Michigan Tech head hockey coach Joe Shawhan has named former Trail Smoke Eater, Jake Lucchini, a co-captain of the 2018-19 Huskies.
Lucchini will share the duties with Dylan Steman, a Hanover, Minn. native in his fifth and final year at Michigan Tech.
“These young men have been a major part of our success in recent years and understand the expectations on the ice, in the community, and in the classroom,” Shawhan said. “They lead by example and understand the direction of the coaching staff and support their teammates both on and off the ice.”
Lucchini follows in the footsteps of former Smoke Eater captain Brent Baltus who also captained the Huskies last season in his senior year. Lucchini played in all 44 games for Tech in 2017-18 and led the Huskies in goals, 16, assists, 23, and total points, 39, finishing seventh overall in the WCHA in points. He received the Merv Youngs Award as the team most valuable player and also the Gary Crosby Memorial Award while serving as an alternate captain.
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The Trail native was named to the NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team, was the WCHA Offensive Player of March, and a WCHA Offensive Player of the Week (Feb. 5). He led the Huskies to the WCHA championship and into the National Tournament for a second consecutive year, leading all playoff scorers with 10 points. He attended the 2018 Pittsburgh Penguins Annual Prospect Development Camp and the Edmonton Oilers Development Camp in 2016 and 2017. He has 78 career points in 126 games, entering his senior campaign.
Lucchini played three seasons for the Smoke Eaters from 2012-15, scoring eight points in his first year and 26 in his second campaign. As Trail’s captain in 2014-15, he led the team in scoring, finishing fourth overall in the BCHL with 35 goals and 83 points in 58 games, more than doubling his combined total from the previous two seasons, and was a BCHL MVP candidate.
Steman served as an alternate captain and played in a career-high 43 games last season, tallying 19 points on seven goals and 12 assists. He was named to the Ice Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team and enters his final season with 57 career points in 117 games.
Jake Jackson will serve as the alternate captain.
Tech opens the 2018-19 season on October 12-13 against Minnesota Duluth at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.