30 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders taken Monday in USHL Dispersal Draft

CEDAR RAPIDS - Thirty players whose United States Hockey League rights were with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were taken Monday afternoon in the league's dispersal draft.

The RoughRiders announced this past Friday they were not going to be able to play the 2020-21 season because of severe damage to the ImOn Ice Arena caused by last month's derecho. The Madison Capitols also are opting out of the season because of COVID-19 restrictions in their Wisconsin county that prevent them from holding games in front of fans.

Madison had 25 players selected in the dispersal draft. Every player taken Monday has their USHL rights reverted back to Cedar Rapids and Madison after this season.

Youngstown, Des Moines, Muskegon and Tri-City selected four RoughRiders players. Fargo took three, Chicago, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Waterloo two each and Lincoln one.

Neither Dubuque or Green Bay drafted a Cedar Rapids player.

Some players selected are in college at the moment, such as forward Grant Silianoff and defensemen Will Francis, Jack Millar and Ben Meehan. But with the start and status of college hockey incredibly fluid, they were drafted in case they decide to return to junior hockey for another year instead.

Below are the teams Cedar Rapids players were drafted:

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Chicago Steel (2): Grant Ahcan, Ben Meehan.

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Des Moines Buccaneers (4): Zach Faremouth, Will Francis, Derek Mullahy, Grant Silianoff.

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Dubuque Fighting Saints (0).

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Fargo Force (3): Jack Millar, Tyler Rollwagen, Michael Suda.

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Green Bay Gamblers (0).

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Lincoln Stars (1): Jack O'Leary.

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Muskegon Lumberjacks (4): William Brenner, Adam Flammang, Alex Gagne, Darian Gotz.

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Omaha Lancers (2): Kyle Bettens, T.J. Schweighardt.

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Sioux City Musketeers (2): Doug Grimes, Justin Hryckowian.

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Sioux Falls Stampede (2): Michael Citara, Garrett Sundquist.

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Tri-City Storm (4): Nikolai Mayorov, Michael Posma, Ryan Taylor, Jordan Tonelli.

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Waterloo Black Hawks (2): Aidan Harper, Max Sasson.

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Youngstown Phantoms (4): Nate Hanley, Grant Hindman, Andrew Pichora, Bennett Zmolek.

Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com