Dorlington Brothers Carry Family Legacy | theahl.com

Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer

Monday finally provided Jackson and Max Dorlington There is a chance to slow down a little – something they can’t do lately.

Max, a 23-year-old new signing, signed with Bridgeport Islanders, competed in his first two professional games last week. After transferring from St. Lawrence University, he skated at nearby Sacred Heart University, where he posted career goals (12), assists (10) and points (22) in 38 games this season before joining the amateur selection agreement on March 20.

Max was a three-term member of the ECAC full academic team at St. Lawrence.

“It’s definitely a hockey jump,” Max said. “I’m so happy to finish Bridgeport because it’s a great place for me and I’m already familiar with a place. It’s easy.”

Max’s younger brother, 20-year-old defensive player Jackson, was acquired by the New York Rangers JT Miller Transaction on January 31. Jackson won a sixth-round draft pick in 2022, and Jackson completed his junior season at Northeastern University, where he recorded two goals and 13 assists in 37 games before signing a three-year entry-level contract with the Rangers on March 23 and enjoying the Hartford Wolf Pack with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

“There was an opportunity, and I just thought it was a good time,” Jackson said of Turning Pro. “I think I’m a ‘D’ for two-way hockey, but my bread and bombs are my defense, body, awesome way. I think the biggest part of the game I can enjoy better is my skating and the offensive aspect of the hockey, [making] Good matches have transitions. But my bread and bombs are trying to defend, and that’s what I’m going to rely on next month. ”

The hockey tie is deep in the Dorlington family. In 1950, their cousin, Art DorlingtonWhen he joined the New York Rangers, he became the first black player to sign an NHL contract. Art never made it to the NHL, but he played in the Eastern Hockey League and the International Hockey League, and later founded the Dorrington Ice Hockey Foundation, providing children with game opportunities for Atlantic City, New Jersey

Art died in 2017, but Jackson and Max grew up to realize their family connection to hockey history.

“I think you’re just cheering up on perseverance,” Max said. “Perseverance was taken from it. You can’t really imagine the kind of environment that black players were going through and the kind of things they had to play during that time.”

“As he got older and started to learn more about him, he was an inspirational man, and he was a pioneer in the game,” Jackson said. “I just wanted to keep doing what he did, keep on with the last name. He was a powerful, brave, fearless guy. Then in his career, he did a lot of selfless work in New Jersey. He was a great all-rounder.”

Max and Jackson have never faced each other in college, but now they find themselves in the opposition of a long-term rivalry between the two Connecticut clubs in the league. In the final weeks of the season, the Islanders and Wolves took out three times in three, with the first meeting scheduled for April 9 in Bridgeport.

Performing the same process at the same time helps to mitigate tweaks to Pro games. Jackson has a two-way NHL contract that will begin next fall. For Max, this time at Bridgeport is an audition for future roles at AHL level. Max said he was able to play the fifth college season in his fifth college season as he had the opportunity to play in all situations, including late-season roles. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds he can be a powerful clean presence that transfers well even at higher levels.

Growing up in North Reading, Massachusetts, the Dorrington Brothers remained in close contact during the game.

“He definitely had the biggest impact on my career, and I’m sure he would say the same thing for me. Training, skating, shooting hockey on the lawn, we did it all together. It’s cool, it’s cool to take the next step with him. I can learn a lot from him, and I can learn a lot from me, too.”

Jackson said: “It’s been a cool week for my family. I’m so proud of him. He’s gone a long way. It’s fun… We both went to high school together (Cushing College in Boston) and played together, and now we both become professionals. We’re both close to home and good for our parents.”

The hockey map can be large, but it can sometimes be very compact. Bridgeport and Hartford are about an hour apart. With technology, the brothers can stay in touch regularly. Maybe they will collide with each other on the ice at Total Mortgage Arena next Wednesday.

“We talk about it almost every day and now have very similar experiences, it’s better to ride the same boat with you. But it would be nice to compete with him – it’s something we’ve done all our lives. I look forward to doing more here.”

Whenever a meeting happens on ice, they can recall when Dorrington conducted the critical In-Yoars In-the Art 75 years ago.

“He paved the way for a group of players now and got into the game better than before,” Max said.

During the fifty years in the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers the NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.