FAIRBANKS - The Alaska Nanooks hockey team has announced the first six signees of their incoming recruiting class. This first group of six consists of three defensemen, two forwards and one goalie.

Kyle Gaffney
6'0" 165 lbs | Fr. | Forward | L | Plymouth, Mich. | Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)
Kyle Gaffney joins the Nanooks after spending the previous two seasons with the Aberdeen Wings in the North American Hockey League. His first season, the 2020-21 season, saw Gaffney play in 45 games, scoring three goals and tallying 18 assists. In the 2021 NAHL Playoffs he played in 11 games, scoring four goals and assisting on three for seven total points. That season, he was named an NAHL All-Central Division Rookie Team selection. He added a +23 and 53 penalty minutes in the regular-season. In his second season, 2021-22, Gaffney wore the 'C' for the Wings and saw time in 60 games. He posted 14 goals and 32 assists for 46 points while adding a +4 and 46 penalty minutes. In seven postseason games in 2021-22 he scored six points on one goal and five assists. 

Largen's Thoughts
"Kyle gives us a lot of flexibility as he is someone who can play wing or center and can play up and down a lineup. He has a great stick and can kill penalties as well. Kyle plays fast and will be someone who is going to get under opponents skin with the way he competes."

Will Hilfiker
6'2" 205 lbs | Fr. | Defenseman | R | Middletown, NJ | Bonnyville Pontiacs (AJHL)
Hilfiker has spent the past two years with the Pontiacs in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. After joining them in 2020-21 for only four games, he posted a full season in 2021-22 playing in 55 games. In his first full season with Bonnyville, Hilfiker wore the alternate captain's patch while scoring four goals and assisting on 15 for 19 points. He added 63 penalty minutes. Bonnyville qualified for the playoffs and Hilfiker played in six games. After posting a 36-18-8 season record with 80 points earned, the Pontiacs saw their season come to an end with a loss to the Whitecourt Wolverines in game six of a seven-game series. 

Largen's Thoughts
"Will possess good skating for his size and defends extremely well with a long stick. His ceiling is very high with his work ethic, dedication and character embodies what is to be a Nanook. We look forward to seeing Will's development over the course of his four years."

Ricards Landmanis
6'7" 161 lbs | Fr. | Defenseman | L | Ventspils, Latvia | Collingwood Blues (OJHL)
Landmanis is a tall blue-liner joining the Nanooks from the Collingwood Blues in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He spent the previous two seasons with Collingwood. He did not see time in a game in 2020-21. In his second season, Landmanis saw time in 54 games, scoring nine goals and tallying 18 assists while posting 64 penalty minutes. During the playoff run, Landmanis saw time in four games, picking up one point, an assist while going to the box for two minutes. The Blues saw their season end in the OJHL Semifinals to Pickering, the eventual league champion. 

Largen's Thoughts
"Ricky skates very well for his size and is extremely difficult to get around due to his length. He possesses good instincts with and without the puck and is someone who has all of the characteristics we are looking for in a person to fit out culture. Once Ricky gets adjusted to the college game he will be a very effective player in our lineup."

Lassi Lehti
6'4" 209 lbs | Fr. | Goaltender | L | Espoo, Finland | El Paso Rhinos (NAHL) & Minot Minotauros (NAHL)
Lehti will join the Nanooks after spending last season in the North American Hockey League with both the El Paso Rhinos and the Minot Minotauros. He began the 2021-22 season with the El Paso Rhinos and saw time in 27 games. In his time between the pipes, Lehti went 10-12-3 with a .920 save percentage and a 2.89 goals-against average (GAA). After joining Minot, Lehti saw time in 10 games, going 4-6-0 between the pipes. He ended with a .920 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average. 

Largen's Thoughts
"Lassi is very athletic and moves laterally extremely well. He is a very hard worker and has all the tools to be a starting goalie at the Division I level. We are very excited to see his growth and maturation when he gets to the college level."

A.J. Macaulay
5'9" 170 lbs | Fr. | Defenseman | L | Bonnyville, Alta. | Bonnyville Pontiacs (AJHL)
Macaulay spent five seasons with the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. His time with the Pontiacs began in 2017-18 when he played two games, scoring one point on an assist. His 2018-19 season consisted of the same stat line. His first full season with the Pontiacs came in 2019-20 when he played in 51 games; he scored one goal and added 13 assists for 14 points. His second season, 2020-21, consisted of only 16 games played and saw him post eight points on one goal and seven assists. In his final season Macaulay posted career numbers in 56 games played. He scored nine goals while tallying 33 assists for 42 points. He played in six playoff games and scored five points on one goal and four assists. He was named to the AJHL North All-Star Team in 2021-22 and wore the alternate captain's 'A'.

Largen's Thoughts
"A.J. is a new age defenseman with his ability to create offense from the blue line. He is a fantastic skater and will still play a physical game. He has an excellent shot and is of very high character who will fit into our culture."

Zachary Power
6'0" 185 lbs | Fr. | Forward | L | Glencoe, Ontario | London Nationals (GOJHL) & Steinbach Pistons (MJHL)
Zachary Power joins the Nanooks after splitting the 2021-22 season with two teams in two separate leagues. He opened up the 21-22 season with the London Nationals of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. There he played in 22 games scoring 54 points while netting 17 goals and tallying 37 assists. He then joined the Steinbach Pistons in the MJHL and played in 23 games, scoring 13 goals and assisting on 23 for 36 points. Power played in 18 playoff games where he continued to shine. In those 18 games, Power scored eight goals and assisted on 19 for 27 points. His efforts led the Pistons to game seven of the MJHL Finals before falling to the Dauphin Kings. 

Largen's Thoughts
"Zach possesses great instincts on the ice and has a great stick. He is able to create offense on the rush, in the offensive zone and the power play. We believe he is only scratching the surface as to the type of player he can be."

Additional signees for the Nanooks hockey program will be announced in the coming weeks.