Shane Conacher, 21 years young, has joined the Toronto Marlies on an Amateur Try Out. He's spent the past three seasons playing for Canisius College in the Atlantic Hockey Association of the NCAA - a time that now appears to be over, as he's foregone his senior year to join the best team in the AHL.
Conacher scored 20 goals and 46 points over 36 games as Canisius' leading scorer this season, and tied for 11th overall in the NCAA (same number of points as Jimmy Vesey, but in six more games played). He's steadily improved each year since: from 23 points as a freshman, to 37 as a sophomore (when he reached second in team scoring), to his great third and final college year. He was named to the Atlantic Hockey first-team.
If the name sounds familiar to you, then you're thinking of his old brother, Cory Conacher, who also played for Canisius and experienced brief NHL success. Listed at 5'11 and 177 lbs, Shane is bigger than his brother. They posted similar college numbers - although Shane won't have a chance to top Cory's junior year output of 53 points (he fell to 42 his senior season). They were both, however, the only Canisius players to ever reach 100 career points in their third seasons.
ICYMI: Here is Shane Conacher's 100th point from last night. #Griffs pic.twitter.com/6f3X4YqpqA
— Canisius Hockey (@GriffsHockey) February 20, 2016
So Shane Conacher makes his Marlies debut. Wears number 22.
— Mark R (@MarkUkLeaf) March 26, 2016
Shane Conacher making his #Marlies debut on a line with Rich Clune & Freddie Gauthier (per @HockeyCrock)
— Dhiren Mahiban (@dcmahiban) March 26, 2016
Look, he already knows another Leaf!
Newest marlie @SConacher19 feat a 15-year old Mitch Marner:
— Adam Laskaris (@adam_laskaris) March 26, 2016
(Via https://t.co/USDY9YCOTt) pic.twitter.com/oLnBtDC4vZ