UConn men’s hockey lands ‘04 forward Jake Richard

UConn men’s hockey landed a commitment from Jake Richard, an ‘04 forward who will join the team as part of the Class of 2023.

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Richards is a 6-foot-2, 175 pound power forward who currently plays for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. In 36 games as a rookie, he’s racked up 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points — 16 of which have come since Jan. 1 — while drawing rave reviews from his coach.

“He’s going to be a high-end goal scorer in our league, if not next year then the year after. He’s going to be leading the league at some point,” Lumberjacks head coach Mike Hamilton told MuskegonSports.com.

“He’s got unbelievable skills and scoring ability,” Hamilton added about Richard. “Now it’s just a matter of him creating separation (from defenders) so he can make those plays, and building his strength so he won’t end up on his butt.

“It’s just a matter of time for him. He will be a huge point producer in the future. This year he has worked his way to being on a pretty good line...and the challenge for him is to stay there.”

A source described Richard as a power forward with a strong skill set and “soft hands around the net.” They believe once the 17-year old fills out into his frame, he’ll be a “beast” on the ice.

Richard is eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft and has the possibility of being selected.

In addition to Richard, UConn’s 2023 class is also expected to include forward Matthew Wood — the top recruit the Huskies have ever landed — and Mason Kesselring, a top prep school forward.