By Skip Berry, Director of Media Relations, Tri-City Storm

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm have acquired C Adam Chlapik from the Omaha Lancers for two conditional draft picks in the 2012 USHL Entry Draft.

Storm General Manager and Head Coach Drew Schoneck made the announcement Friday morning. “We addressed the need for a bigger scoring center up front this season,” said Schoneck. “Adam is an experienced USHLer and has a lot of potential to be a dynamic player in the league. We look forward to what he can bring to the lineup this season.”

Chlapik, 17, enters his first year eligibility for the NHL Entry Draft in June. The Prague, Czech Republic, native was the seventh highest rated USHL player (59th overall) entering this season for the NHL draft according to Red Line Report’s August publication.

The projected late-second round NHL pick is six feet, 185 pounds and scored one goal in three games for the Lancers this season. Last season, Chlapik had 15 points (9g, 6a) and 37 penalty minutes in 46 games with Omaha.

The forward was drafted by Omaha in the first round (5th overall) in the 2010 USHL Futures Draft after playing midget hockey for the LA Jr. Kings U18 in 2009-10. Chlapik had 32 points (15g, 17a) and 20 penalty minutes in 43 games in his only season playing with the Jr. Kings.

Prior to playing midget hockey in North America, Chlapik played two seasons in the Czech U18 league for HC Slavia Praha. As a 14 and 15-year old playing in the Czech U18, he finished with 48 points (29g, 19a) and 54 penalty minutes in 63 games through the two seasons.

Chlapik will wear No. 10 with Tri-City and is expected to play on Saturday night, as the Storm host the Chicago Steel on “Pink in the Rink” night.