The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey program today announced the addition of defensemen D.J. Jones (Plymouth, Minn.), Ruslan Pedan (Moscow, Russia) and Carter Struthers (Weyburn, Saskatchewan) to the Beaver Hockey program for the 2013-14 season. All three incoming student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent during the NCAA’s regular signing period, which began April 17.

All signees are contingent upon admission to BSU and compliance with NCAA rules, including certification by the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Of the Beavers 2013 spring signees, two of them are their teams’ top-scoring defensemen and the third was second among blueliners.

“We have some holes to fill on our defensive core due to graduation,” said Bemidji State assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Ted Belisle. “We think that these three players will help give us some needed attributes to help complement our defensive core.”

*D.J. Jones (D, 5-8, 170; 8/29/1992; Plymouth, Minn.), a native of Plymouth, Minn., is in his first season with the Victoria Grizzlies and his second season playing in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). This season, he has recorded 33 points (4g-29a) in 49 games and was the team’s top-scoring defenseman, while his 29 helpers ranked second on the team and he finished sixth among his teammates in scoring. He logged one power-play goal, a game-winning goal and 10 penalty minutes. Jones also added 10 postseason games and seven playoff points (1g-6a) to his 2012-13 resume, sitting third on the team in postseason scoring, as he helped Victoria out of the first round of the BCHL playoffs with a five-game series win over Powell River before falling to Alberni Valley in five games. He was named a BCHL Coastal Second Team All-Star in 2012-13.

The Grizzlies clinched the 2013 BCHL Island Division title with a regular-season record of 33-13-0-10 and finished the 2012-13 campaign 38-16-0-12.

Prior to Victoria, Jones spilt the 2011-12 season between the Surrey Eagles and Penticton Vees. He posted five points (1g-4a) in 26 games for the Eagles before being dealt to the Vees, where he netted seven points (1g-6a). He also recorded 15 games of playoff experience in 2012 and posted three assists for the Vees. While a member of the Vees, Jones helped them win every major championship, including the RBC cup–Hockey Canada’s Junior A National Championship.

Jones played his prep hockey at Wayzata High School where he helped the Trojans to a 20-2-3 record, a Classic Lake Conference regular-season title and an appearance in the Section 6AA semifinal game. As a senior, the defenseman led WHS to an 18-5-2 record and trip to the Section Championship game. He recorded 23 points each season and was among the Trojans’ top five scorers each season.

“D.J. is the pace-changer we felt like we needed to add to our D-core,” commented Belisle. “He is a highly-competitive player with good feet and will bring quickness to our line up. He is a smaller, more compact defenseman with great strength and plays all situations really well.” Belisle added, “D.J. is a winner and we look forward to him bringing that mentality to the Beavers.”

*Ruslan Pedan (D, 6-1, 175; 11/16/1994; Moscow, Russia) is a second-year defenseman in the North American Hockey league (NAHL) and just completed his first with the Janesville Jets. Pedan finished the season second on the Jets’ scoring list and eighth in the league among defensemen with 33 points (11g-22a) playing in 44 of the team’s 60 games in 2012-13. Pedan posted seven multi-point nights last winter, which included a pair of three-point (1g-2a) efforts. In addition, the blueliner played an active role on the Jets’ special teams units. He collected two power-play goals and four assists on the man advantage, while netting a pair of short-handed helpers. Pedan carried a +4 plus/minus rating to the end of the season and piled up 116 penalty minutes.

Janesville finished the season 23-27-10 and was left out of the league’s postseason after taking seventh in the NAHL’s North Division.

Prior to playing with Janesville, Pedan recorded eight points (1g-7a) in 42 games for the NAHL’s Springfield Jr. Blues 2011-12.

Pedan will be the first player in 57 years of Beaver Hockey to hail from Russia.

“Ruslan is an exciting young prospect because he has a very good skill set,” said Belisle. “Ruslan can shoot the puck, is a very good skater and is good on the power play. He’s got an edge to his game that we like and we think there is really no limit to his potential.”

*Carter Struthers (D, 6-5, 197; 1/20/93; Weyburn, Saskatchewan) is in his second season with the Weyburn Red Wings of the of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). The defender finished 2012-13 with 23 points (6g-17a) to sit fifth on the team and second among Weyburn’s defensemen in scoring despite playing in just 37 of 54 games due to injury. With five of his six goals coming on the power play, Struthers ranked second on the team in power play scoring. Struthers posted four multi-point games from the Red Wings’ blueline, which included a season-best two goals in a three-point effort Oct. 9 and a three-assist night Jan. 20. Struthers also participated in the Dallas Stars’ 2012 Development Camp last summer (July 5-12).

Weyburn finished the 2012-13 regular season just short of the SJHL playoffs, taking sixth place in the league’s Sherwood Division with an overall record of 16-35-0-3.

Struthers piled up 47 points (11g-36a) in 79 games for Weyburn over the last three seasons. He also logged 17 games during the 2011-12 postseason, potting six points (1g-5a). He was named to the SMHL Second All-Star Team in 2010-11 after recording 32 points (12g-20a) in 42 games for the Regina Pat Canadians.

“Carter will add a lot of length and size to our blueline,” commented Belisle. “His skill set has allowed him to play in offensive and defensive situations during his junior hockey career. It is exciting to have a player with the mix of size and tools Cater has. He is going to be a good defender.”

BSU’s regular period signees join Michael Bitzer (Moorhead, Minn.), Brendan Harms (Steinbach, Manitoba), Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.), Phillip Marinaccio (Vaughan, Ontario) and Charlie O’Connor (Elk Village, Ill.), who each inked a NCAA National Letter of Intent with BSU during the early signing period (Nov. 14-21).

Bemidji State, which finished 6-22-8 overall and posted an 5-16-7 mark in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), finished 11th in the league and wrapped up the 2012-13 campaign in the opening round of the WCHA playoffs dropping a best-of-three series to No. 2 University of Minnesota.

The Beavers open the 2013-14 season Oct. 11-12 when they travel to St. Cloud, Minn. to battle long-time rival and 2013 Frozen Four participant St. Cloud State University at National Hockey Center. BSU returns to Sanford Center to open the home portion of its 2013-14 schedule Oct. 18-19 when it hosts University of Minnesota.