Fargo, ND – The Fargo Force selected 24 players in the 2023 United States Hockey League Phase II Draft yesterday. The Phase II Draft is for any player from 2003-2007 birth years. This goes until every USHL team fills their initial protected list to a total of 45 players.
Fargo started with back to back picks in round two, 30th and 31st overall. At 30, Fargo selected Tate Taylor from the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The Richmond, BC native is a two-way, right handed defenseman, and was of the BCHL's top scoring D-man with 45 points (11 goals, 34 assists) in 51 games played. The 5'11" and 164 lbs Clarkson commit was also a large contributor in the postseason with 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) in 12 playoff games.
With the next pick, the Force selected Gavin Morrissey from the Austin Bruins of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) 31st overall. Morrissey is a 5'11" 181 lbs left shot forward from Dayton, Ohio. In his second season with Bruins, he was named an alternate captain and led his team to the Central Division regular season title as he notched 61 points (17 goals, 44 assists) in 59 games played.
From Kerrobert, Saskatchewan, Michael Neumeier comes to the Fargo in round five, 75th overall. Neumeier, who attended a Force tryout camp in 2021, is a strong defenseman with a heavy left handed shot. He played this season with the Bismarck Bobcats of the NAHL, where he used his 6'2" and 185 lbs frame to tally 39 points (9 goals, 39 assists) in 60 games played. Neumeier is committed to Colgate University.
The Force had two sixth round picks at their disposal. First up,Ty Mason joins the Force from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League's (SJHL) Weyburn Red Wings at 90th overall in round six. Mason, who was at last year's Force tryout camp, is a physical right winger who puts up points and penalty minutes for his team. This year with the Red Wings, the Western Michigan University commit collected 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) in 56 games while bulldozing 75 penalty minutes.
Next in the sixth round at 93rd overall was Lee Parks, from the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL. Parks is a right handed right winger committed to University of Massachusetts–Lowell. From Stittsville, Ontario, the 6'1" 190 lbs right winger racked up 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 50 games played. He continued his contributions during the BCHL playoffs where in 11 games played he scored 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists).
Fargo additionally used two seventh round selections, the first of which was used on defenseman Nicholas Wolfenberg at 98th overall. Wolfenberg is a Calgary native, who played with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The right handed Cornell commit uses his body to get on scoresheet. This season his pass first style brought in 24 points (6 goals, 18 assists) in 38 games played with a big body of 6'2" and 201 lbs.
With the other seventh round pick at 108th overall, the Force snared Garrett Drotts from the Kenai River Brown Bears from the NAHL. Drotts led the Brown Bears with 53 points (27 goals 26 assists). Coming from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, he is a left handed left wing committed to Augustana University with a 6'0," 174 lbs frame.
In the ninth round at 135th overall took Edina High School Captain Eddie Revenig. Revenig is left handed defenseman who is 5'10" and 161 lbs. While captaining Edina High School in Minnesota to the MN State AA Championship game, he recorded 21 points (1 goal, 20 assists) in 30 games played.. Revenig is committed to Bemidji State University.
13 picks later in the ninth round at 138th overall the Force went to Finland for their pick. Tom Leppa is from Kauniainen, Finland and plays center for Jokerit U20. Leppa has represented his country on multiple occasions, including the World Under-18 Junior Championship. He is also ranked the No. 89 European skater by NHL Central Scouting at 6'0 and 179 lbs. The Penn State University commit used his left handed shot to notch 31 points (19 goals, 12 assists) in 45 games played.
Cade Kozak a native of Isanti, Minnesota was chosen by Fargo in round 10, 153rd overall from the Windy City Storm 16u team. A great skater, and an offensive D-man, Kozak earned 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) in 15 regular season games for the Storm. The left handed defenseman is 5'8" and 154 lbs.
Fargo went back to Finland at 168th overall in round 11, acquiring Iiro Hakkarainen. Hakkarainen is a left-handed forward who is 5'11" and weighs 159 lbs. He brought in 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 43 games with Kiekko-Espoo U20.
In the 12th round, 183rd overall the Force picked up left handed forward Brady Engelkes. Engelkes is a native of Middleton, Wisconsin and played 23 games for Middleton High School, where he racked up 65 points (43 goals, 22 assists) in 23 games played. The 6'0" 168 lbs defenseman spent time with Team Wisconsin before and after his high school season, and also played 3 games with the Janesville Jets of the NAHL and scored his first NAHL point, an assist on Nov. 12, 2022.
The Force went close to home for their 13th round selection, taking Kade Peterson from West Fargo, North Dakota. Peterson has spent the last two seasons with the St. Cloud Norsemen, taking the mantle of an alternate captain during the 2022-23 season. The 6'0" 170 lbs left handed forward put up 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 60 games this year.
Fargo picked up their first goaltender of the Phase II Draft Eric Olsson from Stockholm, Sweden. Olsson played for Örebro HK J20 where in 26 games played, he had a .909 save percentage and 2.60 goals allowed average thanks in part to his 6'4" 183 lbs frame.
The 15th round found Fargo taking Weston Knox, from Andover Minnesota, who played this year for the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL. Knox who stands 6'0," 181 lbs and earned 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) in 47 games played. The left-handed defenseman is committed to the Air Force Academy.
Hailing from Howell, Michigan, Reid Daavettila played for the NAHL's Minnesota Wilderness and was picked in round 16, 243rd overall. The Michigan Tech commit put up 18 points (5 goals, 13 assists) in 59 games. He is a right handed forward who is 6'1" and 170 lbs.
In round 17, 258th overall Alexander Hebblethwaite played in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League's (GOJHL) with the Niagara Falls Canucks. The Mississauga, Ontario native is 6'2," 181 lbs and a left-handed forward. He picked up 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists) in 41 games played. Hebblethwaite played the 21-22 season with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes 16U team, which participated in the annual Force Fall Showcase for youth teams, which is held in early October of each year.
From the AJHL, Layne Loomer from Lethbridge, Alberta is an Augastana University commit picked in round 18, 273rd overall. At 5'11" and 170 lbs, Loomer is fast and agile, putting up 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists) in 55 games played. He also helped his Blackfalds Bulldogs in the postseason with 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in eight games.
Another Minnesota high school player, Kamden Kaiser comes from Northfield High School and was selected by the Force in round 20, 303rd overall. Kaiser used his 6'1" 190 lbs body to rack up 66 points (40 goals, 26 assists) in 30 games played this past season.
A pass first, right handed forward from Warman, Saskatchewan, Riley Ashe is from the SJHL's Melfort Mustangs. Ashe 6'0," 161 lbs and scored 39 points (8 goals, 31 assists) in 55 games played while also picking up 5 points (0 goals, 5 assists) in 10 playoff games. He is also very disciplined, only taking 18 penalty minutes the whole season.
Nathan Brown played with his hometown Winnipeg Bruins, and was chosen in round 22, 333rd overall. Brown brought in 59 points (28 goals, 31 assists) in 44 games played. The left handed center plays with an edge as well, racking up 88 penalty minutes.
2007 birth years were also available to be selected in the Phase II draft, and the Force took Andrew Smulkstys of the Chicago Fury 15U in the 23rd round. A 6'2," 159 lbs left handed defenseman from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Smulkstys played in 16 regular season games, and had 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists).
The Washington Little Capitals had representation, as Zachary Greenlund was taken at 363rd overall in the 24th round. He split time between the Little Capitals and Briar Woods High School in Virginia. With the Capitals he recorded 19 points (10 goals, 9 assists) in 15 T1EHL games. For Briar Woods, Greenlund tallied 7 points, (5 goals, 2 assists) in 10 games.
To close out the draft, Fargo finagled Slovenian born Maks Percic in round 25, 378th overall. Another Michigan Tech commit, Percic has played in Slovenia, Germany, and most recently was teammates with Iiro Hakkarainenat on Kiekko-Espoo U20 in Finland. He has represented his country twice, including last season at the World Junior B Championship and won a Slovenian league championship during the 2020-21 season. With Kiekko-Espoo this season, he earned 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in 32 games.
The Fargo Force take on the Lincoln Stars tonight, May 4, at Scheels Arena for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Puck drop is at 7:05, and the game will be streamed on Flo Hockey.
