By Warren Kozireski–
He was passed over the first year he was eligible to be selected in the National Hockey League draft, but that mistake was not repeated the next year as the Vegas Golden Knights made McQuaid High (Rochester) and Northwood Prep alum Jack Dugan the ninth draft selection in team history in the fifth round, 142nd overall.
Why? Because he went back to Northwood Prep for a second year under former Rochester Americans head coach Chadd Cassidy and merely put up 80 points in 47 games.
Then he showed it was not a fluke as he totaled 66 points (and 104 penalty minutes) in just 54 games with Chicago in the USHL and was named a First Team All-Star. His 6’2”, 185 lb. frame didn’t hurt either.
Now Dugan is lighting up Hockey East as a freshman with Providence College sitting among the top-35 in the nation overall and tops among freshmen in scoring with 23 points over the first 21 games.
“I thought he was very good; he was engaged, he was moving his feet, he was physical and when he plays like that he’s got the puck a lot and that’s what we need because we want Jack to do his thing,” Providence head coach Nate Leaman said after the championship game of the Ledyard Bank tournament in Dartmouth.
“It’s going really well,” Dugan said in late December. “Obviously every player has goals coming into their season and mine was to continue my game from juniors and keep my confidence up and I’ve done a pretty good job of doing that so far.”
“The schooling aspect held me back for a couple of years and I didn’t get much exposure when I was younger, but it kind of hit me all at once and as soon as Providence got interested, that’s where I wanted to go.
“It all happened so fast and I couldn’t be happier than where I am.”
And he points to that second year at Northwood Prep as the key after being passed over his first draft eligible year.
“First year I’m pretty sure no one even knew who I was and that sparked me a little bit. I thought I had what it took and I wanted to show that to everybody and second year I kind of got some looks, was hoping I would be drafted and it’s worked out for me.”
Though a college freshman, Dugan will turn 21 in March and now has two NHL summer development camps under his belt.
“First year there is a lot of nerves and I played well, but not as well as I would have liked. This year I went in and had a whole different perspective (since) I had already been there and knew what it was like. I played with a lot of confidence and played really well.
“The experience playing in juniors helped because my first camp was coming straight out of prep school so I didn’t really know much, but having a year of juniors playing against some older guys and more skilled guys definitely helped out.”
One thing Dugan does not lack is confidence. He is not shy about tapping his stick on the ice asking an upperclassman for the puck during a game.
“I never really lost that and I think one of my keys to being successful at every level and hopefully I can continue that at the next level. For me it’s never wavering; I think I know how well I can do, I try to go out with a game plan every game and every practice to get better and build off of that.”
