Goaltender Matthew Skoff was the first of eight players selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in this evening’s United States Hockey League Futures Draft.
After selecting Skoff, the Riders went on to pick five forwards and two defensemen.
“I’m very happy with the job our staff did in scouting and preparing for this draft,” said RoughRiders Coach and General Manager Mark Carlson. “We’ve drafted some exciting players who I think fit our system.”
The eight draftees have been added to the RoughRiders’ affiliate list. Players on a USHL team’s affiliate list are protected by that team but are not part of its 23-player active roster. Only players 16 or 17 years old were eligible for selection in the Futures Draft.
The Riders took Skoff, 16, with the eighth overall pick in the draft. The McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, native currently plays midget hockey for the Pittsburgh Hornets. Skoff was a teammate of current RoughRider Paul Phillips on the United States Under-17 Select Team that finished second at the Five Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic in August.
In round two the Riders chose defenseman Eric Johnson with the nineteenth overall pick. Johnson, 16, plays in his hometown for the Madison Capitols midget program.
The Riders selected 16-year old forward Thomas Keith in the third round with the thirty-fourth pick of the draft. Keith, a Woodbury, New York, native, skates for the Atlantic Junior Hockey League’s New York Bobcats.
16-year old defenseman Mac Bennett was the RoughRiders’ fourth round choice, number forty-five overall. The Warwick, Rhode Island, native plays prep school hockey at Hotchkiss Academy in Connecticut.
In the fifth round the Riders looked north for Park Rapids (Minnesota) High School forward Zach Lehrke.
The Riders went for 17-year old forward Mike Merrifield in round six. The Beverly Hills, Michigan, product plays midget hockey for the St. Louis Bandits.
In the seventh round the Riders selected Jeff Costello- another forward- with the eighty-third choice. Costello, 16, attends and plays for Catholic Memorial High School in Milwaukee.
The Riders used their final choice- the ninety-second overall- on a fourth straight forward, Oregon native Kyle Singleton. Singleton, 17, and Skoff are Pittsburgh Hornets teammates.
The Riders start their ninth regular season Friday night against the Chicago Steel in Bensenville, Illinois. Saturday evening the Riders will return to Cedar Rapids for their home opener against the Indiana Ice at 7:05. The RoughRiders head into the regular season having won five of six preseason games, including their last four in a row.
Tickets for all RoughRiders regular season games- including the home opener- are now on sale at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena ticket office. The ticket office is open from noon to 5:00PM Monday through Friday and from noon through the end of the second period on game days. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office or over the phone at (319) 261-4625. Tickets are also available on line at www.roughridershockey.com. Ticket prices range from $7 to $17 in advance and from $8 to $18 on game days.
All fans in attendance Saturday night will receive free 2007-08 RoughRiders magnet schedules courtesy of St. Luke’s Iowa Health System, Velocity Sports Performance, Aspen Athletic, i wireless and AM 1360 The Fan.
In addition, fans will have the chance to meet and greet members of the Minnesota Vikings cheerleading squad Saturday night. The Vikings cheerleaders will be selling their 2008 calendar during Saturday’s game with proceeds to benefit the Vikings Children’s Fund. Signed calendars will be available for $25, unsigned for $20. The Vikings Children’s Fund supports pediatric cancer research at the University of Minnesota.