April 12, 2000

The University of Notre Dame hockey team has signed defenseman Tom Galvin (Miller Place, N.Y./Waterloo Blackhawks) and righthanded forwards Aaron Gill (Rochester, Minn./Rochester Mustangs) and Rob Globke (West Bloomfield, Mich./USA Under-18 National Team) to national letters of intent during the spring signing period, head coach Dave Poulin announced today – completing a promising freshman class for the 2000-2001 season.

Globke is the third current member of the USA Hockey National Development Program – and the eighth in the last three seasons – to sign with the Notre Dame hockey program, joining defensemen Neil Komadoski and Brett Lebda, who signed with the Irish in the fall of 1999 period. The developmental program is based in Ann Arbor, Mich., with the Under-18 National Team competing in the United States Hockey League (USHL), in addition to playing various international tournaments. Notre Dame is the only school to sign three-plus players from the 1999-2000 U.S. team (Ohio State and Harvard both signed two).

All five of Notre Dame’s signees spent the 1999-2000 season playing for teams that compete in the USHL’s eastern division, with the U.S. team finishing first, Waterloo third and Rochester fourth in the seven-team division.

“We like the balance of this class and they certainly will be expected to contribute, because hockey is a sport where your freshmen have to play a role,” said Poulin, whose squad is set to lose eight seniors to graduation following a 1999-2000 season that yielded a 16-8-8 final record and a trip to the semi-finals of Central Collegiate Hockey Association postseason tournament.

“It’s important to remember that we won’t necessarily be replacing seniors with freshmen – and that our program is at a stage where we don’t have to do that type of instant replacement. We obviously are curious to see what level of contributions these freshmen make next season, but it’s more important to see our veterans elevate their games and step into those key leadership roles.”

Galvin was named a second team USHL all-star, after finishing as the second-leading scorer among defensemen in the 14-team league with 42 regular-season points (9G-33A), second only to the 48 posted by Green Bay’s Jeff Finger. The 5-10, 190-pound righthander was voted team MVP and played in all 58 games while helping Waterloo post a record of 28-26-4. His special teams contributions included five power-play goals and he helped Waterloo rank fourth in the USHL for power-play pct. (.193) and seventh in penalty killing pct. (.825). His other season statistics included 62 penalty minutes and one game-winning goal. The Waterloo program also produced former Notre Dame defenseman Mark Eaton (1997-98), who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent and has seen time with the Flyers this season. Galvin spent the past two seasons in Waterloo (he had 5G-21A in 52 games in ’98-’99) and is a 1998 graduate of Canterbury Prep in New Milford, Conn., which also produced four-year Irish starting goaltender Matt Eisler (’98).

“Tom Galvin is a very gritty and complete defenseman who has several years of junior hockey experience,” said Poulin. “He is somewhat of a unique player because he is a very strong defensive defenseman but also has excelled on the offensive end of the ice and on the power play – which is a role that we expect him to continue at Notre Dame.”

Gill played three seasons with Rochester in his hometown, totaling 103 career points – including team-best totals as a center this season in goals (26) and assists (23) in 55 total games. The 6-0, 180-pound team captain played in the midseason USHL all-star game and received the USHL’s prestigious Curt Hammer Award, presented to the “most gentlemanly player both on and off the ice” (Eaton was the ’97 recipient of the award). Voted team MVP Gill ranked second on the team with seven power-play goals and helped Rochester rank eighth in the USHL with a .175 power-play pct. He scored or assisted on 32 pct. of his team’s goals while tying for first in the USHL for shorthanded goals (5) and tying for second in the league with seven game-winning goals (he also had three first goals and 43 penalty minutes). Gill joined Galvin on the USHL all-star team that played in the Four Nations Tournament, held during mid-November in three USHL cities. Prior to graduating from John Marshall High School in 1998, Gill played hockey at Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep – where his teammates included current Irish freshman right wing Michael Chin.

“Aaron Gill is a tremendous skater and a clever player, with big-time speed. He plays a very complete game as a forward and has proven to be a good penalty killer and a solid team player,” said Poulin . “And then when you get to Rob Globke, he is a highly-touted player who could make the biggest impact. He has a good shot and good size at 6-3, 195, and has a special combination of attributes common to a skill forward and a power forward. He also has proven that he can put up good numbers while playing on a team of all-stars, so we expect him to be an important piece of the puzzle next season.”

Globke – who played in 1998-99 with the Gold Cup champion Detroit Compuware Ambassadors of the North American Hockey League – ranks as the third-leading scorer on the U.S. Under-18 team, totaling 15 goals (four on the power play) and 21 assists in 54 games. The 6-3, 195-pound center was the only U.S. player named to the all-tournament team at the Five Nations Tournament (held in Rauma, Finland) and was named to the all-festival team at the 1998 USA Hockey Select-16 Festival. He currently is competing in Switzerland with his U.S. teammates at the World Under-18 Championship and helped the U.S. team post a 39-16-3 regular-season record and the USHL’s fifth-best power play pct. (.189). Globke is one of the youngest members of the Under-18 team and is scheduled to graduate from Southfield (Mich.) Christian High School in May (completing his requirements in just three years).

The current Irish roster includes five players who are products of the USA Developmental Program. Freshman right wing Michael Chin and sophomore center Brett Henning were members of the USA program during the 1997-98 season while freshmen center Connor Dunlop, freshman forward John Wroblewski and freshman defenseman Paul Harris spent the past two seasons in the USA Development Program (freshman defenseman Evan Nielsen was invited to join the USA program but elected to return for his senior season at The Taft School in Watertown, Conn.).

Notre Dame is set to lose eight seniors from the current squad, including seven who played in most of the games during in 1999-2000. Those players include team captain and center Ben Simon (44 goals, 86 assists in 144 career games), right wing Joe Dusbabek (26G-49A, 127 games), left wing Andy Jurkowski (7G-12A, 108 games) and center Troy Bagne (5G-11A, 124 games) plus four defensemen: Tyson Fraser (8G-49A, 131 games), Nathan Borega (4G-11A, 140 games), Sean Molina (1G-21A, 148 games) and Sean Seyferth (6G-7A, 67 games).

GALVIN NOTES: While at Canterbury Prep, Galvin helped his team win the New England state title during his junior year and he was named team MVP as a senior … he also played varsity soccer at lacrosse at Cantebury … a Long Island native, he did not begin playing hockey until the age of 12 (when he joined the Long Island Royals program) … two of Galvin’s teammates have signed on to play college hockey in 2000-2001: forward Brian Canady (North Dakota) and defenseman Jeremy Downs (Alaska-Anchorage) … he is the son of Tom and Eileen Galvin.

GALVIN ON HIS DECISION: “The academics at Notre Dame and the coaching staff were a big part of my reasons for coming to Notre Dame. Coach Poulin was one of my favorite players growing up and I was big Flyers fan. I also grew up in a family of big Notre Dame fans, so it’s even more special to be going there. I loved the campus during my visit and am really looking forward to next season.”

GILL NOTES: During his first two seasons with Rochester, Gill totaled 23 points in 1997-98 (11G-12A) and 30 in ’98-’99 (10G-20A) … he received the “most improved player” award for 1997-98 and played in the 1999 Top Prospects Tournament (formerly King of the Hill) … Gill has been playing hockey since he was five years old and is a product of the Rochester Youth Hockey program … eight of Gill’s teammates have signed on to play college hockey in 2000-2001 … Gill has played summer hockey with Kyle Dolder, the younger brother of current Irish junior right wing and alternate captain Ryan Dolder … he is the son of Kirk and Jennie Gill.

GILL ON HIS DECISION: “I really had a good feeling after meeting with the coaching staff and the players. It’s a great program all-around and the school is so well-respected for its tradition. I feel that I’ve gained a lot of confidence during my three seasons with the Mustangs and am looking forward to the excitement of going away from home and playing for Notre Dame.”

GLOBKE NOTES: The U.S. posted two exhibition wins in Switzerland on April 9 and 11 (5-1 over Switzerland, 3-2 over Finland), with the Under-18 World Championship set to run from April 14-24 in Weinfelden and Kloten, Switzerland … Globke totaled 30 points in 70 games during the 1998-99 season while playing for a Detroit Compuware Ambassadors team that beat the USHL champion Des Moines Buccaneers for the Junior A national tournament Gold Cup title (Chin was one of the top players on that Des Moines team) … Globke has played two previous tournaments in foreign countries this season: the Five Nations Tournament (in Finland) and the Three Nations Tournaments (in Sweden) … he also played baseball and soccer as a freshman and was a member of the Team Michigan Select-15 and Select-16 hockey teams … due to his late birthday (Oct. 24), Globke will not be eligible for the NHL draft until 2002 … he is the son of Bob and Victoria Globke

GLOBKE ON HIS DECISION: “I was attracted by the chance attend a quality school where I could get a good education and be part of a great hockey program. I had never been to the campus before my official visit but I loved the campus and met some really nice people. The hockey program has a great coaching staff and that was one of the big factors in my decision. … It’s going to be great to go to school and to keep playing with Neil and Brett. … I had a chance to join the U.S. program two years ago but I didn’t want to leave Compuware hanging. In the past year, my skills have improved a lot, especially in the areas of being able to get open and get the puck more and in improving your strength and in off-ice stuff like that. Focusing on hockey on a daily basis has made me a much better player but there still are things that I need to work on, mainly with my defense.”

KOMADOSKI UPDATE: Globke is being joined by Komadoski on the 22-player roster that currently is competing in the Under-18 World Championship … his 1999-2000 statistics include seven goals (one on the power play, two shorthanded), eight assists and 202 penalty minutes in 50 games played … he helped the U.S. post a USHL-leading .865 penalty-killing pct. in 1999-2000 … Komadoski was listed as the 51st-highest rated player in the NHL’s Central Scouting Service midseason rankings (even though he is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2001) …

LEDBA UPDATE: Due to a midseason leg injury, Lebda played just 22 games for the Under-18 team in 1999-2000, totaling six goals, seven assists, 28 penalty minutes, two power-play goals and two game-winning goals.