Doyle: Sam Lofquist officially joins Guelph Storm

A story we originally broke here late Monday night has been officially wrapped up.

Defenceman Sam Lofquist is coming to the Ontario Hockey League and will suit up for the Guelph Storm beginning Friday night in Plymouth. Lofquist left the University of Minnesota after playing there for the 2008-09 season and the beginning of this year. He recently missed time with a foot injury and was a healthy scratch before deciding to pursue other options.

Thursday afternoon I caught up with Storm forward Taylor Beck for the OHL News Radio Show and asked him about his new teammate. "I've skated with him a couple times in the past couple years. He's a great defenceman, he's a great guy also, said Beck. "He's certainly going to come in and be one of our top defencemen to help us out. He's great defensively and even better offensively and it's going to help our team do great things."

Lofquist was also a member of the US National Development program in Ann Arbor, playing with the Under-17 and Under-18 teams. "I was fortunate enough to see Sam play last year and liked his unselfish team play both offensively and defensively", Storm GM and Head Coach Jason Brooks added in a team release. "I see him being a team guy that will help our team move forward in the direction we want to take."

tdoyle@loosepucks.com