Brock Devlin didn't come out of nowhere to make a college commitment.

The longtime Jr. Ducks player came out of the rink — and the gym. That dedication, the 2005 birth year and one of his coaches said, is what catapulted him onto the Division I radar. Devlin's recent commitment to Dartmouth makes him the 81st player with ties to the club to make a D-I commit and fulfills a lifelong goal.

"An Ivy League school has been a personal goal and dream of mine, and a dream of my parents," Devlin said. "They pushed me to do well in school, take care of academics first.

"When (Dartmouth's coaching staff) reached out, it was a dream come true."

Sticking with the plan

How Devlin got to this point is a study in perseverance. He wasn't the star of his OC Hockey Club or Jr. Ducks teams, but he was determined.

"He definitely earned it. He put in the work and believed in the process," Jr. Ducks 18U AAA coach August Aiken said. "He wasn't chasing juniors too early."

Devlin has erupted this season for a team-high 39 points in 28 games for the Anchorage Wolverines of the North American Hockey League. That came on the heels of 18 points in 42 games last season, his first in juniors. What made the difference?

"All the work I put in during the offseason and having a coaching staff that believed in me gave me a lot of confidence," Devlin said. "I gained 12-15 pounds last summer. I worked out with and hung around other players who want to succeed and get to the next level."

Devlin skated with Jr. Ducks Director of Player Development Alex Kim and fellow D-I commits Christian Kim, Ty and Tanner Henricks, and Merril Steenari, among many others. 

"Training with them helped," Devlin said. "We pushed each other really hard in the gym and on the ice."

Staying in California benefitted Devlin

Devlin said that remaining in California through high school and playing for both the Jr. Ducks and Santa Margarita Catholic High School helped set him on his current course as well. 

"I didn't really dominate club hockey until my 18s year, and I though it was important to stay around," he said. "I went to a great high school, and my parents (Sean and Leigh) wanted me to graduate from there. I loved being at home with my family and being around my friends. 

"There was no reason to go out of state because I knew I wasn't ready for the junior level. California gets a bad rap at times, but there are great coaches and great facilities here. I saw kids get pushed to move on before they were ready."

In the middle of his five-year stretch with the Jr. Ducks, Devlin also made a position switch that further unlocked his potential. 

"I was always a forward," he said. "Midway through 16s, coach Alex thought it might be a good idea to throw me back on defense. I'm super grateful for that because I ended up loving the position.

"When I got to 18s, coach August kept me there and let me do my thing. I'm very grateful for those two guys; they changed my trajectory."

Ironically, Aiken was open to Devlin returning to forward.

"When he was trying out for me, I asked him what he wanted to play," Aiken recalled. "He said, 'I want to play D.' He was great for us. He has excellent offensive instincts and has improved his defense a ton. What really stands out are his skating and edge work, those are elite."

Devlin put up 76 points in 70 games at 18U and helped the team reach the USA Hockey Youth Nationals. There wasn't much debate if he was ready for junior hockey — externally or internally — after that. 

Juniors meant more learning

As many players discover, that transition doesn't go as smoothly as planned. 

"He had a bumpy start," Aiken said. "He signed to play in the BCHL, then they went independent. He ended up leaving and going to the North American League. His rookie season (2023-24) was good, but he came back determined to improve."

Devlin, who will play at Dartmouth with two other former Jr. Ducks — Phillipe Lalonde and Jason Stefanek — said his move to Alaska could not have gone better. 

"It was the best move I could have made, not only for hockey but for all of the life experiences," said Devlin, who played in the NAHL's Top Prospects Game last season. "I'm super fortunate to have a great billet family. Not every 18- or 19-year-old gets to have all of the life experiences we do there. Everyone loves hockey up there and they really support us. I'm super grateful for Anchorage."

Devlin's upbeat, grateful outlook and hard work throughout the process paid off.

"He put in a ton of work in the offseason and it's showing," Aiken said. "He deserves this opportunity, and Dartmouth is lucky to grab him.

"He took a mature approach, a smart approach. I couldn't be happier for Brock, and the club couldn't be prouder of him."