Today it was announced that Tampa Bay Lightning defensive prospect Ryan Zuhlsdorf has been traded to the Dubuque Fighting Saints by the Sioux City Musketeers. Zuhlsdorf, the Sioux City captain, had missed over a month with a concussion and recently returned to the line up.
Here are some comments from the Dubuque coach in the announcement:
“We wanted to add a defenseman that has a really good history,” Lammers said. “[Zuhlsdorf] is a really good leader, and he has worn a letter on various different teams and places he has been.”
“He has experience at winning championships, and he is someone that can really help our defense corps.”
Along with the point production, Zuhlsdorf played in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Dubuque, and was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team at the conclusion of last season. In 86 career USHL games, he has scored 3 goals and 42 assists.
A fifth round pick of the Lightning in the 2015 draft, Zuhlsdorf is a draft-and-follow prospect who is headed to the NCAA ranks. He’s an offensive-defenseman having put up 23 assists in 30 games with Sioux City and will have plenty of opportunity to grow over the next handful of years with a strong program at the University of Minnesota.
With this move, Zuhlsdorf goes from 4th place in the USHL’s Western Conference with Sioux City to the 1st place in the Eastern Conference Dubuque. The Fighting Saints should be expected to make a deep run towards the USHL championship.
