The MSU hockey team didn’t surprise anyone when it announced the signings of two recruits Tuesday.

Defenseman Evan Shaw and left wing David Booth, each of whom verbally committed to the Spartans during the winter, officially signed National Letters of Intent last week. Both players were on the Under-18 U.S. National Development Team last season and will join the Spartans in the fall.

“It was just a matter of signing them,” said MSU assistant coach Dave McAuliffe, who recruited both players. “We knew we had them for a while.”

Shaw and Booth are the third and fourth members of this year’s recruiting class, joining Okemos defenseman Corey Potter and Ontario forward Colton Fretter. East Lansing forward Drew Miller also has signed an NLI with the Spartans, but won’t join the team until the 2003-04 season.

Northville goaltender Justin Tobe said Tuesday that he is still waiting for MSU goaltender Ryan Miller to decide whether to turn pro or return for his senior season. If Miller leaves, Tobe also will sign on with the Spartans for next season.

The MSU coaching staff also has indicated that it would like to add a right-handed forward to this year’s recruiting class. McAuliffe said he was showing a recruit around campus Tuesday, although he’s not allowed to identify or comment on the player per NCAA rules.

New signees Shaw and Booth both bring strong, powerful approaches to their respective positions. Shaw, a 6-foot-2, 201-pound Rhode Island native, tallied three goals and seven assists in 60 games with the U.S. team last season. He also amassed 52 penalty minutes and he compares his style of play to NHL legend Ray Bourque.

“I’d say I’m a solid defenseman who brings some vicious body checks to the ice,” the 18-year-old said Tuesday. “I guess I have pretty good offensive skills, too, and people say I have pretty good hands.

“I didn’t really look at (signing) as such a big deal as some other guys. It’s more of something that solidifies the deal.”

Shaw will likely jump right in to the Spartan lineup to help fill the void left by departed senior defensemen Andrew Hutchinson and Jon Insana.

On the other hand, Booth will probably have a tougher time cracking the MSU dress list. The Spartans only lost two forwards from last season’s team - right wing Adam Hall and left wing Joe Goodenow - and have 14 forwards returning, plus Fretter.

Still, Booth, 17, said he’s looking forward to contributing as a freshman in any way he can. He totaled 17 goals, 12 assists and 68 penalty minutes in 58 games for the national team last season.

The 6-1, 205-pounder’s most impressive feat, however, was probably scoring two goals against Russia in the final game of the World Under 18 Championship, which the United States won, 3-1, to claim the gold medal.

“Wow, what an amazing way to end a junior hockey career,” the Washington, Mich. native said. “To score two goals in the last game of a world championship is just so indescribable. You could come up with some words to describe it, but it’s not really how you feel.

“I don’t know if I can say I play like (St. Louis Blues forward) Keith Tkachuk, but it’s something like that. I don’t score goals with dazzling moves, I score goals by grinding them out.”

And although there hasn’t been much doubt throughout the last few months, Booth is satisfied that he’s officially a Spartan-to-be.

“I’m done, I’m going there and I’m happy,” he said.

McAuliffe moving on?: McAuliffe said he had a telephone interview with Northern Michigan about the Wildcats’ vacant head coaching job Tuesday, but hasn’t been offered the job. Northern has been without a head coach since Rick Comley left Marquette in March to become MSU’s new head coach.

McAuliffe has officially applied for the Wildcat job and is still waiting for word from the university. Northern assistant Dave Shyiak is thought to be the front-runner for the job, but the lengthy search process seems to help outside candidates such as McAuliffe.

Northern spokesman David Faiella confirmed the school is conducting phone interviews this week and will bring finalists to campus in the next week or two.

“Originally, they wanted to get it done by the end of May, but I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore,” Faiella said.