Penn State men’s hockey coach Guy Gadowsky added seven players to the Nittany Lions’ roster as part of the 2023-24 recruiting class comprising five forwards and two defensemen.
Five new Nittany Lions are incoming freshmen, while two are transferring to University Park. Four of the additions are also natives of Pennsylvania.
Jacques Bouquot (Vermont) and Tanner Palocsik (Dartmouth) join the Nittany Lions after spending four seasons at their respective schools. Bouquot comes as a forward and former captain at Vermont, where he totaled 50 career points (17 goals, 33 assists) in 109 career games. Bouquot also played one season in the British Columbia Hockey League, splitting time between the Wenatchee Wild and Chilliwack Chiefs in 2018-19.
Palocsik, a native of Aliquippa, Pa., also served as a captain this past season while competing as a defenseman. He appeared in 93 total games, compiling 13 goals and 53 assists. Palocsik is a two-time All-IVY Second Team selection and earned an Eastern College Athletic All-Conference Third Team nod this past season.
The five new Penn State freshmen include defenseman Casey Aman (Johnstown, Pa.) and forwards Matt DiMarsico (Wexford, Pa.), Dane Dowiak (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Aiden Fink (Calgary, Alberta) and Reese Laubach (San Jose, Calif.).
Aman spent the past two seasons with the Powell River Kings of the BCHL, appearing in 113 total games while scoring 17 goals and adding 46 assists for 63 points. Aman was named the River Kings’ Top Defenseman each of his two seasons, was named the 2021-22 Team MVP and served as the captain in 2022-23.
DiMarsico was with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League for the 2022-23 season. He scored 25 goals and added 21 assists in 59 games. His 25 goals led the team and ranked in the Top 20 of the USHL, while his 46 points were good for fourth on the Gamblers.
Dowiak played 116 total games the previous two seasons for Tri-City Storm of the USHL, totaling 32 goals and 31 assists. Dowiak helped the Storm to a 47-11-0-4 record as the team won the Anderson Cup Championship (USHL regular-season champion) in his first year with Tri-City during the 2021-22 season.
Fink, the 63rd-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting for the upcoming draft, spent the previous two seasons with the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. This past season, Fink was named the top forward and the Most Valuable Player of the AJHL and the CJHL (Canadian Junior Hockey League), following a league-best 97 points in just 54 games.
He tallied 41 goals and 56 assists during the regular season to rank second and fourth in the AJHL, respectively, before adding eight goals and five assists for 13 points in 15 playoff games, all while leading the Bandits to the 2023 AJHL Championship.
Laubach rounds off the class, already holding professional ties, having been a 2022 seventh-round pick (No. 217 overall) by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL Draft. He played the past two seasons in the USHL, most recently with the Omaha Lancers after a mid-season trade from the Youngstown Phantoms. Laubauch tallied 11 goals and 13 assists in 52 career USHL games.
Penn State hockey’s recruiting window is still open, as the Nittany Lions can add players through the 2022-23 signing period, which runs through Aug. 1.
