Category Archives: Recruiting

Recruiting: Trades should boost Allen, Neudecker

Posted on by

By Asher Kitchings

Ben Allen

Ben Allen will be joining the Chargers next season.

Two members of UAH’s 2018-2019 freshmen class were on the move this past week in trades that were likely perpetuated to give both players more ice time in their final seasons of junior hockey.

Ben Allen (Allen, Tex.), a 1997-born forward who had been with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL, returned to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, where he played last season. The Vees had 10 — yes, TEN — forwards committed to NCAA D-I hockey programs alone, so it’s no surprise that ice time was hard to come by.

Allen, who had four goals and seven assists with Penticton, will now be on a playoff-bound Melfort Mustangs squad where he’ll be counted on to play top-six minutes and put up points.

Bauer Neudecker (St. Louis Park, Minn.), the aptly named former Mr. Hockey candidate from hockey-mad Minnesota, was traded from the team that drafted him this past May, the Dubuque Fighting Saints, to the Sioux City Musketeers.

The trade is already paying dividends as Neudecker scored a goal, his first of the season, in his first game as a Musketeer in the U.S.’s top junior circuit, the USHL.

Expect these two future Chargers to see a spike in productivity with increased roles on their new squads.

Hoof Beats: Stat pack and recruiting update

Posted on by
Josh Kestner

Josh Kestner has been on a goal-scoring pace not seen at UAH in over a decade. (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)

Some statistical analysis as we hit the halfway point of the season:

• The 6-9-1 overall record may not seem like much, but it is the Chargers’ best 16-game start since the 2005-06 season, when they started 8-7-1.

• UAH is only 1-7-0 on Fridays, with the lone win coming against last-place Alaska Anchorage at home. The Chargers are 5-2-1 on Saturdays, with the two losses coming against non-conference foes Notre Dame and Cornell on the road and both currently ranked in the top six. Five of the eight series this season have been win-loss splits, including the last three weeks.

• The Chargers are scoring 3.30 goals per game in WCHA play, second in the league behind Minnesota State (3.80). UAH is tops in power play efficiency in conference games at 25.0 percent.

• Josh Kestner has 10 goals in 16 games this season, already a career high for him and more than his team-leading nine goals last year. He’s the first Charger to reach double-digit goals at this point of the season since both Jared Ross and Bruce Mulherin did it in the 2004-05 season. Kestner is third in the WCHA in overall goals scored and first in power play goals with five. Nationally, Kestner is 19th in goals per game (0.62) and tied for fourth in power play goals (five).

• Now that Jordan Uhelski has played over 1,500 career minutes at UAH, he qualifies for ranking in the program’s all-time leader boards. His .907 save percentage would be sixth all-time and fourth in the modern Division I era, just behind Cam Talbot (2007-10). His 2.81 goals against average would edge him over Steve Briere (1997-2000) for fourth all-time and second in the modern Division I era (behind Scott Munroe’s 2.76).

• For those of you who still care about goaltender win-loss records, Uhelski already has 12 career victories in two seasons, matching Carmine Guerriero’s four-year total. Uhelski has made 33 starts, while Guerriero made 72. Uhelski is getting more goal support now that the Chargers are scoring about a half goal per game more than last season, and about 1.5 goals per game more than Guerriero’s first season (2013-14).

Recruiting update: Last week, UAH received a commitment from Drew Lennon, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound defenseman playing for the Lone Star Brahmas in the NAHL. Lennon, who is originally from Illinois, has played junior hockey all over the continent these past few years. After starring with Rocky Mountain Roughriders U16 AAA team in 2014-15, he went on to play for the Connecticut Oilers in the EHL in 2015-16, and the Prince George Spruce Kings in the BCHL last season. Drew is known for his strong defensive play and skating ability. His size and reach make him difficult to play against, and he’s yet to reach his offensive ceiling. Through 27 games this season, he has two goals and five assists, but has a goal and three assists in his last eight games, so he’s starting to heat up.

Bauer Neudecker signed his National Letter of Intent with UAH, so he’ll be a member of the 2018-19 freshmen class. He has five points in 17 games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL, the same team the produced UAH captain Max McHugh.

Tyr Thompson, another forward expected in the 2018-19 recruiting class, has been playing at a near point-per-game pace this season (31 points in 29 games) for his Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL) squad. Thompson and Neudecker headline what is shaping up to be another solid recruiting class for Coach Corbert and his staff. — Asher Kitchings

WCHA media poll: The Chargers are currently sixth in the latest WCHA Media Poll, conducted by Tech Hockey Guide. UAH fell a spot from fifth after the Chargers split at Northern Michigan over the weekend.

UAHHockey.com has a vote in the poll, which has a representative covering each WCHA program.

Recruiting roundup: Star prospect Flynn commits to UAH

Posted on by

by Asher Kitchings

With junior hockey seasons set to begin, here’s a rundown on UAH’s current commitments:

Aidan FlynnAidan Flynn (6’0″, 155 lbs., forward from Spring Hill, TN): Flynn, born in 2002, is one of, if not the, youngest commit to UAH ever. He led his TPH Thunder U14 AAA team last season with 67 points in 57 games, and was the sole skater from that team to be selected for TPH’s U16 squad this year. At only 15 years of age, he’s already on NTDP, USHL, and OHL scouts’ radars. His combination of size, skating ability, and two-way play gives him a projectable upside that few in his age group possess. If he has a strong season, an invite to the vaunted NTDP Final 40 Camp is not out of the question. For those of you that don’t know, the United States NTDP (National Team Development Program) is the country’s premier training ground for elite U.S. hockey players at the U-17 and U-18 levels. The two teams are based out of Plymouth, Michigan, and play a schedule that includes USHL teams, NCAA Division I teams, and international competition. Its alumni include NHL superstars like Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Seth Jones, James van Riemsdyk, etc. UAH has never had a recruit who played for the NTDP. A commitment from a player of Flynn’s caliber and youth is a very positive signal for the program’s future.

Bauer Neudecker (5’8″, 194 lbs., forward from St. Louis Park, MN): With one of the best names in all of hockey, the 2016-2017 Mr. Hockey finalist for the State of Minnesota recently cracked the 30-man roster for the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. His speed, versatility, and playmaking abilities will give him a great chance to stick with a squad that is perennial contender in the U.S.’s top junior circuit. I expect him to compete for a top-six role given the numbers he put up last season with his high school team (35 games/39 goals/34 assists/73 pts.) and with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the NAHL after his high school season ended (11/5/4/9). In the event he’s cut from Dubuque when they trim their roster to the league-mandated 23 (doubtful), he’ll probably head back to Fairbanks where he’ll be counted on to be one of the team’s top point producers. Regardless of where he ends up this season, his ability to pile up points will determine whether he heads to Huntsville in 2018-19 or 2019-20.

Hank Sorenson (6’1″, 190 lbs., defenseman from Plymouth, MN): The gritty, hard-nosed defenseman will be back with the Waterloo Blackhawks in the USHL this season. He’s the top returning rearguard for legendary Waterloo coach P.K. O’Handley after putting up a solid 41/4/10/14 slash line for him last season. He’ll undoubtedly be relied upon to play top-four minutes. From everything I’ve seen, he appears to be a lock in the 2018-2019 freshmen class. If he continues to develop, UAH may have to fend off other programs for his signature. Sorensen is one to watch closely throughout the season.

Tyr Thompson (6’0″, 185 lbs., forward from Sherwood Park, Alberta): Tyr, the son of one of the top up-and-coming coaches in North America, Rocky Thompson, was just traded from the team he played for the past two seasons, the Olds Grizzlys, to the Whitecourt Wolverines (both of the AJHL). He’ll be one of Whitecourt’s top forwards having played at an almost point-per-game pace last season. Like Neudecker, he’s a versatile playmaker that can be used in a variety roles up and down the lineup. I believe Tyr will be on campus for the 2018-2019 season barring something crazy happening.

Joey Baez (5’8″, 165 lbs., forward from Tampa, FL): The second-youngest of all UAH commits, Baez will be making the jump to junior hockey this year with the Johnstown Tomahawks in the NAHL. After tearing it up for one of the top youth programs in the country, the York Skipjacks, this season will be an important one for Baez’s development. He’s a speedster who can score, and that’s what he’ll be expected to do at the next level. A solid season with Johnstown could see the Florida native get drafted by a USHL team to play at a higher level in 2018-2019. Even though he’s not expected to be a Charger until 2019-20 at the earliest, he could be the most electrifying player currently committed when it is all said and done.

Peyton Francis (5’11″, 165 lbs., forward from Oakville, Ontario): Another forward in the Carleton Place-to-UAH pipeline, Francis will look to follow in the footsteps of former Carleton Place and current Charger forwards Jordan Larsen, Andrew Dodson, and Connor Merkley. Francis, a 1999-birthdate, was an affiliate player for Carleton Place last year, but should compete for top-six minutes this season. He’s in a situation similar to Baez’s in that he’s not expected on campus for a couple more years. Nonetheless, I feel like he’ll another guy that could develop into another solid recruit for Coach Corbett and his staff.

Ryland Mosley (5’10”, 180 lbs., forward from Arnprior Ontario): Another young recruit (2000 birth year), Mosley is the most recent forward from the CPC to commit to UAH. This past summer, Mosley was drafted third overall by the North Bay Battalion in the OHL’s inaugural Midget Draft, which was put in place to allow OHL teams to draft the best Ontario-born midget players that were not selected in its annual Priority Selection (featuring U15 players) the year before. Mosley is skilled forward with good speed and creativity who amassed 56 points in 45 games at the Ottawa region’s highest level of youth hockey competition last year. He’s currently tearing it up for CPC’s second-tier team, and may find himself on the roster full-time later this season. In any event, he’ll have a few more years to develop before he comes on campus, and it won’t be a surprise to see him come south of the border to play more competitive hockey in the meantime.

Be on the lookout for commitments to the 2018-2019 freshmen class. We’ll lose forwards Max McHugh, Josh Kestner, and Brennan Saulnier; defensemen Brandon Parker, Cody Champagne, and Richard Buri; and probably goaltender Jordan Uhelski. And with only one forward (Thompson) and one defensemen (Sorensen) definitely coming in, there could be a number of new commits here soon.

2017-18 signing class announced

Posted on by

UAH announced eight signees for the 2017-18 season on Tuesday. Here are some tidbits about these new Chargers:

Josh Astorino (G, 6-2, 175): Astorino committed to UAH last month as one of two goaltenders in this year’s signing class. Astorino was the Ontario Junior Hockey League goaltender of the year with a 1.93 goals against average and .936 save percentage.

Andrew Dodson (F, 5-9, 180): Dodson played the last four seasons with the Carleton Place Canadians of the CCHL. Dodson, who committed to UAH last winter, is the Canadians’ captain and leads the team with 64 points (24 goals, 40 assists) last season.

Connor Merkley (F, 6-1, 190): Merkley was an alternate captain at Carleton Place last season, announcing his commitment to UAH in May. He was named to the CCHL Second All-Star Team last season with 66 points (29 goals) in 61 games.

Dodson and Merkley will reunite with UAH forward Jordan Larson, who played for Carleton Place from 2014-16.

Christian Rajic (F, 5-10, 165): Rajic played the last four seasons with the Oakville Blades of the OJHL, committing to UAH in 2016. He scored 124 points the last two seasons.

Ted Rotenberger (D, 5-11, 180): The eighth Huntsville native to play at UAH, Rotenberger comes home after a year with the NAHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs, who are coached by Charger alum Karlis Zirnis. With Josh Kestner, this will be the third time UAH will have two Huntsville natives on the roster. Rotenberger committed to UAH back in 2013 when he played for another UAH alum, Nathan Bowen, with the TPH Thunder AAA midget program.

Mark Sinclair (G, 5-11, 170): Sinclair had 2.59 goals against average and a .910 save percentage in 45 regular-season games last season with Chilliwack of the BCHL. In the postseason, he had a 2.22 GAA and .923 save percentage in 23 games.

Connor Wood (F, 5-8, 180): Wood will be the fifth native of the state of Georgia to play for the Chargers, hailing from Buford (current UAH forward Adam Wilcox is from Alpharetta). Wood committed to UAH in 2014, and was also a product of TPH Thunder. He had 20 points in 48 games with Odessa of the NAHL last season.

Levi Wunder (F, 5-9, 165): Wunder was a teammate of Wood’s at Odessa last season, with six goals and 13 points in 35 games. He also scored eight points in 22 games with Lone Star.

The current UAH roster features 15 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. In addition to the eight freshmen, there are five sophomores, seven juniors, and seven seniors.

The 2017-18 season begins Oct. 6 at Notre Dame.

Hoof Beats: Summer news and notes

Posted on by

Some news and notes regarding current and former Chargers this past month:

Saulnier in Canadiens camp: Senior forward Brennan Saulnier spent the first week of July in the Montreal Canadiens development camp. On the third day, Saulnier had a nice assist.

He also mixed it up with a familiar WCHA opponent: Alaska’s Nikolas Koberstein:

Saulnier’s comment:

Guerriero signs with South Carolina: Goaltender Carmine Guerriero will begin his professional hockey career with the South Carolina Stingrays, the ECHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

Guerriero played in nine games, starting seven, in his senior season at UAH, posting a 3.77 goals against average and a .872 save percentage. In his Charger career (77 games with 72 starts), he had a .910 save percentage, which was the second highest in UAH’s modern Division I history and fourth all-time. His 3.19 career goals against average was fourth in UAH’s modern Division I history and seventh overall.

Wolitski named Alumnus of Achievement: Former Charger defenseman Sheldon Wolitski was named a UAH’s Alumnus of Achievement. He was to be honored by the UAH Alumni Association on Tuesday, August 1.

Wolitski is the founder and owner of The Select Group, which unites top companies with highly skilled candidates for managed services and contingent staffing and provides specialized IT services. Wolitski, who was on the 1996 NCAA Division II national championship team and is UAH’s all-time leading scorer for defensemen with 113 career points, announced a donation of $500,000 to the program in January.

West named head coach in Fairbanks: UAH alumnus Lance West was promoted to head coach at Alaska after Dallas Ferguson left to lead the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League.

West was the assistant coach for the Nanooks for the past nine seasons. Before going to Fairbanks, West was an assistant coach for Doug Ross from 2000-07. Last season, Alaska was 12-20-4 overall and 11-13-4 in the WCHA, finishing 6th in the conference. Alaska went 2-1-1 against the Chargers.

West had 113 points (45 goals and 68 assists) in 108 games for the Chargers from 1991-95.

New commitments: The Chargers got two commitments in July.

Josh Astorino of the Georgetown Raiders is expected to join UAH for this season, giving the Chargers a third goaltender along with senior Jordan Uhelski and newcomer Mark Sinclair. Astorino was the Ontario Junior Hockey League goaltender of the year with a 1.93 goals against average and .936 save percentage.

Hank Sorensen, a defenseman of the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL, will join the Chargers in 2018-19. He had four goals and 14 points in 41 regular-season games for Waterloo last season.

With the signing period ending Aug. 1, a formal release of signees for the 2017-18 season is expected soon.

Hoof Beats: Awards given at banquet; Frenchy Open set

Posted on by
Chad Brears

Chad Brears was this season’s Charger of the Year. (Photo by UAH Athletics/Doug Eagan)

On Thursday, the Chargers held their end-of-season banquet at Spragins Hall, honoring the 2015-16 squad and looking forward to next season.

The Chargers’ Most Valuable Player was Max McHugh. The sophomore led UAH in points for the second straight season, scoring 22 points on seven goals and 15 assists.

Senior Frank Misuraca was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year for the second time. The alternate captain was second on the club with 63 blocked shots. He had an even plus-minus rating and scored one goal with four assists for five points.

The Freshman of the Year was Adam Wilcox. In 33 games played, Wilcox was tied for the team among freshmen with four goals, including one power play and one shorthanded tally. He finished with nine points on the season.

The Charger of the Year award, which goes to the player who exemplifies what it means to be a UAH Charger, went to Chad Brears. The senior and alternate captain from Cold Lake, Alberta led the Chargers in goals this season with nine, and was third on the team in assists (10) and second in points (19). He also led UAH in plus-minus (+6).

Sign up for the Frenchy Open: The 2016 UAH Hockey Frenchy Open will tee off at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 25 at Hampton Cove Golf Course.

The golf tournament is the program’s biggest summer fundraising event. The tournament layout will be a four-player scramble with prizes going to the top three teams. Raffle and door prizes will be available.

Register online to reserve your spot. Registration per player is $150, which includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, a UAH Hockey shirt and hat, refreshments, and dinner. Full four-player teams can register for $600.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, can call 256-824-2485 or email Nick Laurila.

In addition, there will be an UAH alumni hockey game at the Wilcoxon Municipal Ice Complex in Huntsville on June 24 at 7 p.m.

“The Frenchy Open” is named after Charger left wing Jean-Marc Plante, who died in 2001. Also known as “Frenchy,” the Laval, Quebec, native played for UAH from 1988-92, scoring 16 goals and 19 assists in 94 games. Plante worked at the front office of the Florida Panthers and became the athletic marketing director at UAH. A memorial scholarship is awarded in his honor to the Charger hockey player who demonstrates leadership, sportsmanship, and team spirit, and who participates in community and university volunteer service.

Rappleyea commits: Sean Rappleyea of South Amboy, N.J. committed to the Chargers for the 2016-17 season last week. The defenseman was an alternate captain this past season for the Ottawa Jr. “A” Senators of the Central Canada Hockey League.

This past season, Rappleyea led the Senators in 35 assists in addition to three goals scored. The CCHL Defenseman of the Year was scored a goal and eight assists in 16 playoffs games as the Senators reached the CCHL championship series.

Hoof Beats: Four seniors to be honored in season finale

Posted on by
2015-16 Seniors

Jack Prince, Anderson White, Frank Misuraca, and Chad Brears finish their UAH careers this weekend. (Photo by UAH Athletics/Doug Eagan)

They committed to UAH when the hockey program was an independent with an uncertain future. This weekend, they will skate off the Von Braun Center ice one final time as Chargers, finishing their four-year odyssey.

Chad Brears, Frank Misuraca, Jack Prince, and Anderson White will be honored Saturday for Senior Night as the Chargers finish the 2015-16 season. UAH will host Bowling Green on Friday and Saturday, each game starting at 7:07 p.m.

Brears, an alternate captain from Cold Lake, Alberta, leads this year’s team with nine goals, and is tied for second with 17 points. In 124 career games at UAH, he has 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points. A three-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete and two-time WCHA All-Academic, Brears was the WCHA’s Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year for 2013-14.

Misuraca, another alternate captain from Clinton Township, Michigan, has a goal and four assists this season. The defenseman has 30 assists in 126 career games. Of his 11 UAH goals, the most memorable is his blast from the right point with four seconds left in overtime at Bowling Green in 2013, giving the Chargers their first WCHA victory. Two-time WCHA All-Academic Team.

Prince, a forward from Leicester, England, has played 102 games for the Chargers, scoring 13 goals and 22 assists. He lead the 2013-14 squad with eight goals and 13 points, and last year was on Great Britain’s national team at the World Championships in the Netherlands. Named to the WCHA All-Academic Team for 2014-15.

White, a defenseman from Caledon, Ontario, has played in 72 games for UAH, scoring four assists. White was named a WCHA Scholar Athlete three times and was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team twice.

This week’s festivities: The final home series of the season is presented by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

On Friday, the first 500 fans receive the final set of UAH hockey trading cards. On Saturday, the first 500 fans get UAH hockey space capsules.

Kids 12 and under get free general admission, courtesy Huntsville International Airport.

The Blue Line Club lunch will take place Friday at noon at the Varsity Room of Spragins Hall. Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron and the UAH coaching staff will be there to talk about this week’s series. Lenny’s Subs will be catering.

Commit for ’17: The Chargers got a verbal commitment on Monday from Christian Rajic, a forward for the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

The Oakville, Ontario native will play for UAH starting in the 2017-18 season. Rajic has 61 points in 42 games this season with the Blades, good for 12th in the OJHL.

For more information on future Chargers, visit the Commitments page.

Hoof Beats: Newcomer notes

Posted on by

UAH revealed its signees for the 2015-16 season on August 3. Many of the forwards put up some prolific numbers for their junior teams last season, which will hopefully signal continued growth for the Charger offense. Here’s a summary of how they played in the 2014-15 season:

Team Pos GP G A Pts PIM
Hunter Anderson Langley (BCHL) F 58 11 19 30 64
Madison Dunn Brooks (AJHL) F 60 8 35 43 58
Hans Gorowsky Fairbanks (NAHL) F 60 23 33 56 38
Kurt Gosselin Alberni Valley (BCHL) D 32 12 31 43 32
Jetlan Houcher Fort McMurray (AJHL) F 60 39 32 71 57
Cam Knight Wichita Falls (NAHL) D 60 9 24 33 55
Tyler Poulsen* Topeka (NAHL) F 56 29 32 61 44
Brandon Salerno Pickering (OJHL) F 49 30 39 69 30
John Teets Fairbanks (NAHL) D 60 3 17 20 53
Adam Wilcox Fairbanks (NAHL) F 43 6 11 17 96

* 2013-14 statistics

Jetlan Houcher (Photo by Fort McMurray Oil Barons)

Jetlan Houcher (Photo by Fort McMurray Oil Barons)

Some other tidbits on this class:

  • Jetlan Houcher will reunite with UAH sophomore Brennan Saulnier, who was his teammate at Fort Murray in the 2013-14 season. John Teets and Adam Wilcox were also on that Oil Barons squad, which won 45 games and reached the AJHL Division Final.
  • Tyler Poulsen played with Cody Champagne with Topeka in the 2013-14 season. Poulsen led the Roadrunners in scoring that year while Champagne was the second-leading scorer among defensemen as they reached the NAHL semifinals.
  • Hunter Anderson and Hans Gorowsky will join Cody Marooney and Brandon Parker to make four native Minnesotans on the roster, the most UAH has had at one time in its history. Anderson and Gorowsky would make it 10 Minnesotans overall in 31 seasons. (By contrast, UAH has had seven native Huntsvillians.)
  • Wilcox will be the fourth player from the state of Georgia to play from the Chargers, following Neil Ruffini, Kyle Lysaght, and Craig Pierce.
  • Teets will be the second UAH player to come from the state of Alaska (Levi Hall, 1995-96).
  • Brandon Salerno will be eligible to play for the Chargers in the 2016-17 season.

Frozen Tide exhibition: UAH will host Alabama’s club team at the Wilcoxon Ice Complex on Oct. 17, the weekend after the Chargers open the season at the VBC against Connecticut.

The growing Frozen Tide program, coached by Charger alumnus Mike Quenneville (’89), will be playing its first season in American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I.

UAH and Alabama played two exhibition games to start the 2012-13 season, with the Chargers winning 12-1 and 10-0.

New WCHA.tv partner:  Stretch Internet will provide the online streaming for WCHA.tv in the 2015-16 season, the WCHA announced on Wednesday.

The new WCHA.tv will allow for multiple HD streams, including picture-in-picture and the ability to watch up to four games at once. The portal will integrate live stats and social media, and be available on tablet, mobile, and Smart TV devices.

Information on WCHA.tv subscription packages and pricing for the 2015-16 season (including full season, monthly, single day, team-specific and more) will be available in September.

Who’s coming in: A look at next year’s future Chargers

Posted on by

Editor’s note: We’ve reviewed the 2014-15 season, now let’s take a look at who’s coming in for 2015-16. This analysis comes from one of our regular posters in the UAH thread of the USCHO.com forums, who wished not to be named. He follows junior hockey more closely than either me or Geof, and we appreciate him allowing us to share this on UAHHockey.com. Remember that this site is independent of UAH and the hockey program, neither of which can comment on recruits until they have signed a NCAA National Letter of Intent. Also, this was written before the announced commitments of Madison Dunn and Hans Gorowsky. See our Commitments page for more information. — Michael Napier

It’s that time of year when junior seasons start wrapping up, and I thought I’d give an update on our recruits for this upcoming 2015-2016 season. I’ve followed our boys pretty closely and honestly believe this is the best class UAH has brought in in the last 10 or so years. I don’t think we’re done quite yet either. Here’s what I think will be next year’s incoming class:

Forwards

Brandon Salerno – Pickering Panthers (OJHL), 49 GP, 30 G, 39 A, 69 Pts

After starting the year in Huntsville, but having NCAA Clearinghouse issues, he put up some fine numbers in the OJ. Sure, moving from Waterloo (USHL) in 2013-14 to Pickering this year was a step down in terms of competition, but I think it was a great move for him to regain his confidence. He played only sparingly in Waterloo and was often times a healthy scratch. In Pickering, he was “the” player on an average team and he put up well over a point per game. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s got Salhany-type speed and has a knack for making plays. Salerno is a legit Division I prospect who we’ll see on special teams from day one. Arguably the top forward coming in. Check out this player of the week video and you’ll see what I’m talking about. His season’s done after Pickering failed to make the OJHL playoffs.

http://youtu.be/l4isrnSiIpY

Jetlan Houcher (Photo by Fort McMurray Oil Barons)

Jetlan Houcher (Photo by Fort McMurray Oil Barons)

Jetlan Houcher – Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL), 60 GP, 39 G, 32 A, 71 Pts

Excellent numbers on an average AJHL team. Everything I’ve seen and read indicates he’s a pure goal scorer. Got a great shot with a quick release; the kid can score. He’s done it at every level he’s played at. Got to wonder if skating is an issue considering he isn’t already in college somewhere, but I highly doubt it’s a huge hindrance given his numbers. Houcher has been everything for the Fort McMurray Oil Barons this year. He’s the captain, and with 22 more points than the next closest player on the roster, they’ll be making the playoffs due in no small part to his contributions. A good kid and a leader, Houcher should challenge for top-six minutes right away.

Adam Wilcox – Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL), 41 GP, 5 G, 11 A, 16 Pts

Also a TPH product, Wilcox is from Atlanta and has bounced around junior leagues these past few years. He had a cup of tea with Wichita Falls (NAHL) in 2011-12, spent two season playing sparingly for Houcher’s Oil Barons in the AJHL in 2012-14, and is now with Fairbanks back in the NAHL. Wilcox is fast, big, and strong, and while he’s never going to “wow” you with his offensive abilities, he’s a heart and soul kind of player that every team needs to win. He plays with an edge (evidenced by his 62 PIMs this season) and has a lot of energy. Think Brent Fletcher here folks. Hope his offensive numbers can improve the rest of the reason and into the playoffs. We’ll love his style of play down here in Huntsville and he should be a solid contributor on the bottom six for years to come.

Defensemen

Kurt Gosselin – Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL), 32 GP, 12 G, 31 A, 43 Pts

Playing for Alberni Valley in the BCHL, Gosselin has really come into his own this year. A Michigan native, he has put up a whopping 1.3 points per game as a defenseman. That’s unheard of in most junior leagues. He’s been hurt since mid-January, otherwise those totals would be much higher. And even despite his injury, he was just nominated for Defenseman of the Year for his division. Gosselin has solid size, skating ability, and vision. He’s quarterbacked the power play when healthy and played big minutes. If he can fully come back from his injury, there’s no reason to think he can’t play top four minutes as a freshman.

Cam Knight – Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL), 57 GP, 9 G, 24 A, 33 Pts

A teammate of Beaulieu’s on Wichita Falls’ solid team, Knight has put up excellent numbers a defenseman in the NAHL. He’s already surpassed what Cody Champagne did last year and Frank Misuraca did a few years back, and he’s still got some season left. Both of those two right-handed shot defenseman have done well for UAH thus far and Knight should continue that trend. He’s a tough Mass. product with good size, solid skating ability, and a good shot. He’s a two-way defenseman who plays with a chip on his shoulder at times. Would be a good recruit for any school in our league. Like Gosselin, should compete for top four minutes right away.

John Teets – Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL), 58 GP, 3 G, 15 A, 18 Pts

Teets has been a teammate of Wilcox’s for awhile now. Teets played with him for two years on Houcher’s Oil Barons (AJHL) squad, and now with his hometown Fairbanks in the NA. He has great size and plays hard. A stay-at-home defenseman in the truest sense of the word, he’s another heart and soul guy like Wilcox. You need guys like him on a team. Should be a solid contributor on the PK one day. Likely will compete for playing time immediately as a freshman.

2016 and beyond

Austin Beaulieu – Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL), 57 GP, 22 G, 30 A, 52 Pts

A former TPH kid from Florida, Beaulieu probably has the highest ceiling of our incoming forwards. Judging by his birthdate, he’s a senior in high school. It’s rare that UAH gets an 18-year-old kid straight out of high school. Most of our guys have near exhausted junior eligibility. Clearly his speed, vision, and playmaking abilities from Midget AAA have translated well at the next level. More of a passer than a goal scorer, Beaulieu has been extremely consistent for Wichita Falls (NAHL) this season, rarely being held off the scoresheet for more than a couple games at a time. It’s his first year of juniors and he’s playing on the top line for a solid team in the U.S.’s second best junior circuit. His season isn’t done yet and Wichita Falls is poised to go deep into the playoffs. Another kid who can legitimately compete for top-six minutes right away.

Ted Rotenberger – Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL), 38 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Pt (includes 6 GP with Topeka)

Yet another former TPH kid, and Huntsville native, many of you have likely heard of Rotenberger. His character is reportedly off the charts and he’ll be a welcome addition to the team when he’s ready, but he’s not quite there yet. Defenseman tend to develop slower than forwards at nearly all levels and he needs another year or two to get bigger and stronger and to play more minutes. I just cannot see the coaching staff bringing him in in 2015. Could be wrong, we’ll see.

Connor Wood – Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (NAHL), 57 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts (includes 10 GP with Amarillo)

Also a TPH kid from Atlanta, Wood has had a tough year by the looks of it. He’s a quick, tough, agitator dating back to his TPH days, but that has led to some ridiculous PIM totals (182) this year. Wood can play the scrappy role well and still produce; he did it with TPH. He just needs some more seasoning before he comes to school. He’s sure to get more ice time next year and his offensive numbers will hopefully take a noticeable bump up.

Ivan Bondarenko – Wenatchee Wild (NAHL), 38 GP, 4 G, 10 A, 14 Pts

He’s Russian and has been committed for a long time. I believe the plan was for him to come in in 2016 or 2017 all along. Bondarenko has that Russian explosive flair as seen by his crazy numbers in the now defunct NORPAC league last year (50-51-101 in 37 games played as a 16 year old). He, like Wood and Rotenberger, just needs more time to develop. I imagine he’ll play a lot more next year, but right now he’s counted on for secondary scoring with Wenatchee in the NAHL. Will be following him closely next year.

Hoof Beats: Corbett returns to Air Force as visitor

Posted on by

Here are some news and notes regarding the Chargers and the WCHA ahead of UAH’s two-game series at Air Force on Friday and Saturday.

Fans in Colorado Springs this weekend will see a familiar face, as UAH head coach Mike Corbett returns to Air Force. Corbett was an assistant coach for the Falcons for 10 seasons before taking over the Charger program last year. Corbett was also the associate head coach in 2012-13.

Corbett helped lead the Falcons to five Atlantic Hockey Association tournament titles, two AHA regular-season titles and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

“It’s going to be different,” Air Force senior defenseman Dan Weissenhofer told the Colorado Springs Gazette. “I expect he will have some things to say to get under our skins a bit. We’ll have to give it right back.”

Carmine Guerriero

Photo by Chris Brightwell

Guerriero among league leaders: Carmine Guerriero is now fourth in the WCHA in save percentage through the first month of the season. In four starts, he has made 161 saves (an average of 40.25 per game) on 172 shots (43 per game), which is a .936 save percentage.

Guerriero trails Mathias Dahlstrom of Northern Michigan (.964), Jamie Phillips of Michigan Tech (.952), and C.J. Motte of Ferris State (.943). Matt Larose is 10th at .909.

Talbot update: New York Rangers and former Charger goaltender Cam Talbot saw action on Monday for the first time in three weeks, getting the start at Madison Square Garden against the St. Louis Blues. Talbot stopped 31 of 34 shots as the Rangers lost to St. Louis 4-3 in a shootout.

This season, Talbot has played 148 minutes over three games with two starts, posting a 2.84 goals against average and an .899 save percentage. With the Rangers playing in a stretch of 15 games in 29 days during November, Talbot is likely to see more ice time to spell top goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Future Chargers: Here’s how some of the players who have committed to the Chargers are doing in junior hockey so far this season. Analysis comes from one of our regular posters in the UAH thread of the USCHO.com forums, who wished not to be named. He follows junior hockey much more closely than either Geof or me, and we appreciate him allowing us to share this on UAHHockey.com.

Brandon Salerno

UAH commit Brandon Salerno has been is scoring machine with Pickering of the OJHL this season.

Brandon Salerno (Pickering (OJHL), 13 GP, 11-13-24): “Absolutely tearing it up. Appears to have regained his confidence after a dismal year with Waterloo.”

Austin Beaulieu (Wichita Falls (NAHL), 12 GP, 8-5-13): “Having a great year thus far. Should come in and have an immediate impact. Great speed and vision carrying over from his TPH days.”

Cam Knight (Wichita Falls (NAHL), 12 GP, 3-9-12): “Also having an awesome year. His size and skating should have him pushing for top 4 minutes. Great to see a defenseman with these kind of numbers in the NA.”

Connor Wood (Rio Grande Valley (NAHL), 12 GP, 0-3-3): “Either dropped or traded from Amarillo. Not a good sign. He’s a feisty, competitive kid so hopefully that’ll start to show on the scoresheet. May need an extra year of juniors.”

Roberts Smits (Janesville (NAHL), 8 GP, 2-2-4): “Also dropped or traded from Amarillo. Starting to pull it together. Janesville has a bit more firepower up front so I’m betting those numbers will go up. He continues to improve and he may be on the move back to Bloomington (USHL) where he began the year.”

Joey Marooney (Sioux Falls (USHL), 8 GP, 1-1-2): “Playing in easily the most competitive league in the U.S., not bad numbers considering the jump from Minnesota high school hockey. Hope he can start lighting the lamp a bit more. May be the next Max McHugh. Promising prospect regardless.”

Ivan Bondarenko (Wenatchee (NAHL), 7 GP, 2-0-2): “Seems to have trouble cracking the lineup. He’s one of the youngest players in the league and will definitely be in juniors for another year before he comes to school, so there’s really no cause for concern. Could be a big time prospect for us this time next year.”

Teddy Rotenberger (Topeka (NAHL), 6 GP, 0-1-1): “Seems to be having a tough time cracking the lineup, which is troubling. I know he’s drawn rave reviews for his character so I doubt this will be too much of a drawback for him. But he needs to play and produce if he’s going to really contribute once he gets to UAH. An extra year of juniors may be best for him. Time will tell.”

Also, Alpharetta, Ga., forward Adam Wilcox of the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the NAHL recently committed to UAH:

“Was a serious prospect a few years back, he was on Dubuque’s (USHL) affiliate list and played there a few games when Vinny Saponari (NTDP alum and Atlanta native) and Johnny Gaudreau (Hobey Baker winner and current Calgary Flame) were there. He’s got good size and can skate. I haven’t seen him play in years, but the numbers are slightly lacking. May be a Brent Fletcher, diamond-in-the-rough-type.”

Visit our commitments page for more on recruiting.

Alaska hit with NCAA sanctions: The University of Alaska-Fairbanks received its NCAA punishment Wednesday for a series of infractions involving ineligible players from nine sports, including hockey.

The Nanooks will lose one scholarship for each of the next three years, and are banned from NCAA postseason play this season. Alaska vacates all victories from the 2007-08 to the 2011-12 seasons. They are also ineligible for the WCHA playoffs, which will now include the 9th place team (unless its Alaska).