The next two classes for Michigan State men's ice hockey are set to be some of the best as of late. While next year’s incoming class is slated to be No. 23 according to Puck Preps and slightly higher by other calculations, this upcoming year is still set to have high-end talent arriving on campus.
Slovakian defenseman Maxim Strbak has been described as “world-class talent” by scouts. He is a top prospect for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Speaking of which, Jack Sparkes is a tall defenseman who was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings last June.
March marked the beginning of this year’s transfer season. It started for Michigan State with center Zach Dubinsky entering as a graduate transfer last week. He found a home at the University of Vermont earlier this week. Sophomore center Jesse Tucker entered the portal as well and ended up at Clarkson University. Senior defenseman Powell Connor and senior forward Kyle Haskins are still in the portal.
According to my projections prior to Tucker’s exit, he would still only be a fourth-line center on Michigan State’s roster. Last season, Tucker was in and out of the lineup. He finished with six goals and four assists.
MSU returns most of its top scorers for next season. Freshman center Karsen Dorwart and freshman forward Daniel Russell would likely stick together on the same line again next season. Russell stuck to right wing, while Jagger Joshua played left wing this season. Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale may move senior Nicolas Müller over to right wing where he’s played in the past.
Freshman forwards who could make their way onto MSU’s starting lines include Michael DeAngelo, Isaac Gordon, Gavin O’Connell, Riley Bassen and A.J. Lacroix. Given the number of incoming freshman, it’s anyone’s guess as to which ones will end up playing together.