BULLS ALL-TIME ADVANCEMENT LIST
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – North Iowa Bulls defenseman Luke Drougas didn’t spend much time in town after finishing up his senior season at Superior High School in Wisconsin. His brief time in Mason City was enough to make an impact on the Johnstown Tomahawks, though – Drougas has accepted a tender offer from the Tomahawks and will join the team for the start of the 2018-19 North American Hockey League season.
The Superior, Wisconsin native played two regular-season games in the NA3HL for the Bulls and two more in the postseason, with all four outings coming against eventual Fraser Cup semifinalist La Crosse. He did not register a point in those four games, but finished with a +3 plus/minus rating against the Freeze in his junior debut on March 2.
“Coming to Iowa was great for me, to get used to junior hockey coming right out of high school,” said Drougas. “It was a great experience and all the guys were very helpful. I loved the rink, with the atmosphere and all the fans.”
Drougas also made an impression as a member of the Madison Capitols’ 18-and-under team in the North American Prospects Hockey League, appearing in seven games for the Caps and tallying three assists.
His play on the ice rink has more than demonstrated his ability to handle the physicality of hockey, but his play on the gridiron never hurt either. Drougas was a starting cornerback on the Superior High School football team as a junior, and took over the Spartans’ starting quarterback job in 2017 as a senior.
Head coach Mike Letizia and company are hoping that physical presence will help translate into some additional wins this coming season. The Tomahawks wrapped up 2017-18 on the outside of the Robertson Cup playoff picture, with a 23-33-2-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the East Division.
“The University of Wisconsin-Superior head coach knows the coaches in Johnstown and hooked me up with them,” said Drougas. “Johnstown came into the picture very recently, and I tendered with them just a few days ago when they called me.”
Drougas’s tender agreement means that the Tomahawks will have the first crack at putting him on their roster this season, and he may not be chosen by any team in Tuesday’s North American Hockey League draft. He is the fifth North Iowa player this season to sign a tender agreement with an NAHL team.
The North Iowa Bulls congratulate Luke Drougas on his agreement to join the Johnstown Tomahawks for the upcoming season, and wish him the very best as the 2018-19 NAHL season gets underway.