Courtesy photo Bark River native and former Escanaba Eskymo Brayden Stannard prepares to take a shot during a game while playing for the Maryland Black Bears in the North American Hockey League last season. Stannard was selected in the second round and 31st overall in Phase II of the United States Hockey League draft by the Green Bay Gamblers Tuesday afternoon.

ESCANABA — Brayden Stannard is one step closer to his ultimate goal, and he’s also now thousands of steps closer to home.

The Bark River native and former Escanaba Eskymo was drafted by the Green Bay Gamblers in the second round and 31st overall in Phase II of the United States Hockey League draft Tuesday afternoon.

Stannard, a 17-year-old University of Nebraska-Omaha commit, spent last season playing for the Maryland Black Bears in the North American Hockey League. He had great success there, earning two East Star of the Week honors.

But being drafted by the Gamblers gives Stannard an opportunity to be much closer to home, something that’s very important to him.

“It made me so happy (being drafted by the Gamblers),” he said in a Tuesday evening phone interview. “Playing in Maryland last year was definitely fun, but it was far away. Being away from my family was kind of hard, so being picked by the Gamblers was just so good. Being close to home will be a lot more comfortable for me.”

The USHL is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 teams located in the Midwest part of the United States, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Because of this, Stannard could have been drafted much further from home.

“I could have been out in North Dakota or somewhere,” he said. “It takes a toll on me not to being able to see my family all the time, so it will definitely be nice being in Green Bay.”

The draft was done virtually, as it is every year. Stannard admitted he didn’t really know where he was going to land.

“The past month I was talking to a lot of teams, so I figured I’d be picked somewhere in the first or second round,” he said. “But I still didn’t know which team, so it was kind of nerve-wracking sitting there watching it. … Right when they drafted me the head coach called me and told me I was drafted.”

The draft lasted 24 rounds, making it clear that Stannard was one of the better prospects.

“It’s exciting, but at the same time I just know it keeps getting bigger and I have to just keep pushing harder than I have,” he said.

“Hopefully I can have a big impact for them and help them win and be the biggest part I can be on the team. It’s my NHL draft year, so hopefully I can have a good year and put up some good numbers so I can get drafted.”

Stannard, who has always played either center or left wing, played his freshman season at Escanaba before heading downstate to play for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16U team the following season before playing for Maryland.

“I would just like to thank my dad (Rich),” Stannard said. “He’s been there through thick and thin, no matter what it is. He’s definitely the biggest part of where I am today. … I’d just like to thank him.”

In addition to the normal excitement of getting drafted, Stannard admitted it was extra exciting because of the quarantine lifestyle mostly everyone is currently living due to COVID-19. Stannard hasn’t been on the ice since the middle of March when the rest of his season at Maryland was cancelled.

“It’s definitely something that boosts up your emotions and makes you a lot more excited,” he said with a laugh.