THE STANDARD: ARCHIVES
News • Highlights • Updates • Development
Athlete Spotlight: Lawton Zacher
Northeastern University | Men’s Hockey | Goaltender
Buffalo native Lawton Zacher has established himself as one of the top goaltenders in NCAA Division I hockey. His journey began at Nichols School before moving on to the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL and eventually Brown University. During his two seasons at Brown, Lawton elevated his game to a national level, earning All-Ivy and All-ECAC recognition, a Hobey Baker Award nomination, and Mike Richter Award semifinalist honors. After transferring to Northeastern, he continued that success with an outstanding 2025–26 season, recording a .929 save percentage, 2.20 goals-against average, and five shutouts in 32 games. His performance earned him another Mike Richter Award semifinalist selection and recognition among the nation’s elite goaltenders.
Lawton’s development has also attracted attention at the professional level, attending the Nashville Predators development camp in 2025 and the Seattle Kraken development camp in 2026. Now entering his senior season at Northeastern, he continues to establish himself as one of the premier goaltenders in college hockey, with aspirations of taking his game to the professional level.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with Lawton for four offs seasons now, and we’ve developed a tremendous relationship. What makes Lawton unique is how incredibly in tune he is with his body and his understanding of what he needs to continue improving. He recognizes that at his level, the smallest details can make the biggest difference. Our training goes well beyond simply developing strength, speed, and power. We constantly evaluate movement patterns, muscle function, stability, positioning, and how those physical qualities translate directly to the demands of his position.
One of the things I enjoy most about working with Lawton is how much he challenges me as a coach. His understanding of goaltending, combined with my background in muscle physiology, biomechanics, and kinesiology, creates an environment where we’re constantly learning from each other. I love diving into the smallest details of his movement and finding ways to improve efficiency, explosiveness, and control. We’ve developed a level of trust and communication that allows us to explore every possible advantage. Lawton’s commitment to understanding his body and his relentless pursuit of improvement are what make him special. It’s incredibly rewarding to work with an athlete who isn’t simply trying to become a better goalie, but is genuinely searching for every possible edge to become the best goaltender in the world.
On the Blog: Why Talent and Skill Can Hide the Mechanical Flaws That Eventually Limit an Athlete
Here’s something I see all the time.
A kid scores 50 goals at 12 and everyone calls him elite. And maybe he is. But I’m not that interested in how good an athlete is at 12. I want to know how he’s getting it done, and whether that will still work at 16, 18, 21.
Talented kids are great at compensating. Great hands can cover up bad skating for years. Being faster or stronger than everyone your age can cover up a lot of inefficient movement. Then the game speeds up, everyone around you gets better, and the time and space you used to have is gone. The talent didn’t go anywhere. The athlete just can’t get into position fast enough to use it.
One of the most frustrating things in my career is working with an older athlete who has Division I skill and can’t skate or sprint well enough to show it. We can fix it. But my first thought is always the same: imagine if we’d caught this at 11 or 12.
In this month’s blog I get into what I’m actually looking at when I evaluate an athlete, why a hard workout isn’t the same as training, and how I build every athlete from the ground up.
Roster Watch: Brooklyn & Peyton Forcucci
Two-Sport Athletes Making an Impact
Brooklyn and Peyton Forcucci are off to outstanding starts this fall, making significant contributions in both hockey and field hockey. Both compete for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres 16U Girls hockey team while also representing Orchard Park High School on the varsity field hockey team. Their athleticism, versatility, and competitive drive have made them standouts in both sports.
Peyton Forcucci had an impressive September on the ice, recording 3 goals and 4 assists at the NAHA Tournament in Massachusetts. Her offensive production has carried over to field hockey, where she has established herself as one of Orchard Park’s leading goal scorers, recording 5 goals and 3 assists through five games. Peyton’s combination of speed, athleticism, and offensive instincts makes her a consistent threat in both sports.
Brooklyn Forcucci has established herself as a dependable, high-impact defenseman for the Jr. Sabres, leading her team in ice time while playing every other shift and contributing on both the power play and penalty kill. She recorded 3 assists at the NAHA Tournament, but her impact extends well beyond the scoresheet. Her powerful skating, exceptional edge work, and ability to shut down opposing players set her apart. Brooklyn excels at moving the puck out of the defensive zone and recognizing opportunities to join the offensive attack. On the field hockey side, she has contributed 2 goals and 3 assists through five games, highlighted by a game-winning shootout goal against Iroquois High School.
What makes Brooklyn and Peyton especially rewarding to coach is the tremendous athletic foundation they have built, combined with their work ethic and desire to continually improve. Both are incredibly present and intentional in their training. They embrace challenges, ask for more, and understand the importance of developing the mechanical and foundational qualities that support long-term athletic success. Their athletic awareness allows me to challenge them with advanced movement patterns and mechanical work that many athletes struggle to grasp. Rather than shy away from difficult work, they embrace it and recognize that reaching their true potential requires consistent effort and improvement every day. It’s a pleasure working with both girls, and I’m excited to see what they accomplish throughout the remainder of their seasons.
Programs & Partners
Coach to Coach: RJ Gicewicz
One of the most rewarding parts of coaching is building relationships with people who share the same passion and philosophy for athlete development. Over the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with RJ Gicewicz, owner of SAQ Performance. Our relationship began during RJ’s time at Nichols School, where he served as Director of Youth Hockey and coached at the 16U and 18U levels. We quickly realized how closely our philosophies aligned, creating a natural opportunity to collaborate and help young athletes reach their potential.
What has made our relationship so valuable is our shared belief that developing athletes goes far beyond improving their performance in sports. We both want to provide young athletes with the knowledge, tools, and guidance to pursue the highest levels of competition while also helping them grow into healthy, confident, successful, and happy adults. Creating a positive, stable environment where athletes can develop physically, mentally, and personally has always been at the center of our approach.
RJ is currently based in the Denver area, serving as Assistant Director of Hockey Operations and 13O Head Coach at Okanagan Hockey Colorado. Despite his commitments out west, he plans to return to Buffalo during school breaks and throughout the summer to continue working with local athletes through SAQ Performance, providing high-level on-ice skills coaching and development opportunities.
I’m grateful for the relationship RJ and I have built, the athletes we’ve been able to help along the way, and the shared commitment we have to doing things the right way. I look forward to continuing our collaboration both on and off the ice, creating more opportunities for young athletes to develop the skills, habits, and character that will serve them throughout their lives.
Virtus Athlete: The Mentor Speaker Series
October 11 · 8:00 PM ET
Joey Muldowney, Co-founder & Mentor
Captain of the UConn men’s hockey team
Mentor session: Discussing the Virtus Athlete five pillars of development
October 25 · 8:00 PM ET
Maxim Strbak
Rochester Americans · Buffalo Sabres
His journey through youth, college, and professional hockey
[Learn how to be a Virtus Athlete →]
Upcoming Guest Speakers
Jak Vaarwark — UMass Lowell captain
Quentin Musty — San Jose Barracuda; first-round draft pick, San Jose Sharks
Chase Reid — Michigan State; first-round draft pick, Seattle
