BOSTON – Suffolk men's hockey is on the verge of ushering a new era, its first season under Shawn McEachern, and the newly named head coach has named the largest captains continent in program history as the upperclassmen foursome of Olle Akermark, Nick Lachaine, Devin Lowe and Cal Wilcox will share the leadership role for the 2022-23 season.
The foursome are all first-year captains and continue a long tradition of Suffolk men's hockey captains dating back to when the program picked up after a hiatus in 1980-81 when James Tropsa led the blue-and-gold. With the addition of this season's ringleaders, over 70 Rams have worn a letter at Suffolk University in the last 45 seasons.
The group is the first four skaters in Suffolk's history, dating back to 1980, to all wear a 'C' on their blue-and-gold sweaters in the same season, surpassing the previous mark of tri-captains in Shaughn Shields, Tyler Heinmen and Connor McCarthy who led the 2015-16 squad. There has been four skaters in a Suffolk jersey to wear a letter the same year, the last time was in 2019-20 when Brian Brooks and Joe Vingi captained the squad, and Jack Kelly and Phil Kresuer served as assistant captains.
Akermark, a junior defenseman from Stockholm, Sweden, has been a staple on the blue line throughout his collegiate career thus far. In 21 games played, he has racked up 11 points on two goals and nine assists.
Forwards Lachaine and Lowe have each powered Suffolk's scoring over the last three years. Lachaine, a senior, who calls Lakeville, Connecticut home, has assembled a 25-point stat line over 50 games played with 11 goals scored and 14 assists. Lowe, meanwhile, a senior who hails from Ownings Mills, Maryland, has produced 33 points behind 12 goals and 13 helpers in his 52 appearances.
Wilcox has been a staple in between the pipes since 2019-20. The netminder from Pomfret, Connecticut, holds 1,333 saves in 42 appearances with a career .900 save percentage to go along with a 3.72 GAA for a 12-22-6 overall record in the Rams net.
Powered by this quartet, Suffolk men's hockey drops the puck on its 2022-23 campaign this Friday, Nov. 4 against Salve Regina at 6 p.m. at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.