The 2022 North American Hockey League (NAHL) Draft took place on Wednesday afternoon with a number of players from New England and those with ties to the region picked in the 16-round selection process.
The NAHL recently completed its 47th season with 29 teams across the United States as far east as Lewiston, Maine, as far west as Kenai River, Alaska, as far north in the continental part of the country as Minot, N.D., and as far south as Corpus Christi, Texas. The league has three teams based in New England, the Danbury Hat Tricks, Maine Nordiques and Northeast Generals.
Five New England players were plucked off the board in the first round. The first local to be selected was Hingham, Mass., native and Boston Advantage left wing Tony Achille. The '02 was taken by the Maine Nordiques with the third overall selection.
The first committed local to be drafted was Madison Capitols defenseman DJ Hart of Stamford, Conn. The '02 Ohio State commit was picked by the Janesville Jets with the 11th overall pick.
Up next was St. Sebastian’s alum Joe Harney of Needham, Mass. The Blackfalds Bulldogs defenseman was selected 14th overall by the New Jersey Titans, the organization that won the 2022 Robertson Cup as NAHL champions.
With the 23rd overall pick, the Kenai River Brown Bears tabbed Avon Old Farms defenseman Jordin Palmer, an '04 from Auburn, N.H. Four picks later, Boston Hockey Academy U18 right wing Riley Fitzgerald of Wilmington, Mass., was taken by the Austin Bruins.
Sixteen other players from New England were taken in the following rounds. Two Hockey East recruits from outside of the region were tabbed in the first round. The Corpus Christi IceRays took Providence commit and former Gunnery forward Daniel Sambuco with the fourth overall pick. One of the best first round picks went to the Northeast Generals as the Attleboro, Mass.,-based organization selected UConn commit Thomas Klochkov, an '05 from the New Jersey Rockets.
New England natives drafted
First Round
3. Maine Nordiques – Tony Achille, LW, Hingham, Mass./Boston Advantage
11. Janesville Jets - DJ Hart, D, Stamford, Conn./Madison Capitols (Ohio State)
14. New Jersey Titans - Joe Harney, D, Needham, Mass./Blackfalds Bulldogs
23. Kenai River Brown Bears – Jordin Palmer, D, Auburn, NH/Avon Old Farms
27. Austin Bruins – Riley Fitzgerald, RW, Wilmington, Mass./Boston Hockey Academy U18
Second Round
54. Oklahoma Warriors – David Sacco, RW, Middleton, Mass./Islanders HC (Merrimack)
Third Round
64. New Jersey Titans – Tyler Chenevert, C, Shrewsbury, Mass./Hill School (Sacred Heart)
71. Aberdeen Wings – Jonathan Barker, D, North Kingston, R.I./Bonnyville Pontiacs
Fourth Round
93. Lone Star Brahmas – Ryan Comishock, C, Enosburg Falls, Vt./Shattuck-St. Mary’s
100. Aberdeen Wings – Bill Sancibrian, LW, Montpelier, Vt./Little Caesars U18
103. Maine Nordiques – Patrick Somerville, C, Medford, Mass./Islanders HC
107. Philadelphia Rebels – Matt Lewis, RW, Pembroke, Mass./Mount Saint Charles U18
116. Lone Star Brahmas – Jakub Teply, LW, Stamford, Conn./South Shore Kings
Fifth Round
125. Northeast Generals – Ryan Conmy, RW, BK Selects U18 (New Hampshire)
136. Philadelphia Rebels – Declan Loughnane, D, Milton, Mass./Thayer (Providence)
137. Kenai River Brown Bears – Oliver Flynn, C, Wolcott, Conn./Frederick Gunn (UConn)
Sixth Round
164. Shreveport Mudbugs – Brian Essing, F, Trumbull, Conn./Norwich Sea Captains
Seventh Round
203. Lone Star Brahmas – Dhillon Wilde, RW, Leominster, Mass./South Shore Kings (St. John’s Shrewsbury alum)
Eighth Round
211. Amarillo Wranglers – Braeden Kennedy, F, South Boston, MA/Northeast Generals NA3HL
219. Maryland Black Bears – Connor Welsh, C, Greenwich, Conn./Omaha Lancers (Boston College)
10th Round
278. Northeast Generals – Matthew Nuzzolilo, LW, Shrewsbury, Mass. Northeast Generals NA3HL
New England connections drafted
First Round
4. Corpus Christi IceRays – Daniel Sambuco, LW, Waterloo Black Hawks (Providence)
5. North Iowa Bulls – Mitchell Day, G, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
9. Minot Minotauros – Cam Smith, G, PAL Islanders (St. Lawrence) (Hotchkiss alum)
17. Northeast Generals – Thomas Klochkov, C, New Jersey Rockets U16 (UConn)
22. Johnstown Tomahawks – Will Lawrence, LW, Mount Saint Charles U18
Second Round
33. Corpus Christi IceRays – Tomas Trunda, RW, Omaha Lancers (Mount Saint Charles product)
37. Amarillo Wranglers – Pierce Patterson, D, South Shore Kings (Deerfield alum)
44. Janesville Jets – Geno McEnery, LW, Kent (Providence)
Third Round
61. Minnesota Wilderness – Connor Driscoll, RW, Salisbury
77. Minnesota Wilderness – Jack Spicer, G, Mount Saint Charles U18
85. New Jersey Titans – Zak Brice, G, Powell River Kings (Kimball Union product)
Fourth Round
94. Maine Nordiques – Aidan Coupe, LW, Olds Grizzlys (Islanders HC product)
96. Minnesota Wilderness – Nathan Stachowiak, C, Frederick Gunn
97. Amarillo Bulls – Will Elger, C, Jersey Hitmen (Providence)
102. New Jersey Titans – Rylee Hlusiak, RW, Hawkesbury Hawks (Sacred Heart)
112. Oklahoma Warriors – Thomas Weis, C, Fargo Force (Maine)
Fifth Round
123. Maine Nordiques – Laurent Trepanier, C, Seacoast Academy U18
134. Minot Minotauros – Lucas Constantine, D, New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
143. New Jersey Titans – Ben Yurchuk, C, Long Island Gulls (Northeastern)
Sixth Round
146. Danbury Hat Tricks – Reese Tamburo, D, Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks NA3HL
162. Northeast Generals – Aiden Lindley, RW, Frederick Gunn
Seventh Round
182. Amarillo Wranglers – Logan Morell, C, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (Islanders HC product)
191. Northeast Generals – Joseph Lovullo, G, Frederick Gunn
201. New Jersey Titans – Alex Moeller, RW, New Hampton
Eighth Round
220. Northeast Generals – Phil Feinberg, F, Eden Prairie HS (Kent alum)
221. Minnesota Wilderness – Jackson Graber, RW, Trinity-Pawling
Ninth Round
250. Minnesota Wilderness – Jason Siedem, RW, Blackfalds Bulldogs (Avon Old Farms alum)
10th Round
284. Springfield Blues – Paul DeSaro, RW, Janesville Jets (South Kent alum)
