Why the NHL Lockout Is Good For the NCAA

 

by Keith Hoehne 
 
Although many of us are disappointed with the NHL lockout and are awaiting the time everybody gets back to work with hopefully no loss of games, the NCAA should be licking their lips at this potential opportunity!

With the prospect of no hockey to be had in the NHL, the NCAA has to be thinking of ways to capitalize on the opportunity to promote college hockey, a sport that has been largely passed over by the mainstream public in the United States. The reason for this is the incredible lack of television coverage on major sports networks. Sure, states like Minnesota, Michigan, and Massachusetts will have regional coverage of some games, but where is the legitimate attempt to get a national audience?

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NCAA Hockey In Canada?

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While nearly every hockey fan in Canada is talking about the NHL lockout, something different may be brewing in the back rooms of several major Canadian Universities.

A few weeks ago, a little noticed announcement was made in Vancouver. It was announced that Burnaby's Simon Fraser University was approved as the first international school in the NCAA.
While SFU currently does not have a varsity hockey team - it has a sports club which competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League, a 6- year-old organization which boasts seven members including, one American team from Eastern Washington University - that hasn't stopped school officials from openly pondering the possibility of the school competing in NCAA Division I hockey sometime in the near future.

SFU's 17 NCAA varsity sports teams compete in NCAA Division II, meaning they would have to petition to be allowed to play in Division I hockey. There is no Division II hockey available and, as per NCAA regulations, they would not be permitted to play in the lower-tier Division III hockey.
NCAA hockeywould almost certainly explode in a market like Vancouver which is not only unwavering in its support of the NHL's Canucks, but also has embraced major junior hockey in the form of the WHL's Giants and Junior "A" hockey with a handful of BCHL teams.

After reading this release, we made several calls to other Canadian Universities, and the thought of joining the NCAA was something everyone was talking about. Many people within organizations voiced that they would like to be able to do this and keep Canadian born players playing in Canada rather than loosing them to the United States. Canadian pride, and having the ability to continue to develop their own players was at the heart of most of these conversations.

While many people cited the challenges they may face in attempting to join the NCAA, many also said they would be willing to take those challenges on. If SFU attempts to take its BCIHL to the NCAA level, they will first need to find a suitable facility. But once that hurdle is overcome, they could be the first of many programs in Canada to change over to the NCAA model.

TJHN will update this story as it develops.
By Joseph Kolodziej

College Hockey Conn Smythe Hat Trick

Six former college players helped lead the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup championship, with goaltender Jonathan Quick becoming the third straight collegian to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Quick, who played two seasons at UMass and is the first Minuteman to get his name on the Cup, follows in the footsteps of Tim Thomas (Vermont) and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) in winning the Conn Smythe. He is the fifth former college player to win it, joining those two plus Brian Leetch (Boston College) and Joe Nieuwendyk (Cornell).

Quick - who could also follow Thomas as the Vezina Trophy winner (he is a finalist) - compiled one of the best playoff runs by an NHL goaltender in history. He posted a 16-4 record, a 1.41 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and allowed only seven goals in the six games of the Stanley Cup Final series. He posted three shutouts along the way.
Teammates marvel at his efforts.

"It's kind of strange for us because we see him in practice every day," defenseman Rob Scuderi, a Boston College graduate, told NHL.com. "Just like with any great player I've been fortunate to play with, they do more great things in practice than you'd ever see in a game. It's not really a shock to any of us. It's great to see him playing so fantastic and at such a high level every night, but it's not a shock to any of us who are in the room."

More Collegians
Scuderi and Matt Greene, a North Dakota product, tied for second among Kings defensemen at +9 for the playoffs. The Los Angeles defense had a heavy college influence, with Alec Martinez (Miami) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) also among the top six.
Up front, former Maine star Dustin Penner finished the playoffs with 11 points in 20 games, including the overtime goal that sent the Kings to the final round.
The Cup is a third championship in 12 years for Scuderi, who won the NCAA title as a senior at BC, then claimed the 2009 Stanley Cup as a Pittsburgh Penguin.

From the Top
Several former college players contributed to the Kings' efforts in the front office, led by Dean Lombardi. The team president and general manager played at Elmira College and the University of New Haven.

Lombardi's front office staff includes Jack Ferreira (Boston University) and Nelson Emerson (Bowling Green). The team's co-director of amateur scouting, Mark Yannetti, played at both Brown and Williams, while the scouting staff includes Mark Mullen (Boston University), Mike Donnelly (Michigan State), Tony Gasparini (Minnesota Duluth) and Bob Crocker (Boston University).

WHL - NCAA Camp Checklist

While playing in a Canadian Hockey League game will cost a prospect his NCAA eligibility, there is still the opportunity to attend a camp to learn more about a CHL team while retaining amateur status.

What comes in to play is often called the "48-hour rule," and can be easy to misinterpret. The full language in the NCAA Manual is pasted at the bottom of this article and, as you'll see, can be a bit unwieldy.

In plain English, any player who wants to consider the U.S. college hockey option and the opportunity to get your education paid for while pursuing an NHL career needs to remember a few things before attending:

1.            You may have a team cover the cost of one tryout for up to 48 hours

A CHL team may cover necessary expenses for you to attend a tryout for up to 48 hours (including transportation, lodging, meals, etc.). The 48-hour period begins when you arrive at the tryout location. This is a one-time allowance per team and can be used for a training camp or rookie camp.

2.            You may attend for more than 48 hours, but need to cover costs

Should you wish to extend your stay at a CHL training camp beyond 48 hours, you need to be prepared to cover costs from that point on (including transportation home).

3.             Do not compete in scrimmages or games against other teams.

While attending CHL camps prospects may participate in practices and intrasquad scrimmages, but may not face off against players or prospects representing another CHL team, even in an exhibition game.

4.            Don't rush into any decisions

If you were drafted in the CHL in the spring and are attending camp as a 15- or 16-year-old, your chances of earning a regular spot in the CHL are likely slim. Maintaining your NCAA eligibility for another year will give you more time to evaluate your options and make a well informed decision for your future ? while likely not affecting your plans for this season at all.

5.            Do not sign a contract with a CHL team.

A contract with a CHL team is considered a professional contract by the NCAA and therefore jeopardizes a prospect's eligibility. It's best not to sign any agreement with a CHL team; an exception is filling out a simple tryout form with basic information.

6.            Do not interpret a lack of calls from colleges as a lack of interest.

Colleges, by NCAA rule, cannot contact student-athletes prior to June 15 of their grade 10 year of high school. Unless you have visited a coach on campus or reached out to them on your own, you may be drafted into the CHL without ever talking to a college coach ? but that doesn?t mean they won?t be interested. College coaches want to attract the best players from both the U.S. and Canada, typically many of the same players that OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams select in their drafts.

7.            Do not violate NCAA rules by accepting gifts from CHL teams.

If a CHL team gives you a jersey or other gifts you should be prepared to either return those items or compensate the team appropriately.

Being invited to a CHL training camp can be a great validation of your skills as a hockey player and a good sign of things to come in your hockey career. That career will include a number of choices along the way - we would encourage you to keep your options open so that you have the opportunity to make the best choices for you.

If you have any questions about attending a CHL camp and maintaining your NCAA eligibility, feel free to contact College Hockey, Inc.

From the NCAA Manual

12.2.1.1 Tryout Before Enrollment-Men's Ice Hockey and Skiing. In men's ice hockey and skiing, a student-athlete remains eligible in a sport even though, prior to enrollment in a collegiate institution, the student-athlete may have tried out with a professional athletics team in a sport or received not more than one expense-paid visit from each professional team (or a combine including that team), provided such a visit did not exceed 48 hours and any payment or compensation in connection with the visit was not in excess of actual and necessary expenses. The 48-hour tryout period begins at the time the individual arrives at the tryout location. At the completion of the 48-hour period, the individual must depart the location of the tryout immediately in order to receive return transportation expenses. A tryout may extend beyond 48 hours if the individual self finances additional expenses, including return transportation. A self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.

My experience with the choice between major junior and college hockey

I tried out for the Kelowna Rockets, one of the premier programs in the Western Hockey League, in the fall of 2000. I was 17 years old, although in the junior hockey world I was considered an 18 year old because I was born in 1982. I was coming off of a successful year of Midget AA, having been captain of a team that won the BC provincial championship. But being that I was that old and undrafted, I was a definite longshot and I knew it.


The thing is, I had a really good camp, and sometimes you catch people off guard. I scored twice in a heavily attended low-scoring intra-squad game in Kelowna’s Prospera Place, and was invited to travel with the team to Kamloops to play the Blazers in the first of a number of exhibition games. They had already made a great many cuts by this point.

As a young player, you deal with a range of ideas and emotions: I’m from Kelowna, so if I could walk onto the hometown Kelowna Rockets and make it…I have to do that, right? (By the way, the Rockets won the Memorial Cup in the next year or two. Dammit.) But, I was also a gangly kid who got cut to house hockey his first year of Bantam, got better (read: bigger) in a hurry, and had figured out that you can get your entire undergrad education paid for if you play junior A puck. I also knew that if I played one game – even an exhibition game – at the major junior level, I was ineligible for at least a year of that NCAA hockey (plus a game for every CHL (major junior) game played, I believe), making that dream scholarship less likely.

My parents and I sat in the room and listened to The Most Important People in the Rockets Organization at the time and tried to gauge how likely it was that I would make the team while trying to make the decision to go for it or not. Essentially, it was down to myself and large, fellow right-winger Randall Gelech (a player far better than I, who would’ve likely played in the NHL for years by now had he not been drafted/buried in the Red Wings organization when they were on top of the world for years). We told them our concerns about NCAA eligibility. And they told us “how this works”: just play/tryout, and we’ll rip up the rosters after the game. If you make it – and you have a good chance – cool. If you don’t, you’ll be fine. I’m not sure if it still does, but it seems this is a thing that occasionally happened at the time.

My parents didn’t want me to play. Between all of us, a college scholarship was the goal. If I got an education paid for then the investment in gear, practices, and time would have amounted to something. Yes, you can get Canadian college hockey paid for after playing major junior, but it’s suuuuper rare to advance, hockey-wise, beyond that. You’re basically saying it’s NHL or done-by-20. NCAA puck gives late bloomers (like myself) years to develop against incredible talents to see what you can become.

At 15 or 16 or 17, a young hockey player has to a make a decision that will forever change his career and his life: take your shot at Major Junior or commit to the college path.

I played Junior B hockey that winter, led my conference in points (beating Chuck Kobasew’s team record), and finished second overall in the league to Andrew Ebbett. That summer, I signed a card with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL, trained my butt off, and committed to earning that scholarship.
I scored 131 points over my 120 game Junior A career, and we won a BCHL title. After fly-down visits to three different NCAA schools, I accepted a full Div. 1 scholarship (to the University of Alaska Anchorage) just like my family had hoped – just like I had hoped.

So here I sit, with a primary education in hockey, but a different title on my business card, and I couldn’t be happier. I got an education (an education your love of hockey forces you to get, if you want to play), found my best friends and really, myself. College was an experience I can’t explain, an experience I’d never give back. I was fortunate to have the opportunity. (I was more fortunate that I lived with guys capable of installing a keg-orator line from the garage to the kitchen sink, giving us water taps labelled hot, cold and beer.)

When most players have to make the decision between major junior and college, they take what they can get. Most don’t reject one for the other; their talents, age and size direct them one way or the other. Only a lucky few get to choose.

Either one works. There is a hockey cliche that “If you’re good enough, they’ll find you”. And it’s true. They’ll find you in Timbukfuckingtu if you’re NHL calibre. It’s insane. Few are overlooked.
As someone quickly approaching their 30th birthday thinking about what I’d do if I were a young player now deciding between the two, I can’t help but think: I’d have to be awfully damn good to choose major junior hockey over college. It’s not taking anything away from those who choose to go the CHL route, it’s just that one way seems a little more all-or-nothing than the other. Both seem like flying down the highway on a motorcycle, but one affords you a helmet.

As a further college hockey pump-up: going that route isn’t exactly a hockey dead end. During my years in the WCHA I faced some great players – Zach Parise, Tomas Vanek, TJ Oshie, David Backes, Matt Niskanen, Alex Goligoski, Kyle Okposo, Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler, Andreas Nodl, Jonathan Toews, Chris Conner, Matt Greene, Keith Ballard, Matt Carle, Paul Stastny, Joey Crabb, Ryan Potulny, Ryan Stoa, Brandon Bochensky, Brian Lee, Matt Smaby, Drew Stafford, Rene Bourque, Adam Burish, Brian Elliot, Tom Gilbert, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Suter, Travis Zajac, Ryan Carter, Jason Garrison, and the toughest to play of all of them all at the time, 5’7″ Hobey Baker-winner Ryan Duncan (AHL). I was also teammates with Curtis Glencross, Jay Beagle and Nathan Lawson. You can develop at that level, and you can still make it big.

For the big guns, major junior is great too: it’s more pro-style puck, it’s great exposure, and it’s comparable to the NHL schedule.

Nobody can say for certain what’s the best route – each player has a different set of developmental needs, and each league fulfills those differently.

But for those who could use a little more time to develop and miiiigghht just want to hedge their bets on the future with an education, college hockey is the way to go.

NCAA Hockey Experienc: An experience of a lifetime

For more college hockey information please click here!

STOCKHOLM – Before the puck dropped to start the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships on Friday afternoon in Stockholm, Evan Kaufmann stood with pride, but filled with so many emotions as the national anthem of Germany was played.

Normally there are butterflies in the belly for any first-time national team player but Kaufmann’s journey to representing his country is far more unique than most. The Minnesota native lives in Germany and is a citizen of that country. He is also the only Jewish skater on the team and one of the very few Jewish athletes to represent Germany in international competition.

“This is a really big stage with a lot of great players in the tournament and on our team and I’m glad to be a part of this,” said Kaufmann after Germany’s 3-0 win over Italy. “It is a special experience and an honour to play for the team; and I am looking forward to helping them any way I can.”

Kaufmann credits his time at the University of Minnesota from 2004-2008 with preparing him as a player and a person to enter this national stage. As a student athlete, he played all four years for the Golden Gophers and majored in accounting.

Attending the University and playing on one of college hockey’s most prestigious teams was a dream come true. Kaufmann had watched Gophers games with his dad since he was about four.

“It was a great experience and I learned a lot about myself as a person,” he said. “I definitely developed my game further as a hockey player and was a big part in shaping where I’m at today.”

There is a Minnesota connection here at the World Championships. Team USA’s Kyle Okposo and Alex Goligoski were teammates and a third, Matt DeMarchi is representing Italy.

“It’s nice to see a small crew of Gophers out here and it’s always fun when you get to play against them.”

Four years ago, Kaufmann graduated and began exploring his options. Kaufmann was undrafted and NHL scouts were not knocking at his door. But he wanted to play hockey and as it has been for so many former collegiate stars, Europe was a possibility. In his case it was Germany to play for DEG Düsseldorf.

“I didn’t have too many expectations coming into Germany and it happened pretty quickly,” Kaufmann recalled of his decision. “I knew about European hockey but no specifics about the DEL.”

Besides the usual culture change and language barrier players face when making such a move, Kaufmann’s was tangled in personal family history. Besides being Jewish, Kaufmann’s great grandparents were perished at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust.

“It’s definitely took a lot to drastically change our lifestyle as we have and it wasn’t easy initially to come over knowing my family’s history,” he offered. “But I always had an open mind and wanted to develop my own opinions about current day life in Germany, the hockey, everything.”

This meant judging Germany in its present state and not just by the ugly history that it will never shake.

Four years with Düsseldorf offered the chance for a professional hockey career and a stable life off the ice. Kaufmann and his wife Danielle have grown comfortable with hockey and life in Germany. Great experiences and friendships have been made along the way.

Kaufmann got German citizenship and played his first exhibition games for the adopted country in February (see story).

With a historical topic such as the Holocaust, the idea that a Jew would wear a German team sweater and represent the country has drawn both supporters and detractors.

“I have heard some people’s opinions who feel differently about what I’m doing and I respect that because everyone is going to feel the way they do with a topic like this.”

“I’m not trying to preach to anyone, I’m just trying to share my experience on what life for us since coming over. I hope that by sharing my story other people may give it an opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Soon life will offer new experiences. Kaufmann has signed to play for the Nuremberg Ice Tigers and is about to become a dad in June.

“I’m just crossing my fingers that my wife doesn’t go into labor while I’m over here,” he said. “But more than anything I’m looking forward to getting home and starting the next chapter with my wife after this amazing experience at the World Championship.”

JOHN SANFUL

The Five Types of Questions You Must Ask a College Recruiter

Article found on ColoradoAvalanchecares.com 

Working with a college recruiter can seem a bit overwhelming if you are unprepared.  The following article from the National Collegiate Scouting Association suggests the five most important types of questions to ask when speaking to a recruiter.

While knowing what questions to expect from a college coach and how to answer them is important, any conversation with a coach also allows the student athlete an opportunity to find out some critical information that will help them through the athletic recruiting process.  The key is to know the right questions to ask in order to maximize your short time with a coach.

Every conversation with a college coach will be unique.  Since the recruiting process moves at different speeds for prospects and coaches, the current relationship should dictate the type of questions that are appropriate.  However, regardless of where you’re at in the process, we wanted to give you some advice that every recruit can take advantage of.

Before we go into specific questions that potential recruits should ask college coaches, let’s go over a few basics to keep in mind while preparing for the conversations.

First and foremost, PREPARE! While a prospect might not know the exact time a college coach will be calling, every recruit should recognize that phone conversations will be a significant portion of a recruiting relationship. With that in mind, prospects should write down a list of 15 questions that they could ask a coach…and keep it handy! While the conversation should flow naturally, it will only help a potentially nervous student-athlete to have a set of questions prepared ahead of time that they can always ask a coach.

A prospect should never ask if they will receive a scholarship during an initial conversation unless a coach brings up the topic. Recruits should maximize the conversation by only asking questions that they can find answers to by talking to the coach directly. They should not waste this valuable opportunity by asking questions that can be answered through a brief visit to the college’s website. Each conversation serves as a limited chance to develop a real relationship…make the most of it! Do not be afraid to ask coaches about themselves. Often times, recruits only ask questions that pertain to their life and neglect to find out anything personal about the coach. It’s important for a recruit to get to know a coach (their interests, their family, etc…)

Now, let’s go over some questions recruits can ask to make the most of the conversation.  As we mentioned earlier, every conversation will be dictated the by current recruiting situation, but here are a few topics that should be covered and some sample questions from each…

1. Academics - Simply put, academics are the most important part of the process.  If the college coach does not share your academic goals then it might be time to look at other options.  Here are some academic questions every recruit might want to ask:

* What are the admission requirements for an athlete?
* Will my specific major interfere with the athletic schedule?
* What are some of the most popular majors for athletes on your team?
* Does your team have a full-time academic advisor?
* Do your players graduate in four years?
* Can the application fee be waived for athletes?

2.  Athletics / Recruiting - These two topics overlap in many cases, as an athletic evaluation will determine how heavily the coaching staff will be recruiting a prospect.  Here are some “must ask” questions for recruits at any point in the process:

* Has your coaching staff evaluated me?
* Where do I fit on your recruiting board?
* Have you offered scholarships to others in my class? At my position?
* Have any other athletes in my class accepted the offers?
* How many players will you be recruiting at my position?
* Where will you be recruiting this season / spring / summer?
* What types of off-season activities are expected?
* What does the training program consist of at your school?
* What is your recruiting timeline?
* Is there a good time to come visit your school?

3.  Scholarship - As we noted, it is rarely appropriate for a recruit to ask if they will receive a scholarship in an initial phone conversation, however there are a few questions that will help you gauge your scholarship possibilities at that school:

* How many scholarships do you have available for my class?
* Am I under consideration for a scholarship?
* What types of academic scholarships are available? What about other sorts of grants and aid?
* Do I have to apply before a scholarship is offered?
* What happens if I get injured?

4.  College Life Questions - Even though athletics will obviously play a major role in the life of a collegiate student-athlete, every recruit should make sure they are going to be happy on campus even when they are not with the team.  Make sure to ask about some of the following:

* What is the housing situation like? Do teammates typically live together?
* Do student-athletes stay on campus during the summer?
* Is it possible to work part-time in addition to playing a sport and studying?
* What is a typical “day in the life” like for a member of your team during the season? What about during the off-season?

5.  Important Final Questions - While there are many directions that a conversation might take with a college coach, one key goal should be to find out what comes next:

* What are the next steps in this process?
* When is the next time we can speak / meet?
* Is there anything I can provide you with that will help you further evaluate me?

Hopefully this list will provide recruits a starting point for the type of questions they should ask a college coach.  By no means is this list comprehensive, but it should assist a student athlete as they prepare for their first conversation with a coach.

As you can tell, there is quite a bit of information that student-athletes need to gather…This is one of the most important decisions a young person will make in their life.  Get as much information as possible!  That is also one of the main reasons why recruiting is all about building relationships.  This process does not happen overnight, and will consist of a number of different situations in which a recruit communicates with a college coach.  Phone conversations just happen to be an important initial step in building that relationship.

If you are prospect, at any age, which has yet to begin developing a relationship with a college coach, you might be falling behind.  There are other prospects, starting freshmen year or earlier (your competition), who have already started speaking with college coaches.  The earlier you start that relationship, the more time you will have to make the best decision possible.  Make sure to get started today!

Editor’s Note: Thank you to the NCSA for this article.

Andrew MacWilliam - Kodiak - Future Pro Player

Andrew MacWilliam, D, North Dakota Fighting Sioux (WCHA)
Drafted 7th round, 188th overall, 2008

The third year Fighting Sioux defender scored his first and second career NCAA goals this year, but failed to surpass his point career high in point totals (eight) that he set a year ago. The 22-year-old defenseman continued his rugged style of play this season recording a team high 75 penalty minutes. Due to the injuries on the Fighting Sioux's defense, MacWilliam has also seen increased time on the clubs power play. While he's been given more chances in an offensive role, his bread and butter is his work on the penalty kill. He's been paired with offensive-minded sophomore Nick Mattson (CHI) all season which has proven to be a good complimentary pairing. MacWilliam has continued to work on his foot speed, but it still remains an area of weakness going forward. He projects as a tough, depth defenseman with leadership qualities. He's likely to spend his final year at North Dakota.

Great Article on College Hockey Experience!

By John Lachmann
Kypostsports@yahoo.com

OXFORD, Ohio – Enrico Blasi was disappointed when current Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith chose to play hockey at the University of Wisconsin instead of Miami.
But the relationship the RedHawks’ coach built with the Smith family paid dividends when the youngest brother – Reilly – picked his college.

The Mimico, Ontario, native decided to come to Miami instead of following his older brother, and he has been terrorizing opponents’ goalies since.

“When the brother chose to go to Wisconsin it was pretty disappointing for all of us,” Blasi said. “But we had an opportunity to get Reilly and we were obviously extremely excited that he chose Miami, and he’s developed into not only a pretty good player but a very mature young man off and on the ice.”

Smith played in a bantam tournament here and fell in love with the school and the city.
“It was really everything,” Smith said. “I love the culture, I love the fan base, I love the atmosphere that fuels the hockey team.”

Mimico is a small Toronto suburb that is the hometown of Brendan Shanahan, and Smith’s house is two blocks from where current Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland grew up.
Smith learned to skate by age four, and he began playing organized hockey shortly after. His father made the decision that he would play hockey his first year, but it was Smith’s choice each subsequent season.

Smith grew up surrounded by athletes. His oldest brother, Rory, played pro hockey briefly before pursuing a career in the National Lacrosse League. He currently plays for the Colorado Mammoth and was named to this season’s West All-Star Team, leading the NLL in forced turnovers.

Their father, Lester, was a gifted basketball player who was the captain of his college team.
Reilly also considered a career in lacrosse, and his first season of juniors at St. Michael’s may have pushed him further in that direction. He was scratched for all but 13 games, and he finished with two goals and seven assists.

However, that season holds special meaning for Smith. All three Smith boys played for St. Michael’s, but 2007-08 was the only time Reilly was teammates with one of his brothers, as he joined Rory for that campaign.

“That was great being able to play with one of (my brothers) because I’ve never played in an organized league with them before,” Smith said. “With it being my first year in the league and him being a veteran in the league really helped the transition for me.”

Smith hit his offensive stride the following season, notching 27 goals and 48 assists in 49 games for St. Michael’s in 2008-09, and he was drafted in the third round by the Dallas Stars, a team he rooted for growing up, the following summer.

In a move that bucked traditional Ontario thinking, Smith chose the U.S. college route over Canadian junior hockey.

“If I went major junior they’d probably work on just the offensive aspects (of my game),” Smith said. “That’s one reason why I wanted to come to college and more specifically Miami because of the style of game that we play.”

Wisconsin was a school Smith strongly considered, but he would not have been able to join the team right away and Miami had a spot open for him immediately.

“(Wisconsin) was one of the front runners in my decision to go the college route,” Smith said. “I was recruited pretty heavily by Wisconsin, and talking to my brother, he didn’t think he was going to stay all four years there, and I think they only had a spot open for 2010. So if I was going to go there I wouldn’t have been able to play with him. And I wanted to come to Miami anyway, so it worked out perfectly I think.”

Smith came to Miami in the fall of 2009, just months after the RedHawks’ loss to Boston University in the national championship game.

“The expectations were through the roof,” Smith said. “Even though (Miami) lost in that championship game, it probably worked out for the better in the last few years because it’s given us a constant drive to work for something, with that one goal that we haven’t reached.”
Once in Oxford, Smith met fellow Canadian forward Curtis McKenzie, who was also a freshman Stars’ draftee.

Read more: http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/sports/sports_blogs_local/athleticism-runs-in-smiths-family#ixzz1oeTSRaqa

Small Ferris gets big lift from hockey, fans

 


It actually looks like winter at Ferris State University, where a few feet of snow are piled up near the entrance of the Ewigleben Ice Arena.

A clear path is needed with sellout crowds becoming the norm for the Bulldogs, ranked No. 1 in the nation earlier this season and a legitimate threat to win the Division I national hockey championship, despite being a Division II school in every other sport.

"Everyone's asking, 'Where's Ferris State?' Now, we're putting our name on the map," said Ferris State sophomore defenseman Scott Czarnowczan of Macomb. "We're making a name for ourselves, and it's exciting."

Big Rapids — about an hour north of Grand Rapids — has fallen in love with the Bulldogs. Signs in front of businesses have messages such as "Go Bulldogs! Good Luck in the Playoffs" and "Support Bulldogs Hockey."

The CCHA quarterfinals get under way Friday with Ferris State (22-9-5) hosting Bowling Green in a best-of-three series. The winner advances to Joe Louis Arena on March 16-17 for the CCHA championships.

The Bulldogs are 11-1-4 in their last 16 games and are currently ranked No. 2 behind Boston College. They won the CCHA regular-season title for just the second time in school history; the first was 2002-03, when they won a school-record 31 games. They have never won the CCHA tournament title.

Fans from this community of 12,000 — which grows to about 26,000 during the school year — have jammed the quaint 2,500-seat arena, which has a low ceiling and can be loud and raucous during games. The boisterous student section, called the Dawg Pound, is behind the opponent's goal for two of the three periods.

"I think it's sweeter being a small school and beating the big-school bullies," said Ferris State senior forward Jordie Johnston, who leads the Bulldogs with 17 goals. "Being as small as we are is great. We have some of the best fans in the country. They come every night. They are loud and really back us. They don't care that we don't have the biggest rink.

"It's really about how tight the community is, how tight the whole school is. That's really the mentality of this team. We all play for each other."

Ferris State seniors Lexi Bishop and Sara Thompson traveled to Kalamazoo to watch their Bulldogs play Western Michigan on Feb. 24 with a big group of other students.

"It's a big deal," Bishop said. "We're No. 1 in the nation and we're a Division II school. All the professors talk about it. Everyone knows what's going on with this team."

Unexpected run

Division II schools have won hockey championships in Division I before, including Minnesota-Duluth last year with an overtime win over Michigan. Northern Michigan (1991) and Lake Superior State (1992, 1993) won national titles in hockey.

The difference between Minnesota-Duluth and Ferris is that Duluth has a roster loaded with NHL draft picks, like Michigan and Notre Dame.

Ferris State had solid seasons in the past few years, coming just short of earning an NCAA tournament bid in 2010, then having a defenseman fall down, leading to an overtime goal by Western Michigan in the third and deciding game of a CCHA quarterfinal series last season.

With All-Americans Pat Neagle, a goalie, and Zach Redmond, a defenseman, gone, the Bulldogs were picked to finish ninth in the CCHA by league coaches this season.

So how did a team, predicted to finish near the bottom of the conference standings, become one of the premier teams in the nation?

The Bulldogs are a bunch of blue-collar players who sacrifice their bodies blocking shots, taking away the passing lanes and shooting lanes, and going heavy on the forecheck and backcheck in the corners.

Taylor Nelson (17-4-3, .926 save percentage, 2.02 goals-against average) took over Neagle's spot in goal and has become one of the best in the league.

"It's a great feeling to be able to play the game I love," said Nelson, who split time with Neagle in 2009-10 before losing the job to him last season. "I'm really proud of the way the guys have played in front of me this year and the steps we've made as a program. It's nice how everyone here has accepted their role; that's the first step in creating a winning organization."

Nelson added: "The community and students have really gotten behind us. There are some games I get chills go through my spine because of the crowd. The top of this place gets blown off because the sound echoes off the roof and down to the ice. And all of this (success) has created an excellent buzz around campus, from the professors on down."

Daniels' view

Bob Daniels, now in his 20th season as head coach at Ferris State, is enjoying this ride much more than the 2002-03 team that went 31-10-1, won the CCHA regular-season title and earned its first NCAA tournament appearance.

That team had one of the league's elite players in Chris Kunitz, who led the CCHA in scoring, then helped the Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins win Stanley Cup titles. This year's team runs four lines, all capable of scoring goals.

"That 2002-03 team kind of took on a life of its own," Daniels said after practice Monday. "I had never been through it, and I really didn't appreciate it when it was happening; I was nervous all the time. I don't think I really ever enjoyed it until about July.

"It's been very gratifying so far this season. This year from Christmas on I've kind of just enjoyed being with the players, enjoyed the ride. This time, I kind of let the guys enjoy it, let them embrace it. And, in some respects, for our staff it's a little bit of validation. It's going to help cement the program, doing it (CCHA title) a second time."

Daniels, a Livonia native, grew up a Red Wings fan, attending games at Olympia Stadium in the 1960s and 1970s when his father, Pete, was a penalty-box timekeeper.
Daniels loves to golf and fish and says Big Rapids has been the ideal place for him and wife Leslie to raise their three children — Jenna, who runs cross country and is a pre-med major at Ferris; Pete, a junior at Big Rapids High who plays hockey for Tim Blashill, younger brother of Red Wings assistant coach Jeff Blashill; and Sara, a fifth-grader.

In the past 16 games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 54-34 and have capitalized on 26.4 percent of their power-play chances (19-of-72).

Daniels can't wait for the playoffs to start.

"I didn't think Jordie (Johnston) would have this type of year, but I knew Kyle Bonis (15 goals) was a goal scorer," he said.

Daniels appreciates his players' attitudes.

"Sometimes when you have draft picks, they have one foot out the door," Daniels said. "Our kids who come here have one goal, and that's to win.

"We've accomplished a lot so far, but now it's a whole different opportunity for us. We have a variety of goals right in front of us — getting to Joe Louis, getting an NCAA tournament bid, winning a regional. It's a very exciting time."