Penn State men's hockey recruiting recap: Day 2

After announcing four players in the 2024-2025 recruiting class on June 3, Penn State announced another four commits on June 4.

Keaton Peters (Forward, Lincoln Stars – USHL)

Peters was the first commit of the day and adds to a plethora of young offensive talent for the blue and white.

The 5-foot-10 forward tied for the team lead in Lincoln this past season with 22 goals, 44 points and six power-play goals while serving as alternate captain.

Peters already has some experience with Penn State, playing with Carter Schade in Lincoln during the 2021-2022 season.

Before the USHL, the Sussex, Wis. native played 5 seasons for the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals, putting up a career-high 37 goals and 84 points in 2019-2020 with the 15U AAA team.

Originally a Northern Michigan commit, Peters is the third official flipped recruit for head coach Guy Gadowsky of the 2024-2025 class.

Andrew Kuzma (Forward, Madison Capitols – USHL)

A late addition to the recruiting class back in early May, Kuzma brings as much potential upside as Charlie Cerrato, the former Michigan commit.

Kuzma played with fellow Nittany Lion commit J.J. Wiebusch with the Madison Capitols of the USHL, putting up 30 goals and 52 points in 62 games this past campaign.

His 30-goal mark this past season was good for second on Madison and ninth in the USHL.

The 6-foot forward also broke the Capitols’ Tier 1 career scoring record with 47 career goals in a year and a half with Madison.

Kuzma flipped his commitment from Maine as a 4.5-star recruit according to Puck Preps, marking the fourth official flip for Gadowsky and the second 4.5-star recruit in the class.

Cade Christenson (Defense, Sherwood Park Crusaders – BCHL)

The third commit of the day and second defenseman in the class, Christenson brings a physical presence with a scoring touch on the blue line.

The big 6-foot-3 left-handed skater notched 15 goals and 52 points with the Crusaders between the AJHL and BCHL, good for second in points among defensemen in the Alberta Division.

In 169 games as a Crusader, the Edmonton, Alberta native tallied 96 career points, 27 of those goals.

A BCHL Alberta Division First All-Star Team nominee, his mix of offensive skill and defensive awareness should bode well for a Penn State team that struggled in their own end last season.

Nicholas DeGraves (Forward, Brooks Bandits – BCHL)

DeGraves rounded out Day 2 of the recruiting class for next season and officially made the 2024-2025 class larger than the year prior.

DeGraves served as captain of the Brooks Bandits this past season, finishing fourth on his team in points with 13 goals and 37 assists in 40 games as the Bandits went on to win the Alberta Division Cup championship and Rocky Mountain Challenge championship.

The 6-foot forward also played with current Nittany Lion Aiden Fink with the Bandits in 2021-2022, putting up 47 points in 53 games.

WIth the departure of key forwards like Jacques Bouquot, Ryan Kirwan, Chase McLane, Xander Lamppa and Christian Sarlo, the abundance of youth scoring options provides a high ceiling for offensive production.

Joshua Bartosik is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jsb6137@psu.edu.