NA3HL Draft Recap

Jun 11, 2014

The young men who were drafted in the 2014 North American Tier 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) Draft may not be household names yet, but if they make the NHL, you'll remember where they started from.  That's the dream for 372 16-to-18 year olds who had their name called in the NA3HL Draft Tuesday night, June 10, in Frisco, TX.

Among those fortunate to be drafted by the defending two-time Silver Cup Champion North Iowa Bulls included Minnesota high school star Jack Sterne (Mound-Westonka [MN] HS), who was taken with the 30th overall pick in the first round.  The 6-foot, 160-pound senior winger co-captained the Whitehawks to the state playoffs while earning 23 goals and 12 assists in 27 games played this past winter.

The first club selection by the Bulls came in the second round when Michigan native Nick Faturos (Grand Rapids, MI/Michigan Nationals U18) was picked up.  The defenseman only played five games this past season but could be called upon to fill the void left by 3HL Defenseman of the Year Ron Lindgren.

There was a lot of trading in this year's draft as 86 picks were swapped between the 31 teams, including the newcomers from the old America West Hockey League and those who helped expand the South and East Divisions.  The Bulls were involved with two of those spots, trading up for a mid-fifth round pick from Twin City and trading their 11th rounder with Pittsburgh for a pick next season.  The Buls did not pick in the last two rounds of the 12-round affair.

In all, 11 young men were pick as potential wearers of the Red, Blue & White.  None, however, is a goalie, the first time in team history that a backstop wasn't drafted.  Who will fill the skates left by Chris Amsden, Matt Kroska, Tim Santopaolo and Richie Marenis?  Time and the August tryout camp will tell.  Here's a wish of good luck to all of the Bulls draftees.

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2014 NORTH IOWA BULLS DRAFTEES

RD 1 – Jack Sterne (F, Mound Westonka MN HS)

RD 2 – Nick Faturos (D, Michigan Nationals)

RD 3 – James Wedin (D, Mora MN HS)

RD 4 – Yale Van Dyne (F, Chicago Mission [NAHL])

RD 5 – Carmen Dalesandro (F, Esmark Stars [NAPHL]); Connor McNary (D, Soo Firehawks)

RD 6 – Jade Miller (F, Grafton/Park River [ND] HS)

RD 7 – Nick Monfils (F, Corpus Christi [NAHL]) – 2013 USHL draftee

RD 8 – Michael Helf (F, Chicago Blues)

RD 9 – Frankie Spellman (F, Kenai River [NAHL]) IA Native

RD 10 – Marshall Barnes (F, Academy of Holy Angels [MN])

NO PICK IN 11TH OR 12TH ROUND