TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Sun Devil hockey program announced the final group of their 2017-18 recruiting class on Wednesday, signing four additional student-athletes along with the five fall signees.
The spring class includes forwards Austin Lemieux, Dominic Garcia and Filips Buncis, along with transfer Gage Hough. They join Coyotes' draft pick Patrick Kudla, AJHL leading goal scorer Tyler Maltby, Phoenix-native Johnny Walker, the 'Latvian Locomotive' Gvido Jansons and two-way defenseman Jacob Wilson.
According to NeutralZone.net -- a hockey scouting and news site which identifies, ranks and profiles NCAA prospects from across North America -- the Sun Devils 2017-18 recruiting class ranks 12th in the country with an average star rating of 3.86.
The nine incoming Devils are listed below:
Austin Lemieux – Right Wing
Sewickley, Penn.
6'3" 170lbs
3/24/96
Shoots: R
Islanders Hockey Club (USPHL Premier)
2016-17: 20g, 54a (45 games)
Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2015-16: 6g, 8a (57 games)
Filips Buncis - Center
Jelgava, Latvia
6'3" 205lbs
6/12/97
Shoots: L
Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL)
2016-17: 10g, 25a (44 games)
2015-16: 10g, 14a (51 games)
2014-15: 1g, 11a (29 games)
Dominic Garcia – Forward
Las Vegas, Nev.
5'11" 192lbs
10/30/96
Shoots: R
Aston Rebels (NAHL)
2016-17: 14g, 33a (56 games)
2015-16: 14g, 13a (27 games)
Coach Powers on Garcia: "Dom wears the 'C' for his team in Aston and is the ultimate leader and culture builder. The energy he plays with and brings to the room every day is contagious and he will have a major impact on helping us build our program."
Gage Hough – Forward (Transfer)
Omaha, Nebraska
6'30 209lbs
3/27/93
Shoots: R
UMass-Lowell (Hockey East)
2016-17: 2g, 2a (11 games)
2015-16: 4g, 1a (21 games)
2014-15: 0g, 1a (8 games)
Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2013-14: 24g, 28a (59 games)
2012-13: 11g, 9a (51 games)
Coach Powers on Hough: "Gage brings us more upperclassman leadership and comes to us from an incredible program at UMass-Lowell, where they do everything right. He will help us balance our classes and fits our identity of hard and heavy really well. Gage will have a huge impact on our young team and I know he is as excited to come in as we are to have him here."
Fall 2016 Signees
Patrick Kudla - Defenseman
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
6'3" 174lbs
4/2/96
Shoots: L
Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
2016-17: 8g, 30a (58 games)
Coach Powers on Kudla: "Patrick is a special talent and comes to us from Dubuque where this season he was top 3 in the USHL for Defenseman scoring. He's really worked on rounding out his game on the back end this year and he will make a difference on the ice right away for us."
Phoenix, Ariz.
6'0" 190lbs
8/21/96
Shoots: R
Chicago Steel (USHL)
2016-17: 16g, 13a (41 games)
2015-16: 1g, 0a (3 games w/ Chicago)
Minot Minotauros (USHL)
2015-16: 17g, 20a (36 games w/ Minot Minotauros of NAHL)
8g, 7a (16 games w/ Topeka Roadrunners of NAHL)
2014-15: 20g, 22a (54 games)
2013-14: 2g, 0a (24 games)
Coach Powers on Walker: "Johnny has had a huge year in Chicago this year in his first season in the USHL. He is a local kid that has really committed the last few years to developing himself as an elite player. He's so naturally gifted around the net and will give us more scoring depth up front. Most importantly, Johnny wanted to be a Sun Devil more than anything. He is a kid who will absolutely help us build our program to where we want to go."
Liepaja, Latvia
6'4" 210lbs
1/9/97
Shoots: L
Aston Rebels (NAHL)
2016-17: 19g, 27a (54 games)
2015-16: 7g, 13a (47 games)
Coach Powers on Jansons: "Gvido is another big body with an incredibly heavy shot we are adding to our blue-line. He finished third in scoring among defensemen in the NAHL this year and also was able get invaluable international experience with Latvia at the World Juniors. His upside is tremendous and we are thrilled he's a Sun Devil."
Ballwin, Missouri
5'11" 185lbs
2/27/97
Shoots: R
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
2016-17: 6g, 18a (44 games)
2015-16: 7g, 13a (45 games)
2014-15: 3g, 12a (55 games)
"Jacob is a big addition and has been committed to us for a couple of years, so he really saw our vision early and wanted to be a part of Sun Devil Hockey. He's a true leader and as Captain led Sioux City led his team to a really great season. He'll make a key contribution to our program the minute he walks in our door."
The spring class includes forwards Austin Lemieux, Dominic Garcia and Filips Buncis, along with transfer Gage Hough. They join Coyotes' draft pick Patrick Kudla, AJHL leading goal scorer Tyler Maltby, Phoenix-native Johnny Walker, the 'Latvian Locomotive' Gvido Jansons and two-way defenseman Jacob Wilson.
According to NeutralZone.net -- a hockey scouting and news site which identifies, ranks and profiles NCAA prospects from across North America -- the Sun Devils 2017-18 recruiting class ranks 12th in the country with an average star rating of 3.86.
The nine incoming Devils are listed below:
Austin Lemieux – Right Wing
Sewickley, Penn.
6'3" 170lbs
3/24/96
Shoots: R
Islanders Hockey Club (USPHL Premier)
2016-17: 20g, 54a (45 games)
Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2015-16: 6g, 8a (57 games)
- Lemieux led the USPHL in points (74) and assists (54) during the regular season
- In the deciding game of the 2017 USPHL Dineen Cup Championship Series on March 9, Lemieux netted a hat trick to lead the Islanders to their first Dineen Cup title
- Son of Hockey Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux
#SunDevilNation, welcome Austin @Lemieux_96 to @ASU!
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) April 12, 2017
Lemieux led the @USPHL in scoring in 2016-17 w/ 20g, 54a in 45 games! #SigningDay pic.twitter.com/IUn7LwX2Z5
Filips Buncis - Center
Jelgava, Latvia
6'3" 205lbs
6/12/97
Shoots: L
Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL)
2016-17: 10g, 25a (44 games)
2015-16: 10g, 14a (51 games)
2014-15: 1g, 11a (29 games)
- Played for Team Latvia at the World Junior Classic U20 Championships, tallying a goal and an assist
- Wore the 'C' for the Johnstown Tomahawks this season, becoming the first European captain in Johnstown history
- Named to the NAHL Selects team at the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament in Plymouth, Mich. in February
- Made the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Selects roster
- Second Latvian to sign with ASU for the 2017-18 season, along with his friend and defenseman Gvido Jansons
Meet the big Latvian centerman! #SigningDay #BetheTradition pic.twitter.com/kJTJ1Lsu4v
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) April 12, 2017
Dominic Garcia – Forward
Las Vegas, Nev.
5'11" 192lbs
10/30/96
Shoots: R
Aston Rebels (NAHL)
2016-17: 14g, 33a (56 games)
2015-16: 14g, 13a (27 games)
Coach Powers on Garcia: "Dom wears the 'C' for his team in Aston and is the ultimate leader and culture builder. The energy he plays with and brings to the room every day is contagious and he will have a major impact on helping us build our program."
- Was the top uncommited NAHL player and 49th-ranked NCAA prospect when chose ASU
- Named to the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects East roster
- At one point, played youth hockey with current Devil Joey Raats
Welcome Las Vegas native & @AstonRebels forward @Dominic_Garcia1 to the Sun Devil family! #SigningDay #StacheGameStrong pic.twitter.com/lcs1N3jGZd
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) April 12, 2017
Gage Hough – Forward (Transfer)
Omaha, Nebraska
6'30 209lbs
3/27/93
Shoots: R
UMass-Lowell (Hockey East)
2016-17: 2g, 2a (11 games)
2015-16: 4g, 1a (21 games)
2014-15: 0g, 1a (8 games)
Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2013-14: 24g, 28a (59 games)
2012-13: 11g, 9a (51 games)
Coach Powers on Hough: "Gage brings us more upperclassman leadership and comes to us from an incredible program at UMass-Lowell, where they do everything right. He will help us balance our classes and fits our identity of hard and heavy really well. Gage will have a huge impact on our young team and I know he is as excited to come in as we are to have him here."
- Transferred from UMass-Lowell after three seasons
- Named to the USHL All-Star Team in the 2013-14 season
- Won the Anderson Cup with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in 2010-11
Gage-ing by this, we feel #SunDevilNation is going to be a big fan of Gage Hough! Meet the new #SunDevil forward! #SigningDay pic.twitter.com/O0sXmamViH
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) April 13, 2017
Fall 2016 Signees
Patrick Kudla - Defenseman
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
6'3" 174lbs
4/2/96
Shoots: L
Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
2016-17: 8g, 30a (58 games)
Coach Powers on Kudla: "Patrick is a special talent and comes to us from Dubuque where this season he was top 3 in the USHL for Defenseman scoring. He's really worked on rounding out his game on the back end this year and he will make a difference on the ice right away for us."
- Drafted in the 6th round by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016
- Second-ranked 1996 birth year recruit in the country according to NeutralZone.net
- He is one of only four players given a 4.5 star rating by the site
- Kudla is currently playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL, totaling eight goals and 30 assists in 58 games -- which ranks 3rd among USHL defensemen
- His eight goals led all USHL d-men in goals scored
Phoenix, Ariz.
6'0" 190lbs
8/21/96
Shoots: R
Chicago Steel (USHL)
2016-17: 16g, 13a (41 games)
2015-16: 1g, 0a (3 games w/ Chicago)
Minot Minotauros (USHL)
2015-16: 17g, 20a (36 games w/ Minot Minotauros of NAHL)
8g, 7a (16 games w/ Topeka Roadrunners of NAHL)
2014-15: 20g, 22a (54 games)
2013-14: 2g, 0a (24 games)
Coach Powers on Walker: "Johnny has had a huge year in Chicago this year in his first season in the USHL. He is a local kid that has really committed the last few years to developing himself as an elite player. He's so naturally gifted around the net and will give us more scoring depth up front. Most importantly, Johnny wanted to be a Sun Devil more than anything. He is a kid who will absolutely help us build our program to where we want to go."
- In October, Walker held a seven-game goal streak for the Steel, and was named the CCM Forward of the Week for the third week of October.
- At one point was among the leaders in points and goals in the league prior to a minor injury
- Rated as the No. 45 player in the 1996 birth recruiting class according to NeutralZone.net
Liepaja, Latvia
6'4" 210lbs
1/9/97
Shoots: L
Aston Rebels (NAHL)
2016-17: 19g, 27a (54 games)
2015-16: 7g, 13a (47 games)
Coach Powers on Jansons: "Gvido is another big body with an incredibly heavy shot we are adding to our blue-line. He finished third in scoring among defensemen in the NAHL this year and also was able get invaluable international experience with Latvia at the World Juniors. His upside is tremendous and we are thrilled he's a Sun Devil."
- Jansons adds both a physical element and the ability to score
- Led the NAHL defensemen in goals scored with 19, and ranked third overall in points with 46 in 54 games -- accomplished all this with five less games played than the two players ahead of him
- Also led d-men in power-play goals scored with 11
- Played for Team Latvia at the 2016 World Junior Championships
Ballwin, Missouri
5'11" 185lbs
2/27/97
Shoots: R
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
2016-17: 6g, 18a (44 games)
2015-16: 7g, 13a (45 games)
2014-15: 3g, 12a (55 games)
"Jacob is a big addition and has been committed to us for a couple of years, so he really saw our vision early and wanted to be a part of Sun Devil Hockey. He's a true leader and as Captain led Sioux City led his team to a really great season. He'll make a key contribution to our program the minute he walks in our door."
- Committed to ASU back in June of 2015, but decided to play another season in the USHL with the Sioux City Musketeers
- Ranked 14th among USHL defensemen in goals scored (6) and 16th in overall scoring (24) during the regular season