The Cougars are staying afloat in the middle of the Pac-8 division, and the newly acquired depth seems to be the reason.

Over the offseason, the Cougars acquired tons of new talent, which has really shown over the course of this year. Young guys have made names for themselves and have helped the Cougars be more successful than they have in years. This has been their biggest recruiting year in history.

Alexei Kuhl

The young sophomore goaltender Alexei Kuhl emerged as the starter over the offseason and has proved head coach John Lupinacci was right on that decision. He has been a key piece in Washington State’s success this year, as the sophomore has posted a .909 save percentage through 14 games and 550 shots faced.

I honestly think he’s a key guy on this team that could steal big games moving forward, a gigantic factor for the Cougars if they can just operate properly in front of him.

Lex Ballard 

Young defenseman Lex Ballard has proved to be one of the top young players, registering five points and showcasing blazing speed in all ends of the zone. He has truly come into his own over the course of this season and can truly change the impact of a game.

He has been strong on the backend but comes up often as an offensive threat, which fits right into the play style of the Cougars.

Keegan Lucas

Another freshman defenseman by the name of Keagan Lucas has put himself on the map also recording five points. He has been phenomenal to watch on the back end for this team, as his defensive shutdown ability is amongst the best on the team.

He also has very high speed and a good shot from the blue line, so if the Cougars can keep getting bodies to the front he should be able to scrounge up a few more goals this season.

David Bushkin 

Rookie forward David Bushkin has been truly unbelievable and has put up unthinkable numbers for a young freshman. He has contributed just shy of a point per game on average, putting up nine goals and five assists.

The young Renton star has really sparked the offense on this team and provides the ability to play and produce on any line. We have seen him on every forward line this season and he fits his role each game.

The Cougars currently hold a record of 8-12, but that doesn’t come from a lack of talent. The inconsistency of the team as a whole continues to be the thorn in their side, causing them to fall short against tougher opponents like the University of Washington, Western Washington and California Berkeley as well.

With the mix of solid veteran players to coincide with the increasing rookie contribution, this team can hang with any team in this division.

These young guns have shown this team depth, which hasn’t existed on this club in multiple seasons. Rather than relying on Cole Carlson and Van Rayner to rack up goals and points, young guys are now contributing to the team in a big way, which I believe puts them in a good spot if they can get hot right before the playoffs.