Get to Know the ASU Hockey Roster
Contents
Get to know the ASU hockey Roster. Everything you need to know about the team, the players and the coaches.
ASU Hockey
The Arizona State men’s Hockey Team is a NCAA Division I Ice Hockey team in the Pacific Hockey Association (PHA) that began play in the 2015-16 season. The Sun Devils are members of the PHA and compete in the league’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) division. The Sun Devils play their home games at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
ASU was founded in 2015 and has already made an impact in college hockey In their first season, they finished with a record of 24-5-0 and won the PHA regular season title. They followed that up with an even better second season, finishing 27-4-0 and winning both the PHA regular season and tournament titles.
The Sun Devils have been led by Head Coach Greg Powers since their inception. Powers was named the PHA Coach of the Year in both 2015-16 and 2016-17.
The Sun Devils have had numerous players receive individual accolades. Joey Daccord was named the PHA Goaltender of the Year in both 2015-16 and 2016-17, while Johnny Walker was named the PHA Rookie of the Year in 2016-17.
ASU Hockey Roster
ASU’s 2019-20 roster features 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders from eight different states and two different countries. The Sun Devils have 12 potential returnees from last year’s squad that went 13-19-4 overall and 10-13-3 in Pac-8 play.
ASU will look to its seniors to provide leadership on and off the ice this season. Leading the way is captain Johnny Walker, who returns for his final season with the Sun Devils Walker, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, is ASU’s All-time leading scorer with 136 career points (68 goals, 68 assists). He has also been named to the Pac-8 All-Conference Team in each of his first three seasons with the Sun Devils
Joining Walker as seniors are forwards Brinson Pasichnuk, Gage Mackie and PJ Marrocco; defenseman Lauren Watson; and goaltender Joey Daccord. Pasichnuk, from Bonnyville, Alberta, is ASU’s second leading returning scorer after totaling 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) last season. Mackie, a native of Anchorage, Alaska, was third on the team in scoring last year with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists). Marrocco, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is ASU’s fourth leading returning scorer after totaling 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) last season.
Watson, from Calgary, Alberta, is ASU’s top returning defenseman after totaling 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) last season. Daccord returns for his senior season after starting 21 games in net for the Sun Devils last year and posting a 3.33 goals against average and .893 save percentage
Get to Know the ASU hockey Roster
ASU’s men’s Hockey Team is one of the top collegiate teams in the country. They are led by
a strong group of forwards, including captain Jake McCabe, Alternate Captain Chris Brown and leading scorer Anthony Deangelo. The Sun Devils’ defense is anchored by All-American goaltender Robert Levin.
The team’s forwards are:
-Jake McCabe (C): The Sun Devils’ captain, Jake McCabe is a junior from Edina, Minnesota. He is a two-time All-American and was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2013-14. McCabe is also a member of the United States national team Development Program.
--Chris Brown (A): Chris Brown is a senior from Flower Mound Texas. He was named an All-American in 2013-14 and is one of ASU’s top scorers Brown has also represented the United States at the World Junior Championships.
-Anthony Deangelo: Anthony Deangelo is a freshman from Sewell, New Jersey. He leads ASU in scoring and is one of the top freshman scorers in the country. Deangelo has also represented the United States at the World Junior Championships.
ASU Hockey: The Newest Team in the NCAA
ASU Hockey is the newest team in the NCAA and will begin their inaugural season in the 2020-21 academic year. The team will compete as an independent in the ACHA Division I and will look to make an impact in their first season.
The team is made up of a mix of experienced and young players with the average age of the roster being 22 years old. The team is led by head coach Greg Powers, who has experience coaching at the Division I level, and Assistant Coach Zack Torquato, who played professional hockey for 11 seasons.
Forwards
Jack Barlage – #9 – Freshman
Rookie forward Jack Barlage comes to ASU from Sherwood Park, Alberta. Barlage played last season for the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the AJHL where he tallied 27 goals and 31 assists in 54 games. He was named to the AJHL All-Rookie Team and was also named a finalist for AJHL Rookie of the Year. Barlage is a skilled offensive player who has a nose for the net and should be a key contributor for ASU Hockey this season.
Brock Balson – #19 – Sophomore
Sophomore Brock Balson returns to ASU after appearing in 21 games for the Sun Devils last season. Balson, who is from Oshawa, Ontario, tallied two goals and one assist in his freshman campaign. Balson is a hard-working player who plays with an edge to his game. He will look to build on his freshman season this year and be a key part of ASU’s bottom-six forwards.
Defensemen
Jake Clifford – #4 – Junior
Junior Jake Clifford comes to ASU after transferring from UMass-Amherst, where he played two seasons with the Minutemen. Clifford, who is from North Andover Massachusetts, appeared in 61 games at UMass-Amherst and tallied four goals and 12 assists during his time there. Clifford is a puck-moving defenseman who has good vision on the ice. He should be a key member of ASU’s blue line this season.
ASU Hockey: A Quick Rundown of the Roster
The ASU Hockey team is full of young talent. The roster is made up of six freshmen, seven sophomores, two juniors, and one senior. The team’s leading scorer is sophomore Blake Wheeler, who has racked up an impressive 15 goals and 19 assists so far this season.
The Sun Devils have a strong core of young players that should keep them competitive for years to come. With a mix of experience and youth, the team looks poised to make some noise in the coming years.
ASU Hockey: Meet the Forwards
The ASU hockey team is made up of talented student athletes who are committed to helping the Sun Devils bring home a PAC-8 championship. Here, we’ll introduce you to the forwards on the team.
Forwards
Jaden Schrader
Hometown: Chandler, AZ
Class: Freshman
Major: Business Marketing
Jaden is a freshman forward from Chandler, Arizona. She is 5’3″ and her biggest asset on the ice is her speed. Jaden is also a very good defensively minded player. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family, going to the movies, and shopping.
Hayley Larson
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Class: Freshman
Major: Communication Disorders
Hayley is a freshman forward from Scottsdale, Arizona. She is 5’5″ and is one of the strongest players on the team. Hayley is also very good at reading the play and making smart decisions with the puck. In her free time she likes spending time with friends and family and going shopping.
ASU Hockey: Meet the Defensemen
ASU hockey is proud to have a strong and talented lineup of defensemen. Get to know them better with this quick guide.
Joey Daccord: Joey is a junior defenseman from North Andover, Massachusetts. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in his first season with ASU and has been a key player on the team ever since.
Brinson Pasichnuk: Brinson is a sophomore defenseman from Edmonton, Alberta. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in his first season with ASU and is one of the team’s most promising young players
Johnny Walker: Johnny is a junior forward from Scottsdale, Arizona. He joined ASU hockey in 2017 and has been an important part of the team’s offense ever since.
ASU Hockey: Meet the Goalies
Heading: Get to Know the ASU Hockey Roster
As the Arizona State University hockey team gears up for another season, let’s take a moment to get to know the goalies who will be defending the net.
Senior Robert Levin comes to ASU by way of Boston, MA. He started playing hockey at age 5 and has been perfecting his craft ever since. Levin is a big fan of Tim Thomas the former Boston Bruins goalie who is now retired. When asked about his favorite part of playing goalie, Levin said, “I like being able to control the game and make a difference in the outcome.”
Freshman David Dziurzynski also hails from Massachusetts. He started playing hockey at age 4 and has been in love with the sport ever since. Dziurzynski is a big fan of Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask. When asked about his favorite part of playing goalie, Dziurzynski said, “I like being able to make a difference in the outcome of the game.”
These two goalies will be key to ASU’s success this season. Be sure to catch them in action as they defend the net for the Sun Devils!
ASU Hockey: The Coaching Staff
Jason Loring enters his first season as the assistant coach of the ASU Hockey Team
Loring comes to Arizona State after serving as an assistant coach at his alma mater, UMass-Amherst, for four seasons. While with the Minutemen, Loring helped lead the team to three consecutive 20+ win seasons, as well as two NCAA tournament appearances. Loring was also a part of the Coaching Staff that won the 2016 Hockey East Championship.
Prior to his time at UMass, Loring spent one season as an assistant coach with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
A native of Falmouth, Massachusetts, Loring played four seasons at UMass (2001-05), where he was a part of two NCAA Tournament teams. He was named an alternate captain during his senior season and still ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in shots on goal (3rd – 260). Upon graduation, Loring spent one season (2005-06) playing professionally in Germany before returning to Massachusetts to begin his coaching career.
Loring earned a degree in sports management from UMass in 2005.
ASU Hockey: The Road Ahead
This season, the ASU Hockey Team is stocked with talent and looking to make a run at the NCAA championship Here’s a look at the team’s roster, as well as what to expect from the Sun Devils this season.
Forwards:
-Landon Day: A junior from Scottsdale, Arizona, Day is a skilled playmaker who led the team in scoring last season. He’s also a solid two-way player and is expected to be one of the Sun Devils’ top forwards this season.
-Brayden Item out: A freshman from Canada, Item out is a highly-touted prospect who has already shown flashes of offensive brilliance. He’s expected to be one of ASU’s go-to guys on offense this season.
-Austin Lemieux: The son of former NHL star Mario Lemieux, Austin is a freshman forward who comes to ASU with high expectations. He’s a smooth skater with good vision and hockey sense, and should be an impact player for the Sun Devils this season.
– Nolan Thomas: A junior from California, Thomas is a hard-working forward who does the little things well. He’s not the biggest guy on the ice, but he plays with heart and determination. Thomas is expected to be a key player for ASU this season.
Defensemen:
-Tyler Busch: A senior from Minnesota, Busch is one of ASU’s most experienced defensemen. He’s a solid all-around player who can contribute offensively and defensively. Busch will be counted on to lead the Sun Devils’ defense this season.
-Johnny Walker: A sophomore from California, Walker burst onto the scene as one of ASU’s top defensemen last season as a freshman. He’s an excellent skater with good hockey sense and should be an impact player for ASU again this season.
