Staff
Another Fort Frances Laker is heading for what he hopes will be greener post-secondary pastures.
Defenceman Ryan Gazich yesterday committed to join the Gustavus Adolphus College Golden Gusties (St. Peter, Mn.) this fall after two years with the Lakers.
“Ryan is very deserving of this commitment,” Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan said in an e-mail statement.
“He worked hard to improve his game over the two seasons he was with our hockey team.
“He is a class act off the ice and a leader on the ice,” Strachan added.
“If he commits his time, he will have a good college career.”
The 21-year-old from Eagan, Mn. was part of the blueline corps that helped the Lakers win a third-straight SIJHL crown in 2014-15.
He subsequently was drafted in the seventh round of the NAHL draft by the Kenai River Brown Bears.
But his stay there lasted only four games, and he returned to the Lakers part-way through last season and wound up being named the team’s top defenceman.
In 96 regular-season games with the Lakers, Gazich recorded 44 points and 120 penalty minutes.
He had two assists in 17 career playoff games with the team.
Gazich is the fourth Laker to find a college hockey home, following forwards Dylan Kooner (St. Olaf College) and Jared Virtanen (Calvin College), along with fellow defenceman Maverick Lynes (University of Southern Maine).
