Canisius hockey head coach Trevor Large announced the addition of four players during the spring signing period on Tuesday.
Lee Lapid (Mississauga, Ontario/Toronto Patriots (OJHL)), Mitchell Martan (Whitby, Ontario/Wellington Dukes (OJHL)) and J.D. Pogue (Montreal, Quebec/Cornwall Colts (CCHL)) will join the team as freshman for the 2018-19 season.
Transfer Austin Alger (Livonia, Mich./Miami (Ohio) (NCHC)) will sit out the 2018-19 season per NCAA rules and join the squad for the 2019-20 campaign with three years of eligibility remaining.
The quartet joins Derek Hamelin (Mercier, Quebec/Langley Rivermen (BCHL)) and Kevin Obssuth (Morristown, N.J./Powell River Kings (BCHL)), who signed National Letters-of-Intent during the early signing period in November.
“Each member from the incoming class brings something different to our hockey team. Our concentration in recruiting on speed, skill and hockey IQ are visible in each player. They will join a strong returning group and will add to our team culture by being positive, competitive and team first.
“They all have the capability to help us win games early in their college careers. I am excited to get them all to campus soon and for them to showcase their skill and ability. The future is bright for the Canisius hockey program.”
Lapid concluded a three-year stint with the Patriots in 2017-18 by recording 54 points (22g, 32a) in 50 regular season games before pitching in three goals and eight assists in 18 postseason contests as he helped guide the club to an appearance in the OJHL Southwest Conference Championship series.
In 117 games with the Patriots, Lapid amassed 41 goals and 49 assists. He began his junior A career with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens during the 2015-16 season, posting eight goals and six assists in 27 games before joining the Patriots midway through the campaign.
Martan racked up 67 points (26g, 41a) in 51 regular season games for the Dukes before tallying six goals and 11 assists in 23 postseason contests as he helped the squad capture an OJHL East Division Championship, the Buckland Cup, the Dudley-Hewitt Cup and make an appearance in the championship game of the RBC Cup.
Serving as an assistant captain for Wellington, Martan was named the top forward and an all-tournament team selection at the Dudley-Hewitt Cup, recording a tournament-best four points during round-robin play at the four-team event.
Martan split the 2016-17 season between the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL and the Dukes, compiling 20 points (4g, 16a) in 47 games between the two clubs.
Pogue compiled 42 points (23g, 19a) in 41 games for the Colts during the 2017-18 regular season and added three goals and two assists in seven postseason contests. He took part in 53 games with the club during the 2016-17 season, tallying 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points.
Prior to joining the Colts, Pogue spent three seasons with the Canterbury School, tallying 18 goals and 21 assists in 81 games played.
Alger appeared in 18 games during his rookie season at Miami, compiling four points on two goals and two assists.
Prior to joining the RedHawks, Alger totaled 43 points (16g, 27a) in 57 games with the Omaha Lancers and Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL in 2016-17, including 19 (4g, 15a) in 20 games after being traded to the Lumberjacks. Alger skated in 56 games with the Lancers during his first campaign with the club in 2015-16, netting 11 goals and 23 points.
A former Mr. Hockey, Alger was a four-year standout for the Cranbrook-Kingswood Upper School hockey team, where he put up 194 points in 106 games, including 64 points in 31 games as the team’s captain his senior year (2014-15). He helped lead Cranbrook-Kingswood to state titles in 2013 and 2015.
