WIAC Preseason Preview and Poll
MENOMONIE (October 24, 2013) – Put on your denims and grab your lunch pail on your way to work – the 2013-14 UW-Stout Blue Devil hockey team is a blue collar team.
And fans will need to keep a roster close at hand. With a 28-player roster, the Blue Devils have 14 newcomers to the program.
"We graduated some great kids, but we have some great returners," said coach
Terry Watkins, who returns for his 18th season as the head coach of the varsity program. "And we went after the blue collar-type of guys and we are really happy we did."
Physically, the Blue Devils are also not a huge team. Watkins did the math on his team, finding that the team averages about 6-foot tall and about 195 pounds.
"We are not overly big, but we are a lot quicker," said Watkins.
As far as scoring, Watkins sees a number of players getting their names into the scorebook.
"We will be scoring by committee," said Watkins.
But chairing that committee should be three of Stout's top scorers from last season – Kevin O'Donnell (Sr, Stoughton),
Zach Vierling (Jr, Coon Rapids, Minn) and
Jordan Tredinnick (Jr, Onalaska).
O'Donnell, a first team all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) pick last season, O'Donnell tossed in 12 goals and 12 assists. Vierling had eight goals and eight assists. Tredinnick, an offensive-minded, tough-nosed defender, had four goals and 10 assists. Vierling is a two-time all-WIAC honorable mention selection. Tredinnick was first team all-WIAC as a freshman and was an honorable mention selection last season.
"These three work hard," Watkins said. "And that is what we will have to do. We will have to outwork people. "
Watkins expects returning forwards
Matt Millis (Jr, Black River Falls) and
Jake Useldinger (So, East Grand Forks, MN) to pick up some of the scoring load, as well as newcomers
Justin Moody (Fr, Grand Forks, N. Dak),
Tyler Cayemberg (Fr, East Troy) and
Riley Colvard (Fr, Centerville, Minn).
Returner
Cole Meyer (So, Buffalo, Minn) will look for ice time, along with newcomers
Craig Lindegard (Fr, Hallock, Minn),
Karl Andersen (Fr, River Falls),
Nolan Kirley (Fr, Hayward),
Joey Haydock (Fr, Junction City),
Shayne McLaughlin (Fr, Eau Claire) and
Hunter Scott (Fr, Eau Claire).
"We have eight or nine guys that will score," Watkins said. "From there, you pick 'em."
Casey Kirley (Sr, Hayward),
Carl Bombardier (So, Valcourt, Quebec) and
Micky Knox (Jr, Warroad, Minn) all managed to tickle the twine last year.
Tredinnick, along with
Logan Maly (Sr, Rio),
Danny Ray (So, Grand Forks, N. Dak) and
Russell Whited (Sr, Indianapolis, Ind), are the returners defensively.
Patrick Regan (Jr, Edina, Minn), a transfer from St. Thomas, and freshmen
Derek Sand (Fr, West Fargo, N. Dak), and
Isaac Hoagland (Fr, Menomonie), will play roles in the defense.
"We have much more depth defensively," Watkins said. "We have seven or eight guys that can play right away. We are pretty mobile. We have guys that can go and play both ends of the rink."
Without a question, the Blue Devils will have a new face between the pipes.
Eric Wobschall (Jr, Owatonna, Minn) and
Brad Wohlers (Jr, Mahtomedi, Minn) have seen limited action for the Blue Devils. Challenging the duo for the starting roles will be freshmen
Corey Koop (Squamish, B.C.) and
Chase Hollander (Random Lake).
Koop, at 6-1, 220-pounds, is one of the biggest goalies Stout has had. Koop had a very successful solid juniors career, Watkins said. Hollander isn't as big, but is quick.
"Our goal tending has gotten better,"Â Watkins said. "We have two returners that have played, and two new guys with successful juniors careers."
Watkins has liked what he has seen in the opening parts of the practice season.
"Our gap from top to bottom has closed," Watkins said. "We will be more fun to watch. A lot of our kids will score some hard working goals."
Outside of the roster, the biggest change for the Blue Devils is they will play only in the WIAC starting this year. Stout, along with UW-Eau Claire, UW-Superior, UW-Stevens Point and UW-River Falls, left the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) after last season.
The five WIAC teams will play each other three times during the season for a total of 12 games. The WIAC will also conduct a conference tournament. Stout will play 13 non-conference games.
Stout opens the season with a four-game homestand, Saturday, Oct. 26 when they host Marian University at 7 p.m. Stout will also play a five-game homestand in late January.
