Oakland University Hockey
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to the Official Site of the 2004 and 2006 ACHA Division II National Champion, and 2007 ACHA Division I National Champion Oakland University ACHA Hockey Team.
Hockey looks for New Grizzlies
08/09/07
By Brittany Ochtinsky of the Oakland Post
Reigning ACHA DI champs look to beef up roster
By Brittany Ochtinsky
Contributing Reporter
Last season, Oakland University’s hockey team made winning the national championship look like a piece of cake. This season might not be so easy. But fear not, the coaching staff is already gearing up for the upcoming season.
The team held the first of two prospect camps June 30 and July 1 at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills. About 80 potential Golden Grizzlies came to show off their stuff in front of Head Coach Sean Hogan and assistant coaches JR Dunn and Gordie Schaeffler.
“I think this is the best mini-camp, talent-wise, we’ve ever had,” said Hogan.
Due to the team’s success in recent years, most notably after capturing the national championship title in the team’s first season in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division I, Hogan has expanded the tryout process to two prospect camps before tryouts.
Eleven returning players showed up to the camp and Hogan hopes to fill an additional 13 to 16 roster spots.
Possibly the biggest challenge he faces is finding potential linemates for right wing Brent Cooper. Cooper is the sole remaining player on the Grizzlies’ top line and there has been speculation as to whether or not he can survive without Will McMahon.
“Brent Cooper will be fine without Will, he will score just as much. A lot of people forget that he is our most experienced player. He played three years of Jr. A hockey with the Texas Tornado ” said Hogan.
Another hurdle facing Hogan and his staff is finding players to bulk up the team’s physicality.
“We have a defenseman, six-foot-six Todd Orlando, coming in. He wasn’t at the first camp, but will be at the next one. He will provide a physical presence, along with (returning players) Derek Baker and Steve Piccoli.”
Whereas Division II allowed players’ eligibility to span five seasons, Division I limits it to four, leaving the returning Grizzlies’ players with no more than two years’ experience playing for Oakland’s top team. None of this seems to concern Hogan, though.
“We are getting players with several years of Jr. A experience, as well as NCAA experience. Our job will be to make sure they mesh as well as teams in the past,” said Hogan. “We will have to wait and see, but we are very excited with what we have seen.”
By Brittany Ochtinsky
Contributing Reporter
Last season, Oakland University’s hockey team made winning the national championship look like a piece of cake. This season might not be so easy. But fear not, the coaching staff is already gearing up for the upcoming season.
The team held the first of two prospect camps June 30 and July 1 at the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills. About 80 potential Golden Grizzlies came to show off their stuff in front of Head Coach Sean Hogan and assistant coaches JR Dunn and Gordie Schaeffler.
“I think this is the best mini-camp, talent-wise, we’ve ever had,” said Hogan.
Due to the team’s success in recent years, most notably after capturing the national championship title in the team’s first season in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division I, Hogan has expanded the tryout process to two prospect camps before tryouts.
Eleven returning players showed up to the camp and Hogan hopes to fill an additional 13 to 16 roster spots.
Possibly the biggest challenge he faces is finding potential linemates for right wing Brent Cooper. Cooper is the sole remaining player on the Grizzlies’ top line and there has been speculation as to whether or not he can survive without Will McMahon.
“Brent Cooper will be fine without Will, he will score just as much. A lot of people forget that he is our most experienced player. He played three years of Jr. A hockey with the Texas Tornado ” said Hogan.
Another hurdle facing Hogan and his staff is finding players to bulk up the team’s physicality.
“We have a defenseman, six-foot-six Todd Orlando, coming in. He wasn’t at the first camp, but will be at the next one. He will provide a physical presence, along with (returning players) Derek Baker and Steve Piccoli.”
Whereas Division II allowed players’ eligibility to span five seasons, Division I limits it to four, leaving the returning Grizzlies’ players with no more than two years’ experience playing for Oakland’s top team. None of this seems to concern Hogan, though.
“We are getting players with several years of Jr. A experience, as well as NCAA experience. Our job will be to make sure they mesh as well as teams in the past,” said Hogan. “We will have to wait and see, but we are very excited with what we have seen.”
Tag(s): Program News ACHA DI
Of the following teams that are coming to the ONYX next season who are you most excited to see?
