The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders’ Bryce Aneloski, Tyler Thompson, Nick Oddo and Brady Hjelle have all made the final National Hockey League Central Scouting Service rankings of draft eligible players. In addition, RoughRiders affiliated player Greg Burke also made the Central Scouting list.
Aneloski, 17, is the one hundred fifty-seventh ranked North American-based skater. Aneloski (8-12-20) finished this season tied for eighth among United States
Hockey League defensemen in goals. The Pekin, Illinois, native will begin his college career at Providence next season. He was selected by the RoughRiders in the eighth round of last May’s USHL Entry Draft with the eighty-first overall pick after playing midget hockey for Team Illinois.
Thompson, 19, is ranked one hundred eighty-third among North American skaters.
Thompson (20-24-44) finished the 2007-08 season second among RoughRiders in goals and tied for third in points. The Wayzata, Minnesota, native will begin his college career at Minnesota State-Mankato in the fall. In his two seasons with the Riders, Thompson totaled 28 goals and 61 points in 92 games.
Oddo, 18, is rated one hundred ninety-fifth among North American skaters. The Omaha native this season led all first year RoughRiders with 14 goals and totaled 23 points. Oddo is set to return to the Riders next season before heading back to his hometown to play college hockey at Nebraska-Omaha. Oddo joined the Riders after skating for Kansas City’s Russell Stover midget program in 2006-07.
Hjelle, 17, was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team after finishing the season third in the league in save percentage (.921), tied for third in shutouts (3), fifth in goals against average (2.50) and sixth in minutes played (2380:07). The International Falls, Minnesota, native went 22-15-4 in 41 games and finished tied for fifth in wins. Hjelle, who will play at Minnesota-Duluth next season, was also named USHL Goaltender of the Week on three separate occasions this season.
Last November Hjelle helped the United States Junior Select Team to a bronze medal at the World Junior A Challenge in British Columbia. That was Hjelle’s second chance to wear the red, white and blue in a matter of months. He played on the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that finished fifth in last August’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia and Hodonin, Czech Republic.
Hjelle, who played for International Falls High School last season, was selected by the Riders in the ninth round of the 2006 USHL Futures Draft with the one hundredth overall choice.
Burke, 17, ranks one hundred fortieth among North American skaters. The Lee, New Hampshire, native led the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of the Eastern Junior Hockey League in goals (21) and points (46) this season. Burke was chosen by the RoughRiders in the second round of the 2006 USHL Futures draft with the sixteenth overall pick. He has already committed to play college hockey at the University of New Hampshire. As one of the RoughRiders’ affiliated players, Burke was protected by the Riders this season but was not part of the team’s 23-player active roster.
The end-of-season rankings are the second of two comprehensive lists of draft-eligible
player ratings released by NHL Central Scouting. The mid-season rankings were released in January. The 2008 NHL Entry Draft will be held June 20 and 21 in Ottawa.
Eleven RoughRiders have been selected in the NHL draft since the team’s arrival in Cedar Rapids in 1999. Calgary Flames forward Dave Moss last season became the first Rider alumnus to reach the NHL. Former Riders Ted Purcell (Los Angeles Kings) and Justin Abdelkader (Detroit Red Wings) made their NHL debuts this season.
The RoughRiders are fresh off another successful season. The Riders, who finished the campaign 33-22-5, have now enjoyed eight straight winning seasons and have also reached the USHL Clark Cup playoffs each of the last eight years.