Training Camp Roster Deep Dive: Forwards
August 27, 2024 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Dubuque Fighting Saints News Release
DUBUQUE, IA - The Fighting Saints are preparing for their 15th season, bringing 33 players into Training Camp with 19 making up the forward group.
Seven forwards return from the 2023-24 Eastern Conference Championship squad, including Gavin Cornforth for his third season with the Saints. Cornforth played in all 62 regular season games and scored 15 goals and 32 points for Dubuque. Cornforth's 111 games played for the Saints make him the most tenured player on Dubuque's roster entering this season.
Michael Barron will also return for the Fighting Saints after finishing sixth in scoring among all USHL rookies last season with 35 points. His 15 goals and 20 assists helped him to All-Rookie Second Team honors.
Charlie Arend, Colin Frank, Josh Giuliani, Teddy Merrill and Nick Romeo will also return for 2024-25. Arend scored seven goals and added 14 assists, while Romeo had 10 goals and 11 assists to lead that group with 21 points. Merrill and Giuliani added 18 points, while Frank added 15 last season.
Lucas Van Vliet joins Dubuque this season after spending two seasons with the USA NTDP program. Over the summer, Van Vliet was drafted in the 7th round of the NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights. Van Vliet brings 55 games of USHL experience to the Key City.
Along with Van Vliet, two other incoming Saints forwards were drafted by NHL clubs. Heikki Ruohonen, the top pick by Dubuque in the USHL Phase II Draft, was picked by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 4th round. Later, Jonathan Morello became a Boston Bruins' pick in the 6th round. Overall, nine Fighting Saints were drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft and three will skate for the team this season.
Of the 19 forwards at Camp, 11 have committed to Division I schools. The Dubuque to Ohio State pipeline will continue with Charlie Arend. Cooper Dennis will join Arend in the Big Ten as he is committed to Michigan, while Van Vliet is pledged to Michigan State. Ritter Coombs (Providence), Gavin Cornforth (Boston College) and Nick Romeo (UMass Lowell) will head to Hockey East.
"We are really excited about the group of forwards coming into camp this week," said general manager Trevor Edwards. "There is a great mix of junior experience together with talented, motivated younger players that should create a lot of competition. Dubuque fans can expect to see another group that will be tenacious and physical while also possessing the ability to generate offense."
Here is the full list of 19 forwards who will compete to make the Saints final roster:
Charlie Arend
Wilmette, IL | 6-0, 180 | L
Commit: Ohio State University
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Michael Barron
Canton, MI | 5-7, 163 | R
Commit: Arizona State University
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Ritter Coombs
Dubuque, IA | 6-1, 174 | L
Commit: Providence College
2023-24: El Paso (NAHL)
Gavin Cornforth
Boston, MA | 5-9, 160 | R
Commit: Boston College
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Cooper Dennis
Ithaca, NY | 5-6, 150 | R
Commit: University of Michigan
2023-24: LI Gulls (16U AAA)
Nicholas Desiderio
North Caldwell, NJ | 6-1, 187 | L
2023-24: NJ Rockets (15U AAA)
Melvin Ekman
Stockholm, SWE | 5-11, 159 | L
2023-24: DJURGÅRDENS IF J20
Colin Frank
Ladera Ranch, CA | 5-8, 163 | R
Commit: University of Connecticut
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Patrick Fortune
Torrance, CA | 5-7, 161 | L
Commit: Holy Cross
2023-24: Philadelphia Rebels
Josh Giuliani
Plymouth, MN | 6-1, 174 | R
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Torkel Jennersjö
Ekerö, SWE | 5-10, 176 | L
2023-24: LEKSANDS IF J20
Kane Johnson
West Fargo, ND | 6-2, 179 | L
2023-24: Sioux Falls Power (16U AAA)
Xavier Lieb
Carrolltown, PA | 5-9, 154 | R
2023-24: Pittsburgh Penguins Elite (15U)
Gavin Lock
Plymouth, MI | 6-1, 185 | L
Commit: Western Michigan
2023-24: Little Caesars (16U AAA)
Teddy Merrill
Scottsdale, AZ | 6-0, 182 | R
Commit: Colgate University
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Jonathan Morello
Toronto, ON | 6-3, 192 | L
NHL: Boston Bruins ('24, R6, P154)
2023-24: St. Michaels (OJHL)
Nick Romeo
Clarkstown, NY | 6-1, 175 | L
Commit: UMass Lowell
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Heikki Ruohonen
Helsinki, FIN | 6-2, 205 | L
NHL: Philadelphia Flyers ('24, R4, P107)
2023-24: Dubuque Fighting Saints
Lucas Van Vliet
Livonia, MI | 6-1, 181 | L
NHL: Vegas Golden Knights ('24, R7, P197)
Commit: Michigan State University
2023-24: USA NTDP U18
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