Grayson Burzynski Commits to RPI
One of RPI's biggest commits in a long time is a plug-and-play in the top 4
Coach Lang and the staff have been slowly piecing together an incredibly well-rounded recruiting class, primarily focused on the Western Hockey League. But all great recruiting classes have a crown jewel, and I’d bet my money that Grayson Burzynski is just that. Burzynski is having a monster year for the Brandon Wheat Kings, where he currently sits in the top 5 of defenseman scoring in the league. Burzynski is 6’4 and nearly 220 pounds with elite offensive presence. Those are just skills that most players aren’t born with, and I’m sure that the coaching staff is enthralled with his potential. He is ranked as the #4 2005 Defenseman in the WHL by Neutral Zone, surrounded by players that are drafted to the NHL and committed to high level NCAA programs. This commitment is a big deal for RPI as it looks to overhaul its defense in 2026. Let’s break down Grayson’s game:
Game Breakdown:
Burzynski is an elite offensive defenseman with 5 years of WHL experience to his name. He has broken out in the past two years producing at a point-per-game pace for Swift Current and Brandon. As you can see in the clips, Burzynski is very willing to jump into the rush and be the 4th skater in on an attack. He seems to have very good awareness about when to step on the gas and when to get back on defense. He has very long strides given his 6’4 frame and he seems to effortlessly glide around defenders. RPI hasn’t had many defenders that just look uber comfortable carrying the puck, so this type of commitment should go a long way to fixing its puck possession problem. The Engineers simply need guys that can allow them to get and keep the puck for longer, which Burzynski absolutely can.
I think his passing is excellent, but what gets me excited is how he can change the game with his shot and IQ at the blue line. While watching him, it became evident to me that he is one of those defensemen that is so patient at the blue line no matter how much the opponent is pressuring him. It feels like he always makes the right decision about when to put a puck on net and when to keep the play moving through his teammates. I think this is an underrated skill to have, and one that will change the complexity of RPI’s powerplay and offensive attack. Burzynski has a cannon shot, one that kind of reminds me of Jared Wilson towards the end of his RPI career.
He isn’t an incredible defender and lacks some change of direction speed, but the size and awareness tend to make up for this. I think early on in college this may be a flaw, but as the game slows down for him again like it has in the WHL, he is going to be just fine. He is strong on the puck but I would like to see him increase his physicality/ puck battling ability. Honestly though, I am just nitpicking and think these are the areas that will take him from good to great.
Burzynski attended Bruins camp this summer and certainly seems to be one of RPI’s top recruits in a long time. He spent 4 years in Swift Current but was traded to Brandon this offseason, where he is building his best season in his last year of WHL eligibility.
Roster Planning
We will do a lot more of this in a few months, but I am admittedly a roster planning nerd and always am trying to fit the pieces together in my mind. As of now, here is what we know for next year.
Departing (4): Dovar Tinling, Luc Wilson, Trevor Russell, Lucas Matta
Seniors (8): Tyler Wallace, Ethan Bono, Brad McNeil, Alfred Lindberg, Jack Gorton, Cole Gordon, Jimmy Goffredo, Bruno Bruveris
Juniors (7): Filip Sitar, Rainers Rullers, Jagger Tapper, Kaz Sobieski, Gustavs Ozolins, Mat Bourgault, Carson Dorfman
Sophomores (8): Matthew Buckley, Ian Scherzer, Jackson Kyrkostas, Thomas Klassek, Lucas Lemieux, Landen Hilditch, Matthew Jovanovic, Nathan Krawchuk
Freshman (5): Josh Evaschesen, Harrison Lodewyk, Grayson Burzynski, Ryan Michael, James Guo
Time will tell if there is any other turnover across the roster, and I suspect that there will be. Burzynski is going to plug right into the top-4 on the left side, likely on a pair with Kaz Sobieski or James Guo. I am really excited to get Grayson here and see what he can do. Coach Lang has spoken at length about “building from the back end”, and I think it is safe to say that RPI has landed 3 legitimate top-4 types in this recruiting class. Pair those three with a developing trio of Sobieski, Klassek, and Lemieux, and they could be an elite unit in a few years. Congrats to Grayson and family!