The Nipissing Lakers men's hockey team has added speed, size and skill to the program with their latest additions, bringing in two players who have played at both the major junior and junior A levels.
The Lakers are adding former North Bay AAA Trapper and Powassan Voodoo Dylan D'Agostino and Elias Lieffers as the latest two forwards recruited for the program for the upcoming season.
D'Agostino will join the Lakers after a very strong season with the Caledonia Corvairs where he had 13 goals, 16 assists and 29 points in 29 games in 2019-20.
The North Bay product won a championship with the Powassan Voodoos in 2017 and returned to the area in the summer of 2020 after a trade with the Corvairs in anticipation of playing out his junior eligibility at home with the Voodoos.
He trained and scrimmaged with the Voodoos until January when the team took a leave of absence due to an inability to play games in the Powassan Sportsplex due to local COVID-19 restrictions.
He is looking forward to jumping into the OUA/USports and joining the Lakers.
"My expectations for the team is to be competitive in the playoffs. Being able to continue my hockey career and further my education in my hometown with the Lakers is a tremendous honour," the forward said.
"I can't wait to get started and work with coach McParland who has a great deal of knowledge and experience."
Prior to his time with the Corvairs, D'Agostino suited up for 28 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL and 81 with the Powassan Voodoos.
He had two impressive campaigns with the Voodoos, recording a total of 36 goals and 30 assists, along with 17 playoff games where he tallied five goals and one assist.
D'Agostino, who will be enrolling in criminal justice at Nipissing, believes his strengths are playing both ends of the ice and contributing offensively and defensively.
"I am a two-way forward who uses my skating ability, vision and speed. I am dependable in the D-zone and can contribute offensively," he explained.
"My career in Junior, having played for three quality organizations has molded me into a dependable and reliable player with a team-first mentality."
Lieffers, who is from Saskatoon, SK, brings size and skill to the Lakers lineup, standing at 6-foot-5.
He also possesses a lot of skill, piling up close to a point per game in his last two stops before committing to Nipissing.
"My style of play includes being a physical, hard to play against 200-foot player," said Lieffers in a release.
"My long stick, as well as my size, allows me to be very effective in poking the puck off players and creating turnovers," the forward stated. "In previous seasons I've been more successful offensively, as well as take pride in being a leader in the room and trying to lead by example."
Lieffers will join the Lakers after his time with the Northern Colorado Eagles of the USPHL Premier league.
Prior to that, he spent parts of three seasons with the Neepawa Natives in the MJHL, where he scored 26 goals, added 34 assists and 60 points in 85 games.
He had stops in the AJHL, SJHL and WHL as well.
Entering the business program, Lieffers likes what Nipissing has to offer both athletically and academically.
"My expectations for this coming season is to better myself both academically as well as becoming a better hockey player, while at the same time winning some hockey games and competing for a national championship," he said.
"I chose Nipissing because it's a very well respected institution and its community feel as well as small class sizes are something that I feel would benefit me as a student as well as a hockey player."
Lakers head coach Mike McParland is pleased to add both of these student-athletes to the program and believes they will help the lineup.
"With Dylan, a local student-athlete who will have an opportunity to continue to develop. We hope that we can help Dylan develop into a player that in time will be a key contributor for us," McParland said.
"With Elias we add some much-needed size. He comes to us with glowing references and we're looking forward to working with Elias."
