The Nipissing Lakers stayed very close to home and nabbed arguably its top male hockey recruit this week as former Sudbury Wolves Captain Danny Desrochers has committed to Nipissing University for the upcoming 2016-17 season.
Desrochers, netted 15 goals this season as the overage captain of the Sudbury Wolves. What’s better is that Desrochers is a North Bay native who will be playing at Memorial Gardens on the home bench, much like he did back in 2011-12 with the North Bay Jr. Trappers before he embarked on his OHL career in Sudbury.
Desrochers admits it was a tough decision with the lure coming from some bigger schools on the East Coast along with professional options in Europe.
“I’m definitely excited. It’s been awhile since I’ve been a part of a new team so it's going to be nice to start fresh,” he said.
“I saw more of an opportunity with the Lakers. The guys seem to really like it here. And I get to stay at home, even though Sudbury wasn't too far.”
Desrochers spent four full season with the Wolves, as well as eight games as a 16-year-old, playing 264 games, putting up 39 goals and 39 assists, good for 78 points along with 259 penalty minutes.
While Desrochers spent a lot of his career playing a more defensive role, McParland believes the OUA will allow him to showcase his offensive abilities similar to how Conor O’Donnell did moving from the Windsor Spitfires to the Lakers in the fall of 2010.
“After year three and four with us, Conor O’Donnell became a top 10 scorer in CIS hockey but Conor’s last year’s in Windsor, even though they won the Memorial Cup, he was relegated to a fourth line player, a penalty killer and a bit of a tough guy role where he wasn’t allowed to use the skill set that he demonstrated to get him to major junior,” said McParland about Desrochers-O’Donnell comparison.
“With Dan it’s not that quite extreme as he did score 15 goals this year but we think that Dan - given more power play and offensive opportunities - will be able to bring out that skill level that he does possess and that’s our goal for him.”
Desrochers believes he established himself early as a hard worker and grew into his role as his career progressed in Sudbury.
“I took in a role my first couple years and it ended up growing on me throughout my career and I was the type of guy that could go two ways on the ice, but mostly shutting down other team’s first line,” he said.
Desrochers will join former teammates Jimmy McDowell and Chad Thibodeau, who both spent time with the Wolves during their OHL careers as well.
