Lakers Add another Forward

Eric Kraft from the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League will reportedly attend Lake Superior State University this fall. The 5-foot, 11-inch, 180 pound, forward recorded 17 goals and 41 points this past season for the Ice Dogs. The Wayzata, Minnesota native also added 3 goals in 7 playoff game appearances for Fairbanks.

Recruiting news

SAULT STE. MARIE - Aurora Tigers right wing Domenic Monardo and Traverse City North Stars center Dan Radke have signed National Letters of Intent to play hockey at Lake Superior State, and former Oakville Blades left wing Nick McParland has joined the recruiting class for 2009. Laker Hockey's recruiting class also includes fall signees Ben Power, Kyle Jean, Kelin Ainsworth and Zach Trotman, along with Kellan Lain, who signed in the spring of 2008. Radke and Ainsworth will defer enrollment until 2010-11. Monardo (Oakville, Ontario) led the Tigers in scoring during the regular season with 39 goals and 40 assists in 39 games and was the team's No. 2 scorer during the playoffs with six goals and five assists in 11 games. The 5-11, 175-pound right wing also had a goal and an assist during the Ontario Junior Hockey League All-Star Game. Aurora was third in the OJHL Phillips Division with a 34-11 record and finished 5-5 in the playoffs. "He had a great 20-year-old season and was one of the top scorers on the Provincial League," LSSU hockey coach Jim Roque said. "He will bring some energy, grit and toughness. He plays a lot like Freddy Cassiani. And he already has some friends on the team. He played with Lain and McParland in Oakville." Radke (Orinda, Cal.), a 5-10, 180-pound center, is former member of the Soo Indians AAA midget hockey team. He totaled eight goals and 15 assists in 38 games for Traverse City, which set a franchise record for wins in 2008-09 after finishing 34-17-7 for third place in the North American Hockey League North Division. He was teammates with Jean, a 6-3, 200-pound left wing from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., who is recovering from post-season surgery. Jean was the North Stars' No. 2 scorer with 22-21-43 in 58 games and six game-winning goals. "He was one of the top scorers in the midget league when he played for the Soo Indians," Roque said of Radke. "He had some good moments as a junior and is expected to be one of the top players in the North American League next year. He's a lot like Troy Schwab - strong on his skates and very clever." Radke's father is originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. His mother, Susan, teaches classes at LSSU to be near their younger son, who plays bantam hockey in Canada. McParland (Schreiber, Ontario), a 6-0, 195-pound left wing, totaled a team-leading 29 goals and 48 assists in 49 games at Oakville, which won the RBC Cup in 2007-08. He failed to get through the NCAA Clearinghouse that year and attended LSSU as a full-time student in 2008-09. "It's going to take him some time," Roque said. "He hasn't played a game since the RBC Cup two years ago, when he led his team in scoring. "We were fortunate to get him. He has a real good stick. It will be a matter of adjusting his timing and being patient. It will be a ‘game shape' type of thing." Power (Montreal, Quebec) helped lead the Kingston Voyageurs to the Dudley Hewitt Cup title and an appearance in the 2009 RBC Cup (Canadian Nationals). Power, a 5-11, 170-pound forward, finished third on the team in scoring during the regular season with 22-36-49 in 49 games and was fourth with 10-12-22 during 20 OJHL playoff games. Kingston was 34-9-0-2 during the regular season and 19-6 in the playoffs. The Vees defeated Oakville in a six-game series for the OJHL playoff title and eventually defeated the Fort William North Stars 4-1 to win the Dudley Hewitt Cup (Central Canada Junior A Championship). They lost to the Vernon Vipers during the RBC Cup semifinal round. Lain (Oakville, Ontario), a 6-4, 190-pound forward, finished the 2008-09 season with 19-23-42 during 47 regular-season games. He totaled 10-6-16 as the Blades went 17-11 in the playoffs. Trotman (Novi, Mich.), a 6-2, 210-pound defenseman, played for the Wichita Falls Wildcats (24-25-0-9). He totaled two goals and four assists during 47 regular-season games. After having a plus-minus rating of -4 during the regular season, he was +7 with a goal and an assist during five playoff games. Ainsworth (Thunder Bay, Ontario), a 5-11, 180-pound left wing, totaled nine goals and 13 assists in 37 games for the Superior International Junior Hockey League champion Fort William North Stars. He did not appear in the playoffs.