The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team has added two local players to its roster.
Forward Mitchell Porowski and goaltender Francis Dupuis committed to the team and will don the red, white, and black this coming season.
Both players were born in 1991, which means they have surpassed their junior hockey eligibility. Porowski, who hails from Ottawa, just finished a four-year junior career where he played for a total of three teams in three different leagues.
He split his first year between the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) and the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
He then played two full seasons with Gatineau before jumping to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to play for the Brampton Battalion this past season, where he set a career high with 17 goals.
Over his junior career Porowski tallied 207 penalty minutes and 103 points in 231 games played.
Porowski said he is excited to begin the next chapter of his hockey career with his hometown Ravens.
“I chose Carleton over a few other schools because their hockey team is very professional, and [coach Marty Johnston]’s perspective on the game is really professional,” Porowski said. “The school is pretty close to my front door steps and I can see all my friends again.”
Porowski, a towering presence at 6’4, said he is ready for the challenge of playing in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).
“I’ve heard guys are a little bit faster, a little bit bigger,” he said. “I have to be prepared to use my size and understand guys are going to older and have more experience than I’ve had.”
Dupuis, an Orleans native, joins a Ravens squad that had solid goaltending last season with Matthew Dopud and Ryan Dube. Dupuis played five seasons, mostly in the CCHL, with four different teams.
He played the past two seasons with the Pembroke Lumber Kings, leading his club to a victory in the RBC Cup in 2011. Last season, Dupuis recorded 25 wins and 17 losses with a 0.919 save percentage.
“I wanted to come back and play for my hometown,” Dupuis said. “Carleton, having a solid program like that, made it an easy decision.”
Like Porowski, Dupuis said he is excited for the challenge of playing in the CIS, but said he is aware that it will be a huge change from the junior level.
“The speed definitely,” said Dupuis in regards to the biggest difference he expects. “I’m going to play with graduated major junior players. It’s going to be a bit of a faster pace for me, but I think I’m ready for it.”
Dupuis is not a complete stranger to the major junior level, having played three games with the OHL’s Guelph Storm in the 2008-09 season.
“I think I can add some depth and be one of the guys to play and win some games with them or just push the starter to always be at their best,” said Dupuis.
Both players said the importance of furthering their education outweighed the allures of making a run at the professional level.
“I wanted to get an education in before hopefully moving on to pro,” Dupuis said.
“I figured it would take to long to get my university degree while playing pro hockey, so I will get the degree first then continue playing after school,” Porowski said.
