Watertown, SD — Watertown Shamrocks forward Payton Struck has officially announced his commitment to continue playing hockey collegiately at Saint John’s (MN) University.
“St. John’s felt like the perfect fit for me both on and off the ice,” Struck said of the St. John’s program. “The coaching staff made me feel wanted from the beginning. I’m excited for the opportunity to develop as a player, earn a great education, and be part of a team that competes at a high level.”
Struck was a fixture in the Watertown lineup this season appearing in all 59 regular season contests and all three postseason matchups. After being acquired during training camp from the Minnesota Wilderness, Struck scored a career high nine goals to go along with 18 assists.
“Payton was a very welcomed addition to our team at the beginning of the season,” Head Coach and General Manager Casey Kirley said. “He brought an abundance of passion and intensity to our lineup every night. Through his speed and physicality, Payton had a huge impact on our team’s success this season. We look forward to watching him continue his career at St. John’s.”
Over his junior career, Struck spent time in the NCDC and BCHL before spending the last two years as a full time player in the NAHL. He played in 108 career NAHL games split between the Shamrocks and Wilderness totaling 15 goals and 55 points. The Rogers, MN native will now return to his home state to play for St. John’s, just under an hour from home.
The “Johnnies” are a member of the MIAC conference and are coming off a strong season winning the MIAC regular season and playoff championships for the tenth and sixth time, respectively. They also made their seventh appearance in the NCAA tournament and their first since 2013. They concluded the season 17-7-4 under 18-year head coach Doug Schueller.