Northeastern once again dipped into the transfer portal late this week, this time coming out with a new weapon up front as it was reported that Tyler Fukakusa will be transferring to Northeastern. Fukakusa played his first two collegiate seasons with RIT in Atlantic Hockey. He has two years of eligibility left.
Fukakusa is a left-shot centerman who stands 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. He hails from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Last season for RIT he led them in scoring with 36 points (9 goals), and was second in Atlantic Hockey (and fourth in the nation after the regular season) with 27 assists. His 36 points established a new career high after he posted 28 points (9 goals) as a freshman. Last year Fukakusa also won 56% of faceoffs and scored three powerplay goals. He only had 63 shots on goal all year (115 attempts), indicating that he is more of a pass-first, playmaking center rather than a shooter, but 18 goals in two years does showcase the ability to put the puck in the net as well. He averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time last year as RIT’s top center and blocked 16 shots. He was named to the All-AHA Third team and was a Hobey Baker Award nominee by RIT. Prior to RIT he played for the Toronto Jr Canadiens in the OJHL, where he won the OJHL MVP Award in 2022-23 with 105 points (35 goals) in 53 games. He also captained Toronto during that season and was named the league’s Most Gentlemanly Player. He was a two-time OJHL First Team All-Star.
RIT struggled last season to keep the puck out of their own net and struggled with team defense, but Fukakusa shined as one of the few bright spots on the team. Fukakusa finished 7th in the conference in points-per-game with 1.03, and the six players ahead of him either moved on to pro hockey or also transferred, with three players moving to Hockey East and one player headed to the Big Ten. Fukakusa showcased his belonging at that top level of the Atlantic night in, night out. He set a new career high with 4 points in November against Bentley and matched it in his final home game against Mercyhurst. He also set a new career-best 8 game point streak in the middle of the season from November 9 through December 7th. Speaking with fans and people who have seen him play, they describe his game as one with soft, silky hands and a skill level that will translate to any league and level, not simply beholden to the Atlantic.
Looking at Fukakusa’s advanced analytics, the picture gets even brighter. He ranks in the 94th percentile in offense, with elite marks in the playdriving category, while also being in the 67th percentile of transition play and 69th in defense, both acceptable marks especially considering RIT’s aforementioned struggles. Advanced stats tell us that he rarely turns the puck over, that he does well when carrying the puck into the offensive zone, and he does well in terms of shot quality.
I would project Fukakusa to slide into the Huskies’ top six and powerplay right off the bat, factoring in his college hockey experience as well as his success in Atlantic Hockey. If constructing lines right now I would pencil Fukakusa into line 2, with incoming freshman Jacob Mathieu pencilled into line 1. He would potentially pair well with a goal-scoring winger like incoming freshman Giacomo Martino, or a volume shooter like Joe Connor. Don’t be surprised if the staff prioritizes Fukakusa’s collegiate experience early on and have him open the year on the top line.
Welcome Tyler to Northeastern! As always, go Huskies!