Prowlers Sign DI Defenseman John Larkin

The Port Huron Prowlers have made a splash by bringing in NCAA D1 defenseman John Larkin as a collegiate signing. Larkin played this season at Mercyhurst University after three at Ohio State. 

This season, the Northville, Michigan native had six points in 36 games for the Lakers from the back end. He helped them to a win in the first round of the Atlantic Hockey Association tournament over Canisius before they fell to top-seeded Bentley in a best-of-three series that included the 14th-longest game in college hockey history.

“He's a high level defenseman that we’re very excited to bring into the organization,” said Prowlers associate head coach, Chris Paulin. “John’s film, accompanied by a great endorsement from his teammates and collegiate coach, Rick Gotkin, made it an easy decision to bring him in. We’re a program full of people that have been slighted and overlooked who are hungry to win. John has overcome a fair amount of adversity in his career and is excited to pursue a championship with this group. He had a strong senior season and I have a great respect for Atlantic Hockey. John will fit in great with the boys here in Port Huron.”

Before Mercyhurst, Larkin scored a goal in 20 games across three years at Ohio State. He played four years of junior hockey in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and Muskegon Lumberjacks. The 25-year-old also played a season with the NAHL’s Austin Bruins where he was teammates with Prowlers alum and current member of the AHL’s Iowa Wild, Braidan Simmons-Fischer.

Larkin is expected to make his pro debut this weekend when the Prowlers host the Watertown Wolves. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Mercyhurst Athletics