January 12, 2009
Chicago Steel defenseman John Moore is the highest-ranked USHL skater in the NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings, coming in as the eighth-best prospect among North American skaters.
National Hockey League Central Scouting has released its mid-term rankings for the 2009 NHL Draft, and there are 30 current and former USHL players listed among the North American players ranked. The USHL players are listed in a ranking of just North American skaters; European skaters and goaltenders have their own separate ranking.
All 12 USHL teams have at least one player ranked. Fargo and Waterloo led the way with five players apiece in the ranking.
Chicago Steel defenseman John Moore is the highest of the 27 USHL skaters, ranked eighth in the listing.
"It is an honor to be recognized in the rankings," Moore said. "The USHL has been great in developing me as a hockey player. This ranking also motivates me to have a strong second half of the year and hopefully make a run in playoffs."
"John Moore is a player that continues to grow and improve each and every day in the USHL. He has established a level of confidence this season with his size, speed and skill, allowing him to be one of the top players and defenseman in our league," said Chicago Steel Head Coach Steve Poapst. "He should and will be highly sought after in this year's NHL draft. The Chicago Steel is fortunate to have a player of John's caliber and leadership in our organization. "
Omaha's Louis Leblanc is also projected as a first-round pick, coming in at number 18. Fargo's Josh Birkholz at number 33, Des Moines' Alex Chiasson at number 34 and Sioux City's Seth Helgeson at number 40 round out the USHL players ranked in the top 50. Two USHL alumni, former Lincoln Star forward Jared Festler and former Indiana Ice forward Stepan Novotny are also ranked.
Fargo's Mike Lee, who starred for Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge in November and has carried the goaltending load for the Force this season, is ranked fourth among North American goaltenders and the highest of the three ranked USHL netminders.
"The day that the mid-term rankings come out is almost always one of the most anticipated days of the season. It gives us a good indication on where our players stand in the eyes of NHL scouts and how we'll do come draft day in June," said USHL Executive Vice President Gino Gasparini. "Once again we've had a good showing in the rankings and I'm excited to see where the players will be selected come draft day.
"As a league, we're proud of each and every one of these young men and we're excited for them, as they are a step closer to realizing that NHL dream. At the same time, we're thrilled to know we have had a hand in the development of so many good, young hockey players."
Below is a complete list of USHL players that landed in the mid-term rankings (players are listed with their rank, followed by their name and USHL team).
8 - John Moore - Chicago
18 - Louis Leblanc - Omaha
33 - Josh Birkholz - Fargo
34 - Alex Chiasson - Des Moines
40 - Seth Helgeson - Sioux City
59 - Philip Samuelsson - Chicago
68 - Ryan Daugherty - Omaha
81 - Blake Thompson - Sioux Falls
82 - Nick Oliver - Fargo
89 - Jeff Costello - Cedar Rapids
97 - Jared Festler - Lincoln
107 - David Gerths - Lincoln
109 - Oleg Lee - Fargo
127 - Garrett Peterson - Lincoln
137 - Tyler Barnes - Waterloo
154 - Keegan Flaherty - Fargo
156 - Stepan Novotny - Indiana
157 - Pat Mullane - Omaha
166 - Patrick Wey - Waterloo
168 - Mike Cichy - Tri-City
170 - Nick Jensen - Green Bay
179 - Jordan Samuels-Thomas - Waterloo
183 - Zach Golembiewski - Indiana
188 - Alex Krushelnyski - Chicago
203 - Nick Oddo - Cedar Rapids
208 - Sean Escobedo - Sioux Falls
210 - Lee Moffie - Waterloo
Below are the USHL goaltenders that were ranked.
4 - Mike Lee - Fargo
26 - Jeff Teglia - Omaha
29 - Joe Howe - Waterloo
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be in June at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
The USHL is celebrating its 30th season of junior hockey in 2008-09. With over 140 players already committed to NCAA Division I schools and 16 NHL Draft picks playing in the league, the USHL is the nation's foremost producer of junior hockey talent. For more information, visit us on the web at www.ushl.com.
