Penn State men's hockey earned a new commitment in its 2028 class from forward Maxmilian Mares, who announced his decision via social media Monday night.
Mares, 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, is a versatile forward listed as both a center and winger on Elite Prospects, and is projected to be a first-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft. TSN's Craig Button ranked him as the 13th overall prospect in this upcoming draft class and the consolidated ranking has Mares at No. 42.
The Czechia native currently plays for Rimouski Océanic in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and has logged 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 15 games so far this season. This is his first season in the Canadian Hockey League.
Mares previously played for the Bílí Tygři Liberec in the Czechia Extraliga, the premier hockey league in the country, on the under-17 and under-20 teams. He developed with HC Vítkovice in their under-15 and eventually under-17 squads. Mares has also represented his country, playing in the under-16, under-17, and under-18 levels. On the under-18 roster, he totaled nine points on five goals and four assists across seven contests.
BREAKING: @PennStateMHKY has received a massive commitment from Maxmilian Mares. @TSN_Sports Craig Button has the 6’6 forward ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the 2027 NHL Draft pic.twitter.com/MLc08DknBJ
— Matt Becker (@mattbecker250) November 2, 2026
Forward Maxmilian Mares commits to Penn State men's hockey 2028 class
At just 17 years old, Mares won't be an immediate addition to the Nittany Lions' roster. They brought in five forwards in their 2026 freshman class and have eight slated to join next season's team, including 2026 NHL Draft 32nd overall pick, left-winger Jaxon Cover.
Also joining Mares in the 2028 class are forwards Braden Horton (NTDP) and Nolan Snyder (OHL), who are notable 2027 prospects as well, Gerry DiCunzolo (NDTP) and Alex Soychuk (JPHL). Goaltender Mason Courville (OHL) also committed to Penn State.
It would be unlikely to see someone reclassify up into the 2027 class. It's not entirely off the table, but this is a young roster in terms of forwards.
Penn State still has Justin Poirier (10 points), Justin Larose (seven points), Kale Dach (six points), and Kaden Pitre (four points) as well as Luke Misa, Lev Katzin, and Shea Van Olm all with at least two years of eligibility remaining. That's not to mention the five-of-six 2026 NHL Draft picks in the 2027 class: Cover, Egor Shilov (second-round, 43rd overall), Pierce Mbuyi (third-round, 86th overall), Caden Harvey (sixth-round, 180th overall), and Quinn McKenzie (seven-round, 222nd overall).
Mares or anyone else from the 2028 class reclassifying could take up valuable roster space. This is a team that's still melding together, but it's still been the younger forwards who have started pushing Penn State forward early on this season. Larose, Dach, and Pitre are all freshmen while the others mentioned above are sophomores. Those players coming together and adding in the 2026 NHL Draft to that mix doesn't leave a lot of room or a good argument for reclassification.
However, despite the slower start the Nittany Lions have had, the direction of this team is continuing to progress. Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky has some serious talent coming through this program.
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