A long, winding USHL career finds Jack Larrigan in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — Here is head coach Mark Carlson’s scouting report on Cedar Rapids RoughRiders forward Jack Larrigan.

“Great person, teammate,” Carlson wrote in a text. “Plays all situations for us. Another guy from St. Louis. Great in the room, good speed, puts it in the net. Great role model for our guys. Operates like a pro.”

Those last two sentences need a little more analysis and explanation.

Larrigan is a great role model for his RoughRiders teammates and operates like a pro in significant part to his life in junior hockey. It hasn’t been altogether smooth.

He played the 2020-21 season with the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, then was traded to the Lincoln Stars. After 17 pointless games with the Stars, he was sent to the Janesville Jets of the lower-level North American Hockey League.

Larrigan returned to Lincoln last season, played in 59 of the team’s 60 regular-season games and put up six points in nine playoff games. He had one assist in five games this season for the Stars, then was traded to the RoughRiders.

That’s four USHL seasons, three USHL teams, 140 USHL regular-season games and another nine postseason games.

“That’s just how my path has played out,” Larrigan said. “I have definitely had some peaks and valleys in my career so far. I think I hit some adversity early on. As a teenager, I hit some adversity, and I think that’s kind of turned me into the man I am today.

“I’ve had some great experiences with all my teams. I’ve had some great teammates and friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Larrigan has gotten consistent ice time with Cedar Rapids and cashed in on it. The 19-year-old from St. Louis, a place that has produced numerous outstanding players over the years for C.R., has seven goals and five assists in 18 games.

The RoughRiders hosted Des Moines on Thursday night at ImOn Ice and hit the Dakotas this weekend: a Saturday night game at Sioux Falls and a late Sunday afternoon game at Fargo.

“I think it was just one of those things where I feel like the fresh start for me in Cedar Rapids has been huge,” Larrigan said. “So far, I think it’s been going well, and I’m focusing on continuing that in the second half.”

Larrigan’s goal total already has surpassed any of his previous seasons in the USHL. That goes back to getting regular ice.

“It just goes along with having the coach’s trust, too,” Larrigan said. “When he knows he can trust you when he puts you out there, it just makes it easier. I can just kind of play my game. I know he has my back, and I’m going to do the things I can do to help the team win. Every time I’m on the ice, I want to contribute that way. It’s been really good so far.”

Larrigan has committed to Notre Dame, where he expects to begin competing next season. He has always been an Irish fan, always been a big fan, as you’d expect, of his hometown St. Louis Blues.

Vladimir Tarasenko was his idol as a little kid. Larrigan played for the St. Louis Jr. Blues program in town and has done summer work with former Blues players Jeff Brown and Kelly Chase over the years.

The RoughRiders went 1-6-3 in their last 10 games before the holiday break, but Larrigan said he expects the club to turn it around here in the second half of the season.

He’s doing everything he can to steer that turn.

“I can bring a lot of leadership, being a veteran guy in the league,” he said. “I’ve been in a deep playoff run last year, so I know what it takes to win. I definitely think I can bring some production on the points side ...

“But the main thing I really wanted to focus on coming here was just winning games. Winning hockey games and making a deep run in the playoffs. I love to win, and that’s what I want to do in Cedar Rapids.”

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