NAHL Alumni Update
October 15, 2014
It is time for the first installment of the NAHL alumni update for the 2014-15 season. Both the NCAA and the NHL got into full swing this past weekend and NAHL alumni were busy making an impact.
Over 350 NAHL alumni are on NCAA Division I rosters this season and 60 NAHL alumni began the season on 2014-15 NHL opening night rosters. The list also includes five of the 30 starting goalies in the NHL. They include Craig Anderson (Ottawa), Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay), Jimmy Howard (Detroit), Ryan Miller (Vancouver) and Cory Schnieder (New Jersey). That list of alumni includes former Austin Bruins defenseman Christian Folin, who signed with the Wild this past Spring after spending two seasons in the NCAA with UMass-Lowell. Folin played in the 2012 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.
ISS Hockey, the world's leading independent scouting and information provider on hockey prospects, has named its top 30 freshmen in NCAA hockey, a list that has two former NAHL players on it. "It looks like very exciting season ahead for college hockey fans," ISS director of scouting Dennis MacInnis said. "This is very strong group of freshmen.”
The list includes former Janesville Jets forward Robin Hoglund, who is a freshman at the University of Minnesota. Hoglund is ranked #24 on the list and a veteran of two NAHL seasons, including playing the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament.
Currently Colorado College freshman goaltender Chase Perry is #28 on the list. Perry played last season for the Wenatchee Wild and also played in the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2014 NHL Draft.
In the NCAA this past week, several NAHL alums were recognized. Former Topeka RoadRunners goalie Rasmus Tirronen was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week. The senior Merrimack goaltender shut the door on Holy Cross this past weekend and helped the Merrimack Warriors start the season off with two victories. Logging 119:57 in ice time, Tirronen turned away 49 of the 52 shots he faced (.942 SV%) and owns a 1.50 GAA out of the gate.
Former Fairbanks Ice Dogs goalie Steve Perry was named the ECAC Goalie of the Week. Perry backstopped Clarkson to a weekend sweep on the road, allowing just one goal in each win. The Ligonier, Pennsylvania native stopped a combined 32 saves in close contests at Niagara (3-1) and RIT (3-1). He recorded a 1.00 goals-against average, while posting a .941 save percentage mark for the two contests.
The ECAC Rookie of the Week was former Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings forward Nolan Gluchowski. Gluchowski became the league’s leading rookie scorer after week one with four points. In two weekend games the Wixom, Michigan native had two assists in 5-2 loss to RIT and recorded a goal and an assist in a 10-2 win over Niagara before being injured in the third period.
The Atlantic Hockey Association Rookie of the Week was former NAHL forward Johno May, who most recently played for the Minnesota Wilderness. May also has playing experience with Bismarck and Janesville and also played in the NA3HL. May, a freshman at American International, scored a goal and had the primary assist on another in his first collegiate game, striking for the game’s opening tally against the Union Dutchmen and then setting up a power play goal early in the third to bring his team back within two.
