Draft | 6/7/2024 9:11:23 AM
The United States Hockey League takes a team-by-team look ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.
Dating back to 2014, The
Chicago Steel have had 10-straight drafts with a selection. The Steel had four players selected in the 2023 NHL Draft with forward A
dam Fantilli (he played with Chicago from 2020-22 before playing with the University of Michigan in 2022-23) being selected third overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Jayden Perron was selected #94 by Carolina, M
ichael Emerson was selected at #190 by Carolina and
Jack Harvey was chosen by Tampa at #193.
Dating back to its inaugural season in the USHL in 2000-01, Chicago has had 52 players selected in the NHL Draft. Defenseman
Owen Power was selected first overall by Buffalo at the 2021 NHL Draft.
Macklin Celebrini, who played for Chicago in 2022-23 before playing for Boston University in 2023-24, is expected to the be the first player chosen in this year’s draft.
Top Prospects for 2024
Macklin Celebrini, Forward
Central Scouting Rank: #1
2023-24 Team: Boston University
This year’s Hobey Baker Award recipient as the top player in NCAA hockey, Celebrini helped lead Boston University to the 2023-24 Frozen Four while recording 64 points, including 12 power play goals and four game-winning goals, ranking second nationally in goals and tied for second nationally in points. The Vancouver, B.C., native was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, named to Hockey East First Team, All Rookie Team and is the 2023-24 Hockey East Scoring Champion. Celebrini played in the USHL last year with the Chicago Steel in 2022-23 where he the league in scoring with 86 points with 46 goals and 40 assists. His 46 goals were also a league high, as were his eight game-winning goals and 21 power play goals. Including a five-goal game vs. USA Hockey NTDP on Feb. 18, Celebrini recorded four hat tricks during the course of the 2022-23 campaign and in addition to being named All-USHL First Team, was USHL Player of the Year, USHL Forward of the Year and USHL Rookie of the Year.
Michael Hage, Forward
Central Scouting Rank: #10
College Commitment: Michigan
Hage, who received an invitation to the 2024 NHL Scouting Combine, was named 2023-24 All-USHL First Team. The Mississauga, Ont., native who registered 75 points on 33 goals and 42 assists in 54 games with the Steel during the 2023-24 regular season, is committed to the University of Michigan. Selected and played in the 2024 Chipotle All-American Game in Plymouth, Mich., Jan. 24, Hage had a five-point night in a 9-7 win over the Madison Capitols Nov. 10.
Louka Cloutier, Goaltender
NHL Scouting Rank (North American Goaltenders): #15
College Commitment: Nebraska Omaha
The 2023-24 USHL All-Rookie Team selection posted a 14-14-2-3 record with a 3.68 goals against average and a .904 save percentage in 34 games with the Chicago Steel. The Sherbrook, QC, native recorded a 33-save shutout in a 3-0 road win at Des Moines Jan. 14. Committed to Nebraska-Omaha, Cloutier had a career-high 44 saves in a game twice during the season (vs. Lincoln March 15 and vs. Dubuque March 24) and finished third in league with 1,141 saves. He was rated #15 amongst North American goaltenders in the final NHLCS Draft rankings.
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, with at least one player taken in each draft but one dating back to 1981.