RJ Gicewicz was a member of the US U17 team that won Gold at the 2011 Five Nations Tournament.

RJ Gicewicz is a smooth skating 16-year-old defenseman from Orchard Park who is one of the top 95’s from the state of New York. Standing at 6-foot, 178lbs, Gicewicz is a strong defenseman who plays a very composed game on the backend. A sophomore at the prestigious Nichols School, Gicewicz is having another strong year with his high school team as well as the Buffalo Saints 18U team and is attracting attention from USA Hockey, USHL teams, and high-end Division 1 NCAA schools.

During the off-season, Gicewicz was selected to the attend the USA Hockey 16U National Development Camp and went on to be chosen to represent the United States as part of the U17 Select Team which was a participant at the Five Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich. last fall. Gicewicz said it was a tremendous experience to be able to don the stars and stripes.

“It was a thrill and honor to represent the USA, Western New York and the Nichols school,” Gicewicz said.

Ultimately, Team USA beat the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland to take home the Gold Medal at the tournament.

After a successful summer campaign, RJ’s commitment is on his academics, strength, conditioning, and further improving and developing his hockey skills. He earned Honors status in his first trimester this year at Nichols and has no shortage of bloodlines working in his favour. RJ comes from a family of academic athletes with his father being a former Michigan State University Rose Bowl Champion and NFL player, his grandfather being a 3 sport varsity captain at the University of Buffalo and a WNY Sports Hall of Fame inductee, his other grandfather is a retired professional golfer, he has much to keep him motivated on and off the ice, not to mention a younger brother, Carson (6’ 2”), coming up through the 14U age group.

“This is a long process. I am committed to the hard work and dedication involved in developing and progressing as a student athlete and hockey player and am taking this one step at a time,” Gicewicz said.

Tags: 2014 nhl draft prospects, RJ Gicewicz

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