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6-23-2018 1:45pm
Saline's Brandon Kruse Drafted by NHL's Vegas Golden Knights
Brandon Kruse is property of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kruse, a Saline resident who starred at Bowling Green in his freshman year, was drafted 135th overall in the fifth round of the NHL Entry Draft in Dallas Saturday.
Kruse, overlooked in his first year of eligibility, put himself on the map with a great freshman year at Bowling Green.
Kruse scored eight goals and had 25 assists. He was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team.
With 33 points, he out-produced some of the biggest names in the USA Hockey prospect world - including Casey Mittelstadt, drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres last year, and Brady Tkachuk, selected fourth overall by the Ottawa Senators this year.
He scored .8 points-per-game, ranking 10th out of all freshman Division one players.
Kruse, listed at 5'9 and 155 pounds on Bowling Green's website. Even though the NHL is trending towards smaller, speedy players like Kruse, his lack of size hurt his standing and is most likely why he was overlooked last year.
He is the son of Eric and Robyn Kruse and has two sisters, Lauryn and Ashley.
This summer, Kruse will join America's top hockey prospects at the 2018 World Junior Summer Showcase. Kruse was named to Team USA's preliminary roster, joining top 2018 draft picks like Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes and Oliver Wahlstrom.
The World Junior Summer Showcase, held in Plymouth last year, will be held July 28-Aug. 4 in Kamloops, British Columbia. Players invited to the tournament are auditioning for jobs on the US National Junior Team that will compete in the 2019 IIHF U-20 World Junior Championships in British Columbia.
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