USHL PHASE 1 SELECTIONS - ATLANTIC DISTRICT
We take a look at this year's Atlantic District USHL Phase 1 selections for the 2021 draft.
Matthew Mania - Defensemen - North Jersey Avalanche
Fargo Force Tender
Mania is a dynamic offensive defensive who is going to have an excellent junior hockey career. He has elite skating ability and instincts with the puck on his stick. Away from the puck he is always finding the open lanes to make him a viable scoring threat. He still a bit raw defensively but he will continue to fine tune that quickly with his skillset.
Aiden Hopewell - Goaltender - Washington Little Caps
Round 8 Pick 108 Waterloo Blackhawks
There is a lot to like about the Little Caps goaltender long term. His size, athletic ability, skating and mental makeup check off all the boxes of a big-time junior goaltender. After posting a .98 save percentage this year in the AYHL, it is safe to say Waterloo got a late round steal.
Jake Lewis - Forward - Junior Flyers
Round 7 Pick 97 Fargo Force
The Junior Flyer forward impressed all season with his effortless stride and elite hockey IQ. Lewis’ ability to distribute the puck, combined with his scoring ability makes him an elite scoring threat. He really developed a physical side to his game this past season which helped round out his game.
Chase Pirtle - Forward - North Jersey Avalanche
Round 2 Pick 16 Youngstown Phantoms
Pirtle is a nice sized forward who has the skating ability to beat any defender to the edge. With his size and skating he should find his way onto the Phantoms roster sooner rather than later. Already physically developed, he has shown no issues playing in the dirty areas of the ice.
Nicholas Fascia - Defensemen - North Jersey Avalanche
Round 1 Pick 14 Madison Capitols
The mobile defensemen can do it all and had himself a fantastic season. He plays the game with tight gap control, eliminating space from his opponents. On the defensive side of the puck he has showed elite habits and hockey IQ. Offensively he has the ability to fire pucks through traffic and produce.
Ben Yurchuk - Forward - North Jersey Avalanche
Round 1 Pick 9 Chicago Steel
Yurchuk is a typical Chicago Steel player, dynamic skater who can process the game. He has an elite first step and his shiftiness allows him to avoid heavy contact. Puck protection and his ability to finish the puck make him an elite talent.
Anthony Cappello - Forward - North Jersey Avalanche
Round 8 Pick 107 Sioux Falls Stampede
At 6’3 Cappello has a pro-frame which automatically makes him intriguing for USHL scouts. His skating ability has been rapidly approving along with his decision making with the puck. Going in the 8th round to Sioux Falls makes him a late round pick with a huge upside.
Griffin Erdman - Forward - North Jersey Avalanche
Round 5 Pick 63 Waterloo Blackhawks
Erdman was under the radar for most of the year being away at Deerfield and playing part time with the North Jersey Avalanche. His play is dynamic and it is easy to see why he was a high draft pick. He is crafty with the puck on his stick and he is extremely shifty on his feet which makes him very hard to contain. Several scouts have said Erdman was one of the best value picks of the draft going in the fifth round.
Thomas Klochkov - Forward - New Jersey Rockets
Round 8 Pick 116 Green Bay Gamblers
Klochkov plays the game at a million miles a hour and is not afraid to get to the net. He took a major step forward in his development this year and became more of a complete 200-foot player. His play and development are trending in the right direction.
Kristofer Krumins - Forward - New Jersey Rockets
Round 6 Pick 76 Youngstown Phantoms
Another one of Coach Rubin’s power forwards, Krumins is a good combination of size and speed. He plays the game with an edge and has a very intriguing offensive skillset for scouts. His game translates to junior hockey and with some fine tuning he will find his way to the league.
Nick Metelkin - Forward - New Jersey Rockets
RD 3 Pick 41 Green Bay Gamblers
Metelkin came into the season this year as an unknown commodity and progressed as the year went on. He has a prototype power forward frame that allows him to protect pucks along the wall and in tight parts of the ice. He has shown that he can score in multiple different ways and has a huge long-term upside.
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