ROCHESTER, NY – Head Coach Wayne Wilson is proud to announce the RIT men’s hockey Class of 2020. Seven first-year student-athletes, which includes four defensemen and three goaltenders will join the current squad. RIT is the two-time defending Atlantic Hockey Conference Champions.
“We are excited for the new class, one that will help us fill some needs as we defend our league championship,” said Wilson, now entering his 18th season at RIT in 2016-17. “(Associate head coach) Brian Hills and (assistant coach) Dave Insalaco did a great job getting a great group of players who also fit what we want as students. This adds to a really good nucleus of returners, who are excited to make another run at the league title and earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament.”
Defensemen Darren Brady (White Lake, MI/New Jersey Titans), Adam Brubacher (Ayr, Ontario/Powell River Kings), Chris McKay (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders), and Brody Valette (High River, Alberta/Whitecourt Wolverines) add great size and mobility to a unit that was among one of the highest scoring in all of Division I, but lost three players to graduation.
Brady, who stands 6-feet tall, played the last three seasons with the New Jersey Titans and the Soo Eagles of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). In 2015-16, he played in 58 games with New Jersey, serving as team captain and leading all defensemen in scoring with 33 points on nine goals and 24 assists, while recording a plus-12 rating. He was named to the East Division All-Star team and was eighth among all NAHL defensemen in scoring. In addition, Brady was named New Jersey’s MVP.
“Darren is an exceptional skater and moves the puck well,” said RIT assistant coach Dave Insalaco. “He uses his skill set to help defend, while creating offense from the blue line,”
Brubacher is a 6-foot-4 blue liner who played the 2015-16 season with the Prince George Spruce Kings and Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He recorded 49 points on 18 goals and 31 assists in 58 regular season games between the two clubs and led all BCHL defenseman in goals and was third in points. Brubacher added nine power-play goals and added six points on three goals and three assists in 10 playoff games with Powell River. He also played for the Elmira Sugar Kings of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) from 2012-15.
“Adam has great size, moves well, and shoots the puck extremely well,” said RIT associate head coach Brian Hills. “He is a proven power-play performer and led the BCHL in goals by a defenseman. Adam is smart with the puck and makes good decisions.”
McKay, another big defenseman at 6-foot-5, 215 lbs., played the last three seasons with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) alongside Kruper, who also joins RIT in 2016-17. Last season, McKay, a team captain, was second among Sherwood Park defensemen in scoring with 30 points on seven goals and 23 assists in 54 games and was fourth with 143 penalty minutes. He recorded three game-winning goals and a pair of power-play tallies.
“Chris has excellent size, is a great skater and is very athletic,” said Insalaco. “He can really shoot the puck, has great hands, and will be a good puck mover for us.”
Valette played the 2015-16 season with the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), leading the team to a 42-12-6 record during the regular season. Valette, who stands 6-foot tall, led all Whitecourt defensemen in scoring with 13 goals, 21 assists, and 34 points in 57 games played, while setting team record for most goals in a season by a defenseman. Named Whitecourt’s top defenseman, he tied for the team lead with six power-play goals and added a pair of game-winning tallies. Valette also played for the Drumheller Dragons of the AJHL from 2012-2015.
“Brody is an extremely good skater, who moves the puck well,” said Hills. “He is an offensive defenseman who is very clever with the puck and will fit in well with how we like to play.”
Forwards Shawn Cameron (Sherbrooke, Quebec/Cumberland Grads), Ryan Kruper (Sherwood Park, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders), and Jordan Peacock (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Cougars) will look to provide a spark to an offensive unit that returns 11 members from last season’s squad that was among the top third in scoring nationally.
Cameron played the 2015-16 season with the Cumberland Grads of the Central Canada Hockey League and was named the CCHL’s Most Valuable Player after leading the league in scoring with 40 goals and 51 assists for 91 points in 61 games. Cameron, who stands 5-foot-11, was nominated for Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year, was named the CCHL’s Top Graduating Player and earned CCHL First Team All-Star honors. Cameron represented the CCHL in the Eastern Canada Cup Challenge and played the 2014-15 season with the Kemptville 73s with current Tiger Erik Brown (Keene, Ontario/Kemptville 73’s).
“Shawn has great speed and a knack for scoring big goals,” said Insalaco. “He had a great season with Cumberland and plays a complete, 200-foot game. We hope he can fill in right away and create offense for us while chipping in on special teams.”
Kruper, who played last season with McKay for Sherwood Park of the AJHL, was named to the Vittera North Division All-League Team in 2015-16. He led the Crusaders and was third in the league in scoring with 79 points on 30 goals and 49 assists in 60 games. He led the league with four shorthanded goals, while adding seven power-play goals and seven game-winning tallies. Kruper, who stands 5-foot-11, added eight points on four goals and four assists in seven postseason games.
“Ryan has good speed and skill and competes very hard,” said Hills. “He had great numbers in the AJHL, is a smart player, and makes things happen offensively.”
Peacock will enter RIT as the tallest player in program history, standing 6-foot-6, 220 lbs. He Played the 2015-16 season with the Burlington Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and recorded 58 points on a team-best 29 goals and 29 assists in 52 games. He led the team with 121 penalty minutes, 12 power-play goals, and six game-winning tallies. Peacock was second in the OJHL with 25 points on seven goals and 18 assists in the postseason. In addition, Peacock played the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons with the Caledonia Horseshoes of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey league (GOJHL), leading the squad to consecutive Sutherland Cup Championships.
“Jordan has great size and good hands around the net,” said Hills. “He competes well and has a strong shot from the right side. Jordan plays hard and gives a great effort game in and game out.”
The Tigers enter their 12th season at the NCAA Division I level in 2016-17. Last season, RIT (18-15-6) won its second consecutive Atlantic Hockey Championship, and made its third trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament, advancing to the East Regional semifinal. The 2016-17 season begins on Oct. 1 with an exhibition contest against Brock University.
