MSU hockey coach Adam Nightingale coaches his Spartans against Notre Dame, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2024, at Munn Ice Arena. MSU won 4-3 to sweep the series. Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MSU Hockey to Add OHL Defenseman, Canucks Prospect

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated May 11, 2025 11:09 PM ET

Michigan State hockey continues to put itself in a better position to get back to the NCAA Tournament and claim a national title.

Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Sun reported on Sunday that a spokesperson for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks confirmed OHL defenseman and Canucks prospect Anthony Romani will be joining the Spartans next season, forgoing another year at the junior hockey level.

Romani comes off an impressive season with the Barrie Colts, scoring 30 points in 29 games in the regular season and 24 points in 16 games in the playoffs.

The 19-year-old defenseman was selected by the Canucks in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Below was an evaluation of Romani's game, per the Elite Prospects 2024 NHL Draft Guide:

"Most of Romani’s offence comes off the rush. He’s an ice-stretching playmaker, hitting teammates with long-bomb cross-ice passes. This season, he carried the puck move, creating offence with his weaving rushes and give-and-goes. Either way, he’s constantly shifting the defence around with his east-west movement, creating space for him or his linemates to slip away from the defence."

Michigan State had already landed commitments from a pair of defensemen last month: Colin Ralph from St. Cloud State and Cole Ward from the junior level.

The Spartans had lost two key members of their blue line in David Gucciardi and Nicklas Andrews and have taken the necessary steps to replenish that area of the roster.

Michigan State comes off back-to-back Big Ten regular season and conference tournament titles but was eliminated by Cornell in the first round of this year's NCAA Tournament.

With star forward Isaac Howard, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner, and star netminder Trey Augustine, the reigning Big Ten Goaltender of the Year, along with a solid group of other returners and promising newcomers, the Spartans are expected to keep their conference domination going and, this time, win it all.

That's all that will be on any Spartan's mind as the program now has a special opportunity that can't go to waste. Just when it seemed the book had closed on a memorable run, Michigan State gave fans reason to hope once again.

Stay up to date with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: