With the 2010 USHL Futures and Entry Drafts (May 18 and 19, respectively) and the 2010 tryouts quickly approaching, BellTolls and I thought it would be appropriate to take a look at some of the faces that could be at tryouts in June. Obviously the majority of the players at tryouts come undrafted, but the majority of those who make the final cut are either veterans or Stars' draft picks.
We can't predict who the Stars will be drafting this year, but we can take a look at who was picked last year and what they are doing now.
So with that, here are the Lincoln Stars' selections from the
2009 USHL Entry Draft and where they are now. As you can see from the list below, the majority of the players drafted last season have either moved on to college, or on to other hockey clubs.
Steve West (D)
Played 57 games for the Lincoln Stars last season after spending the season before with the Ohio State Buckeyes. In those 57 games for the Stars, West accumulated 12 points (4g, 8a), 44 PIM, and was -11. Although nothing has been announced, I assume West will be moving on to college next season. I am not sure if he will be attending Ohio State again, or a different university.
Brodie Reid (F)
Played 46 games for the Lincoln Stars last season after spending the season before with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. In those 46 games with the Stars last season, Reid scored 36 points (16g, 20a) and was -8. Reid will be attending Northeastern University this Fall (2010).
Steve Racine (G)
Played two games for the Lincoln Stars last season before he was traded to the Waterloo Blackhawks. After playing in five games with the Blackhawks, Racine was traded to a team in the NAHL, but he refused the assignment. Racine ended the season playing for the Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League.
Brent Tate (F)
Played 23 games for the Lincoln Stars last season before he was injured in January. In those 23 games, Tate scored 0 points, was -9, and accumulated 67 PIM. I would assume Tate will tryout for the Stars again this Spring. Despite having USHL experience last season with the Stars, Tate will still have to earn a roster spot for this next season.
Dax Lauwers (D)
Played 54 games for the Lincoln Stars last season. In those 54 games, Lauwers accumulated 4 points (0g, 4a), 88 PIM's, and was-1. Dax will be playing collegiate hockey this fall (2010) for the Army Golden Knights.
Jeff McMinimy (F)
Played
one game for the Lincoln Stars last season on 11/27/09 against the Youngstown Phantoms. Last season for the Dallas Stars U-18 (MM), McMinimy scored 57 points (20g, 37a) in 47 games played. In those 47 games, McMinimy racked up a total of 185 PIM. This is one player I am really hoping the Stars find a spot for on the roster next season. McMinimy was at the Stars tryouts last Spring, and made the camp all-star team, but he was not picked to join the club full-time in the Fall. As a '92, McMinimy is still very young, and has a bright hockey future ahead of him. This is definitely one player I am very excited to see at tryouts. He has the scoring ability and grit the Stars need.
Will Rayner (D)
Played 29 games for the Lincoln Stars last season. In those 29 games, Rayner accumulated 5 points (0g, 5a), 50 PIM, and was -7. Rayner will be playing for the University of Masachussets-Lowell this Fall (2010).
Chris Wagner (F)
Played 44 games for the South Shore Kings in the Eastern Junior Hockey League last season. In those 44 games, Wagner accumulated a whopping 83 points (34g, 49a). Wagner accepted a scholarship to play hockey at Colgate University starting this Fall (2010). This was one player I was really hoping the Stars could convince to come to Lincoln next season. Wagner was a no-show at the tryouts last season, so I wonder if he was ever really interested in playing hockey at the USHL level in Lincoln.
William Brockett (F)
Played 20 games for the Lincoln Stars last season before being traded to the Tri-City Storm. In 59 total games last season, Brocket scored 25 points (12g, 13a), was -5, and accumulated 83 PIM. Brockett will play for the Storm again next season.
Ryan Dzingel (F)
Played 36 games for the Lincoln Stars last season after being called up for good in early January. In those 36 games for the Stars, Dzingel scored 26 points (11g, 15a), was -18, and accumulated 38 PIM. Considering how late of a draft pick Dzingel was last season, the Stars have to be pleasantly surprised with his progress. He will be counted on next season to be one of the top 3 forwards on the roster. Like all of the other returning Stars players, Dzingel will still have to tryout this Spring. Dzingel has already secured a scholarship to play hockey for the Ohio State University in the Fall of 2011.
Izaack Berglund (D)
Played 37 games for the Westside Warriors of the BCHL last season. Berglund participated in the Lincoln Stars tryout camp last season, but suffered a leg injury early on and was forced to withdraw. Berglund will be attending Merrimack University this Fall (2010).
Jonathan Mleczko (D/F)
Played last season as a Senior at the Milton Academy, located in Milton, Massachusetts. I have not been able to find out a lot about Mleczko online. Mleczko was an assistant captain last season on his Milton Academy team. 5'11", 180 pounds, born in '92. Mleczko was a no-show at the Stars tryout camp last Spring.
Luke Curadi (D)
Curadi did not show up to the Stars tryout camp last spring, deciding instead that he would play for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. Curadi played 58 games for the Vees last season, accumulating 17 points (7g, 10a) and 98 PIM. Curadi recently signed a tender with the USHL expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints, so he will be playing for the Saints next season. Curadi is a giant at 6'5", 255 pounds. Curadi will attend RPI in the fall of 2011.
Matt Green (G)
Played in 31 games for the Lincoln Stars last season, accumulating 9 wins against 13 losses. a 2.99 goals against average, and a .899 save percentage. As a '90, Green would be considered an "overager" next season if he returns to the Stars. Next season, each USHL team can only roster four players born in 1990. Like Tate, Green would have to tryout for the Stars again this Spring in hopes of making the team. With Kevin Murdock all but guaranteed to be on the Stars next season, Green will have plenty of competition.
Luke Johnson (F)
Luke is the son of former Stars coach, and current Fargo coach, Steve Johnson. Luke is also quite the hockey phenom. Two seasons ago as an 8th grader, Luke scored 26 points in 27 games for the varsity Red River High School (North Dakota) hockey team. Last season as a 9th grader, Luke scored 46 points (17g, 29a) in 27 games for the Grand Forks Central High School hockey team. There are some rumors floating around that Luke was selected by the Team USA U-17 squad, but I cannot find anything online to collaborate that. I am also unaware if the Stars protected Johnson, or if his rights were traded to Fargo. Considering his dad is the head coach for the Force, I highly doubt we'll ever see Luke in a Stars uniform.
So after reviewing this group, I expect to see at the most, five players listed above to be at the Stars tryout camp this June. Those five would be Brent Tate, Jeff McMinimy, Ryan Dzingel, Jonathan Mleczko, and Matt Green. The one question mark would be Mleczko, but I believe the other four players should be at camp.