BARRACUDA OFFICIALLY SIGN FIVE FOR 2024-25 SEASON
Apr 12, 2024San Jose, Ca. – The San Jose Barracuda (@SJBarracuda), top affiliate of the San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks), and General Manager Joe Will announced today that the team has signed goaltender Gabriel Carriere, defenseman Jeremie Bucheler and forwards Luke Grainger, Donavan Houle and Lucas Vanroboys to AHL contracts for the 2024-25 season. Per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. All five will play out the remainder of this season on Amateur Tryouts (ATO).
“This group of prospects gives us depth going into next season at a variety of positions and roles,” said Will. “They have a blend of size, speed, and production that will fit in well with our NHL contracted prospects that will be assigned to the Barracuda next season.”
Gabriel Carriere
“Gabriel is a solid NCAA goaltender,” said Will. “He’s competitive, athletic, and technical.”
Carriere, 23, just wrapped up his senior season at the University of Vermont, where he went 13-17-3 in 33 games, with a 2.79 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage, and was named a Hobey Baker Award Nominee as the NCAA’s Top Collegiate Player. Over his four-year career with the Catamounts, Carriere went 28-47-8 with a 2.71 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in 88 games.
Before Vermont, the six-foot-two, 185-pound native of Orleans, Ontario, spent one season in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks where he ranked 2nd in the league with 21 wins in 34 games played. Carriere was voted Waterloo’s Rookie of the Year and ranked in the top ten of the league in GAA (2.57), SV% (.905), and shutouts (2).
Jeremie Bucheler
“Jeremie has good mobility and size,” said Will. “He’s defensively sound and moves the puck well.”
Bucheler, 23, has two assists in seven games with the Barracuda this season since signing an ATO on March 27. Before joining the Barracuda, he skated in 33 games at Vermont, notching 18 points (six goals, 12 assists), and 27 penalty minutes. Prior to this year, the six-foot-four, 209-pounder spent the last four seasons at Northeastern, posting 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 110 career games, along with 54 penalty minutes and a plus-32 rating.
Prior to his collegiate career, the native of St. Laurent, Quebec, spent the 2018-19 campaign with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL and the year prior with the Chicago Steel of the USHL.
Luke Grainger
“Luke is a speedy Center who plays in all situations well,” said Will. He was a top point producer in the NCAA and gives us forward versatility.”
Grainger, 24, has skated in two games with the Barracuda since signing an ATO on April 3. Before joining San Jose, he posted 48 points (14 goals, 34 assists) in 38 games as a senior at Western Michigan and was a Hobey Baker Nominee. Over his four-year career with the Broncos, the native of Montreal, Quebec, appeared in 140 games, collecting 103 points (38 goals, 65 assists), 57 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating.
Before college, the five-foot-10, 181-pounder spent two seasons in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) with the Hawkesbury Hawks, collecting 124 points (47 goals, 77 assists), and 110 penalty minutes in 117 games.
Donavan Houle
“Donavan is a strong winger with offensive ability,” said Will.
Houle, 24, has one assist in two games with the Barracuda since signing an ATO on April 1. Before joining San Jose, he spent this season at the University of Maine, where he notched 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists), 33 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating in 36 games as a senior.
Over his four years with the Black Bears, the six-foot-one, 195-pounder, appeared in 120 games, collecting 64 points (28 goals, 36 assists), 258 shots, 107 penalty minutes, six power-play goals, two shorthanded goals, and four game-winners.
Prior to his collegiate career, the Montreal, Quebec, native spent three seasons with the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), totaling 134 points. (56 goals, 78 assists), and 244 penalty minutes in 155 games.
Lucas Vanroboys
“Lucas plays with high energy, physicality and competitiveness, and is a defensively sound Center,” said Will.
Vanroboys, 24, who has appeared in two games with the Barracuda since signing an ATO with the team on April 1, spent the 2023-24 campaign as a graduate student at UMass, posting eight points (three goals, five assists), 22 penalty minutes, and a plus-four rating in 29 games.
Prior to this past season, the six-foot-two, 190-pounder spent four seasons at NCAA DI Bentley University, posting 44 points (11 goals, 33 assists), and 204 penalty minutes.
Before college, the native of Thamesville, Ontario, spent two years in the BCHL with the Nanaimo Clippers, Cowichan Valley Capitals, and Prince George Spruce Kings, collecting 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) and 191 penalty minutes in 93 games.
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