Quinnipiac hockey recruiting class loaded with talent, siblings

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HAMDEN >> Quinnipiac insists it doesn’t target sets of brothers on the recruiting trail. But the approach has worked well of late, and is rapidly becoming an unintended tradition of sorts.

So while the Bobcats bid farewell to Kellen and Connor Jones, perhaps the two most important players in program history, they’ll replenish with a recruiting class that includes a fresh set of identical twins, Nathan and Jonah Renouf, in addition to brothers Bo and Canon Pieper.

The Renoufs and Piepers join returning sophomores Connor and Tim Clifton on the roster this fall. Perhaps the program should consider branding the next three seasons around the “We Are Family” vibe of the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Quinnipiac, which also had Loren and Alex Barron for a season until Loren’s graduation in 2013, says the sibling trend isn’t by design.

“We don’t go out there looking for brothers,” said Quinnipiac assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Bill Riga. “That never was the plan. It just so happens we’ve come across players who’ve caught our eye who have brothers who can also play. We’ve had success with it, and we’re not afraid to do it.”

The brothers are part of a 10-man class loaded with talent. Among those capable of making an immediate impact are forwards Landon Smith, the leading scorer in British Columbia, Tanner McMaster and Andrew Taverner, both potential NHL draft picks next month, and goaltender Sean Lawrence, the MVP of the United States Premier Hockey League.

The Renoufs, 20-year-old twins from Mississauga, Ontario, spent last season with Surrey of the British Columbia Hockey League. Jonah had 20 goals and 61 points; Nathan 34 assists and 49 points. What they lack in size (both are listed at 5-foot-8, 155 pounds) is compensated with skill and speed.

Quinnipiac hockey coach Rand Pecknold. Quinnipiac hockey coach Rand Pecknold. Photo: The Associated Press File Photo Photo: The Associated Press File Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Quinnipiac hockey recruiting class loaded with talent, siblings 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The Piepers, from Roseville, Minnesota and separated by a year, are known for high-energy style. They only recently emerged as offensive threats, combining for 60 goals and 125 points in the BCHL.

“I don’t think we can ever replace the Joneses, but they bring the (same) energy and tempo and pace,” Riga said. “They go all in every shift, up and down the ice, full tempo, full compete level.”

Smith, a Denver native, originally committed to the University of Denver. When the school fired coach George Gwozdecky, his replacement, Jim Montgomery, released Smith. He declined a chance to enroll at North Dakota in January, instead choosing Quinnipiac. His 40 goals and 83 points led the BCHL this winter, and he’s expected to be an impact freshman in ECAC Hockey.

MacMaster, a de-commitment from Boston College, weighs just 154 pounds. But at 18, there’s time to fill out his 5-foot-10 frame. He played through injuries at Camrose of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, scoring 40 points. Riga said MacMaster’s skill set is similar to that of senior Matthew Peca.

Taverner was 10th in the AJHL with 28 goals; Nelson Gadoury, a teammate of MacMaster’s at Camrose, could fill the power forward role vacated when Bryce Van Brabant left Quinnipiac for the Calgary Flames last month.

Defenseman Kevin McKernan and Lawrence, teammates on the Boston Jr. Bruins, are both expected to compete for playing time. McKernan is a big and defensive-minded; Lawrence, at 18, went 29-8-3 with a 2.06 GAA and .932 save percentage.

Quinnipiac will also have the services of senior defenseman Justin Agosta, a transfer from the University of New Hampshire eligible immediately, and sophomore forward K.J. Tiefenwerth, a UMass transfer who sat out last season.

On whole, the group has potential to be the finest single recruiting class ever assembled at Quinnipiac.

“From top to bottom, the depth of skill level and point production ...,” says Riga. “Let’s put it this way, at the end of four years, this is going to be a special group; a group where people look at it and say ‘Wow, they’re losing all these guys,’ There’s a lot of different intangibles. If all goes as planned, this might be the best class we’ve ever had.”