By: Kevin Beattie, Associate Athletic Director
TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) head men’s hockey head coach Dave Smith has announced the addition of 10 student-athletes to the 2020-21 roster. Joining this year’s team will be seven forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. Nine are freshmen and one, Shane Sellar, is a graduate transfer.
Sellar, who spent the past four years at Dartmouth College, is one of five from the United States. Three are from Canada and two hail from Finland.
“We are excited about the young men who are joining our program,” said Smith, who is entering his fourth season with the Engineers. “They have each made the commitment to attend RPI and help us through this most unique time. While we don’t currently have a start date for our season, I am confident our players are preparing with focus and determination to build on the momentum gained last season with an ECAC Hockey First Round Playoff series bye.
“Coach (Scott) Moser, Coach (Chuck) Weber and I feel these 10 newcomers bring speed, size and skill to our team. Shane Sellar is a transfer who fits into our culture as an elite leader with ECAC Hockey and NCAA playing experience. He is someone who plays the game the right way and will make our program better immediately. He and each of the others also prioritize the values of our program – the four Pillars of RPI Hockey are Commitment, Integrity, Discipline and Family – which also make them terrific fits.”
Below is an alphabetical list of Rensselaer’s newcomers:
John Beaton
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #17
6-1 / 190
Stittsville, ON / Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Youngstown Phantoms of USHL in 2019-20 … Scored 11 goals with 15 assists for 26 points in 48 games … Ten penalty minutes … Played three seasons with Kemptville 73s of CCHL … Had 47 points (13 goals, 34 assists) in 56 games in 2018-19.
Jack Brackett
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #24
5-10 / 180
Manassas, VA / Powell River Kings (BCHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Power River Kings of BCHL in 2019-20 … Had 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points in 48 games … Registered 34 penalty minutes … Played two playoff games … Five games with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of USHL and 43 with Boston Jr. Bandits of NCDC in 2018-19 … Had 37 points (23 goals, 14 assists) with Boston.
Dylan Davies
Defense (Shoots Left)
Jersey #10
6-3 / 195
Traverse City, MI / Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Sioux Falls Stampede, Muskegon Lumberjacks and Omaha Lancers in USHL in 2019-20 … One assist and two penalty minutes in three games with Sioux Falls … One assist and 14 PIMs with Muskegon and two penalty minutes in 11 games with Omaha … Four assists in 33 games with Austin Bruins of NAHL in 2018-19.
Jake Gagnon
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #27
5-10 / 170
Pointe-Claire, PQ / Wellington Dukes (OJHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Wellington Dukes of OJHL in 2019-20 … Scored 31 goals with 38 assists for 69 points in 50 games … Thirty penalty minutes … Four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in four playoff games … Attended and played for Millbrook School in Connecticut for three years … Two-year captain … Had 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 29 games in 2018-19 … Team MVP.
James McIsaac
Forward (Shoots Right)
Jersey #8
5-10 / 175
Winnipeg, MB / Brooks Bandits (AJHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Brooks Bandits of AJHL in 2019-20 … Had 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points in 50 games … Registered 61 penalty minutes … Team set league record for longest winning streak (34-0-0) … Spent 2018-19 with Muskegon of USHL … Had 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) and 66 PIMs in 53 games … Two penalty minutes in four playoff games … Played in CJHL Top Prospects Game in 2017.
Brett Miller
Goalie (Catches Left)
Jersey #30
6-2 / 180
Northville, MI / Austin Bruins (AJHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Austin Bruins of AJHL in 2019-20 … Had 2.60 goals against average and .916 save percentage in 33 games … Team MVP … Played 19 games with Austin and one with Cedar Rapids of USHL in 2018-19 … Registered 2.66 GAA and .891 save percentage with Bruins … Played two years at Northville High School … Two-year starter … Captain … School record for wins in season (20 in 2016-17) … All-State twice … Team won 2017 Regional Championship.
Altti Nykanen
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #15
6-3 / 185
Vihti, Finland / Bishop’s College Prep. School (MPHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Bishop’s College Prep. in MPHL and CAHS in 2019-20 … Had 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points in 17 MPHL games … Scored 32 goals with 29 assists for 61 points in 48 CAHS games … Team MVP … MPHL All-League … Had 50 points (20 goals, 30 assists) in 55 CAHS games in 2018-19 … Tallied 14 points (10 goals, 4 assists) in 18 MPHL contests … Coaches Award twice.
Henri Schreifels
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #12
6-1 / 195
Newbury Park, CA / Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Victoria Grizzlies of BCHL in 2019-20 … Assistant captain … Scored 24 goals with 21 assists for 45 points in 56 games … Had 54 penalty minutes … Two points (1 goal, 1 assists) and four penalty minutes in four playoff games … Team’s Governor’s Choice Award … BCHL All-19 Year Old Team … Six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 38 games with Victoria in 2018-19 … Had 21 PIMs … Team won Division Championship … Six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 15 playoff games … Played three games for both Penticton and Alberni Valley in 2018-19.
Shane Sellar
Forward (Shoots Left)
Jersey #26
6-3 / 200
Carlisle, PA / Dartmouth College (ECAC Hockey)
Master’s in Business Administration
- Graduate transfer … Three seasons at Dartmouth … Did not play in 2019-20 … Four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 34 games in 2018-19 … Twelve penalty minutes … Scored 16 goals with 24 assists for 40 points in 94 career games.
Lauri Sertti
Defenseman (Shoots Left)
Jersey #3
6-1 / 190
Espoo, Finland / Amarillo Bulls (NAHL)
Business and Management
- Played for Amarillo Bulls of NAHL in 2019-20 … Eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 47 games … Had 50 penalty minutes … Spend 2018-19 with BluesU20 of U20 SM-sarja … Six goals and 24 assists for 30 points in 49 games … Had 60 PIMs … Six playoff games … Silver medal with Finish U20 National Team in 2018-19.
