NA3HL Draft set for Tuesday

Plymouth signs second-rounder Peters

The Plymouth Whalers announced today the signing 15-year-old defenseman Alex Peters, who was taken by the Whalers in the second round (31st overall) of the 2012 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Peters said. “It's a great privilege to be part of the Plymouth Whalers organization. It’s a happy day. I can’t wait to get started.”

Peters – 6-foot-4 and 188 pounds, from Blyth, Ont. – scored 11 goals with seven assists for 18 points and 20 penalty minutes in 45 games for the Huron Perth Lakers midgets last season.

Peters is a member of the Whalers' extended family as his older brother, Justin (now with the Carolina Hurricanes), played in the OHL from 2002-06 and finished his career with the Whalers in 2006. Another brother, Anthony, was a goaltender in the OHL from 2006-11.

“Justin spoke a lot about what a great place Plymouth is,” Peters said. “I’m a big body, have an active stick and make a good first pass. I consider myself a two-way defenseman. I’m good on the defensive end, but can also take the puck up ice and contribute some points.”

Peters seemed to improve as last season wore on – a fact that prompted the Whalers to select him in the second round.

“I got more confident throughout the year,” Peters said. “I felt more comfortable with my stick and started to jump up in the rush.”

The Plymouth coaching staff received their first look at Peters during the team’s rookie orientation May 19-20 and Peters – who played in the camp as one of the youngest players on the ice - didn’t look out of place. He scored a goal and skated well.

“We were really impressed with how he played,” said Plymouth associate coach Joe Stefan. “He’s a big kid who skates well for his size. He’s got a pretty good head for the game and makes good decisions. He seems like a good kid and I’ve heard nothing but good things about the family. We know Alex will come here with a great work ethic and hopefully he’ll be a good player for us for three or four years.”

Peters is expected to report to Plymouth’s training camp at the end of August.

Photo (Peters with Plymouth assistant GM Brian Sommariva)/Plymouth Whalers

NAHL Draft scheduled for this Thursday

When is the NAHL Entry Draft?
The 2012 NAHL Entry Draft is scheduled for Thursday, May 31 at 1 p.m. CST.

Who is eligible for the NAHL Entry Draft?
Amateur players less than 21 years of age on or before December 31, 2012 who are not listed on an NAHL team roster or are listed on an NAHL team roster but played less than (10) NAHL regular season and/or playoff games during the 2011-12 season and did not accept a tender from an NAHL team prior to the 2012 NAHLEntry Draft are eligible for selection in the draft.

How many players can each team select in the NAHL Entry Draft?
The number of players each team is able to draft varies on that team's current roster (protected list) minus the number 30 as of midnight of May 30. Leading up to midnight of May 30, each team's roster is comprised of veteran players and signed tenders only. For example, if a team has 15 veterans rostered and 8 tenders signed as of midnight of May 30 (23 total), that team is allowed seven (7) draft picks.

What is the order of the NAHL Entry Draft?
Eligible teams shall make selections in each round in reverse order of their finish in the 2011-12 NAHL regular-season standings. New member clubs shall have their order of selection determined by lottery. If there is only one new member club, it shall have the first selection in each round.

Do prospective NAHL players have to register for the NAHL Entry Draft?
No, there is no registration process to be eligible for the NAHL Entry Draft.

Are drafted players eligible to try out for other NAHL teams?
Unless agreed upon in writing by the two NAHL teams, tendered or drafted players are not eligible to try out for other NAHL teams.

Are drafted players eligible to try out for teams in other junior leagues?
Yes, all tendered and drafted players are eligible to try out for any team in any league other than the NAHL in the U.S. and Canada.

Will the results of the NAHL Entry Draft be posted on NAHL.com?
Yes, the results of the NAHL Entry Draft will be posted on NAHL.com in alphabetical order in its entirety upon completion.

Will the NAHL Entry Draft be broadcast?
Yes, the NAHL Entry Draft is scheduled to be broadcast with live round-by-round coverage on FASTHockey, official broadcast partner of the NAHL.

Will all NAHL tenders signings be posted on NAHL.com?
No, all tender signing will not be posted on NAHL.com. NAHL teams may make their tender signings public, but are not required to do so.

What if a prospective player is not drafted, but is still interested in playing the NAHL?
Players not drafted but who still want to play in the NAHL are encouraged to attend individual team's open tryout camps. NAHL tryout camp information.

Whalers ink 2012 top pick Bratina

The Plymouth Whalers announced the signing 16-year-old left wing Zach Bratina, who was taken by the Whalers in the first round (19th overall) of the 2012 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

“It’s definitely a relief in signing the contract,” Bratina said. “I’m excited to start the season and couldn’t be happier with any other team.”

Bratina – 6-foot-1 and 163 pounds, from Lindsay, Ont. - scored 22 goals with 21 assists for 43 points and 60 penalty minutes last season for the Central Ontario Wolves minor midget team.

“Zach has very good individual skill and an impressive scoring touch,” said Plymouth assistant general manager Brian Sommariva (pictured above with Bratina). “We are excited to have a player of his caliber choose the OHL and Plymouth.”

Bratina, with parents Dan and Karen, attended Plymouth’s rookie orientation last weekend at Compuware Arena. Bratina scored two goals in two scrimmages during the orientation, playing with a smooth skating stride and going to the high traffic areas of the offensive zone.

“Zach’s a very smart hockey player. The puck really follows him around the ice," said Darrell Woodley, director of central scouting for the OHL. "He has good vision and the ability to score, coming out of the corners or in tight around the net.”

After being selected by the Whalers in April, Bratina attended a couple of Plymouth playoff games – one in Kitchener and the other at Compuware Arena. He was introduced to the crowd at Compuware Arena before Game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals against Kitchener.

“It was a good experience,” Bratina said about the pre-scouting of his new team and meeting the Plymouth fans. “Plymouth looked really good last year (47-18-2-1, West Division champions) and hopefully, we’ll be good again this year. The home crowd in Plymouth was really loud. I think I’m going to like that this year.”

Bratina is expected to report to Whalers training camp at the end of August.

Photo/Plymouth Whalers

Muskegon drafts size in USHL Entry Draft

The Muskegon Lumberjacks redefined their roster in dramatic fashion Tuesday night as they added 16 players via the USHL Entry Draft, which was open to any hockey player born from 1992 to 1997.

"We got the guys we identified,” said Lumberjacks owner/general manager Josh Mervis. “We will be bigger, faster, stronger and older. We got exactly what we hoped to get out of the draft.”

The Jacks acquired the rights to 11 players over six feet tall, and they started right away. With back-to-back picks at Nos. 2 and 3 overall, the Lumberjacks chose right winger Adam Gilmour and center Connor Hurley, the top two players available according to Muskegon's hockey operations department.

Gilmour, a 6-foot-2 right winger from Dedham, Mass., put up 56 points (26 goals) in 26 games for the Noble & Greenough prep school in the Boston area. He recently committed to perennial power Boston College.

"Adam is a highly skilled hockey player who makes teammates better," Mervis said. "He’s a big guy who can create offense and also score goals, plus he has an incredible drive to get better."

Hurley just completed his sophomore year at Edina (Minn.) High School, where he scored 58 points (26 goals) in 30 matches. The 6-foot pivot is teammates with Lumberjacks first round Futures Draft pick Dylan Malmquist.

"He's a playmaking centerman with a very high degree of skill," said Muskegon scout Chris LaCombe. "Connor is a real competitor with a scorer’s touch. He was the top available [1995-born player] in Minnesota."

Muskegon turned its eyes across the Atlantic with its second-round pick, Frederik Tiffels from Germany. A 5-foot-11 left winger has played in the DNL junior league over the last two seasons for Jungadler Mannheim, where he contributed 60 points – including 45 assists – in 72 games.

"Frederick is extremely fast, the fastest skater in his league, and he has a ton of skill," said Lumberjacks assistant coach Dave Noel-Bernier. "He has a tremendous work ethic, too."

With the second pick of the third round, the Jacks were pleased to add their second centerman of the draft, Ben Foster. Listed at 6-foot-1, he scored over 100 points at Choate Rosemary Hall prep in Connecticut, setting the school's all-time record.

"He plays hard all over the ice and he can make plays," assistant coach Steve Palmer said about Foster, who was named to the All-New England team this spring. "He's a big strong young man who plays smart in every zone."

To start the fourth round, the Lumberjacks held back-to-back slots, their second such arrangement of the night. They nabbed defenseman Dan O'Keefe and left winger Tyler Hill with picks 46 and 47.

O'Keefe, a New Jersey native, stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds. He also brings offensive ability to accompany his power, as he chipped in 21 points in 53 games this season for Philadelphia-area Team Comcast.

"Dan is an ideal two-way defenseman," Noel-Bernier said. "He makes a good first pass and is very hard to play against."

Muskegon added even more size with Hill, a 6-foot-6 power forward who skated for the Hotchkiss School (Conn.) as a sophomore. The Ontario product chipped in 16 points in 22 games and brings an impressive physical brand of hockey.

"Tyler is a highly-regarded candidate for the 2013 NHL Draft with a ton of potential," Noel-Bernier said.

The massive trend continued into the fifth round, as the Lumberjacks looked to Michigan's Upper Peninsula for their seventh choice of the Entry Draft, 6-foot-6 blueliner Ben Storm of Calumet High School. Storm was a dynamo for the Calumet Copper Kings, burying 15 goals and 35 total points in 26 games while providing a consistent intimidating presence on the ice.

"When he hits, it hurts," Palmer said. "He's just an exceptional athlete. He has enormous potential because of his size."

Boston University recruit Doyle Somerby was Muskegon's sixth-round choice, another talent from the New England prep circuit. Somerby was another huge addition to the Lumberjacks, quite literally. At 6-foot-5, he was the sixth six-footer out of Muskegon's first seven selections. Somerby just completed his senior season for Kimball Union Academy in Massachusetts.

"He's very comparable to Jaycob Megna," Noel-Bernier said about the former Lumberjack and current Nebraska-Omaha Maverick. "Doyle is a very good skater, very mobile. He's a big two-way defenseman."

The Jacks had a great deal of success in 2011-12 with Eden Prairie, Minn., native Ryan Bullock, and they went back to that well with their final pick of the Entry Draft's first phase, calling Steven Spinner's name in the seventh round. The 5-foot-10 sophomore scored 20 goals (30 points) in 24 games in the challenging Minnesota high school realm.

"Steven is an energizing skill forward with a ton of speed," LaCombe said.

With the first pick of the second phase, the Lumberjacks added their first goalie of the evening in Michigander Tyler Ross. The 6-foot-3 19-year-old from Warren played for Estevan of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, posting a .908 save percentage.

“He has a big frame and he moves very well,” said Muskegon goalie coach Jukka Konstas. “He’s also very sharp with the glove hand.”

Luc Snuggerud, another Eden Prairie product, went to the Jacks in the 16th round. A left-handed 5-foot-10 defenseman, Snuggerud put up 33 points in 44 total games between his 2011-12 high school and all-star seasons. His uncle, Dave, played four seasons in the NHL.

“Luc’s playmaking skills are lights out especially on the power play, where he’s unbelievable,” said LaCombe. “He can see the ice extremely well and is very aware.”

Massachusetts-born Corey Ronan was the next player on Muskegon’s wish list. The point-per-game forward for St. Sebastian’s prep was joined in the 17th round by Floridian center William Messa, who was similarly offensive (34 points in 31 games) for Lawrence Academy near Lowell, Mass.

The pick Muskegon used to take Messa was acquired from Indiana in exchange for defenseman Alex Smith. Also in the transaction, the Lumberjacks scooped up a second-round pick in next year’s Entry Draft.

In the 18th round, the Jacks tacked on forward Luc Gerdes, one more prospect from Eden Prairie who played last year for Jamestown of the North American Hockey League.

Next time around, Cullen Hurley was the choice, the older brother of Muskegon’s second-round pick. Cullen last skated in the NAHL with Aberdeen.

Next, the Lumberjacks plucked their second European of the Entry Draft, defenseman Niklas Folin. Hailing from Sweden, the 6-foot Folin has skated for the Frolunda junior organization for the last three seasons.

Wrapping up the night, Harrison Luce from London, Ont., was Muskegon’s 16th and final selection. A 6-foot-1 right winger, Luce suited up for the St. Thomas Stars of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

“All the scouts and coaches did a very good job, but you don't get wins from draft day,” Mervis said. “We'll find out how good of a draft it was when the season starts. You've still got to play the games at the end of the day.”

Shannon tabbed head coach in Port Huron

The Port Huron Fighting Falcons have announced that Steve Shannon, who was recently named as the team’s general manager, has also been named the new head coach.

“After going through many resumes of qualified applicants, to whom I thank for their interest in the head coach position, I, along with Steve Shannon, have come to the agreement that he will also be the next head coach of the Port Huron Fighting Falcons for the 2012-13 season,” said owner/governor Maribeth Hayes in a statement.

Along with Shannon, the hockey staff will include Jeff Blum, who resides in the Port Huron area and who has previous head coaching experience in the NAHL. Blum will be the director of player development/college recruiting liaison.

Scott Nichols will be back as the team's goalie coach.

Muskegon readies for USHL Entry Draft

Three weeks after augmenting their talent base in the USHL Futures Draft, the Muskegon Lumberjacks will supplement it further next week in the league’s Entry Draft.

Unlike the May 1 Futures Draft, in which only players born in 1996 were eligible, in the Entry Draft, USHL teams can claim the rights to any player born from 1992 to 1997.

The Entry Draft is set for 4 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, May 22.

“With the Entry Draft, you are looking at those players and seeing if they can step in and contribute right away,” said Lumberjacks owner/GM Josh Mervis. “In the Futures Draft, you are looking at younger players and making a projection of what they will become in a year or two.”

Also in contrast to the Futures Draft, which consists of only six rounds, the Entry Draft will continue until each team has accumulated 30 players on their active roster, not counting affiliate list players. Prior to the Entry Draft, each USHL team must submit an initial protected list of veterans which will make up the backbone of the club for next season.

Since the Entry Draft order is determined by reversing the 2011-12 USHL overall standings, the Lumberjacks will chose second in every round, including the pivotal position of No. 2 overall.

“The first thing is to get out and scout,” Lumberjacks' assistant coach Dave Noel-Bernier said about the team’s preparation for Tuesday. “But once we built our list, we’ve been on the phone to recruit. You’ve got to make sure the players are interested in coming to Muskegon, because if you draft a guy and he doesn’t show up, it’s a bad pick.”

Fellow Muskegon assistant coach Steve Palmer teamed up with Noel-Bernier to spend a significant amount of time on scouting missions, since one assistant could always stay behind with the team. The Jacks hope the additional travel and diligence during the season will lead to a promising crop of players.

“This year, we used the two-assistant system and relied on me and Steve to get out and see the guys,” said Noel-Bernier, who was the team’s lone assistant in 2010-11. “We also depended on our scouts quite a bit. I think we’ve done our work. We’re looking forward to it.”

Last spring, the Lumberjacks selected sixth in the first round of the Entry Draft and tapped center Ryan Lomberg (pictured) from Ontario. The pick proved quite fruitful as the University of Maine recruit led the team with 40 points (22g, 18a) in 52 games.

Other notable 2011 Entry Draft picks that contributed to the 2011-12 Jacks were Dakota Klecha (second round), Mason Jobst (seventh) and Tyler Heinonen (17th).

All told, last May’s Entry Draft yielded 211 man-games played and 118 points (64g, 54a), including three of the team’s top six scorers.

The first stage of the Entry Draft will end when each team has accumulated 23 players on its roster; a team that reaches 23 will automatically pass on its picks until each club reaches that threshold. The second phase of the draft will then begin, lasting until each team has secured the USHL rights to 30 players.