Yearly roster turnover is the norm in college hockey, and few programs experienced as much turnover as Penn State men’s hockey has heading into the 2024 season. The Nittany Lions lost 10 players from a roster that finished near the bottom of the Big Ten last season but added 11 newcomers to a team primed to take a step forward.

This class of newcomers includes nine freshman signees, one transfer, and one new addition from Penn State’s Division III club hockey team. Getting these players acquainted with the current roster is paramount for Penn State.

“They’ve been awesome,” captain Simon Mack said. “Obviously, a little bit bigger of a class than what I’ve seen when I’ve been here, but they’ve been really good at acclimating to things here, and I’m really excited for what they’re going to do.”

Head coach Guy Gadowsky has spoken ad nauseam about creating and maintaining a good culture within his program and ensuring newcomers become acclimated is a huge step towards that goal. Achieving that goal, though, lies on both the coaching staff and the locker room, especially in the offseason.

“Coaches have very minimal contact with the players in the summer. A lot of that work is done through the team itself,” Gadowsky said. “From what we saw when the coaches were able to partake, they did seem like a close group already. I think the team did a really good job.”

With the lack of contact, coaches have with the team during the summer, much of this acclimation process falls on the existing players and leadership within the locker room.

“The returners we had from last year have taught them everything about the culture and since they got here, they’ve bought in,” Aiden Fink said. “The freshman have been really good. Our practices have been fast, and I think these freshmen are adapting really quickly.”

“Honestly, the thing we’ve seen the most is their work ethic,” Carson Dyck said. “Each and every single guy brings something different to the table, and that’s what we’re looking for, that diversity of players, guys who are gonna play different roles.”

With its season-opening trip to Alaska looming, the Nittany Lions must continue to ensure the locker room is comfortable and the new additions are ready to contribute. Early in training camp, players continue to glow about the potential the group continues to show.

“We’ve got some good players coming in, so I think everyone’s really excited about them,” Reese Laubach said. “Obviously, there’s a little deterrent for those guys, but I think they’ll be awesome. I think everyone’s super excited.”