This past Monday was a big day for Union’s men’s hockey team. Not only was it Media Day, but two major pre-season national polls were also released. The first, and probably the most important, poll to come out was the United States College Hockey Online poll, where the Dutchmen were picked to finish 19th out of 58 teams. Last season Union finished 16th in this poll. The other poll that came out was the Inside College Hockey poll that placed Union at #12, above every other ECAC team except Yale. This is the first time in program history that the Dutchmen have received national recognition in the pre-season polls.
Senior Andrew Buote talks to the press on Media Day.
So, why does the national media think Union will be a force to be reckoned with this season even after losing their two star forwards and two big impact defensemen to graduation? The reason is the depth of the 2010-11 Dutchmen. This team is hands down the deepest team in program history. There are so many good players on this team that for every game, there will be a very good player sitting in the stands as a healthy scratch. There are 16 forwards on the team who can all score goals, nine defensemen who can halt the opposition and move the puck, and three goaltenders who can stop the puck.
In between the pipes this season, the Dutchmen return Keith Kinkaid ‘13 and Corey Milan ‘11. Last season, Kinkaid and Milan were a dynamic duo for the Dutchmen as they split time throughout the season. They gave opposing teams different obstacles as Kinkaid is a bigger goalie that relies on positioning, while Milan is a smaller goaltender that uses his speed to his advantage. Kinkaid received the most starts as he went 12-8-3 with a 2.48 goals against average in 25 games including both ECAC Final Four games. Milan made 17 appearances compiling a 9-4-3 record and a 2.06 GAA, which was one of the best in the nation. He was in goal for both of Union’s wins against Quinnipiac in the ECAC Quarterfinals.
The team welcomes freshman Troy Grosenick to the team, who last season posted a 26-14-2 record and a 2.63 GAA with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL.
Even though Union lost fan favorites Mike Wakita ‘10 and Mike Schreiber ‘10 on defense, the Union defense looks to be a strong point for the Dutchmen this season along with their goaltending. Leading the way for the defense will be senior captain Brock Matheson, whose puck moving skills and leadership abilities will be key this season. Also returning are sophomores Greg Coburn, who was second among Union defensemen in assists (14) and points (16), and Shawn Stuart, who was second among Union defensemen in plus/minus (+21) last season.
Union Head Coach Nate Leaman
Joining the defensive corps are Mike Ingoldsby and Mat Bodie, the younger brother of sophomore forward Kyle Bodie. Ingoldsby is considered to be a more rugged defenseman, while the younger Bodie is seen as a puck-moving offensive defenseman. Expect both to see major ice time this season.
The major question for the Dutchmen this season is who is going to replace Mario Valery-Trabucco ‘10 and Jason Walters ‘10, both of whom are considered to be two of the greatest players to wear a Union uniform. To be honest, no one on the roster can replace these superstars. But this is where Union’s depth comes into play.
The top returning scorer is senior assistant captain Adam Presizniuk, who has been a major offensive force since he arrived in Schenectady. While he will be looked to be the star of the team, he will get plenty of help from his fellow forwards. The Dutchmen return two 10 goal scorers in Kelly Zajac ‘12 and Jeremy Welsh ‘13, and 21-point scorers Stephane Boileau ‘11 and John Simpson ‘11. But, the list of high-quality forwards doesn’t stop there. Also looking to make an impact are Wayne Simpson ‘13 (18 points), assistant captain Andrew Buote ‘11 (12 points), and players that emerged as impact players late last season like Kyle Bodie ‘13 (11 points) and Luke Cain ‘11 (11 points). Junior Brian Yanovitch should also see a lot of ice this season.
The forwards of the Class of 2014 look very promising as Head Coach Nate Leaman brought in some great scorers and skaters. These student athletes include Daniel Carr, speedster Matt Hatch, two-way forward Cole Ikkala, Josh Jooris, and Kevin Sullivan, who Coach Leaman thinks might be the sleeper of the group. All six of these forwards have the ability to score some goals, and will all the get an opportunity to do so this season.
Union looks to make the next step this season after making their first ECAC Final Four in program history last season. Their goal this season will be to win the ECAC tournament and receive a berth to the NCAA tournament.
The season begins this weekend as the Dutchmen host Sacred Heart for a weekend series at Messa Rink. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.
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