07/12/2018
Lowell Sun
By Barry Scanlon
LOWELL -- It's a big class featuring 10 players who are at least 6 feet tall and three who weigh at least 200 pounds.
It's also a large class in sheer number -- 12 in all -- that make up UMass Lowell's hockey incoming freshman class.
"I think it's a good mix of size and skill. I feel there's a lot of diversity there," Bazin said of a class which features players from five U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. "Some of the guys will have a more immediate impact. We always want to get faster, grittier and more skilled. There's a lot of personality, too, which I like. We feel very confident we have the right type of people for our school and our hockey program."
There's a slight chance the River Hawks will add a 13th member of the class before school starts.
Seth Barton
Barton was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round and labeled a four-star recruit by Neutral Zone. He tallied 33 points in 49 regular-season games and posted 11 points in 16 playoff games for Trail of the British Columbia Hockey League.
Bazin: "He has tremendous upside as evidenced by where he was drafted. He has good skill. He's going to have to put on some weight, which he will over time. He needs to challenge himself to take the next step."
Chase Blackmun
Blackmun scored 25 points, 21 on assists, in 55 games with Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League.
Bazin: "I think he has good character and a good upside. We're going to see how he develops. He has good leadership qualities."
Lucas Condotta
In 54 games with Markham of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, Condotta netted 82 points. He finished tied for second in the league with 35 goals and fourth in scoring.
Bazin: "Lucas is a big, strong kid. He's one of the strongest kids in the class."
Michael Dill
One year after leading the Maritime Junior Hockey League in scoring with 90 points, Dill finished with 24 goals and 62 points for the Weeks Crushers, good for seventh best in the lightly-scouted league.
Bazin: "Michael had a lot of offensive skill in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. It will be an adjustment to the level of play, but we think he can help our team."
Eric Green
Just 18, Green has tremendous size and potential.
In 33 games with Northfield Mt. Hermon, he posted outstanding numbers with a 1.75 goals against average and a .941 save percentage.
Bazin: "We feel he has a lot of potential. I think he can learn from (returning goaltenders) Tyler Wall and Christoffer Hernberg."
Sam Knoblauch
Knoblauch finished second in the Central Canada Hockey League in scoring and was first in assists after compiling 31 goals and 56 assists for 87 points for Carleton Place.
He added 21 points in 14 playoff games.
Bazin: "I don't think you can tell what kind of player he is by watching him once. You have to watch him several times. He was one of the top five scorers in his league."
Cale List
The rangy List finished with 26 assists and 33 points for Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Bazin: "Cale is someone who played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and played for a good team. He had a good second half and we hope he parlays that into the season."
Jonathan McDonald
McDonald logged key minutes on the blue line for Fargo, which captured the United States Hockey League championship.
McDonald had a +14 rating in 47 games during the regular season, along with a goal and six assists, and added two assists in 14 playoff games.
Bazin: "He is a puck-moving guy with good feet. But he's also someone who's going to be tough to play against. He's ready to make an impact."
Austin O'Rourke
O'Rourke played in 57 games in the North American Hockey League, 28 for Lone Star and 29 for Amarillo.
The Georgia native finished with 17 goals, 32 points and 138 penalty minutes.
Bazin: "Austin is a big kid. He's someone from a non-traditional hockey area. He had a very good year. His coaches love his character."
Dominick Procopio
Procopio led Shreveport to the North American Hockey League title and was named to the all-tournament team. He was the third-leading scoring defensemen in the NAHL with 5-36-41 totals in 55 games. The South Division's Defenseman of the Year added five assists in 13 playoff games.
Bazin: "Dominick is going to be a Jake Suter-type, a guy who's very difficult to play against. He had a very good year."
Reid Stefanson
Stefanson was the third-leading scorer on his team, Sioux Falls, a member of the United States Hockey League.
In 51 games, he netted 13 goals and 39 points. Neutral Zone labeled him a four-star recruit.
Bazin: "He's versatile. He can play all three forward positions. He has good upside. When you play in that league, you're almost playing a college schedule."
Nolan Sawchuk
Sawchuk led Minot to the North American Hockey League championship series and was named to the all-tournament team. Minot's top-scoring defenseman, he finished with 30 points in 57 regular-season games and eight points in 12 playoff games.
Sawchuk likely will not be ready to start the season after undergoing surgery on both of his hips.
Bazin: "He's a very tough player. Nolan we like as someone with a big upside. He was a leader for them. I think he's a very good player."