Black Hawks add one of the USHL’s top prospects between the pipes in Kam Hendrickson
OMAHA, Neb. – One of the USHL’s top goalies is on the move as Kam Hendrickson has been dealt to the Waterloo Black Hawks. Both organizations announced the move just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Hendrickson, who is one of the league’s top draft prospects (2025) between the pipes, and a 2025 Phase I pick (8th round) head to Waterloo while Omaha receives goaltender Daniel Moor and four 2025 picks in return.
Hendrickson is 3-6-2 with a 2.58 GAA and .918 save percentage this season after a successful seven-game stint with the Lancers last spring. However, Hendrickson’s record is far from indicative of his play, and the UConn commit has posted his 2.58 and .918 while playing for one of the USHL’s worst teams.
Omaha has been out-scored 98-60 and the Lancers have allowed the USHL’s second-most shots (934) – 354 of which have been fired at Hendrickson. He's turned aside 325 of them.
Hendrickson’s last USHL win came on Nov. 1, although he's made just five starts since and hasn't played for Omaha since Nov. 29. Hendrickson left for the World Junior A Challenge in early December and appeared in two games – winning one of them – and helped the U.S. capture its 10th all-time WJAC gold medal.
He was also invited to the Chipotle All-American Game last week, which is slated for Jan. 16 in Plymouth, Mich.
Tuesday's trade continues what’s been another tough year for the Lancers organization.
Omaha currently owns the league’s worst record at 6-18-4 and is 14 points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Hendrickson is just the latest player Omaha has traded away, joining David Deputy, Drew DellaSalla, Jamison Sluys and Nicholas Sykora. In addition to a pair of coaching changes – Lennie Childs after four games and Colten St. Clair after 18 games earlier this month.
Hendrickson was a healthy scratch on Friday as Omaha lost to Tri-City and Saturday as Omaha fell to Des Moines, and it’s believed a trade had been in the works since late last week.
The Hockey News had heard from multiple sources that another Western Conference club was interested and a potential deal was close as of Sunday, but it's unclear what happened.
Forward Grant Dillard, who is second on Omaha's roster with eight goals, was a healthy scratch for both games this past weekend too and his future with the organization also remains up in the air.
The Lancers have dropped 10 straight (0-8-2) and 11 straight on home ice (0-9-2).
Waterloo (12-8-4-4) is currently fourth in the West with 32 points and is coming off a 2-1 win over Fargo on Sunday. However, the Black Hawks are 3-4-2-1 over their past 10 and have been out-scored 31-28 in that stretch.
Waterloo has Calvin Vachon, who is 7-5-2-2 with a 2.67 GAA and .899 save percentage in his second USHL season, but adding Hendrickson should only help solidify the position.
"We feel like Kam has been one of the top goaltenders in the USHL this season," Waterloo General Manager Bryn Chyzyk said in a statement. "The goaltending position is such a crucial part within the game of hockey, and teams that have playoff success are built from the net out. We feel like pairing him with Cal Vachon will give us an opportunity to win every single night."
Hendrickson could make his Black Hawk debut this week as Waterloo hosts Dubuque on Tuesday (Dec. 31) and Cedar Rapids on Saturday (Jan. 4).