UMD returns a lineup loaded with proven scorers as they gun
for a return to WCHA supremacy


There’s a the buzz in air on the shores of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee, and it’s not the Gales of November blowing in. The arrival of a team nearly as deep as the 1,290-foot lake has hockey fans filled with excitement, and thoughts of a second trip to the Frozen Four in as many years has sent them into shivers like only a January night in Duluth could. But it’s understandable; it’s been a long time coming.

It was 1993 the last time Bulldogs captured the MacNaughton Cup. Derek Plante was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Chris Marinucci was a year away from winning the award and the Bulldogs were a mere game away from advancing to the Frozen Four in Milwaukee. Lake Superior State sunk that season and UMD hasn’t been close to returning to college hockey’s championship since. Enter last season, when UMD beat intra-state rival and defending national champion Minnesota to advance to the Frozen Four in Boston, and just like an Evan Schwabe one-timer, wham! UMD fans are back out of the woodwork.

“There is no doubt, last season was great not only for our players and program, but also for the fans,” said coach and Hibbing native Scott Sandelin, who returns for his fifth season behind the Bulldog bench. “Obviously people are very excited about our finish last year. Season-ticket sales are going great and it’ll be fun to see the rink full again this season.”

Not only will the seats at the DECC be full, but the Bulldog roster is stacked up like cordwood as well. The senior class brings a wealth of experience and production, led by Evan Schwabe, whose 57 points last season tops all returning players in the WCHA.

“I attribute the recent success of our program to recruiting kids who want to come in and make a difference,” said Sandelin. “The biggest thing is team chemistry. The attitude has changed around here and each year the bar has gotten raised.”
It’s not just how high the bar has been raised that is on the minds of fans young and old in Duluth, but also how high it will be raised. UMD has never won a national championship — they came painfully close in 1984 when they lost in the championship game to Bowling Green 5-4 in four overtimes, and then again the following season when they lost in the semifinals to RPI 6-5 in triple overtime.

“There is a great tradition of hockey here, no doubt,” said Sandelin. “We haven’t won a national championship and that’s something that you always hope that you can do. [The trip to the Frozen Four in] Boston was a huge thing for our community and program, and more importantly for our guys to get that experience. You can talk about getting to certain places or playing for certain things, but I think that you have to go through those experiences.”

The big game experience from last season, as well as his entire coaching and playing career, is something that Sandelin will take with him this winter not only in the Bulldogs’ pursuit of the WCHA title, but also to the World Junior Championships, where he will lead the U.S. team in their defense of the gold medal.

Sandelin spent a couple of weeks this summer at the U.S. Team tryout camp scouting the top talent to help determine which players will make that final roster. He also spent a few weeks running a youth hockey camp, which made for quite a difference in viewing talent. And at the youth level, there are some noticeable trends in player development.

“I think, overall, youth hockey has become too structured, too many games and not enough focus on skill development,” said Sandelin. “USA Hockey has a lot of great player development models, such as the cross rink program, where you can play three games at once, rather than full ice, where you see far too many kids are standing around. The thing I don’t want to see is kids losing their desire to play hockey.

“I also believe that there is too much focus at young ages on identifying A, B and C players. Kids develop at different ages and a C player one season could be an A player a year or two down the line. Just let the kids go out and be kids.

“The other thing that I’d like to see at the youth levels is when the local high school team is playing, there shouldn’t be any practices or games. Those kids should be at the game watching. You can learn a lot from watching games, and especially from the kids on the high school team. You want those kids to grow up aspiring to be in that position.”

While preparing for this season full of anticipation and expectations, Sandelin also found some time to enjoy time at the lake with his family. But as for the anticipation? It runs throughout the family. Sandelin has a young boy who, like himself, can’t wait to get back on the ice this winter.

“My boy keeps asking when he can get back on the ice, which I really like,” says Sandelin. “He played baseball and soccer this summer and enjoyed activities other than hockey, which I believe is important. Now, when the weather changes and hockey season is around the corner, rather than being worn out from being in the rink all summer, he’ll be excited and ready to play.”

On the shores of Gitche Gumee, there are thousands of UMD fans who hope that this is the case, not only with the young Sandelin lad, but also with a talented team that just might finally bring that NCAA championship cargo to port.