Ian Scherzer commits to RPI
The Austrian forward will add speed and energy to the forward group
This summer, RPI picked up a commitment from Madison Capitols forward Ian Scherzer, flipping him from his prior commitment to Miami Ohio. Hailing from Austria, Scherzer is a veteran of their national team, making numerous appearances at both the U18 and U20 levels. This season, he suited up for their U20 team at the D1A level where he wore the “A” for them and had 4 points in 5 games. For the Capitols, he had 8 goals, 12 assists and 20 points in 39 games.
Scherzer is a two-way center with a lot of speed. His skating ability is the strength of his game, and he uses it to bring energy and physicality on the forecheck. He’s a really smart player who is responsible defensively. He also uses his intelligence well to find passing lanes and make plays for his teammates. Scherzer has some sneaky skill and can score when he gets the opportunity. He also has excellent underlying metrics with his ability to drive play in the right direction and generate chances.
It’s a little tough to predict where everyone will fall in the lineup given all the new faces, but I believe Scherzer will have an immediate impact in the bottom 6 to start. His diverse skill set allows him to play anywhere in the lineup in a variety of roles. He could easily earn his way higher into the lineup this year, and I expect down the road that he will develop into a top 6 or middle 6 center as an upperclassman. I’m excited to see him suit up for the Engineers. Congratulations to Ian and his family!