San Jose Sharks
San Jose Native Laubach on His Solid NCAA Debut, Fellow Jr. Shark Celebrini
Reese Laubach made the right decision.
Last offseason, the San Jose Sharks 2022 seventh-rounder elected to decommit from Minnesota State University in favor of Penn State University. After 10 goals and 22 points in 35 games as freshman, the former Jr. Shark forward appears to have made the right call.
At development camp, the San Jose native lauded the Penn State coaching staff and his fellow freshman class. He also spoke to the Jr. Sharks’ improvement with alumni Devin Cooley and Macklin Celebrini making headlines playing for the San Jose Sharks:
Laubach, on his decision to decommit from Minnesota State in favor of Penn State:
I changed from Minnesota State to Penn State with the coaching change back in May last year. Honestly, it’s the best decision I’ve made in a while. I loved it. Penn State was awesome. We didn’t have the year we wanted, but the group of guys there and the coach; I love it all. So I’m super excited to go back next year.
Laubach, on the coaching staff at Penn State:
They gave me a ton of opportunity coming in. Obviously, I had to earn it, but I was given some opportunity and ran with it. All our freshmen class took advantage of the opportunity we were given. It turned out [to be a] pretty fun season for most of us. We enjoyed it. Those coaches are awesome. I love playing for them. Can’t say enough good [things] about it.
Laubach, on following Cooley’s story, from Los Gatos to the San Jose Sharks, last season:
100-percent. I mean, that’s the dream, right? Growing up here, playing for the Sharks. I’ve got a long way to go. Still got three more years of college, just keep getting better every day. Come back here and do the best I can every year and then we’ll see what happens after college.
Laubach, on if he knew about Celebrini while with the Jr. Sharks:
Yeah. I was on the Jr. Shark [under] 16s team here when he was playing [under] 14s and everyone knew he was going to be pretty unbelievable. I’ve known about him for a while. He’s been a stud forever, obviously went to Chicago [Steel] and lit it up, and lit it up this year at [Boston University] so I can’t say I’m surprised.
Laubach, on the Jr. Sharks program:
It just keeps getting better. It seems like it’s getting better every year. So, hopefully it just keeps growing.
Laubach, on seeing Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau around as coaches:
It’s awesome. Those are the guys I looked up to growing up, so being able to skate with those guys, it’s pretty cool for me. But it’s also pretty cool [from] a hockey perspective. Seeing those guys, who are some of the best to ever do it, be on the ice with you and telling you what they did.
