Draft | 6/10/2024 11:27:27 AM

The United States Hockey League takes a team-by-team look ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
 
The Waterloo Black Hawks have had players selected in 11 of the last 12 NHL Drafts, for a total of 30 drafted players. The 2023 Draft was no exception as the BlackHawks saw two players selected, Aaron Poink in Round 5 to the Minnesota Wild and David Klee in Round 7 to the San Jose Sharks.

Since being founded in 1962 the BlackHawks have had four players taken in the first round of the Draft;  Brock Boeser (Vancouver - 23rd overall) in 2015, Sam Rinzel (Chicago - 25th overall) in 2022), Peter Ferraro (New York Rangers - 24th overall) in 1992 and Shane Bowers (Ottawa - 28th overall) in 2017.

John Mustard | Forward 
Central Scouting Rank: #27
College Commitment: Providence College
In his rookie USHL season Jon Mustard led all USHL rookies in scoring with 29 goals and 27 assists for 56 points in 60 games played. The 6-foot 184 lb forward led the Black Hawks in goals and racked up a 10-game point streak in November tying for fifth longest streak by any player in the 2023-24 season. He led all USHL rookies in game-winning goals (7) and power play goals (7). His  outstanding play during th- regular season earned him the title of USHL Rookie of the Year and a spot on the USHL All-Rookie First Team. Mustard appeared in the USA Hockey' Chipotle All-American game and scored the winning goal in overtime leading Team White to a 5-4 victory. Following his junior hockey career Mustard is committed to play college hockey at Providence University.
 
Eero Butella | Forward 
Central Scouting Rank: #165 (Midterm Rank)
College Commitment: Northeastern University
2023-24 was Butella's first full season with the Black Hawks, the 6-foot-3 177 lb forward tallied 4 goals and 6 assists for 10 points in 58 games played. He was also selected to play for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Central Scouting Rank: #196 (Midterm Rank)
College Commitment: University of Michigan
William Felicio was acquired by the Black Hawks from the Madison Capitols in the middle of the 2023-24 season. In 31 games played in Waterloo he scored 5 goals and added another 11 assists for 16 points in 31 games. While in Madison he played 78 regular season games in total, scoring 9 goals and 32 assists. Felicio played for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he tallied 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points in 5 games. He added another 4 points in 6 games for Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge. Following his junior hockey career Felicio is set to play college hockey at the University of Michigan.
 
The USHL has had 50-or-more players selected in each of the last six NHL Drafts, with a league-best 57 chosen in 2022 and 2018. In all the USHL has seen 1,041 of its players selected in total, including four first-overall picks, with at least one player taken in each draft but one dating back to 1981