BOMBERS' URBANEC DRAFTED BY USHL'S FARGO FORCE

The Long Beach Bombers, of the Western States Hockey League, are proud to announce that star forward, Tomas Urbanec, has been selected by the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League’s Phase II Draft. The Force are currently preparing for the Clark Cup Finals, against the Youngstown Phantoms, after knocking off the top-seeded Waterloo Black Hawks. Urbanec traveled up to Fargo, prior to the WSHL’s Thorne Cup Finals, where he clearly impressed. This season, Urbanec’s fourth in Long Beach, he was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player.

The Zlin, Czech Republic native became just the third player in Bombers history to record 100 points in a single season. He holds the franchise goals record, with 95. His 220 career points are the most at the Tier-ll Jr A level, and second-most in franchise history. He also, became the fourth player to eclipse the 200-point plateau. In 2017-2018, a career year for Urbanec, he posted a stat line of: 60GP-48G-53A-101Pts. The 1999-born sniper led the team in Goals, Points, Power Play Goals, Power Play Assists, Power Play Points, Shorthanded Goals, Shorthanded Assists, Shorthanded Points, and Games Played. 

Urbanec burst onto the scene as a 15 year-old, during the 2014-2015 WSHL season, scoring 16 Points in 17 Games Played. His Points-Per-Game, and Goals-Per-Game, have increased in each season. The 6’1, 178lb Urbanec appears ready to take the next step in his career. Upon completion of Urbanec's three-day stint with the team, Fargo Force Head Coach, Cary Eaves, said, “Tomas made a strong impression.” That impression carried enough weight to get fellow teammate, Artem Korolev, an invitation to Fargo’s camp in June. If Korolev plays as he did during the Thorne Cup Finals, he may well find himself lining up next to Urbanec at the June 4-7 Main Camp. Eaves went on to say, “We like his speed, and he makes good offensive plays. We love that he listens, processes the information, and executes.” The USHL only allows four non-North American players per roster, making it especially difficult for European players, like Urbanec, to earn a spot.

Long Beach Bombers Head Coach & General Manager, Chris White, commented, “I am beyond happy for Tomas. He has worked extremely hard over the past four years, to earn this honor. I originally saw Tomas when he was fifteen and he had a ton of untapped potential. Although, at that point, he was raw and an emotional player. It was very difficult for him to be patient, and to trust the process. However, he put in the effort, he learned, he adapted, and he has truly become a complete player. At the end of the day, he’s a sniper, an elite goal scorer, and you can’t teach that. He was our team MVP this year, and he could have put up even more points, had he not been in a defensive shut-down role for a quarter of the season. He’s a very respectful young man that we have watched mature, right in front of our eyes. This is enormous for our organization, as it shows what type of developmental system we have in Long Beach. That being said, it’s all about #24, today. Being drafted guarantees nothing, but I genuinely believe Tomas has what it takes to earn his way onto Fargo’s roster, next season. He is a rare talent, a special young man, and he may just be paving the way for future Long Beach Bombers and Western States Hockey League players. To my knowledge, he is the fourth WSHL player to be selected in the USHL Draft. We will miss him in Long Beach, and we wish him all the best as he continues this journey!”

Tomas’ Player Profile Page: https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/236811/tomas-urbanec

via jrbombers.org