CCHA Pre-Season Polls

In CCHA pre-season polls Michigan State was placed ninth in the coaches poll and eigthth in the media poll. Press Release

I think that Michigan State will surprise a lot of teams this year. They have nine new fresman that will all see playing time. Freshman, Derek Grant should be one of the leading goal scorers this season and another freshman, Torey Krug will possibly be the second best defenseman on the squad. Their co-captain, Nick Sucharski, will be back from a shoulder injury last year. Corey Tropp missed most of last year, and he was one of the top goal scorers two seasons ago. Drew Palmisano will fill in nicely for Jeff Lerg after gaining some experience in games last year. NHL prospect, Jeff Petry stayed at MSU for another season. The combination of new freshman forwards and the experience the others gained last year should allow them to increase their scoring productivity greatly. The defense will shut more teams down with the addition of Krug and the other two freshman (Grassi and Josepher) and the experience gained by last year's freshman (Buttery, Shelgren, and Crandell). I see MSU finishing in the top six this season.

Media Day

Yesterday at Munn Ice Arena, the Michigan State players and coaches met with the media for a press conference and interviews. The players took individual, team, and class photos. Also, video headshots were taken for the videoboard.
Press Release

Official Start to Hockey Season

At 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3rd Michigan State will have its first official practice of the season. Munn Ice Arena will be open to the public, so come out and support the Spartans. The Spartans have been skating since they arrived on campus in the summer and will have had six one-hour practices with the coaches permitted by NCAA rules.

The Week Ahead...

The Michigan State Spartan hockey team will open the season with the annual Green vs. White scrimmage game on Sunday, October 4th at 7:05 PM. The following day the Spartans host Western Ontario at 7:05 PM in their lone pre-season exhibition game. The meet and greet/T shirt handout for Slapshots will be held on Tuesday, October 6th at 5:45 PM. There will be a discussion panel with the players and an autograph/picture session held.

Captains Announced

The Michigan State hockey team has announced co-captains for the 2009-2010 season. Fifth-year senior, Nick Sucharski and junior, Jeff Petry will wear the 'C' on their chest. Both are great leaders on and off the ice. It comes as no surprise that they would be elected as captains by their teammates.
Press Release

Open Practices

The Michigan State hockey team practices are open to the public. The Spartans practice this week Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3-5 PM. After October 3rd, they will practice Monday-Thursday from 3-5 PM. If practices are well attended, we will set up a tour of Munn Ice Arena for everyone.

Freshman Class- Matt Grassi

Matt Grassi is a 6-3 defenseman out of Burnaby, British Columbia. He had 42 points in 54 games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL last year. Grassi is the biggest player on the Spartan roster and should bring a great amount of physicality to the lineup. He is a solid defender and has a big shot from the point. Once he's healthy, Grassi will be one of the top Spartan defensemen.

Freshman Class- Dean Chelios

Dean Chelios is a 6-2 forward from Bloomfield, Michigan. Chelios broke out in scoring last year with 19 goals and and 34 assists (53 points) on the USHL's Chicago Steel. He is considered to be amongst the top twelve forwards and will compete for ice time with a few fellow freshman. He has a big, physical body and showed last year that he can put the puck in the net. Chelios will add depth and scoring to the Spartan's forward unit.

Freshman Class- Zach Golembiewski

Zach Golembiewski is a 6-0 forward from St. Clair, Michigan. He and fellow teammate Torey Krug, played for Indiana (USHL) last season. Zach displayed great offensive production for Indiana with 44 points (22 goals, 22 assists). It looks as though he will end up playing on one of the top lines for MSU. He has a great scoring touch and is always looking to set up his teammates. Zach will be a top player for the Spartans and should battle Grant for top freshman point-getter in 2009-2010.

Freshman Class- Anthony Hayes

Anthony Hayes is a 5-11 forward from Canton, Michigan. He scored 18 goals and put up 18 assists with Green Bay (USHL) last year. Hayes is one of the top nine forwards on the Spartan roster. He is a physical player and an extremely hard worker. Hayes will bring a great intensity to Michigan State hockey this season.

Freshman Class- Zach Josepher

Zach Josepher is a 6-0 defenseman from Wantagh, New York. He was a member of the Penticton Vees (BCHL) last year. He led his team's defense in scoring with 14 goals and 38 assists. Zach will be one of the top six defensemen for the Spartans this season. He has the ability to play excellent defense as well as put up a lot of points. Josepher will be a great addition to the Spartan's lineup and will see a great amount of ice time.

Freshman Class- Chris Forfar

Chris Forfar is a 6-0 forward out of Darien, Illinois. He spent the last two years with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. Last year, he scored 11 goals and had 27 assists for 38 points. Chris is expected to play on the third or fourth line for the Spartans. He plays the game very hard and has great hockey sense. Forfar will add much needed depth to the forward unit of the Spartans.

Freshman Class- Kevin Walrod

Kevin Walrod is a 6-1 forward out of Westside, British Columbia. Last year, he put up 62 points (23 goals, 39 assists) with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the BCHL. He will be a valuable asset to the team with his scoring abilities and should play on the second or third line. Walrod finds a way to put the puck in the net and sets up his teammates well with his great vision of the ice. He will improve over the course of the season as he gets used to the speed of the college game.

Freshman Class- Torey Krug

Torey Krug is a 5-9 defenseman from Livonia, Michigan. He skated with Indiana of the USHL last year, where he scored 10 goals and had 37 assists in 59 games. Krug will be one of the top defensemen this season for the Spartans. He is a smart player and speedy skater, which help him overcome his size. Krug has a bright future ahead of him at Michigan State.

Freshman Class- Derek Grant

Derek Grant is a 6-3 forward from Abbotsford, British Columbia and is a 4th round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators. . He played last season with the Langley Chiefs (BCHL), where he scored 25 goals and had 35 assists in only 35 games. He will be counted on to play right away on possibly the top line for Michigan State. Grant possesses excellent speed and great hands. By adding more physicality to his play, he will become a force for the Spartans this season.

Blog Followers

Hopefully all of you are enjoying the blog so far. The season is much closer to starting up than it was in May when I started it. I would like to thank all of you for following the blog and welcome all of you who are new to the site. I appreciate all the comments and feedback that I am receiving. I would like to take a count of all of my blog followers, so if you could just comment below the post or send me an email at spartanhockeyblog@gmail.com that would be great. Please include your name (optional) and your reason for following the blog (hockey fan, MSU student, Blue Line Club Member, etc.). Any suggestions for the blog will be duly noted. Thank you and Go Green!

Slapshots

I have been in contact with the directors of Slapshots, which is the student section for hockey games. This year they really want to attract as many students as possible to fill the seats of Munn. To become a member, just buy student tickets online ($99 for all 14 home games) and email them at slaps@msu.edu so you can be added to their mailing list. Slapshots members get a free long-sleeve student section shirt, get priority over tickets for the Michigan game at the Joe, and have guaranteed seating for the Michigan and Notre Dame games. The first game is slated for October 9th against Clarkston. Order your tickets today at msuspartans.com or by calling the ticket office at 517-355-1610.

Line Combinations

I attended the second practice of the season today. It's so early in the season that it is tough to gauge how things will shape up over the course of the season. Although, I did see some very positive things from the Spartans. I came away impressed with freshman Derek Grant, who will be counted on heavily in his first season as a Spartan. Both Grant and fellow freshman Torey Krug, were featured as top recruits by the Western College Hockey blog. It was good to see Nick Sucharski back on the ice after missing most of last season with a shoulder injury. Jeff Petry was leading the stretching before practice. I think he will be the captain this season, but captains have yet to be named. Leveille looks primed to score a lot of goals this year and Palmisano looked sharp in net. I jotted down the lines, which were very interesting and should draw some debate among fans. I thought that the line of Tropp, Rowe, and Gazley looked the best this afternoon. Please leave some comments with your take on the lines.

The forward lines are:

Grant Sucharski Golembiewski
Tropp Rowe Gazley
Walrod Leveille Hayes
Chelios Forfar Nill
Merrifield Perlini Shean Warda
The D pair are:
Krug Petry
Josepher Buttery
Crandell Shelgren
Sturges Johnson

First Day of Practice

The Michigan State hockey program had its first day that coaches were allowed on the ice Tuesday (Sept. 15), as they were allowed to join their players to start preparation for the 2009-10 season. From Sept. 15-Oct. 2, coaches can be on the ice with their teams for up to two hours per week. Full Release.

Icers Join Rowing Team

The Michigan State hockey team joined the rowing team on Friday, September 11th for a great workout and some fun. It looked like the guys had a great time and hopefully will really come together as a team this season through unique bonding activities like this one. Click on the photo gallery link to see pictures from the event. Photo Gallery

MSU Blue Line Club

Join the MSU Blue Line Club, the official booster club for Michigan State hockey. Established in 1962, the Blue Line Club strives to set the standard for all other college hockey booster organizations. Members can join the hockey team on away trips this year that include Maine, Northern Michigan and Alaska Fairbanks. Membership includes receptions with the players and coaches, and reduced prices for luncheons held prior to most home games. Best of all, you will be supporting a great college hockey program. Go Green!

Click the link MSU Blue Line Club. Read about the benefits of membership, learn about upcoming events, and fill out a membership application.