Recruiting: Recent commits with regional ties show promise  

Hank Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.) committed to the Big Green at the end of a strong fall season with Mid Fairfield. (Dave Arnold/NYHJ)

There have been some recent commitments of Tri-State players to NCAA Division 1 programs in the past month.

Four area natives at the forward position are headed to hockey programs in the northeast. Buffalo resident and Nichols School product Dylan Lugris will start his collegiate career right away, joining Penn State for the second semester.

Here, New York Hockey Journal takes a closer look at Lugris and other recent commitments, analyzing the impact of each decision on the player and school. Additionally, eight players from outside of the area but who have committed to schools located here are also included in our analysis.

Regional Players

Hank Cleaves (Riverside, Conn.)
Brunswick School, 12/25/03, LW, left shot, 6-4/181
NCAA commit: Dartmouth

Cleaves is an excellent get for Dartmouth. He’s a raw talent whose upside could result in him playing a top-nine or even top-six role when he arrives on campus. Cleaves is a big-bodied winger who can skate and make plays. He’s poised with the puck and finds passing lanes quickly. He isn’t overly aggressive with his size, but he will impose his strength on the walls to win puck possession. Cleaves will require a year or two of junior hockey before he steps into the Big Green’s line-up, and he’ll have significant USHL and BCHL interest.

Dylan Lugris (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Jersey Hitmen, 6/23/01, RW, right shot, 6-2/183
NCAA commit: Penn State

As an over-ager, Lugris was the captain of the USPHL NCDC Hitmen this year, and he posted 36 points in 25 games. The skilled forward played four years at Nichols School before joining the Hitmen in the 2020-21 season, when he produced 39 points in 44 games and helped Jersey win a Dineen Cup championship. Lugris’ shot is a weapon, and his vision and passing skill make him a double threat with the puck. His hockey IQ is one of his greatest assets, and as are his work ethic and leadership.

Jak Vaarwerk (East Amherst, N.Y.)
Jamestown Rebels, 6/13/03, LW, left shot, 5-7/173
NCAA commit: UMass Lowell

Toward the end of November, Vaarwerk made his commitment to Hockey East powerhouse, UMass-Lowell. The Buffalo Jr. Sabres product has discovered noteworthy success as a first-year junior player with the Jamestown Rebels in the North American Hockey League. He currently ranks second in Jamestown, scoring 23 points in 29 games. Vaarwerk is a competitive, two-way forward who also owns vision with the puck and playmaking ability. According to online reports, Vaarwerk enters campus next fall. The River Hawks have fourteen possible returning forwards, but Vaarwerk’s work ethic and skill should be enough to earn him playing time as a freshman.

Zach Wagnon (Red Bank, N.J.)
New Jersey Rockets 18-U, 3/26/04, C, right shot, 6-1/165
NCAA commit: Yale

Wagnon recently committed to Yale, and he will make a great addition to the Bulldogs. He’s a reliable two-way center who plays every shift like the last. He is competitive and gritty but also owns impressive playmaking ability. Wagnon has 53 points in 49 games at the 18-U level and two assists in four games in the NCDC. Next fall, he will be full-time in juniors, likely competing in the NAHL or BCHL. His game should develop over a year or two, and then when he steps on campus in New Haven, Conn., he should be ready to provide a depth forward role before growing into a steady second- or third-line center.

Non-regional players

Owen Carlile
Utica Jr. Comets, 12/15/03, C, right shot, 6-0/180
NCAA commit: Army

In early December, the Brighton, Mich., native committed to Army and currently ranks second on Utica with 30 points in 29 games. He has good size and skating ability and is crafty with the puck. In addition, he’s displayed strong playmaking skills and is establishing himself as a top talent in the NCDC. Carlile is supposed to join Army in Fall 2023, which means next year, he will either return to Utica or potentially join a program in the NAHL. The strong centerman should instantly impact Army as a reliable second- or third-line forward.

AJ Casperson
Janesville Jets, 7/19/01, D, left shot, 6-2/201
NCAA commit: Long Island

He is a great commitment for Brett Riley and Long Island University. After playing Prep School hockey at Salisbury and split-season 18-U with Rochester Coalition, Casperson joined Janesville in’ 20-21 to compete in the NAHL. He is a big, rangy defenseman who plays a simple game. The Texas product defends hard and uses his size to impede opponents’ progress. Next fall, the 20-year-old moves to New York and should jump right into the Sharks line-up as a steady shutdown defender.

Kyle Chauvette
Youngstown Phantoms, 10/5/01, G, catches left, 6-0/165
NCAA commit: Union 

Chauvette committed to Union earlier this month after originally being a Holy Cross recruit. The Dutchmen should return every goalie next season, which means Chauvette will compete for time. That said, the undersized goalie is used to competing, and it is the base to his success. At only 6-foot, he doesn’t cover a lot of nets naturally, but he uses his speed and aggressiveness to work around his crease and make stops.

Nick DeSantis
Madison Capitols, 5/2/02, C, right shot, 5-9/155
NCAA commit: Cornell

The Big Red earned a commitment from DeSantis in the second week of December, providing them a dangerous scoring threat to implement in their line-up next fall. DeSantis hails from Collegeville, Pa., and he played for the New Jersey Colonials, and South Kent Selects Academy before playing juniors. The undersized forward leads Madison in scoring with 24 points in 25 games. He is a quick skater with explosiveness that helps separate him from defenders. DeSantis sees the ice well and is a skilled passer and playmaker. He’s intelligent and efficient and should adapt to college play quickly.

Sean Donaldson
Nanaimo Clippers, 3/28/01, LW, left shot, 5-11/184
NCAA commit: Cornell

In December, Donaldson made his decision to commit to Cornell for next fall. This year, the 20-year-old Canadian forward has discovered significant success in the BCHL, currently sitting at 23 goals and 37 points in 25 games. He’s bounced back and forth between the BCHL and USHL over the past four seasons and is ready to compete for a role with Cornell, who only returns 12 forwards next season. Donaldson has learned to find the back of the net but likely enters Big Red’s line-up as a depth winger who can compete and skate. Over time, perhaps he enters a more significant role.

Alex Houston
Cornwall Colts, 3/21/02, G, catches left, 6-2/190
NCAA commit: Canisius

Houston is joining Canisius for the second semester of the 2021-22 season after playing 22 games in the CCHL for Cornwall. Houston is an Ohio native who played a year at Gilmour Academy before pursuing a junior career. During the COVID-ridden’ 20-21 campaign, he played for the Pueblo Bulls in the USPHL Premier league. Houston will most likely battle for playing time in Canisius during the second half of the College season.

Max Nagel
St. Thomas Academy, 6/30/04, C, right shot, 5-10/165
NCAA commit: Colgate

After a solid start to his Minnesota Elite League season, Colgate jumped on Nagel, committing the competitive centerman in early December. Nagel isn’t the biggest player on the ice, but he plays an aggressive 200-foot game and engages in the dirty areas. In addition, Nagel has displayed goal-scoring ability throughout his career, and after tallying 17 in 21 games one year ago, Nagel finished 16 times in 20 games during Elite League play this fall. We are uncertain when he becomes a freshman, but in all likelihood, he will spend one or two seasons playing junior hockey to develop his craft. Ultimately, Nagel will provide Colgate with a consistent, two-way center who can bury pucks.

Andrew Takacs
New Jersey Titans, 2/27/01, G, catches left, 6-2/190
NCAA commit: Colgate

 The Maryland product has bounced around the North American League, playing for Maryland and Amarillo before finally landing in New Jersey this season. His stellar play in the net has helped the Titans establish themselves as a Robertson Cup contender this year, as they find themselves tied for first in the NAHL with 45 points. This year, Takacs has won 17 games and boasts a 2.44 goals-against average, and a .919 save percentage. As it stands, Colgate has three senior goalies graduating, and a sophomore is serving as the starter this year, meaning Takacs most likely enters as the back-up. Still, he might be able to take over the No. 1 role within two seasons.