Fargo Force Draft Preview
The United States Hockey League takes a team-by-team look ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Fargo Force did not have a player chosen in the 2022 Draft, but in 2021 they had three players selected in the second round starting with defenseman
Scott Morrow to the Carolina Hurricanes at #40, Jack Peart to the Minnesota Wild with the 54
th overall pick and
Tristian Broz to the Pittsburgh Penguins at pick #58.
The Force’s highest selection in franchise history was
Riley Tufte taken in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft with the 25
th overall pick by the Dallas Stars.
Top Prospects for 2023
Cole Knuble | Forward
Central Scouting Rank: #105
College Commitment: University of Notre Dame
Knuble had a record-setting year for the Force in 2022-23, leading Fargo in scoring with 30 goals and 36 assists for 66 points in 57 games. Knuble, who helped the Force claim the Anderson Cup for the first time in franchise history, was named the recipient of Curt Hammer Award, was All-USHL First Team, a two-time USHL Forward of the Week, World Junior A Challenge Tournament MVP, Fargo Force Forward of the Year & MVP, as well as USA Hockey Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year. Knuble captained Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge and received an invite to participate in the 2023 NHL Draft Combine.
Jake Fisher | Forward
Central Scouting Rank: #87
College Commitment: University of Denver
Jake Fisher joined the Force in March following the conclusion of the Minnesota high school hockey season. He added one goal in 12 games for the Force and played an important role for the team during the Clark Cup Championship. Fisher played for Cretin-Derham Hall during the high school hockey season where he led the team in scoring with 34 goals and 29 assists for 63 points in 29 games. He was a finalist for Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey Award, awarded annually to the state’s best high school senior.
The USHL has had 50-or-more players selected in each of the last five NHL Drafts, with a league-best 57 chosen in 2022 and 2018. In all the USHL has seen 990 of its players selected in total, with at least one player taken in each draft but one dating back to 1981.