 10-straight Drafts. The trio, along with the previously mentioned 14-year streaks in Anaheim and Chicago, join the 12-year streak of the Arizona Coyotes, giving the NHL six franchises who have double-digit streaks of USHL players selected at the NHL Draft. With three USHL picks this year, the Los Angeles Kings brought their all-time total to 39, moving them into fifth among NHL teams.

The USHL had seven players selected in the Second Round, beginning with Gamblers forward Cameron Lund (San Jose Sharks - 34th Overall). Defending USHL Rookie of the Year Dylan James was also selected in the Second Round as the Detroit Red Wings picked him 40th overall. James joins fellow former Musketeers Jake Guentzel (Pittsburgh Penguins - 2013, 77th Overall) and Max Pacioretty (Montreal Canadiens - 2007, 22nd Overall) as Rookie of the Year winners who have been Drafted the same summer. James, a University of North Dakota commit was the third-straight USHL Rookie of the Year to be Drafted in the summer of the Award win and the 15th total. James won the Clark Cup with the Musketeers in May and his selection ensured 16 of the last 17 Clark Cup Champions have had one of their players called at the Draft two months later. Both Lund (Second Team) and James (First Team) were named to the USHL All-Rookie Teams this season. The final USHL selection of the Second Round was the NTDP’s Lane Hutson who was selected by the hosting Montreal Canadiens with the 62nd pick. With the pick, the USHL has now had the Draft’s host city pick one of its players in 13 of the last 16 NHL Drafts. 

Jack Hughes (Los Angeles - 51st Overall) Interview with the USHL

Five more USHL players were selected in the Third Round, bringing the USHL’s running total to 20. Madison Capitols forward Quinn Finley was the 78th Overall selection by the New York Islanders and became the highest Draft pick in Madison’s history, surpassing Ryan O’Reilly’s selection by the Detroit Red Wings in 2018 at 98 Overall. Chicago Blackhawks selection Aidan Thompson (90th Overall) was a member of the All-USHL Second Team forward group this season and both Adam Ingram (Nashville Predators - 82nd Overall) and Nicholas Moldenhauer (Toronto Maple Leafs - 95th Overall) were members of the USHL’s All-Rookie Teams with Ingram on the First Team and Moldenhauer represented on the Second Team. 

Quinn Finley Interview with the USHL

The Fourth Round was the first of two rounds for the USHL with 11 selections, marking the most in a single round since 2019 when the League had 12 players selected in the Fourth Round. This year’s co-recipient of the Curt Hammer Award, Stephen Halliday was selected 104th overall by the Ottawa Senators. The Ohio State University commit was one of two recipients of the award that is given for both on- and off-ice performance. On the ice, Halliday became the League’s most prolific scorer in Tier I history and was named to the All-USHL First Team. Away from the rink, Halliday volunteered his record-breaking sticks for charity and later matched the winning bid, spent time at local daycares and led hockey camps and clinics. 

Ryan Healey (Minnesota Wild - 121st Overall) Interview with the USHL

Cameron Whitehead (Vegas Golden Knights - 128th Overall) Interview with the USHL 

In the Fifth Round, the USHL had six selections before ramping back up to another 11 picks in the sixth. Connor Kurth was selected 192nd Overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Sixth Round after being named to the All-USHL Second Team this season. The League capped its 57 total picks with nine in the Seventh Round. When Brennan Ali was selected 212th Overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the Seventh Round, it marked the first time a USHL player was ever picked with that selection. 

Brennan Ali Interview with the USHL

In all, the USHL now has a total of 990 NHL Draft picks all-time dating back to its first player selected at the 1981 NHL Draft.