The 08-09 Sophomore Class

The largest class in the Seawolf program this season is the sophomores. 10 players; a combined 224 games amongst 8 regular skaters last season. These guys are mostly all not rookies anymore. They've earned their stripes. And as sophomores they'll each need to step up their individual play and production for the team's success.



Jeff's eligibility didn't begin until the beginning of the 2nd semester. He played just one game. I remember liking what I saw. As an All-NAHL 1st team defenseman he comes with a nice resume of junior accomplishments (15g-24a in 59 games). He was 4th in the league scoring among that league's defenders. Jeff's freshman year certainly didn't provide much in terms of on-ice experience. No doubt he isn't a freshman off the ice but there'll be a period of games for him this season when still is a freshman on the ice. How long that is likely to last is difficult to guess. I hope that Jeff can "come up to speed" relatively quickly. It looks and seems like he will grow into a contributor with time.



Bryce showed more than a couple of flashes of excellence during his limited play over the 2nd half last season. He is definitely more athletic than most 6'2" goalies. I was surprised by the quickness of both his upper and lower body. Bryce will provide a needed element of competition for the starting goaltender spot. I wouldn't be surprised to see that competition go deep into the season. It is a situation that has the potential to make both guys play better when it's their chance.



I'm not quite sure what I should expect from Winston this season. Well at least in terms of scoring that's accurate. But in terms of effort and commitment on the ice I know exactly what to expect. One-hundred percent effort. That was Winston last year. He bagged a couple of important goals along the way. He finishes his checks. He turns well from the boards toward the net. He's strong on his feet. He's got good hands and vision. He plays with intensity. Winston had outgrown the rookie label before he was injured late in the season. I hope he can find more ways as a sophomore to get himself on the board. His contribution is needed.



When I think about Tommy I think about a quick release i.e... a Brett Hull shot. Ok. That might be a bit of an exaggeration but at least the concept is there. Whether Tommy can pull the trigger quickly isn't the question. He can. Like every other forward in the sophomore class he is going to have to find a way to do that more. More shots = more goals. And more goals are needed. Tommy has the size and wheels that Coach Shyiak likes up front. He should be able to use that size to gain the space he needs to throw the puck on the net.



Nick is a big solid kid with a good pair of wheels. He looks strong and hits hard. He played in 26 games last year. Of forwards that played in more than 50% of the games he was the only one though that didn't find the back of the net. He averaged less than one shot per game. If Nick is to find similar ice time this coming season I'd think he needs to find the net or become a strong role player for a checking line and/or a penalty killer. Another big body (6'2" 200lbs) charging hard into the other teams zone is always a useful asset.



Kane is an important part of an improved transition game for this years team. He has an outstanding ability to find the crease for a pinpoint pass. When the pass isn't available or he simply sees an opportunity, Kane is very adept at carrying the puck himself. Toward the end of his freshman season I could see that he was no longer a rookie. He showed he could assert himself during a game and make potentially game changing plays. He is a valuable part of the power play and logs time on the penalty kill as well. His vision from the back is a critical component to building and executing an effective attack. Improving the puck movement from the back to the front has been an ongoing project since Campbell Blair came on board. And each year we have seen improvement. This season it may be Mat Robinson's defense to lead but next year Kane will be the big dog. I feel better (even inspired) with both Mat and Kane in the lineup.



As with the aforementioned Grant and Daychief, Brad McCabe's production this year will be a direct link to whatever success the team has. Brad is goal scorer first. While he is going to have more than a few occasions where he contributes an assist, the majority of his impact is going to be Brad putting the puck on and in the net. Another player with that "Brett Hull-style" quick release Brad should become more of a threat as the season goes along and he finds his areas. Can he double his goal total from last year? I hope so. I don't think it's unreasonable to hope for 12 or 13 goals from Brad. Anything more will be icing on the cake. Brad was 2nd on the team last year in penalties.



Inside College Hockey was right. Craig is definitely a player to watch in the Seawolves lineup this year. Craig had 7 goals on 45 shots. He remarked in his INCH profile that all of his goals come from the doorstep. Stay on the damn doorstep then Craig ... eh? Stay there all season and bang the biscuit in. Just as with Brad McCabe, the number of times Craig lights the lamp is going to be a key factor in UAA's success.



Luka is a convert. In his last year of juniors Luka started skating on the blueline. Last season I could see steady growth in his effectiveness. Luka brings a more good skating to the blueline. He played in 30 games last season and was another freshman who lost his rookie label earlier rather than later during the season. Luka took an occasional bad penalty in his own end last season. It certainly wasn't any sort of trend but he'll need to stay focused in his own end first this season to eliminate that.



My book on Sean would be themed with surprise. As I mentioned I had doubts when I saw him skate in preseason as to whether he could crack the lineup. But as he got his chances, Sean showed enough intensity and effort to earn additional chances. When those next chances came he doubled-down and got the job done; picking up 4 assists along the way. One of his assets is his long reach. With the new depth in the Seawolf forward lineup Sean is likely to find himself battling for a spot. It'll be a crucial year for him in terms of development. If he can earn enough playing time and find a way to add to the bottom line then I think he'll gain confidence and we'll see a solid 4 year player who contributes something important along the way.

Sunday Potpourri: That Time of Year

In my morning reading an article in the ADN confirmed that Anchorage suffered through an unusally cold summer. While making a quick run up to the store I noticed the rain drops were just that little bit colder. Then as skies cleared to the east I looked out my front window and saw the view above. No doubt about it. Those leaves are changing. I've fooled myself for probably a week now. But we've gone a couple of shades from green to yellow already. We haven't reached that point where brisk would qualify as an accurate adjective but it really isn't too far off. Likewise I can't quite say I can taste the beginning of the season; that really isn't too far off either.

There's been an unprecedented virtual orgy of attention lavished on Alaska in the last week or so. I can't say that's horrible I suppose. It should at least serve the purpose of educating a numb nuts or two. I heard one suggest that anyone growing up in Alaska does not have that quintessential "Americana" cultural experience and I suppose therefore isn't an American (yes ... it was some idiot on Fox News). I wondered what part of American culture my daughter is missing? And it came to me when I reviewed a conversation I'd had with her a few months back. It's Red Lobster. There has never been one here. I know my daughter would have liked to see an Olive Garden here but I don't think she's lacking because we don't have pasta choices. It isn't that Red Lobster has some seafood variety that you can't get better prepared at any number of restaurants in Alaska. But instead, it's got to be their reasonable prices. Never getting the chance to pay 12.99 for all-you-can-eat crablegs makes her bereft of American culture. If you ask me, it's akin to state-sponsored child abuse. Now let me say this before some local brainiac reminds me that we don't need Red Lobster because we've got Sea Galley and we can still have access to crablegs-a-plenty; I know Red Lobster (I worked at one for one shift) and Sea Galley is no Red Lobster and no catchy jingle is going to change my thinking.

It's also good to see the discussion of Alaska's potential secession from the U.S. come up in the mainstream media. It's been a plank of the Alaskan Independent Party for a long time. It gets jobbed with the whacko label but it makes a lot of sense. There are differences in the depth to which Alaska has acted as a defacto "colony" when compared with classic "colonial" practice. But it has essentially the same characteristics. I think we should make them an offer they can't refuse. I'd think an offer of 80 billion dollars to the U.S. Government for our freedom from their oppression might do the trick (if they refuse ... then just secede by proclamation). Now I know that's a couple of bucks more than Alaska has in its pocket but we can get Fannie Mae to finance the deal over time.

Here's why it makes sense: only Alaskans really know how to make a go of it here. I mean that in the big sense. Any boob can move up here and survive well enough. But in the sense of getting things done there is a palpable but difficult to define characteristic that makes people who've been here their whole life understand the "place" in a way that few in the lower 48 would grasp easily. So if Alaskans really want growth and prosperity then the best path to that would be to secede. We'll gladly host the American Armed Services personnel at the same rates that other third world countries get. We'll gladly throw up some well placed import taxes and the like. And what makes every true Alaskan's mouth water ... we'll develop the hell out of our resources and in no time everyone's permanent fund dividend payment will be worth 5 or 6 thousand dollars a year. Why was Kuwait considered the richest country in the world? Because every citizen (in one way or another) shared hugely in the development of their resources. There are only 670,000 people up here and I think it's reasonable to think that there's a solid 10-12 billion dollars of potential revenue to the state annually if we would secede. At most it's gonna cost 4-5 billion a year to maintain independence. Keep putting the extra 5 billion or so back into the Permanent Fund program and this place would have a massive savings account in a relatively short time. You lower 48 readers might think that all sounds a bit loony. But my Alaskan readers know what I mean and my discussion here isn't the first time the subject has crossed their mind. This place is unique and I have to admit something ... the reasons for that are beyond just the fact that there's no Red Lobster here.

Don't forget to take a look at the scroll bar above when you visit. I've been putting "things" up there without mentioning them down here. The picnic is this Tuesday evening at Kincaid Park from 6-9. And of course don't think I'd forget to mention my season long effort to gain signatures on the "Preserving the Integrity of College Hockey" petition decrying the inclusion of shootouts. Where is that bad boy you ask? How can you add your name to the list of people that don't want to witness that abortion of a circus act in our game? Wait for it on the scroll and then move your mouse onto the scroll area and click the highlighted text.

Lastly, I beg you to always remember that time itself is nothing more than a quantum artifact of the physical laws which govern our universe (it is not a force or a property). Don't ever think that there is really any way that you can "have" time. But remember that it always "has" you.

The 08-09 Junior Class

Eight 3rd year players and one transfer comprise this years junior class in Seawolf jerseys. The junior season is one where the player is expected to be more mature. This large group will need to exert that leadership on and off the ice this season. It's time for mature, smart hockey and all 9 of these guys have paid their dues. They should be ready to contribute in accordance with the various skills they bring. All of those skills will be needed for success.

Nils had a disappointing sophomore season. He was injured and struggled to regain his regular place in the lineup. A new more mature Nils Backstrom should be a more responsible player this season. A couple of things here and there got away from Nils last season in the defensive end. He'll have to correct those deficiencies to ensure himself regular time this season. With 9 total defensemen that is the reality. Nils brings strengths aplenty though. He skates smoothly and has good top speed. He sees the ice well and makes good tape to tape passes. He is big and strong enough to challenge anyone physically in the defensive end and I've seen evidence of a rough side. Nils is valuable on the power play manning the blueline. He sees both the pass and the shot with the puck on his stick. I think he needs to choose shot more often. If he does then the Seawolves bottom line will improve.

Brian was expected to play last season beginning in the second half. My understanding is that someone didn't put something in the mail soon enough to make that happen. As a result Brian was notified in December that he'd have to continue to sit. I can't think of a player that is probably more ready to hit the ice in a game than Brian must be. His experience at Bowling Green wasn't a good one. Frankly, Brian didn't make the best of it. He allowed distractions to rule the day. It cost him on the ice. I'm assured that Brian has put all of that behind him. I've heard the words anxious to play and something to prove with regard to Brian. He was the top forward on Sioux City's roster in his last year and a leader. As a junior playing in his first year as a Seawolf I don't expect Brian to lead the team in scoring. But I'm guessing he shouldn't be too far behind at the end of the season. Brian will need to become a lynchpin in the UAA offense. I look to him to make whoever he plays with better. He could easily be a mature forward assigned to a couple of rookies on the third line (which would make the 3rd line a threat) or he can be a dependable contributor on the 1st/2nd lines. I'm really looking forward to seeing exactly what he can accomplish with a focused effort.

Kevin isn't the only player on the Seawolf team that can make a great pass or a pretty play. But he sure is likely to do it more often than anyone else. Kevin plays with passion every shift. He always has a physical component to his game. He is an excellent stickhandler and a sneaky passer. And this year Kevin will add maturity to that resume'. His 17 points as a freshman and 23 points as a sophomore are pittances compared to the potential scoring that a mature Kevin Clark can bring to UAA this season. I believe Kevin's name can be amongst the leaders in the WCHA. I think he can double his sophomore output. Lots of things have to happen for that to happen but he does have the skills to get it done. We UAA fans are always going to compare a player like Kevin to the magic-man Dean Larson. Ok then ... Lars had 43 points as a junior. Theres a good mark for you to shoot at Kevin. His committment, passion and scoring should be second to none on this years team. It's time for him to pick up this team and carry it on his back if need be. I believe the saying "as Kevin goes so go the Seawolves" wouldn't be that much of an exaggeration for this year. Kevin's play will be very important this year. Very.



Paul Crowder suffered from the same syndrome last year as so many other UAA forwards. Whatever it was that kept the Seawolves off the scoreboard kept sophomore Paul off the scoreboard as often as he'd managed during his freshman season. For 08-09 Paul will need to double last years goals contribution. It's clear that with two seasons under his belt that he should be ready to do exactly that. Paul has good anticipation. He knows where to be on the ice. Those smarts should allow him to be in position more often to generate chances. Paul is a good team player but perhaps is one kid that I'd tell to be greedier. I'd hope he shoots more often when the chance presents itself; even if there is a sweet pass to be made. Advice to put the puck on the net of course applies to the whole team this season. But in Paul's case I think it has more potential to be fruitful. Paul should view himself as a goal scorer. He is one. I'm always thrilled when he gets a chance on his backhand and buries it. Paul provided leadership on the ice as a sophomore. We're likely to see more of that this season. He'll make younger players better when he skates with them. And he'll be a legitimate goal scoring threat no matter who skates with him.



Playing in about half the games as a freshman and three-quarters as a sophomore Trevor could be poised for much more ice time this season. Trevor is strong and steady on the back end. He doesn't rush the puck much. He is a stay at home defensive guy. I bet he actually "likes" goalies. Pound for pound I'd bet Trevor is as strong as anyone in the WCHA. He plays smart positionally. He took a bad penalty or two over the last couple of years but more often than not he could be depended on to help keep the puck out of the net. He sported the best +/- on the team with +4 last season. Trevor should certainly be motivated to prove himself in order to earn a regular spot in the lineup. As one of the few "stay-at-home" guys on the blueline I can't see much keeping him off the ice. That sort of defensive presence is a valuable commodity. If you're interested in what interests Trevor off the ice then click on this youtube link for his Bill Dance impersonation. Nice hat Trevor.



From a nice 20 points as a freshman Josh Lunden improved the stat books slightly as a sophmore with 27 points. In a year where scoring was down overall on the team a modest increase was nice to see somewhere in the lineup. Josh can be "the" go to guy this season. He's got two years on him which have shown him exactly where he needs to be to put the puck on the twine. That place is in close and I think Josh likes it there too. He works as hard around the net as any forward in the league. He takes his lumps and dishes out a few as well. Josh has enough wheels to fly up the wing with the puck. He has the strength to dominate on the boards behind the net and in the corners. And he'll take any abuse in order to get the puck behind the opposition goalie. I guess Curtis Glencross was the last kid UAA had score 20 goals. If I had to pick the next Seawolf to hit that mark it would be Josh Lunden. How about this year? I hope so. As with every other junior on this squad Josh will need to be cognizant of the example he sets for younger players. Maturity from all these guys will translate to confidence for younger players.



I might not say it if I didn't think that Jon Olthuis already knew, but .886 just ain't gonna get it done this year. The reduction in the GAA from his freshman to sophomore year was nice to see but I have to give equal credit for that to the better defensive game the Seawolves played. So why didn't the save percentage improve? One reason in my mind; it might seem simple but I don't think Jonny O was ready to go from the git go in some games. How many early goals did UAA give up last season. Within the first minute or two? 5. And 3 others within the first 4 minutes. 8 goals that shouldn't have been. Whether Jonny O has to bear that load all on his shoulders is debatable. The team should be ready to go from the drop of the puck as well as the goalie. I know there are other pucks that Jon would like to have back as well throughout the season. The simple fact of the matter is this. This is a year where Jon will have to prove that he deserves to be between the pipes. Bryce Christianson is going to challenge for playing time. I have to believe that will make Jon a better netminder. .900 is the minimum save percentage that a goaltender of a successful WCHA team will have.



Ken Selby is underutilized im my opinion. Part of the reason is probably due to the next player in this post to be described. Ken is the fastest player on the team. At least he was when he got here. Hell, he was probably the fastest player in Canada in his age group when he won the speed competition at the CJAHL prospects game. Unfortunately, Ken has never found a regular place or role in the lineup. Ken's highlight moment was a beauty of a goal he scored last season versus Minnesota. He picked up a deflected puck near center ice, skated to the middle of the slot with the puck and buried a high shot past Kangas. It was a goal scorers goal. He made it look easy when it was anything but easy. I could go on all day about Ken's skating. He flies. But everytime I've watched him play I liked what he did with the puck on his stick. I hope this season is a breakout for him and that Coach Shyiak can find a role suited for his skill set. Another speedy hitter for the energy line?



Jared is a coaches player. In his previous two years Jared has skated on the #1 line to give it a more physical presence and he was successful. He skated mostly on the 4th "energy" line and was one of only 4 forwards with a positve plus/minus rating. Jared has played at defense when needed. He shifts from one line to another or position to position and never seems to miss a beat. The other thing that he never seems to miss is an opposition player in their own zone. Jared's physical game has been tremendous over the past two years. He has snagged, tagged and bagged more WCHA players than any other Seawolf. Jared uses his speed to develop the power for his hitting game. He simply gets there earlier than the opposition thinks and that translates to disruption. It's such a valuable role and Jared has filled it so well that I fully expect him to reprise it this season.

The 08-09 Senior Class

This years UAA senior class has only 3 representatives on the hockey team. Seniors Shane Lovdahl, Mat Robinson and Jeremy Smith. These three represent a diverse set of skills and their contributions will be important for a successful season.



Shane's career at UAA included a promising freshman season followed by a season that saw him absent from the ice in the 2nd half due to an eligibility problem which was technical in nature. His third season showed me a lot of growth (particularly in the 2nd half) in his overall game. Shane had the label of not having the quickest feet on the team but I didn't see anything during the second half last season that causes me any concern. He is strong on his skates and can lay on the big hits both along the boards and on open ice. He played smart defensive hockey, good passes in transition and even showed a flair for stickhandling on the offensive end. I expect Shane to be an important part of UAA's power play. It will be critical to get more goals on the power play as compared to last season and in order to do that you need experience on the blueline. And lets never forget that Shane has a very heavy shot. I think he has some pretty clear motivations to help him make this season a career best for him. He's had a few games in every season where he's watched in street clothes and nobody wants to do that their senior year. There is every reason to think that won't be a problem.



When writing about Mat the first area to focus on is his wheels. He's got a helluva set. But it doesn't stop there. His vision on the ice is second to none. He always has his head up and his sense of anticipation is as good as anyone. Robbie should be a supremely confident senior player. My biggest question is how much can he contribute offensively this season. I can imagine Coach Shyiak would like to increase Mat's focus on the offensive side of things and help him find more ways to contribute. With a solid defensive minded partner Robbie could be free to wheel at times. When those opportunities arise he will need to take full advantage this season. If he does that then leading the team in goals by a defensemen will be a reasonable expectation. The last two years have been all about bringing along a set of defensemen who make a difference in transition to offense. Mat is the oldest and most experienced defensemen on this team with exactly the set of skills needed to make an impact at important times in a game. Who among us doesn't appreciate the perfectly executed hip check now and again from Robbie too ... eh? To summarize ... Robbie's play is very important this season.



Local boy Jeremy Smith walked onto the Seawolf team last year. Jeremy ended his 4 year junior career in the 04-05 season. In the intervening time he didn't play any organized competitive hockey. When Jeremy was added to the roster last year I remember doing a little research and discovering what a popular guy he was with Youngstown/Mahoning Valley fans. He was the enforcer and racked up a solid 198 minutes fulfilling that role. Jeremy looks like a rugged guy too. His potential contribution though to this teams success is measurable. Jeremy will almost certainly be in street clothes pretty much every night. His maturity and leadership in practice and in the stands will be important to the freshman joining him in the stands. A positive example will contribute to those freshman joining and staying in the lineup when their time comes. My hope is that Jeremy gets to play a solid set of minutes against UAF in the second game of that series here in Anchorage. That'd be fun to see.