Category Archives: 2016-17
NCHC Snapshot: Minnesota-Duluth
Miami fans are pretty familiar with Minnesota-Duluth’s bio.
The RedHawks played their last four games of 2015-16 at UMD, facing the Bulldogs in 2015-16’s regular season finale series on the road and returning to Duluth the following weekend for an NCHC Tournament best-of-3 quarterfinal set.
Miami didn’t win any of those four games, and its season ended in upstate Minnesota as a result.
Minnesota-Duluth goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo (photo by Cathy Lachmann/BoB).
Goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo went pro after last season after posting a 1.92 goals-against average, which leaves a major void in net for the Bulldogs, but they should still have a strong returning corps this fall.
Minn.-Duluth’s success was predicated on defense last season, as the Bulldogs allowed just 82 goals – 2.05 per game – the best in the NCHC, but this team has three freshmen goalies on its roster.
NCAA TITLES: 1 (2011).
COACH: Scott Sandelin (278-265-73, 17th season).
2015-16 RECORD: 19-16-5 (11-10-3 in NCHC, 4th place in the league).
2015-16 POSTSEASON RESULT: Lost to Boston College, 3-2 in the NCAA regional final.
RINK (capacity): Amsoil Arena, Duluth, Minn. (6,756).
LAST SEASON VS. MIAMI: 5-0-1 including sweep in NCHC quarterfinal series.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Minn.-Duluth, 9-3-1.
SCHEDULE VS. MIAMI: In Duluth Feb. 23-24.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS: F Alex Iafallo, F Karson Kuhlman, F Dominic Toninato, D Neal Pionk, D Willie Raskob, D Carson Soucy.
KEY NEW FACES: F Joey Anderson, F Riley Tufte, D Jarod Hilderman, D Nick Wolff, G Hunter Miska.
NOTES: UMD completely dominated Miami last season, especially when it counted most, but the Bulldogs lost their top two forwards in terms of points (Tony Cameranesi and Austin Farley), top-scoring defenseman (Andrew Welinski) and starting goalie (Kaskisuo).
Iafallo finished with eight goals and 15 assists last season, and Toninato went 15-6-21, tying for the team lead in goals. Kuhlman also reached the 20-point mark, potting 12 markers.
Tufte was selected in the first round by Dallas. Named Mr. Hockey in Minnesota, he is 6-feet-5 and scored 10 goals in 27 games in the USHL last season.
Minnesota-Duluth has a solid, experienced defense corps returning, with six veterans and three freshmen. Back from last season are Pionk (4-13-17), Raskob (2-11-13) and Carson Soucy (3-9-12), all of which played at least 36 games in 2015-16.
The Bulldogs’ goaltending situation is their wild card. In addition to Kaskisuo leaving early, their backup – Matt McNeely – was a senior, so like Miami, UMD will be starting fresh(men) in net.
Hunter Miska went 32-14 with a 2.46 goals-against average with Dubuque last season. Another Hunter – Hunter Shepard – finished 34-14-1.90 with a .926 save percentage in the NAHL last season.
The Bulldogs lost several key players from that regional finalist team, but they have been amazing consistent in the first three years of the NCHC, finishing fourth, fifth and fourth.
Despite winning 20 or more games just once in the past four years, Scott Sandelin’s UMD teams have qualified for the NCAAs back-to-back years and came within a goal of a Final Four berth last year.
Part I: Q&A With Coach Petraglia
It’s one of the biggest classes of incoming freshmen ever for Miami.
Miami assistant Nick Petraglia (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
The RedHawks have 14 freshman hitting the ice this fall, and assistant coach Nick Petraglia handles a large portion of Miami’s recruiting.
So for the third straight summer, we talked to Petraglia about the team and the newest members of the program.
BoB: So how is the off-season going for the coaching staff?
Petraglia: It’s been great. A lot of time planning, and we all had some time away, obviously. I can tell you that we’re excited to get going here. We’ve all had time with our families but I know this season’s been on our minds the whole time and we’re charged up and ready to go.
BoB: With 14 incoming freshmen, what kind of challenges does that create for a coaching staff?
Petraglia: It’s a fun challenge. I think the most important thing is that we set the standard right away and they learn what our expectations are so they can make as seamless of a transition as possible. Obviously it’s going to be a learning curve for everybody, but just setting that culture, and we’ll lean on our returning players to do that right away. But with 14 guys being half of our team, the example we set and how we operate from a work ethic standpoint, a character standpoint, habits – just everything we do – trying to operate at the highest level possible right away so it becomes the way and we can just focus on getting better every single day, one day at a time. That’s what we’re going to try to do.
BoB: You coaches are super-intense people and obviously bleed for the program, so do you feel even more pressure because this big class of freshmen is coming in – especially with how last season ended – because this group is half of your team for the next four years?
Petraglia: No, I don’t think pressure is the way we look at it. I think we’re really excited. I will say that we very much believe in what we have in that room and what our culture is. We believe we have the right people and all the pieces of the puzzle are there and we just have to make sure they’re put together properly and guys are in a position to be themselves and be successful. Like I said, we’re very excited. We really love the class that’s coming in. We’re really happy with all of the work that’s been put in by the returning guys who have spent all of spring and the early parts of summer really taking the next step. We had a great summer with those guys in the weight room and off the ice and hopefully everything comes together as soon as possible.
BoB: We’ve written briefly about the freshmen individually (NOTE: That story can be found here), but specifically, the forwards in general, it seems like you’ve got a good mix of smaller guys, bigger guys – obviously that’s what you want – so can you talk about that group?
Petraglia: There’s a little bit of everything, and obviously that’s by design. Offensively, we have some guys that have proven they can produce.
– Karch Bachman: Has elite speed, a really good shot, a scoring touch and is somebody who’s pretty electric. He missed a lot of last season because of injury and that’s why his numbers weren’t what you’d expect. But he’s a kid that has some high-end offensive ability and talent.
– Carson Meyer: Had an incredible rookie season (in the USHL) helping Tri-City win the Clark Cup. He’s a kid that knows how to score, plays the game the right way, great shot, he’s a complete player that can hopefully contribute right away.
A couple of kids coming from Dubuque that have been committed for a while.
– Gordie Green: A smaller guy who plays with a ton of passion and energy. He’s a rat out there – he’ll get under your skin and he’s not afraid of anything. His biggest strength is just his hockey sense and playmaking ability. So he’s a guy that can make a lot happen, and we expect him to be a major contributor.
– Willie Knierim: (Green’s) teammate last year, the youngest guy in the class. Big power forward. The best thing about Willie is he knows his game and he takes pride in it. He doesn’t try to be something that he’s not. He’s got a nice set of hands, he knows how to score. He’s really good around the net, he’s good in the corners and he’s one of those players that as a power forward can really complement skilled guys around him. Very excited about those two coming in.
– Carter Johnson: Is an older, mature player from the North American League. He’s one of our Canadians that we have coming in – first ones in a while from Canada – he’s a well-rounded centerman that I think is going to surprise a lot of people. He plays both ends of the ice sheet, he skates well, he has good skills. He’s produced a decent amount throughout his career, and he’s just a big body that understands the game and gets around well, so he should be able to fill in an important role on our team.
– Alex Alger: Is a guy that’s been committed for a long time. He plays with a lot of energy, he can skate, he’s not afraid to be physical, he’s got a good shot. He played a big role on his team up in Johnstown the last couple of years, so hopefully he can come in and make an impact.
– Christan Mohs: Is a guy that just plays with a relentless compete level. Really good on the forecheck, a ton of energy, produced in Minot in the North American League, had a very successful career. I think he’s coming in here as that program’s all-time leading scorer. But just the way he plays – he gets after it and he’s tough to play against and he adds that element.
Part II of our interview with Coach Petraglia will cover the defensemen and all-important three freshmen goalies. That will be posted on Sunday, Sept. 11.
NCHC Snapshot: Denver
Denver finished second in the conference in 2015-16 and advanced to the Frozen Four before falling to NCHC foe North Dakota.
Last season, the Pioneers split with Miami in Oxford Dec. 4-5 but finished 17-5-2 in NCHC play and 25-10-6 overall – a .683 winning percentage.
NCAA TITLES: 7 (1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2005).
COACH: Jim Montgomery (69-40-14 in three seasons).
2015-16 RECORD: 25-10-6 (17-5-2 in NCHC, 3rd place in the league).
POSTSEASON RESULT: Lost to North Dakota, 4-2 in the Frozen Four on Apr. 7.
RINK (capacity): Magness Arena, Denver, Colo. (6,026).
LAST SEASON VS. MIAMI: 1-1 in Oxford (Jan. 29 – 3-1 Miami; Jan. 30 – 5-3 DU).
ALL-TIME SERIES: Tied, 10-10-0.
SCHEDULE VS. MIAMI: In Denver Nov. 18-19. In Oxford Feb. 17-18.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS: D Will Butcher (C), G Tanner Jaillet, G Evan Cowley, F Dylan Gambrell.
KEY DEPARTURES: F Trevor Moore (early), F Grant Arnold (C, graduated), F Danton Heinen (early).
KEY NEW FACES: F Justin Cole, F Henrik Borgstrom (23rd overall pick by Florida in 2016).
NOTES: Denver has finished sixth, fourth and third in the eight-team NCHC in three seasons.
The Pioneers scored 134 goals last season, but the only skater on the 2015-16 team that registered 20 or more goals in 2015-16 graduated.
Gambrell is the team’s top returning scorer with 47 points, second-best on the team. That included 17 goals, and he was second on the team in assists (30).
The defense corps is led by Captain Will Butcher, who was tied for a team best plus-17. He also contributed on special teams, racking up 13 points on four goals and nine assists.
Goalie Tanner Jaillet started the bulk of games for Denver last season, and the junior went 17-5-5 with three shutouts.
Evan Cowley will likely be the Pioneers backup. Last year he went 8-5-1 with a 2.07 GAA, one shutout, and a .929 save percentage last season. Cowley was between the pipes Jan. 29 in the RedHawks’ 3-1 victory.
Seven freshman make the DU roster a year removed from their Frozen Four appearance, including Tyson McLellan, son of Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan.
Denver will be without last year’s points leader, now Boston Bruins prospect, F Danton Heinen. The Pioneers will still be dangerous as they bring in a slew of young talent including F Henrik Borgstrom.
Denver reached the Frozen Four for the first time since they last won the NCAA title in 2005. The Pioneers will be poised to get back to playing meaningful April hockey and considering DU will have the same coach and starting goaltender as last season, Denver has an excellent change to be in the NCHC’s top tier.
NCHC Snaphot: Colorado College
BoB will be taking a look at the other seven teams in the NCHC over the next few weeks leading up to Miami’s regular season.
We start with Colorado College, which finished last in the conference in 2015-16. The Tigers swept Miami on their home ice Dec. 4-5 but finished 4-19-1 in NCHC play and 6-29-1 overall – a .185 winning percentage.
NCAA TITLES: 2 (1950, 1957).
COACH: Mike Haviland (12-55-4, .197 winning percentage in two seasons).
2015-16 RECORD: 6-29-1 (4-19-1 NCHC, 8th place in the league).
POSTSEASON RESULT: Swept by North Dakota in the first round of the NCHC Tournament.
RINK (capacity): Colorado World Springs Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo. (7,343).
LAST SEASON VS. MIAMI: 2-2.
ALL-TIME SERIES: Miami leads, 7-5-0.
SCHEDULE VS. MIAMI: In Oxford Dec. 9-10.
TOP RETURNING PLAYERS: F Luc Gerdes, F Trey Bradley, D Teemu Kivihalme, G Jacob Nehama, G Derek Shatzer.
KEY NEW FACES: G Alex Leclerc, F Alex Berardenelli.
NOTES: Colorado College has finished seventh, eighth and eighth in the eight-team NCHC in three seasons.
The Tigers scored just 71 goals last season, and the only skater on the 2015-16 team that registered 20 or more points in 2015-16 graduated.
Gerdes is the team’s top returning scorer with 18 points, including seven goals, and Bradley was second on the team in goals (9) and third in points (16).
The defense corps was extremely young last season, as six of the eight blueliners that logged nine or more games were freshmen. The other two were sophomores, including Kivihalme, who tallied three goals and a Tigers-high 12 assists for 15 points.
Goalie Tyler Marble left the program this summer, foregoing his senior season, and Leclerc is one of the favorites to take the reins in net.
Leclerc played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last season, tying a league high with 31 games and posting a 2.48 goals-against average as his team advanced to that league’s division finals.
It can be difficult to evaluate players coming to the NCAA from Canadian Juniors, and eight members of the Colorado College freshman class played in sub-CHL leagues in 2015-16.
The Tigers still look awfully young and lacking in star power to compete for the upper echelon of the NCHC this season, but good things could be ahead for CC if its young talent develops as is expected in Colorado Springs.
2016-17 season schedule primer
Miami opens its 39th varsity season on Oct. 8 at Providence, and for the first time since Enrico Blasi’s first campaign in 1999-2000, the RedHawks will play a pair of road games to open the season.
NON-CONFERENCE FOES: Miami will play Providence, Ohio State, Maine, Bowling Green, Cornell. The Friars went 1-0-1 at Cady Arena to open last season, and Miami swept the Buckeyes and Falcons in a home-and-home series. MU did not play Cornell or Maine in 2015-16.
LONG HOMESTAND: Miami plays five straight home games Oct. 15-29. The RedHawks host OSU in the first game and weekend series vs. Maine and BGSU.
EXTENDED LAYOFF: Miami has typically taken several weeks off around the holidays, but this season it on has two consecutive weekends off, followed by a road game at OSU on New Year’s Eve.
FOUR STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD TWICE: Miami plays four consecutive road series twice, including Jan. 13-21 when the RedHawks play back-to-back road weekends at North Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha. The first time Miami has a weekend off between series, facing Denver on Nov. 18-19 and Cornell on Dec. 2-3.
BRUTAL FINAL EIGHT: Miami faces the top four teams in the conference from 2015-16 to wrap up its regular season schedule, capped off by a home series against defending national champion North Dakota. Following a weekend off, the RedHawks travel to St. Cloud State on Feb. 10-11, host Denver, face Minn.-Duluth on the road before taking on UND at Cady Arena.
TOURNAMENT SITES: The NCHC Frozen Faceoff will be at the Target Center in Minneapolis for the fourth straight season. Cincinnati hosts the NCAA regionals for the third time in four years, but Miami hasn’t made the tournament the first two times it was held at U.S. Bank Area. It’s the 70th Frozen Four but the first to be played in Illinois.
A link to Miami’s 2016-17 schedule can be found here.
Joining the BoB
My name is Paul Lachmann, and I am very excited to join the Blog Of Brotherhood for my first season. I attended Ohio/Illinois Center for Broadcasting to get hands on experience in the field. I intern with Metro Networks, which allowed me to cover MLB games. I also work at Sacred Heart Radio as the Technical Engineer/Sports Director.
I grew up in Cincinnati loving every sports team the city had to offer.
I would go to the Cincinnati Gardens and watch one of the American Hockey League’s best teams in the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.
I’ve gradually watch more and more hockey, whether it was on TV or if I was lucky enough, my big brother, @rednblackhawks, would take me to Miami RedHawks, first at ‘The Goggin’ and eventually Cady Arena.
The atmosphere alone at those rink helped get me hooked to the sport I had rarely heard about growing up.
Now writing for the Blog of Brotherhood, I am very excited to spread that one-of-a-kind feeling that is Miami Hockey!
It turns out we didn’t know Jack
So the biggest question surrounding the Miami hockey team this off-season was: Will Jack Roslovic return for 2016-17?
RedHawks players, coaches and fans got their answer just a month before classes started, as the first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets officially signed with his NHL club on Monday, ending his college career.
Here’s how we got to this point.
Miami’s Jack Roslovic (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Roslovic was drafted 25th overall by Winnipeg last June. His talent was undeniable, as he turned heads playing for the U.S. National Development team. He had maintained that school was important to him, which is a key reason he chose Miami over the Ontario Hockey League, in which Flint (Mich.) held his rights.
In Oxford, Roslovic scored eight times in the RedHawks’ first 13 games, and on a team that struggled mightily to find the net early in the season, he was a savior.
Things went south for Miami toward the end of the 2015 calendar year, which the RedHawks finished 0-5-1. They were swept at Colorado College, the NCHC cellar dweller, in early December to wrap up the first half of the season.
Bad things go down when things go badly for sports teams, and the series against CC was nearly a breaking point for Miami. It wasn’t a well-kept secret that Roslovic considered leaving the team at that point, but to his credit remained in Oxford and finished the school year.
Defenses adjusted to Roslovic, who found the net just two more times in 2015-16. His defense also left much to be desired at times and he turned the puck over frequently.
But keep in mind he was 18 entering his freshman campaign, which overall was an immensely successful one, evidenced by the seven assists he picked up the last 12 games playing on a line with two other Columbus-raised forwards.
Fast forward to late last month: The Trade. His OHL rights were swapped from Flint to London, which everyone figured had to happen for a reason. That reason was one part of equation must’ve changed and London now thought it could lure Roslovic north of the border for his fourth juniors-eligible season.
Some Canadian media had his departure as a done deal. London has a history of picking off college and would-be collegiate players and is expected to be loaded after winning the Memorial Cup this spring.
Also on the pro-London side for Roslovic is the presence of Kole Sherwood, younger brother of RedHawks forward Kiefer Sherwood, who stars for the Knights.
Miami forward Kiefer Sherwood (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
But the NHL draft came and went, as did Winnipeg’s camp earlier this month, and Roslovic still had not packed his hockey bag for Canada.
This story came out in the Winnipeg Sun two weeks ago, in which Roslovic ultimately indicated the plan was for him to return to Oxford this fall.
One comment did leave the door open, however:
“We had a good team, there were just a few mishaps throughout the season that bit us,” said Roslovic. “But it was a great time. It’s a great college town. Going to school is definitely not my forte, but I kept up with my grades and had good marks.
Maybe not the most PC remark, but he’s 19 and people should respect honesty among athletes. And like he said, he received good grades.
By all accounts he had a strong camp with the Jets, but as the days after continued to click by, the odds increased that Roslovic would return to Miami.
Over the weekend, however, word started to get out that he had signed, which killed his NCAA eligibility.
Personal bias here, but BoB thinks he would learn more about improving his defense and other non-scoring aspects of his game if he stayed. Reilly Smith said as much in his final season at Miami, and look what the Oxford experience has done for him.
It probably won’t matter. Roslovic can flat-out play, and all paths likely will lead him to a lucrative NHL career. If he has improved enough, he may stick with Winnipeg (a long shot at this point) or be assigned to its AHL club (a lot more likely) and never see a puck drop with London.
Whatever happens after today, BoB respects the incredibly difficult decision this must’ve been for the teen sensation.
And whichever team he lands on this fall will be lucky to have him lacing up the skates.
BoB would like to wish the ultra-talented forward the best of luck in his professional career and thank him for a fun season.
We just selfishly wish we could’ve seen a couple more years of him.
Part II: 14 freshmen on 2016-17 roster
With Miami’s earliest exit in recent history last season and its biggest influx of freshman talent in a number of years, the 2016-17 season can’t get here soon enough.
BoB has you covered, with its summer withdrawal-killing first look at the RedHawks’ Class of 2020.
We take a look at all of the newcomers expected to don the Red and White this fall in Part II of our roster evaluation.
FORWARDS
Miami has seven new forwards on its 2016-17 roster, a mix of big players, small players, goal scorers and playmakers – a necessary combination for a winning team. As mentioned in Part I, only eight forwards return from last season, so at least four members of this class will be in the lineup each night.
Alex Alger – A stud with Cranbrook in the Michigan high school system, Alger has spent the last three seasons in the NAHL, scoring 43 goals and dishing for 61 assists. He’s a slight skater at 5-11, 154 pounds and will be the first player in team history to wear a number in the 70s. His younger brother, Austin, is also a Miami commit.
Karch Bachman – The only draftee among this class, Bachman was limited to 35 games last season but scored 14 goals and set up eight more for three USHL teams. Bachman was selected in the fifth round by Florida last season and is a product of the prestigious Culver Academy in Indiana. He is also 5-11, weighing 171 pounds, and Miami is hoping he can help light the lamp this season, an area the RedHawks struggled with much of 2015-16.
Gordie Green (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
Gordie Green – Green should be one of the more polished freshmen this season, having spent two-plus seasons with Dubuque of the USHL. He is a playmaker, although he’s also not afraid to stand in front of the net and redirect pucks when needed. Green finished with 12 goals and 27 assists last regular season, and he went 0-8-8 in 12 playoff games as the Fighting Saints won the Clark Cup. Maybe not the type of points producer as an Andy Miele or Austin Czarnik, but he should put up over 20 points a season. He’s definitely on the small side at 5-8-168.
Carter Johnson – A late bloomer out of Manitoba, Johnson signed midway through this past season. He will provide the team some much-needed size up front at 6-feet-3, 208 pounds. Johnson came out of Swan Valley of the Canadian second-tier juniors to score 16 goals and dish for 21 assists in his first and only NAHL season with Corpus Christi in 2015-16.
Willie Knierim – Knierim was ranked the 149th-best North American skater heading into the 2016 draft but was not selected. He’s an intriguing player because he has NHL size (6-feet-3, 212 pounds) and a solid skill set, albeit still a little raw. Like many big kids, it may take him longer to become a major contributor, but he hopefully he can contribute right away and continue to get better. Sean Kuraly was drafted highly by San Jose, but the development path in Oxford could be similar. And he’s just 18, a year younger than Kuraly when he put on the Miami sweater. Winning a Clark Cup with Green should help his confidence level.
Carson Meyer – What a first season in the USHL. Meyer – another Columbus product – scored 32 goals and added 19 assists for 51 points for Tri-City, the highest marker and points total of any incoming freshman. He spent four years in the Junior Blue Jackets system, and he went 21-30-51 with the U-18 team his final season. Big-time goal scorers are obviously needed at Miami, and hopefully those outstanding USHL numbers will translate to Division I.
Christian Mohs – Another late signee, Mohs has been a points machine in the NAHL the past two seasons. Mohs racked up 101 of them in 116 regular season games in 2014-15 and 2015-16 with Minot. He turns 21 this month, which is obviously older for a freshman, but his experience could be a benefit on a team loaded with teens. The Minnesota product is 6-0-183, so he has decent size for a points producer.
DEFENSEMEN
As documented in Part I, Miami will have an enormous challenge to replace Matthew Caito, Taylor Richart and Chris Joyaux on the back end. Four blueliners return (Colin Sullivan, Louie Belpedio, Scott Dornbrock, Grant Hutton), and while all are solid, at least two newbies will dress each night.
Jared Brandt – A teammate of Mohs, Brandt put up 27 points in Minot this past season, his third with that team. The St. Louis product is a bit undersized at 5-9-174, but Miami fans know that smaller defensemen from that city can have plenty of success at the collegiate level and beyond (Chris Wideman). He also wore No. 6 with the Minotaurs. Brandt will be 21 this October, and the RedHawks have had a lot of success with older defensemen coming in
Grant Frederic – Already 21, Frederic is another St. Louis-area player described to BoB by a scout familiar with Miami hockey as “(Kevin) Roeder but six inches taller”. Frederic’s younger brother, Trent, was just drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round last week. He played in the NAHL in 2013-14 but has been a standout for USHL Green Bay the past two seasons, racking up eight goals, 19 assists and 208 penalty minutes. Frederic will likely be a favorite to jump in the lineup immediately.
Bryce Hatten – Hatten suffered a major hip injury in a preseason game with USHL Cedar Rapids and was limited to six regular season games. He is 19 and played a full season with the RoughRiders in 2014-15, when he went 2-5-7 in 51 games. Hatten notched a pair of assists in four playoffs games this spring. He is 6-2-198 and will likely develop into a quality D-man for Miami. Hatten did miss almost an entire developmental season, so it will be interesting to see how he looks this fall, but he likely has a bright future in Oxford even if he isn’t 100 percent heading into 2016-17.
Chaz Switzer – Switzer turns 19 next week but has played in the USHL for three seasons, logging 121 regular season games with Muskegon and Sioux Falls. He is definitely a stay-at-home D-man, having recorded just 11 points in the USHL, but he definitely has no problem mixing it up, as he has 294 penalty minutes. Switzer is a little on the small side for an NCHC defenseman and 6-0-195, but he has plenty of high-level experience for his age and could be a quality asset on the blue line for Miami.
GOALTENDERS
Miami will have four goaltenders with a total of 9:39 of collegiate experience entering 2016-17, but the RedHawks have gone through this before and have always been fine between the pipes. Whether it was ironman David Burleigh, Jeff and Eff, Cody and Connor or Jay and McKay, this team has an excellent track record in net under coach Enrico Blasi.
Ryan Larkin – Larkin is the cousin of the Detroit Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin, and while he was limited to four games in 2015-16, he is one of the favorites to log the majority of playing time in net this fall. At 19, Larkin has logged 32 USHL games with Cedar Rapids and recorded a 2.38 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. Injured and done for the year by January, Larkin came to Oxford and got a head start on his class load late last season, so having a chance to be an informal member of the team the past six months can only help his transition to Division I.
Andrew Masters – Masters signed very late after a phenomenal season with Georgetown (Ont.) of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He went 28-9 in the regular season with a 2.00 GAA, .934 save percentage and four shutouts, and he was 13-9 in the playoffs as the Raiders lost to Trenton in the finals. He is already 21, and it’s unclear what role he will play this season with Miami, but his resume of winning can only help him as he heads into his first season of collegiate hockey.
Chase Munroe – A Chicago-area product, Munroe posted stellar numbers in his third and final NAHL season with Minnesota. He went 19-14 with a 2.22 GAA and .912 save percentage, notching three shutouts. Munroe also had a solid rookie campaign with Wichita Falls in 2013-14 but played for three teams the following year and was limited to 16 games. At 6-4-216, Munroe takes up a lot of net and the 21-year-old should compete for a large chunk of playing time right away.
A look at Miami commits’ 2015-16 stats in both the regular season and playoffs, which can always be found here https://blogofbrotherhood.com/future-redhawks/:
COMMITS’ 2015-16 FINAL REGULAR SEASON STATS
Skaters
| Player | YOB | Team | League | Pos. | GP | G | A | Pts. | +/– | PIM |
| Carson Meyer* | 1997 | Tri-City | USHL | F | 56 | 32 | 19 | 51 | 10 | 47 |
| Christian Mohs* | 1995 | Minot | NAHL | F | 60 | 17 | 33 | 50 | 8 | 16 |
| Gordie Green* | 1997 | Dubuque | USHL | F | 60 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 15 | 37 |
| Ryan Savage | 2000 | EC Salzburg | RBHRC U18 | F | 16 | 22 | 15 | 37 | 41 | |
| Carter Johnson* | 1995 | Corpus Christi | NAHL | F | 59 | 16 | 21 | 37 | -4 | 65 |
| Ben Lown | 1998 | W. Falls/Omaha | NAHL/USHL | F | 45 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 15 | 14 |
| Alex Alger* | 1995 | Johnstown | NAHL | F | 49 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 3 | 62 |
| Willie Knierim* | 1998 | Dubuque | USHL | F | 53 | 14 | 13 | 27 | -2 | 161 |
| Jared Brandt* | 1995 | Minot | NAHL | D | 59 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 17 | 77 |
| Johnny Gruden | 2000 | Honeybaked U16 | HPHL U16 | F | 22 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 48 | |
| Austin Alger | 1997 | Omaha | USHL | F | 56 | 11 | 12 | 23 | -12 | 16 |
| Karch Bachman* | 1997 | GB/CHI/C.Rapids | USHL | F | 35 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 10 |
| Rourke Russell | 1998 | Wichita Falls | NAHL | D | 48 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 11 | 63 |
| Grant Frederic* | 1995 | Green Bay | USHL | D | 58 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 96 |
| Phillip Knies | 1998 | Sioux City | USHL | F | 47 | 5 | 8 | 13 | -10 | 40 |
| Joey Keane | 1999 | Dubuque | USHL | D | 55 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 51 |
| Chaz Switzer* | 1997 | Sioux Falls | USHL | D | 48 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -12 | 130 |
| Brian Hawkinson | 1998 | Tri-City | USHL | F | 55 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -8 | 20 |
| Alec Mahalak | 1998 | Youngstown | USHL | D | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Bryce Hatten* | 1997 | Cedar Rapids | USHL | D | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 |
Goalies
| Player | YOB | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | GAA | Sv% | SHO |
| Andrew Masters* | 1995 | Georgetown | OJHL | 43 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 2.00 | .934 | 4 |
| Ryan Larkin* | 1997 | Cedar Rapids | USHL | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2.13 | .917 | 0 |
| Chase Munroe* | 1995 | Minnesota | NAHL | 35 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 2.22 | .912 | 3 |
COMMITS’ FINAL 2015-16 PLAYOFF STATS
Final regular season
Skaters
| Player | YOB | Team | League | Pos. | GP | G | A | Pts. | +/– | PIM |
| Carson Meyer* | 1997 | Tri-City | USHL | F | 11 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| Gordie Green* | 1997 | Dubuque | USHL | F | 12 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Willie Knierim* | 1998 | Dubuque | USHL | F | 12 | 3 | 1 | 4 | -7 | 8 |
| Ryan Savage | 2000 | EC Salzburg II | RBHS U20 | F | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Christian Mohs* | 1995 | Minot | NAHL | F | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Joey Keane | 1999 | Dubuque | USHL | D | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Brian Hawkinson | 1998 | Tri-City | USHL | F | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 0 |
| Bryce Hatten* | 1997 | Cedar Rapids | USHL | D | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Alex Alger* | 1995 | Johnstown | NAHL | F | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| Jared Brandt* | 1995 | Minot | NAHL | D | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 8 |
| Grant Frederic* | 1995 | Green Bay | USHL | D | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Chaz Switzer* | 1997 | Sioux Falls | USHL | D | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 | 0 |
Goalies
| Player | YOB | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | GAA | Sv% | SHO |
| Andrew Masters* | 1995 | Georgetown | OJHL | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2.41 | .928 | 1 |
| Chase Munroe* | 1995 | Minnesota | NAHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.58 | .810 | 0 |
Last updated: 6-4-2016
*-will play for Miami in 2016-17
Part I: 14 freshmen on Miami roster
The letters “FR” are listed in the rows of 14 of the 27 players on Miami’s 2016-17 roster.
Meaning over half of the RedHawks expected to hit the ice this fall will be freshmen.
Of the other 13, seven are sophomores-to-be, three will be juniors and three enter their senior seasons.
Part I of this two-part series will focus on Miami’s position-by-position breakdown for the upcoming season, while the latter installment will introduce everyone to the newest crop of RedHawks.
FORWARDS
OUT: 6 – Kevin Morris (graduated), Sean Kuraly (graduated), Alex Gacek (graduated), Devin Loe (cut), Michael Mooney (graduated), Andrew Schmit (graduated).
RETURNING: 8 – Seniors – Anthony Louis, Justin Greenberg. Junior – Conor Lemirande. Sophomores – Jack Roslovic, Kiefer Sherwood, Josh Melnick, Zach LaValle, Ryan Siroky.
IN: 7 – Gordie Green, Carson Meyer, Christian Mohs, Carter Johnson, Alex Alger, Karch Bachman, Willie Knierim.
ANALYSIS: Yes, Miami took some major hits in this department, but it’s the most stable of the three facets. The RedHawks’ top four scorers all return (Louis and Sherwood, 11 goals; Roslovic, 10 goals; Melnick, nine goals). The toughest thing to replace from this group will be the leadership – Kuraly was team captain and Morris was an alternate – and the penalty killing ability. Morris, Kuraly and Gacek were all studs on the PK. Last season’s freshman class was impressive, especially the second half of the year, and will be relied on heavily in 2016-17. Even if all of the returning skaters dress, that leaves four openings for incoming freshmen, so at least one-third of the forwards will be rookies every night this fall.
DEFENSEMEN
OUT: 4 – Matthew Caito (graduated), Chris Joyaux (graduated), Taylor Richart (graduated), Michael Mooney (graduated).
RETURNING: 4 – Senior – Colin Sullivan. Juniors – Louie Belpedio, Scott Dornbrock. Sophomore – Grant Hutton.
IN: 4 – Bryce Hatten, Grant Frederic, Chaz Switzer. Jared Brandt.
ANALYSIS: Caito has been one of the best blueliners to play for Miami in recent years, and Richart and Joyaux were solid shut-down D-men for four years. The RedHawks were so deep here last season that Sullivan had trouble getting into the lineup despite playing very well just about every time he dressed. Like the forward corps, at least one-third of this group will be freshmen this season with only four blueliners returning. The good news is that this coaching staff has always brought in solid skaters on the back end that are game-ready as soon they come to Oxford. Hutton was the most recent example last season. If Belpedio takes another step forward he could be the top D-man in the conference. He is the lone returning alternate captain from 2015-16 and could wear the ‘C’ this fall.
Defenseman Louie Belpedio (photo by Cathy Lachmann).
GOALTENDERS
OUT: 2 – Jay Williams (graduated), Ryan McKay (graduated).
RETURNING: 1 – Sophomore – Evan McCarthy.
IN: 3 – Ryan Larkin, Chase Munroe, Andrew Masters.
ANALYSIS: The Zatkoff effect continues. Jeff Zatkoff left after his junior year, leaving Miami with two freshmen in net for 2008-09, and eight seasons later the cycle repeats. Williams and McKay both had outstanding careers with the RedHawks, and the bar is high for the newcomers. McCarthy played the final minutes of one game last season, as he enters 2016-17 the most game-tested netminder on the team, having logged 9:39 between the pipes. Like with the blueline, Miami’s coaches continue to bring in excellent goalies. Masters was a late addition and gives the team four goaltenders on the roster, which is a bit of a rarity.
BOTTOM LINE: Scoring was a major issue for Miami last season, and while Roslovic was a stud early in the season, the rest of the freshman class caught up after the break, providing optimism in that area for 2016-17. And as for the goaltending, call fans spoiled but the RedHawks haven’t really struggled with talent in that area since Enrico Blasi took over the coaching reins 17 years ago, so there’s little reason to believe that will be an issue this season. The defense is arguably the biggest concern, and it’s no knock whatsoever on the incoming and returning players but a compliment to the graduated seniors from last season. The amazing two-way play of Caito, the passion and toughness of Richart, the physical and shut-down ability of Joyaux – that’s half of the blueline on the nightly lineup sheet – will be difficult to replace. Plus a D-corps can either make that transition to collegiate hockey much smoother or rougher for a team with three freshmen goalies. With all of the youth overall, at the risk of sounding cliché, this team may be much better in March than in October, which is the ultimate goal for a hockey team anyway.
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