"We believe this early signing period class has the ability to make us a better hockey team immediately next season,” Powers said. “When you combine these five players with the five we have redshirting, we feel like we have improved our roster dramatically. The foundation our young team is laying this season will serve next year’s team very well when this class arrives to Tempe."
All five players will join the team next season as part of the 2016 freshman class.
| NAME | POSITION | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | HOMETOWN | PREVIOUS TEAM |
|
Joey Daccord |
Goaltender | 6-3 | 205 | North Andover, Mass. | Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) |
|
Jacob Wilson |
Defenseman | 5-11 | 185 | Ballwin, Mo. | Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) |
|
Brett Gruber |
Forward | 5-7 | 175 | Appleton, Wis. | Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) |
|
Georgy Gorodetsky |
Forward | 6-0 | 196 | Yekaterinburg, Russia | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) |
|
Jakob Romo |
Forward | 5-9 | 175 | Fullerton, Calif. | Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) |
Joey Daccord
Hailing from Boston, Daccord was one of the more sought-after goaltenders in the nation. He was selected in the seventh round, 199th overall, of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators, becoming the first drafted Sun Devil to not play anywhere collegiately anywhere but Arizona State. He is currently the goalie for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL.
I am very proud to announce my commitment to play hockey at Arizona State University! Thank you to all those who have helped me #GoSunDevils
— Joey Daccord (@JDac35) January 25, 2015
Daccord came up through the pipeline playing three years at the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass. He had a sparkling career, but was at his best his senior year when he posted a 2.00 goals against average and .933 save percentage. After graduating he played 11 games with the Boston Jr. Bruins and posted a 1.14 goals against average.
Powers on Daccord: "Joey is a special talent as evidenced by Ottawa drafting him in last year’s NHL Draft. His athletic ability coupled with his innate ability to compete gives him a chance to really be a huge difference maker for us.”
Jacob Wilson
The only defenseman in this period’s signing class, Wilson is also the youngest player and the first player born in 1997 or later to join the team. Playing primarily on the right side as a right-handed shot, he is one of the captains for Sioux City this season.
Proud to announce my commitment to Arizona state university. Thanks for all those who have supported me along the way. @SunDevilHockey
— Jacob Wilson (@jwilson097) June 10, 2015
Wilson is a dynamic, two-way blueliner that can put the puck in the opponent's net as well make sure it remains out of his own. He has a goal and five assists for six points in 11 USHL games.
Powers on Wilson: "Jacob is an excellent two-way defenseman with incredible leadership ability. His work ethic, and the way he thinks the game, will add to our backend immediately. I could see Jacob being a captain at ASU before his time is done here."
Brett Gruber
Gruber began his Junior A hockey career with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL, completing his season as a finalist for the BCHL Rookie of the Year with 35 goals, 32 points and 67 points in 57 games played. He was then selected second overall by the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL in the 2015 draft. A native of Appleton, Wis., Gruber moved from the BCHL to the USHL, where he currently plays.
Excited to announce my commitment to play hockey at Arizona State University! Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way. #SunDevils
— Brett Gruber (@BRGruber4274) December 27, 2014
The move to Green Bay has not slowed down Gruber, as he has three goals, five assists, eight points, 28 shots and a plus-7 rating in 12 USHL games this season.
Powers on Gruber: "Brett has scored at literally every level he's ever played. His rookie season in the BCHL was special and now he's doing it again in the USHL. His character is everything that embodies the type of kid we want to build this program around. He will help us immediately."
Georgy Gorodetsky
When he arrives at ASU, Gorodetsky will be the first player in Sun Devil Hockey history to be born outside of North America. From Yekaterinburg, Russia, Gorodetsky began his North American hockey career at the prestigious Shattuck St. Mary’s, a prep school that produced NHL stars Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and Zach Parise, among others.
Congratulations to @bucshockey #13 Georgy Gorodetsky for committing to @SunDevilHockey! #BucsPride
— DesMoines Buccaneers (@bucshockey) October 13, 2015
Gorodetsky has dominated every level in his youth career, averaging better than 1.50 points per game on every team he has played on before the USHL. A playmaking winger for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL, he has three goals and seven assists in 14 games this year.
Powers on Gorodetsky: "Georgy has a skill set that could easily develop into a pro after his time at ASU. He brings us ability down the middle we really need to continue to grow this program and we are excited about Georgy's huge upside as a player."
Jakob Romo
Romo has a diverse skillset, able to play both the skill positions taking top-6 minutes as well as defensive role on the energy lines. Romo has two goals and an assist this season with a plus-2 rating in the USHL this season after spending time in the NAHL earlier in his career.
Powers on Romo: "Jakob can do it all really. He can score and grind it out, he can play on a first or fourth line, and he's hungry and falls in line with a main recruiting directive of ours to go after California kids. Romo is a kid that will be looked at as invaluable to our success moving forward."