Remembering Kent State NCAA Hockey

USCHO.com has published the piece I wrote on the demise of the NCAA Division I men's hockey program at Kent (State) 22 years ago. Though the NCAA and CCHA are long gone from the Kent Ice Arena, hockey is still thriving on the Ohio campus in the form of a successful club program.

Saw Kent play several times in Fairbanks, Alaska when I was working at UAF in 1991-92. The Golden Flashes ceased play before I got to Michigan State in the fall of 1994. Hard to believe they've been gone so long.

Vesey Signs with Rangers

Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Jimmy Vesey has finally found an NHL landing spot.

The Harvard graduate, who finished his Crimson career with 80 goals and 66 assists for 144 points in four seasons, according to USCHO.com, inked a free-agent deal on Friday with the New York Rangers, as reported by multiple sources. Full terms were not immediately disclosed.

Originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Vesey ultimately did not sign with them after completing his career at Harvard this spring. He also did not sign with the Buffalo Sabres, who recently traded with Nashville for his rights, before becoming a free agent exactly a week ago.

The son of former Merrimack forward Jim Vesey, he led the ECAC this past season with 20-17—37 points in 25 league contests, and finished with 24-22—46 points in 33 outings overall. A native of North Reading, Mass., he prepped with the South Shore Kings (EJHL) prior to skating in Cambridge, recording 91 points in 45 games in 2011-12, according to hockeydb.com.

Vesey 23, led the Crimson to the 2015 ECAC Tournament championship, while also earning the Walter Brown Award that season as the top American-born player in New England Division I men's collegiate hockey after tallying 58 points in 37 appearances. He copped All-America accolades as a junior and senior, and was also named ECAC Player of the Year in both those campaigns, while helping Harvard to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths.

Former BC Forward Janney to Join U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Former NHL forward Craig Janney (Boston College) will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame this year, along with members of the U.S. squad that won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, according to USCHO.com.

Janney, 48, from Enfield, Conn. played two seasons at BC, notching 41 goals and 69 assists for 110 points in 71 games from 1985 to 1987. His 55 assists and 83 points as a sophomore still stand as single-season school records, and he also earned First Team All-America accolades that year while guiding the Eagles to both the Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles. Born in Hartford, he prepped at Enfield High School and Deerfield Academy before suiting up for the Eagles.

After skating with the American team at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Janney embarked upon a 12-

year NHL career, beginning with the Boston Bruins, who drafted him 13th overall in 1986. As a rookie, he helped Boston to the 1988 Stanley Cup Final after recording 6-10— 16 points in 23 playoff games that spring, He also helped the Bruins to the 1990 Stanley Cup Final, and also went on to play with the St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders before retiring in 1999. In 760 career NHL regular-season outings, Janney tallied 188-563—751 points, along with 24-86—110 points in 120 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, according to hockeydb.com, while never playing a game in the minor leagues. His highest-scoring season came in 1992-93 in St. Louis, when he registered 24-82—106 points in 84 appearances with the Blues.       

Janney joins Bill Guerin (Class of 2013), Brian Leetch (Class of 2008), the late John Cuniff (Class of 2003), Len Ceglarski (Class of 1992) and the late John A. “Snooks” Kelley (Class of 1974) as former Eagles who have been inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, as stated at bceagles.com.

The 1996 U.S World Cup team, which defeated Canada in a best-of-three final-round series to win the inaugural title, featured former NCAA forwards Tony Amonte (Boston University), Bill Guerin (BC), Brett Hull (Minnesota-Duluth), John LeClair (Vermont), Shawn McEachern (BU), Joel Otto (Bemidji State), Brian Rolston (Lake Superior State), BryanSmolinski (Michigan State), Keith Tkachuk (BU), Doug Weight (LSSU) and Scott Young (BU). It also included former NCAA defensemen Shawn Chambers (Alaska Fairbanks), Chris Chelios (Wisconsin), Brian Leetch (BC) and Gary Suter (Wisconsin), plus former NCAA goaltenders Jim Carey (Wisconsin), Guy Hebert (Hamilton) and Mike Richter (Wisconsin). The coaching staff consisted of head coach Ron Wilson (Providence), along with associate coaches John Cunniff (BC), Paul Holmgren (Minnesota) and Keith Allain (Yale). Holmgren will serve assistant general manager of Team USA for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Also slated to be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame this year will be Normand “Bill” Belisle, according to usahockey.com. Belisle has served as head coach for over 40 years at Rhode Island schoolboy power Mount Saint Charles Academy, and has sent numerous players on to both the NCAA and NHL ranks. The induction ceremony will be held at the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn. at a time and date to be announced.