In some ways, Cushing has Hurricane Katrina to thank for Lukas Gustafsson.
Gustafsson, the star puck-moving defenseman for the Penguins, was born in New Orleans where his hockey-playing dad, Marcus, had settled after a short minor-pro career.
Some might remember Marcus Gustafsson, the Swedish recruit who scored the game-winning goal in the 1999 national championship for the University of Maine over the University of New Hampshire.
Back to Katrina. The category 5 hurricane ravaged New Orleans in late August 2005, killing 1,833 and devastating the area to an extent that in some areas it's still recovering today. The disaster sent the Gustafssons packing to Alphretta, Ga., where the family had friends, with Lukas not quite four.
Still, growing up in Georgia, which is not seen as a traditional hockey hotbed, is unique in itself. And that's where the Cushing connection comes in.
As luck would have it, current Cushing coach Steve Jacobs was managing a rink in Alphretta at the time, and got to know the Gustafsson family, seeing a budding talent in Lukas. Jacobs was helping promote players from Georgia so they could gain the attention of prep schools in New England, with the idea of improving their visibility among colleges. Stephen Jacobs Jr., a former Cushing and UMass Amherst player, now runs the same rink.
"When I was down there, I actually sent a bunch of kids off to prep school," Cushing coach Steve Jacobs said, mentioning Connor Moore, who’s now playing for Boston College. "That’s one of the reasons the guy that owned it hired me, was to help the kids down there because once they reach midget age and beyond, they really need to get out of there because the high school hockey is fine but it’s not at the level of prep, obviously.
"So Lukas, I followed him all along, always stayed in touch with his dad, everyone in Atlanta. ... I always knew I wanted him, so I went to the Chicago tournament, the CCM showcase, two years ago and watched Lukas again and just stayed on him. He considered several prep schools, but I think he’s doing all right here."
Marcus Gustafsson was coaching the Atlanta Fire team Lukas was playing on, so Lukas was skating every morning while attending a school that had a three-day week. Which meant lots of extra time for hockey. Jacobs invited Gustafsson up two years ago to tour Cushing, and the connection was solidified.
Gustafsson has no regrets.
"It’s been good, actually," said Gustafsson, who turned 17 on Dec. 16. "It’s made me grow as a player, speed, everything, made me think the game faster. It was hard at first, the transition, because I was playing 16-U split season at first and it took me a couple of games to get used to it, but after that I got used to it pretty fast."
That could be considered an understatement. His freshman year resulted in three goals and seven assists in 33 games. But this year, he's blossomed into an offensive juggernaut, scoring 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 26 games.
"I like to move the puck up fast, make the simple first play," said the 5-10, 175-pound Gustafsson. "I’ll look for my teammates, I’ll shoot the puck if I have the opportunity. (I have) good hands, (I am a) good skater, pretty much make the easy play if I have it, the smart play."
Coach Jacobs said his star D-man is the complete package.
"He’s very special in all areas," Jacobs said. "He’s an honor-roll student. He’s just a really sharp, dynamic kid. He’s a leader, he’s a leader on campus here. And obviously he’s an outstanding hockey player with high-end skills, high hockey IQ, high athleticism, his battle level is very high. He can change the game when he’s out there."
New England Hockey Journal's Jeff Cox, who has seen Gustafsson play a number of times, had this to say about the defenseman's game:
"Gustafsson is a smart, two-way defenseman. ... He’s confident, gaps well and can defend with his feet.
"Gustafsson isn’t flashy and he’s a little on the smaller side still, but he’s a late ‘02 so he has plenty of time to develop. He has a strong foundation to become a very good college defenseman. He makes good, simple plays on his first touch. He has his head up and skates well forwards, backwards and laterally."
Gustafsson said he's working on improving his speed and strength while at Cushing, as well as being better defensively.
"He’s very good at creating, and his anticipation and his decisions offensively (are good) to go along with his stick skills and his passion to make something happen offensively," Jacobs said. "I knew that all along, (he's) just off the charts skillwise, and what he ... continues to work on and (has) gotten really good at is the other end of the ice. He doesn’t get beat; he can really skate. So, if a guy gets an edge on him, he’s going to get the angle on him."
Gustafsson looks up to NHLers Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson as his role models.
"They’re offensive as well, they play really well defensively, they’re really good skaters and I try to focus on that to get my skating up and make the first easy play," he said.
Jacob likened Gustafsson's play to that of another Cushing player, Keith Yandle, whom he coached for three years.
"Plays like Keith: His offensive prowess, skating, his ability to assess risk and rewards," Jacobs said. "I think he keeps getting better at that, as Keith did. He wants to have an affect every shift that he’s out there, and he usually does, just like Keith."
The NHL is the ultimate goal for Gustafsson, of course. His dad got as high as the American Hockey League, scoring four goals in three games with the Syracuse Crunch in the 1998-99 season.
But before Lukas gets there, he's got perhaps another year at Cushing (he's "planning on it") and then off to Boston College, where he's committed for the 2021-22 season. Although he had offers from Maine and other schools, BC struck an early chord for Gustafsson.
"It was kind of a hard decision because my dad went to Maine and everything, and I love the coaching staff there. But BC is an unbelievable campus," said Gustafsson, who wants to get into business like his stock-trading dad. "I went there in my mite year: we had a tournament in Boston and we went to go see BC and see the campus and everything. And when I saw that, I was like, this is my dream school. So, ever since then, I’ve wanted to go there. My dad told me I wasn’t good enough at first but I’ve gotten there.
"The tradition and everything, Jerry York, he’s a Hall of Fame coach, so why not take that opportunity and be coached by him?"
Gustafsson choosing a different school didn't seem to surprise Jacobs.
"Lukas always wanted to carve his own path, make his own path," said the veteran coach. "He always dreamed of Boston College, and so Maine obviously offered him as did many schools, he thought long and hard about it because Maine is a great place, but he always wanted BC and he got the opportunity and jumped at it."
Jacobs said there's no question in his mind that Gustafsson has the goods to be a pro.
"I always think about this with him because he’s so much pro, the way he thinks, the way he acts, he’s going to have to get a little stronger. But I think he can play pro, for sure," Jacobs said.
"He’s going to have to get better and he knows that, he’s got time, he’s a young guy. You don’t get those natural instincts and the ability and the passion for the game every day in every kid. This kid, he’s ridiculous that way.
"He’s as good as any defenseman I’ve seen, better than most."
Paul Grant is an editor and a writer for HockeyJournal.com and Seamans Media. He previously oversaw hockey content at ESPN.com and Sporting News. You can connect with him at [email protected].
