USHL holds futures draft this morning

Here is the info from the United States Hockey League:

USHL CLUBS SET FOR 2011 FUTURES DRAFT

90 prospects with 1995 birth year to be selected on Tuesday, April 19

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Chicago, IL – With the 2011 USHL Clark Cup Playoffs still in progress, USHL teams are already looking to future seasons as they prepare for the 2011 USHL Futures Draft.  The draft takes place on Tuesday, April 19www.Facebook.com/USHLHockey) and Twitter page (www.Twitter.com/USHL).  

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beginning at 10:00 AM (CST), and will be fully and exclusively covered on USHL.com.  All Member Club selections will be posted in real-time courtesy of RinkNet, the League's digital player development partner, and all selections will also be posted on the USHL's Facebook page (

The fifteen USHL Member Clubs other than the NTDP (which does not participate in the USHL Futures Draft) will each select six (6) hockey prospects from the 1995 birth year age group during the six rounds of the USHL Futures Draft.  Team USA, in cooperation with the USHL, conducts a separate player selection process for its single-age U-17 and U-18 programs.

The 90 players drafted on Tuesday will then be placed on the affiliate lists of the Member Clubs choosing them for the 2011-12 season.  Each Member Club retains the rights to its drafted players for up to three years, and can add any of its affiliate list players to its active roster during the season.

“This is one of the most important developmental initiatives we undertake,” said USHL Commissioner Skip Prince.  “As a USHL Futures selectee, a young player has the opportunity to be monitored and encouraged throughout the year by his parent USHL Member Club, and when possible brought up for a weekend series or road trip to get a taste of USHL-caliber play.” 

In fact, many of last season's “Class of ‘94” Futures Draft selections played meaningful roles with their parent clubs this year.  Riley Barber, the top pick in the 2010 Futures Draft, became a regular this season for the Dubuque Fighting Saints, scoring 28 points (14g, 14a) in 57 games.  Forward Vince Hinostroza (#4 selection overall in 2010) played 50 games and scored 22 points (8g, 14a) for the Waterloo Black Hawks.  Between the pipes, goaltender Jon Gillies (#67 selection overall in 2010) won 15 games for the Indiana Ice this season.  In all, 34 players selected in last year's Futures Draft saw game action during the 2010-11 USHL regular season.

The selection order of the USHL Futures Draft is not based on League standings, but rather is determined by a random drawing conducted by the USHL last spring.  Teams are able to trade or exchange draft positions, so the draft order below may change throughout the draft.

2011 USHL Futures Draft Order

1. Waterloo Black Hawks
2. Chicago Steel
3. Youngstown Phantoms
4. Sioux City Musketeers
5. Omaha Lancers
6. Green Bay Gamblers
7. Des Moines Buccaneers
8. Tri-City Storm
9. Sioux Falls Stampede
10. Fargo Force
11. Indiana Ice
12. Lincoln Stars
13. Dubuque Fighting Saints
14. Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
15. Muskegon Lumberjacks

 The draft order reverses in each round, meaning the Muskegon Lumberjacks, with the last pick in the first round, will have the first pick in the second round, followed by Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, and so forth.

 Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, the USHL celebrates its ninth season as the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league in 2010-11.  With over 250 players this season already committed to NCAA Division I schools and 18 NHL Entry Draft picks currently on League rosters, the USHL is the nation's foremost producer of junior hockey talent.  For more information, visit us on the web at

www.USHL.com.