Michigan State hockey has signed four recruits for the 2020-21 season, Head Coach Danton Cole announced on Wednesday. Pierce Charleson, Calvin Dybicz, Aiden Gallacher and Kristof Papp have all officially signed their National Letters of Intent, securing their spots on the team for next season.
“This first wave of recruits is exciting for Spartan hockey,” Cole said. “We have great seniors and it is important that the men we have coming in are going to be able to take their place and help us to continue to grow as a program. One characteristic of our student-athletes we find invaluable is leadership both on and off the ice. This group exemplifies leadership and will help us to build our Spartan hockey family.”
Charleson is a goaltender from Aurora, Ontario and is currently playing with the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). Standing at 6-foot-2, Charleson posted an astonishing 42-2 record to go along with a 2.16 GAA and .913 save percentage for the Bandits in the 2018-19 regular season. Most recently, he flashed a 2.11 GAA and .907 save percentage in 15 playoff games en route to winning the 2019 AJHL championship with Brooks.
Known for his skating and physicality, Dybicz is in the midst of his second season in the United States Hockey League (USHL), playing defense for the Tri-City Storm. In 57 games for the Storm last season, he collected one goal and seven assists for a total of eight points.
Gallacher is also currently playing in the USHL as a defenseman for the Youngstown Phantoms. He serves as more of an offensive threat on the blue line, already picking up 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in just 15 games this season. He has a quick shot to go along with great knowledge of the game.
A forward from Budapest, Hungary, Papp could be the next go-to scoring option for the Spartans. In just 16 games this season for the Madison Capitols of the USHL, he has a team-leading eight goals with 14 points. NHL Central Scouting has him ranked as a C-skater for the 2020 NHL Draft, and his high-compete level should help him to transition easily to the college game.
While the full class still has to be filled out, Cole is optimistic about the four new additions, noting they will get to spend their entire college career in the newly renovated Munn Ice Arena.
“This class will leave its impact on our program just as the players before them and we look forward to working together to accomplish their dreams,” Cole said. “They will also be the first class that spends all four of their years here in the new addition to Munn Ice Arena.”
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