June 23, 2002
Toronto, Ont. – Two current Notre Dame hockey players were selected in the 2002 National Hockey League Entry Draft held this weekend at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.
Leading the way was junior right wing Rob Globke (Jr., West Bloomfield, Mich.) who was selected in the second round on Saturday, 40th overall by the Florida Panthers. Being picked 40th overall makes Globke the highest Notre Dame draft pick in the history of the program. Recent Irish standout, David Inman, was a second round choice, 59th overall in 1999 by the New York Rangers and Alex Pirus was picked 41st in 1975 (3rd round by Minnesota when only 18 teams were in the league).
Current teammate Yan Stastny (So., St. Louis, Mo.) joined Globke among those selected when he was chosen in the eighth round, 259th overall by the Boston Bruins.
Globke was the ninth collegian selected in the draft and the fourth from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) to go among the top 40 players chosen. He was one of seven CCHA players selected during the first three rounds of the draft. He followed first round choices Eric Nystrom of Michigan (10th pick to Calgary) and Jim Slater of Michigan State (30th to Atlanta) and second round pick from Lee Falardeau of Michigan State (33rd to New York Rangers). He was then followed in the second round by Duncan Keith (52nd to Chicago) and third round choices Jason Ryznar of Michigan (64th to New Jersey) and Michigan’s Brock Radunske (79th to Edmonton).
As a sophomore last season at Notre Dame, the 6-3, 214-pound right wing played in 33 games with 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points to finish fourth in team scoring. Three of the goals were power play goals, one was shorthanded and two were game-winners. He also racked up 79 minutes in penalties. In two seasons with the Irish, Globke has scored 28 goals with 20 assists for 48 points. He also played for the United States Junior National Team in each of the past two seasons.
The junior forward was happy when Florida made its selection.
“This has been a tremendous experience for me. What a great feeling when you hear your named called. It’s hard to explain the feeling,” said Globke.
“It’s pretty nerve-wracking waiting in the seats especially when you have a chance to be picked in the first round,” said the Notre Dame business major.
“I thought I had a chance to go in the first round, but I figured it would be the second round since I didn’t have such a great year last year. I don’t think it matters where you are picked in the draft or who takes you. Every player develops differently following the draft.”
Globke came into the draft ranked 14th among North American skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting. He is one of 11 Notre Dame players to come through USA Hockey’s Developmental Program.
Stastny, a 5-11, 182-pound left wing, was Notre Dame’s top freshman scorer in 2001-02 as he had six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 33 games. A tough, rugged forward, Stastny played his junior hockey for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League prior to coming to Notre Dame.
Yan Stastny was selected in the eighth round by the Boston Bruins.
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The son of NHL Hall-of-Famer Peter Stastny, Yan was ranked 84th among North Americans by NHL Central Scouting. According to Scott Bradley, Boston’s Director of Scouting, the Bruins were pleased with their eighth round pick.
“He (Yan Stastny) is still learning the game. He’s playing at a great university and really developed over the course of last season and improved all aspects of his game,” said Bradley.
“He’s got a lot of his dad in him. He sees the ice very well and has great hockey sense. He will have a chance to develop at Notre Dame over the next three years. With his knowledge of the game, growing up in a hockey background with his father, we are very excited about getting him.”
Globke and Stastny join teammates Evan Nielsen (2000, 8th round – Atlanta Thrashers) and Neil Komadoski (2001, 3rd round – Ottawa Senators) as current Notre Dame players selected by NHL teams.
In all, 73 collegiate players were selected during the nine rounds of the draft with 21 of them having ties to teams in the CCHA.