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USHL teams turn away from Canadians in drafts
TL;DR
The USHL has shifted its draft strategy away from Canadian players, focusing more on Americans and Europeans. In the recent Phase I Draft, only two Canadians were selected among 136 players.
Key points
- USHL teams are focusing on American and European players.
- Only two Canadians were selected in the Phase I Draft.
- 136 players were chosen in the first 10 rounds of the draft.
- NCAA changed rules for Canadian Hockey League players' eligibility.
May 6—GRAND FORKS — The United States Hockey League appears to have a defined strategy in its battle with the Central Hockey League for junior hockey players.
The USHL held its Phase I and Phase II Drafts this week, and its teams largely abandoned pursuing Canadians, turning toward Americans and embracing Europeans like never before.
In the first 10 rounds of the Phase I Draft — 2010-born players — 136 players were selected. Only two were Canadians.
That's a massive drop from recent years.
In November 2024, the NCAA announced a rules change that allowed Canadian Hockey League players to retain their NCAA eligibility for the first time in about 50 years.
Prior to then, Canadians who wanted to go the college route bypassed the CHL and played in the USHL or Canadian Junior A to retain eligibility. Now, those players are largely staying closer to home and playing in the CHL before joining NCAA programs.
In the four USHL Phase I Drafts before the rules change, there were 17, 13, 19, 20 and 25 Canadians taken in 10 rounds.
After the NCAA rules change announcement, that number slipped to seven last year and two this year.
The draft expanded to 15 rounds the last two seasons.
A total of nine Canadians were taken across the 15 rounds this season.
Prior to this year, USHL teams had never taken more Europeans than Canadians in the USHL Phase I Draft. This year, they took three times as many Europeans (27) as Canadians (nine), and more Czechs (13) than Canadians. It set a record for most Europeans and Czechs (only seven Czechs were taken in the last 12 drafts combined).
Americans accounted for 85.6% of the Phase I Draft.
Many local and area players were selected.
Six were taken in the top three rounds: Moorhead forward Owen Kraft (Round 1, Lincoln), Moorhead defenseman Hank Laurila (Round 2, Lincoln), Moorhead defenseman Drew Kortan (Round 2, Des Moines), Warroad forward Charlie Marvin (Round 2, Waterloo), Grand Forks forward Tyler Kunz (Round 3, Chicago), Moorhead forward Cameron Coulter (Round 3, Dubuque).
Kraft's father, Ryan, played at Minnesota and in the NHL. His brother, Mason, is committed to Minnesota State. Laurila's brother, Sam, is a freshman at UND. Kortan's sister, Olivia, is a freshman at Minnesota. His cousins, Tanner and Griffin Ludtke, played at Omaha (Tanner is now at Minnesota). Marvin's father, Lee, played at UND. Kunz's brother, Jackson, played at UND.
Local and area players taken in Rounds 4-10 include Warroad forward Easton Lee (Round 4, Lincoln), Grand Forks forward Noah McGauvran (Round 6, Madison), Warroad defenseman Ayven Hontvet (Round 6, Fargo), Warroad forward Rodrick Jackson (Round 8, Des Moines), Moorhead forward John Gramer (Round 8, Fargo)
The Phase I Draft expanded to 15 rounds last year. Local-area players taken in the final five rounds were Moorhead forward Gage Kallhoff (Round 12, Fargo), Bismarck goalie Connor Dwyer (Round 13, Des Moines), Moorhead forward William Cullen (Round 13, Fargo), Grand Forks defenseman Bodee Burris (Round 15, Sioux City), Minot forward Berk Thuner (Round 15, Fargo), Bismarck defenseman Beau Raschke (Round 15, Sioux Falls) and Thief River Falls defenseman Beckem Johnson (Round 15, Fargo).
Green Bay selected Adam Erstad, the son of former Major League Baseball standout and No. 1 overall draft pick Darin Erstad, in the 15th round. Darin played baseball, football and hockey at Jamestown High.
The USHL held the Phase II Draft — players born from 2006 to 2010 — on Tuesday.
Grand Forks Red River grad Rylan Bydal went in the first round, No. 2 overall, to Omaha.
Bydal played last season for the Anchorage Wolverines in the North American Hockey League. He is
committed to Division-I Long Island University.
Warroad defenseman Broden Hontvet went in Round 7 to Des Moines.
USHL teams continued to pass on Canadians in Phase II.
They took just 18 Canadians in Phase II. In the five years prior to the NCAA announcing its rules change, USHL teams took 50, 76, 48, 46 and 65 Canadians.
USHL teams selected more Swedes (19) than Canadians this year.
Q&A
Why are USHL teams drafting fewer Canadian players?
USHL teams are adopting a strategy that prioritizes American and European players over Canadians in their drafts.
What was the selection rate of Canadian players in the recent USHL draft?
Only two Canadian players were selected in the first 10 rounds of the Phase I Draft, a significant decrease from previous years.
What recent rule change affects Canadian Hockey League players' NCAA eligibility?
In November 2024, the NCAA announced a rule change allowing Canadian Hockey League players to retain their NCAA eligibility.
How many players were selected in the USHL Phase I Draft?
A total of 136 players were selected in the first 10 rounds of the USHL Phase I Draft.