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NTDP defenseman Tommy Miller has officially signed his National Letter of Intent to join Michigan State. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
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Michigan State announces signings of four new Spartans

MiHockey Staff
NTDP defenseman Tommy Miller has officially signed his National Letter of Intent to join Michigan State. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)
NTDP defenseman Tommy Miller has officially signed his National Letter of Intent to join Michigan State. (Photo by Michael Caples/MiHockey)

 

By @MichaelCaples –

On Tuesday, Michigan State announced the addition of four new Spartans to next year’s line-up.

MSU officially signed three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Nov. 15 – Michigan natives Tommy Miller (USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program/USHL), Mitch Lewandowski (Chicago Steel/USHL) and David Keefer (Des Moines Buccaneers/USHL).

Meanwhile, the Spartans also stated that Ty Farmer, a defenseman from O’Fallon, Mo., who signed a NLI last year, will also officially join the team for the 2017-18 season.

“We are very excited about this group as they all play with a high level of speed, skill and intelligence,” Anastos said. “Over the coming months we will be adding more to the group, which will make this an excellent class and one ready to impact our team next season.”

From the MSU release:

Tommy Miller
West Bloomfield, Mich. | USNTDP U-18 | D | 6-2, 177 | DOB: 3/6/99
2017 NHL Entry Draft Eligible

Scouting Report: Big, strong-skating defenseman who is an excellent puck mover and has good offensive instincts … Very intelligent player and a strong defender who has the ability to contribute at both ends of the ice.

Joined the US National Team Development Program in 2015-16, producing a 3-5–8 scoring line in 22 games for the U-17 team … Has a goal and seven assists in 20 games with the USNTDP U-18 team so far this season … Has a ‘B’ rating from NHL Central Scouting … Part of the USA’s 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup team that advanced to the tournament finals, scoring a goal and adding an assist in five games … Also represented Team USA at the 2015 World Under 17 Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, British Columbia, scoring a goal and adding three assists in six games … Played 30 games with Victory Honda in 2015-16 before joining the USNTDP where he had six assists … Was a member of Victory Honda in 2014-15, producing two goals and six assists in 31 games.

Mitch Lewandowski
Clarkston, Mich. | Chicago Steel (USHL) | F | 5-9, 175 | DOB: 4/17/98
2017 NHL Entry Draft Eligible

Scouting Report: Possess a high hockey I.Q. … Has excellent vision and passing ability with a very quick shot release … Won a youth hockey national championship playing on the same line as current Spartan Patrick Khodorenko.

In his second season with the Chicago Steel where he has two goals and three assists through 14 games … Recorded 18 points (7g, 11a) in 49 games with Chicago last season … Played the 2014-15 season with Honeybaked U18 where he racked up 18 points (12g, 6a) in 23 games before making a jump to the USHL where he played two games with the Des Moines Buccaneers … Picked up 29 points (13g, 16a) in 22 games with Honeybaked U16 in 2013-14 … Played Bantam Minor and Midget for Honeybaked, having his best season in 2012-13 when he had 44 points (16g, 28a) in 22 games.

David Keefer
Brighton, Mich. | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | F | 5-10, 185 | DOB: 10/21/97
2017 NHL Entry Draft Eligible

Scouting Report: Hard working and fast skating winger who has good puck skills and a nice scoring touch around the net … Plays a strong 200-foot game and with a lot of tenacity.

Playing his third USHL season and second consecutive with the Des Moines Buccaneers … Has nine points (4g, 5a) through 13 games in 2016 … Recorded 33 points, including 21 assists, which ranked fourth on the team, for Des Moines in 2015-16 … Played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in his first USHL season in 2014-15, putting up 15 points (7g, 8a) in 59 games … After registering 21 points (10g, 11a) in 18 games for Honeybaked U16 in 2013-14, he moved up to Honeybaked U18 where he had seven points (3g, 4a) in eight games … Played his Bantam hockey for Compuware and played one season of U16 with Little Caesars.

Ty Farmer
O’Fallon, Mo. | Youngstown Phantoms (USHL) | D | 5-10, 185 | DOB: 1/6/1998
2017 NHL Entry Draft Eligible

Scouting Report: Mobile, puck-moving defenseman … His ability to skate makes him hard to play against on the defensive side of the puck and hard to defend offensively … His experience in the USHL, plus his international experience with USA Hockey have developed his game to a high level.

In his third season with the Youngstown Phantoms where he has three assists through 15 games … Limited to 19 games for Youngstown in 2015-16 due to injury … Tallied five points in 39 games with Youngstown in 2014-15, helping the Phantoms finish with the best record in the USHL … Member of the USA’s 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup team, where he scored a goal … Also featured at the USA Hockey Selects U16 and U17 camps … Played for the St. Louis AAA Blues U16 program, adding seven points in 36 games in 2013-14.