Engineers Stand Out at NHL Prospect Camps

Photo by Sara Melikian

TROY, N.Y. - Numerous Rensselaer student-athletes recently participated in National Hockey League prospect camps and the Engineers stood out.  Mike Bergin (Dallas Stars), Jerry D'Amigo (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jeff Foss (Nashville Predators), Brandon Pirri (Chicago Black Hawks) and Allen York (Columbus Blue Jackets) each spent time with - and impressed - the teams that drafted them.

According to Stan Bowman, the general manager of the Chicago Black Hawks, who helped build the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions, Pirri, a forward, performed extremely well.  "Brandon Pirri had a great camp," Bowman was quoted.

And at Toronto's camp, D'Amigo, also a forward, also excelled, according to Jim Hughes, the Maple Leafs’ director of player development.  “He accelerated at light speed," said Hughes.  "He had a tremendous year at RPI. He was catapulted during the world juniors. He had a big second half. He’s another guy that has a burning desire to be a National Hockey League player. He’s on the right track. Moving along nicely.” 

Bergin and Foss, both defensemen, and York, a goaltender, also gained valuable experience by skating with the other top prospects of their respective teams.

All five players expect to contribute heavily to the Engineers in the 2010-11 season.  Pirri, who will be a sophomore, was an ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team honoree after finishing first on the team in assists (32) and second in points (43) while playing all 39 games.

D'Amigo, another sophomore-to-be, was the league's Rookie of the Year and an Inside College Hockey.com Freshman All-America after notching 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in 35 games.  He missed several games while competing for the United States World Junior Championship team that won a gold medal.

As a sophomore last season, Bergin was the team's top scoring blue liner, tallying four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 30 games.

Foss, who will be a senior, has played 116 career games, tallying five goals and 19 assists.  Last year he played in all 39 games with two goals and seven assists.

York, entering his junior campaign, is coming off a season in which he was named to the All-ECAC Hockey Second Team.  In 33 games, he had a 2.54 goals against average, a .910 save percentage and a 14-13-1 overall record.

In total, the Engineers, who are led by head coach Seth Appert, return 21 players, featuring 15 forwards, three defensemen and three goaltenders. Also among them is forward Chase Polacek, who led the team with 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists) and was recognized as the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a National All-America last season as a junior.