23 Players With WCHA Ties Chosen In NHL Entry Draft
UND's Zach Parise was One of Four First Round NHL Draft Picks with WCHA ties. |
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June 23, 2003
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MADISON, Wisc. Twenty-three players with ties to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association either as current players or incoming recruits were chosen in the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft held this past weekend in Nashville, Tenn. Four of those were first round selections in University of Minnesota forward Thomas Vanek (No., 5 pick, Buffalo Sabres), University of Wisconsin recruit and defenseman Ryan Suter (No. 7 pick, Nashville Predators), University of North Dakota forward Zach Parise (No. 17 pick, New Jersey Devils), and Colorado College defenseman Mark Stuart (No. 21 pick, Boston Bruins).
Three players with WCHA ties were also taken in the second round, with North Dakota recruit and defenseman Matt Smaby going to the Tampa Bay Lighting with the No. 41 pick, University of Denver recruit and defenseman Matthew Carle going to San Jose Sharks with the No. 47 selection, and Minnesota State University recruit and forward David Backes going to the St. Louis Blues with the 62nd choice overall.
In Round 3 of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, a pair of Minnesota recruits were chosen in forward Danny Irmen, who went to the Minnesota Wild as the No. 78 pick and forward Ryan Potulny, who went to the Philadelphia Flyers at No. 87.
In Round 4, Denver recruit and forward Ty Morris was selected No. 128 by the Vancouver Canucks while Minnesota recruit and forward Michael Vannelli was drafted No. 136 by the Atlanta Thrashers.
In Round 5, Colorado College forward Brett Sterling was selected as the No. 145 pick by the Atlanta Thrashers, North Dakota recruit and forward Brady Murray was taken by the Los Angeles Kings at No. 152, and current Golden Gophers forward Gino Guyer was taken by the Dallas Stars at No. 165.
Round 6 of the NHL Entry Draft saw St. Cloud State University forward Jonathan Lehun chosen at No. 189 by the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota State recruit and defenseman Chad Brownlee chosen at No. 190 by the Vancouver Canucks.
In Round 7, the first goaltender with WCHA ties was selected when Wisconsin recruit Mike Brodeur went to the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 211.
Round 8 had five players with WCHA ties chosen, with Colorado College recruit and forward Jamie Hoffman going to the Carolina Panthers at No. 230, CC recruit and goaltender Matt Zaba going to the Los Angeles Kings at No. 231, St. Cloud State forward Joe Jensen selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins at No. 232, Wisconsin recruit and forward Andrew Joudrey going to the Washington Capitols at No. 249, and Colorado College recruit and defenseman Brady Greco going to the Tampa Bay Lightning at No. 256.
And in Round 9, North Dakota recruit and forward Chris Porter was chosen by the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 282.
The 23 draftees brings the WCHA's impressive all-time list of NHL picks to nearly 650 since the league's founding in 1951. The first player drafted from a U.S. college hockey program was Michigan Tech University's Al Karlander in 1967 while the first college hockey player selected in the first round of the NHL Draft was the University of Minnesota's Mike Ramsey in 1979.
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