The Green Bay Gamblers kept the momentum rolling in Phase II of the 2026 United States Hockey League Draft, adding impact talent and key depth pieces across the board.
After building a strong foundation in Phase I, Green Bay came into Phase II focused on immediate needs and high-end upside. The result is a class that brings size, skill, and experience from across North America and Europe.
“We are pleased with our 2026 USHL draft class for both phases,” said Assistant GM and Director of Scouting Kirk Luedeke. “In Phase II, we addressed our immediate needs with some higher-end talent at the top and then continued on in the later rounds by rounding out our depth with quality players at every position. We are proud to welcome them all to Green Bay and our organization.”
Green Bay opened the draft by selecting defenseman Reece Gault (Round 1, Pick 12; Oakbank, MB), a Northern Michigan commit out of the Victoria Grizzlies. A mobile, two-way defenseman, Gault brings a strong puck game and presence on both sides of the ice. “Reece is a mobile, skilled two-way defenseman with an outstanding puck game who impacts the play at both ends of the ice,” said Luedeke.
In the second round, the Gamblers added goaltender Jan Vaculik (Pick 23; Prague, Czechia), a big, athletic netminder from Sparta Praha U20. “Jan is a big, athletic goaltender who is young but extremely promising after he continued to get better and better as the season went along,” said Luedeke.
Later in the second round, Green Bay selected right wing Jamie Glance (Pick 32; Stratham, NH), a Boston University commit from the U.S. National Team Development Program. “Jamie is a dynamic, highly skilled winger with elite hockey sense and creativity. He’s a natural scorer who plays the game the right way and we could not be happier to add him to our organization.”
In the third round, the Gamblers went international with Romeo Edvardsen Sorensen (Pick 41; Oslo, Norway), a winger who played for Mora IK’s U20 team and saw time at the pro level in Sweden. “Romeo is a talented winger with size who can skate and score. He will help drive offense for our team and we are happy to welcome him,” said Luedeke.
Green Bay continued to add skill in the later rounds, starting with Adam Nemec (Round 7, Pick 116; Vsetin, Czechia), a dynamic winger who split time between Bili Tygri Liberec’s U17 and U20 teams. “Adam is highly skilled and is coming off of an outstanding season. He has tremendous upside with his vision, hands and shot,” said Luedeke.
On the blue line, the Gamblers selected Paulin Hostein (Round 8, Pick 131; Cergy, France), a tall defender who gained valuable experience playing professionally in the France Magnus League. “Paulin is a quality defender who plays with pace and intelligence. We’re excited to add him to our roster,” said Luedeke.
At center, Green Bay added Aidan Tkachuk (Round 10, Pick 161; Calgary, AB), a big-bodied forward from the Canmore Eagles. “Aidan is a winning hockey player with high character on and off the ice. He goes hard to the net and fits the style we value in Green Bay,” said Luedeke.
The Gamblers added another goaltender in Leyton Rinehart (Round 11, Pick 176; Stillwater, MN), a University of Maine commit from the Woodbridge Wolf Pack. “Leyton had a tremendous season. He’s talented, competitive, and brings a great attitude,” said Luedeke.
Green Bay closed out the draft with Owen Fask (Round 12, Pick 191; Elmhurst, IL), a winger from the Watertown Shamrocks. “Fask is a tremendous skater who plays hard and at a high pace with an underrated skill set,” said Luedeke.
From top-end talent to late-round value, the Gamblers came away from Phase II with a class that complements their Phase I group and continues to shape the future of the organization.
