Dutchmen announce incoming class

by Ryan Fay

The Union men's hockey team announced its incoming recruiting class on Thursday.

The nine-member class includes six forwards, two goaltenders and a defenseman.

The forwards are Sebastian Vidmar, Brent Supinski, Cole Maier, Brendan Taylor, Ryan Walker and Mark Dufour. The goaltenders are Jake Kupsky and Joe Young. Greg Campbell is the lone defenseman in the class.

Below are mini profiles of each player and Union head coach Rick Bennett's thoughts on the class.

MINI PROFILES

Sebastian Vidmar

Vidmar

Age: 21
HT: 6'2" | WT: 189

• Played the majority of the past two seasons with the NAHL's Lone Star Brahmas.
• Named the NAHL's Most Valuable Player last season after leading the league in goals with 35 and points with 80. 
• Collected a league-best 11 game-winning goals and led all forwards with a +37 plus/minus rating in 2014-15.
• One of his Lone Star teammates last year was fellow incoming recruit Jake Kupsky.

Brett Supinski

Supinski

Age: 19
HT: 6'0" | WT: 165

• Dressed for the BCHL's Coquitlam Express last year.
• Finished second in the BCHL in scoring (and first among rookies) with 98 points on 48 goals and 50 assists.
• Selected to the All-BCHL First Team and the BCHL All-Rookie Team.
• Led BCHL with nine game-winning goals.
• Played two seasons of prep hockey at the Millbrook School, where he averaged 1.51 points a game.

Cole Maier

Age: 20

Maier

HT: 6'1" | WT: 195

• Played for the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers in 2014-15.
• Ranked second on Nanaimo in scoring with 25 goals and 29 assists in 58 games. 
• Received team award for best two-way player.
• One of his Nanaimo teammates was fellow incoming recruit Brendan Taylor.
• Scored 22 goals and served as team captain for the Taft School in 2013-14, his final year of prep hockey.

Brendan Taylor

Age: 20

Taylor

HT: 6'0 | WT: 190

• Spent the last four seasons with the BCHL's Nanaimo Clippers, his hometown team.
• Led Nanaimo in scoring the past two seasons, including 22 goals and 37 assists in 58 contests last year.
• Served as team captain during the 2014-15 season.

Ryan Walker

Age: 18

Walker

HT: 5'10" | WT: 150

• Skated for the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers in 2014-15.
• Had 10 goals and 24 assists in 60 games last year.
• Named to USHL All-Academic team after posting a weighted 4.20 GPA at Sioux City East High School
• Became first player in NAPHL history to notch 50 points in a season while with the New Jersey Titans in 2013-14.
• Originally committed for 2016-17.

Mark Dufour
Age: 19
HT: 6'3" | WT: 197

Dufour

• Spent the last two seasons with the Islanders Hockey Club of the USPHL.
• Registered 14 goals and 16 assists in 38 games last season.
• Played three seasons of prep hockey at Kents Hill, where he recorded two 20-goal campaigns
• Concluded prep hockey career with 96 points in 83 games

Jake Kupsky

Kupsky

Age: 19

HT: 6'5" | WT: 210

• Tended goal for the NAHL's Lone Star Brahmas last year.
• Went 19-4-4 with a 2.16 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 30 games during the 2014-15 regular season.
• Stepped up his game in the postseason, going 6-3 with a 1.86 GAA and a .930 save percentage in nine contests.
• Named to the NAHL South Division All-Rookie team.

Joe Young

Age: 21

HT: 6'2" | WT: 175

Young

• Backstopped the USPHL's Philadelphia Junior Flyers the last two years.
• Recorded a 20-14 record, a 3.03 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 47 games during the 2014-15 regular season.
• Went 4-2 with a 2.75 GAA and a .929 save percentage in six playoff games last year.
• Was ranked 31st among North American goalies by NHL Central Scouting for the 2012 NHL draft (was not selected).

Greg Campbell

Age: 20

Campbell

HT: 6'0 | WT: 194

• Spent the last three seasons with the OJHL's Oakville Blades.
• Finished as Oakville's top scoring defenseman in 2014-15 with nine goals and 30 assists in 49 contests.
• Played for Team Canada East at the 2014-15 World Junior A Hockey Challenge.
• Invited to the 2014 Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge.

Union head coach Rick Bennett on the class: 

"Credit has to go to Joe Dumais and Jason Tapp for bringing in another quality class of recruits. This nine-member class required a lot of road work on their part and I'm grateful for their time and efforts. We want more to be more competitive in all areas of our program, and I think this incoming class helps us with that. In order for us to get back to where we want to be, we need to create competition at every position."

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