SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich.- Lake Superior State hockey coach Damon Whitten announced Tuesday the signing of five future student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The signing class features three forwards and two defensemen.
Headlining the forwards group is Sault Area High School product Chase Gamelin, who plays for the Brookings Blizzard of the North American Hockey League. The 6-0, 185-pound forward has two goals and four assists in 17 games during his second season with the Blizzard.
Last season Gamelin contributed 10 goals and 11 assists in 57 games. In 2014-15, he produced two goals and four assists in 39 games with the Soo Eagles (NAHL) in his first season of junior hockey.
Gamelin is remembered locally for leading the Sault High Blue Devils to consecutive runner-up finishes in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 State Finals. During his senior season, Gamelin was named to the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association Division 3 All-State First Team after notching 59 points for the Blue Devils (25-3-2).
"He's a hardworking, two-way forward who brings a physical presence to every shift and game," said LSSU assistant coach Rich Metro, who is also a Sault Ste. Marie native. "He brings an element of leadership and character to our locker room after being voted by his teammates as the co-captain for Brookings this season."
Matthew Barnaby and Roberts Bluegers, who are '98 birth year forwards, also submitted their NLI during the fall period.
Barnaby, the son of former NHLer Matthew Barnaby, has put up respectable numbers this season for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canada Hockey League. He drew considerable interest from the Lakers' staff.
In 26 games with the Lumber Kings this season, Barnaby has 10-15—25 and ranks 19th in overall CCHL scoring. He was recently selected to participate in the Eastern Canada Cup Showcase, which was held in mid November in Cornwall, Ont.
"Matthew has the potential to be a high-end, top-six skilled forward with his great vision, hockey sense and playmaking ability at top-speed," said Lakers assistant coach Doug Holewa. "We fully expect him to be an impact offensive player who can contribute on the power-play, as well as even strength."
Bluegers is a native of Riga, Latvia, same as Lakers defenseman Kris Bindulis. Both have represented their country on the international stage. In 13 games with Latvia's World Junior Championship U18 team over the past two years, Blugers has a goal and an assist.
This season Bluegers has appeared in 19 games during his rookie junior season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL) and has four goals and two assists. In 2015-16, he tallied 15 goals and 33 assists for the Shattuck St. Mary's prep team. He is also the younger brother of former Minnesota State Mavericks player Teddy Blueger, who now plays for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
"He's a big, gifted power forward with the ability to make highly skilled plays in tight areas, using his big frame to protect the puck down low and on the rush," said Metro. "As a product of the storied Shattuck St. Mary's prep team, playing under the guidance of current Buffalo Sabers Assistant Coach Tom Ward, we liked the experience and knowledge he's gained at this stage in his development."
The Lakers also added a pair of '99 birth year defensemen in Patrick Kyte and Michael Mannara. Both players were also selected to participate in the Eastern Canada Cup Showcase.
Kyte has developed into one of the top scoring defensemen in the CCHL during his second season with the Lumber Kings and has already matched his scoring output from last season. Through 26 games, Kyte's six goals tie for second among the league's defenseman. He ranks third in CCHL defenseman scoring with 19 points. Kyte has also shown an edge to his game despite his smaller stature (5-9, 168-pounds) and has 26 penalty minutes.
Holewa views Kyte as a "high-octane offensive-minded defenseman, who has elite skating, vision and puck skills." The coaches identify him as having the potential to be a power-play "quarterback" at the next level.
Through 17 games of his second season playing in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, Mannara has a goal and six assists, and has accrued 18 penalty minutes.
"Mike is another offensive-minded defenseman with a high-end individual skill set, and he also possesses a physical element to his game," said Holewa in regards to Mannara. "He has excellent skating ability and puck skills, which allow him to jump up into the rush and contribute offensively."
"Rich and Doug have both done a tremendous job of identifying and recruiting the type of student-athletes we want to represent this University and the Laker hockey program," Whitten said. "This class is another outstanding group of quality student-athletes and young men who will proudly represent our program in the classroom, community and on the ice. We look forward to their arrival to Sault Ste. Marie and expect them to continue to move our program forward in the years to come."