USHL Phase I Draft: 17 Tri-Staters selected

Eli Friedman (Rye, N.Y.) was one of five Mid Fairfield players selected in the USHL Phase I Draft. (Al Aleman/USA Hockey)

Seventeen 2005-born prospects hailing from the Tri-State Area heard their names called in USHL Phase I Draft on Wednesday night.

Phase I of the draft, followed by Phase II on Thursday, featured ten rounds of “Futures” age players only, which are U-17 players for next year’s season (2005 birth-year players).

From the Tri-State region, Mid Fairfield led the way with five players that played for the organization in 2020-21, while North Jersey Avalanche had four. Buffalo Junior Sabres and Mount Saint Charles each added two.

In Round 1, Mid Fairfield center Brian Nicholas was selected by the Sioux City Musketeers with the 8th overall pick. At USA Hockey 15 Only Nationals earlier this month, the Scarsdale, N.Y., native led the way offensively, posting seven points on two goals and five assists, as the Rangers were upset in the semifinals.

With the 9th overall pick, the Chicago Steel drafted North Jersey Avalanche center Ben Yurchuk (Randolph, N.J.), who was a member of the Avalanche team that won the championship at USA Hockey 16-U Nationals in Maryland Heights, Mo.

Rounding out the Tri-State natives in Round 1 was North Jersey left defenseman Nicholas Fascia (Blackwood, N.J.), who was drafted by the Madison Capitols with the 14th overall pick. Fascia was also a member of the Avs’ national championship-winning team.

Below is a complete list of the 17 Tri-Staters selected in the USHL Phase I Draft.

Liam Flaherty can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @_LiamFlaherty.