Photo by: Rob Rasmussen / P8Photos.com
Men's Ice Hockey Sends Nine Players to NHL Development Camps
6/24/2019 3:35:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Three Former Players Also Slated for Development Camps, Mayanja to Serve as Practice Goalie
HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac men's ice hockey program is sending eight current Bobcats and three former players to NHL Development Camps slated to begin this week, as announced by the respective NHL organizations.
Of the seven returning Bobcats, rising juniors Odeen Tufto (Chaska, Minnesota) and Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Massachusetts) will head to the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp while rising sophomores Peter DiLiberatore (Bedford, Nova Scotia) and Wyatt Bongiovanni (Birmingham, Michigan) are going to the Vegas Golden Knights camp. Rising senior Karlis Cukste (Riga, Latvia) and redshirt freshman Guus van Nes (Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Netherlands) will attend the San Jose Sharks.
In addition to those six players, rising senior Alex Whelan (Ramsey, New Jersey) is slated to attend the New York Rangers development camp, rising sophomore Ethan de Jong (North Vancouver, British Columbia) is going to Carolina Hurricanes camp and incoming freshman Skyler Brind'Amour will attend Edmonton Oilers development camp.
Three former Bobcats will also be attending NHL Development Camps after signing professional contracts following the 2018-19 season. Brogan Rafferty '19 will attend the Vancouver Canucks camp, Andrew Shortridge will be at San Jose Sharks camp and Brandon Fortunato '19 will attend the Nashville Predators camp.
Josh Mayanja (Framingham, Massachusetts) rounds out the list of Bobcats that will be attending development camps as he will serve as a practice goalie at the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp.
ODEEN TUFTO | JR. | FORWARD | DETROIT RED WINGS | JUNE 25-29
Tufto followed up his stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore year as he was named to the ECAC Hockey Second Team as well as a New England Division I All-Star. Tufto recorded career-highs with 15 goals and 42 points, and is one of just two players nationally in the past three seasons to record back-to-back 40 point seasons as a freshman and sophomore. Following the season, Tufto was named an alternate captain for the Bobcats and will attend his first NHL Development Camp.
KEITH PETRUZZELLI | JR. | GOALTENDER| DETROIT RED WINGS | JUNE 25-29
A 2017 third round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Petruzzelli heads into his third NHL Development Camp with the Red Wings following an improved sophomore season for the Bobcats. Petruzzelli recorded career-bests with a 2.42 GAA and .904 save percentage in addition to recording three shutouts on the season. Petruzzelli started 12 of the 14 games he played in for the Bobcats.
PETER DILIBERATORE | SO. | DEFENSEMAN | VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS | JUNE 25-29
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, DiLiberatore heads into his second development camp with the Golden Knights after a stellar freshman season for the Bobcats in which he recorded three goals and 16 assists for 19 points. DiLiberatore was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team in his first year with the program after leading all ECAC Hockey Rookies with a +22 plus/minus rating. Last week, DiLiberatore was selected for the Canadian National Junior Team Summer Development Camp in late July.
WYATT BONGIOVANNI | SO. | FORWARD | VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS | JUNE 25-29
Wyatt Bongiovanni impressed in his first season for the Bobcats as he was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team after posting 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points on the season. He finished tied for fourth in the nation in goals and second in ECAC Hockey among freshmen while his six power-play goals were tied for third among freshmen nationally and first in the league.
KARLIS CUKSTE |SR. | DEFENSEMAN | SAN JOSE SHARKS
A 2015 fifth round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, Karlis Cukste is set for another development camp after playing the best season of his collegiate career. Cukste set career-highs with 18 assists and 20 points as well as recording 86 blocked shots on the defensive end. Cukste was one of four Quinnipiac defensemen with 20 or more points on the season as he played in all 38 games for the Bobcats. Cukste will serve as an alternate captain for the 2019-20 season.
GUUS VAN NES | R-FR. | FORWARD | SAN JOSE SHARKS
van Nes did not play in a game for the Bobcats in 2018-19 but begins his collegiate eligibility in the 2019-20 season. He recorded 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 points in 41 games of his final season with the Boston Jr. Bruins in 2017-18 and has spent team in the Netherlands national team system.
ALEX WHALEN | SR. | FORWARD | NEW YORK RANGERS | JUNE 24-28
Whelan rounded out his game for the Bobcats in 2018-19 as he posted career-highs with 12 assists and 25 points to go with his 13-goal season. Whelan has recorded at least 13 goals in each of the past two seasons to lead the Bobcats in goal scoring with 29 in that span. He played in all 38 games for the Bobcats as a junior and was named an alternate captain for the upcoming season.
ETHAN DE JONG | SO. | FORWARD | CAROLINA HURRICANES | JUNE 26-29
After an impressive freshman season, Ethan de Jong heads into Carolina Hurricanes camp for his first-ever development camp. de Jong scored 10 goals and tallied 15 assists for 25 points in 2018-19, making him one of 14 freshmen nationally to record double-digit totals in goals and assists. He led all Quinnipiac freshmen with 25 points on the season.
SKYLER BRIND'AMOUR | FR. | FORWARD | EDMONTON OILERS | JUNE 24-27
Incoming freshmen Skyler Brind'Amour begins his third NHL Development Camp with the Oilers this week after being selected in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Brind'Amour had a stellar second season in the BCHL this year with the Chilliwack Chiefs as he posted 13 goals and 31 assists for 44 points in 52 games.
BROGAN RAFFERTY '19 | DEFENSEMAN | VANCOUVER CANUCKS | JUNE 24-27
Rafferty signed with the Canucks following the 2018-19 season for the Bobcats in which he tied his career-high with 24 points after recording four goals and 20 assists. Rafferty was one of four Quinnipiac defensemen with 20-plus points, finishing third amongst the team's blue-liners. Rafferty attended development camps following each of his first two seasons with the Bobcats.
ANDREW SHORTRIDGE | GOALTENDER | SAN JOSE SHARKS
After posting one of the best seasons in program history, Andrew Shortridge signed a two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks and heads into his first development camp with the organization. There was no shortage of honors for Shortridge this season as he was named a CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American, ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year, ECAC Hockey First Team, New England Division I All-Star and was a finalist for the Mike Richter Award. Shortridge was also crowned the statistical champion in two categories after leading the nation with a .940 save percentage and 1.51 GAA.
BRANDON FORTUNATO '19 | DEFENSEMAN | NASHVILLE PREDATORS | JUNE 25-29
Despite missing the final 12 games of the Bobcats 2018-19 season with an injury, Brandon Fortunato's dominating season was rewarded with a two-year contract from the Nashville Predators. Fortunato recorded career-highs with five goals, 23 assists and 28 points in just 26 games to go with a +15 plus/minus rating. He finished first among the team's defensemen in points and was third overall.
Of the seven returning Bobcats, rising juniors Odeen Tufto (Chaska, Minnesota) and Keith Petruzzelli (Wilbraham, Massachusetts) will head to the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp while rising sophomores Peter DiLiberatore (Bedford, Nova Scotia) and Wyatt Bongiovanni (Birmingham, Michigan) are going to the Vegas Golden Knights camp. Rising senior Karlis Cukste (Riga, Latvia) and redshirt freshman Guus van Nes (Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, Netherlands) will attend the San Jose Sharks.
In addition to those six players, rising senior Alex Whelan (Ramsey, New Jersey) is slated to attend the New York Rangers development camp, rising sophomore Ethan de Jong (North Vancouver, British Columbia) is going to Carolina Hurricanes camp and incoming freshman Skyler Brind'Amour will attend Edmonton Oilers development camp.
Three former Bobcats will also be attending NHL Development Camps after signing professional contracts following the 2018-19 season. Brogan Rafferty '19 will attend the Vancouver Canucks camp, Andrew Shortridge will be at San Jose Sharks camp and Brandon Fortunato '19 will attend the Nashville Predators camp.
Josh Mayanja (Framingham, Massachusetts) rounds out the list of Bobcats that will be attending development camps as he will serve as a practice goalie at the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp.
ODEEN TUFTO | JR. | FORWARD | DETROIT RED WINGS | JUNE 25-29
Tufto followed up his stellar freshman season with an even better sophomore year as he was named to the ECAC Hockey Second Team as well as a New England Division I All-Star. Tufto recorded career-highs with 15 goals and 42 points, and is one of just two players nationally in the past three seasons to record back-to-back 40 point seasons as a freshman and sophomore. Following the season, Tufto was named an alternate captain for the Bobcats and will attend his first NHL Development Camp.
KEITH PETRUZZELLI | JR. | GOALTENDER| DETROIT RED WINGS | JUNE 25-29
A 2017 third round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Petruzzelli heads into his third NHL Development Camp with the Red Wings following an improved sophomore season for the Bobcats. Petruzzelli recorded career-bests with a 2.42 GAA and .904 save percentage in addition to recording three shutouts on the season. Petruzzelli started 12 of the 14 games he played in for the Bobcats.
PETER DILIBERATORE | SO. | DEFENSEMAN | VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS | JUNE 25-29
Drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft, DiLiberatore heads into his second development camp with the Golden Knights after a stellar freshman season for the Bobcats in which he recorded three goals and 16 assists for 19 points. DiLiberatore was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team in his first year with the program after leading all ECAC Hockey Rookies with a +22 plus/minus rating. Last week, DiLiberatore was selected for the Canadian National Junior Team Summer Development Camp in late July.
WYATT BONGIOVANNI | SO. | FORWARD | VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS | JUNE 25-29
Wyatt Bongiovanni impressed in his first season for the Bobcats as he was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team after posting 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points on the season. He finished tied for fourth in the nation in goals and second in ECAC Hockey among freshmen while his six power-play goals were tied for third among freshmen nationally and first in the league.
KARLIS CUKSTE |SR. | DEFENSEMAN | SAN JOSE SHARKS
A 2015 fifth round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks, Karlis Cukste is set for another development camp after playing the best season of his collegiate career. Cukste set career-highs with 18 assists and 20 points as well as recording 86 blocked shots on the defensive end. Cukste was one of four Quinnipiac defensemen with 20 or more points on the season as he played in all 38 games for the Bobcats. Cukste will serve as an alternate captain for the 2019-20 season.
GUUS VAN NES | R-FR. | FORWARD | SAN JOSE SHARKS
van Nes did not play in a game for the Bobcats in 2018-19 but begins his collegiate eligibility in the 2019-20 season. He recorded 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 points in 41 games of his final season with the Boston Jr. Bruins in 2017-18 and has spent team in the Netherlands national team system.
ALEX WHALEN | SR. | FORWARD | NEW YORK RANGERS | JUNE 24-28
Whelan rounded out his game for the Bobcats in 2018-19 as he posted career-highs with 12 assists and 25 points to go with his 13-goal season. Whelan has recorded at least 13 goals in each of the past two seasons to lead the Bobcats in goal scoring with 29 in that span. He played in all 38 games for the Bobcats as a junior and was named an alternate captain for the upcoming season.
ETHAN DE JONG | SO. | FORWARD | CAROLINA HURRICANES | JUNE 26-29
After an impressive freshman season, Ethan de Jong heads into Carolina Hurricanes camp for his first-ever development camp. de Jong scored 10 goals and tallied 15 assists for 25 points in 2018-19, making him one of 14 freshmen nationally to record double-digit totals in goals and assists. He led all Quinnipiac freshmen with 25 points on the season.
SKYLER BRIND'AMOUR | FR. | FORWARD | EDMONTON OILERS | JUNE 24-27
Incoming freshmen Skyler Brind'Amour begins his third NHL Development Camp with the Oilers this week after being selected in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Brind'Amour had a stellar second season in the BCHL this year with the Chilliwack Chiefs as he posted 13 goals and 31 assists for 44 points in 52 games.
BROGAN RAFFERTY '19 | DEFENSEMAN | VANCOUVER CANUCKS | JUNE 24-27
Rafferty signed with the Canucks following the 2018-19 season for the Bobcats in which he tied his career-high with 24 points after recording four goals and 20 assists. Rafferty was one of four Quinnipiac defensemen with 20-plus points, finishing third amongst the team's blue-liners. Rafferty attended development camps following each of his first two seasons with the Bobcats.
ANDREW SHORTRIDGE | GOALTENDER | SAN JOSE SHARKS
After posting one of the best seasons in program history, Andrew Shortridge signed a two-way contract with the San Jose Sharks and heads into his first development camp with the organization. There was no shortage of honors for Shortridge this season as he was named a CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American, ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year, ECAC Hockey First Team, New England Division I All-Star and was a finalist for the Mike Richter Award. Shortridge was also crowned the statistical champion in two categories after leading the nation with a .940 save percentage and 1.51 GAA.
BRANDON FORTUNATO '19 | DEFENSEMAN | NASHVILLE PREDATORS | JUNE 25-29
Despite missing the final 12 games of the Bobcats 2018-19 season with an injury, Brandon Fortunato's dominating season was rewarded with a two-year contract from the Nashville Predators. Fortunato recorded career-highs with five goals, 23 assists and 28 points in just 26 games to go with a +15 plus/minus rating. He finished first among the team's defensemen in points and was third overall.
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