The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team has added rookie defenceman Evan de Haan, of Carp, Ont., to the lineup this season in an effort to add offensive depth to the blueline.
Before joining the Ravens, de Haan played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), split between the Sudbury Wolves and the Ottawa 67’s.
In 231 career OHL games, de Haan recorded 16 goals and 61 assists for a total of 77 points, while tallying three goals and six assists in 23 career postseason games.
“I think Evan is going to bring an offensive element to our back end that I think maybe, if you look at last year, [was] a little bit lacking outside of [Jeremie] Fraser,” Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said.
“We’re going to try to give him an opportunity to be on our power play and move the puck and provide some offence from the back end,” he said, and cited de Haan’s skating ability as a strength.
This season, the Ravens will be looking to build on last year, in which they earned an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) bronze medal before falling to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in quadruple overtime at the University Cup in Halifax.
“I’ve been skating with the guys for a while here and I think we have one of the best teams in Canada,” de Haan said.
“I know a lot of guys from Ottawa, and it seems like a great group off the ice as well, which helps enormously with chemistry, and how we get along off the ice can really contribute to winning games,” he said. “My decision making has always been pretty good, my smarts and I can use my skating more to help the team.”
In de Haan’s final season in the OHL, he played 59 games with the Ottawa 67’s, while setting career highs in goals, assists, and points. He said he will look to continue the offensive production this season.
“This year we only play 28 games—I think I’ll be able to keep my fitness up and always be rested, which helps you contribute on the ice,” de Haan said. “So I think that should be a big factor that I’ll be 100 per cent every time I’m on the ice.”
One of the most significant differences between the OHL and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) is the age difference between the players. While most OHL players range from age 16-20, the majority of CIS players are 21-26.
“This year everyone can skate and hit, so it’s a little bit of a change, but we have a very skilled team here at Carleton,” de Haan said. “So obviously that is similar to the OHL players and everyone can make plays.”
De Haan and the Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team will open their season on Oct. 7 against the Queen’s Gaels in Kingston, before returning to the Ice House to take on the Royal Military College Paladins on Oct. 8.
