SUNRISE, Fla. – Tri-City Storm forwards Chris Wilkie and Mason Appleton were both selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft Saturday, contributing to a record-setting day for the United States Hockey League (USHL).

Wilkie was picked No. 162 overall by the Florida Panthers,  while Appleton was taken just six picks later at No. 168 by the Winnipeg Jets.

In his third USHL season, Wilkie tied a team record with 35 goals and led the Storm with 55 points. The Omaha native was named to the All-USHL Second Team at the conclusion of the year and will play for the University of North Dakota next season.

Appleton concluded his first USHL season with 40 points on 12 goals and 28 assists in 54 games. The Green Bay native is headed to play at Michigan State in the fall.

A total of 43 players who have spent time in the USHL were selected by NHL teams over the weekend. In addition, 36 players in the league during the 2014-15 season were picked, which is the most in USHL history.

Tri-City Storm season tickets for the 2015-16 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Viaero Event Center Box Office at308.338.8011.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm assistant coach JB Bittner has accepted a new position as the assistant coach with the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team. In addition to his on-ice work, Bittner will also be an important part of the team’s scouting and recruiting.

Bittner becomes the first coach in Storm history to go straight from the USHL ranks to a Division I program.

The Pittsburgh native thanked the Storm organization on Twitter Thursday morning.

“I want to thank the whole Tri-City Storm organization for the opportunity to coach in the USHL,” Bittner said. I’ve worked with and met some great people.”

Since joining the staff in June of 2013, Bittner has played an instrumental role in the scouting and recruitment of players to Tri-City, along with overseeing the team’s defense and penalty killing unit.

Tri-City was first in team defense among USHL teams during the 2014-15, giving up just 158 goals in the 60-game regular season.

Bittner came to Kearney after spending two years in professional hockey as an assistant coach for the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). Before that, the coach spent three seasons as an assistant coach and video coordinator with his alma mater, Ohio State.

The former Buckeye explained his decision to join the Badgers in the team’s official release.

“This is obviously a prestigious place and the hockey program is second to none,” Bittner said. It is one of the top five hockey programs in the country. The tradition is unbelievable. Walking around the building and seeing all the championships that have been won here, the coaches and players who have been here is awesome. Just to get a chance to be part of that is something that I’m really looking forward to.”

Tri-City is preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas next week from June 15-21.

Season tickets for the 2015-16 campaign are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Viaero Event Center Box Office at 308.338.8011.

CHICAGO, Ill. – The United States Hockey League today announced that Tri-City Storm Head Coach and General Manager Jim Hulton has been named the 2014-15 USHL General Manager of the Year as determined by a vote of league coaches and general managers.

It was the first full season for Hulton with Tri-City after taking over midway through the 2013-14 season. He guided the Storm to a 37-17-6 record (80 points), finishing just one point back of first place in the USHL Western Conference standings. It was the most wins in a season for the Storm since the 2003-04 season (43), and the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Hulton guided the Storm to a 10-game winning streak from January 9^th to February 7^th, equaling a team record. The team also won 10 straight home games from January 9^th to February 28^th which tied for a USHL season high and established a new Storm record.

Tri-City was among the league leaders in multiple categories, most significantly first in team defense by giving up the fewest goals (158) over the 60-game regular season. They also ranked second in power play conversion (25.1%) and sixth overall in goals scored (202).

Hulton and the Storm began building the 2014-15 roster through the 2014 USHL Draft, adding some key pieces during Phase Two. Forward Mason Appleton was the team’s first-round selection and went on to score 40 points (12g, 28a) this season for Tri-City. Goaltender Alec Dillon was selected in the second round and proved to be a huge difference maker, posting a 23-11-4 record while leading all USHL goaltenders with a 2.27 goals-against-average.

Off-season moves also bolstered the lineup, including the acquisition of Bobby Nardella from Sioux City. He would put up 42 points (10g, 32a), tying for third in scoring among USHL defensemen, and was key to the Storm power play as he dished out 22 assists on the man-advantage. The Storm also added Nick Master who spent the previous season in Cedar Rapids. Master thrived with Tri-City, tying for third on the team in scoring with 42 points (23g, 19a) and leading the squad with a plus-20 rating. Jake Wahlin was another acquisition by Tri-City that paid dividends as he put up 41 points (15g, 26a) in his first full USHL season.

During the season, Hulton made some key moves to help solidify the roster and make a run towards the playoffs. In December, the team acquired Jared Rutledge who played a significant role as a backup goaltender, posting a 13-3-1 record over 20 appearances. A February trade with the Bloomington Thunder brought veteran defenseman Vince Pedrie to the Storm. He would add seven points (4g, 3a) and post a plus-18 rating over 23 games down the stretch run of the regular season.

Veteran Storm players also thrived under Hulton’s guidance. Chris Wilkie tied for the USHL lead with 35 goals which also tied a team record. Captain Garrett Gamez finished second in scoring on the team with 44 points (15g, 29a) in 44 games.

A total of 25 players that suited up for the Storm this season are committed to play NCAA Division I hockey. Additionally, three were selected to compete in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game; forwards Wilkie and Matthew Freytag, along with defenseman Tory Dello.

Hulton has compiled a 54-43-8 record over the past two seasons in the USHL. He is the second Storm GM to be named the USHL General Manager of the Year, joining Bliss Littler who earned the award following the 2003-04 season.

Tri-City is preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Storm forward Chris Wilkie, defenseman Bobby Nardella and goaltender Alec Dillon were named to the All-USHL Second Team on Thursday after a vote of the league’s coaches and general managers.

All three had outstanding seasons in Kearney, leading the way at their respective positions. The awards are the first All-USHL recognition for any Storm player since Jaden Schwartz after the 2009-10 season.

Wilkie had the recognition of being the top scorer all season for Tri-City, tying a team record with 35 regular season goals. The Omaha native was also tied for the USHL goal scoring lead.

In addition, the forward led the USHL in power play goals (17) and shots on net (300). Both of those totals broke individual Storm records. Wilkie is committed to play for the University of North Dakota.

Nardella had an outstanding offensive season, scoring 10 goals and 32 assists in 56 games. The defenseman’s 42 points was third-best among USHL defenseman, while his 22 power play assists was first among blue liners and third-best among all skaters.

Committed to Notre Dame, Nardella broke single season Storm records for most assists by a defenseman (32), most points by a defenseman (42) and tied for most power play assists (22).

For Dillon, the honor is his second of the offseason, after being named to the USHL All-Rookie First Team last Friday. The netminder led the league with a goals against average of 2.27 during the 2014-15 season.

A fifth round 2014 NHL Draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings, Dillon also finished fourth in the league with a .914 save percentage, while playing over 2,000 minutes in net.

The goaltender played in 41 games and had a record of 23-11-4 with three shutouts. Dillon is committed to play for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) next season.

A full list of the three All-USHL Teams is below.

Tri-City is preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.

All-USHL First Team
F – Brock Boeser (Waterloo Black Hawks)
F – Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms)
F – Adam Johnson (Sioux City Musketeers)
D – Neal Pionk (Sioux City Musketeers)
D – Hayden Shaw (Dubuque Fighting Saints)
G – Eric Schierhorn (Muskegon Lumberjacks)

All-USHL Second Team
F – Maxim Letunov (Youngstown Phantoms)
F – Seamus Malone (Dubuque Fighting Saints)
F – Chris Wilkie (Tri-City Storm)
D – Bobby Nardella (Tri-City Storm)
D – Christian Wolanin (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
G – Alec Dillon (Tri-City Storm)

All-USHL Third Team

F – Kieffer Bellows (Sioux Falls Stampede)
F – Mason Bergh (Chicago Steel)
F – Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson (Omaha Lancers)
F – Auston Matthews (Team USA)
D – Corey Schueneman (Muskegon Lumberjacks)
D – Jimmy Schuldt (Omaha Lancers)
G – Cale Morris (Waterloo Black Hawks)

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm and Viaero Event Center have announced that President Greg Shea will resign to accept another business opportunity in Kearney. This move will be effective June 18.

Shea has been the President for the hockey team and the event center since 2009, helping to grow the business presence of both in many areas.

“I’ve had the great pleasure and pride to represent the Storm and the Viaero Event Center as the President for the past six years,” Shea said. “I’ve made a professional decision to move on in my career, one that’s very difficult and took a lot of time. It’s especially difficult when you work with great people, great ownership, and represent two amazing brands.

“With the Storm and VEC moving in the right direction, I’m excited to take another step in my career and the best part is I get to do it right here in Kearney, a place I love and a place I look forward to continue to work and raise my family.”

Previously, Shea was with the Storm from 1999 to 2008, serving as the Vice President of Operations. He left to take a position as President of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, but returned when Kirk Brooks took over ownership of the team in 2009.

“Greg has not only been a model employee, but a good friend,” said Kirk Brooks, Owner of both the Storm and VEC. “When I purchased the team, I knew it was going to be vital for our survival and success to get Greg on board, and we were able to accomplish that. He’s done a terrific job ever since. He’s done his job not only with dedication and passion, but most of all with integrity.”

During the past six years, Shea has led the charge to grow the team’s attendance. Before Brooks purchased the team, Tri-City’s average attendance was 2,093 fans per game. That number has grown in each of the last six seasons, and was at 2,704 during the 2014-15 campaign.

In addition, the team’s season ticket holder base has grown to over 900 individuals, and will now include Shea himself. With the announcement, Shea has already placed his deposit to become the newest season ticket holder for the Storm during the 2015-16 season.

“I’ve always known Greg to be courteous, helpful and respectful not only to the fans, but of all the other employees at the Viaero Event Center,” Brooks said. “I feel a loss for the Storm family but at the same time, I’m very happy for Greg and his family. While I hate to lose him, I’m not one to hold players and employees back.”

Shea initially started his career in sports management with the Omaha Racers semipro basketball team from 1989-1995. He then got his start in hockey with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, holding positions as the Director of Player Relations, Merchandising Manager and Assistant General Manager. Working with owner Ted Baer, Shea was instrumental in bringing the Storm to Kearney.

The Storm are now preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21. The 2015-16 season will be the 16th year of hockey in the heartland. For more information, visit stormhockey.com.

KEARNEY, Neb. – Tri-City Storm goaltender Alec Dillon was named to the USHL All-Rookie First Team Friday by the league’s office. The netminder led all goalies with a goals against average of 2.27 during the 2014-15 season.

Dillon, who is expected to play Division I college hockey for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y. next season, played in 41 games as a rookie and had a record of 23-11-4 with three shutouts.

A fifth round 2014 NHL Draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings, Dillon also finished fourth in the league with a .914 save percentage, while playing over 2,000 minutes in net.

The Victoria, B.C. native had a big hand in the team’s 16-win turnaround, finishing in second place in the USHL’s Western Conference.

In the postseason, Dillon went 4-2-0 in six appearances with a goals against average of 2.17 and a save percentage of .923.

The voting for the award was conducted by the league’s coaches and general managers. All-Rookie Teams recognize the top players who were 18 or younger during the season, playing their first full year in the USHL.

As a team, Tri-City finished the regular season No. 1 in defense, only allowing 158 total goals for an average of just 2.63 per game.

The Storm are now preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.

KEARNEY, Neb. – The 2014-15 season will go down as one of the best in the 15-year history of the Tri-City Storm. After finishing the regular season with an overall mark of 37-17-6 and 80 points, the Storm qualified for the Clark Cup Playoffs as the second seed in the USHL’s Western Conference.

Tri-City finished just one point behind the first-place Sioux City Musketeers in the standings, and swept the third-seeded Omaha Lancers in the opening round of the postseason three games to none.

In its first Western Conference Final appearance since 2005, the Storm were defeated by the Sioux Falls Stampede three games to one.

Head coach Jim Hulton’s first full season behind the bench had plenty of highlights, including the team’s first postseason victory since 2007. Hulton made several in-season trades to bolster the roster including deals for goaltender Jared Rutledge, defenseman Vince Pedrie and forward Christopher Brown.

But Hulton’s roster also included 11 players from the 2013-14 squad that finished in seventh place in the west with a 21-35-4 record.

Forward Chris Wilkie led the way offensively all season for Tri-City, tying a team record with 35 regular season goals. The Omaha native was also tied for the USHL goal scoring lead.

In addition, Wilkie led the USHL in power play goals with 17, and shots on net, finishing his 59 game season with an even 300 SOG. Both of those totals broke individual Storm records.

Headed to play collegiately at the University of North Dakota next season, Wilkie finished fourth all-time in Storm history with 52 total goals over two seasons, and ninth all-time with 91 total points.

Another name that was cemented in the team record book this season was that of defenseman Bobby Nardella. Coming to Tri-City as a player to be named later in one of Hulton’s first trades during the 2013-14 season, Nardella had an outstanding offensive season on the blue line, scoring 10 goals and 32 assists.

Nardella’s 42 points was third-best among USHL defenseman, while his 22 power play assists was first among blue liners and third-best among all skaters.

The Notre Dame commit broke single season Storm records for most assists by a defenseman (32), most points by a defenseman (42) and tied Storm alum Jaden Schwartz for most power play assists (22). Nardella also finished 19th all-time among Storm skaters with a +15 rating.

Alec Dillon led the way in net in his first USHL season. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick played in 41 games and had a 23-11-4 record with three shutouts.

The goaltender also led the USHL in goals against average, with a mark of 2.27, and finished fourth in the league with a .914 save percentage.

The team’s captain Garrett Gamez had another outstanding season, finishing second on the roster with 44 points on 15 goals and 29 assists, while playing just 44 games due to injuries. Playing in all situations, Gamez had 10 power play goals and six man-advantage assists and also logged time on the penalty kill.

Gamez will head to Providence College this fall in the top 10 all-time in Storm history in three categories after three full seasons with the team. The forward is third all-time in assists with 67, fifth best with 96 total points and tenth with 147 games played.

Other players who have entered the team record books include assistant captain Kyle Eastman, who is 13th all-time in both games played (147) and penalty minutes (163) after three seasons, and Jalen Schulz, who is fifth all-time with 231 penalty minutes after two seasons.

In his first season in Kearney, forward Nick Master was second on the team with 23 goals, and led the squad with a +20 rating that is 11th best in Storm history. Master plans to play for UMass-Lowell in the Hockey East next season.

Tri-City tied the team record for longest winning streak, set in March of 2004, winning 10 consecutive games between Jan. 9 and Feb. 7. The Storm earned wins over Waterloo, Bloomington, Omaha, Sioux Falls and Lincoln during the stretch.

Six of the 10 victories came in Kearney at the Viaero Event Center. The line of Gamez, Master and Matthew Freytag scored a combined total of 35 points during the streak, with Master accounting for 13 on six goals and seven assists.

As a team, Tri-City finished the regular season No. 1 in defense, only allowing 158 total goals for an average of just 2.63 per game. The Storm were also second-best in the league on the power play, scoring 25.1% of the time with the man-advantage.

14 members of the roster have commitments to play Division I college hockey next season.

Tri-City is now preparing for the team’s annual tryout camp, which will be held in Las Vegas June 15-21.

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm selected 20 players on Tuesday in Phase Two of the 2015 USHL Draft, led by first round selection Alex Limoges of the Selects Academy U18 team.  Tri-City now has 45 names on its Initial Protected List for the 2015-16 USHL season.

Limoges, who hails from Winchester, Va., is coming off a big year in which he scored 20 goals and 39 assists in 28 games. The Storm are hoping he’ll play as a center on one of their top lines next season. The forward is committed to play collegiately at Cornell University.

After Limoges, the team had no pick until two in the fifth round, when they selected forwards Nico Sturm and Brendan Miller.  Sturm’s season is still going, as he is suiting up in the playoffs for

the Austin Bruins of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). A native of Augsburg, Germany Sturm had 41 points in 53 regular season games this year on 11 goals and 30 assists. During the postseason, the forward has six goals and four assists in 10 contests.  Miller spent his year with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres under-18 team. A native of North Tonawanda, N.Y., Miller scored 14 goals and 10 assists in 32 games.

In the sixth round, Tri-City bulked up on defense, selecting blueliners James Gobetz and Robbie Roche.  This is the second consecutive Phase Two draft that the Storm have selected Gobetz, as he was a 12th round pick in 2014. The defenseman got close to making the 2014-15 squad, but was one of the final cuts before the final roster was finalized.  Roche just finished his second season with the Walpole Express of the EHL, and is a native of Wachusett, Mass. The defenseman had 10 points in 33 contests this year.

In total, Tri-City selected 13 forwards, five defenseman and two goaltenders.  All selected players still have to go through the team’s tryout camp, which will take place June 15-21 in Las Vegas.

The full list of players drafted today is below. It is also viewable on stormhockey.com.

Tri-City Storm 2015 USHL Phase Two Draft Selections

1st Round: Alex Limoges – Forward – Winchester, VA – Selects Academy
5th Round: Nico Sturmi – Forward – Augsburg, Germany – Austin Bruins
5th Round: Brendan Miller – Forward – North Tonawanda, NY – Buffalo Jr. Sabres
6th Round: James Gobetz – Defense – St. James, NY – Salisbury PS
6th Round: Robbie Roche – Defense – Wachusset, MA – Walpole Express
7th Round: Ben Taylor – Forward – North Falmouth, MA – Tabor Academy PS
8th Round: Bobby Kaiser – Forward – Detroit Honeybaked
8th Round: Justin Dixson – Forward – Sunnyville, CA – Anaheim Jr. Ducks
9th Round: Jack Hoey – Forward – Fairfield, CT – Choate Rosemary PS
11th Round: Joseph Matthews – Defense – Columbia, IL – St. Louis Blues AAA
12th Round: Jonathan Davidsson – Sweden – Djurgardens IF Jr. 18
13th Round: Nathan Clurman – Defense – Culver Academy U16
14th Round: Josiah Slavin – Forward – Erie, CO – Colorado Thunderbirds
15th Round: Ben Thomas – Forward – Ashburnham, MA – Winchendon PS
16th Round: Justin Robbins – Goalie – Alpine, NJ – North Jersey Avalanche
17th Round: Seamus Donohue – Defense – North Oaks, MN – St. Thomas Academy HS
18th Round: Cole Chatham – Forward – Belleville, IL – St. Louis Blues AAA
19th Round: Trevor Bishop – Forward – Rochester Hills, MI – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies
20th Round: Anthony Grimaldi – Forward – Plymouth, MI – Detroit Victory Honda
21st Round: Cam Burggrabe – Goalie – Canton, MI – Detroit Little Caesars

KEARNEY, Neb. – The Tri-City Storm started to shape the future of its roster Monday night in Phase One of the 2015 USHL Draft, selecting nine players who were born in 1999.

The picks were headlined by first round selection Reilly Walsh, a defenseman from Proctor Academy in New Hampshire. Walsh, who is already committed to attend Harvard University, is an offensive defenseman who scored 45 points in 35 games last season on 13 goals and 32 assists.

Next, Tri-City took forward Joey Cipollone from the Connecticut Wolf Pack U16 team in the third round. Cipollone is committed to the University of Vermont.

In the fourth round and fifth rounds, Tri-City chose two products of the Belle Tire U16 team in forward Brenden Stanko and defenseman Blake Kryska.

The sixth round brought Sean Keohan, a defenseman from Milton, Mass who is committed to play at Dartmouth College.

Tri-City chose skaters from north of the border in rounds 7 and 8 in forward Kyle Olson and defenseman Nicholas Doyle. Olson hails from Calgary, Alb., while Doyle is from Winnipeg, Man.

Goaltender David Tomeo from the Shattuck St. Mary’s U16 team was selected by the Storm in the ninth round, while defenseman Ronnie Attard of White Lake, Mich. was Tri-City’s final selection in the 10th round.

A full list of the team’s selections can be seen below.
This portion of the draft allows teams to choose players who are traditionally not ready to play in the USHL the following season, but will continue to develop at lower levels of hockey in preparation for USHL play in future seasons.

The draft continues with Phase Two on Tuesday morning, beginning at 8 a.m. In this phase, USHL teams will select players from multiple birth years who will compete for roster spots for the 2015-16 season.

Phase Two continues until all USHL teams have 45 players on their Initial Protected List, which is made up of affiliate players from the 2014-15 season and players selected on Monday and Tuesday in Phase One and Two.
Stay tuned to stormhockey.com for updated information during the USHL Draft, as well as the Storm social media networks on Facebook and Twitter.

Tri-City Storm 2015 USHL Phase One Draft Selections

1st Round: Reilly Walsh – Defense – Andover, NH – Proctor Academy
3rd Round: Joey Cipollone – Forward – Connecticut Wolf Pack U16
4th Round: Brenden Stanko – Forward – Howell, MI – Belle Tire U16
5th Round: Blake Kryska – Defense – Grand Blanc, MI – Belle Tire U16
6th Round: Sean Keohan – Defense – Milton, MA – Cape Cod U16
7th Round: Kyle Olson – Forward – Calgary, AB – Calgary Buff. AAA
8th Round: Nicholas Doyle – Defense – Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Warriors
9th Round: David Tomeo – Goalie – West Caldwell, NJ – Shattuck U16
10th Round: Ronnie Attard – Defense – White Lake, MI – Victory Honda U16