(left) Larkin Jacobson signed a Letter of Intent with DULarkin Jacobson (6'2 200 lbs.) of the Janesville Jets (NAHL) has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Denver next season. Larkin's step-father is two time Stanley Cup winning forward Ruslan Fedotenko, who currently plays for the NY Rangers.
Larkin is the first Jets player to sign with a WCHA team. Former Janesville , Wisconsin native Dan Olszewski is a freshman for the Pioneers this season after playing with the St. Louis Bandits of the NAHL for two seasons.
In 19 NAHL games this season, Larkin has scored seven goals and has seven assists for a total of 14 points. Larkin and the Jets next play on Wednesday, Nov. 24, when they host the Coulee Region Chill, with a 7 p.m. start at the Janesville Ice Skating Center.
“This is what our league and our organization is all about. Moving kids along and giving them the chance to play at the next level,” Jets coach Dane Litke. “Denver really liked Larkin’s size and work ethic. They compared him to a former player that is now getting looks by the NHL and started out in our league.
Larkin's older brother Derek is a linemate on the Jets. The brothers came to Janesville from the Pittsburgh Hornets program, where they had played together for the past three seasons.
The brothers’ transition has also been helped by the input of their stepfather, New York Rangers forward Ruslan Fedontenko.
“Ruslan has always told us to play as long as we want, and that he’ll support us on whatever we want to do,” Derek said. “If we have a question, he’s not afraid to tell it like it is.”
Added Litke: “I’m sure (Ruslan) has been a big influence on them. They’ve been around the National Hockey League, and there’s no better person to ask questions of than an NHL player. I know he helps them out whenever he gets a chance.”
Another advantage was training with Fedotenko during the summers.
“He really puts us to work,” Larkin said. “He got us in the best shape we’ve been in.”
The brothers’ 2009 summer also included a visit from someone every hockey fan is familiar: a guy named Stanley.
“We had the Stanley Cup for a day,” Derek said. “We took it to Door County (Wisconsin). Our family has a place we stay in the summer. We had some friends meet us up there to enjoy it with us.”
That perk came as a result of the Penguins’ Finals (Fedotenko also was a member of Tampa Bay’s Cup-winning team in 2004).
2011 Recruiting Class
D Scott Mayfield (Youngstown, USHL)
F Zac Larraza (U.S. Under-18)
F Garrett Allen (Fargo, USHL)
D Matt Van Voorhis (U.S. Under-18)
D Joey LaLeggia (Penticton Vees, BCHL)
F Larkin Jacobson (Janesville Jets, NAHL)
2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Colorado Thunderbirds-U18)
D Dakota Mermis (U.S. Under-17)
D Josiah Didier (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Daniel Doremus (Sioux Falls, USHL)
5 comments:
What is this.....why would we pick up a middle of the road NAHL player. If you look at Miami and North Dakota, every kid recruited is top notch.
Read this article.
http://www.nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=1330
There may be up to three Jacobson's on DU's Roster next season.
This year DU had the #1 recruiting class in the country and the second best recruiting class last year.
When was the last time BOTH Miami & North Dakota had a higher rated recruiting class than DU?
Its never happened, according to Inside College Hockey that has been ranking the classes since 2004.
http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/2010/10/dus-recruiting-class-named-1-by-inch.html
Not only that, but the only year that Miami's recruiting was considered to be better than DU was in 2007 when Miami was #7 & DU #9.
Many college hockey fans would probably be surprised to know that North Dakota has only had one recruiting class in the past five years that was considered to be better than DU's, and that was in 2008 when DU was #8 and UND #4.
Chris Nutini, Luke Salazar and Dustin Jackson--all pretty good players coming from the NAHL. Freshmen Dan Olszewski and yet to be seen Justin Jones also played in the NAHL.
Not every player can be a 1st round draft choice. Gwoz and Miller have a pretty good eye when it comes to recruiting! And then developing the talent.
It's a form of insurance, really. DU has to fill out its roster for the lower lines, and that's where these NAHL guys come in. You pick them up for less than a full scholarship and develop them so you have more options open in case players leave early or you get beat out for a top guy you want. Sometimes, the NAHL guys turn out to be regulars like Nutini and Salazar. Or sometimes, they just become depth players. It's a crap shoot. The attractive part for DU is that if they don't become regulars, you aren't spending your front line scholie money on busts - e.g. Marcuzzi or Gifford, etc.
I personally like 4 year players better anyway
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