Men's Hockey Announces Incoming Class

6/22/2026 1:01:00 PM | By: Dylan Rippe

The group includes seven first years and four transfers

HAMILTON - The Colgate Men's Hockey program and head coach Mike Harder has announced the addition of 11 newcomers to the 2026-27 roster. The group includes seven first years and four transfers hailing from five different countries.

"We could not be more excited for the future of Colgate Hockey," Coach Harder added.

"Arriving on campus this fall is an impressive group featuring seven first-year student-athletes and four impact transfers. This class brings talent, character, and experience from across the globe. Our high achieving student athletes include our usual mix of Americans and Canadians as well as two from Sweden, one from South Korean, and one from Great Britain."

This class brings experience from all over the world at both the collegiate and junior levels.

Tobias Öhman
Forward
Bålsta, Sweden
Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Öhman arrives at Colgate following a successful junior career in the USHL with the Chicago Steel and Sioux Falls Stampede, where he totaled 108 points (33 goals, 75 assists) over 169 games. A veteran of the international stage, the forward represented the Swedish National Team at the U16 level and captured a Swedish National Championship in 2023. He was named assistant captain for Chicago during the 2025-26 season and helped lead Sioux Falls deep into the 2026 Clark Cup playoffs.

Elias Zimmerman
Forward
Gavle, Sweden
UMass (Hockey East)
Zimmerman joins the roster after a successful tenure across the Swedish junior ranks and the USHL. He spent his developmental years with Brynäs IF, where he served as captain for both the U18 (2022-23) and U20 (2023-24) squads. During his time in Sweden, he combined for 39 goals and 28 assists over 114 games before making the jump to North American hockey. The forward competed for the Fargo Force in the USHL, where he appeared in 57 games and recorded 18 points before attending UMass last season where he appeared in 17 games.

Luka Shcherbyna
Forward
Vancouver, British Columbia
Wenatchee Wild (WHL)
Shcherbyna joins the program following a productive tenure in the WHL with the Wenatchee Wild, where he recorded 115 points over 184 career games. A 2024 graduate of St. George's Senior School, he put up prolific numbers during his prep career, totaling 128 points in 107 games. His leadership and performance earned him an assistant captaincy during the 2025-26 season in Wenatchee, as well as MVP honors during his U17 season at St. George's Hockey Academy. Previously, he helped lead the West Van Academy Bantam Varsity team to a CSSHL Championship in 2020.

Braiden Clark
Forward
Columbus, Ohio
London Knights (OHL)
Clark joins the Raiders following a decorated junior career across the USHL and OHL, most recently serving as a key contributor for the London Knights. A 2023 graduate of Upper Arlington High School, he made an immediate impact in junior hockey, helping the Youngstown Phantoms capture the Clark Cup Championship in 2022-23. His leadership qualities were recognized early as he was named an assistant captain for Youngstown during the 2023-24 season. Clark played one season at Providence where he posted one goal and two assists across 16 games for the Friars in 2024-25. Transitioning to the OHL, the forward reached a career-high 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) in 61 games during the 2025-26 season, a performance that earned him the London Knights' Best Defensive Forward award.

Porter Byrd-Leitner
Forward
Moorestown, N.J.
Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Byrd-Leitner arrives at Colgate as a second-generation student-athlete, following in the footsteps of his father, Aaron Byrd-Leitner, who played football for the Raiders. A 2024 graduate of Lawrenceville School and a member of the National Honor Society, the forward posted 48 assists and 68 points during his prep career while leading the Big Red to a hockey championship in 2023-24. Byrd-Leitner tallied 53 points in 50 games for the Bonnyville Pontiacs in 2024-25 which earned him recognition as one of the AJHL's top forwards before he transitioned to the junior ranks with the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, where he tallied 19 points in 2025-26.

Sam Lyne
Forward
Danbury, England
Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL)
Lyne joins the program with a wealth of international and junior experience, highlighted by his time with the Great Britain National Team and the Cranbrook Bucks of the BCHL. A 2024 graduate of Northwood Prep School, he captained the Huskies in 2023-24, a season in which he earned PHC First Team All-Star honors and the McPherson Tournament MVP. On the international stage, he represented Great Britain at the U18, U20, and Senior Men's levels including the IIHF World Championships. During his junior career in the BCHL, he totaled 47 points in the regular season and was named the Cranbrook Bucks MVP for the 2025-26 season while serving as an assistant captain.

Luke Pakulak
Forward
Surrey, British Columbia
Clarkson (ECAC)
Pakulak joins the roster following two seasons at Clarkson where he logged six points in 44 games. He played four-year years in the BCHL with the Vernon Vipers prior to his two years at the collegiate level. A 2020 graduate of South Delta Secondary School and a product of the Delta Hockey Academy, he broke into the junior ranks during his senior year, eventually totaling 89 points over 143 games in Vernon. Pakulak served as an assistant captain for the Vipers during both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons and was named the Vipers' Most Improved Player for the 2021-22 season.

Kyle Kim
Defense
Seoul, Korea
Boston University (Hockey East)
Kim joins the Raiders after spending the last season at Boston University where he appeared in three games. Prior to beginning his collegiate career, Kim spent two seasons with the New Jersey Titans of the NAHL. In 2024-25, he logged 33 points in 50 games and posted 12 points in his debut season with the Titans. Prior to his time in New Jersey, he competed in the BCHL, appearing in 46 games for the Langley Rivermen during the 2022-23 season.

Matt Minchak
Goaltender
Cranford, N.J.
Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Minchak joins the program after logging 30 games for the Kingston Frontenacs with a 2.91 GAA and .910 save percentage. A 2025 North Catholic graduate, the hockey and baseball athlete anchored the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 18U Prep squad as a senior, posting a stellar 2.06 GAA and .931 save percentage over 30 appearances. His standout play earned him OHL Top Prospect honors for the Eastern Conference and a selection to the Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game. He also earned an invite to Hockey Canada's National Goaltending Camp.

Nate Larioza
Defense
San Jose, Calif.
Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL)
Larioza heads to Hamilton after a decorated junior career in the USHL and BCHL following his time at Culver Military Academy. A 2024 graduate, the PHC All-Conference defenseman logged 59 points in 134 games for the Eagles. In juniors, he totaled 57 points across 127 career games, capturing a USHL Eastern Conference Championship with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before moving to the BCHL. He served as team captain for the Nanaimo Clippers during the 2025-26 season, earning team Most Improved Player honors and a selection to the BCHL All-Star Game.

Brandt Dubey
Defense
Orchard Park, N.Y.
Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
Dubey is welcomed to Colgate after a productive junior career spanning the USHL and NAHL. A 2022 graduate of St. Francis, where he was a member of the Paduan program, the forward previously captured a AAA State Championship title in 2020. With junior hockey he gained valuable experience competing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL, as well as the Watertown Shamrocks and Minnesota Wilderness in the NAHL.

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The group includes seven first years and four transfers

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