Checking in on recruits (updated)

Today is national signing day for football and a few other sports. This has been made into a huge deal on ESPN and elsewhere, despite the fact that we know where most of those players are going already. The only difference is now the coaches get to talk about those players.

In honor of this not-as-newsworthy-as-everyone-thinks day, lets take a look at the Minnesota State men's hockey recruits for next fall and beyond and see how they're doing:

2012
Teddy Blueger, F, Shattuck-St. Mary's: 15 G, 41 A, 38 PIM in 35 games
Nick Buchanan, D, Penticton (BCHL): 1 G, 12 A, 23 PIM in 44 games
Dan Carlson, F, Sioux Falls: 6 G 8 A, +4, 38 PIM in 29 games
Jon Juntzi, D, Powell River (BCHL): 8 G, 19 A, 12 PIM in 43 games
Brett Knowles, F, Cowichan Valley (BCHL): 12 G, 35 A, 60 PIM in 44 games
Bryce Gervais, F, Pentiction (BCHL): 35 G, 26 A, 35 PIM in 44 games
Dylan Margonari, F, Youngstown (USHL): 11 G, 7 A, +1, 73 PIM in 34 games
Stephon Williams, G, Waterloo (USHL): 6-9-2, .913 SV%, 2.70 GAA

2013
Ryan Schwalbe, F, Shattuck-St. Mary's: 18 G, 41 A, 40 PIM in 41 games
Eli May, D, Eagan High School: 7 G, 9 A, 15 PIM in 20 games

Notes: UPDATE: Williams was traded from Sioux Falls to Waterloo on Tuesday. ... Gervais ranks second in the BCHL in goal scoring. ... Knowles was traded from Salmon Arm to Cowichan Valley 10 games ago. ... Williams is tied for fourth in the USHL in SV%. ...  May's Eagan team is ranked No. 4 in Minnesota.

Mavs get D commit

Minnesota State recently received a verbal commitment for next season from defenseman Nick Buchanan of the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League. Buchanan is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound defensive defenseman from the BCHL's top team. He has seven assists in 31 games.

Buchanan, a Victoria, B.C., native, is teammates with another future Maverick, forward Bryce Gervais, who was traded to the Vees from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Gervais has 28 goals and 15 assists in 31 games.

The Vees are loaded with future college players, including Minnesota-bound Connor Reilly, Mike Reilly and Ryan Reilly (three brothers from Chanhassen); St. Cloud State-bound Joey Benik of St. Francis; and Notre Dame-bound Mario Lucia, son of Gophers coach Don Lucia.

Who gets the nickname?

Hockey players, coaches and fans can't call each other by their real names. It's almost impossible. So when Minnesota State's latest commitment comes to Mankato in 2012, it will be interesting to hear what he's called. The Mavericks recently got a verbal from defenseman Jon Jutzi of the Powell River Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League.

Can he be called Jutz, which might sound an awful lot like Jutts, the moniker of MSU coach Troy Jutting? Or is it Jootz? Just a thought.

No matter what he's called — even if it's just Jon —the Mavericks appear to have a good one. Jutzi is a 6 foot 2, 195-pound defenseman from Ontario. He had six goals and 18 assists for the Kings last year, and in a recent press release, his coach said their are high expectations for him this coming year.

Here's what Jutzi said about his commitment to MSU:

“From the first time I talked to the coaching staff atMinnesotaState I just had a great feeling. I get along with the coaches really well and agree with their coaching philosophies. When I was down there I liked the campus, liked the rink and liked the town. When I walked around this campus I could see it as a place I would feel comfortable in for 4 years. The whole process can be a little overwhelming at certain times but a lot of it is going with your gut feeling.”

Interestingly, the recruiting of Jutzi continues the Mavericks return to Canada for player. The incoming freshman class will have defenseman Mat Knoll of the AJHL. But the 2012 freshmen will have Jutzi, as well as Brett Knowles and Bryce Gervais, all of the BCHL. The upcoming team will have just two Canadians: Knoll and goalie Evan Karambelas.