view PDF file of 2005-06 Clarkson Hockey Prospectus

As the Clarkson University Hockey program enters its third season under head coach George Roll, the Golden Knights appear to be poised to make a return to the upper echelon of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League (ECACHL). The 2005-06 edition of the Green and Gold, although young, should be fast, skilled and tenacious.

The majority of the responsibilities for bringing Clarkson back among the league’s elite will fall on the shoulders of the 19 returning lettermen, headed by captain, senior defenseman Chris Brekelmans.

However, another strong class of freshmen should make an immediate impact, both offensively and defensively, for the Knights. For the third straight season, Roll, along with associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle have brought in a promising group of recruits who are ranked among the best incoming classes in the country. The past three classes have generated nine NHL Draft picks, including three selected this summer.

The Knights’ goal will be to reverse the fortunes of last season when Clarkson suffered through a 13-23-3 overall record, including a ninth place 7-13-2 ECACHL mark. Roll hopes the memory of last season will continue to serve as motivation this year.

"We have to start making some strides," stated Roll. "Last year the talent was there to be a top four (ECACHL) team and we proved that at junctures throughout the year, but we did not have the overall consistency and level of commitment that we needed. This year we are stressing that it is not all about talent or ability. It is also a lot about the intangibles that go along with winning. Those are the things as a coaching staff that we are stressing to our guys, doing the little things and the wins will take care of themselves."

Eager to improve upon last year’s record, Clarkson anxiously awaits the 36-game campaign which begins in early October. The Knights open their 84th season of play with a two-game series at Niagara University on October 7-8. After that, however, there will be plenty of home entertainment for the Green and Gold faithful as Clarkson plays 12 games at Cheel Arena through October and November.

"We have to be good out of the gate early," stated Roll. "Because of the way the ECACHL is set up this year we have a very unbalanced schedule. We have a lot of home games early and then we are on the road for most of the second half of the season. We need to make the most of our games at Cheel in October and November to give us momentum." Clarkson opens ECACHL play by hosting Rensselaer and Union on November 4-5. Along with its two-game series against Niagara, the Knights will play five other games, and possibly six, against teams that competed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament.

"We have the potential to get into the top four (ECACHL), but we have to remember that we are awfully young with only two seniors and a handful of juniors," remarked Roll. "We are a dominant freshman and sophomore team, but that is not to say that we can not make those strides. We are certainly happy with our recruiting classes and the direction we are headed, but the time is now to make a move."

GOAL
Junior Kyle McNulty (Wakefield, RI) and sophomore David Leggio (Buffalo, NY) will both have the chance to earn the starting nod this winter after serving as backups last season behind Dustin Traylen. "Both players will get the opportunity." stated Roll. "As coaches we have confidence in both Kyle and David. They are extremely hard working. I am sure one of them or both will come to the forefront. If they are both playing well, we will stick with a rotation. If one player clearly becomes the number one guy we will go with the hot goaltender. We feel very comfortable with our goaltending."

As a two-year letterwinner, McNulty has seen the most time in the Clarkson crease. Through 15 career games, he posts a .894 save percentage and a 2.86 goals against average en route to a 4-9-1 record. Last season McNulty played in 10 games, including nine starts, and recorded a .894 save percentage and a 2.98 GAA. He posted a 2-6-1 record with wins coming in an 8-1 victory against Yale (30 saves) and in 3-2 triumph at Princeton (24 saves). He made a career-high 37 saves in 3-1 loss at UNH. "Kyle has been here two years now and I don’t think I have seen a guy work harder," remarked Roll. "He is an extremely dedicated student-athlete. He has shown that he can play at this level, especially in our games at UNH and Lowell last season. Now it is just a matter of playing consistent. We feel very confident that Kyle can be a number one guy for us."

Leggio saw limited time as a freshman playing in just 182 minutes over five games, including two starts. He finished with a 2-1 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.97 GAA. Leggio backboned Clarkson to its first win last season, a 5-3 victory at Wayne State, by coming off the bench midway through the second period and making 17 saves on 19 shots in his first collegiate appearance. "David had a strong first year," said Roll. "He did not see a lot of minutes, but the times he was called upon he played well. He has worked awfully hard to improve his game and his conditioning. We feel comfortable that David can compete for the starting role."

DEFENSE
The return of seven veteran defensemen along with the addition of three promising recruits provides Clarkson with plenty of depth on the blueline. The Knights lost steady rearguard Ken Scuderi to graduation, but along with Brekelmans, return juniors Michael Grenzy (Lockport, NY), Matt Curley (Madrid, NY), Jamie McKinven (Kingston, ONT), Max Kolu (Turku, Finland) and Nathan Beausoleil (Moose Creek, ONT) and sophomore Grant Clitsome (Gloucester, ONT). The seven letterwinners have skated in a combined 434 games at Clarkson giving the Green and Gold plenty of experience in the defensive zone. Challenging the veterans for a regular role will be a pair of 2005 NHL Draft picks, freshmen Tyrell Mason (Dawson Creek, BC) and Philippe Paquet (Saint-Agustin, QUE) along with classmate Adam Bellows (Lancaster, NY).

"We have a solid core of veterans and some talented freshmen who will push for quality playing time," said Roll. "It will be awfully competitive back there. We have some guys that have good offensive ability and move the puck well. We also have players that are very solid stay-at-home, physical defensemen, guys that can take care of their own end. With Chris leading the way, we feel very comfortable with the defense we have."

The active team leader in games played (102), Brekelmans is a solid, defensive defenseman, who has chipped in 21 points during his three-year career. "Chris, both on and off the ice, epitomizes the style of leadership we are looking for," stated Roll. "He is the type of player who does not take any shifts off. He understands what we are trying to do within the program and knows the type of leadership we need from him. He understands the commitment it takes to bring this team to the next level. I think Chris is going to be an outstanding captain for us."

Grenzy emerged as a stalwart on the blueline last year and possesses the ability to be a dominant player in the ECACHL. A 2003 NHL Draft pick by Chicago (275th overall), Grenzy scored 11 points last winter and was named to the Badger Hockey Showdown All-Tournament team in January. Curley and McKinven have been key contributors in the playoffs the past two seasons and will be counted upon to provide steady play throughout this season.

Kolu, normally a right wing, was moved back to the blueline late last season and performed very well. Perhaps Clarkson’s fastest skater, he can be a one-man breakout and help generate an up-tempo style of play. A gifted offensive defenseman, Beausoleil, who skated in just 14 games last year, will need to improve upon his play in his own end to gain a regular shift on the Knights’ deep defensive corps.

Clarkson’s leading scorer from the blueline, Clitsome, a 2004 Columbus draft choice (271), enjoyed a solid rookie campaign, scoring 13 points. "Grant was thrown right into the thick of things as a freshman," said Roll. "He quarterbacked our power play and was relied upon in so many different situations. He had a lot of pressure put on him as a freshman, but he handled it extremely well and I think the experience he gained really bodes well for his sophomore campaign."

As freshmen, Mason and Paquet are expected to see considerable playing time and generate additional offense from the blueline this winter. Mason, who played for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL, is a big (6-2, 180), mobile defenseman who moves the puck well and has good vision on the ice. A 6th-round pick (180) by the NY Islanders in this summer’s draft, he scored 42 points, including 36 assists in 51 games last year. A large (6-3, 200), rangy defenseman from Salisbury Prep, Paquet is extremely strong defensively and has an offensive flair. He was chosen in the 7th round (229) by Montreal on July 30. A walk-on candidate from the Nichols School, Bellows, another big rearguard (6-3, 185), has the potential to be a very solid Division I player once he adapts to the speed and intensity of the college game.

FORWARDS
Offensively the Knights were challenged in 2004-05, scoring just 2.36 goals per game. Clarkson had its opportunities to light the lamp more frequently last season, and hopefully with a year of experience under their belts the young forwards will turn those near misses into goals this winter. With just one senior, Jeff Genovy (Kalamazoo, MI), and two juniors Brodie Rutherglen (Trail, BC) and Mike Sullivan (Stouffville, ONT) among the 13 forwards, the Knights will be extremely young up front. The coaching staff expects the seven sophomore forwards, who combined for 30 goals and 76 points last season, and an exciting group of incoming freshmen to make a large contribution this winter.

"We had very good years from a lot of the young guys last season and we expect big things from them this year," said Roll. "We feel very confident that the guys we have brought in will make an immediate impact on the program. We have improved our skill level and our overall speed. It should bode well for us in the future."

A 2002 third-round NHL Draft choice (96) of Columbus, Genovy, at 6-3, 204, is among Clarkson’s biggest players and can be very effective in front of the net and in the corners. "Jeff is a big, strong guy who provides us with a physical presence. We expect a great season from Jeff in his final collegiate campaign," said Roll.

After two years of playing on the Knights’ top lines, Clarkson is counting on Sullivan to have a breakthrough junior campaign. "We feel Mike has the ability to be a top six forward in our league," stated Roll. "This is the year for him to make the stride to the next level and improve upon his first two seasons." A 2003 draft selection by Los Angeles (244), he was Clarkson’s sixth-leading scorer with 17 points on eight goals and nine assists through 37 games last season and a leading contributor on the power play with four man-advantage markers. Injuries and health issues limited Rutherglen to 28 games last season, but when he did see playing time he put in a solid effort with five goals and 15 points.

Highlighted by the play of Steve Zalewski (New Hartford, NY), Clarkson’s Class of 2008 made a tremendous impact up front for the Green and Gold. Zalewski along with classmates Nick Dodge (Oakville, ONT), David Cayer (Longueuil, QUE), Shawn Weller (South Glens Falls, NY), Mike Arciero (Avon, CT), Ryan Hodkinson (Mt. Sinai, NY) and Matt Isbister (Calgary, ALB) played extremely well from start to finish in their rookie campaign.

Zalewski, a 2004 draft pick by San Jose (153), was Clarkson’s top rookie scorer in a very talented freshman class and tied for third overall with 19 points and was second on the team in goals with 12. He also added seven assists, tallied four power-play goals, one shorthanded marker and one game-winner. "Steve just had a great year," stated Roll. "He put up good numbers, but I don’t think his value was measured in points. He is a solid two-way performer."

Dodge played a vital role on Clarkson’s offense as the Golden Knights’ top faceoff specialist and fifth-leading scorer. He tallied 18 points on six goals and 12 assists along with winning 56% of his draws. After a slow start, Cayer emerged as a top sniper for the Knights, finishing with 16 points on seven goals and nine assists.

A highly touted rookie who made a solid impact after an anxious start, Weller battled through some tough luck after sitting out the first four games of the season due to NCAA eligibility issues. The 2004 third-round draft pick of Ottawa (77) finished with 14 points, including 11 assists, through 33 games. Weller, who played with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championships last December, has been invited along with Zalewski to participate in the U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp this August in preparation for the 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship. "It was a difficult wait for Shawn having to go through the NCAA Clearing House issue," said Roll. "I know he would have liked to put up better numbers in terms of his point production, but we were pleased with his performance. He created a lot of offensive opportunities and had a ton of chances."

Arciero adds to Clarkson’s physical style of play as a big, hard-working power forward who will help fill the role played by departed veteran Lyon Porter. With added size and strength, Hodkinson has the potential to earn more playing time after skating in 12 games last season. After overcoming some health issues during the course of the season, Isbister played solid hockey down the stretch, seeing action in 17 games, including 12 of the final 15 contests. He skates well, has very good vision and has an offensive flair that should play a vital role as he gains confidence.

Freshmen Shea Guthrie (Carleton Place, ONT), Chris D’Alvise (Mississauga, ONT) and Mike Willemsen (Stittsville, ONT) are expected to play a big part offensively for the Knights in their rookie campaigns and help make up for the loss to graduation of three of last year’s top four scorers in Jay Latulippe, Chris Blight and Mac Faulkner.

An exceptional offensive force, Guthrie was the first ECACHL freshman selected in this past summer’s draft, going in the third round, 76th overall to the NY Islanders. He enjoyed an excellent senior year with St. George’s Prep, playing a vital role in leading the Dragons to their first ever ISL/New England Division II title. He finished his final season at St. George’s with 50 points on 26 goals and 24 assists. Guthrie earned numerous honors for his outstanding season that included the ISL’s Eberheart Division MVP, a selection to the All-New England Division II First Team as well as the NEPSIHA and U. S. Hockey Report (USHR) Division II Player of the Year awards. "Shea is going to be a dynamic player at the college level," remarked Roll. "He skates extremely well, goes to the net hard and has very good offensive ability. We will rely heavily upon him as a freshman."

D’Alvise also put up some impressive numbers last season as the leading rookie scorer for the Wexford Raiders. Through 48 games he tallied 28 goals and 28 assists in the highly competitive OPJHL. "Chris is an extremely quick, talented forward with a thorough understanding of the game," said Roll. "He should be a fan favorite at Cheel Arena."

At 6-0, 202-pounds, Willemsen is a big, physical left wing with a bit of a nasty streak. He skated for the Cumberland Grads in the COJHL last season while attending the University of Ottawa. Battling through injuries in 2004-05, he played in 44 games with the Grads, tallying 15 goals and 17 assists.