Although maybe not the biggest point-getter on the ice, the 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner did manage 23 assists as a senior at the hometown Elk River High in 25 USHS-MN games and 13 helpers at a freshman as his new college.
He also had 16 points (a high of 7 tallies and 9 assists) in 26NAHL games, when he arrived at Fairbanks Ice Dogs upon completing high school.
It’s all happened fairly quickly for the 22-year old but the player who’s been in three NHL development camps looks ready at every turn.
As he finishes up, his 5th college season, he signs an ato with affiliate Hershey Bears and will join them for the remainder of the AHL frame.
Almost oddly, he plays only 2 games with his contract club, getting 1 assist and a +2 rating and is reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, where he gets 4 goals and 7 assists in 55 ECHL games with a +13 rating.
His play is good enough to earn a continued look in Chocolatetown.
In his 2nd frame further down south, he scores a new career best 8 goals and 19 assists in 64 games with a +17 rating, so things are looking up.
Something is amiss though, as he decides to accept an assistant coach role at Lindenwood University Lions for 2024/2025, changing the role he will play in pro hockey.
The 6’1″ 185 lbs. net minder posted a fairly ridiculous 21-6-3 record in 2020/2021’s weirdo stop & start COVID infected run with a 2.05 GAA and .933 SV% including 4 shutouts.
He mostly posted some good numbers through youth hockey but it was the Marlton, NJ native’s 18U season and as a senior at Lawrenceville School, where it really seemed to come together big.
At just 18 years old he looks like a goalie some big clubs will have their eye on and could even challenge for the top job in his first year at the new school.
He started in 8 games as a rookie and ran totals, except for the record, almost exact to what he did in his last year of juniors.
Looking for more, he enters the transfer portal to tend net for Arizona State University Sun Devils that goes exceedingly well in his 2nd campaign there, posting a 16-5-4 record with a 2.52 GAA and .908 SV%.
A former assistant captain with Northeast Generals, he managed to score new career highs 6 goals and 25 assists in 57 NAHL games with a modest +1 rating on a non-playoff club.
The 6′ 170 lbs. d-man did a pair of years in junior hockey over in Russia’s MHL with Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk and did alright with points but was a nice +13.
He only left near the onset of his 2nd season back at his 2nd home before coming over to skate for Corpus Christi Icerays but that experiment went south, so he got himself a trade and once in MA, things started improving big.
Alex and I did a Twitter interview on May 16, 2023:
–Can you explain what happened with your time at AIC? I think if I have my info right, you got injured in a preseason game during your freshman year. Did that keep you out of the season or did you just have a hard time cracking the lineup at that point?
So yea, freshman year, we had a scrimmage some pro alums came out, got into a battle with one of them, things got heated and I got dragged to the ground twisting my ankle backwards and spraining it pretty bad. Rest of the year was pretty much a wash after that happened, got a bit healthy and was able to get a game in although not 100%. Otherwise, it was a year of soaking it all in, learning from the guys, watching how they carry themselves.
–It lists you as playing one Yellowjackets’ game. Is that correct?
Yes, one game.
–Why did you take a transfer year and not play?
I was at AIC the start of the year and I felt good, worked a lot on my body that summer and got stronger. Felt great in preseason and going into it. However, my mom got sick, my dad is not longer around and I have two younger siblings so it was very hard for her. Elected to comeback home, use the year as a transfer year and be there for my mom and my family as I felt it was just bigger than hockey. Mom is doing well now! Family is good. Honestly just very happy and relieved she is okay.
–What was the reason for wanting to head to Stonehill College Skyhawks?
Main reason is the opportunity, wanted to get a fresh start, although I am very grateful to Coach Lang, he helped me at AIC and he helped me get to Stonehill which I’m very appreciative of. For me I just need to have a great two years here, get back on track. My pro rights are with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL and they want to see me develop and play a significant role where I’m at and I believe this opportunity at Stonehill will allow me to do just that and hopefully join Traktor in the future.
–It’s close to where you played with the Generals, so did you know of the school back then?
I had a couple of friends of Choate (my high school) go to the Stonehill and they said they loved it. So I had heard of it, but them becoming a D1 independent school definitely magnified the school for me as an option as it’ll allow me to work towards my goals.
–That was a year or 2 before they declared D1. I think they’re schedule will really help you get back into your game.
Yes, this years schedule looks exciting, David and Darrel Borges really want to put Stonehill on the map, and I’m very excited to be a part of helping them achieve what they want to achieve along with building on the culture they want to build.
–Do you feel healthy to get started in a few months?
Yes, although I’ve been home, I’ve been working very hard on my body and my game. I know these next two years are very crucial for me and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity David and Darrel Borges have given. Currently just putting myself in the best position to deliver for them and their program.
The 21-year old will definitely look to continue to shine and is the next subject of our video feature: one question interview.
St. Cloud State University Huskies‘ sophomore right wing Jack Johnston(7)wasn’t able to get into more than 3 NCAA/NCHC games in 2020/2021 with an odd +2 rating, due to a very stacked squad returning for the college team, who went onto win their first three rounds Frozen Four tournament and only lose to the eventual winners in the semi-finals.
The 5’10” 170 lbs. forward left three season of junior hockey for Fairbanks Ice Dogs with career high numbers, 18 goals, 27 assists for 45 points in 52 NAHL games with a +25 rating.
A prolific scorer going back to his 2nd year of high school back in St. Paul, MN, he brought that forward to his first two years in Alaska, scoring 31 goals and 39 assists in 103 games with a combined +31 before running the totals he did in ’19/20 before playoffs were crashed by COVID.
The 21-year old will continue to need to work hard to find his room on the college roster but there’s little doubt he will.
He was also sidelined for a couple of months with a shoulder injury but didn’t seem to miss much game time in what was a mostly away game schedule for the Attleboro, MA-based team.
The 6’1″ 205 lbs. forward came to the U.S. from Calgary, AB prep school with an eye on a D1 goal.
He started his journey with a campaign in the EHL with East Coast Wizards after things stretched out and it seemed like the best fit to move forward.
As just a 17-year old teenager he put up 33 goals and 31 assists in 48 games to get Rookie Of The Year marks from the league.
He was loaned up for a couple of game stretch to Brookings Blizzard, where he potted a first goal at the higher level, and got signed to rejoin them permanently for his follow up to the tier 3 journey.
The 20-year will probably strike early as a first year player in college and we’re sure he can’t wait to get started.
The bonus video section with the Northeastern University Huskies 2021/2022 commit featuring many more questions about his time with the USPHL/NCDCJr. Bruins and the future outlook, now that’s he’s heading to play at an amazing Division 1 Hockey East school.
