The New Jersey Titans conclude their summer series on their age out players with the forward who holds the franchise record for most goals, assists, and points in a season. Dominik Bartecko leaves his name in Titans’ history as he skates off to Mercyhurst University.
The Brentwood, Tennessee native was acquired by New Jersey on November 14th, 2022, from the Amarillo Wranglers in exchange for forward Blake Farrell. Bartecko came to Middletown with two full seasons of junior hockey already under his belt, beginning with the Janesville Jets in 2020, where he put up 15 points in 34 games. The left handed shot then played the 2021-22 season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL, before beginning the next season with Amarillo. As a Wrangler, Bartecko scored 13 points in 14 games before coming to the Garden State.
The future Laker immediately made an impact upon his arrival in Middletown, scoring the overtime winner over Northeast in his first game. That goal was the first of what proved to be a 12 game point streak in Bartecko’s introduction to the East Division, tallying 7 goals and 11 in that span. He would maintain a nearly point per game pace over the remainder of the season, putting up 39 points in 40 games as the Titans finished in second place in the division. Heading into his age-out season, Bartecko exceeded all expectations by recording the best offensive season in Titans history. The Tennessean committed to Mercyhurst University at the end of November, after recording 26 points in New Jersey’s first 24 games.
Consistently being found at the top of the scoring chart for the Titans, Bartecko pulled away in the second half of the season with points streaks of eleven, ten, and eight games. Along the way, he was named the Bauer Hockey East Division 1st Star of the Week three times, and the 2nd Star four times this season. He was also named the Forward of the Month in March, where he put up 9 goals and 15 assists in 10 games. Breaking Ryan Naumovski’s record of 43 assists in a season, and Michael Young’s record of 29 goals in a season, Dominik Bartecko finished his last season of junior hockey with 32 goals and 51 assists, good for 83 points, before adding another 2 goals and an assist in the playoffs.
For his efforts, Bartecko was named a finalist for the Most Valuable Player award and named to the First All-NAHL Team, the first Titan to receive either honor. He became the first forward in the division to record 30 goals and 50 assists since the 2019-20 season, and the first Titan named to the All-East Division team since Anthony Calafiore, David Posma, and Andrew Takacs in 2022.
“I’m so thankful I was able to finish my junior career calling myself a Titan,” said Bartecko. He continued, “Everything this organization does is designed to prepare you for the next level. From on ice skills and off ice habits to building your character as a person. As far as culture, it plays an integral part as to why the Titans have the success they do. I couldn’t have asked for better teammates throughout my 2 years to help me grow, both as a player and as a person. This obviously ties into the coaching staff, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Craig, Bobby, and Kyle. It sounds cliché, but the amount of things they went through to help me grow and develop tremendously contributed to my success. I am truly bless to be able to leave a mark in New Jersey and I can’t wait for what’s next.”
Bartecko now heads off to Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he will be reunited with Riley Fitzgerald. They will be greeted by a team that boasts six Titans alumni, including 2022 Robertson Champion Ryan Coughlin. Entering his 37th season behind the bench, the Lakers are led by Head Coach Rick Gotkin. Starting with Mercyhurst in 1988, Gotkin led the Lakers through the transition to the Division I level in 1999.
“Bart comes off the best individual season in Titans NAHL history. He was the driver for us on offense all season long,” said Head Coach and General Manager Craig Doremus. “The enjoyable part as a coach was watching his game improve throughout the season. He just continued to get better and better even dating back to his first season in New Jersey. Dom fell in love with the game and the entire process of being successful. He worked daily to improve both on the ice in practice but also off the ice as well. He took care of his body and prepared for the daily grind. The scariest and best part about Dom is that I firmly believe his best hockey is in front of him. He will continue to get better and better. He heads to Mercyhurst joining a long list of former Titans and should make an impact on that team from day one. Bart’s legacy and imprint on this program will last for many years and we are so excited about his future.”