Erie native and former Cathedral Prep and Esmark Stars goaltender Jake Kucharski was selected to participate in the prestigious USA Hockey Warren Strelow National Team Goaltending Camp.
The four-day camp, which opened Tuesday in Plymouth, Michigan, will have 27 invited goaltenders take part in practices and drills under the tutelage of U.S. National Team goaltending coach Phil Osaer and over a dozen other goaltending coaches from the professional and collegiate ranks, including the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mike Buckley.
For the first time, this year’s invitees will skate alongside current professionals such as Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings.
Kucharski, 18, will play his second full season with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in 2018-19. Last season, he posted an .881 save percentage and a 3.56 goals-against average with the Buccaneers in 26 games, which was good enough for him draw the interest of the Carolina Hurricanes, who selected Kucharski with the 197th pick in the seventh round of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Kucharski has committed to attend Providence College, starting in the fall of 2019. He played locally for Cathedral Prep in the PIHL and the Esmark Stars’ under-16 team during the 2015-16 season.
