Penn State men’s hockey announced the addition of its 2023-24 recruiting class Tuesday, which consists of five forwards and two defensemen.

Five of these newcomers are incoming freshmen, and two are transfers.

Earlier this month head coach Guy Gadowsky and the Penn State men's ice hockey team finalized its 2023-24 recruiting class comprised of five forwards and two defensemen!!#WeAre #HockeyValley

Read https://t.co/SAYip5eMop

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) June 27, 2023

After several mainstays, including captain Paul DeNaples, left the program, Guy Gadowsky had a busy offseason ahead. Penn State’s forward depth was hit the hardest by those departures, as six exited following the season’s conclusion in the NCAA Tournament regional final. Now, the team’s new forwards and defensemen bring a refreshed look to the program, so let’s break it down.

Aiden Fink, Forward

Despite being just 18 years old, 5’10”, 160-pound forward Aiden Fink has already made a name for himself. The Calgary, Alberta, native spent the last two seasons playing for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, a branch of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

Last season, Fink was named the top forward and most valuable player in both leagues after a campaign that saw him net 41 goals, tally 56 assists, and score 90 points in just 54 games. Additionally, he played for Team Canada in the World Junior A challenge this past season, where he led the tournament with five goals and seven assists in six games.

Fink was also ranked the No. 63 overall skater by NHL Central Scouting before the NHL Draft Wednesday.

Reese Laubach, Forward

Reese Laubach, a native of San Jose, California, was selected by his hometown San Jose Sharks with the No. 217 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 6’0″, 170-pound forward spent the last two seasons in the USHL, most recently with the Omaha Lancers and previously the Youngstown Phantoms.

In the 2022-23 season, Laubach scored nine goals and recorded 11 assists for 20 points.

Dane Dowiak, Forward

Like Laubach, Dane Dowiak spent the last two seasons in the USHL playing for the Tri-City Storm. The 5’10”, 180-pound forward appeared in 116 games, scored 32 goals, and registered 31 assists for 63 points.

Dowiak, a Pittsburgh native, is also an alum of the Penguins Elite hockey program.

Matt DiMarsico, Forward

Another Penguins Elite alum, Wexford, Pennsylvania, native Matt DiMarsico arrives in Hockey Valley after a stint with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. Over the course of 59 games, the 6’0″, 180-pound forward scored 25 goals and 21 assists for 46 points in a Gamblers uniform. His 25 goals led the team and ranked inside the league’s top 20.

Jacques Bouquot, Forward

One of two transfers, Jacques Bouquot arrives as a graduate student from Vermont where he had a lengthy four-year career, which included serving as team captain last season. The 2022-23 season was also his best so far, as the 6’2″, 190-pound forward scored six goals and grabbed 10 assists for 16 points.

The South Windsor, Connecticut, native has 50 points, 17 goals, and 33 assists over the course of his collegiate career.

Casey Aman, Defenseman

Casey Aman, a 6’0″, 185-pound Johnstown, Pennsylvania, native, comes to Penn State after spending the last two seasons with the Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League.

While in British Columbia, Aman scored 17 goals, had 46 assists, and tallied 63 points. Last season was a career year for Aman, with 10 goals, 25 assists, and 35 points.

Tanner Palocsik, Defenseman

Tanner Palocsik is Penn State’s second transfer this offseason, joining the program as a graduate student after four seasons at Dartmouth. Palocsik, an Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, native, was Dartmouth’s captain during the 2022-23 season.

Over the course of his Dartmouth career, the 5’11”, 190-pound defenseman appeared in 93 games, scoring 13 goals and 53 assists for 66 points. Palocsik is a two-time second-team All-IVY selection, most recently last season and previously in 2019-20. He is also a Penguins Elite alum.