5 Ice taken in NHL Draft

Five Indiana Ice players were taken in the 2014 NHL Draft, including 3 members of the 2014 Clark Cup champions -- Josh Jacobs (NJ), Rinat Valiev (TOR), Blake Siebenaler (CBJ), Ryan Mantha (NYR) & Dwyer Tschantz (STL).

The five Ice players selected are the most in a single draft year. 

Jacobs' selection as the 41st overall pick makes him the second-highest Ice player to be drafted. John Carlson was the only one picked higher, taken 27th overall by Washington in 2008. He is the fourth player to be picked in the second round, joining Adam Erne (2013-TB), Sam Kurker (2012-STL) & Cristoval Nieves (2013-NYR). There have been 33 players from the Indiana Ice picked in the NHL Draft.

More below the jump.

Josh Jacobs

Defenseman Josh Jacobs was picked in the second round, 41st overall by the New Jersey Devils. He was the highest-selected member of the Ice. A 6-2, 195-pound defenseman from Shelby Twp., Mich., Jacobs played two seasons for the Ice, with seven goals, 31 assists and 38 points in 104 games. He was also among the top USHL players this season in +/-. Jacobs was a critical piece of the power play, penalty kill and was paired with Austin Kosack as the Ice's top defensive unit this season.

"My biggest assets as a player I think are my shot, my skating ability and my transitional game," Jacobs told the Newark Star-Ledger. Jacobs will play at Michigan State University this year. He is the second Ice player to be picked by New Jersey, joining Blake Coleman (2011).

Rinat Valiev

Defenseman Rinat Valiev went in the third round, 68th overall to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played the 2012-13 season with the Ice, with six goals and seven assists in 36 games. He had 28 points in 55 games with the WHL's Kootenay Ice this past season. He stands 6-1, 190 and is a native of Nizhnekamsk, Russia.Maple Leafs Hot Stove has a long transcript from scouting director Dave Morrison. Among the comments: "He can be gritty when he has to be. He is a really intelligent defenseman, he skates well, he’s got good size." Valiev will skate with Kootenay this season. He is the first Ice player to be picked by the Maple Leafs.

Blake Siebenaler

Defenseman Blake Siebenaler went in the third round, 77th overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is the first Fort Wayne native to be drafted since the Rangers took Dale Purinton in 1995. He'll be trying to join Purinton and Fred Knipscheer as Fort Wayne-to-NHL players who have played in the last 20 years. The 6-1, 190-pound defenseman played 11 games for the Ice in 2012-13, and then went to the OHL's Niagara IceDogs this season. He had 30 points in 68 games in the major junior league. “I try and play a two-way game,” Siebenaler told the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette's Justin Cohn. “I try and contribute offensively, join the rush, and make plays in the offensive zone." More from the CBJ blog, The Cannon. Siebenaler will skate with Niagara again this season. He is the first Ice player to be picked by Columbus.

 

Ryan Mantha

Defenseman Ryan Mantha went in the fourth round, 104th overall to the New York Rangers. A big defenseman (6-5, 225), Mantha came to the Ice in a midseason trade and contributed nine points in 24 regular-season games. He was also a key part of the Clark Cup playoff run, and assisted on the championship-winning goal. He had 15 points in 53 USHL games this year, also playing for Sioux City. Mantha is committed to play collegiately at North Dakota, but has also said he's keeping his options open with regards to playing in Major Junior, where the OHL's Niagara IceDogs hold his rights. He is the second former Ice player to be picked by the Rangers, joining 2012 player Cristoval "Boo" Nieves. Blueshirts Banter

Dwyer Tschantz

Forward Dwyer Tschantz was selected in the seventh round, 202nd overall, by the St. Louis Blues. Tschantz primarily played right wing for the Ice, and had 24 goals and 20 assists in 52 games this season. He ranked third on the Ice both in total points and goals this season. At 6-5, 209, Tschantz finishes well around the net and is a big body. Tschantz is a native of Delaware. He also played for the Ice one game in 2012-13. He is committed to play collegiately at Cornell this spring. Tschantz joins fellow 2013-14 Ice teammate Sam Kurker as Blues prospects. Kurker was picked by the Blues in the second round of the 2012 draft. Fox Sports



Indiana Ice in the NHL Draft 
Round/pick: Player (drafted team) (years w/Ice) (current team)
2014
2R/41: Josh Jacobs (New Jersey) (2012-14) (USHL-Ice/NCAA-Michigan State)
3R/68: Rinat Valiev (Toronto) (2012-13) (WHL-Kootenay)
3R/77: Blake Siebenaler (Columbus) (2012-13) (OHL-Niagara)
4R/104: Ryan Mantha (NY Rangers) (2013-14) (USHL-Ice/NCAA-North Dakota)
7R/202: Dwyer Tschantz (St. Louis) (2012-14) (USHL-Ice/NCAA-Cornell) 
2013
2R/33: Adam Erne (Tampa Bay) (2010-11) (AHL-Syracuse)
2R/52: Justin Bailey (Buffalo) (2011-12) (OHL-Kitchener)
4R/113: Aidan Muir (Edmonton) (2013-14) (USHL-Ice/NCAA-Western Michigan)
6R/174: Brian Pinho (Washington) (2013-14) (USHL-Ice/NCAA-Providence)
2012
2R/56: Sam Kurker (St. Louis) (2013-14) (USHL-Ice/USHL-Sioux City)
2R/59: Cristoval "Boo" Nieves (NY Rangers) (2011-12) (NCAA-Michigan)
3R/75: Jon Gillies (Calgary) (2010-12) (NCAA-Providence)
5R/136: Robbie Baillargeon (Ottawa) (2011-13) (NCAA-Boston U.)
2011
3R/62: Samu Perhonen (Edmonton) (2013-14)
3R/75: Blake Coleman (New Jersey) (2009-11) (NCAA-Miami)
4R/101: Brian Ferlin (Boston) (2009-11) (NCAA-Cornell/AHL-Providence)
5R/133: Sean Kuraly (San Jose) (2009-12) (NCAA-Miami)
2010
3R/86: Stanislav Galiev (Washington) (2008-09) (AHL-Hershey)
6R/168: Anthony Bitetto (Nashville) (2008-10) (AHL-Milwaukee)
6R/180: Nick Mattson (Chicago) (2009-11) (NCAA-North Dakota)
7R/183: R.J. Boyd (Florida) (2011-12)
2009
7R/198: Nic Dowd (Los Angeles) (2009-10) (AHL-Manchester)
7R/199: Mike Cichy (Montreal) (2008-09) (NCAA-Western Michigan)
2008
1R/27: John Carlson (Washington) (2007-08) (NHL-Washington)
3R/81: Corey Fienhage (Buffalo) (2007-08) (ECHL-Orlando)
7R/183: Garrett Roe (Los Angeles) (2004-07) (Austria-Salzburg)
2007
4R/108: Brett Bruneteau (Washington) (2007-08)
4R/120: Ben Blood (Ottawa) (2007-08) (AHL-Binghamton)
5R/135: Paul Carey (Colorado) (2007-08) (NHL-Colorado)
6R/153: Scott Darling (Phoenix) (2007-08) (AHL-Milwaukee)
2006
5R/135: Alex Kangas (Atlanta) (2006-07) (ECHL-Alaska)
6R/157: Brent Gwidt (Washington) (2006-09) (ECHL-Utah)
2004
3R/85: Brian Gifford (Pittsburgh) (2004-05)
7R/218: Sergei Kukushkin (Dallas) (2004-05)

Non-drafted Ice NHL players
Torey Krug (Boston) (2008-09)
Cameron Schilling (Washington) (2007-08)
Joel Rechlicz (NY Islanders) (2005-06)