SUNRISE, Fla. – Fifty-five Americans were chosen here in this weekend’s 2015 NHL Entry Draft, including seven first-round selections. Not since 2010 (11) have more U.S.-born players been selected in the first round.
Jack Eichel (North Chelmsford, Mass./Boston University) was the first American selected when the Buffalo Sabres took him second overall, while Noah Hanifin (Norwood, Mass./Boston College) was taken fifth by the Carolina Hurricanes. It was the first time since 2007 that two Americans were among the first five selected.
The Columbus Blue Jackets made Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./University of Michigan) the eighth overall pick, marking the first time in NHL Entry Draft history that three NCAA players have been selected in the top-10 picks. Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Mich./Youngstown Phantoms) was the next American chosen when the Winnipeg Jets selected him with the 17th pick. Colin White (Hanover, Mass./U.S. National Under-18 Team) was selected 21st by the Ottawa Senators, Brock Boeser (Burnsville, Minn./Waterloo Black Hawks) was chosen with the 23rd pick by the Vancouver Canucks, and Jack Roslovic (Columbus, Ohio/U.S. National Under-18 Team) was taken 25th overall by the Winnipeg Jets to round out American choices in the first round.
All seven U.S.-born players selected in the first round on Friday night (June 26) are current or future college hockey players, marking the most NCAA first-round picks since 2010 (7). In addition to all seven players having ties to the United States Hockey League, the only Tier I junior league in the United States, five players (Eichel, Hanifin, Roslovic, Werenski, and White) spent time with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
In the second round, five Americans were selected, starting with the Arizona Coyotes’ 32nd overall selection, Christian Fischer (Wayne, Ill./U.S. National Under-18 Team). Two Americans were chosen back-to-back when Brandon Carlo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was taken 37th overall by the Boston Bruins and Paul Bittner (Crookston, Minn.) was chosen 38th by the Columbus Blue Jackets. The final two Americans selected in the second round were Jordan Greenway (Potsdam, N.Y./U.S. National Under-18 Team), chosen 50th overall by the Minnesota Wild, and Jeremy Bracco (Freeport, N.Y./U.S. National Under-18 Team) taken 61st by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Forty-three more Americans were selected in rounds three through seven. Overall, 17 American players selected this weekend are invitees of the 2015 National Junior Evaluation Camp, which will take place August 1-8 in Lake Placid, New York.
NOTES: USA Hockey’s junior ranks had another strong showing at this year’s NHL Entry Draft … A record 37 players who skated in the United States Hockey League in 2014-15 were chosen this weekend. Overall, 47 players with ties to the USHL, were selected in the draft … Sixteen alumni of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program were chosen … Five North American Hockey League players were selected … Four players who spent time in the American Tier III junior leagues were also drafted … A total of 56 current or future NCAA players representing 27 schools were selected in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft … Ten players who skated for high school or prep schools in 2014-15 were selected … Players drafted represented 18 states, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. Massachusetts led all states with 12 selections … Twenty-two of the 30 NHL teams selected at least one American player. Anaheim, Florida and Winnipeg shared the lead by selecting four American players each … For a complete list of total Americans chosen in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, see below.
Americans Selected in the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft
Rd.
Pick
Name
NHL Club
2014-15 Team (League)
1
2
Jack Eichel^*#%
Buffalo Sabres
Boston University (HEA)
1
5
Noah Hanifin^*%
Carolina Hurricanes
Boston College (HEA)
1
8
Zach Werenski^*%
Columbus Blue Jackets
University of Michigan (Big Ten)
1
17
Kyle Connor*%
Winnipeg Jets
Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
1
21
Colin White^*%
Ottawa Senators
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
1
23
Brock Boeser*%
Vancouver Canucks
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
1
25
Jack Roslovic^*%
Winnipeg Jets
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
2
32
Christian Fischer^*%
Arizona Coyotes
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
2
37
Brandon Carlo
Boston Bruins
Tri-City Americans (WHL)
2
38
Paul Bittner
Columbus Blue Jackets
Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
2
50
Jordan Greenway^*%
Minnesota Wild
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
2
61
Jeremy Bracco^*%
Toronto Maple Leafs
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
3
64
Dennis Yan^*
Tampa Bay Lightning
Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
3
78
Erik Foley*%
Winnipeg Jets
Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL)
3
80
Brent Gates*%
Anaheim Ducks
Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
3
81
Brendan Warren^*%
Arizona Coyotes
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
3
85
Thomas Novak*%
Nashville Predators
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
3
86
Mike Robinson#%
San Jose Sharks
Lawrence Academy (USHS)
3
91
Dennis Gilbert*%
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Steel (USHL)
4
92
William Borgen*%
Buffalo Sabres
Moorhead (USHS)
4
103
Chris Martenet*
Dallas Stars
London Knights (OHL)
4
117
Caleb Jones^*
Edmonton Oilers
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
4
121
Ryan Shea*%
Chicago Blackhawks
Boston College H.S. (USHS)
5
123
Conor Garland*#
Arizona Coyotes
Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
5
126
Luke Stevens%
Carolina Hurricanes
Noble & Greenough (USHS)
5
132
Karch Bachman*%
Florida Panthers
Culver Academy (USHS)
5
133
Joseph Cecconi*%
Dallas Stars
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
5
140
Chase Pearson*%
Detroit Red Wings
Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
5
146
Luke Opilka^*%
St. Louis Blues
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
5
148
Troy Terry^*%
Anaheim Ducks
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
5
149
Adam Gaudette*%
Vancouver Canucks
Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL)
5
150
Ryan Zuhlsdorf*%
Tampa Bay Lightning
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
6
153
Kris Oldham*&%
Tampa Bay Lightning
Omaha Lancers (USHL)
6
154
John Marino#%
Edmonton Oilers
South Shore (USPHL)
6
158
Cooper Marody*%
Philadelphia Flyers
Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
6
160
Adam Parsells*%
San Jose Sharks
Wauseu West (USHS)
6
162
Chris Wilkie^*%
Florida Panthers
Tri-City Americans (USHL)
6
164
Roy Radke
Chicago Blackhawks
Barrie Colts (OHL)
6
168
Mason Appleton*%
Winnipeg Jets
Tri-City Americans (USHL)
6
169
David Cotton%
Carolina Hurricanes
Cushing Academy (USHS)
6
170
Patrick Holway%
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Advantage (T1AAA)
6
171
Nicholas Boka^*%
Minnesota Wild
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
6
175
Tyler Moy*%
Nashville Predators
Harvard University (ECAC Hockey)
6
178
Steven Ruggiero^*%
Anaheim Ducks
U.S. National Under-18 Team (USHL)
6
179
Garrett Metcalf*%
Anaheim Ducks
Madison Capitols (USHL)
7
182
Ivan Chukarov&%
Buffalo Sabres
Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)
7
192
Patrick Shea%
Florida Panthers
Kimball Union (USHS)
7
193
John Kupsky&%
San Jose Sharks
Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL)
7
194
Matt Roy%
Los Angeles Kings
Michigan Tech (WCHA)
7
195
Jack Becker*%
Boston Bruins
Mahtomedi (USHS)
7
199
Joey Daccord%
Ottawa Senators
Cushing Academy (USHS)
7
200
Adam Marsh
Detroit Red Wings
Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
7
204
Jack Sadek%
Minnesota Wild
Lakeville North (USHS)
7
205
Evan Smith&
Nashville Predators
Austin Bruins (NAHL)
7
206
Ryan Bednard*&%
Florida Panthers
Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL)
^Played for USA Hockey’s National Under-18 Team
*Played in the United States Hockey League
&Played in the North American Hockey League
#Played in a Tier III Junior Hockey League
%Currently plays or is committed to playing NCAA hockey
