SIOUX FALLS, SD -- The Sioux Falls Stampede selected eight players during the 2013 USHL Draft: Phase 1. In all, two forwards and six defensemen were chosen. All players selected in the draft have a 1997 birth year and will be placed on the Stampede’s protected list.

With their first pick (14th overall) the Herd selected center Donovan Ott from Selects Academy. He has already committed to play collegiate hockey at Cornell for the fall of 2015. The Lebanon, PA native has good size at 6-foot-1, 200-pounds and played for the East Coast Selects ’97 team in 2011-12. During the 2010-11 campaign, Ott posted 69 points over 63 games for the Philadelphia Junior Flyers. He is a right shot who can play center or wing and already has many NHL scouts looking at him.

In the second round, Sioux Falls selected defenseman John Schuldt. John is the younger brother of current Stampede forward Joe Schuldt. The sophomore recorded four points (1g, 3a) and was a plus-17 in 27 games for Minnetonka High School (MN) this past season.

Sioux Falls had no selections in the third round, but took defenseman Nick Heid from Spring Lake Park High School (MN) in the fourth round. He finished fifth on the team in scoring with 26 points (11g, 15a) in 27 games for the Panthers. 5 of his 11 goals were on the power play and he recorded just 37 penalty minutes all season.

In round five, the Stampede selected forward Troy Conzo from the New Jersey Rockets of the Metropolitan Junior League (MJHL). In 35 regular season games, Conzo posted 69 points (33g, 36a) and was a plus-29. During the postseason, he recorded 15 points (5g, 10a) in 12 games. He was named MVP and Rookie of the Year of the MJHL and has already committed to UMass-Amherst.

The Herd went back on the defensive side in round six as they chose defenseman Jordan Klehr of Shattuck St. Mary’s. The Lino Lakes, MN native posted 24 points (6g, 18a) in 42 games this season with U-16 Shattuck team.

In round seven, Sioux Falls selected defenseman Brandon Schieman of Honeybaked. The 6-foot-1, 155-pound defender spent this past season playing with Stampede affiliate player Dakota Joshua, posting four points (1g, 3a) in seven playoff games.

The Stampede held two picks in the eighth and final round. With their first pick, Sioux Falls went overseas and chose defenseman Jarkko Parikka. A native of Finland, Parikka posted two points (1g, 1a) in 12 games with SaiPa U18 and most recently split time playing for Finland’s U16 and U17 teams. The 5-foot-10, 163-pound defender recorded four points (3g, 1a) in 11 games with the U16 team and skated n three games with the U17 squad.

With their final pick in the draft, Sioux Falls selected defenseman Nicholas Welsh from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  This past season, Welsh skated with the Halifax Titans Major Midget Hockey Club where he tallied 18 points (5g, 13a) in 33 games. He chipped in six points (2g, 4a) in 11 playoff games for the Titans.

Phase 2 of the 2013 USHL Draft will take place Tuesday at 4 PM. Fans can follow the Stampede selections via the Herd’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Courtesy:  Sioux Falls Stampede

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