It’s easy to reflect on the year gone by, and there are plenty of retrospectives around if you want to relive the year of the inauguration, Michael Jackson, H1N1 and Tiger Woods. With those out of the way we’d rather focus on what’s to come, and with that, we’ve identified nine names that we expect to be in the news in college hockey in 2010.
Paul Kelly leads the newly created College Hockey Inc. that is designed to raise the sport's profile, particularly among prospective student-athletes
Paul Kelly - It’s hard to figure how success will be measured when you’re trying to keep 15-year-olds eligible for college hockey, but after his first month of duty, you know the new head of College Hockey Inc. will give it his best effort. Kelly was all over the college hockey map in December, stopping in Duluth, Denver, South Bend, Boston and even Saskatchewan. Don’t be fooled by his ugly divorce with the NHL Players’ Association—he’s well respected in the hockey world and raises the profile of the college game just by taking the job. The worst news he could make this year, in fact, would be if he was lured back to the NHLPA. Many consider that a possibility.
Ryan Miller - The former Hobey Baker winner has been the best goaltender in the NHL in the first half, but never mind the Vezina Trophy he may win at the end of the season. He’ll make news in 2010 if he can lead the United States to a medal at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. The Americans are overmatched at forward and defense, but they seem to hold an edge in the most important position on the ice. If this year’s squad is to pull off a miracle it wouldn’t be called such, but it would be Miller to lead them.
Dillon Simpson - An uncommitted 16-year-old, Simpson is heralded as the best player available for college recruiters—he could make a team very happy in 2010. He’s a rookie for the Spruce Grove Saints in the AJHL and reportedly has Denver, Michigan State and North Dakota after him—and likely many others. Dillon has good bloodlines—his father, Craig, is formerly of Michigan State, a longtime NHLer and now in the Hockey Night in Canada booth—and perhaps most importantly is firmly committed to the college route.
Tommy Wingels - If we had to pick one INCH favorite who will make a splash on the football field in Detroit, we’d lean toward Wingels. He’s the leading goal scorer on a balanced Miami attack and the speedy right wing showed he’s comfortable on the big stage at last season’s Frozen Four. Most of all, we like Miami’s demeanor after what could have been a soul-crushing loss last April. Head coach Enrico Blasi has his team focused—proud of what they accomplished a year ago, but wanting more, and they enter 2010 poised to build on last season.
Ron Rolston - Is this the offseason that the former Boston College, Harvard, Clarkson, and Lake Superior State assistant coach is lured back to campus for a head coaching job? With two Under-18 World Championship gold medals and a bronze at the World Junior Championship, he’s more than proven his skill as a coach, and he’s been successful as a recruiter. He’s with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor now and it would take the right situation to make him move, but any school with an opening would be wise to call. One of these years he’ll be back in the college game.
Red Berenson and Jack Parker - No one—at least none in their right mind—is suggesting it’s time for either of these legendary coaches to retire. But would we be surprised if either hung up the whistle in 2010? Berenson has had his share of frustrating early departures and recently seen losses mount to the major junior ranks. Parker got his team back to the top of the mountain in 2009 but is enduring a trying season as the defending champ. Berenson and Parker are 70 and 64, respectively, and have accomplished all they can in the college game—it wouldn’t surprise us if either or both weren’t back next fall (warning, cop-out ahead: we wouldn’t think twice if both returned, either).
Tom Anastos - The CCHA commissioner always seems to be at the forefront of college hockey’s big decisions—he trailed only Kelly among college folk when The Hockey News listed the 100 most powerful people in the sport last month—but he’ll be even more in the spotlight in April. The CCHA is the host of the 2010 Frozen Four, and how it all plays out will reflect on Anastos more than anyone else. We’ve been to Frozen Fours with question marks before—Anaheim comes to mind—but nothing like the freshly built rink and 30,000-odd seats that await in Detroit.
Bill Bellerose - Bids to host the 2013 and ’14 Frozen Fours are due to the NCAA in mid-February, and Bellerose chairs the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Committee that will make those selections. An associate athletic director at Holy Cross, Bellerose coached the Crusaders from 1988-93, in their pre-Division I days and was a star player for them in the 1970s. While he alone won’t make the 2013 and ’14 selections, he’ll be the face of a committee that also includes Princeton head coach Guy Gadowsky and Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder, plus three other administrators.
