Former Islanders Hockey Club Forward Skated In Detroit Red Wings Development Camp
By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com
In 1932, the former Detroit Falcons rebranded with a red winged wheel on their jerseys and would henceforth be known as the Detroit Red Wings. An amazing history, including eight Stanley Cups and more than eight dozen Hockey Hall of Famers, certainly does not escape former Islanders Hockey Club standout Cy LeClerc.
The Exeter, N.H., native certainly was thankful that he was able to take part in the Red Wings NHL Development Camp and is especially grateful to his University of New Hampshire coaching staff for helping to make it happen.
“I was talking to my Head Coach Mike Souza a lot and he thought it was a good idea for me to go, so he reached out to Detroit. My agent is also good friends with [Red Wings Asst. Director of Player Development] Dan Cleary, who invited me to Detroit. I accepted immediately. I got to learn about how to be a pro, and what I have to do to get to the next level. Overall, it was an amazing opportunity and I’m thankful to everyone who made it possible.”
The 2019-20 NCDC Rookie Of The Year, LeClerc put together a two-year career that saw him put up 88 points in 83 combined NCDC regular season and playoff games. He parlayed this consistent high-level performance into a commitment at the University of New Hampshire, where he has again been a regular offensive producer. He’s put up 48 points in 71 NCAA games for the Wildcats. So why wouldn’t the Red Wings be interested?
LeClerc is confident that he put up a good showing at the Red Wings camp.
“I feel like at first I was a little nervous, but once I settled in, it was just fine competing against the best players – their first rounders and everyone. I felt like I could compete with everyone,” he added. “I had a meeting with Detroit management in the middle of the camp, and they know I’m going back to UNH this year. I think Detroit is calling my agent shortly here to continue the conversation.”
Spartan Lifestyle
Living as a native of Exeter, a small town in southeastern New Hampshire, it made perfect sense that he and his family would be drawn to the top youth organization in the region – right there in his hometown. He grew up as a proud Seacoast Spartans youth hockey player.
“I played there my whole young life, playing under [Spartans’ co-owner] Kurt Mallett,” said LeClerc. The Spartans recently became a member of the NCDC. “The Rinks at Exeter were five minutes from my house, so I was there every day, and that really turned me into a solid player.”
It was with Seacoast that LeClerc first drew the attention of the UNH Wildcats, only a few miles from Exeter in Durham, N.H. He would ultimately commit to UNH in 2019 while still a member of the Spartans.
“Playing for Seacoast really turned me into a solid player. I was close enough to UNH where UNH could come and watch my games. Kurt Mallett is a really good friend of Mike Souza, so I can’t thank the Spartans enough for what they’ve done for my career,” said LeClerc. “The Spartans are just getting better every day.”
Top Of The Island
He stayed with Seacoast and also Exeter High School through his junior year, after which he joined the Islanders Hockey Club’s NCDC team. His 112-point season at the 16U level in 2018-19 with the Spartans certainly caught the eye of NCDC Head Coach Tim Kyrkostas, who made the move to bring him on board with the IHC.
“I wanted to play juniors, but I wanted to play juniors close to home. IHC wanted me there, and that first year was a good stepping stone in learning how to play against older guys. I was 17 and playing against 20-year-olds,” said LeClerc, who racked up 55 points in 55 games that first season for IHC, making him an obvious choice for NCDC Rookie Of The Year.
After a different path hit a dead end due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LeClerc rejoined the Islanders and went with the team to Hub City Tampa, the six-week event that saw every NCDC team play 21 games in the Tampa area as part of a closed community concept.
“That was a really great way to keep hockey going during COVID, and that definitely helped me out,” LeClerc said. “Where other leagues weren’t playing, the NCDC was and that was able to keep me in shape and helped me to get to the next level. I’m very thankful for my coaches and the people who wanted me to be a part of that organization.”
In 2020-21, LeClerc put up 31 points in 28 games, and added two points in five postseason contests.
Roaring With The Wildcats
After one more big junior season outside of the USPHL, he arrived on the Durham campus ready to be a key contributor right off the bat for UNH. As seen above, it’s mission accomplished so far for LeClerc with his favorite childhood college hockey team.
“It’s awesome, because I grew up watching UNH hockey and I always wanted to go to UNH,” he added. “It’s a special place, with a lot of fans, so my dream came true when I first got here. We put together a really good season last year, and I’m forever thankful for being at UNH. It’s an amazing opportunity and hopefully it leads to success down the road.”
Right from Detroit, LeClerc jumped back onto the ice with his Wildcats teammates throughout July.
“We have a summers session. We have to take a class and also work out and skate. We work out at 7:30 a.m. every morning, do our online class during the day and we skate at 4:30 every Tuesday and Thursday, just as players [without coaches]. It’s nice because I live close enough that I can just drive from my family’s house to UNH,” he said. “We’ll be off for most of August, and then back later in that month. That’s pretty much my whole summer.”
The NCDC congratulates Cy LeClerc for earning a spot at the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp and we wish him the very best of luck in his college hockey future.
