On Wednesday, June 9th, the NAHL held its Futures Draft. Each team selected two players born in 2010 to get them involved in junior hockey as they continue their path to NCAA hockey and beyond. The following day, the league conducted its Entry Draft, the annual event when NAHL teams select players to fill out their 2026-2027 roster. The reigning Robertson Cup Champion Maryland Black Bears made 11 selections, the third most selections by the Black Bears in franchise history. In the 2018 and 2019 NAHL Entry Drafts, Maryland selected 13 players on both occasions. Here is a little more about the players who could potentially play at Piney Orchard Ice Arena next season.

Futures Draft:

Lee Russom, RW, 32nd Overall: Russom spent most of last season with Team Maryland’s 15U AAA team, as well as a stint with the 16U AAA team. With the 15U team, Russom put up 13 goals and 20 points in 26 Tier 1 Hockey Federation (THF) games, as well as 23 goals and 48 points in 49 15U AAA games. In an eight game sample with Team Maryland’s U16 team, he added one goal and three points. Russom is set to go full-time with Team Maryland U16 AAA next season.

Cruz Detert, D, 64th Overall: After two seasons with the Dallas Stars Elite program, Detert took his talents to Seacoast Performance Academy 15U and played in 59 games between two leagues. In 12 THF 15U games, he impressed with six goals and 12 points and one assist in three playoff games. His 15U AAA numbers are also impressive, registering 12 goals and 45 points in 47 games.

Entry Draft:

Ajay Rai, LW, 57th Overall: Rai has played the last two seasons in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with the Lindsay Muskies and has put up an impressive 45 goals and 89 points in 102 games. Last season was a breakout year for the young forward, recording 31 goals and 53 points in 53 games. Rai had previously been selected 192nd overall in the Ontario Hockey League Priority Draft by the Owen Sound Attack.

Brandon Gauthier, C, 61st Overall: Brandon Gauthier is another player selected from the OJHL, where he played 99 games over the past two seasons with the Niagara Falls Canucks, recording 81 points. Like Rai, Brandon experienced a breakout year last season while acting as alternate captain for the Canucks, putting up 39 assists and 54 points in 55 games. 

Jesse Gauthier, RW, 67th Overall: Brandon’s twin brother, Jesse, was the next selection for the Black Bears, who also played for the Niagara Falls Canucks. Jesse had a strong showing in his second year with Niagara Falls, scoring 13 goals and 38 points in 43 games, improving on the five goals and 31 points he registered in 56 games the previous year. 

Juuso Rantala, D, 101st Overall: Rantala has been with the Tappara organization in Finland since 2021, when he captained their U16 team. In 40 games last season, Rantala put up seven goals and 20 points in 40 games. He added three points in 14 playoff games last year.

Cooper Ludwar, RW, 121st Overall: Ludwar spent the last two seasons primarily with the Winchendon School, posting 20 points in 31 games in the 2024-2025 United States High School Preparatory hockey (USHS-Prep) season. In 2025-2026, he had a career year with Winchendon, posting 19 goals and 56 points in just 29 games. In addition to his high school team, Ludwar also suited up for 25 games in the Eastern Hockey Federation 18U league with the Islanders Hockey Club Prep East, scoring 13 goals and 31 points. 

Bennett Byers, G, 130th Overall: Byers has spent the bulk of the past three seasons with the CDA Hockey Academy. In 47 18U games with CDA, he put up an impressive statline with a .924 save percentage, a 3.22 goals against average, and four shutouts to go along with a 21-23-1 record. Byers was outstanding in the postseason, going 4-1-0 with a .944 save percentage and a 2.20 goals against average. While he spent most of his season with CDA, Byers did suit up for the regular season finale for the Maryland Black Bears, making 26 saves in a 3-2 overtime win for Maryland.

Ian Sherman, D, 163rd Overall: The Sacred Heart University commit split last season between the NV River Rats U18 AAA National team and Pomfret School of USHS-Prep. Sherman proved himself to be a reliable, puck-moving defenseman in both leagues. With the River Rats, he tallied four goals and 12 points in 27 games. Sherman thrived in Pomfret as well, recording five goals and 15 points in 27 games.

Noah Lawson, RW, 195th Overall: The Team Maryland product and Alexandria, VA, native will be staying close to home. Lawson spent the last two seasons with Team Maryland 18U AAA, serving as alternate captain during the 2025-2026 season. He had his breakout season with Team Maryland last year, putting up 27 goals and 58 points in 55 18U AAA games, as well as nine goals and 21 points in 23 THF U18 games. Lawson is another player who dressed in a Black Bears’ sweater this past season, suiting up for two games. 

Lucien Haskas, RW, 227th Overall: Haskas excelled last season with Gilmour Academy. In 66 USHS-Prep games, he had an outstanding season with 28 goals and 65 points. For Gilmour Academy’s MPHL season, Haskas was over a point per game player, scoring seven goals and 11 points in nine games. 

Jack Peterson, D, 259th Overall: Peterson played in three different leagues with Fox Motors U16 AAA last season and made an impact in all three. He played in 18 MAHA 16U games and recorded 12 points, as well as a goal and five points in four postseason games. Peterson played in the T1EHL U16 games as well, putting up two points in 12 regular season games, but four goals and five points in four postseason games. The 16U AAA league is where Peterson put up his most notable point total, registering 12 goals and 34 points in 47 games.

Atley Perdu, D, 291st Overall: The Black Bears added to their defense with their final pick of the 2026 NAHL Entry Draft. Perdu proved to be a reliable defenseman in the NA3HL, dressing in 47 games between two teams, the Yellowstone Quake and the Norwich Sea Captains. He recorded one assist in 23 games with Yellowstone and a goal and one assist in 24 games with Norwich.

Stay tuned for information on tryouts and training camp this summer.