John Fusco

June 2023 – Fusco has wrapped up his sophomore year of NCAA action with Dartmouth College. The 22-year-old defenseman scored three goals and 11 points in 22 contests. Although his role was expanded compared to his time at Harvard, the talent around him was minimal, with Dartmouth finishing their season with a 5-1-24 record, the least amount of wins in Division 1 hockey. Fusco has the skills of a mobile two-way defenseman, but his lack of true high-end talent and minimal production will make him a long shot at earning an NHL contract with Toronto. Curtis Rines

August 2022 – After receiving little opportunity in his freshman season at Harvard, Fusco has transferred to Dartmouth for the 2022-23 season in hopes of securing a larger role with a new team. There are expected to be jobs up for grabs in Dartmouth’s top-four as well as on their powerplay units so this coming season will be a big one in terms of gauging where Fusco is in his development. Nick Richard

May 2022 – Fusco saw limited action in his freshman season at Harvard, averaging just over seven minutes of ice time per game through 26 contests. He managed a goal and an assist while playing a solid defensive game in those minutes and he will be looking to secure a larger role when he returns for his sophomore season in 2022-23. Nick Richard

July 2021 – Fusco got into 20 games with Sioux City during his first USHL season, netting a pair of goals to go along with 10 assists while playing just over 16 minutes per game. He is expected to begin his college career at Harvard this fall. Nick Richard

October 2020 – Fusco has been selected 189th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fusco is a two-way blueliner with an attacking mindset on both sides of the puck. He has quick feet and gets around the ice well despite a stride that is still somewhat uneven and he does well to mirror oncoming attackers. He isn’t the biggest player but he uses his body well to separate opposing players from the puck and then protect it while looking for a safe outlet. His combination of solid body positioning and a quick stick allows him to excel in one-on-one battles and he is able to disrupt play to come away with the puck more often than not. Fusco isn’t the most imaginative offensive player but he will look to pinch at opportune times and he has a fairly heavy shot from the point. As is the case with any late-round pick, he is a long-term developmental project but there are some intriguing tools in his game. Nick Richard