Player Profile - Jake Youso - 6'0"/185lbs - Forward
1990 birth year. Drafted by the Express last week in the 2009 NAHL Entry Draft. Is committed to play college hockey for the Golden Gophers at the University of Minnesota. He played in international tournaments for Team USA in 2007 (U18), and 2006 (U16). He was a Mr. Hockey finalist in 2008, playing for International Falls High School. While serving as captain, he scored 33 goals with 36 assists his senior year for a total of 69 points in only 27 games, and was named Minnesota 2nd team all-state. Following the 2008 high school season, he played 15 games for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL where he was teammates with former Express player Stephen Carew. On the day of the 2008 USHL Entry draft, he was traded from the Gamblers to the Des Moines Buccaneers. He played 54 games during the 2008/09 season for Des Moines tallying 1 goal, 4 assists, and 32 penalty minutes. His grandfather played professional football for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders.
Read a Q & A with Jake from last summer here: http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=960&CID=820083
Read a player feature from last season on USHL.com here: http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=2227
Check out high school highlights of Jake on YouTube (he's wearing #22):
1990 birth year. Drafted by the Express last week in the 2009 NAHL Entry Draft. Is committed to play college hockey for the Golden Gophers at the University of Minnesota. He played in international tournaments for Team USA in 2007 (U18), and 2006 (U16). He was a Mr. Hockey finalist in 2008, playing for International Falls High School. While serving as captain, he scored 33 goals with 36 assists his senior year for a total of 69 points in only 27 games, and was named Minnesota 2nd team all-state. Following the 2008 high school season, he played 15 games for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL where he was teammates with former Express player Stephen Carew. On the day of the 2008 USHL Entry draft, he was traded from the Gamblers to the Des Moines Buccaneers. He played 54 games during the 2008/09 season for Des Moines tallying 1 goal, 4 assists, and 32 penalty minutes. His grandfather played professional football for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and Oakland Raiders.
Read a Q & A with Jake from last summer here: http://mckeenshockey.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=960&CID=820083
Read a player feature from last season on USHL.com here: http://www.ushl.com/news/story.cfm?id=2227
Check out high school highlights of Jake on YouTube (he's wearing #22):
My take: You don't get recruited by the Gophers just by being a good hockey player, so obviously this guy is an outstandingly good hockey player. His biggest strength is his speed, so it's not a huge surprise that Coach Cullen targeted him in the draft. He should immediately be one of the best players to ever don an Express sweater, and would fill the scoring void left by the departed Stephen Carew...........if he ever comes to Owatonna.
At this point in the summer, it appears to be a long shot that he would end up with the Express. He is still listed as a member of the Bucs on their official website, although that doesn't necessarily mean he was on their protected list going into the USHL draft a few weeks ago. Also, when he committed to the U of Minnesota, it was for this coming season (2009/10). However, if that was a sure thing, why would the Express have wasted a draft pick on him. My hunch is Coach Cullen knows something we don't in regards to Mr. Youso's availability. Who was Youso's coach last year in Des Moines??: J.P. Parise. Where was J.P. Parise before last season??: Shattuck-St Mary's in Faribault. Where was Coach Cullen before last season?? That's correct, Shattuck-St Mary's in Faribault. As the Common Man says on KFAN, I'm either onto something, or I'm on something.
As the summer progresses, we should get a better idea if he will be joining our favorite junior hockey team. Eventually, Des Moines's protected list will be revealed, and the incoming freshman class at the U of M will be announced. If his name is not on either of those two lists, or we see him at other USHL team's tryout camps, then at least we will stand a chance of seeing him in blue and white this fall.
Welcome to Owatonna Jake Youso, and I'll see you at the rink.
--BK
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Update: This is from the Star Tribune article on Minnesota guys attending the NHL draft combine -
"Gophers coach Don Lucia recently decided the two forwards he will bring in this season are Budish and another player at the combine, Josh Birkholz of the Fargo Force in the UHSL." You can read the entire article here: http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/46321962.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
That's good news for us. Things can still change, but it looks like Youso will be playing another of junior hockey. Will it be in Owatonna?? Stay tuned.
--BK
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