Providence College received a commitment earlier this week from Braiden Clark, one of the most complete forwards in the '05 birth year.
The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native spent the preseason and the USHL Fall Classic with the Omaha Lancers but will continue his development for the rest of the 2021-22 season with the Ohio Blue Jackets 16-U. In 2020-21 with the Blue Jackets, Clark scored 19 goals and 24 assists in 49 games for the organization’s 15 Only team.
Clark is a physical, two-way center, who was a seventh-round selection of the Lancers in the 2021 USHL Phase I draft. His hockey sense and habits are consistently notable. Clark was sought after by numerous Hockey East, ECAC Hockey, Big Ten and NCHC programs, including Beanpot schools.
His dad, Chris Clark, is his midget coach and the Director of Player Personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The elder Clark is a native of South Windsor, Conn., who skated in 607 games in the NHL after playing college hockey at Clarkson.
Local product for UConn
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Jake Percival has committed to UConn. The '02 from Avon, Conn., played prep school hockey at Millbrook, graduating last spring. In addition, last season he put up a point per game for the Rochester Coalition, the 2021 USA Hockey 18-U National Champion.
Percival is a hard-working forward who has one assist in his first three games for Cedar Rapids. He made the team as an undrafted invite to the team’s camp. He was recently rated as the third-best uncommitted '02 in New England, only behind Omaha Lancers goaltender Mason Kucenski and Johnstown Tomahawks right wing Jake Black.
Young goaltender for RPI
Brookfield, Conn., native Ryan Sanborn became just the third '05 goaltender to commit to a college program when he made public his intention to play at RPI.
Sanborn, a longtime member of the '05 Mid Fairfield team, switched over to Buffalo Regals for the split season while attending Hill School in Pottstown, Pa. In five games for the Regals 16-U team, he has a .924 save percentage.
The Youngstown Phantoms draft pick has been considered a top goaltender in this birth year for quite a while. He’s attended USA Hockey Player Development Camp and other marquee showcases.
Lawrence Academy alum picks Air Force
Lawrence Academy alum Holt Oliphant has committed to Air Force. The '01 from Northbrook, Ill., is in his second season skating in the NAHL for the Johnstown Tomahawks. In 2020-21, he scored 12 goals and 19 assists in 53 regular-season games. Oliphant has three goals and three assists through the first seven games of this season. Oliphant is a highly competitive forward who keeps his feet moving and brings energy to each shift. He’ll join Frank Serratore’s program for the 2022-23 season.
Junior hockey veteran for Maine
Des Moines Buccaneers right wing Killian Kiecker-Olson has committed to Maine for the 2022-23 season. From Andover, Minn., the '01 will age out of junior hockey following the conclusion of this season.
Kiecker-Olson is off to a hot start with Des Moines, registering two goals and two assists in the team’s first three games. He scored just five goals and five assists in 45 games with the USHL organization last season.
Prior to that, Kiecker-Olson played in 96 games in the NAHL, scoring 29 goals and 48 assists. In total, Kiecker-Olson has played in 146 junior games already. That total could be close to 200 by the time he arrives in Orono.
