The Ravens men’s hockey team will include a new recruit with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) experience, as defenceman Justin Stevens has transferred to Carleton.
Stevens said he’s excited to bring what he can offer to the team.
“I just want to play good, solid defence . . . make it hard on my opponents and at the same time, be a great team guy and do whatever it takes to win,” he said.
The five-foot-11, 205-lb. blueliner spent the past two seasons with the NCAA’s Mercyhurst Lakers, a Division I program.
While he was originally looking into American schools for a transfer, Stevens said Francis Dupuis, the Ravens’ current starting goaltender and an old junior hockey friend from the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canadian Hockey League, convinced him to look into joining Carleton.
Before his conversation with Dupuis, Stevens said he didn’t know much about the university other than its strong hockey team. But after doing a bit of research, he became more and more interested.
“Literally everything I came upon was absolutely amazing from the school . . . the city, the program, everything,” he said.
The Brantford, Ont. native said his new team is geographically further away than his former Erie, Pennsylvania-based Lakers squad.
“It’s nice to be back in Canada, and back on the home turf,” he said.
Stevens said he will have to adjust because of the transition between the NCAA and Canadian Interuniversity Sport styles of play, but said he’s eager for the challenge.
“There’s a lot more major league experience and older guys [in Canada],” he said.
When it comes to making goals for the season, Stevens said he is hoping to help the Ravens return to the University Cup—the CIS national championship tournament—after their inaugural appearance in 2013-14 campaign.
“I feel honoured to be part of the program now,” he said. “I know they’ve got some unfinished business there at nationals.”
