Re: UAH Hockey 2012-13: Still breathing
I've done some homework on the incoming class and thought I'd share this. I've got a short bio, a bit about their playing style, and then a little analysis as to where they might fit in on the roster. Please let me know what you think.
Brandon Carlson- Defenseman 6'1 206. Dubuque (USHL) 6/15/92
A junior hockey journeyman, Carlson has consistently played at the highest levels of amateur hockey in the U.S. He spent time with the LA Selects Hockey Club, Nevada Stars, and the famed Chicago Mission program during his minor hockey days. He was highly touted as a big time prospect earlier in his career; he was drafted in the 3rd round of WHL Bantam Draft by Seattle. He reportedly had interest from the likes of UMD, UNO, Miami of Ohio, and St. Lawrence.
Carlson has come to be known as a tough, stay-at-home defensemen. He takes care of his own end first and is infamous for his Bryan McCabe style "flying cheek" check. He has the right size to complement this style of play and will not shy away from the rough stuff. He was an assistant captain in Dubuque so he has some leadership abilities.
I see him coming right in and slotting into the top 4 for Coach Kleinendorst at UAH. It is rare that we get a proven player from the U Show so I feel as though Carlson is one of our more prized recruits. He'll be great on the PK and may chip in a bit offensively. He also brings some size and grit that we so desperately need on the back end. I see him and Anderson White really solidifying the PK and cutting down on the shots this year.
Brandon Clowes- Forward 6'0 192. Olds (AJHL) 4/10/92
Continuing UAH's strong relationship with the Olds Grizzlys in the AJHL (i.e. Curtis DeBruyn and Scott Kalinchuk), Brandon Clowes has been a huge player for Olds putting up 69 goals and 71 assists in his three seasons with the club.
He is a high-energy guy who can obviously chip in offensively. Solid hands and a fairly heavy shot for a forward. Responsible in his own end and extremely disciplined player.
We're lucky to have a guy like this who has the versatility to play a variety of roles up and down the lineup. Appears to be able to fill a top or bottom six spot and will be willing to do whatever coach asks him. Size and junior numbers are very similar to rising UAH sophomore Chad Brears. Will fight for playing time early.
Wade Schools- Defenseman 6'3 215. Springfield (EJHL) 9/30/92
Another EJ guy, Schools, was the captain this past year of a solid Springfield club. He put up a 5-8-13 slash line, but is very much known for his play in his own end. He came up through the Springfield program from midgets to Empire to the EJ.
Said to be a solid skating shut-down defensemen, his size and PM totals would certainly support this assertion. Being the captain of his squad, he likely has strong character and leadership abilities.
Similar to Brandon Carlson, I see this commit as further evidence of UAH's coaching staff's efforts to get bigger and tougher on the back-end. Schools should immediately help on the PK and could very well slot into the top 6. I do believe, however, that he'll have a more difficult time than Carlson will getting consistent minutes early.
Cody Marooney- Forward 6'0 185. Brookings (NAHL)/Sioux City (USHL) 7/7/92
Has spent his past three years going up and down in the NAHL and USHL. Before that he played for Shattuck's AAA team, a step below their famed prep team. This past year, he was let go from Sioux City largely due to a broken ankle. He's also from the hockey hotbed that is Eden Prarie, MN so hockey runs through the kid's blood.
Said to be an extremely hard-working kid, and judging by his numbers in the U Show, it would appear he's adept at being bottom six role player. In the NA, he's clearly a top six forward. More of a playmaker than a shooter, appears to be able to fill in a variety of roles as well.
Marooney's versatility and past level of competition should likely get him into the lineup early. He's the hardworking, character type kid that this class seems to be known for.
Matt Salhany- Forward 5'10 175. Boston Bandits (EJHL) 1/8/93
Played prep school hockey in New England for Tabor, an extremely reputable hockey school (similar to Kent where Lysaght and Misuraca played), in 2011-2012. Only played one season in the EJHL and was the leading scorer on an offensively deprived team. A Rhode Island native, he drew interest from the likes of PC, Maine, Merrimack, Lowell, and Sacred Heart.
Said to be one of the fastest players in the EJ. Can reach top speed in only one or two strides. A top-line guy for the Bandits, he played a ton of minutes, PP and PK. Very talented offensively, but also said to work hard in his own zone. Smart player and extremely dedicated.
Salhany is a huge addition to this class. He appears to have elite speed and offensive abilites that UAH desperately needs. His size indicates he was likely recruited for his offensive abilities. His near point per game totals for a very mediocre EJ team is something you cannot ignore. He was reported to have had many offers from top of line EJ teams like the Jersey Hitmen and the Boston Jr. Bruins, but chose the Bandits for the opportunity to jump right in and play an important role there. If I were a betting man, he likely chose UAH for the same reason. Look for this kid to get significant playing time early, maybe even some PP time. Probably (other than Broberg's relatively mysterious background) the most intriguing signee in the class.
Joakim Broberg- Forward 6'2 207. Linkoping Jr. (Sweden) 2/10/93
Similar to Matti Jarvinen and Lasse Uusivirta, Broberg's European background leaves little information regarding his abilities. His numbers have been solid in the U18 and U20 leagues in Sweden, but was very strong in the World Junior Cup where he had 3 goals in 5 games against the top junior competition in the world with the likes of USHL powerhouse Waterloo and OHL stalwart Sudbury. He was an assistant captain for his team this past season.
Broberg is something of an enigma. His size is great and his track record at the prestigious Junior Cup seem to indicate a solid prospect for this incoming class, but thats all I really can gather. One also has to wonder how he'll adapt to the smaller rinks and North American style of play.
I'm guessing he must be pretty good for a guy like this to be included in the class since he's coming all the way over from Europe. Kleinendorst is definitely taking a flyer on the kid considering the recent flops of Jarvinen (left after only a season) and Uusivirta's fleeing the country. Very interested to see where he will fit in.
Matt Larose- Goalie 6'3 205. Wellington (OJHL) 8/15/92
The lone goalie in this class, Larose comes to Huntsville from Wellington in the OJ. UAH has had prior success with goalies from this league with Cam Talbot being the most notable alumni. He's from BC and spent the two previous years in the BCHL where he put up decent numbers.
His size is a major plus. Looking at his pictures on google, the length of his pads seem indicate that he is a butterfly tender.This past season with Wellington, he had an excellent year numbers wise on a very average team that gave up a ton of shots. His save percentage was among the best in the league (he was second to a netminder who was on one of the best teams).
Although Gruehl has been pencilled in as the starter, I'd guess that Larose has a very good shot at up ending CJ Groh as backup, and, if given some playing time early on, could get hot and force Kleinendorst to keep starting him. Kleinendorst will go with the hot hand and Larose has all the tools to get come on campus and make some noise as a freshmen. We could have another Cam Talbot on our hands. Contain your excitement.
Steve McKenna- Forward 6'2 190. NH Monarchs (EJHL) 4/21/93
The first kid commit for UAH's incoming class. Geof has an excellent write-up on the guy found here:
http://uahhockey.com/blog/2012/12/07/steve-mckenna-first-2013-recruit/
I see McKenna as a strong character kid who can chip in offensively. Most likely suited for a third-line type role, he'll be a big hit in Huntsville with his work ethic and gritty play.
This is all stuff I've compiled, a lot of the information is my opinion so don't take it as hard fact. I believe that this class is a great start for the team's new beginnings in the WCHA. There may not be an elite kid in the group (there rarely is), but there does seem to be a great amount of character and work ethic. Size also seems to be somewhat of a priority for the coaching staff. The defensemen are all big, stay at home types. The forwards look to provide a lot of versatility and skill. The goalie could be elite and may really shake up the goalie rotation.
Please add any more information if you have it. Call me out if I'm wrong. Hope people find this interesting! Thanks.