Chicago Steel Hockey: 2015

Monday, June 22, 2015

'Steel'-ing the spotlight

This Friday, the 2015 NHL Entry Draft kicks off in Sunrise, Florida. There are many USHL players alike that are eligible to get drafted into the pros, and last year's NHL Draft saw a record 35 USHL players drafted in the two days the draft took place, including two Chicago Steel players. Check out the infographic below to see which Steel players are in the spotlight for the upcoming draft!

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Alumni Check-In: Brendon Kearney

When you’re as passionate about hockey as Brendon Kearney is, there are no days off. The Steel alum and Northville, Mich. native is heading to rival Big 10 country to continue his playing career at Ohio State University this fall. Though both of his parents attended college at the University of Michigan, it didn’t take long for them to come around to the idea of Brendon donning the scarlet and gray in the name of the sport he loves.

The magnitude of the opportunity isn’t wasted on Brendon, either. He is spending his summer back home, working hard to prepare himself physically for his August arrival to Columbus. This includes daily workouts split between weight training and cardio. The rigor doesn’t bother him, though. According to Brendon, his commitment to excelling at the college level stems from his two seasons spent with the Steel. The assistant captain’s career stats in Chicago totaled 100 games played and 19 goals scored along with 32 assists, amassing 51 total points. He attributes good coaching and the high level of competition he faced in the USHL as pivotal reasons for his success and elevated level of play.

Though his mentality is firmly centered on work, Brendon says he has been able to escape the grind to take in a few Detroit Tigers games this season, some much deserved fun for the self-proclaimed baseball fanatic. He and his family will also be heading to Costa Rica for vacation soon and Brendon’s greatest concern lies not with what to pack but with staying on track physically. He is looking forward to relaxing, but not until he has finished his morning workout.

With a bright future ahead of him, Brendon has stayed humble and grateful. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my time in Chicago,” he noted. Neither would the Steel. His contributions to the organization both on and off the ice won’t be forgotten and his future success is imminent and well-deserved. --Madeline Lena

Photo by MJB Images

Monday, June 1, 2015

Meet the Interns: Summer 2015

Chris Kwiecinski - Media Relations Intern

Chris Kwiecinski is a senior at Bradley University, where he majors in Sports Communication and minors in Social Media Marketing. He hails from the Chicago suburb Vernon Hills, which is 45 minutes north of the city, and is an aspiring sports journalist. When it comes to sports experience, Chris isn’t a Michael Jordan, as his last time playing organized sports came on the court of his eighth grade basketball team. However, he is no stranger in the sports world, as he’s covered club hockey, NCAA basketball, baseball and soccer at the Division I level as the Sports Editor of the Bradley Scout Newspaper. He also assists with game day operations on the Braves Vision crew in Bradley Athletics department. As a hockey fan, Chris roots sportively for his hometown Chicago Blackhawks. But, he also keeps track of Winnipeg Jets defenseman, and Blackhawk alumni, Dustin Byfuglien, who is his favorite player. When he has downtime, Chris enjoys diving into Netflix, where he is currently binge watching the doctor comedy Scrubs, or listening to his favorite musical artists, which include Chance the Rapper, Childish Gambino and Neil Diamond. On Friday nights, you can find Chris at the Portillos off of Route 60 enjoying a classic cheeseburger with everything on it, planning a vacation to Tybee Island in sunny Georgia.

Emily Schmalbach - Media Relations Intern

Born and raised in Chicago, Ill., Schmalbach joins the Steel as in intern for the Media Relations Department. Graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Communication, she worked for their Athletic Department for three years. Growing up in Chicago, she has been a Blackhawks fan for twenty years. The Hawks alone didn't interest her, but the love of the game did. Schmalbach is a fan of hockey in general, and how many of the athletes represent themselves and their organization. Her favorite player is Tyler Seguin because of his actions on and off the ice. Schmalbach's hobbies include softball, roller hockey with friends, traveling, and listening to country music. With the Steel, she hopes to further her knowledge in hockey operations.

Madeline Lena - Media Relations Intern

Madeline Lena, a native of Oak Park, Ill., recently graduated from Saint Louis University with a degree in Communication and Sports Business. She has a passion for sports and storytelling that guide her career aspirations in sports media. Her favorite food is hot sauce and she would trust Duncan Keith with her life due to his reliability. Madeline lives and dies by the Entourage gang and is optimistic for the movie, but her unrelenting film of choice is and will always be Forrest Gump. She enjoys all music except for country, and finds herself in a constant state of disadvantage throughout everyday due to her left-handedness.

Matthew Johnson - Sales Intern

Born and raised in Burbank, Ill., Matthew is a senior at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Some of Matthew's previous work experience includes being the Athletic Equipment Room Assistant for Ball State Intercollegiate Athletics. Matthew has also worked with Game Operations during his time at Ball State, assisting with their game day parking and promotions. Along with his time at Ball State, Matthew has helped the Mid-American Conference with their on the field Instant Replay during the 2014 football season. Some of Matthew’s favorite things include traveling to Australia, watching Chicago Fire or watching his favorite movie Space Jam. On his down time, he likes to listen to music and enjoys playing/watching sports. His favorite sport to watch is hockey, along with his favorite team the Chicago Blackhawks, or watching his favorite player, Carey Price.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month: Tanner Laczynski

The Chicago Steel would like to congratulate forward Tanner Laczynski on being named the CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month.

Laczynski scored four goals and added four assists over the Steel’s five games in April. He finished the season third in scoring on the Steel with 46 points (18g, 28a) in 57 games. The Shorewood, Ill. native posted four consecutive multi-point games in April, and earned CCM Forward of the Week honors in the final week of the regular season. The 6-foot, 182-pound forward is committed to the Ohio State University.

CJ Wilson Mazda is a proud sponsor of the Chicago Steel. With three dealerships across Chicagoland, CJ Wilson Mazda is one of the nation’s top Mazda dealer groups with one of the nation’s largest inventories. CJ Wilson isn’t your typical car guy, and CJ Wilson Mazda is not your typical car dealership. For more information on CJ Wilson Mazda, please visit http://zoomzoomnation.com/.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Scenes From the Steel Game

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

Photo by: MJB Images

WEEKEND MILESTONES

-Mikey Joyaux's goal on Friday gave him 20 points on the season.

-Mason Bergh had two assists on Friday to give him 40 assists for the season.

-John Ernsting scored his 10th goal of the season in Friday's win.

-Freddy Olofsson recorded his 60th point of the season on Friday.

-Ryan Blankemeier surpassed 30 points on the season in Cedar Rapids on Saturday.

-Connor Murphy recorded his 20th assist of the season, helping on Ryan Blankemeier's goal.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Chicago Steel Week 29 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have two games in the final week of the 2014-15 regular season. Friday night, the Steel host the Green Bay Gamblers in their home finale. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the Steel head to Cedar Rapids, with play set to begin at 7:05 p.m.

The Steel (29-26-3) defeated the Youngstown Phantoms in Wednesday’s annual School Day Game, 5-4, in their first shootout of the season. Zach Osburn tallied the game-winning shootout goal and Lassi Yrjola made 41 saves for the win in net. Last weekend, the Steel split their two games against Bloomington and Team USA. The Thunder took down the Steel 4-3 on Friday, but Chicago bounced back on Saturday, defeating the U-17 Juniors, 4-3. Freddy Olofsson and Mason Bergh continue to lead the Steel in scoring, each with 59 points on the season. Dennis Gilbert and Jake Jaremko were both named to NHL Central Scouting’s “Final Rankings” of North American players eligible for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Gilbert and Jaremko came in at No. 58 and No. 110, respectively. Gilbert is now listed as the top-ranked USHL Defenseman eligible for the upcoming draft.

The Green Bay Gamblers (18-32-8) have struggled this season and are in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Gamblers dropped both of their games this past week, losing to Bloomington and Dubuque. The Steel are 3-1-1 against Green Bay this season. Mason Bergh has tallied ten points across the five meetings, including a six-point effort back in September. Lassi Yrjola is 2-0 against the Gamblers and recorded his only shutout of the season back in January in Green Bay.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (38-20-0) currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference and have qualified for the postseason for the second straight year. Cedar Rapids lost both of their road games last weekend. They will travel to Waterloo on Friday prior to hosting the Steel on Saturday evening. Erik Foley (52 points), Andrew Oglevie (51 points) and Jiri Fronk (49 points) lead the RoughRiders in scoring. The Steel are 0-2-1 against Cedar Rapids this year.

Tickets for Friday’s game can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Following Friday’s home game, we will have Skate with the Steel open to all fans! Skate rentals will be available for $1.00.

Friday, April 3, 2015

CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month: Carson Vance

The Chicago Steel would like to congratulate defenseman Carson Vance on being named the CJ Wilson Mazda Player of the Month.

In the month of March, Vance led all Steel defenseman in scoring with nine points (3g, 6a) all in his first 10 games with the team. Acquired from the Youngstown Phantoms at the trade deadline, Vance has been off to a hot start for the Steel, highlighted by an overtime game winning goal against Team USA on the 14th.

CJ Wilson Mazda is a proud sponsor of the Chicago Steel. With three dealerships across Chicagoland, CJ Wilson Mazda is one of the nation’s top Mazda dealer groups with one of the nation’s largest inventories. CJ Wilson isn’t your typical car guy, and CJ Wilson Mazda is not your typical car dealership. For more information on CJ Wilson Mazda, please visit http://zoomzoomnation.com/

Chicago Steel Week 28 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have a pair of home games this weekend. Friday at 7:30 p.m., the Steel will face off against the Bloomington Thunder. Saturday, the Steel welcome Team USA to the Edge Ice Arena, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.

The Steel (27-25-3) split their two games last weekend. A road loss to Team USA U-18 was followed by a 2-1 home victory against Madison. John Schilling scored twice in the first period on Saturday and Lassi Yrjola made 33 saves to hold off Madison and secure the win. Freddy Olofsson tallied one goal and three assists over the weekend, tying him with Mason Bergh for the team points lead (56).

The Bloomington Thunder (25-24-7) are tied with Chicago with 57 points this season. The Thunder dropped both of their games last weekend, falling to Sioux Falls and Waterloo. This season, Bloomington has won four of the five contests against the Steel, with all five decided by a single goal. Olofsson and Bergh have each recorded hat tricks against the Thunder this season.

Team USA’s two teams have compiled a record of 24-29-3 this season. The U-17 squad lost twice to Sioux City last weekend. The Steel took three of a possible four points against the U-17 Juniors in their January back-to-back. Connor Murphy (1g, 1a), John Ernsting (2a) and Mason Bergh (2a) each posted two points across the two games.

Tickets for both games can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Reminder that this is Housing Family Appreciation Weekend! All suites for housing billets are $100 on Friday and Saturday. Please call the Steel Ticket Office to reserve your suite!

Thursday, April 2, 2015

All Access: J.D. Dudek

Photo by: MJB Images

Prior to the United States Hockey League trade deadline in March, the Steel acquired forward J.D. Dudek from the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Hailing from Auburn, N.H., Dudek has made an immediate impact with the Steel scoring three goals and adding two assists in ten games. Dudek burst onto the hockey scene in High School, as he was fortunate enough to capture two state titles with two different schools. After captaining his prep school to the Small School State Championship one year ago, Dudek was selected by the New Jersey Devils in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Dudek is committed to Boston College and will suit up for the Eagles at the conclusion of his USHL career. We had a chance to talk to the Steel Center about his accomplished past and his bright future.

Q: You’ve been with the Steel for close to one month now. How would you describe your first month in Chicago and what has that transition been like coming to a new team midseason?

A: It’s been awesome. The coaching staff and my teammates have all made the transition pretty easy for me and I’ve been able to produce here so that’s helped out a lot. City-wise, it has been very different because there is not much going on in Dubuque. We used to make hour and a half trips to Chipotle in Madison, and now I can go ten minutes down the road. It’s been great though, the city is great and the team is awesome.

Q: In your first weekend with the Steel, you scored the game-winning goal against your former team (Dubuque). What was that like to not only play against your former teammates but also to score the game-winning goal against them?

A: It was definitely different, especially with it being the first week since the trade. It was awesome to get back out on the ice with those guys and to get a couple wins with my new team. It was pretty fun and special.

Q: Your dad was a very accomplished college football player. When did you first start playing hockey and was there any push from your family to go the football route?

Photo by: MJB Images

A: There was no push at all. My parents were both good athletes and they never wanted to force me to play anything. I started playing hockey when I was 8 years old. The only thing my dad told me was that if I wasn’t going to play football he wanted me to try one thing, and that was the Punt, Pass and Kick Competition. So I tried that out and actually did well. I won the state competition and then regionals as well. Overall, I placed seventh nationally. But he has started to love hockey. He may even love watching hockey more than football now. He sets a timer for when the Bruins games are happening so he’s definitely grown to love the sport like I have.

Q: Can you talk about your high school playing career and what it was like to capture two state championships?

A: I played my freshman and sophomore year of high school at Pinkerton Academy (Derry, NH). I was lucky enough to play on a line with Zach Sanford, who is at Boston College this year and was drafted by the Capitols as well. It’s pretty rare to find that in a New Hampshire Division I public school. My sophomore year, his junior year, we won the state championship. After that, I transferred to Kimball Union Academy (Meriden, NH) for my junior/senior seasons. My senior year I was captain and we won the Small School Championship. My time there at prep school was awesome just because of the coaches and the players. I was coached by Coach [Mike] Levine my junior year, who is now the assistant coach at Brown. My senior year I was captain and coached by Coach [Tim] Whitehead, who was the coach at UMaine. So the whole experience was awesome.

Q: What was the college recruiting process like for you and what ultimately led to your commitment to Boston College?

A: To be honest, it was pretty different from what most kids go through. I know it’s a pretty long process for most but mine actually happened pretty quickly. I wasn’t really on anyone’s radar and then I was lucky enough to go to the National Camp, which is a pretty highly scouted tournament. I played really well and was in the top three in scoring by the end of the camp and I was pretty much on the phone the entire eight-hour ride back. I was fortunate enough to tour BC and get an offer from them, so the choice happened pretty quickly.

Photo by: MJB Images

Q: Last year, you were drafted in the sixth round by the New Jersey Devils. Can you describe your draft day experience and what it meant to you to be drafted by the Devils?

A: I talked about it with my family and said that since it was my draft year, whether or not I get drafted I would love to go to Philly and soak in the experience. I was pretty certain I wasn’t going first round but my dad and I went anyway just to check it out. It was funny because I would look up at the board when they would call the player names, especially when it was a team that had talked to me. The team right before the Devils was a team that I had talked to pretty frequently and when they didn’t call my name, I put my head down. The Devils were the last team I talked to, two days before the draft, and when that pick happened it was the only time of the draft that I wasn’t looking up at the board. But overall it was special, and to go to New Jersey where it’s a world-class organization is awesome. I also have a couple buddies that were drafted there. The whole experience, to be there with my family, was surreal.

Q: Of all the things that you have accomplished in your hockey career, which stands out to you the most?

A: I’m a huge team guy so the Small School Championship we won at KUA definitely stands out. We had six or seven returning guys and 16 new guys coming in because we had 16 seniors the year before. And we had a brand new coach. So to captain that year and show leadership, we were able to completely turn it around after it was expected to not be a great year.

Q: How do you feel going into this weekend against Bloomington and Team USA?

A: We feel confident. We had a great start after the trade deadline. It went down hill a little bit since then but we’ve been doing all the right things. I think we will be able to get back on track this weekend. It’s actually the first time my dad will be here in Chicago as well so it will be a special weekend for me.

Photo by: MJB Images

Friday, March 27, 2015

Chicago Steel Week 27 Game Preview

The Chicago Steel have two games against Eastern Conference foes this weekend. Friday, the Steel head to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on Team USA at 7 p.m. EST. Saturday, the Steel return to the Edge Ice Arena as they host the Madison Capitols at 7 p.m. CST.

The Steel (26-24-3) lost both of their home games last weekend, as they were unable to hold onto third-period leads against Sioux Falls and Youngstown. Sioux Falls scored four goals in the third period on Saturday to take down the Steel 7-5. The Steel held a 3-2 third-period lead on Sunday but were unable to hold off Youngstown as the Phantoms won their USHL record 17th straight game. Freddy Olofsson scored his team-high 25th goal of the 2014-15 campaign. Defenseman Carson Vance had a career-high three-point game on Saturday and now has nine points in eight games with the Steel.

Team USA has compiled a record of 23-27-2 this season. Last weekend, the U-18 Juniors defeated the Lincoln Stars in back-to-back games. Last time these two teams faced off, the Steel held on for a 5-4 overtime victory. Forward Auston Matthews has totaled 44 points in 22 games with Team USA this season. Matthews and teammate Matthew Tkachuk are both currently riding 11-game point streaks.

Madison (21-21-11) earned one point last weekend, losing to both Cedar Rapids (in overtime) and Sioux City. This is the sixth and final time Madison and Chicago will face each another this season. Chicago is 4-1 against Madison this season, outscoring the Capitols 22-10 over their previous five matchups. Madison has a very balanced offensive attack, with Haralds Egle, Freddy Gerard and Mitch Hults all tied with a team-high 33 points this season. Goaltender Darren Smith has posted an impressive .913 save percentage this year.

Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased by calling the Steel Ticket Office at 630-594-1161 or by visiting tickets.chicagosteelhockeyteam.com. Reminder that April 3 & 4 is Housing Family Appreciation Weekend! All suites for housing billets are $100. Please call the Steel Ticket Office to reserve your suite!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Player Appearance: John L. Sipley Elementary School

The Chicago Steel would like to thank the staff and students of Sipley Elementary for welcoming us into your school today in conjunction with our Hockey 101 and Score with Reading programs! Steel players Jake Bresser and Jake Jaremko had the opportunity to read to the Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students while John Schilling, John Ernsting and Matt Kiersted played hockey with the 4th, 5th and 6th graders. The students were very excited to meet the players and are looking forward to attending this Saturday's Steel game against the Madison Capitols!