DALLAS – Outside of the household names from New England who were taken in the first three rounds of the 2018 NHL Draft, several other prospects from the region – including college hockey commits – were also selected on day No. 2.
After round one was conducted Friday, rounds two through seven took place Saturday back at the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Stars.
The Carolina Hurricanes selected Harvard recruit Jack Drury of the Waterloo Blackhawks in the second round, 42nd overall. The Winnetka, Ill., native had 27 goals and 34 assists in 64 USHL games this season. A two-way center, Drury’s skating is questioned, but he is a high character player who will give it his all to win hockey games.
One pick later, the New York Islanders drafted Russian center Ruslan Izkhakov, a UConn commit. He’s undersized, but European scouts rave about his speed, skill and work ethic.
Boston College commit Jack McBain led off the third round as the Minnesota Wild's first pace. The Toronto Jr. Canadians prospect is a big, heavy, two-way center who put up 27 goals and 40 assists in 52 Ontario Junior Hockey League games this past season.
"I'm really happy to be taken by an organization like Minnesota," said McBain.
"I really liked coach York and the city of Boston. They've produced a lot of quality NHL players," added McBain, whose final three choices for a college destination were BC, Michigan and Penn State.
Northeastern recruit Tyler Madden was scooped up by the Vancouver Canucks with the 68th overall selection. The son of former NHL journeyman and current AHL head coach John Madden had 15 goals and 19 assists in 50 USHL games between the Central Illinois Flying Aces and Tri-City Storm.
“I think my hockey IQ, my speed and the way I handle the puck,” said Madden of his strengths. “A big part of my game is controlling the pace of the game.”
UMass Lowell commit Seth Barton, a defenseman out of the BCHL, was selected 81st overall by the Detroit Red Wings. The Kelowna, British Columbia, native had nine goals and 35 assists in 65 games this winter with the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Another UConn commit from Europe, Jachym Kondelik of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, was picked in the fourth round, 111th overall by the Nashville Predators. Hailing from Czech Republic, Kondelik registered 17 goals and 20 assists in 47 USHL games.
Yale recruit John St. Ivany of the Sioux Falls Stampede was selected 112th by the Philadelphia Flyers. A big, two-way, puck-moving defender from Manhattan Beach, Calif., he had a breakout USHL season with seven goals and 32 assists in 57 games.
Another Yale commit, Curtis Hall, was the first American to be drafted by the Boston Bruins in the 2018 NHL Draft. The big, two-way center from the Youngstown Phantoms was taken 119th overall after putting up 16 goals and 21 assists in 65 games.
Lone Star Brahmas goaltender Mitchell Gibson, committed to Harvard, was taken by Washington with the 124th overall pick. The Phoenixville, Pa., native ha a .935 save percentage in the regular season before elevating his game with a .950 save percentage in the playoffs.
New Hampshire commit Angus Crookshank of the Langley Rivermen was scooped up by the Ottawa Senators in the fifth round with the 126th overall pick.
Providence commit Mikael Hakkarainen, an older forward for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, was selected 139th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
The final player with local ties selected in the fifth round was Providence commit Michael Callahan, a defenseman for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. The Franklin, Mass., native who played prep hockey at Roxbury Latin was taken 142nd overall by the Arizona Coyotes.
Four local players were taken in the sixth round, led off by New Hampton defenseman Michael Kesselring, who de-committed from Merrimack this past week. Destined for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the 2018-19 season, he was picked 164th by the Edmonton Oilers.
Up next was St. Sebastian’s center Liam Gorman. A Boston University commit, he was picked 177th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Arlington, Mass., native has good size and skating ability and does a lot of little things well, including winning face-offs. If he can improve his offensive skill set, there is a lot of potential.
Smooth-skating, offensive defenseman Peter Diliberatore of the Salisbury School went 180th to the Vegas Golden Knights. From Bedford, Nova Scotia, Diliberatore is committed to Quinnipiac.
"It was phenomenal," said Diliberatore of his experience at Salisbury. "Going in, I didn't know anybody. It was my first time living in the United States and I was pretty nervous. Coach [Andrew] Will brought me in and was nothing but supportive. Teammates and other students I met there are going to be lifelong friends."
Former Springfield Cathedral star John Leonard of UMass was taken 182nd by the San Jose Sharks. Following a standout high school career, the Amherst, Mass., native played two seasons in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. He led the Minutemen in scoring as a rookie, posting 13 goals and 15 assists.
Him getting drafted is a huge statement about how far he came as an individual this year. He was committed before we got here. He had a tremendous skill set, but never had good habits without the puck. We thought he developed without the puck and he got stronger and stronger offensively," said UMass coach Greg Carvel.
"He led our team even missing time with injury. He was filling the net consistently. He has tremendous potential. His offensive ability is easy to see. He has a long way to see. That’s a lot to say for a kid," continued Carvel.
Five more players with ties to the region were drafted in the seventh round, beginning with Matthew Thiessen, a Maine commit. A Steinbach Pistons product in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, he had a .923 save percentage in the regular season and a .943 save percentage in the playoffs. He was picked 192nd by the Vancouver Canucks.
That began a run of three goaltenders who are committed to Hockey East schools to see their names called in the seventh round. Jacob Kucharski, a Providence College commit from the Des Moines Bucccaneers, went 197th overall to Carolina.
Vernon Vipers goaltender Ty Taylor, a New Hampshire commit, went 214th to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Harvard recruit Austin Won of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Okotoks Oilers was picked by the Winnipeg Jets with the 215th overall pick.
St. Sebastian’s right wing Riley Hughes, a Northeastern commit, went 216th to the New York Rangers. He has size, skating, and an offensive skill set to impress scouts, but he needs to play less on the perimeter.
