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Okposo Will Stay With Gophers

USCHO Staff Report
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Minnesota’s Kyle Okposo announced Wednesday that he will return to the Golden Gophers for his sophomore season. Okposo, a center, was the No. 7 overall draft pick of the New York Islanders at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Kyle Okposo will return to the Gophers this fall (photo: Melissa Wade.)

Kyle Okposo will return to the Gophers this fall (photo: Melissa Wade.)

“After meeting with the Islanders to discuss my future, I felt it was in my best interest to return for my sophomore year,” Okposo said. “This is where I want to be to develop into a better player. I’m enjoying my time as a Gopher and am looking forward to helping us defend our WCHA Championships.”

Okposo earned All-WCHA Second Team and WCHA All-Rookie Team honors last season with totals of 19-21–40 to rank second on the team in scoring. Okposo was second on the team in goals and finished tied for third in the WCHA in freshman scoring. The native of St. Paul had eight multi-point games and a team-best three multi-goal games on the season. Okposo had a point in 29 of 40 games last season, a goal in 15 contests and an assist in 16 games.

“We’re obviously very happy that Kyle elected to return,” coach Don Lucia said. “We’re looking forward to having him be a key player for us next season. I believe Kyle made the right decision and that he is best served coming back to develop, both as a person and an athlete.”

Williams Departs Neumann To Become UAH Assistant

USCHO Staff Report
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Following three successful seasons, Neumann coach Dennis Williams has left that program to join Alabama-Huntsville coach Danton Cole as assistant coach.

“It was tough to make the choice, but to have the opportunity to go to a Division I program and work under someone like Danton Cole and a program like UAH and their success they have built in the past is incredible,” said Williams. “It was a family decision. My wife enjoyed visiting the campus and Huntsville, and she was willing to pack up and let me pursue my dream and my goal.”

Taking over the duties of the Neumann program in 2004, Williams led the Knights to their most successful season in school history in 2006-07 as NC finished 17-5-5 earning a No. 3 ranking in the final USCHO.com poll of the season. With the Knights, Williams recruited and coached three All-Americans along with multiple all-conference selections.

“I am very excited of the opportunity to join Coach Cole and the UAH hockey program,” said Williams. “UAH is a program steeped in tradition and I look forward to joining the Chargers and the community. At the same time, I would like to thank Athletic Director Chuck Sack and Neumann College for giving me the chance and opportunity to coach the Neumann hockey program.”

Prior to taking over the reins of the Neumann program, Williams served as an assistant for one season at Utica following one season as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green where he completed his master’s degree in Marketing Education.

“We are very excited to have Dennis joining the Chargers” said Cole. “He put together a tremendous program in a short time at Neumann and is a tireless recruiter and administrator. Dennis will be intricately involved in all aspects of our program both on and off the ice. His professionalism and personality will be an instant hit with our players, faculty, alumni and fans. We look forward to Dennis and his wife Hollie joining our community here in Huntsville.”

USCHO ECAC West correspondent Scott Biggar contributed to this report.

Syracuse University Adds Women’s Hockey

By Matt Gelb
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Syracuse officially announced Friday it will cut the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams after the 2007-08 season and add a women’s hockey program beginning in the 2008-09 season.

Syracuse Director of Athletics Daryl Gross addressed the media on a teleconference call Friday afternoon and said the decisions were made based on research within the athletic department that concluded Syracuse needed to buy a new facility for the swimming teams — a financial project the university could not handle.

“If we are going to have a swimming program here, then it’s very important that we have the resources to do it the right way,” Gross said. “Part of those resources would be getting a new natatorium, a new pool facility, diving and all those type of things. The cost for those is enormous, and they’re costs that we can’t put into it right now.”

Gross estimated the cost of new facilities for the swim team to be at least $35 million. While the athletic department currently plans to build a new basketball practice facility and renovate Manley Field House afterward, Gross said those expenses benefit all 18 teams at Syracuse, not just two.

That doesn’t mean the elimination of swimming — the first teams to be cut at Syracuse since 1997 — was an easy decision, Gross said. The athletic department has been evaluating the viability of the swimming program “for a couple years now.”

“Anytime a sport becomes extinct it’s always something that none of us want,” Gross said. “But at the same time I do want to bring up the fact that the women’s ice hockey team will be given the resources to — in the culture — to foster one of the great programs in the country.”

The research conducted by the university showed a groundswell of athletes in the Syracuse area that could be recruited to play Division I hockey.

“There’s a big void at Syracuse by us not having an ice hockey team,” Gross said. “You look at us, we’re more of a winter Olympic sport town. It only makes sense that we would have ice hockey at Syracuse, given the resources in terms of facilities, given the resources in terms of our own community kids who are in the area and are recruitable.”

Gross said the search for a women’s hockey coach will begin immediately.

A determination has not yet been made where the team will play. The two rinks in the Syracuse area are Tennity Ice Pavilion on South Campus and War Memorial Arena in the city, where the Syracuse Crunch minor league hockey team plays.

Syracuse has already begun conversations with hockey conferences. Calls to three Northeast women’s college hockey conferences — the Eastern College Athletic Conference, Hockey East, College Hockey America, conferences Syracuse might join — were not returned.

Gross estimated the women’s hockey team would carry 32 players with 18 scholarships to be dispersed. Last season, the SU swimming program comprised 31 members — 18 on the men’s team and 13 on the women’s. The women’s team did not use its full allotment of 14 scholarships.

The 2007-08 season will be the 89th and final season for men’s swimming, which started competition in 1915. The women’s program has competed at the NCAA level since the 1976-77 season.

“We’re going to do anything we can to save it, but I don’t know how much can be done,” Ryan Corcoran, a rising sophomore on the men’s team, said early Friday.

Lou Walker has been the coach of the women’s program since its inception 31 years ago and the men’s since 1979.

“This is certainly disappointing and sad news,” Walker said in a statement released by the Syracuse athletic department. “This is disappointing for our current student-athletes who after the 2007-08 season will lose their opportunity to represent their University. This is a disappointing day for our alums who take great pride in the years they competed for the Orange and the continued relationship that they have through following the current team. This is a sad day for the Walker family, who has dedicated their lives to Syracuse University and the swimming and diving program.”

Corcoran said he talked to an apologetic Walker for the first time Friday morning.

“He just said that he was sorry he hadn’t called us sooner but he didn’t have any control over it,” Corcoran said. “He was talking about how this decision affects everyone, especially him. I mean, it’s his job, too.”

Rising junior swimmer Peter Gollands sat in on the media teleconference call and interjected to ask Gross a question approximately 17 minutes into the call.

“If funding did not become an issue, would you reinstate the swimming and diving team?” Gollands asked.

“If funding wasn’t an issue … let me answer that quickly,” Gross responded. “If that meant that somebody could put together a $40 million facility that was comparable to the other programs in the country and we had a line item that covered the expenses of swimming, then yeah, you could add men’s and women’s swimming.”

Moderators cut off Gollands before he could ask a follow-up question.

Gross said he’s received e-mails and phone calls since the Syracuse Post-Standard first reported of the changes in sports in Thursday’s editions, quoting anonymous sources. The Daily Orange later confirmed the story on Thursday.

“It’s the ones that we’ve all anticipated,” Gross said. “It’s understandable. You have to look at the organization and you have to make these tough decisions sometimes. These things are part of life situations that occur. It’s unfortunate.”

Gross said the efficiency of this decision will further alleviate expenses. Although not a goal of these program changes, Syracuse will also take a step in complying with Title IX, which delegalizes discrimination on the basis of sex at universities, and has most been associated with collegiate athletics.

“Now you’re talking about the female participation numbers just increasing significantly,” Gross said. “The whole decision — this isn’t about Title IX or gender equity — but every move you make in relationship to programmatic changes is always going to affect Title IX and gender equity. The byproduct of this is that we have now enhanced our gender equity and our diversity and commitment to woman participation.”

Gross is looking to the future and first on his list: A new women’s ice hockey coach. But the sting of eliminating two teams at Syracuse is sure to leave a bad taste in some mouths, something Gross knows he will have to address.

“This was a difficult decision,” Gross said, “but it’s one that we feel is really efficient and the right thing to do at this time.”

Bowdoin To Name New Arena For Sid Watson

USCHO Staff Report
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Bowdoin College’s new ice arena will be named for legendary coach Sid Watson. The announcement was made Saturday at groundbreaking ceremonies for the new facility. Fundraising for the $20-million arena continues.

The new Watson Arena will have a seating capacity of 1,900. Its planners say the new arena will have the best and most energy-efficient refrigeration system and best dehumidification system, seating design and home team accommodations of any Division III collegiate arena.

Bowdoin's Watson Arena will have a capacity of 1,900. This is an architect's rendering of an aerial view of the arena. (Courtesy Bowdoin College)

Bowdoin’s Watson Arena will have a capacity of 1,900. This is an architect’s rendering of an aerial view of the arena. (Courtesy Bowdoin College)

An immortal in the world of collegiate hockey, Sid Watson guided the Bowdoin hockey program to extraordinary heights during his career behind the bench. A native of Andover, Mass., Watson retired from the College in 1998. He passed away in April 2004 at the age of 71.

As an undergraduate at Northeastern, Watson became one of the greatest gridiron players in school history. He averaged more than 100 yards per game and 7.1 yards per carry during his career as a running back. He still holds Northeastern¹s school records for most career points (191) and single-season points (74). Watson then moved on to play in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. In 1958, despite the chance to play another year in the NFL, Watson accepted a temporary position as Bowdoin¹s hockey coach. Watson grew to love the game while at Northeastern, although he never played competitively. After one season as a co-coach with Nels Corey, Watson took over the position full-time in 1959.

Over the next 24 seasons, Watson’s teams compiled a record of 326-210-11 (.606). In the postseason, Watson’s teams qualified for the ECAC playoffs every year but once from 1969 to 1983, reaching the ECAC Championship Game six times. The Polar Bears won the ECAC Division II Championship four times, in 1971, 1975, 1976 and 1978. He received numerous awards for his exploits, winning the Edward Jeremiah Trophy as national college division coach of the year three times (1970, 1971, 1978). In 1983, Watson retired as coach and became Bowdoin’s athletic director one year later. During Watson¹s tenure as athletic director, Bowdoin athletics grew to 29 varsity sports, 5 club teams, and more than 20 physical education courses. In 1996 Bowdoin dedicated the Sidney J. Watson Fitness Facility in his honor.

In 2001 Watson was awarded the Hobey Baker Legend of Hockey Award by the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. He has also been inducted into the Andover Hall of Fame, the Northeastern University Hall of Fame, and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.

Watson lived in Brunswick, Maine, and Naples, Florida, with his wife, Henrietta. His son Christopher is a member of the Class of 1986.

Watson Arena will replace Dayton Arena, which was built in 1956 and which has been determined to be beyond repair. Once the new arena is up and running, the current plan is to dismantle Dayton Arena and build a new parking lot on the site. A 360-space parking lot is also planned for the new arena.

Construction on the 68,200 square feet arena is expected to be complete in the fall of 2008.

ECAC D-III Schedules Second Annual Referee Tryouts

USCHO Staff Report
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The ECAC Ice Hockey Officiating Bureau will be holding its second annual open tryout for candidates who are interest in officiating NCAA Division III Ice Hockey.

On Saturday, June 23, tryouts will be held from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at The ESL Sports Centre in Rochester, N.Y. The next day Horgan Arena in Auburn, Mass., will serve as the site for New England from 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

“These clinics have afforded the ECAC an excellent opportunity to recruit and attract a number of quality young officials to our collegiate roster,” said senior associate commissioner Stephen Bamford. “Annually, that has been and will continue to be our goal.”

The tryouts will consist of class room and on ice sessions. During class room session, candidates will take the 2007 NCAA Ice Hockey Officiating Rules Exam which will be followed by a question and answer segment. In addition, ECAC Ice Hockey Officiating Staff will discuss how assignments are made, reporting of material to the conference office, fees structure and other necessary information. The on-ice session will consists of numerous skating drills.

The ECAC assigns officials for the ECAC Men’s East Ice Hockey League, ECAC Men’s West Ice Hockey League, ECAC Northeast Ice Hockey League, ECAC Women’s East Ice Hockey League, ECAC Women’s West Ice Hockey League, NESCAC, the Northeast-10 Conference, and the SUNYAC.

Interested candidates will need to register for the tryouts by Friday, June 22, in the ECAC Ice Hockey Officiating section of www.ecac.org.

Baldarotta Tapped At Cortland

USCHO Staff Report
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Joe Baldarotta has been named the men’s ice hockey head coach at SUNY Cortland, according to Cortland director of athletics Joan Sitterly. Baldarotta replaces Tom Cranfield, who stepped down in April after six seasons to become Cortland’s Assistant Director of Athletics (Compliance/Scheduling).

BALDAROTTA

BALDAROTTA

Baldarotta brings 16 years of collegiate head coaching experience to Cortland, all at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He posted the most wins in UW-Stevens Point history and his overall record stands at 265- 171-38 and includes 10 consecutive campaigns with a .500 or better record and 14 in total. His 265 wins rank 21st all-time among Division III coaches. Baldarotta led the Pointers to the 1993 NCAA Division III national championship, earning American Hockey Coaches Association National Coach of the Year honors. The program also finished as national runner-up in 1992 and 1998 and captured three NCHA regular-season titles and two playoff crowns under Baldarotta, who was a four-time NCHA Coach of the Year.

“I’m extremely happy and feel it’s an unbelievable opportunity at SUNY Cortland,” Baldarotta said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to step in and lead this program. I’m very excited and anticipate a great relationship between myself and Cortland.”

Prior to accepting the head coaching position at Stevens Point, Baldarotta was an assistant for the Pointers for five seasons, helping the team to three straight Division III national titles. Before Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he served as an assistant coach and head coach at Madison West High School. As the team’s head coach for four seasons, Baldarotta compiled a 62-22-1 record and won the 1983 Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state championship, earning Wisconsin State High School Coach of the Year honors.

A highly regarded camp instructor, Baldarotta has been involved in numerous off-season camps and clinics and twice has been a member of the coaching staff for the U.S. Olympic Festival.

A native of Madison, Wis., Baldarotta competed in ice hockey at Wisconsin-Stevens Point and received his bachelor’s degree from the University in 1989. Baldarotta and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Nicolo.

UMass-Lowell Could Face Trustees’ Axe

By
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A bad situation seemingly may be getting worse and could spell the termination of the Mass.-Lowell men’s ice hockey program as early as June 21, that according to recent reports in the Lowell Sun.

According to the Sun, the city of Lowell and the University have until June 21 to restructure the lease deal at the Tsongas Arena or the UMass Board of Trustees will vote to terminate the hockey program which has been a member of Hockey East since the league’s inception in 1985.

The ultimatum comes from a report made by a task force organized by the Trustees to consider pulling the River Hawks out of Hockey East in favor of another conference.

The report states that the UML program could thrive “under the right circumstances,” but first city officials must renegotiate “key elements” of the program’s arena lease.

“In short, there exists the possibility of compelling synergy between the University and the City, focused on UMass hockey and the Tsongas Arena,” the report states. “At the same time, in the absence of a fundamental reordering of the relevant terms of the relationship, a continuation of the University’s current varsity hockey program cannot be recommended and, in fact, should be recommended for termination.”

Currently, the University pays rent to the City of Lowell as a tenant in the Tsongas Arena. When the arena was originally built in the late 1990’s, the University and the City each contributed $4 million, while the commonwealth of Massachusetts in support of the University provided the remaining $20 million in funding.

The original concept was that the Arena would be a partnership between the University and the City, but as the task force report notes, “the University’s current lease terms reflect a tenant relationship rather than a true partnership.”

According to the Sun, during the 2006-07 season the River Hawks paid nearly $6,000 per game in rent along with a $50,000 yearly fee. The task force report calls for the yearly fee to be eliminated and rent to be reduced to $3,100 per game.

In an op-ed that appeared in the May 29 edition of the Sun, Lowell athletic director Dana Skinner outlined numerous and consistent occasions on which the University has made concessions to the city regarding scheduling, moves that cost the University significant ticket revenues.

Skinner specifically noted the City’s annual Winter Carnival, which forced the River Hawks to play weeknight instead of weekend games, and last season when the Lowell program was forced to play two hockey games against Maine at its old home, the Chelmsford (previously Tully) Forum in Billerica. Skinner said that weekend alone cost the program $30,000.

The one impetus to a strong relationship concerning the Arena between the City and the University has been the presence of an American Hockey League franchise. According to the Sun, despite recommendations from City Manager Bernie Lynch that the City terminate the current lease of the AHL’s Lowell Devils, a compromise was reached last week in which the Devils will pay the city an increase of $125,000 per year in base rent to help offset the City’s losses that last year reached $250,000.

One silver lining that exists for the UMass-Lowell program is a vote on Tuesday by the Lowell Arena & Civic Stadium Commission to form an ad hoc “partnership advisory commission” that will include representatives from Lynch’s and Congressman Marty Meehan’s offices. Meehan is set to resign his post in U.S. Congress on July 1 to become the new Chancellor at UMass-Lowell, but still doesn’t sound completely optimistic that the River Hawks program can be saved.

“I’d like to have the University stay here regardless of the situation,” Meehan told the Sun. “The problem is the Board of Trustees. We are at a period where there’s a crisis in terms of the future of the team.”

The River Hawks have struggled to fill the Tsongas Arena since its opening in 1998. The average attendance last season was 2,986, less than half of the 6,496-seat capacity of the Arena. When being built, the University recommended a 4,500-seat building but was strong armed to the near 6,500 seats to accommodate the AHL team.

In addition, the UMass-Lowell program has no access to sell ice-level sponsorships such as dasherboards and in-ice logos and instead must rely on temporary signage placed above the general seating area. The AHL team has complete revenue control over ice-level signage.

The June 21 deadline coincides with the next meeting of the UMass Board of Trustees. Should there be no new agreement in place between the City and the University, according to the report, the Trustees will recommend the program’s termination at that time.

Nichol Returns To Alma Mater As UW-Stevens Point Coach

USCHO Staff Report
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A national search for the Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s ice hockey coach resulted in finding the selected candidate just four blocks away.

Wil Nichol, a former UW-Stevens Point player — and coach of the Stevens Point Area Senior High School boys’ hockey team the past two years — has been named as the fourth coach in the Pointers’ 26-year hockey history.

NICHOL

NICHOL

Nichol, 33, takes over a Stevens Point program that has one of the deepest traditions in Division III hockey with four national championships and two runner-up finishes in nine national tournament appearances.

“I expect excellence,” Nichol said. “I expect it academically, in the community and on the ice. I will do everything I can to uphold the great tradition of this program and hopefully add to it.”

“Based on Wil’s coaching experiences, his passion for Pointer hockey, this university and the Stevens Point community in general, he was a natural choice,” UW-Stevens Point Athletics Director Frank O’Brien said.

Nichol was a defenseman for the Pointers from 1994-98 and captained UW-Stevens Point’s NCAA Division III runner-up team in 1998 under former coach Joe Baldarotta, who recently resigned after 16 seasons. Nichol played in all 121 possible career games with the Pointers, totaling five goals and 20 assists.

“There’s nothing to describe the feeling I have right now,” said the Madison, Wis., native. “It’s a huge honor. To coach at your alma mater, a team that you bled for, a university that you love and a community that you consider home, I don’t know how to put that into words.”

Most recently, Nichol coached Stevens Point Area Senior High to a pair of state tournament appearances and a 46-3 record over two seasons.

He spent the 1998-99 season as a student assistant coach with the Pointers and completed his degree in English. While at UW-Stevens Point, Nichol received the Chancellor’s Leadership Award and the athletic department’s citizenship award. Nichol was then a graduate assistant coach for two seasons at Miami University, earning a master’s degree in Physical Education, Health and Sports Studies.

Nichol was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for one season with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League before assuming head coach and general manager roles for the IMG Academy Midget AAA team in Bradenton, Fla. the following year. He returned to Chicago as the head coach and general manager for two seasons in 2003-05 and became the only rookie coach in USHL history to land league coach of the year honors after taking the Steel from ninth place to their only regular season Eastern Conference title in franchise history. Nichol coached 30 players who went on to play Division I college hockey.

He has also served as a head coach and assistant coach at several USA Hockey festivals for select 15, 16 and 17 players. Nichol has assisted with numerous hockey camps, including those at Miami and UW-Stevens Point.

Ninnemann Named Full-Time Women’s Head Coach At Stevens Point

USCHO Staff Report
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After leading the UW-Stevens Point women’s hockey team to its second straight NCAA Division III Frozen Four appearance this past March, Ann Ninnemann has been named the school’s full-time head coach.

Ninnemann, who coached the 2006-07 season on an interim basis, guided the Pointers to a 20-7-2 overall record and a third place finish at the Frozen Four. UW-Stevens Point was nationally ranked every week during the season and won the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association playoff championships with a dramatic 3-2 double overtime win at UW-Superior. The Pointers also beat second-ranked Gustavus Adolphus 4-1 in the NCAA quarterfinals before eventually defeating Amherst 4-3 in overtime in the national third place game.

NINNEMANN

NINNEMANN

“Ann did a terrific job this past season and we’re very excited she will be coaching our team on a full-time basis,” UW-Stevens Point athletic director Frank O’Brien said. “Ann is the perfect choice to maintain the high level of success our women’s hockey program has established.”

“I’m definitely excited to be back,” Ninnemann said. “I’m comfortable here and I feel like I belong. I learned every day this past season and I’m ready to continue leading this program.”

The Pointers have made three Frozen Four appearances in the past four seasons and own one of the best records among all Division III teams over the past six years with a 128-28-13 record since Ninnemann joined the program as a player in 2001-02.

“The first year exceeded my expectations, but the whole transition phase was easier than I thought it would be,” Ninnemann said. “I attribute a lot of that to the girls and how hard they worked.”

Ninnemann, a Rosemount, Minn., native, was the school’s first women’s hockey All-American in 2001-02 and captained the Pointers for three straight seasons from 2002-05. She totaled 55 goals and 69 assists for 124 points while never missing a game during her career and ranking second all-time in goals and points.

The 24-year old Ninnemann was an assistant coach for the Pointers’ national third place team in 2005-06 before accepting the interim position in August. She also is an assistant coach for UW-Stevens Point’s softball team, which is 32-8 overall and qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament.

Dartmouth’s Jones Leaves For Avalanche

USCHO Staff Report
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The Colorado Avalanche announced Tuesday that it has signed Dartmouth forward David Jones. Jones signed a two-year deal to the team that drafted him in the 8th round in 2003, forgoing his final year of elgibility.

Jones is coming off a strong junior season at Dartmouth where he was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award , a first for a Dartmouth player. He was also a unanimous selection for Ivy League Player of the Year while earning NCAA First Team All-America honors. Jones was also a unanimous First Team All-Ivy and All-ECACHL selection.

The 2006-07 assistant captain’s career-high 18-26–44 in 33 games was good for sixth among NCAA skaters for points per game (1.33). The 6-foot-2, 220-pound native of Guelph, Ontario, was Colorado’s eighth selection (288th overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft.

“David is a solid prospect and we look forward to watching him continue to mature,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President and General Manager Francois Giguere.

As a freshman in 2005-06, Jones was the second highest scoring freshman with 14 points as he saw action in 34 games. Jones scored 11 points in 21 league games while notching three multiple-point games and scoring three points on two occasions.

As a sophomore he played in all 33 games scoring 34 points, finishing as the second highest scorer on the team. He racked up 17 goals and 17 assists while scoring eight multiple-point games including two multiple-goal contests. Jones recorded his first collegiate hat trick against Clarkson and scored a career-high three assists with four points in a win over Yale. He was named First Team All-Ivy, Second Team All-ECACHL and was Academic All-ECACHL. He finished third in the league in scoring and was second in goal scoring.

Toews Goes Pro, Signs With Chicago

USCHO Staff Report
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Jonathan Toews will forgo his final two years of eligibility, leaving North Dakota to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks. General Manager Dale Tallon announced that the team agreed Wednesday to terms with the Fighting Sioux center on a three-year entry level contract.

Jonathan Toews hoist the trophy following Canada's gold medal victory in the World Junior Championship on January 5, 2007 in Leksand, Sweden (photo: Melissa Wade.)

Jonathan Toews hoist the trophy following Canada’s gold medal victory in the World Junior Championship on January 5, 2007 in Leksand, Sweden (photo: Melissa Wade.)

“Now that it’s finally official, I can tell you that I’m really excited to be a part of the Blackhawks organization,” said Toews. “Chicago is a city with a great history and it’s a great hockey city. The Blackhawks are an Original Six team with a great hockey tradition. I’m looking forward to playing for the Chicago Blackhawks fans.”

“Jonathan Toews is an exciting player that Blackhawk fans are going to enjoy watching,” said Tallon. “He has been an outstanding player at the collegiate level for two years, he’s won two Gold Medals playing for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships the past two years, and was a member of Gold Medal winning Team Canada in the recently completed World Championships in Moscow. He has shown leadership and the ability to compete at all levels. We’re excited to welcome him to the Blackhawk family.”

“I was very impressed by the way he played in the World Championships,” said Blackhawks coach Denis Savard. “Jonathan is a heart and soul kid. He looks like he’s been very well coached. He is a solid two-way player with lots of skill.”

Toews, 19, was the Blackhawks’ 1st round pick (3rd overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He was one of the two youngest players that played for Team Canada in the World Championships in Moscow in which the Canadians captured the Gold Medal (Jordan Staal is also 19-years-old). In 9 games in the tournament, Toews scored two goals and added five assists for seven points.

A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Toews was also a member of the Gold Medal winning Team Canada in the U-20 World Junior Championships played in Sweden this past year. In that tournament, Toews appeared in 6 games scoring 4 goals to go along with 3 assists for 7 points and was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team. He is the first Canadian born player to ever win a Gold Medal in both the World Junior Championship and the World Championship in the same year.

In the semi-final game of the World Junior Tournament, Toews scored three times in the shootout in Team Canada’s 2-1 win over the United States and then added a goal in Canada’s 4-2 win over Russia in the tournament’s Gold Medal Game. He was also a member of the 2006 Canadian World Junior team that also captured the Gold Medal.

Toews also played at the North Dakota in the WCHA this season. In his second season with the Fighting Sioux, Toews appeared in 34 games scoring 18 goals while adding 28 assists for 46 points and a +18 rating. The Fighting Sioux advanced to the semifinal game of the Frozen Four in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Boston College.

Toews joined the North Dakota in the 2005-06 season. That year as a freshman he played in 42 games scoring 22 goals and adding 17 assists for 39 points which ranked 4th in team scoring. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player in the WCHA Regional Championship.

Prior to joining North Dakota, Toews played Midget AAA for Shattuck St. Mary’s. In 2003-04, he led his team in scoring with 118 points in 70 games. He played for Shattuck in the 2004-05 season and his team won the U.S. National Under-18 Championship. He also led his team in scoring that season with 110 points in 63 games.

Toews is bilingual speaking both fluent English and French. He lists his favorite NHL player as Joe Sakic.

MacMillan Named NEC Women’s Coach

USCHO Staff Report
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Jackie MacMillan has been named the Pilgrim’s third head coach in NEC women’s hockey history.

“We are all very excited that Jackie MacMillan will be coaching the Pilgrims,” Director of Athletics Lori Runksmeier said. “We are confident Jackie will take our ice hockey program to the next level.”

Over the past five seasons, the Pilgrims have made it to the ECAC East Playoffs including an appearance in the ECAC East Championship back in 2006. The Pilgrims look to build off of last year’s 13-13-1 record returning 16 upperclassmen from last year’s squad.

MacMillan was the starting goalie for the University of Wisconsin Badgers and led them to 75 wins over four seasons. While at Wisconsin MacMillan led the nation in goals against average in 2002 and picked up numerous honors from both the WHCA and USCHO. She received her Bachelors of Arts from Wisconsin in 2003.

Over the past two years, MacMillan has been the assistant coach at Division I Union College. Her coaching experience also includes serving as an assistant coach at Division III St. Olaf College and as an assistant coach for Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep. MacMillan has also been an instructor for numerous camps and hockey schools including, USA 18-Under Development Camp and NCWHL Hockey Clinic.

Wilson Named Coach of Bowdoin Women

USCHO Staff Report
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The Bowdoin College Athletic Department has announced the hiring of former Canadian National Team captain Stacy Wilson as the next head coach of the women’s ice hockey program. One of the most respected players in the sport of women’s ice hockey, Wilson will take the helm of one of the nation’s most successful Division III programs. The Polar Bears, who have posted a record of 120-33-9 since 2001, have won two NESCAC Championships and earned four NCAA Tournament berths during that span.

“We’re thrilled to have someone of Stacy’s stature to lead our women’s ice hockey program,” according to Athletic Director Jeff Ward. “She’s a wonderful person who will fit seamlessly in our campus community and a tremendous teacher that will greatly enhance the experience of our student-athletes.”

Wilson earned a reputation as one of Canada’s top players while leading Team New Brunswick at the National Championships from 1986-1993 and earned MVP honors while playing for the Maritime Sports Blades in the 1995 Tournament.

Her most notable impact was made on the international stage, as she scored three goals in five games while leading Team Canada to the 1990 World Championship. Over the next decade, Wilson collected a plethora of hardware, including gold medals in the 1992, ’94 and ’97 World Championships as well as gold at the 1995 and ’96 Pacific Rim Championships and in the Three Nations Cup in 1996. She became captain of Team Canada in 1995 and led the team to a silver medal in the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Following her retirement as a player, Wilson served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota-Duluth women’s ice hockey team from 1999-2004. During that time, the Bulldogs captured the Division I National Championship three times (2001, ’02 and ’03). Elevated to associate head coach her final season, Wilson was part of head coach Shannon Miller’s ACHA Women’s College Coaching Staff of the Year in 2003.

Wilson received her Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 1987. In 2004, she earned her Master’s degree in Education from Minnesota-Duluth. She also established and coordinated the Stacy Wilson Female Hockey School in 1995, which became one of the preeminent hockey camps in Canada. In 2000, Wilson authored “The Hockey Book for Girls” which was nominated for the British Columbia Red Cedar Book Award.

Notre Dame Signs Jackson Until 2013

By Dan Murphy
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Coming off a record-breaking season in which the Irish finished 32-7-3, Notre Dame attempted to ensure the continued success of the hockey program Tuesday, signing coach Jeff Jackson to a two-year contract extension.

Jackson, who built the Irish program into a national contender in two years, will now be behind the bench for Notre Dame until the 2012-13 season. But if things go as planned, he said, he will be sticking along for much longer than that.

“I think this would be a great place to finish my career down the road,” Jackson said. “It seems awfully early to be talking about that, but I have already done a stint in the NHL and I have no desire to move on to any other college.”

Before coming to South Bend, Jackson spent two years as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders. He has also headed the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm and Lake Superior State. Jackson won two national championships with the Lakers before taking a sabbatical from the college game.

The contract extension is both a sign of what Jackson has been able to so far with the Irish and the athletic department’s support of the flourishing program.

“It’s nice to be recognized for what you’ve accomplished,” Jackson said. “The big thing for me was they recognized the entire staff.”

Assistant coaches Paul Pooley, Andy Slaggert and Mike McNeill will be guaranteed positions as long as Jackson is around.

The extension will also give top young recruits the confidence to sign on with Notre Dame knowing that the staff will still be around when they begin their career. This season’s freshman class was recognized as one of the top in the nation, with three players named to the CCHA All-Rookie team.

In the wake of losing eight key players to graduation this season, the 2007 freshmen will continue the upward trend of talent coming through the Notre Dame locker room. NHL scouts recently named all seven of the incoming freshmen in their list of the top-240 prospects for the upcoming draft.

“The NHL isn’t the perfect evaluator of talent,” Jackson said. “I think that the players we have coming in will be recognized as one of the best classes in the country, but they still have to get it done on the ice.”

Bemidji State Reacts To WCHA Expansion Ban

USCHO Staff Report
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Bemidji State will continue seeking viable conference options while continuing fundraising efforts for its men’s hockey program in the wake of the WCHA’s decision last week to maintain a moratorium on expansion of its men’s league. Bemidji State had been pursuing membership in the WCHA on behalf of its NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey program.

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“We intend to continue having conversations with WCHA member institutions in the hope that reconsideration of the moratorium may become possible at a later date,” said Bemidji State director of athletics Dr. Rick Goeb.

Bemidji State men’s hockey will continue to make its home in the CHA for the 2007-08 season where it has been a member of the five-team conference since the its founding in the 1999-2000 season.

The long-term viability of CHA has been in question since the league dropped from six members to five following the departure of Air Force for Atlantic Hockey after the 2005-06 season, leading Bemidji State to explore its options for future conference affiliations.

“As we move forward, we will continue to assess all of our conference affiliation options and will give full consideration to financially-viable alternatives,” Bemidji State president Dr. Jon E. Quistgaard said.

Quistgaard reiterated the need to raise $2.5 million in pledges by May 2008 in support of men’s ice hockey at Bemidji State. The fundraising would create an operational fund that could be drawn against by the men’s hockey program over a five-year period at a rate of $500,000 per year.

“Given this announcement by the WCHA, it becomes even more critical for our fundraising goals to be achieved in order to bridge the time period between now and our acceptance into a new conference,” Quistgaard said.

The Bemidji State women’s ice hockey program is a member of the WCHA, and has been a member since its inception for the 1999-2000 season.

Purcell Leaves Maine For LA Kings

USCHO Staff Report
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The Los Angeles Kings have signed Maine forward Teddy Purcell to a multi-year entry-level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi has announced.

Purcell played in 40 games this season as a freshman for Maine and had 43 points (16-27–43), seven power-play goals, five game-winning goals and 34 penalty minutes.

His 27 assists led the Black Bears and his 16 goals and 43 points were both ranked third on his team, which reached this year’s NCAA Frozen Four.

Purcell was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Year, and also earned Hockey East Rookie of the Month honors three times this season.

Purcell, a 6-3, 177-pound native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, played for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL) prior to attending Maine. With the Roughriders, he helped lead his team to back-to-back Eastern Championships and a Clark Cup in 2004-05. An assistant captain in 2005-06, Purcell led the USHL in assists that season with a franchise-record 52, and he was named to the USHL All-Star Second Team for the second consecutive year.

No Expansion For WCHA

USCHO Staff Report
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The WCHA has reaffirmed its moratorium on expansion, the league announced Tuesday.

In the wake of the decision, ratified by member schools after recommendation by its structure committee, the WCHA will therefore remain at 10 teams for the foreseeable future.

The decision is of principal interest to CHA program Bemidji State, which had been interested in WCHA membership. The league’s decision eliminates that possibility for now, at least. However, in a statement on its website the league said it “has not, however, closed the door on this issue permanently.”

With only five teams in the CHA, both Bemidji State and Wayne State had been examining their options, with Wayne State reportedly interested in CCHA membership.

In fact, the future of the BSU hockey program may be at stake, as school president Jon Quistgaard said back in February that WCHA admission — along with increased funding in the form of pledges — were essential to the program’s future.

The WCHA has been a 10-team league since the accession of Minnesota State in 1999-2000.

Here They Come

By Vince McConeghy
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Q: How do you get to the NHL?

A: First, you go to college.

As fans of college hockey turn their gazes to the NHL playoffs, it becomes increasingly clear that U.S. schools are producing some of the pro game’s most important contributors.

Certainly, there are the seasoned veterans of playoffs past — Drury, Chelios, Marchant, Guerin, Rafalski, Comrie, Madden, etc. — but even more exciting is the presence of a new coming-of-age crop of talent that promises to deliver on its first glimpses of greatness at the Division I level.

Here is an abbreviated list of those expected to see significant playing time in pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup: Thomas Pock, Matt Carle, Andy MacDonald, Ryan Kesler, Patrick Eaves, Chris Kunitz, Brian Gionta, Thomas Vanek and Zach Parise.

Of the eight remaining playoff teams, nearly one-quarter of the roster spots (46) are occupied by those with college hockey credentials. Two teams in particular (New Jersey and Anaheim) collectively employ 20 former Division I players, and their presence in the big leagues is not a statistical fluke but one of organizational design.

“We have always looked to college hockey as a major source of talent for our organization,” Anaheim assistant general manager David McNab (Wisconsin, ’78) said. “From Brian Burke on down, we have a lot of people who played in college and are very familiar with the game. The caliber of hockey has improved in college, and that’s mainly due to the development of US-born players. The college game always had their fair share of great Canadian talent, but now with the influx of American players taking the Division I route, it has become a fertile ground for scouting.”

Of course, all of this is bad news for detractors of college hockey, most notably Hockey Night in Canada analyst Don Cherry, who occasionally uses his soapbox to take not-so-subtle shots at the college game for its relatively short season and perceived lack of ruggedness.

“That’s ridiculous,” McNab said. “It’s an old criticism and we put no value in it whatsoever. If a college player tires down the stretch of their first NHL season, you hear about how they’re not used to playing enough games. But if you really look at it, the Division I season is just about as long as juniors, even though games played are unequal.

“There are an awful lot of guys in the NHL now because they went Division I. Most were not ready at 20 years old to turn pro. And with the change in the way the game is called, you’re finding the smaller, speedy guys now having a chance to make the league. College hockey is a very fast game.”

The Buffalo Sabres have certainly bought into college hockey. Their foundation lies squarely on the shoulders of three college stars: Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford. The Sabres face the loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to free agency in the offseason, but the triumvirate of former college players has allowed them to position themselves should such a loss of talent occur.

But with the success of the college hockey player, has the pendulum finally swung back in favor of the North American player over the Europeans?

Not exactly, McNab responds.

“Every organization has their own philosophy about where and how to find their talent,” he said. “The really good players, no matter where they are from, figure out what it takes to make it. There’s always going to be the exceptional players who can fit right in and play. However, college players will continue to make a big impact in the NHL and we don’t see that changing.”

The New Jersey Devils lead the NHL in college-grown talent, and Zach Parise’s development has been nothing short of spectacular. As of this writing, he leads the league in playoff goals and has become an elite-level player in just two seasons. The fact that he lasted until the 17th pick in the 2003 draft is a testament to the Devils’ shrewd focus on the burgeoning pool of NCAA talent.

“We moved up to get him,” Devils head of scouting David Conte (Colgate, ’71) said. “Parise embodies everything you admire in a hockey player — talent, courage, determination and heart. Clearly, the NCAA provides a great service to the NHL. We find that generally a kid with four years of college is a lot less maintenance when he gets into our system. He’s had life experiences outside of hockey that prepare him for the road ahead.

“Things have to go just right for someone to make it in the NHL. It’s just that hard. What troubles me now, in fact, is the volume of talent leaving the college game early. For some players, it’s just too soon.”

Conte displays an encyclopedic knowledge of the nuances of scouting the college, junior and foreign ranks. He’s seen prodigious talents, such as Phil Kessel and Erik Johnson, use college as a short stop on their way to the NHL. Yet he relishes the player who accumulates skills while in college, building a solid body of work and accomplishments as he makes his way to the pro game, such as Brian Rafalski and John Madden.

“It’s always better a day late than a day early,” Conte said in reference to those tempted to jump out of college for the NHL before they are ready. “I’ve never really had a player come up to me and say they wished they left college sooner than they did. And that includes Brian Gionta.”

College Players in the 2007 NHL Playoffs

Anaheim
Mark Hartigan, St. Cloud State
Kent Huskins, Clarkson
Chris Kunitz, Ferris State
Todd Marchant, Clarkson
Andy MacDonald, Colgate
Drew Miller, Michigan State
Ryan Shannon, Boston College
George Parros, Princeton
Dustin Penner, Maine

Buffalo
Chris Drury, Boston University
Ryan Miller, Michigan State
Ty Conklin, New Hampshire
Drew Stafford, North Dakota
Thomas Vanek, Minnesota

Detroit
Chris Chelios, Wisconsin
Josh Langfeld, Michigan
Brett Lebda, Notre Dame

New Jersey
Scott Clemmensen, Boston College
Jim Dowd, Lake Superior State
Brian Gionta, Boston College
Andy Greene, Miami
John Madden, Michigan
Paul Martin, Minnesota
Jay Pandolfo, Boston University
Zach Parise, North Dakota
Brian Rafalski, Wisconsin
Erik Rasmussen, Minnesota
Travis Zajac, North Dakota

New York
Matt Cullen, St. Cloud State
Thomas Pock, Massachusetts
Jed Ortmeyer, Michigan

Ottawa
Mike Comrie, Michigan
Joe Corvo, Western Michigan
Patrick Eaves, Boston College
Dany Heatley, Wisconsin
Tom Preissing, Colorado College

San Jose
Matt Carle, Denver
Mike Grier, Boston University
Bill Guerin, Boston College
Joe Pavelski, Wisconsin
Patrick Rissmiller, Holy Cross

Vancouver
Ryan Kesler, Ohio State
Brendan Morrison, Michigan
Bryan Smolinski, Michigan State
Kevin Bieksa, Bowling Green
Willie Mitchell, Clarkson

BGSU Assistant Cole Succeeds Ross At Alabama-Huntsville

USCHO Staff Report
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Alabama-Huntsville on Monday named Danton Cole as the third head coach in the history of the Chargers hockey program. Cole replaces Doug Ross, who retired after 25 years following the 2006-07 season.

“We look forward to Danton’s experience, his integrity, his desire and his enthusiasm and excitement to take the Chargers to the next level and to win as many championships as absolutely possible,” said athletics director Jim Harris. “I can’t thank the committee enough for their diligence and time searching through the wonderful group of candidates. They did a great job helping us narrow down the group to pick the very best candidate for our needs. On behalf of the UAH Athletics Department I thank them for everything they did.”

UAH athletics director Jim Harris congratulates Danton Cole at the press conference (photo: Jamie Gilliam, UAH Sports Information).

UAH athletics director Jim Harris congratulates Danton Cole at the press conference (photo: Jamie Gilliam, UAH Sports Information).

Spending the last season as assistant coach at Bowling Green, Cole was responsible for the Falcons’ defensemen.

“First and foremost, I’d like to thank Dr. Franz and Mr. Harris for giving me the opportunity to come in here to what I think is a great situation and with the chance to do some great things,” said Cole. “A special thanks to Coach Ross for his 25 years and the great things he has done here with this program and college hockey. I was in pro hockey for 17 years as a player and coach and a lot of the reason I wanted to come back (to college hockey) was the culture and the people that are involved. Certainly Doug has done great things for college hockey and we wish him the best.”

A Pontiac, Mich., native, he suited up for Michigan State for four seasons where he still holds the career record of 180 games played during his span. Advancing to the Frozen Four three out of four years including winning a national title as a Spartan, Cole notched 163 points (69G, 94A) and was honored with the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1989 as MSU’s top male student-athlete in both scholarship and achievement.

“Two things on his resume impressed the Dickens out of me,” said Harris. “He was a three-time All-CCHA Academic Team member and that rings well with what we do here at UAH. He was also a Big Ten Medal of Honor winner while at Michigan State. That certainly leads toward our UAH philosophy of the true student-athlete concept of student first and to continue the integrity of bringing the student here for the highest possible degree of education as well as winning championships for UAH.”

A Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils in 1995 during his six years in the NHL, Cole joins the UAH family with a wealth of head coaching experience in professional hockey. With a career record of 222-126-27, Cole spent three seasons (2002-04) with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), the top farm team of the Detroit Red Wings, where he became the all-time winningest coach in team history with a record of 116-72-17. Following his stint with the Griffins, he spent two seasons with the Motor City Mechanics (UHL), where he coached former Charger standout Jared Ross. Cole led the Mechanics to a 58-32-6 mark during his tenure.

“I want to thank Coach (Scott) Paluch and Greg Christopher the A.D. at Bowling Green for giving me the opportunity to get back into college hockey,” said Cole. “I certainly thank them as they’ve been wonderful supporters. It was tough leaving there but I did want to get back to being a head coach and this is a great spot and some good things are going to happen.”

Cole got his first shot as a head coach with the Muskegon Fury where he led the team to a 48-22 mark and a league championship.

Married to the former Debbie Fox of Lansing, Mich., he and his wife have three daughters (Ashton, 13; Madeleine, 12; and Payton, 8).

Wisconsin’s Turris Leads College-Bound Players In NHL Draft Rankings

By
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Wisconsin freshman-to-be Kyle Turris has turned heads in the last few months, enough so that the NHL Central Scouting Bureau (CSB) ranked him number one among North American forwards and defensemen eligible for this summer’s NHL Entry Draft.

Turris, a center, was ranked fifth in the CSB midterm rankings but leapfrogged a group of players that included New Hampshire recruit James van Riemsdyk, who was third in the final rankings released Wednesday.

In attaining the top ranking, Turris, who played this past season for the Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League — registering 121 points in 53 regular-season games — becomes the first player from the Canadian Provincial Junior Hockey League to reach the top of the CBS rankings.

Bradley Eidsness, who has committed to attend North Dakota in 2008, is the top-ranked North America goaltender with collegiate ties, at fifth overall. Notre Dame recruit Brad Phillips dropped from fourth to ninth among North American goaltenders in the final rankings.

In total, 10 current or incoming college players landed in the top 30 of the final CSB rankings. In addition to Turris and van Riemsdyk, Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin, defense, 11th), Tommy Cross (Boston College, defense, 12th), Max Pacioretty (Michigan, left wing, 16th), Nicholas Petrecki (Boston College, defense, 21st), Mike Hoeffel (Minnesota, forward, 22nd), Patrick White (Minnesota, center, 23rd), and Colby Cohen (Boston University, defense, 25th) are all incoming recruits ranked in the top 30. Colorado College left wing Bill Sweatt is the top current college player, checking in at 27th.

While this group all saw their stocks remain relatively stable or rise at season’s end, Boston University recruit Kevin Shattenkirk fell from 13th at midterm to 34th in the final CSB rankings.

A more dramatic fall, though, was by Angelo Esposito. Esposito, who plays for the Quebec Ramparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was ranked first among North America skaters in the midterm rankings but fell all the way to ninth, making room for Turris to assume the top spot.

Trevor Cann of the Peterborough Petes (Ontario Hockey League), also fell from the top spot on the North American goaltenders list, through he dropped just one spot with Plymouth (OHL) netminder Jeremy Smith moving to the number-one ranking.

This year’s NHL Entry Draft will take place June 22 and 23 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. For the first time ever, the Draft’s opening round will take place in prime time on Friday night, while rounds two through seven will be completed beginning Saturday morning.

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