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NAHL TEAMS DRAFT 11 JR DUCKS

By Chris Bayee, 07/24/20, 10:00AM PDT

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A total of 11 players with ties to the Anaheim Jr. Ducks were selected in the North American Hockey League’s Entry Draft on July 21. 

“Eleven is a lot for any club, and we’re very proud of each of these young men,” Jr. Ducks Director of Player Personnel Alex Kim said. “The one common denominator all of them have is they work hard.”

Three were picked in the first round – defenseman Colton Huard (fourth overall), defenseman Hunter Sansbury (15th) and goaltender Carl Stankowski (19th). 

And three more played for the Jr. Ducks last season – center Chris Alexander (16Us) and forwards Logan Gallaher and Thomas Stift (18Us).

New Mexico picked Huard. The late 2000 birth year had 14 points in 40 games splite between Fargo and Chicago in the United States Hockey League.

Jamestown took Sansbury. A 2000, he had 25 points in 58 games for Salmon Arm of the British Columbia Hockey League.

Stankowski, a 2000, went to Shreveport after splitting last season between Calgary of the Western Hockey League and Penticton of the BCHL, where he had 2.08 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 18 games.

Alexander, a 2003 who was taken in the third round (71st) by Minot, was one of the 16U team’s top players this past season, amassing 37 points in 42 games. Sixteen of those points came in Tier 1 Elite Hockey League games. 

Gallaher is a 2002, and he was selected in the sixth round (136th) by Wichita Falls. He had 27 points in 47 games for the 18s. Seventeen of the points came in 22 Tier 1 League games.

Stift is another 2002, and he went in the ninth round (232nd) to Chippewa. Stift was a point-per-game player for the 18s, with 40 in 40. He had 15 points in 18 Tier 1 games and 34 more points in 13 games for Orange Lutheran of the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League.

“Our club puts players in a position to gain exposure, whether it’s through our schedules or playing in the Tier 1 Elite League,” Kim said. “The opportunities to advance in the game are there.”

Other picks included defenseman Nick Kent (30th) and forward Brett Roloson (41st) in the second round, forward Ethan Wolthers (59th) in the third round, defenseman Jakob Karpa (178th) in the seventh round and forward Leevi Selanne (264th) in the ninth round.

St. Cloud selected Kent, a 2001. He had 16 points in 46 games for Vernon (BCHL).

Roloson, a 2000, was taken by Shreveport. He split time between Merritt and Powell River in the BCHL, piling up 47 points in 58 games. That total included 21 goals. 

Springfield picked Wolthers, a 2001, who is committed to Massachusetts. He 20 points in 52 games for Wenatchee (BCHL). Wolthers had five of those points in five playoff games. 

Chippewa took Karpa, a 2002, who played youth hockey out of state last season. 

Bismarck selected Selanne, a 2000. He had 52 points, including 25 goals, in 46 games for Texas of the NA3HL. He scored the overtime goal to lift Santa Margarita Catholic High School to the USA Hockey National Championship in 2018. 

“This is another step in the process,” Kim added. “These are players who have committed to progressing and getting better every day.”

The Jr. Ducks had 36 alumni playing college hockey this past season and another 44 playing various levels of junior hockey. In addition, 26 players with ties to the club have made Division I college commitments in the past six years.