Meet the Buckeye Freshmen – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
June 18, 2015
COLUMBUS, Ohio — This fall, 10 newcomers — seven forwards and three defensemen — will join the Ohio State men’s hockey team. All 10 skated in the United States Hockey League (USHL) last season, including four who served as a team captain. The group, which includes three NHL draft picks, brings USHL Clark Cup and Minnesota state high school titles to the Buckeye program. The players come from six states and provinces, with three from Minnesota, two from both Ohio and Michigan and one each from Alberta, Indiana and New York.
Miguel Fidler
Forward, 6-0, 192
Madison Capitols (USHL)
Edina, Minn.
Drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft (No. 143 overall) … started 2014-15 with the Lincoln Stars, playing in 45 games and posting 21 points on five goals and 16 assists … wrapped up year with Madison, recording six points (2g, 4a) in 15 games … played for Edina High School for three years, capturing two state titles (2013, ’14) … team-best 41 points, with 16 goals and 25 assists, in 25 regular season games in 2013-14 … nine points (4g, 5a) in five playoff games as team won 2014 state championship … 11 points in regular season in both 2011-12 (2g, 9a) and 2012-13 (5g, 6a) … skated in six postseason games in 2012-13 as squad won state title, posting four goals and five points, and played in five playoff contests in 2011-12, with seven points on four goals and three assists.
Freddy Gerard
Forward, 5-11, 161
Madison Capitols (USHL)
Rocky River, Ohio
Played in all 60 games for the Madison Capitols in the USHL in 2014-15, recording 36 points on 18 goals and 18 assists to rank second on the team in scoring … served as an alternate captain and received team’s MVP award … played for the Boston Junior Bandits in the EHL for two years; had 50 points (22g, 28a) in 44 games in 2013-14 and 13 points (6g, 7a) in 41 games in 2012-13 … played in Cleveland Barons program … 35 points, with 14 goals and 21 assists, in 40 games with the Barons U18 team in 2010-11 and 15 points, including 12 goals, in 2011-12.
Michael Gillespie
Forward, 5-9, 165
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
New City, N.Y.
Spent 2014-15 with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL … played in 59 games and had 34 points, on 18 goals and 16 assists, to tie for team point lead … skated for the New Jersey Rockets in the Eastern Hockey League in 2013-14 and had 54 points, with 14 goals and 40 assists, in 41 games en route to EHL Rookie of the Year honors … played in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League in 2012-13; had 28 points in 25 games with the New York Saints and then had 45 points (16g, 29a) in 24 games with the New Jersey Rockets.
Mason Jobst
Forward, 5-7, 159
Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Speedway, Ind.
Played four seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, serving as team captain each of his last two years … limited to 11 regular season games because of injury in 2014-15, posting two goals and five assists for seven points … inserted into lineup for Clark Cup Final and had three points (1g, 2a) in three games … started with the squad in 2011-12, playing in 32 games and posting a 2-8-10 line … skated in 67 games in 2012-13 and had 24 points, with six goals and 18 assists … in 2013-14, played in 49 games and had 45 points, including 35 assists … started 2011-12 with the Indiana Jr. Ice U-18 team (recording five goals and six assists for 11 points in 13 games) before joining the Lumberjacks and skated with the team for 26 games in 2010-11, posting 22 points (8g, 14a).
Dakota Joshua
Forward, 6-3, 194
Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Dearborn, Mich.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by Toronto (No. 128 overall) and participated in team’s prospect camp last summer … played two full seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL … 13 points in 11 playoff games, with four goals and nine assists, to rank third in playoff scoring for the Stampede as they won the Clark Cup championship … had 20 goals, 24 assists and 44 points in 52 regular season games; had eight power play goals and two shorthanded scores … member of gold medal winning team at 2014 World Junior A Challenge … had 38 points, with 17 goals and 21 assists, in 55 games for the Stampede in 2013-14 … spent time with U.S. National Team Development Program … played for Honeybaked program in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Brendon Kearney
Forward, 6-0, 185
Chicago Steel (USHL)
Northville, Mich.
Alternate captain for the Chicago Steel in 2014-15 … 32 points, with 18 goals and 14 assists, in 57 games … finalist for the Curt Hammer Award, which recognizes the USHL player who distinguishes himself both on and off the ice by demonstrating outstanding performance skills, leadership pride, and determination … began 2013-14 with the Langley Rivermen in the BCHL, playing in 16 games, before joining the Chicago Steel in the USHL … 19 points, including 18 assists, in first campaign with the Steel … captain of Honeybaked U18 squad in 2012-13 and had 27 points (12g, 16a) in 26 regular season games … also spent time with the US NTDP in 2012-13 … 19 points in 25 games with Honeybaked U18 in 2011-12 … came up through Honeybaked program.
Sasha Larocque
Defenseman, 6-0, 202
Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
Calgary, Alberta
Skated in 57 regular season games with Dubuque in 2014-15 in first year in the USHL … started year as an alternate captain and was promoted to captain in February … 20 points, including 16 assists, on the year … played in eight postseason games as the Fighting Saints reached conference final … played four seasons in the AJHL, including two-plus campaigns with the Grande Prairie Storm … had 22 points (7g, 15a) in 42 games in 2013-14 for the Storm while serving as team captain … alternate captain and posted 31 points, including 26 assists, in 58 games in 2012-13 … began 2011-12 with the Okotoks Oilers, playing in 23 games, before moving to Grande Prairie, posting four assists in 29 games with the Storm … skated in 40 games for the Oilers in 2010-11 and had six assists; started year with Calgary Buffaloes Midget AAA team.
Tyler Nanne
Defenseman, 6-0, 190
Madison Capitols (USHL)
Edina, Minn.
Drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers (No. 142 overall) … played in 43 games in the USHL in 2014-15, with eight goals and eight assists for 16 points … started the year with the Sioux Falls Stampede and had a goal and two assists in 14 games before being traded to the Madison Capitols, where he had 13 points (7g, 6a) in 29 games … 27 points in 25 games (seven goals, 20 assists) for Edina High in 2013-14 as the squad won its second consecutive state title … had a 9-10-19 line for Edina in 2012-13 when the team captured the Minnesota state title … 15 points (5g, 10a) for Edina in 2011-12 … played two games for the Lincoln Stars (USHL) in 2012-13 and four for Sioux Falls (2a) in 2013-14.
Tommy Parran
Defenseman, 5-11, 185
Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Played in 52 regular season games, along with four postseason games, with the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL, posting 13 points on three goals and 10 assists, along with a +12 mark, in 2014-15 … played in three games with the Phantoms in 2012-13 before joining the team fulltime in 2013-14, skating in 49 games and recording a 5-2-7 line … played for Cleveland Barons program, including two seasons with U18 program; had 18 points (3g, 15a) in 40 games in 2012-13 and skated in 29 games in 2011-12, with four assists.
John Wiitala
Forward, 5-11, 170
Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
Lakeville, Minn.
Skated three full years with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL … played in 60 games in 2014-15 and had 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points… skated in 56 games in 2013-14 and posted a 9-14-23 line for regular season championship squad; also played in 12 playoff contests as team lost in game five of the Clark Cup championship … 6-5-11 line in 51 games for the Black Hawks in 2012-13 … played for Lakeville South High School, posting 23 points in 25 games, with eight goals and 15 assists, in 2011-12; squad reached state tournament semifinals.
Ohio State will begin the 2015-16 campaign, its third in the Big Ten Conference, with an exhibition game vs. Brock Oct. 3. The regular season opens against Bowling Green, with the teams playing a home-and-home series in Columbus Oct. 9 and in Bowling Green Oct. 10. The Buckeyes’ complete schedule is HERE.
