Wilfrid Laurier University
HAWKEY ALUMNI CLUB NEWSLETTER
From the home of Golden Hawk Hockey
Volume 8, Issue 1 2009-2010 Regular Season Schedule
PRE-SEASON EDITION
Hawks Soar to National Prominence
The men’s hockey program finished the 2008-2009 season on a high note with Oct. 9 @ Guelph, 7:30 p.m. both Jean-Michel Rizk and Mark Voakes Oct. 10 vs. UOIT, 7:30 p.m. being named all-Canadians. Rizk was Oct. 15 @ Waterloo, 7:30 p.m. the Golden Hawks first ever second Oct. 17 vs. Windsor, 2:00 p.m. team all-Canadian and Mark Voakes was the squads tenth first team all-Canadian, Oct. 22 vs. Guelph, 7:30 p.m. the last being John Spoltore in 1994. JM Oct. 24 @ York, 2:00 p.m. also claimed the nation’s goal scoring Oct. 31 vs. Western, 7:30 p.m. title with 25 goals in 27 games played. Nov. 6 @ Lakehead, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7 @ Lakehead, 7:30 p.m. Laurier was consistently ranked nationally through out last season and finished Nov. 13 vs. McGill, 7:30 p.m. being ranked third in the country. Our Nov. 14 vs. UQTR, 7:30 p.m. top ranked team compiled 22 wins to Nov. 20 @ Carleton, 7:00 p.m. complete the year with the best record in Nov. 21 @ Nipissing, 7:00 p.m. the province. In the post-season Laurier Nov. 26 vs. Western, 7:00 p.m. defeated the Lakehead Thunderwolves and advanced to the OUA semifinal. Nov. 27 @ Brock, 7:35 p.m. Dec. 3 vs. York, 7:30 p.m. Two graduating players also made an Dec. 4 @ UOIT, 7:30 p.m. impression on the Laurier record book. Jan. 7 vs. Waterloo, 7:30 p.m. Team captain Nick Vergeer and assistant captain Mark Voakes now stand in third Jan. 8 @ Brock, 7:35 p.m. and fouth place all-time on Laurier’s Jan. 15 vs. Brock, 7:30 p.m. career scoring leaders list. Vergeer comJan. 21 vs. Guelph, 7:30 p.m. piled 38 goals and 119 assists for 157 Jan. 24 vs. Lakehead, 7:30 p.m. points in his five seasons with the purple and gold while Voakes scored 56 Jan. 28 @ York, 7:00 p.m. Jan. 30 vs. Waterloo, 7:30 p.m. goals and had 96 assists for 152 points. Greg Puhalski sits in first place overall Feb. 5 @ Windsor, 7:30 p.m. with 222 points in four seasons and John Feb. 6 @ Windsor, 7:30 p.m. Spoltore sits in second with 176. Feb. 12 vs. Lakehead, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 @ Western, 7:30 p.m. In addition to the team’s success during the season, former players are using
Upcoming Events
the Laurier program as a spring board to start their professional careers. Four former Hawks from last year’s team have gone on to sign pro hockey contracts and more are on the way.
Mark Voakes was named the OUA MVP
in 2008-09 The Hawks national presence and success in turning out players capable of playing professional hockey has enabled the program to recruit some of the best available players. Amongst the seven new players Laurier has added experience, toughness, skill and leadership. Look for these first year players to make an immediate impact on the Golden Hawks roster.
The Hawkey Alumni Club has played a significant role in the success of the program by financially supporting the efforts needed to sustain the team’s competitive level. To reach it’s ultimate goal, we’ll have to continue to raise the bar.
1970’s Team Reunion January 30th, 2010 As part of Alumni Weekend activities
Laurier will open the 2009-2010 regular season on the road against the Guelph Gryphons on October 9th. The Hawks home opener will be on Saturday, October 10th at 7:30 p.m. against the UOIT Ridgebacks.
Alumni Weekend Saturday, January 30th, 2010 (versus Waterloo)
Come out and support the purple and gold as they continue to work towards their ultimate goal of a national title.
Jersey Presentation Saturday, October, 10th
Golf Tournament Wednesday, June 10th, 2010 Waterloo Region
Jean-Michel Rizk celebrates one of his nation leading 25 goals scored during the regular season.
www.laurierathletics.com
Meet Your New Recruits
This year marks one of the best recruiting years in recent memory. We have added two NHL draft picks, four players with major junior experience, and a two-time OUA all-star. The seven new Golden Hawks will no doubt make this a very competitive squad. The following new players will be suiting up for the 2009-2010 season: Paul Bradley will be playing his fifth and final year of eligibility for the Hawks after four years as the top player for the RMC Paladins. Bradley has been named twice to the OUA East all-star team and is coming off RMC Athlete of the Year honours this year. He will be working towards his Master of Arts in History in September after graduating with his Honours Arts degree. “Paul is a top notch guy and a very dynamic offensive player,” said Golden Hawk head coach Kelly Nobes about his former player. “We are pleased that he has decided to continue his studies at Laurier and know that he will add skill and leadership to our team.” Kyle van de Bospoort has committed to the Hawks after a four-year career in the Ontario Hockey League playing for the Barrie Colts. Kyle is a hard-nosed defenseman from Pickering, Ontario who will be studying business in the Laurier School of Business and Economics in September. “Kyle is a high quality recruit both on and off the ice,” said Nobes. “He’s a solid defenseman and will add size and grit to our blue line.” Goaltender Ryan Daniels, a fifth round pick of the Ottawa Senators, played three years for the Saginaw Spirit and this past season with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League. The Pickering, Ontario native will also be working towards his BBA at the Laurier School of Business and Economics. “Ryan is a very skilled goalie with an abundance of experience at the OHL level,” commented Nobes. “He will be a great addition to our team”. Mike Gauthier, a 6-4 defenseman from Vancouver, B.C., was drafted in the sixth round of the NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues in 2005. He spent last season with the Alaska Aces of
the ECHL and played five years in the WHL, primarily with the Prince Albert Raiders and the Kamloops Blazers. “Mike will be another great addition to our blue line,” said Nobes. “He brings size, skill, toughness, and experience to the Hawks”. Jason Bergeron is a 5-8 forward who spent last season playing for the MJAHL’s Miramichi Timberwolves. After competing for one year in the NCAA at UMass-Lowell, the Montreal native headed Mike Gauthier to the OHL in 2007-08 where he played for the Niagara Ice Dogs and posted 14 goals and 18 assists. “Jason’s speed and quickness will be a good fit for us on the Olympic ice at the Recreation Centre said Nobes. “He also has experience at the university level (having notched 15 points for UMass-Lowell) which will help him adjust immediately to the level of play in the CIS”. Mitch Good, a 6-1 winger from Wellesley, Ont., was the captain of the Stratford Cullitons on the Junior B GOHL. In 2008-09, Good led the Cullitons with 30 goals and 55 assists in 50 games played. “Mitch is a strong hardworking kid who will add depth to our forward position” said Kelly Nobes. “He’s strong along the boards and in the corners and showed to have a scoring touch at the Junior level”. Brad Jackson, a 5-9 forward from St. Catharines, Ont., was the 2008-09 captain of the Woodstock Slammers of the MJAHL. Last season, the right winger posted 31 goals and 46 assists in 52 games played. “Brad is a relentless, strong character type of guy” said Nobes, “we expect him to bring grit and work ethic to our team”.
C a p t u r e Action, Triumph, Dedication
PURCHASE PHOTOS ONLINE w w w. la ur i e ra t h l e t i cs.co m / co p p e rmi n e
Coaches Corner with Kelly Nobes
Kelly Nobes
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The season is upon us and we are preparing for another winning year. Having so many graduates move on to the pro ranks is a reflection of the high quality hockey program here at Laurier. Congratulations to Mark Voakes (Cinncinnati, ECHL), Nick Vergeer (Missouri, CHL), and Luke Girard (Belgium) who have all signed pro contracts and to Mike Thomson and Adam Maccarone who are attending pro training camps. These guys were critical to our success last season and it was very important that we have a good recruiting year. We feel that we’ve added some great players with the skill sets and experience to make us better. Amongst the seven new players we’ve added over 14 years of major junior experience, two former NHL draft picks and a two time OUA all-star. It remains to be seen how this recruiting class will come together but it appears we will be strong from the net out with two very solid goaltenders; a mobile, sizeable, and mean blueline; and some dangerous offensive forwards. Returning to the coaching staff for another season are
associate coach Dave Williams, assistant coach Trevor Fraser, and video coach Chuck Stemmler. New to the staff this season is former Hawk Luke Dubbin who will be assisting the team as a graduate assistant coach. These guys put in a tremendous amount of time and effort into making the program as successful as possible. It was great to see so many former Hawks at our annual golf tournament in June. The event was well organized, well attended, and raised some funds to enhance our program. It seems this event along with the Alumni Weekend, Jersey Presentation, and year end dinner are gaining momentum and I’d like to thank you for supporting these initiatives and the current Hawks. Hope to see you at a game in the Fall Kelly Nobes
Message from the Hawkey Alumni Club President
The 2009-2010 season is right around the corner and as I reflect on the hockey program at Laurier I can’t help but believe that it is reaching new heights. You only need to look at the product on the ice to know that there is something very good going on with this program and here’s what I think it is.
Coaching: The success of university hockey in Canada starts with the coach who, in addition to being the bench boss, wears the hat of General Manager, Head Scout, Chief Financial Officer, and the list goes on. Men’s hockey at Laurier has benefitted immensely from Kelly’s vision and passion not to mention the stability that simply comes from his continued tenure at WLU. The head coach can’t possibly do it all on his own and Laurier hockey is extremely fortunate to have Dave Williams and Trevor Fraser on board as assistant coaches. These guys quietly round out what is one of the best coaching staffs in the country while they put more time in than any of their peers to build this team into an elite program on the national stage. Culture: A winning culture can be so elusive despite the fact that we could probably all list the many ingredients needed to create it; exceptional support from the university and alumni, great coaching, excellent recruiting, pride and tradition, and an overall vision, etc. I’m here to tell you that there is definitely something brewing with this program. If you attended the year end dinner last April you know it, too. These guys are a close family. New recruits are taken under the wings of veterans. Graduating players are making heartfelt goodbyes thanking teammates for
the memories in teary-eyed speeches. At the golf tournament this year we saw for the first time in 10 years the return of recent grads. These guys are getting closer to their goal and they can taste it. Alumni: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, in today’s competitive environment no team can compete for the national championship without the overwhelming support of its alumni. There are very few programs in this Martin Kearns country that have the kind of alumni supPresident port we have nurtured over the past seven years. The Hawkey Alumni Club now has a solid foundation of events year round. Fall – Jersey Presentation Luncheon, Winter – Alumni Weekend, Spring – Year End Dinner, Summer – Golf Tournament. These events give us the opportunity to foster tradition, share some laughs and provide financial support. Other schools are starting to catch on…guess which program down the street just had their first Alumni Weekend. We need to stay ahead of the game and take it to the next level. Just by making the drive to one of your alumni events you are helping this program reach its goal – the national championship and nothing less. See you in the fall! Martin Kearns ‘99
Alumni Weekend 2010
Mark your calendars – Alumni Weekend 2010 is set!
Saturday January 30, 2010 will feature the 7:30 p.m. game vs. Waterloo. Building on the success of our most recent reunions, (‘82-’83 and ‘93-’94) this year’s theme will be ‘That 70’s Show’ as we attempt to bring back this entire decade of players. If Peter Frampton was dominating the music scene at the Turret and you didn’t miss an episode of Starsky & Hutch then you don’t want to miss out on this event. Of course, no matter what decade you played in, this is your one day a year to get back in the dressing room one more time. If you would like to get involved please contact Dennis Schooley ‘76 at dschooley@schooleymitchell.com!
Second Annual Jersey Presentation Luncheon
On Saturday, October 10th, the Hockey Alumni Association will be conducting the 2nd Annual Jersey Presentation Luncheon at the Paul Martin Centre on campus. Following the luncheon, Laurier will host the UOIT Ridgebacks at the Waterloo Recreation Complex. This year’s home opener will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Head coach Kelly Nobes will welcome the freshmen and will also provide some insight into the program, including expectations for the upcoming season.
This year’s event follows last year’s first annual Jersey Presentation Luncheon. The event sees past Golden Hawk players present the incoming freshmen with their jerseys, officially welcoming them to the program. It is a great opportunity to introduce the new players along with their families to Laurier hockey.
Any alumni interested in participating in this event should contact Rob Grant ‘04 at Rob.Grant0@gmail.com.
Your 2009-2010 Executive
President Past President Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Student Athlete Rep
Martin Kearns ‘99 Sonny Kumpf ‘72 David Aitchison ‘87 Rob Grant ‘04 Mark Pederson ‘98 James Hoey ‘98 Jamie Patenall ‘94 Dennis Schooley ‘76 Colin Williams ‘11
All in all, this is a great event because it ties former Golden Hawk players back to the program in welcoming new members who promise to be key contributors for years to come.
Pictures from the Past
Wayne Gowing Night 25 Years of Coaching, 1997 If you want to submit a picture to appear in another issue of the Hawkey Alumni Club Newsletter, contact Mike Whitehouse ‘07 at mwhitehouse@wlu.ca 3
From Players to Pros On June 19th, 2009, it was reported that Wilfrid Laurier forward Luke Girard would be commencing his professional hockey career in Belgium with the Herentalse HYC of the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey federation.
earner and he led in assists from 2004 to 2007. Overall, Vergeer made Golden Hawk history in scoring during his five seasons at Laurier, working 38 goals and 119 assists in 131 games, totalling 157 points.
The history major played four seasons with the Hawks, scoring 41 goals and 41 assists in 97 games. He ranked high statistically from 2007 onward, leading the team in game winning goals and power play goals in the 2008-09 season.
Vergeer has been drafted to the Missouri Mavericks, a brand new team within the CHL based in Independence, Missouri. The Mavericks are set to begin play this upcoming season in a brand new facility, the Independence Events Center, which will seat 5,800 spectators in its state-ofthe-art arena.
“After four enjoyable years with the Golden Hawks, I am excited to be given this opportunity in Belgium,” said Girard. “I am thankful for my time at Laurier and for those who have assisted me in obtaining my dream of playing hockey at the professional level.” The Herentalse HYC finished their regular season in first place with a 14-4-2 record and advanced to the Belgian championship final, where Luke Girard they won in seven games against the Turnhout White Caps. Earlier in the season the Whitecaps defeated HYC 4-3 in the Belgian cup final. “Luke was a very valuable member of the Golden Hawks for the last four seasons and his on-ice ability and off-ice demeanour will be missed,” commented head coach Kelly Nobes. Adam Maccarone, originally from Whitby, Ont., played defence for the Hawks from 2006 to 2008. A Communication Studies major, Adam skilfully improved his game as his time with the Hawks progressed. One of his career highs includes a match in January of 2009 when he scored two goals and two assists for the team, contributing to the Hawks’ victory over the Queen’s Gaels. Maccarone will be playing the 2009-10 season with the Tulsa Oilers, a Central Hockey League (CHL) team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Oilers are a well-established group, having been founded in 1992. They are one of only four teams that were secured when the CHL was reborn. Adam joins a roster that has previously featured other Golden Hawk players including his brother Matt Maccarone and Rob Dmytruk.
Adam Maccarone
The Oilers reached the playoffs in nine of their first 13 seasons, and hope to continue these traditions in the future. Nick Vergeer played forward for the Hawks from 2004-2009, serving as team captain in his final year. Originally from West Lorne, Ont., Vergeer studied Geography at Laurier. A skilled hockey player, Nick was the team’s Rookie of the Year in the 2004-05 season and was named an OUA second team all star in 2008-09. | Vergeer ranked among the top five statistical leaders in all five years with the Hawks. In 2005, he was the team’s top point 4
Nick Vergeer The development of the Mavericks was announced in April of 2009. One month later, it was reported that former head coach of the Knoxville Ice Bears, Scott Hillman, would be taking over the reigns of the Mavericks. In his time coaching the Ice Bears in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), Hillman led the team to two consecutive President’s Cup championships as well as two Coffey Trophies, which are awarded to the team with the most regular season points.
On August 6th, 2009, it was announced that former Golden Hawk centre Mark Voakes had been signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones, the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators. As a Golden Hawk, Voakes was an invaluable part of the program. He obtained numerous team awards including team MVP twice 2006-07, 2008-09), and the Wilfrid Laurier University President’s Award in his final season. Provincial and national athletics nods include the OUA West Most Sportsmanlike Player (2006-07), OUA second team all-star(2006-07), OUA first team all-star (2007-08, Mark Voakes 2008-09), CIS first team allCanadian (2008-09) and the OUA MVP in 2008-09). Statistically, Mark was a front runner, leading the team in goals in 2006 and assists in 2007 and 2008. The Cyclones, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, were founded in 1990. The recent 2007-08 season saw much success for the team when, through 50 games, they were 31 games over 0.500. The team finished their regular season with 115 points, winning the Brabham Cup regular season championship. In May of 2008, the Cyclones beat the South Carolina Stingrays 2-1 in overtime, claiming the American Conference Championship. In the 2008-09 season, they won 41 games for 87 points, repeating as North Division champions. In 2009, the team hopes to go further. “Mark Voakes [comes] to us highly touted,” Cyclones head coach Chuck Weber commented. “[He] is considered one of the best Canadian collegiate players and is a gifted offensive player.” The Wilfrid Laurier University men’s varsity hockey program wishes all of its graduates the best of luck as they embark on their professional careers.