Jordan Schmaltz

History

2009-10: Jordan Schmaltz appeared in two USHL games with the Sioux City Musketeers while spending most of the season with the Chicago Mission midget AAA team in Illinois. He played 11 games with the US National Team Development Program U17 team and represented the USA in two tournaments. He was scoreless and plus-one with 4 penalty minutes in his brief time with the Musketeers. Schmaltz was the leading scorer amongst defensemen for Chicago Mission, scoring 10 goals with 21 assists in 39 games. In 11 games with the U17  NDTP squad, he had 2 goals. He had 1 assist in four games as the USA won a gold medal at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. Schmaltz was scoreless in three games for the USA squad that competed in the 2011 U18 Vlad Dzurilla Tournament.

2010-11: Schmaltz played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, appearing in 53 games. He  led all USHL defensemen in goals, assists, and points and was named to the USHL’s First All-Star Team, as well as the USHL’s All-Rookie Team. He scored 13 goals and added 31 assists and was an even plus-minus with 22 penalty minutes. After finishing sixth in the Western Conference, the Musketeers faced Sioux Falls in the first round of the playoffs. In three playoff games, Schmaltz picked up 1 assist. . Schmaltz played for the U.S. at the 2010 World Junior A Challenge, registering 1 assist in 4 games.

2011-12: Schmaltz opened the season with Sioux City before requesting a trade in early November and finishing the year with Clark Cup champion Green Bay. He was chosen to represent the USA in the 2012 World Junior A Challenge. In nine games with the Musketeers prior to the trade, he scored 3 goals with 3 assists and was minus-four with 9 penalty minutes. Sioux City would finish last in the Western Conference. Schmaltz scored 7 goals with 28 assists and was plus-15 with 20 penalty minutes in 46 games for Green Bay. After finishing first in the Western Conference, the Gamblers defeated Waterloo in an epic five-game series in the Clark Cup finals. In 12 playoff games Schmaltz was plus-10 with 2 goals and 5 assists. He was invited to the NHL Draft Combine and was ranked 34th amongst North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

 

Talent Analysis

Schmaltz is a offensively oriented defender who handles the puck well and can make accurate, tape-to-tape passes.  He has the look of a future power-play QB, but the rest of his game is not fully developed at this time.  He has good size but doesn't always make use of it, and his defensive skills are currently a work in progress.  Schmaltz's offensive ability might be enough to land him a job in the NHL, but more development time is needed before he can make that jump.

 

Future

Schmaltz will play his freshman year at the NCAA level with the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux and could lead the team's power play. He could have three years of development in the NCAA to improve his overall game.