Norway House and Morden teens selected in USHL Draft
Two Manitobans joined 14 other Canadians selected in the 2024 USHL Entry Draft on Tuesday.
Defenceman Hubert Clarke and goaltender Raiden LeGall will both have an opportunity to make a name for themselves next year at camp in the United States’ premier junior hockey league.
Clarke, a Norway House product, was drafted 46th overall by the Youngstown Phantoms in the fourth round. The 6-foot-3, 190 pound defenceman spent his 2023-24 season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme Prep. With the U17 squad, Clarke tallied nine goals and 30 assists, good for 39 points in 27 games.
The ‘07-born Clarke also spent time with the club’s U18 program, putting up four goals and six points in nine games. In 2023, Clarke represented Manitoba at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, scoring two goals and three assists from the blueline in six games – helping guide Manitoba to an undefeated record, and a 5-2 win against Ontario in the gold-medal game. Clarke previously spent time with the Winnipeg Thrashers AAA organization.
Youngstown finished 4th in the USHL’s Eastern Conference this season, eventually falling 3-1 to the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the quarterfinal.
LeGall, of Morden, was selected 68th overall by the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the fifth round. He spent last season with the MJHL’s newest club, the Niverville Nighthawks. LeGall’s .920 save per centage and 2.73 goals against average helped lead Niverville to a playoff berth, where the Nighthawks were swept by the Turnbull Cup finalist Steinbach Pistons.
The ‘06-born goaltender was named to the MJHL’s all-rookie team and played the majority of games this season with the Nighthawks, posting a 20-14-3 record.
LeGall spent time with the Pembina Valley Hawks U18 AAA program before Niverville, posting a 2.16 goals against average and league-best .942 save percentage in his final season, earning him a first all-star selection, and league MVP honours. LeGall has committed to play Division I hockey with the NCAA’s Bemidji State Beavers beginning in 2025-26.
The Lumberjacks finished second-best in the USHL’s Eastern Conference this season, being swept 3-0 in the league semifinals, again by Dubuque.
The USHL has become an attractive league for players not only in North America, but across the world. The league has bred a lot of success over the years, including 136 NHL draftees since only 2019 – among them Jack and Luke Hughes, Trevor Zegras, and Logan Cooley. 51 USHL players were drafted in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, while 191 alumni were announced on NHL opening-night rosters to begin the 2023-24 season.
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