The WCHA
Posted by jtbourne on April 3, 2009 · 17 Comments
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That gorilla of a human, David (Silver)Backes, scored four goals for the St. Louis Blues last night. In college, we played against Backes for three years, and he was the picture of the guy I was waiting to be an NHL star (mostly because at one point, an NHL scout called me “the poor man’s David Backes” – still not sure how to take that, but I knew I needed him to be a really good NHLer for me to have any chance at cracking the league).
Backes is just one of many stars to emerge from the WCHA, the NCAA conference where my poor University of Alaska seems to sadly be one of two perennial non-contenders (Michigan Tech is usually in the hunt for the ten-seed as well). The league is insanely deep, moreso than any other college conference (with honorable mention to the CCHA and Hockey East). Take a look at the list of some of the players I played against in college, from 2003 – 2007:
Tomas Vanek — Zach Parise — Travis Zajack — David Backes — Paul Stastny — Keith Ballard — Phil Kessel — Kyle Okposo —Alex Goligoski — Matt Niskanen — Mason Raymond — Blake Wheeler — Joe Pavelski — TJ Oshie — Jonathan Toews — Matt Carle — Tom Gilbert — Drew Stafford
There’s a whole bunch of others, but I either didn’t think the guy was worthy of mention or I didn’t like him.
For a list of all ex-WCHAers currently in the NHL, check here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=puUzT1X4h9sQYAzuOPvdaMQ
Curtis Glencross was the only teammate of mine to establish himself as a full time NHLer, but mark my words, Sound Tigers goaltender Nathan Lawson will be the next (the goalie beside me in that picture).
So that was my plug. There are six NCAA Division 1 conferences, and since 1951 the WCHA has won 36 National Championships. Something to keep in mind for any players or anybody with kids with the opportunity to play college hockey.
“UAA. UAA. We are the Seawolves and we’re ready to play”.
Ugh. That song was abolished the second Charlie Kronschnabel and I got letters on our jerseys.
Attending the University of Alaska Anchorage allowed me to play against the best college players in North America. People are occasionally curious about my decision to choose Alaska after flying down to other schools like New Hampshire, but for me it was an obvious decision. Alaska was offering a full scholarship to play major minutes in a premier league.
Playing anywhere in the WCHA gives players the necessary exposure to pro scouts, and if you’re good enough, they’ll find you. Take Paul Crowder, a three-year Seawolf, who just signed an NHL deal with the Rangers.
There. My college and conference have both officially been plugged. I’m proud to have been a Seawolf, and proud of the major moments we had – like upsetting the #3 seeded Wisconsin in a best of three playoff series to go to the WCHA final five – in their building.
UAA. UAA. We are the Seawolves and we’re ready to play. God I wish you could’ve heard that song…
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with an NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL (last year was 2008-09). My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now the web editor for theScore's hockey blog "Backhand Shelf."
Just watched Charlie play here in Houston last night. Got in a fight with our scrappy PIM guy. I’d pay them not to do that again. Was really hoping he wouldn’t do anything so I wouldn’t have to type his name in my post-gamer. “Okay, *look at game notes* KR *game notes* ON *notes* SCH *notes* NABEL.”
Is that logo supposed to be Sarah Palin? Its worse than Vancouver’s hockey stick !!!! ok i gotta stop reading this blog I have work to do
Ahhh I was waiting for you to hype up the Seapups sometime soon my friend! Well done sir. As for the song, I grew up with that song and it still holds a place in my heart. I am going to start a letter writing campaign to bring it back! I was at F St last night and was watching the David Backes show and was just in awe. I told anyone who would listen that his last year at Mankato he was the BEST college hockey player in the nation. The kid was on FIAH! As for you Pat, the Seawolf logo is one of the best logos ever made by man!
The real secret, that nobody knows (but apparently me), is that the logo wasn’t made by man. It was made by the mythical creature of the sea himself, using only starfish, sand dollars, barnacles and seahorses.
PS I’m jealous you get to be at F Street. Sucks that my favourite bar is a thousand bucks and 24 travel hours away at all times.
St. Louis has a small fleet of these guys coming up, next year they gotta make the dance (could have even happened this year without the bad injury luck). Boyes, McDonald, Johnson, Steen, Backes, E.Johnson, Oshie, Berglund, Perron, all under contract for next year, and the last four are on rookie deals under a million. If Chris Mason plays well that central division is going to be a fortress (radulov back in a preds jersey with an extra 10 mil in the bank?)
On a related note, it’s interesting to see a sudden interest in underrated players from the NCAA from a few GM’s. Maybe there is something to this whole edumacation thing…
The first Johnson I’m referring to there is Jimmy Johnson, a young guy who still works in the front office but shoots like Fulton Reed
Hahah, a Fulton Reed reference, nice. I remember when the Blues had the all-time pro-sports record of consecutive post seasons made a few years ago, at 23. I didn’t like seeing them suck for a bit there, but you’re right, they’re off and running now. Those rookie contracts are valuable now, if you get good young guys, cause it frees up so much cap space to get legitimate game-changers, which you BADLY need to get through a best-of-seven.
Senior year, game three, 1-1, third period. I have a one on two on E. Johnson and some other guy, and try to fake middle then cut back outside on Johnson, intending to put the puck under his stick. One on two, get the puck deep and forecheck. But I had him beat, both defensemen collapsed to the middle. I cut back outside, and the puck caught his skate on the way back to the outside. He coralled it, and moved up to his forwards (one of which was Okposo), who now have a 2 on 2, but still manage to score, because they’re f’ing good.
Hope you enjoyed college, better luck next year.
I’ve been a huge fan of the blog for awhile and I really like how much a fan of the WCHA you are and I giggled incessantly when awhile back you posted a picture of the Badgers starting line up being called talking about playing in hostile buildings. So I guess it’s only fair you ruined a great article by reminding me of that series; I watched you beat my badgers that year, so here’s to hoping “What’s a Seawolf” is still ringing in your ears. Keep writing, it really resonates with people who love the game.
Haha, good to hear from you. We almost did it again the very next year, in the Dane County Building – took the Badgers to 3 games, and even led 4 – 2 going into the 3rd period before losing game one. Pavelski single-handedly saved the Badgers from a repeat, scoring on a neat goal-line play to give you guys a 2 – 1 win in the third game.
Well kudos to you. Wisonsin has the best fans anywhere in the league, and it was my favourite place to play. That and Mariucci, of course. As far as I’m concerned, The Ralph in NoDak wasn’t half as fun.
Oh, and one more thing: we always kind of agreed; I have no good answer to whats a Seawolf, aside from a mythical sea creature that hopefully eats badgers. I used to chant that whenever any Mickey Mouse decision was made by a staff member.
Great write up Justin. UAA will have their day, they were so close this year. One of only two WCHA teams to beat the Sioux at the Ralph. Lots of road wins against top ranked teams, and look how far Duluth went this year. UAA was 3-0-1 against them.
I finally got my lazy ass around to linking to you from my blog. It’s something I meant to do since we all saw your first entry. I’m very untimely with such housekeeping tasks. Hopefully, the WordPress software can handle the extra reader that my linking will bring in.
In any case, you know we love you pumping up the Seawolves tires! The next couple of years should be pretty good in terms of chances to make you proud.
Thanks Donald! You do a great job on your blog, I enjoyed checking it out.
My boss now refers to me as “the poor man’s Justin Bourne.”
I hated you and Charlie for a bit for getting rid of that song, you would understand if you grown up here buddy! Especially if you came back to your hometown to play and use to song it when you were a kid! Punk!! LOL
lovy
p.s. Hope all’s well kid!
Haha, please. Kronsch abuses me for every article that includes “…enter —-” whoever it is. The classic Doyle Woody story technique. Thanks for giving me something good to read in college. Your articles are an apt explanation of what’s actually happening, mine are a made up conglomerate of garbage.
Hey buddy, as an ’07 alumni of UND and a die-hard Isles fan, thanks for giving the Sioux someone to beat on… most of the time. As it turns out, the December game that you beat the Sioux in ’04, I broke up with an ex-girlfriend at my fraternity house after the game.
Thanks to UAA and UND (for their awful effort) for putting me in a salty enough mood to end that crappy relationship with a girl who had horse teeth.
Keep writing, chief.
Great blog Justin. I just wanted to plug the link for the song. Keep up the great work.
http://www.goseawolves.com/downloads1/15220.wma?ATCLID=748867&SPSID=58481&SPID=6377&DB_OEM_ID=13400