The Ole Miss Club Hockey team is full of rookies, and the new guys on the roster have a lot of potential. There is a lot to go over, seeing as several of the new players will be instant contributors for the team. Each player comes with their own strengths and weaknesses, so what should Ole Miss fans expect from the newbies?
Offense
Mathew Baines
Baines’ best quality is his locker room presence. He is mature and determined. Something I find fascinating about him is that he was, and still might be, a Chicago firefighter. Head Coach Josh Herbert said as far as his talent on this ice goes, he is, “not where he needs to be to compete at this level.”
The coaches and Baines know that. I have a lot of hope for him, since he still has time to develop into an excellent player.
Aidan Kane
He has a lot of skill and is pretty fast. His tall, but small frame may be his biggest fault; however, plenty of players have been undersized and still succeeded in the league.
He has a decent shot and could scratch the lineup. At tryouts, the first impression of Kane was that he seemed to be a “one-man-show,” having said that, he was just trying to stand out, so he held onto the puck for a little longer than he should have. For Kane to develop, he should work on his skating.
Evan Wenzel
Wenzel is 5-foot-8-inches tall but plays like he is 6-foot-2-inches. He probably will not overpower anyone, but he will certainly try. Wenzel has good vision and is a gritty player. I like that Wenzel grinds for the puck; the team could use that skill.
Andrew Barrasso
Offensive Coach Blake Gray described Barrasso as a skilled player with good vision. He is physical and, like Wenzel, grinds for the puck. Barrasso is also quick and has good hands and a good shot. He just needs in-game reps, and he will be ready to play at the College Hockey Federation level.
Luke Maher
Maher has one of the best shots and is possibly the fastest skater on the team. He is a top player for the Rebs with good hands and unmatched determination.
Mike O’Malley
O’Malley is a spark plug for the offense. He is not as flashy as Barrasso or Maher, but he will get the job done.
Doyle Coughlin
Coughlin has excellent hands. He holds onto the puck a little too long for right now, but he will get better about that. He will be a good depth piece for the team this season.
Paul Talbot
Talbot could be a top player for Ole Miss. He said that he is better without the puck, and he can get himself into good positions on the ice, which will be vital to the success of this team. Talbot is a quick, shifty, and pass-first kind of player.
Defense
Aidan Emerson
Emerson is an excellent offensive defenseman. This may sound confusing, but it just means he is an aggressive defender; although his primary job is to prevent goals, he can score and rack up points in a hurry. Defensemen have led the team in scoring the past few seasons, and Emerson could continue that trend.
Ian Selissen
Selissen is an undersized defenseman, but he is an outstanding hockey player. He stood out during tryouts as one of the better players on the ice. He is always where he needs to be, and his shot, speed and puck handling are all pretty good.
Robert Brozyna
Brozyna is a big guy. He has some experience at the club hockey level; he transferred to Ole Miss from Xavier University. His leadership will be key for the team, and his experience is much-needed in a very youthful locker room.
Sam Davies
Sam is the brother of current team member Michael Davies. He is a bigger guy with a decent shot and is a physical player.
Goalies
Philip Sears
Sears is on the smaller end of goalies. I look forward to seeing how he performs at the CHS level as an undersized goalie. The primary goalie is on the injured reserve until late September, so Sears will get his fair share of time in the crease.
Joshua Millman
Millman is the opposite of Sears. He is a bigger guy and should be fine with adjusting to shots at the CHS level.
