LANCERS LOAD UP ON OFFENSIVE TALENT
Coach Hamlin brings in seven recruits who should help team close out tight games
The offence often came up just a little short last season for the University of Windsor Lancers men’s hockey team.
With that in mind, head coach Kevin Hamlin was focused on what he was looking for on the recruiting trail this year. “One of the things we really wanted to address was our inability to score five-on-five,” Hamlin said. “We were in 15 one-goal games last year, seven went to overtime and we lost all seven.” Hamlin believes he’s found a few pieces to help correct that problem in a seven-man recruiting class unveiled on Wednesday that features forwards Connor Logan, Brett Mennear, Coy Prevost, Ethan Skinner and Johnny Wesley along with defenceman Chays Ruddy and goalie Lasse Petersen.
“Every one of these kids, their compete level is off the charts and that’s who we are,” Hamlin said. “We have 12 returning players (that were freshmen last season), these seven freshmen, and five vets. We feel, given our returning players and the freshmen we have coming in, we have a heck of a chance to be a good team for a long time.”
The six-foot, 190-pound Logan, who is from Victoria, was playing NCAA Division III a year ago at SUNY-Plattsburgh.
“He didn’t transition well,” Hamlin said. “We did a lot of homework on him and the people in Battleford (where he played in 2016-17) love him and think he can be a top scorer.” The five-foot-nine, 185-pound Mennear, who is from West Kelowna, B.C., started last year at Division I Bentley University in Massachusetts, but returned to Canada. Hamlin tried to get him in for the second semester, but could not get things done in time and he finished the hockey season playing junior A with the Windsor Aces.
“He won 60 per cent of his faceoffs the previous year (with Prince George, B.C.) and won the award for it,” Hamlin said. “The game’s easier when you start with the puck and he and Skinner are excellent faceoff guys.” The six-foot-one, 190-pound Prevost, who is from Kimberley, B.C., was captain for Canmore in the Alberta Junior Hockey League before a trade to Fort McMurray, which was making a title run.
“People are going to love watching this kid play,” Hamlin said. “He gets in on pucks hard. Typically, when he arrives, he’s in a foul mood. He competes, scores and loves to play the game.” The five-foot-nine, 171-pound Skinner, who is from Kincardine, played with Lancers Josh Slegers and Jon Reinhart on the Sutherland Cup champion Elmira Sugar Kings.
“Exceptional skill, fast, plays the game fast and, again, his skill set will rival anyone coming into our league next year,” Hamlin said.
The six-foot, 190-pound Wesley, from White Rock, B.C., played parts of four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Vancouver Giants before wrapping up his junior career with the Surrey Eagles last year where he had 37 goals in 56 games.
“He’s a natural goal scorer and I think he’ll have a real good U SPORTS career,” Hamlin said. The six-foot-two, 205-pound Ruddy, from Coburg, is the lone defenceman in the class. He won a provincial championship with Trenton and spent last year in B.C. with Prince George. “Our No. 1 pick of all defencemen out there,” Hamlin said. “He was the guy I wanted most. He plays the game exactly to our identity. He’s tough, competes and won’t give an inch. “He’ll let our goalie see the puck and is a good first-pass defenceman. I really believe he’ll anchor our defence in the coming years.”
The six-foot-two, 187-pound Petersen, from Swan River, Man., played in the WHL for Calgary, Spokane, Everett and Red Deer. He was also part of Denmark’s team at the 2016-17 world junior championships.
“Again, a big, character kid that, with that kind of exposure, has the ability to play big games on a big stage,” Hamlin said. “Lasse, along with Jon Reinhart and Paolo Battisti, will give us extraordinary goaltending for years to come.”