Three former recipients are among eight up for the 2015-16 Spencer Penrose Award as top coach
St. Cloud State’s Lindgren leaves school for deal with Montreal
Sandelin gets four-year extension at Minnesota-Duluth
Omaha fires assistants Jutting, Todd after second-half collapse
Preseason No. 1 Boston College’s road to Frozen Four filled with overcome obstacles
Brooks leads Wisconsin-Stevens Point to D-III men’s title, named USCHO.com Coach of the Year
Plandowski to Beaufait to Plandowski, 25 years later
One final straw poll before the Hobey Hat Trick is revealed
1. Kyle Connor, Michigan
The freshman assisted on the game-winning goal in overtime in the Wolverines’ 3-2 win over Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament. He also picked up a helper in Michigan’s season-ending loss to North Dakota in the Midwest Regional final. Connor ended the year with 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists). He leads the nation in goals and points.
2. Tyler Motte, Michigan
Connor’s linemate scored the game-winner against Notre Dame and had a pair of assists against North Dakota. He ended his junior season with 32 goals and 25 assists for 57 points. Motte is second in Division I in goals and third in points.
3. Thatcher Demko, Boston College
Demko is the only Hobey finalist that will play in this season’s Frozen Four, leading the Eagles to the Northeast Regional title with wins over Harvard and Minnesota-Duluth. The junior stopped 50 of 53 shots he faced on the weekend, and was named the most outstanding player of the regional. Demko is tied for second in the country in save percentage (.936), is seventh in GAA (1.85) and tops in shutouts (10).
4. JT Compher, Michigan
The final member of the Michigan triumvirate, Compher also assisted on Motte’s OT winner against Notre Dame and had both goals in the Wolverines’ 5-2 loss to North Dakota the following day. He ended his junior campaign with 16 goals and 47 assists for 62 points. He’s second in the nation in points and first in assists.
5. Jimmy Vesey, Harvard
The lone senior of this group, Vesey ended his college career with a 4-1 loss to Boston College on the Northeast Regional semifinal. Vesey finished with 46 points, including 24 goals.Others receiving votes: Alex Lyon, Yale; Sam Anas, Quinnipiac; Ethan Prow, St. Cloud StateAnas, whose Quinnipiac Bobcats advanced to the Frozen Four, got some votes from our writers despite not being among the list of actual Hobey finalists. Lyon’s season came to an end in a 3-2 loss to UMass-Lowell last Saturday, as did Prow’s with St. Cloud State’s overtime loss to Ferris State.So what’s my final prediction?I think the winner will be Kyle Connor, and not just because he came in first in every one of our straw polls over the last few weeks.If Jack Eichel set the bar for rookies winning the Hobey Baker Award in this era last season, then Connor stacks up very well. Both had 71-point seasons, with Connor scoring more goals (35 to 26).Michigan’s Big Ten schedule wasn’t as arduous as that of Boston University last season, but looking closer at the numbers again shows a favorable comparison. Eichel played in 19 games against ranked teams in 2014-15, scoring 11 goals and 16 assists for a points per game average against ranked teams of 1.42. Eichel’s overall PPG average was 1.78.Connor’s Wolverines played in 13 games this season against teams ranked at the time, with the freshman posting 13 goals and 12 assists for a PPG average of 1.92 in games against ranked teams. His overall PPG was 1.87, not as marked a difference between ranked and overall as Eichel’s.Do those numbers lose a bit of luster because 10 of Connor’s goals and four assists came in five games against Penn State? The Nittany Lions were not ranked in the latest USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll, but they were in the five games against Connor and Michigan. Even with that caveat, I think he’ll walk away with the trophy.I’m going with Compher and Demko as the other members of the Hobey Hat Trick, but with some reservations, as I wouldn’t be surprised to see Prow get a block of Western votes, and Vesey get credit for being a repeat finalist and sticking around for his senior year.Our writers like Motte better than my picks, but on a line with the two other finalists, his fantastic season is, I think, still third-best among the trio.Check back on Thursday when the Hobey Hat Trick is announced, and we’ll be in Tampa for the announcement of this year’s winner on April 8.
Wisconsin administration signs off on Tony Granato hiring
Wisconsin’s Board of Regents on Tuesday approved the five-year contract for incoming men’s coach Tony Granato, an athletic department spokesman said.
The Badgers are scheduled to formally announce the hiring of Granato and his staff — sources said his brother Don Granato and Mark Osiecki would be assistants — at an event Wednesday.
Tony Granato, who played for the Badgers from 1983 to 1987, has been an NHL coach since 2002, including head coaching stints with the Colorado Avalanche.
For the last two seasons, he has been an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings. He’s expected to finish this season with the NHL club.
He will be only the fifth full-time Wisconsin head coach since the program restarted in 1963 after a nearly-three-decade hiatus. Bob Johnson, Jeff Sauer and Mike Eaves all had coaching tenures of at least 14 seasons in that time; inaugural modern era coach John Riley spent three seasons with Wisconsin.
Don Granato and Osiecki also are Wisconsin alumni.
Don Granato is the coach of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, while Osiecki is associate coach with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
Tony Granato, 51, led Colorado to the NHL playoffs in 2003 after taking over during the season and again in 2004. He returned to an assistant role after the lost 2004-05 lockout season, then was head coach again in 2008-09.
After being fired by Colorado in 2009, he spent five seasons as an assistant with Pittsburgh before joining Detroit in 2014.
The Badgers fired Eaves on March 18 after a second straight losing season. Wisconsin was 8-19-8 this season after going 4-26-5 in 2014-15.
Eaves won the 2006 national championship and made seven NCAA tournament appearances in 14 seasons at his alma mater.
The contracts of associate head coach Luke Strand and assistant coach JB Bittner were tied to that of Eaves, a Wisconsin spokesperson said. Strand and Bittner agreed to stay on during the program’s transition.
The new coaching staff will take over a program that has suffered a sharp decline in attendance and revenue in recent seasons.
This season, the Badgers averaged fewer than 10,000 fans per game at the Kohl Center for the first time in 18 seasons playing there. Season ticket sales fell 23 percent between 2014-15 and 2015-16, and season sales this season were less than half of the level in 2006-07, the season after Wisconsin won its sixth national championship.
According to athletic department financial statements, the men’s hockey team’s net profit fell from $1.179 million in 2011-12 to $38,502 in 2014-15.
Granato played in 853 NHL regular season and playoff games over 13 seasons, scoring 264 goals.
In four seasons at Wisconsin, he scored 100 goals in 151 games and was a finalist for the 1987 Hobey Baker Award.
He was inducted into Wisconsin’s athletics hall of fame in 2000.
Wednesday’s event starts at 12:30 p.m. CDT at the Kohl Center’s Gate A entrance and is open to the public.
Michigan sees another underclassman bolt as junior defenseman Downing signs with Florida
Michigan is down a pair of defensemen heading in to the 2016-17 season.
On the heels of sophomore Zach Werenski signing with the Columbus organization earlier Tuesday, the end of the day had the school announcing that junior blueliner Michael Downing has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
“I’m excited,” Downing said in a news release. “It’s what every kid works for his whole life. I’m really excited for my future with the Florida Panthers.”
The Panthers originally selected Downing in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
Downing was one of Michigan’s top defensemen in 2015-16, recording three goals and 17 assists for 20 points in 35 games. His plus-20 rating was second among Michigan defensemen and second in the Big Ten overall. He finished fourth on the team with 59 blocked shots this season.
“Playing at Yost is going to be one of the things I miss the most — the fans are just incredible,” Downing added. “I’ll miss all of the coaches, Coach [Red] Berenson has helped more than in any way I could express, and I’ll definitely miss my teammates, especially the guys in my class. I couldn’t be more thankful to have them.”
Downing leaves Michigan with 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 105 games.
In 2014-15, Downing was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection, notching 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 36 games. In 2013-14, Downing earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after recording 12 points (two goals, 10 assists in 34 games).
Adrian’s Armour tabbed USCHO.com Men’s D-III Rookie of the Year
After a season in which he led all Division III freshmen in scoring, Adrian’s Connor Armour has been named the USCHO.com 2015-16 Men’s D-III Rookie of the Year.
Armour, a native of Bowmanville, Ont., tallied eight goals with 30 assists for a 38-point season in 28 games, topping the Bulldogs scoring chart. He also finished in a ninth-place tie among all D-III point-getters.
During the year, Armour posted 11 multi-point games, including a pair of four-point contests. He recorded at least one point in 18 of his games and never went more than a two-game stretch without appearing on the score sheet.
Seven of his goals were at even strength.
On Jan. 9 at Aurora, Armour compiled four assists and then Jan. 29 at home against Lawrence, struck for two goals and two assists.
He also racked up a trio of three-assist games over the course of the season.
In addition, USCHO has also announced its 2015-16 All-Rookie Team:
| Player's Name | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Connor Armour | F | Adrian |
| Anthony Marra | F | Geneseo |
| Pat Egan | F | Plattsburgh |
| Cory Dunn | D | Adrian |
| Tanner Shaw | D | Hobart |
| Kevin Entmaa | G | Adrian |
For North Dakota players who’ve endured Frozen Four heartbreaks, hope that third trip produces better result
It could be heard echoing along the concrete corridors underneath Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena. Young men’s voices, tinged with the ecstasy and an enthusiasm that accompanies a great triumph.
“Third time is the charm!”
[scg_html_ff2016]Saturday’s 5-2 triumph over the Michigan in the Midwest Regional final put North Dakota in familiar territory. The program has skated to 21 Frozen Four appearances before. Last weekend’s final horn brought the 22nd.
To everyone involved with the program in any capacity — especially players like alternate captain Paul LaDue — it’s hardly surprising that North Dakota is back in the thick of things in April.
“We didn’t expect anything less,” he said. “We haven’t won [a national championship] in a while and it’s about time to bring one back home.”
But it’s one thing to expect success. It’s quite another to achieve it, and 10 individuals on this roster have twice experienced the bitter sting of disappointment when only four teams remained.
First, it was a heartbreaking, 2-1 loss to rival Minnesota that came in the final second of regulation in 2014. History repeated itself in Boston one year later when North Dakota failed to best Boston University in a 5-3 barn-burner that came down to the wire.
Luke Johnson remembers it all too well.
“We expect excellence at this school and from this team,” he said. “It’s tough to lose those games in the Frozen Four. Both years I’ve been here I thought we played well and were the better team most of the games.”
So what makes this trip different? For starters, the team finally acquired a post-Fighting Sioux nickname. After three years without a moniker, North Dakota has part of a season under its belt as the “Fighting Hawks.”
The shift in identity extends to the roster, too: Freshmen like Brock Boeser have reloaded this squad, filling in for the holes left by players such as Michael Parks and Mark MacMillan.
Together with Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz, Boeser helps form the “CBS line,” a trio that totals 143 points in 109 combined games played.
North Dakota also will be taking a new head coach to Tampa. Dave Hakstol’s tenure as the winningest college hockey coach of the past decade came to an end in May 2015 when he left for the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, but the athletic brass didn’t have to look very far for his replacement.
Assistant coach Brad Berry stepped up to become the bench boss and excelled in a big way his first year, leading the Fighting Hawks to a 32-6-4 record and the Frozen Four bid. Despite the new superior, players like sophomore Tucker Poolman haven’t missed a beat.
“We were all familiar with him,” Poolman said. “He was here when Coach Hakstol was here, and we know what we’re getting from him.”
And Berry knew what he was getting from his team, night in and night out: Nine players that have been claimed by professional organizations. A goaltender with just four losses on the season and a .934 save percentage in Cam Johnson. The nation’s seventh-best offense and second-best defense.
It’s a team that handed Northeastern its second loss in the last 24 games in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, then tamed the best offense in the country the next evening.
“It’s very humbling,” Berry said in the news conference following Saturday’s win. “We’re very grateful. I truly believe we have a special group in our locker room.”
So what is it that makes this Frozen Four team different from the two that have immediately preceded it? Who’s to say much is really different at all?
A few names on the back of the green and white jerseys have changed. The point totals and records and opponents aren’t the same. There’s a new coach and a new leading scorer in Boeser.
But the name on the front of the sweater still says North Dakota, and excellence is still expected. The process isn’t any different. This team knows what it takes to win. This group has exhibited a high level of play all year, and it bears the knowledge that it has what it takes to make a run for the program’s first national championship since 2000.
That’s why those voices could be heard reverberating in the tunnels beneath the arena on Saturday. It’s why those five words were repeated like the chorus to a song:
“Third time is the charm.”
St. Lawrence’s Carvel announced as new UMass head coach
After five years behind the bench at St. Lawrence, including the past four as head coach, Greg Carvel is leaving the Saints to take over as head coach at Massachusetts.
ESPN’s John Buccigross tweeted earlier today that the hiring was official.
Sources tell me UMass AD Ryan Bamford has worked out a 5-yr deal with SLU’s Greg Carvel. A release could be coming as soon as this afternoon
— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) March 29, 2016
Carvel took over at SLU at the start of the 2012-13 season and led the Saints to a 72-63-15 mark over the past four seasons.
The UMass job was available when John Micheletto was fired back on March 6.
“I am very excited about the opportunity that exists for the University of Massachusetts hockey program and the potential for success here,” Carvel said in a news release. “I was very impressed with the vision and energy of director of athletics Ryan Bamford and his desire to succeed in Hockey East. I feel that I bring a wide range of coaching experience and proven success at the collegiate, professional and international levels.
“As an alumnus of St. Lawrence University, I leave with a heavy heart and great appreciation for what the university has done for me, in particular, Joe Marsh. The University of Massachusetts will provide me with the next opportunity to help rebuild a hockey program that has great potential for success. Having earned my master’s degree from UMass, I am well aware of the prestige of the school and its desire to have a championship-caliber hockey program at a Top 30 Public Research University.”
Carvel began his professional coaching career as director of hockey operations for the Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League. He joined the Anaheim Ducks as scouting coordinator in May of 1999, adding video coordinator to his duties in 2002 and earning a promotion to assistant coach in 2003. He joined the Ottawa Senators as an assistant coach in 2004 and was on the staff until the summer of 2011. Both the Ducks and the Senators made it to the Stanley Cup Finals during his time as an assistant coach.
A former Saints captain and the first CoSIDA Academic All-American in SLU program history, Carvel had 38 goals and 85 assists for 123 points in 131 collegiate games.
Carvel played one year of professional hockey in Sweden and then became assistant athletic director and assistant hockey coach at Canterbury Prep. He went on to earn a master’s degree in sport management at UMass in 1998 and was an assistant coach at Amherst College in 1996 while pursuing his degree.
Ferris State captain Schempp skips senior season to ink with Islanders
The New York Islanders announced Tuesday that Ferris State junior forward Kyle Schempp has agreed to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Schempp will join the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of the 2015-16 season.
Schempp recorded nine goals and 16 assists in 41 games as a junior this year with the Bulldogs and posted 66 points (29 goals, 37 assists) in 121 games during his NCAA career. He captained Ferris State to a WCHA championship and NCAA Tournament appearance this season.
Selected by the Islanders in the sixth round (155th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Schempp has been named to the WCHA All-Academic Team the past two seasons and was a member of the 2013-14 WCHA All-Rookie Team.
Michigan loses top defenseman Werenski to Columbus organization
Michigan sophomore defenseman Zach Werenski has signed an AHL amateur tryout contract with the Lake Erie Monsters, the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and will leave the Wolverines and give up his last two years of collegiate eligibility.
“It’s exciting,” said Werenski in a news release. “I’ve worked for this for a long time and now that time is finally here. I’m extremely grateful for the chance to play at Michigan and without my experience here, I don’t’ think I’d be the player I am today.”
Werenski, drafted by Columbus in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2015 NHL draft, compiled 11 goals and 25 assists for 36 points in 36 games this past season. He leaves Michigan with 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) in 71 games. As the youngest player in college hockey last season, Werenski notched 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 35 games and earned All-Big Ten First Team and All-Freshman Team honors.
“Before I arrived at Michigan, Coach [Red] Berenson told me and my dad that coming here would be the best decision I ever made and I agree with him,” Werenski added. “It was hands down the best decision I ever made.”
This season, Werenski led all Big Ten defensemen in scoring and was second in the nation among blueliners in points. Named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Big Ten selection, Werenski was at his best in Michigan’s biggest games at the end of the season, finishing the year with a seven-game point streak (four goals, 10 assists). He was named to the NCAA Midwest All-Region team after notching the game-tying goal in a 3-2 overtime win against Notre Dame on March 25 and recording an assist against North Dakota on Saturday.
He also served as captain of bronze medal-winning Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships, tallying two goals and nine points in seven games and earning the Directorate Award as the tournament’s top defenseman.
“The main thing I’m going to remember is how great it was and how well treated we were at Michigan,” Werenski concluded. “This school, the education, the people here, it was such a great opportunity. It’s hard talking about it because you don’t want it to be over, but it was such a great experience. It’s probably going to be at the top of my list of my hockey experiences so far. I’ll leave with all positives in my mind.”
TMQ: First weekend of NCAA tournament brings a few surprises and busted brackets
Each week during the season we look at the big events and big games around Division I men’s college hockey in Tuesday Morning Quarterback.
Jim: Well, Paula, the field for the Frozen Four is set with two No. 1 seeds and two No. 2 seeds advancing. Regional weekend produced some exciting hockey, a couple of blowouts and two minor upsets. Both Providence and St. Cloud State went down in the opening games, maintaining what’s now an 11-year streak where at least one No. 1 seed has been knocked out in the first game.
In the end, however, this wasn’t the most unpredictable field. In fact, in College Hockey Pickem 2016, there are still two perfect brackets and, should North Dakota come away with the title two Saturdays from now, we’ll have the winner go perfect — one entrant has the Fighting Hawks beating Boston College, the other beating Quinnipiac.
[scg_html_ff2016]Personally, my bracket was destroyed pretty early on Friday as my Hockey East bias not only showed but also killed me. Despite Boston College reaching Tampa, otherwise it was a tough weekend for the league that placed six teams in the field. Northeastern, Notre Dame, Providence and Boston University all were first-round knockouts, while UMass-Lowell had to rally for an overtime win over Yale, only to get eliminated by Quinnipiac in the regional final.
Certainly, that’s not the weekend that people who follow Hockey East hoped for but at this time of year, maybe not too surprising?
Paula: Given that in my College Hockey Pickem ballot I led with my heart as well, I’m just a step ahead of you, Jimmy. I’ll be honest, though: Even though Ferris State was a sentimental favorite for me and I cover Michigan, I honestly thought that those two teams would make it to Tampa. I saw how Ferris State may be an under-the-radar team playing its best hockey at the end of the season, and I was so impressed with the way Michigan came together in the past two months. Each team, too, was playing in front of incredible goaltending — and in the case of Steve Racine, as everyone saw last weekend, goaltending that was the best of his career and sometimes nothing short of spectacular.
Also, what we talked about last week with time off leading into the NCAA regionals factored into my choice of Yale coming out of the East Regional. For the record, not one of my Frozen Four finalists from my Pickem bracket made it through. I think, perhaps, that some teams ought to start lobbying me to pick against them.
The first-round knockout that surprised me the most was Northeastern. It wasn’t just that the Huskies lost, but that they looked like they could get nothing going against North Dakota. Having watched all the games in the Midwest Regional, I’m not surprised that North Dakota prevailed, but of the four teams there, it looked to me like maybe the Huskies had run out of gas, that their second-half effort to accomplish what they accomplished expended all of their resources — physically, emotionally — before they took the ice in Cincinnati.
As for Hockey East, as much as I admired that conference this season, I suspected that HEA fans would be a little disappointed after the regionals were over. This has nothing to do with the strength of HEA and, perhaps, everything to do with the relative strength of the NCHC. While Hockey East looked really good in its top two thirds, the dominant teams in the NCHC looked really, really good, and they also looked to be peaking as the season came to a close. I think that’s why Boston College prevailed: The Eagles got better as the season progressed and were able to carry that into a regional weekend. It doesn’t hurt, either, that BC is so tournament experienced.
Jim: Northeastern was certainly outmatched by North Dakota, and Boston University suffered a very similar fate at the hands of Denver. Both of those were first-round matchups, but after watching both I wasn’t shocked to see both of those NCHC teams advance to Tampa.
Both the Fighting Hawks and the Pioneers were clicking on all cylinders last weekend and, most importantly in the regional final, both scored the key goals when the games were on the line.
These two teams certainly highlight the mea culpa that I need to provide to NCHC fans. All season long, it was easy to tout how the “tables had turned” and it looked like Hockey East would be the league with six teams in the field and the NCHC would “only” get three or four. Well, indeed the tables turned. For the second straight year, the league with six teams struggled at some point in the tournament. Last year, the NCHC started off well, going 5-1 in the first round, but didn’t end up getting a team into the championship game. This year, Hockey East had four of its entries out in the first round.
Given the way that both Denver and North Dakota played last weekend, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the winner of next Thursday’s second semifinal between the two also be the club hoisting the national championship trophy.
Paula: That was my take from watching the games last weekend, too, that if I were a betting woman, I’d lay money down on the winner of that semifinal.
And it’s OK, Jim, to be emotionally invested. If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be human. In your case — and probably in the case of many Hockey East writers — the conference you watched all season produced such good hockey that it was especially easy to get caught up in some postseason daydreaming. I remember when the CCHA was strong, in 2004 when the league placed five teams in the NCAA tournament. Who played in Boston for the national championship? Two teams from Hockey East and two from the WCHA.
This season, I wasn’t at all surprised to see one team from the conference I cover, the Big Ten, advance to the tournament. There was so little spark in that league this season. Maybe that’s why I overestimated the Wolverines, too, because they were so very good in comparison to the rest of their league. In retrospect, however, that was one fun Michigan team to cover, and there were glimpses of their offensive magic against North Dakota. Glimpses, however, do not win games.
I think that the league that I underestimated the most this year was the WCHA, and that’s a surprising thing given that it’s my sentimental favorite all around because it reminds me of the old CCHA. When I covered the WCHA tournament in Grand Rapids, however, I saw that it was a very, very tough league — and Ferris State was a good representative of how strong and smart the hockey is in that league, something that bodes very well for the WCHA in the 2016-17 season.
Jim: Now, before Quinnipiac and Boston College fans attack me, I don’t want to make it seem like the national title game is a foregone conclusion. Think of Yale and Union, two teams that were thought might be overmatched when they arrived at the Frozen Four but skated around the ice with the trophy. I only watched the Boston College games on TV and feel maybe the Eagles survived their regional more than won it, but I know that’s a good BC team. I saw Quinnipiac in person last weekend and am ever convinced that this could be one of the most skilled teams in the nation. My only concern is the Bobcats’ lack of experience in the Frozen Four — just one appearance all time, though this year’s seniors were on that team.
I realize that we’re not ones to ever make predictions here, but I think as we sign off for this year, maybe this is the chance for both of us to do so. I’ll start. Personally, I think this should be a BC-North Dakota final and I’ll take the Eagles to repeat in Tampa (of course this means Quinnipiac will beat Denver). How about you?
Paula: I will take a BC-North Dakota final with the Fighting Hawks prevailing — even though I know full well the pitfalls of picking against a Frozen Four team with the word “Boston” in its title, especially one coached by Jerry York.
Even though this Frozen Four has a much more traditional feel to it, like you, I know that anything can happen, absolutely anything. I think this one in Tampa will provide some of the most exciting championship hockey that we’ve seen in a long time. I cannot wait.
Thumbs up
To the level of play in the regionals last weekend, where every venue saw an overtime game and the Northeast Regional also played host to BC’s nail-biting, 3-2 win over Minnesota-Duluth. While there were a couple of games in which teams seemed mismatched, the overall level of competition in this year’s tournament was excellent.
On a more personal note, a thumbs up and congratulations to our friend and colleague, Chris Lerch, for his 20 years of Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers hockey radio work. After the Tigers lost to Quinnipiac on Saturday, Chris announced that he’s stepping away from the mic because of other commitments. Chris has been with USCHO.com for nearly two decades and has covered Atlantic Hockey for USCHO for the past 10. We know that the RIT community will miss his presence.
Thumbs down
To the NCAA and ESPN on choosing game times. I know this is a constant gripe of ours and many coaches. But particularly the Saturday games need to start earlier. If every game were moved up three hours to begin the day at noon, you’d at least have a reasonable time for the regional finals (Boston College vs. Minnesota-Duluth beginning at 9 p.m. EDT simply makes no sense). Moving up Saturday game times would also allow you to do the same for Sunday’s final two regional finals, as a 7:30 p.m. EDT final in Albany on Easter Sunday didn’t seem to make too much sense and was poorly attended.
Coming up
We’ll have complete Frozen Four coverage over the next two weeks, including four days of two-hour USCHO Live! talk shows from Tampa starting Wednesday, April 6. Keep an eye on the site for more information about events in Tampa where we’ll be.
Minnesota-Duluth’s Kaskisuo forgoes last two years, signs deal with Maple Leafs
Minnesota-Duluth sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo has given up his final two years of NCAA eligibility to sign a two-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I feel like I’m ready,” Kaskisuo said to the Duluth News Tribune. “UMD has given me two awesome years and time to develop, but now I feel like the opportunity is there and it’s time to take the next step and develop even more at a higher level. It’s always tough to leave a team like this, especially how close of a group we were. But sometimes you just need to be selfish in a way. I’m not trying to say it as a bad way, but when the opportunity is there and you feel like you’re ready to go and think this is personally best for you, it would be really, really hard to say no to that.
“I feel like that’s the best move for me right now.”
The News Tribune article said Kaskisuo had numerous NHL teams after his services and also states UMD coach Scott Sandelin was a not surprised with the signing.
“The way he played his freshman year, he gained a lot of attention,” Sandelin said in the report. “Being a free agent, he was in a great spot. He followed it up with another year and that’s why I’m not really surprised. You always hope to keep guys around a little bit longer, but I’m happy for him and, hopefully, he does well. He was a lot more consistent this year from start to finish, in my opinion, and part of that is maturity and I think (volunteer goalie coach) Brant Nicklin did a good job with him as well. Those are all good signs if you’re moving on.”
In 2015-16, Kaskisuo went 19-15-5 with a 1.92 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
Frozen Four preview with ESPN’s Starman, Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s Higgins on March 29 USCHO Live!
Our guests on final Tuesday night edition of USCHO Live! on March 29 are ESPN and CBS Sports Network college hockey analyst Dave Starman, and Tampa Bay Sports Commission executive director Rob Higgins, each previewing next week’s NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa.
Please note our new live streaming host: Join us for the conversation and information, Tues., March 29, at 8 p.m. EDT using the player below or listen using the Spreaker Radio app for iOS, Android or Windows phone.
Be part of the conversation! Send your tweets to @USCHO or your emails to [email protected]. Each episode of USCHO Live! features a look at news around NCAA hockey, a look ahead at upcoming games and events, and conversation with people who coach, administer and play college hockey, and journalists who cover the sport.
About the hosts
Jim Connelly is a senior writer at USCHO.com and has been with the site since 1999. He is based in Boston and regularly covers Hockey East. He began with USCHO.com as the correspondent covering the MAAC, which nowadays is known as Atlantic Hockey. Each week during the season, he co-writes “Tuesday Morning Quarterback.” Jim is the winner of the 2012 Joe Concannon award. He is the color analyst for UMass-Lowell hockey’s radio network, and is a studio analyst for NESN.
Ed Trefzger has been part of USCHO since 1999 and now serves as a senior writer and director of technology. He has been a part of the radio broadcasts of Rochester Institute of Technology hockey since their inception — serving as a producer, studio host, color commentator and as RIT’s play-by-play voice for nine seasons. Ed is general manager of CBS Sports Radio affiliate 105.5 The Team in Rochester, N.Y., and COO of its parent company, Genesee Media Corporation.
Cornell’s Morgan Richardson makes mental health awareness her mission
An organization that has raised over $4 million to promote and destigmatize mental health awareness began while bound to small roots.
To be more specific, it all started with a set of hockey helmet decals.
Do It For Daron, an organization co-founded by Cornell hockey player Morgan Richardson and her parents, Luke and Stephanie, was launched in 2010 with help from Richardson’s friends. The idea for the helmet decals came about after Richardson’s sister Daron took her own life that year at the age of 14.
Richardson is one of five finalists for the 2016 Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented by BNY Mellon Wealth Management.
