The Chicago Steel added 10 players during Phase I of the 2020 USHL Draft on Monday. General Manager Ryan Hardy was prepared and was pleased with the result.
“We had a plan and we executed that plan,” Hardy said in a press release. “The players that we selected fit our clearly defined criteria, which is synergistic with our clearly defined style of play. We are very excited to welcome them and their families to our Chicago Steel family and very much look forward to influencing their development in the years to come.”
With the tender agreements during March signed by defenseman Jake Livanavage and forward Adam Fantilli, the Steel organization have a dozen new faces for their upcoming season.
Chicago’s 2020 Phase I USHL Draft
With the 11th pick in round one, Chicago selected forward Andon Carbone out of the Brunswick School in Connecticut. One selection later, Hardy snagged forward Zam Plante from the Hermantown Hawks 14UAA team. Plante is a Minnesota native.
In rounds four and five, Chicago selected two forwards and one defenseman. At 48th overall, Casy Laylin from St. Michael-Albertville High School gave Hardy three straight forwards selected. The first defenseman, Chris Able, was selected from the local Chicago Mission 15s. Able is a native of Libertyville, Illinois. Rounding out round five was forward Cameron Johnson of St. George’s School 15s in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Hardy rounded out his draft with three picks in round eight and two selections in round 10. Forwards Chris Delaney, Evan Hunter and Nick Moldenhaurd were all selected the eighth round. Delaney was picked out of the Boston Jr. Bruins 16U. Hunter plays up the road from Chicago for the Green Bay Jr. Gamblers 15s and Moldenhauer played for the Toronto Titans MMAAA.
Chicago’s two selections in round 10 consisted of defenseman Sam Court from the Winnipeg Wild MAAA and forward Mick Thompson of the New Jersey Avalanche 16U.
The Steel will draft Phase II of the USHL Draft today at 1 p.m. for players eligible born in the years 2000–2004. As a result of past trades, Chicago will not pick until the sixth round.