Northeastern adds six recruits for next season
“I’m thrilled with this recruiting class,” said Cronin. “We have really good balance across it with size, skill and maturity. These players will make an immediate impact and help us sustain success throughout the season. I feel we have added scoring, playmaking, speed and toughness with the incoming class.”
McLaughlin is from Seaforth, Ontario, and played last season for the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. He is a responsible two-way forward with a good blend of speed and skill. A gifted scorer and faceoff man, he gives the Huskies with the ability to play both center and wing. McLaughlin had 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points in 45 regular-season games for Aurora and posted a 5-9-14 scoring line in 16 playoff games for the Tigers. Aurora went 33-12-4 in the regular season and advanced to the semifinals of the OPJHL playoffs. In 2006-07, McLaughlin played for the St. Marys Lincolns and had a dominant season. He ranked fourth in scoring in the Western Ontario Hockey League, with 38 goals and 47 assists for 85 points in just 47 regular-season games and posted a 7-8-15 scoring line in 12 playoff games, helping the team to the WOHL semifinals. He was a WOHL All-Star.
Quailer played for the Sioux City Musketeers in 2007-08 and tied for the team lead with 49 points (19-30-49) in 60 regular season games. He was also +16. It was Quailer’s first season in the USHL, which makes his point totals more impressive since players tend to blossom in their second season in that league. He was named to the USHL All-Rookie team and was team MVP. A native of Arvada, Colo., Quailer stands at 6’4 and 185 pounds and can skate well. He has good hands, a good shot and can play in traffic.
Joining Quailer from Sioux City is Tuckerman, who played for the Musketeers for the last two seasons. He posted eight goals and 26 assists for 34 points in 43 regular-season games in 2007-08. He was +21 and put up 87 penalty minutes. Tuckerman hails from Orleans, Mass., on Cape Cod. He was MVP of the USHL All-Star game with a pair of goals. He is a great skater, a good two-way forward and can play both center and wing. He is a physical player with skill and toughness. Tuckerman and Quailer join current Huskies Louis Liotti and Dennis McCauley as former Sioux City Musketeers. Sioux City went 32-25-3 in the 2007-08 regular season.
Reid ranked second in the British Columbia Hockey League in goals, with 52, and fifth in points, with 87, in 60 regular-season games for the Burnaby Express. Of his 52 goals, 18 came on the power play. Reid helped the Express to a 33-24-3 regular season record. He also posted a 3-4-7 scoring line in five playoff games. Reid is a pure goal scorer with good size (6’0, 185 pounds), terrific hands, good hockey sense and an outstanding shot. Reid is the youngest NU recruit as he was born Aug. 25, 1989, and is from Delta, British Columbia.
Lipinski is a speedy forward who played the last two seasons with the Southern Minnesota Express of the North American Hockey League. He scored seven goals and added 24 assists for 31 points in 57 games during the regular season and added a goal and three assists in five playoff games in 2007-08. The Express went 29-21-8 and finished second in the NAHL Central. He had a 7-5-12 scoring line in 61 games in 2006-07. He played on the power play and penalty kill for the Express and brings more size at the forward position for the Huskies, as he is 6’1 and 190 pounds. Lipinski hails from Faribault, Minn.
The only defenseman in the Huskies’ upcoming freshman class is Maley, an excellent skater from the Des Moines Buccaneers of the U.S. Hockey League. He posted a goal and five assists in 31 games for the Buccaneers in 2007-08 while playing hurt for most of the season. He will add an offensive dimension for the Huskies on the blueline, is good on the power play and is a good shot blocker. Maley is a native of Austin, Texas, and previously played for the St. Louis Bandits of the North American Hockey League, helping the team to the NAHL championship in 2007.
The six recruits will join an upcoming Northeastern team, which went 16-18-3 overall and 12-13-2 in Hockey East last season. The Huskies return all but two players from last season’s squad.
May 13, 2008
Boston, MAThe Northeastern University men’s hockey team has added six recruits for the 2008-09 season, Huskies head coach Greg Cronin has announced. Forwards Mike McLaughlin, Steve Quailer, Brodie Reid, Alex Tuckerman and Matt Lipinski and defenseman J.P. Maley will join the Huskies this fall.
