Tuesday, May 31, 2011
College Alums Pursue Stanley Cup
With Vancouver and the Boston Bruins set to open their series Wednesday night, a former college player is assured of having his name on the Stanley Cup for the 36th consecutive season.
Thirteen former college players have appeared in the playoffs for the two Stanley Cup finalists, 11 of whom have suited up for the Presidents’ Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks. Among them are representatives of 12 schools and all five NCAA conferences.
Conn Smythe candidates like Tim Thomas (Vermont), Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) and Kevin Bieksa (Bowling Green) have been among the best players in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, but the impact of college players has been felt on every team. A total of 112 playoff goals have been scored by former college players, including 10 by Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis (Vermont), who shares the NHL lead in playoff goals.
Six of the remaining college players participated on the NCAA?s biggest stage, the Frozen Four – including one, Vancouver’s Chris Tanev (RIT), who did so last season. The Canucks’ Keith Ballard is the only player in the finals to have won an NCAA championship; he did so twice with Minnesota (2002 and ?03).
Six were also All-American selections, led by two-time All-Americans Thomas and Andrew Alberts (Boston College/Vancouver). Canuck teammates Ballard and Chris Higgins (Yale) were also finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
Boston has only dressed two former college players in the playoffs, the fewest of any playoff team. Four others made significant contributions to the Bruins during the regular season: Steve Kampfer (Michigan), who has been injured in the postseason, and Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Mark Stuart (Colorado College) and Blake Wheeler (Minnesota), who were traded by the Bruins.
Former College Players in the Finals
Vancouver
Andrew Alberts, Boston College – Two-time All-American; college teammate of Cory Schneider
Keith Ballard, Minnesota – Two-time NCAA champion; 2003-04 All-American and Hobey Baker finalist
Kevin Bieksa, Bowling Green – Led Falcon defensemen in scoring as junior and senior; honorable mention All-CCHA as a senior
Tanner Glass, Dartmouth – Team won the 2006 ECAC regular-season title; college teammates included Lee Stempniak, David Jones, Ben Lovejoy, Hugh Jessiman
Chris Higgins, Yale – 2002-03 All-American, Hobey Baker finalist and co-ECAC Player of the Year (with David LeNeveu)
Ryan Kesler, Ohio State – Honorable mention CCHA All-Rookie Team in 2002-03 (Jeff Tambellini was the league’s Rookie of the Year)
Victor Oreskovich, Notre Dame – Played for Dave Poulin (now with Toronto Maple Leafs) and current Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson
Mason Raymond, Minnesota Duluth – On the 2005-06 WCHA All-Rookie Team (with Chris Butler, Brian Lee, Phil Kessel and T.J. Oshie – all NHLers); 2006-07 first-team All-WCHA with UMD teammate Matt Niskanen (Pittsburgh)
Cory Schneider, Boston College – Played in two Frozen Fours and was an All-American in 2005-06
Jeff Tambellini, Michigan – All-American in 2004-05; team lost to Andrew Alberts’s BC team in the 2004 NCAA Tournament
Chris Tanev, RIT – Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year in 2009-10; helped lead RIT to the Frozen Four at Ford Field in Detroit
Boston
Rich Peverley, St. Lawrence – Led the Saints in scoring three times; three teammates were on NHL contracts this year: Drew Bagnall (Minnesota), T.J. Trevelyan (San Jose), John Zeiler (LA)
Tim Thomas, Vermont – Two-time All-American; helped lead Vermont to the 1996 Frozen Four