Northeastern University Athletics | Men's Hockey | Huskies announce recruiting class for 2009-10

Huskies announce recruiting class for 2009-10
June 24, 2009
Boston, Mass.

Northeastern men's hockey head coach Greg Cronin has announced his recruiting class for the 2009-10 season. Among the student-athletes joining the Huskies this season are Drew and Justin Daniels, a pair of NHL draft picks, and Chris Rawlings, the 2009 BCHL Most Valuable Player. Also joining the Huskies are Drew Ellement, Bryan Mountain, Jake Newton, Chris Student, Garrett Vermeersch and Robbie Vrolyk.

"I think at this point we can be more specific in our positional priorities and can recruit to the identity we've created over the last four years. This class represents the first wave that will reinforce what we've already established here at Northeastern," Cronin said.

Drew and Justin Daniels, twin brothers from Suffern, N.Y., were both 2008 NHL Draft picks of the San Jose Sharks. Justin (6’2, 175) was taken in the third round, and Drew (6’2, 175) was snatched up in the seventh. Last season, the two brothers played with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Justin finished the season with 37 points coming on nine goals and 28 assists while Drew finished with 28 points, nine goals and 19 assists. Justin was also played in the 2009 USHL All-Star game for the West Division. The brothers played at the Kent Prep School in Kent, Conn., before heading to the USHL. Justin will wear number 11 during the season while Drew will wear 24.

Ellement (6'1, 200) is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The defenseman played last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) with the Portage Terriers. He started in 63 games for the Terriers, recording 13 goals and 28 assists. Of his 41 points, 19 of them came on the power play with eight power-play goals and 11 power-play assists. Ellement's team advanced to the ANAVET Cup finals, losing in overtime in the seventh game. During the playoffs Ellement scored 17 goals and have five assists in 13 games. During the ANAVET Cup finals Ellement added an additional four points. Ellement will wear number two during the season.

Mountain (5’9, 177), a goalie originally hailing from Brynmawr, Pa., played along side Ellement for the Portage Terriers. He was the starting backstop for the Terriers, leading them to a league best 32-9-1 record. He finished the regular season with a 2.66 goals-against-average with a .911 save percentage. He was able to keep the puck out of the net when it counted the most with a 2.46 GAA in the playoffs with a .914 save percentage. Mountain will wear number 46.

Newton, a 6'3, 205-pound defenseman from San Jacinto, Calif., has played the last two seasons with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. He had an excellent 2008-09 season, racking up 10 goals and 28 assists in 59 games. He was also an impressive +16 during the season. Lincoln finished atop the USHL West Division with a 37-17-6 record and played in the 2009 USHL All-Star game. Newton will wear number five.

Chris Rawlings (6’5, 210), the second goaltending recruit, hails from North Delta, British Columbia and played last season with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He led the Caps to a 35-15-1 record with a 2.83 GAA and .915 save percentage, the highest save percentage in the BCHL. The Caps fell in the second round of the BCHL playoffs after pushing the Victoria Grizzlies to seven games. Rawlings was named the BCHL Most Valuable Player at the end of the season. He will wear number 37.

Chris Student, a 5'9, 170-pound defenseman from Edina, Minn., is also slated to join the Huskies next season. He played last season in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks. He scored two goals with 14 assists, but most impressively was a +28 on the season, the eighth best mark in the USHL and the third highest for a defenseman. Student will wear number three.

Garrett Vermeersch, a 6'0, 180-pound forward from Macomb, Mich., has played the previous two seasons in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders in 2007-08 and the Lincoln Stars in 2008-09. A teammate of Newton during the 2008-09 season, Vermeersch scored 17 goals with 28 assists during his 56 games. Of his 45 points, 18 of them came on the power play. Vermeersch will wear number nine.

Robbie Vrolyk, a 5'8, 162-pound forward from Boylston, Mass. has played three seasons in the USHL, improving his skills each year. Vrolyk played all three seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede, racking up 81 points over his three seasons. In the last two years Vrolyk has scored over 30 points each year with 33 in 2008-09 and 32 in 2007-08. During the 2009 season, Vrolyk scored 24 goals and had nine assists as Sioux Falls finished with a 28-28-4 record. Sioux Falls fell to the Lincoln Stars in the first round of the USHL playoffs. Vrolyk will wear number 91.

The nine recruits brought in represent Cronin’s the largest recruiting class to date. Northeastern is coming off its most successful season in many years, finishing 25-12-4 (18-6-3 Hockey East) and advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1994. The Huskies graduated eight seniors last season and lost junior All-American goalie Brad Thiessen to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.



	HUSKIES HEADLINES SCHEDULES & RESULTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS RADIO & TV SCHEDULE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HUSKIES INSIDER NORTHEASTERN TWITTER CAA BLOOD CHALLENGE DIRECTIONS SPECIAL EVENTS TRAVEL RSS FEEDS HUSKY ATHLETICS FUND CORPORATE PARTNERS MERCHANDISE TICKET INFORMATION iPHONE APPLICATION NCENTIVES HALL OF FAME CHEERLEADING MISSION & GOALS HISTORY STAFF DIRECTORY FACILITIES CAMPS & CLINICS MEDIA GUIDES NCAA COMPLIANCE NCAA CERTIFICATION SPORTS INFORMATION SPORTS MEDICINE STRENGTH & CONDITIONING STUDENT ATHLETES FIRST SUPPORT SERVICES P.A.W.S. INITIATIVE NORTHEASTERN WEBSITE BOSTON CAMPUS RECREATION SPORT IN SOCIETY GoNU.com INDEX	Schedule Coaches Roster Stats Archives Huskies announce recruiting class for 2009-10 June 24, 2009 Boston, Mass. Northeastern men's hockey head coach Greg Cronin has announced his recruiting class for the 2009-10 season. Among the student-athletes joining the Huskies this season are Drew and Justin Daniels, a pair of NHL draft picks, and Chris Rawlings, the 2009 BCHL Most Valuable Player. Also joining the Huskies are Drew Ellement, Bryan Mountain, Jake Newton, Chris Student, Garrett Vermeersch and Robbie Vrolyk. "I think at this point we can be more specific in our positional priorities and can recruit to the identity we've created over the last four years. This class represents the first wave that will reinforce what we've already established here at Northeastern," Cronin said. Drew and Justin Daniels, twin brothers from Suffern, N.Y., were both 2008 NHL Draft picks of the San Jose Sharks. Justin (6’2, 175) was taken in the third round, and Drew (6’2, 175) was snatched up in the seventh. Last season, the two brothers played with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Justin finished the season with 37 points coming on nine goals and 28 assists while Drew finished with 28 points, nine goals and 19 assists. Justin was also played in the 2009 USHL All-Star game for the West Division. The brothers played at the Kent Prep School in Kent, Conn., before heading to the USHL. Justin will wear number 11 during the season while Drew will wear 24. Ellement (6'1, 200) is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The defenseman played last season in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) with the Portage Terriers. He started in 63 games for the Terriers, recording 13 goals and 28 assists. Of his 41 points, 19 of them came on the power play with eight power-play goals and 11 power-play assists. Ellement's team advanced to the ANAVET Cup finals, losing in overtime in the seventh game. During the playoffs Ellement scored 17 goals and have five assists in 13 games. During the ANAVET Cup finals Ellement added an additional four points. Ellement will wear number two during the season. Mountain (5’9, 177), a goalie originally hailing from Brynmawr, Pa., played along side Ellement for the Portage Terriers. He was the starting backstop for the Terriers, leading them to a league best 32-9-1 record. He finished the regular season with a 2.66 goals-against-average with a .911 save percentage. He was able to keep the puck out of the net when it counted the most with a 2.46 GAA in the playoffs with a .914 save percentage. Mountain will wear number 46. Newton, a 6'3, 205-pound defenseman from San Jacinto, Calif., has played the last two seasons with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. He had an excellent 2008-09 season, racking up 10 goals and 28 assists in 59 games. He was also an impressive +16 during the season. Lincoln finished atop the USHL West Division with a 37-17-6 record and played in the 2009 USHL All-Star game. Newton will wear number five. Chris Rawlings (6’5, 210), the second goaltending recruit, hails from North Delta, British Columbia and played last season with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He led the Caps to a 35-15-1 record with a 2.83 GAA and .915 save percentage, the highest save percentage in the BCHL. The Caps fell in the second round of the BCHL playoffs after pushing the Victoria Grizzlies to seven games. Rawlings was named the BCHL Most Valuable Player at the end of the season. He will wear number 37. Chris Student, a 5'9, 170-pound defenseman from Edina, Minn., is also slated to join the Huskies next season. He played last season in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks. He scored two goals with 14 assists, but most impressively was a +28 on the season, the eighth best mark in the USHL and the third highest for a defenseman. Student will wear number three. Garrett Vermeersch, a 6'0, 180-pound forward from Macomb, Mich., has played the previous two seasons in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders in 2007-08 and the Lincoln Stars in 2008-09. A teammate of Newton during the 2008-09 season, Vermeersch scored 17 goals with 28 assists during his 56 games. Of his 45 points, 18 of them came on the power play. Vermeersch will wear number nine. Robbie Vrolyk, a 5'8, 162-pound forward from Boylston, Mass. has played three seasons in the USHL, improving his skills each year. Vrolyk played all three seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede, racking up 81 points over his three seasons. In the last two years Vrolyk has scored over 30 points each year with 33 in 2008-09 and 32 in 2007-08. During the 2009 season, Vrolyk scored 24 goals and had nine assists as Sioux Falls finished with a 28-28-4 record. Sioux Falls fell to the Lincoln Stars in the first round of the USHL playoffs. Vrolyk will wear number 91. The nine recruits brought in represent Cronin’s the largest recruiting class to date. Northeastern is coming off its most successful season in many years, finishing 25-12-4 (18-6-3 Hockey East) and advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1994. The Huskies graduated eight seniors last season and lost junior All-American goalie Brad Thiessen to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.