CollegeHockeyPlayers

Johnstown Tomahawks‘ sizable 6’3″ 195 lbs. blue liner Caden Lewandowski(6) thought he had it all set, when he committed a couple of months into his 2nd junior season to Robert Morris University, then as the summer rolled in, word came down that they were immediately ditching both their men’s and women’s hockey programs.

It took a month or so and likely a few conversations, but for 2021/2022 the just turned 21-year old will report to an excellent, next choice, Clarkson University Golden Knights.

The Port Huron, MI native started his youth hockey in the Honeybaked 13U AAA before heading to University Liggett School, where he put up some major 20 assists in his last year there.

He had all best last season with 5 goals, 22 assists, 27 points with a +17 rating in 45 NAHL games.

It didn’t go quite as well for 2019/2020 in the USHL for Youngstown Phantoms, where he only managed 2 assists.

He will be a big addition to Atlantic Hockey.

New Jersey Titans‘ 2-year right wing Jake LaRusso(21) decides to go for another season of junior hockey before committing to Colorado College for 2022/2023.

After an impressive 2nd NAHL season, scoring highs of 16 goals and 28 assists with a +6 rating was drafted by USHL Madison Capitals and hopes to play a full season up there before heading off to school.

Initially committed before his 16U AAA year in close to home, Colts Neck, New Jersey’s youth program, he would next go to play a couple of single games for his stepdad’s team New Jersey 87’s before joining the main squad.

The 19-year old will need to continue to prove his game but you can bet he’ll put in the work.

We did a Twitter player interview with Jake:

cHp: You’re from New Jersey. You looked to have a decent youth hockey run with NJ Jr. Titans, but then joined NJ 87’s, which is a pay to play league.

Was that just temporary before joining the Jr. Titans NAHL team and can you talk about that two game experience a little, because you started low in the 87’s system in premiere, getting a hat trick in your only game, then played 1 more with their EHL team. It looks like you moved onto the NAHL team from there and stayed until this year.

I did see from an article your step dad coached one of the 87’s teams.

You’ve played all your hockey close to home in Jersey, but committed to Colorado College. Why did you pick that school and not one around here?

You also committed to that school at the beginning of 2018, very young. How did they discover you? Was it thought you’d play a few of juniors before heading to college?

You’re listed as playing high school hockey at St. John Vianney High as a freshman in 2016/2017 season, but was that you’re only year there?

You’ve had a super solid weirdo season in the NAHL scoring 16 goals and 28 assists in 52 games playing like 4 teams constantly.

Does that have you looking beyond college at all or is that your main focus for right now?

JL: Yea, so my U16 year I left St. John Vianney. I played U16 Titans and my step dad was the coach of the 87’s. The only reason I played one game with them was because they needed guys due to injury and illness.

Later on that year I joined the NAHL team where I have been my whole career so far. It has been a blast. The culture, coaching staff and arena is by far one of the best in junior hockey.

I committed to Colorado College when I was 16.

I loved the facility and coaching staff there when I committed so that was the decider for me.

I have plans to go to the USHL next year and play for the Madison Capitals.

I do want to play in the NHL one day as well, after college

cHp: Nice. I was wondering that, if you were going to head to Colorado College, as reported for 2021 or put it off a year for another run in juniors.

Did you get drafted by that USHL team or just agree to join them?

JL: I got drafted by Madison.

cHp: That’s awesome. Was that exciting news as you move your way up? Do you have an expectation for yourself going in?

Dartmouth College 2021/2022 commit defenseman Ben Ritter(2) agreed to the college as he was heading to his first year at The Loomis Chaffee School.

The Pittsford, NY native had kept his hockey close to home until this move to play USHS-Prep.

In his first year, he scored a modest goal and 4 assists, but took that up nicely as a senior with four tallies and 16 helpers in 31 games and a New England Championship.

The 5’11” 185 lbs. blue liner moved on to junior hockey, originally tendered by New Jersey Jr. Titans, but that experiment lasted all of 4 NAHL games before he next signed on to play for a team he was once selected by in a draft, South Shore Kings.

He seemed to find his space in this league, getting 2 goals and 4 assists in 41 USPHL/NCDC games for an off and on 2020/2021 COVID-busted season.

It did go to playoffs though, and in 3 matchups, he came away with a goal.

The 19-year old, more stay at home style d-man will likely answer any call given.

Tyler Gaulin(8) won’t go far from his junior team of 2020/2021 to his college commit, as he starts with Maine Nordiques and heads to University Of Maine Black Bears for 2021/2022.

The 6′ 175 lbs. plays like a power forward scored a solid 10 goals and 25 assists in 55 NAHL games with a +4 rating last season.

It was actually at the beginning of this frame that he confirmed his college, and that was post a monster final year as team captain at Berwick Academy, where he scored 21 goals and 27 assists in 29 USHS-Prep games.

He actually played a couple of games at the end of that campaign for his current team and scored his first two league goals.

The 19-year old, Kingston, NH native is an impact player that should contribute to Hockey East play as soon as he arrives.

UMass-Lowell Riverhawks‘ captain (and local Tewksbury product) center Connor Sodergren(28) will return for a sanctioned 5th season of college hockey and further studies.

The 5’11” 190 lbs. forward probably wants to get back what was lost last season in the off and on mini-schedule of 18 Hockey East games against mostly division only teams and a playoff run ended only by a goal in the final.

We also think he eyes scoring like he did in his 2nd run with West Kelowna Warriors, where he had a best 24 goals and 35 assists and also when he committed to school.

He won a BCHL Championship with the team in his first year, scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in 24 playoff matchups.

The 24-year old is an undrafted, impact player.

US Army West Point Black Knights‘ commit for 2021/2022 center Reese Farrell(43) after only one season of junior hockey with Maine Nordiques and continuing as East Division Champs to the final four of the Robertson Cup Playoffs.

He was captain at his 2-year Northfield Mount Hermon School, where probably had his best scoring outburst with 10 goals and 26 assists in 28 USHS-Prep games.

The 6′ 195 lbs., 20-year old forward plays hard and can definitely get around the net to score goals, in 2020/2021, he had 10 goals and 8 assists, including 2 game-winners and one on the power play in 51 NAHL games.

We can see the Auburn, ME native becoming a force in Atlantic Hockey.

RPI 2021/2022 commit, center Xander Babich(28) did only a single season in juniors mostly with South Shore Kings of the USPHL/NCDC, scoring 5 goals and 7 assists, then another helper in 3 playoff match-ups.

He skated three years for hometown Chicago Mission 14U – 16U AAA and agreed to college in the middle session, where he put up his best numbers, 8 goals, 14 assists in 20 HPHL games.

The 5’10” 179 lbs. forward should be a factor in ECAC play.

US Army West Point Black Knights‘ 2021/2022 commit, center Trevor Smith(17) will be a perfect fit for this Atlantic Hockey club.

He follows in his dad’s footsteps to head to this school.

The 5’9″ 174 lbs. started his journey with at least a season up north in the GTHL, skating for Toronto Red Wings U16 before joining Skipjacks Hockey Club and popped the scoring bubble with 31 goals and 13 assists in 24 USPHL 16U games.

He made also USPHL/NCDC debut with 3 games for Jersey Hitmen, getting a goal and an assist.

Next he would sign for a pair of seasons with Northeast Generals but after Christmas in his 2nd year got loaned up to Green Bay Gamblers, where he played 22 USHL games to finish the frame.

Sent back into the NAHL draft, he was picked up #2 by St. Cloud Norseman  but only lasted 12 games and less than a week later was a gift to Boston Advantage.

He stuck with them until the end of the season, scoring 6 goals and 3 assists in 10 games, then adding another 2 tallies in 3 playoff contests.

The 20-year old from Raleigh, NC is very swift and sturdy on his skates and makes life for defense miserable.

Maryland Black Bears‘ 2-year right wing Garrett Sydlowski(11) heads back closer to home for his college commit, joining Western Michigan University Broncos for 2021/2022.

He was able to post junior career highs in all categories in 2020/2021, scoring 9 goals, 17 assists for 26 points in 53 NAHL games with 51 penalty minutes and a +6 rating, then added a pair of assists in the playoffs.

The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward skated four seasons, starting with Little Caesars 13U AAA.

He did well in his last two campaigns but nothing matched the pop of his 16U AAA play, when in 70 games he recorded 35 goals, 45 assists and had a what +74 rating.

The almost 20-year old should be able to assimilate his play nicely to NCHC style.

7 year Junior Bruins‘ prospect, center Ian Carpentier(96) leaves the nest to commit to Yale University Bulldogs.

Always the prolific scorer, the 6′ 175 lbs. forward has produced 20+ goals three times, but through only 28 USPHL/NCDC games last season may have not ascended to that total, although he was a point-per-game player with 14 tallies and 14 assists in 28 appearances.

That was only the 5th season he managed to achieve that feat: 1 point, 1 game.

The almost 21-year old Worcester native will be a nice scoring add to ECAC hockey.