Feature by Craig Morgan
CHICAGO -- Sun Devils men's hockey coach Greg Powers was hoping an NHL team would select one of his players at the NHL Draft from June 23-24 at United Center. It would have been the clearest example of the Division I program's rapid growth, or "the icing on the cake," as Powers termed it.
Powers didn't enjoy that final treat, but there were other signs of growth evident at the home of the Chicago Blackhawks. Powers joined Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula – who helped launch Penn State's men's and women's programs with a major gift -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Blackhawks President & CEO John McDonough, and other NHL and NCAA officials at the Draft on Friday to help introduce a new initiative by the NHL and NHL Players Association to fund feasibility studies for potential Division I hockey programs.
The University of Illinois will be the first school to conduct a feasibility study under the new initiative, funded by the NHL and NHLPA's joint Industry Growth Fund, but other schools will have the same opportunity as the league and its players look to spur the growth of Division I men's and women's hockey.
"Growing college hockey is important and I think there is more than one model to do so," Powers said. "Penn State is the ideal model, but I think everyone thinks because of the way they did it, you have to have $100 million, a new arena and conference to do it. That is unlikely to happen in most cases, but you can do it with less."
Powers believes the team's recruiting is actually benefitting from a non-affiliated schedule because it can play more teams around the country and expose the program to different recruiting markets.
"We're being patient," he said. "Once everything really stabilizes, people will want to look at what we've done though the first five years and I think we'll be the standard for starting a college hockey program."
That is future forecasting. The more immediate proof of the Devils' growth will play out over the next two weeks. Five Sun Devils -- four current and one incoming -- were invited to NHL teams' prospect development camps. Freshman defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk is headed to the Montreal Canadiens' camp on Thursday for camp July 1-5. Freshman forward Tyler Busch is headed to Calgary Flames camp next week. Sophomore defenseman Jakob Stridsberg will be in Toronto Maple Leafs camp July 6-12, and goalie Joey Daccord is at the Ottawa Senators' camp this week. Incoming freshman Austin Lemieux, son of NHL Hall of Famer Mario, is currently at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp.
"Montreal has been my dad's favorite team his whole life so I grew up watching them," said Pasichnuk, who is from Bonnyville, Alberta. "My dad almost came to tears when I told him I was going to Canadiens camp. [Former Canadiens defenseman] Sheldon Souray was my favorite player growing up. I'm really excited for this opportunity."
A Flames scout who watched Busch play several times this season asked the Lloydminster, Alberta native for a camp commitment after the season. The invitation created an awkward moment
"I am still to this day a big Edmonton Oilers fan," Busch said of the Flames' chief rival. "I'm kind of keeping quiet right now, but some friends and family are giving me a hard time."
The benefits of development camps are myriad for players, Busch said.
"It's a week where I can experience being around other players at a different level to learn and develop as a hockey player and a person," he said. "It will be the first time I'm exposed to professional coaches and management so I'm just going to soak it all up."
Powers believes the invitations are another sign that Sun Devil hockey is on the rise.
"It would have been huge to get a kid drafted and we believe there were guys that went in the draft that aren't as developed, but it is what it is," he said. "If you look at the guys going to camps, they were all heavily scouted throughout the season and a lot of teams inquired about them throughout the year. That tells me we're recruiting well and we're on the right track."
CHICAGO -- Sun Devils men's hockey coach Greg Powers was hoping an NHL team would select one of his players at the NHL Draft from June 23-24 at United Center. It would have been the clearest example of the Division I program's rapid growth, or "the icing on the cake," as Powers termed it.
Powers didn't enjoy that final treat, but there were other signs of growth evident at the home of the Chicago Blackhawks. Powers joined Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula – who helped launch Penn State's men's and women's programs with a major gift -- NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Blackhawks President & CEO John McDonough, and other NHL and NCAA officials at the Draft on Friday to help introduce a new initiative by the NHL and NHL Players Association to fund feasibility studies for potential Division I hockey programs.
The University of Illinois will be the first school to conduct a feasibility study under the new initiative, funded by the NHL and NHLPA's joint Industry Growth Fund, but other schools will have the same opportunity as the league and its players look to spur the growth of Division I men's and women's hockey.
"Growing college hockey is important and I think there is more than one model to do so," Powers said. "Penn State is the ideal model, but I think everyone thinks because of the way they did it, you have to have $100 million, a new arena and conference to do it. That is unlikely to happen in most cases, but you can do it with less."
Powers believes the team's recruiting is actually benefitting from a non-affiliated schedule because it can play more teams around the country and expose the program to different recruiting markets.
"We're being patient," he said. "Once everything really stabilizes, people will want to look at what we've done though the first five years and I think we'll be the standard for starting a college hockey program."
That is future forecasting. The more immediate proof of the Devils' growth will play out over the next two weeks. Five Sun Devils -- four current and one incoming -- were invited to NHL teams' prospect development camps. Freshman defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk is headed to the Montreal Canadiens' camp on Thursday for camp July 1-5. Freshman forward Tyler Busch is headed to Calgary Flames camp next week. Sophomore defenseman Jakob Stridsberg will be in Toronto Maple Leafs camp July 6-12, and goalie Joey Daccord is at the Ottawa Senators' camp this week. Incoming freshman Austin Lemieux, son of NHL Hall of Famer Mario, is currently at Pittsburgh Penguins' camp.
"Montreal has been my dad's favorite team his whole life so I grew up watching them," said Pasichnuk, who is from Bonnyville, Alberta. "My dad almost came to tears when I told him I was going to Canadiens camp. [Former Canadiens defenseman] Sheldon Souray was my favorite player growing up. I'm really excited for this opportunity."
A Flames scout who watched Busch play several times this season asked the Lloydminster, Alberta native for a camp commitment after the season. The invitation created an awkward moment
"I am still to this day a big Edmonton Oilers fan," Busch said of the Flames' chief rival. "I'm kind of keeping quiet right now, but some friends and family are giving me a hard time."
The benefits of development camps are myriad for players, Busch said.
"It's a week where I can experience being around other players at a different level to learn and develop as a hockey player and a person," he said. "It will be the first time I'm exposed to professional coaches and management so I'm just going to soak it all up."
Powers believes the invitations are another sign that Sun Devil hockey is on the rise.
"It would have been huge to get a kid drafted and we believe there were guys that went in the draft that aren't as developed, but it is what it is," he said. "If you look at the guys going to camps, they were all heavily scouted throughout the season and a lot of teams inquired about them throughout the year. That tells me we're recruiting well and we're on the right track."