Ian Young looks to make impact with the Chicago Steel

When the season started, the puck moving defensemen started the year with the Wichita Falls Wildcats looking to impress the Chicago Steel who they picked in the in the 6th round of the USHL Entry Draft (69th overall) back in May and was hoping to use him as a puck moving defensemen that can help start up breakaways, skate past the forwards and bring some speed both on an individual level and to move up the speed of play for the Steel. Hopefully as his career goes on, he can start adding either a scoring or physical element to impress college and pro scouts in the future.

The native of Missouri City, Texas is also making history as he looks to make a major breakthrough for players in the Houston Area as the first player from Houston to make the USHL and currently, he is the only player to play in either the NAHL or the USHL right now. Houston is getting more players playing in the different travel teams and high school players, but they have been having problems getting players to get chances in College and Junior Teams across North America.

After starting the year for the Wichita Falls Wildcats where he played 29 games played for the Wildcats where he scored 8 points, had a +4 rating and had 26 penalty minutes during his time in the NAHL. Then Thanksgiving weekend brought a breakthrough when he was brought up for 3 games when he had to fill in for a minor injury for a few games.

That weekend for Chicago seemed to help out as he seemed to pick his play for the rest of the time for the Wildcats where he scored 5 of his 8 points, including scoring a goal against the League Leading Wenatchee Wild in his final game for the Wildcats. In his short stint with the Steel back on November.

He scored his 1st and so far only goal for the Steel against the USNTDP, then the next night, he got an assist the next night against the Green Bay Gamblers. Since his permanent call up for the Steel, his ability to learn on the fly has been helping out his play for the weekend following the All Star Break.

He got an assist in both games of the weekend against the Indiana Ice on Special Teams, so they hoping to use him a lot more on the special teams, especially on the penalty kill where he can use his puck moving ability to get the puck away from the goalies and on the PP to hopefully set great PP Goal chances.

As part of the Wichita Falls Wildcats, part of the team's problem on why they have struggled a lot this year is because of the massive penalty problems. For the Steel, the team is among the middle of the pack in the penalties and he will be looking to increase his discipline so he won't spend as much time in the box, he did get in his first USHL fight though against Indiana's Bryon Paulazzo who's not afraid to drop the gloves from time this time throughout his junior career.

For Young to make a bigger impact with the team and to get interest from college teams. He needs to continue to use his puck moving ability especially to set up players like Mark Anthoine and Greg Wolfe. Who are the Chicago Steel's team leaders in goals from the point, and should attempt to add a goal scoring element to his game in the final 3rd of the season to help increase the team's chances of making the playoffs. Currently the Chicago Steel are in a fight with the Waterloo Blackhawks for the final spot in the East Division Playoff picture right now.

He also will need to help protect the goalies as the Steel Goaltender Duo of Nick Pisellini and Conor Wilson are below .500 for the season. In addition, both have GAA of well above 3.50 and SV% well below 90%. So if the Steel end up missing the playoffs, it could be the goaltending who was below par and haven't worked out for the Steel this season. However, they are just 1 point of the Waterloo Blackhawks for the final playoff spot in the East Division.

Next up for the Chicago Steel is a home series as the Steel play the Cedar Rapids Roughriders as the Steel look to move closer to the playoffs and send a message to teams like Indiana and Cedar Rapids if they make the playoffs. Then on Saturday night, it's a date with the league leading Green Bay Gamblers as the Gamblers look to take advantage of Fargo and Omaha playing each other this weekend in the race for playoff home ice.

Ian Young is currently the only Houston based player that's playing the USHL, he joins several Dallas area players including C.J. Ludwig and Ryan Daugherty from the Omaha Lancers. Also Fargo Force players Johnnie Seafoss who's also from Dallas and Oklahoma City native Chase Grant who's among the team leaders in goals with 17 this season. He's continue to be part of the growing group of players that are looking to make a mark on the league who are from the Southwest.

On the profiles, you can find their stats, team news and so much more on the Pointstreak Profiles.

Current Southwest Based Players in the USHL.

D: Ian Young, Chicago Steel (Missouri City, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3541384&seasonid=4429

F: Chase Grant, Fargo Force (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2288285&seasonid=4429

F: Johnnie Seafoss, Fargo Force (Colleyville, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2330628&seasonid=4429

F: Jacob Fallon, Indiana Ice (Southlake, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3213748&seasonid=4429

F: Blake Coleman, Indiana Ice (Plano, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3200319&seasonid=4429

F: Josh Berge, Lincoln Stars (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=1408077&seasonid=4429

D: C.J. Ludwig, Omaha Lancers (Little Elm, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2288310&seasonid=4429

F: Ryan Daugherty, Omaha Lancers (Allen, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=2288314&seasonid=4429

D: Tyler Amburgey, Tri-City Storm (Rowlett, Texas)
www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=3213696&seasonid=4429




Team Website: http://www.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com/

Chicago Steel: 38 GP 15-18-5 35 PTS 122-144 (5th Place in East Division)

Leading Scores

Andrei Kuchin 37 GP 42 PTS (13G 29A)

Mark Anthoine: 38 GP 21 Goals, Greg Wolf 38 GP 17 Goals

Goaltending:

Nick Pisellini 26 GP 9-15-1 3.64 GAA .883SV%

Connor Wilson 13 GP 6-3-4 3.80 GAA .872SV%


Upcoming Schedule for the Steel

2/5: VS. Cedar Rapids Roughriders 7:30 PM

2/6: VS. Green Bay Gamblers 7:30 PM

2/12: @ Waterloo Blackhawks 7:05 PM

2/13: @ Omaha Lancers 4:05 PM

2/19: VS. Sioux Falls Stampede 7:30 PM

2/20: VS. Sioux Falls Stampede 7:30 PM