Dartmouth, Northeastern and Vermont have received verbal commitments from prospective recruits over the last several days.
The Big Green have two new recruits after Avon Old Farms right wing Nikita Nikora and Long Island Gulls 16-U left wing Griffin Erdman pledged to play college hockey for Reid Cashman’s program.
Erdman, an '05 from Wilmington, Del., is a hard-nosed winger who hunts pucks and plays well below the dots. He’s certainly now one of the best players on the Big Green’s recruiting list. Erdman started last season with the Cape Cod Whalers as he was expected to play at Deerfield.
Due to prep schools shortening or canceling seasons, Erdman switched to the North Jersey Avalanche 15 Only. He had over a point per game with the Whalers and Deerfield before moving on to the Avs, a team that advanced to USA Hockey Nationals. Erdman is the first '05 to commit to Dartmouth.
Nikora, an '04 center from St. Petersburg, Russia, is in his first season at Avon while also playing split season for Mid Fairfield Rangers 18-U. While he’s a newcomer to the region, he’s been over in North America for several years, skating for the Notre Dame Hounds, a midget and junior organization in Saskatchewan. Nikora joins Mount Saint Charles 18-U center Jason Stefanek and Surrey Eagles defenseman Tait Ross on Dartmouth’s '04 list.
Northeastern adds USHL goaltender
Lincoln Stars goaltender Cameron Whitehead committed to Northeastern, it was revealed shortly after the '03 made his regular-season debut in the USHL.
Whitehead, from Orleans, Ontario, allowed just one goal on 31 shots in his first start against Cedar Rapids over the weekend at the USHL Fall Classic. He was the hard-luck loser thanks to the 1-0 overtime decision.
Whitehead played for the Ottawa Junior 67s, Navan Grads and Rockland Nationals while on the bantam and midget circuit in his native province. In 29 regular season games last year for the NCDC’s Utica Comets, Whitehead went 11-12-3 with a .896 save percentage. Whitehead is the only goaltender on Northeastern’s recruiting list. The Huskies are likely hoping he can replace redshirt freshman Devon Levi when his time is up at the school.
Another Euro for Catamounts
Sioux City defenseman Ralfs Bergmanis has committed to Vermont. The '02 left-shot defenseman from Latvia continues a trend of Todd Woodcroft’s staff recruiting well internationally.
Bergmanis has one assist and 17 penalty minutes over his first two games in the USHL with Sioux City. He’s played for various organizations in Latvia and Finland. This is his first season skating in North America.
A couple of misses
Cushing alum Nolan Hayes, who spent last season with Cushing and South Shore Kings in the NCDC, has decommitted from Sacred Heart. The '02 from Milton, Mass., is in his first season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers.
Tri-City Storm '04 right wing Gavin Brindley has committed to Michigan. According to multiple sources, it was down to the Wolverines and Boston University for who would land his services. The Estero, Fla., native is a highly skilled forward who was rated as the top uncommitted '04 in the country by NEHJ.
