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Michigan State hockey received a commitment from California prospect Christian Kim over the weekend. With that, now may be a good time to highlight two of the Spartans’ young upcoming stars.
Christian Kim, who is currently 16 years old, stands at 5-foot-7 tall and hails out of Torrance, California. He is a four-star recruit and announced his commitment to Michigan State on Jan. 1.
I am extremely excited to announce my commitment to play Division 1 college hockey at Michigan State University. I would like to thank my family, friends, and teammates who have helped me along the way. I’d also like to thank Coach Alex for being a big part of my hockey journey. pic.twitter.com/jX9A8nf5Cy
— Christian Kim (@christiankim05) January 1, 2022
He’s currently playing for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks 16U team where he has 97 points in 39 games. Additionally. in four games for Lutheran High School, he has seven goals and six assists. According to Puck Preps, Kim is one of the highest-risers in the 2005 birth year.
Four ⭐️ recruit Christian Kim from the @JrDucks16AAA has committed to @MSU_Hockey. Kim has racked up 97 points in 39 games with the Ducks this season and has been one of our highest risers in the 2005 birth year. https://t.co/4Z818ZEI4K
— Puck Preps (@PuckPreps) January 2, 2022
Kim is set to arrive on Michigan State’s roster in the season beginning in 2023-2024 when he would become a freshman. There is not a lot of recent public video on him available, but there is a one-on-one all-star game feature from when a then 11-year-old Kim was playing for the Mini Ducks.
Another young prospect coming to Michigan State in the same year is 16-year-old Riley Bassen, from Frisco, Texas. Bassen currently plays for the Dallas Stars Elite 16U team, where he has 23 points in 32 games. He committed to Michigan State on Sept. 2.
Bassen comes from a strong line of hockey players, as both his dad and grandfather played in the NHL. His dad, Bob, started his career with the New York Islanders in 1985 and last played for the St. Louis Blues before retiring in 2000. Riley’s grandfather, Hank, was a backup goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks from 1954 to 1968.
Bassen was taken at No. 35 by the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes in 2020, but it appears he opted to stay with the Stars until he heads off to Michigan State. “He’s a real competitive player that has an excellent hockey sense,” Lethbridge general manager Peter Anholt said.
Nice work by our line for the GWG to the Championship! @PashbyWill Riley Bassen @usahockey Rocky Mountain Districts @T1EHL #onemore #letsgo #GoStars pic.twitter.com/CEfJsniNYY
— Peyton Militello (@MilitelloPeyton) March 7, 2021
Michigan State will host No. 11 Minnesota this weekend on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8. MSU looks to build off of some huge momentum since defeating No. 18/- Michigan Tech in overtime last week.