Dog days of school
Many players at the junior A level have aspirations to move on to go to school and play college hockey. And that is what several graduates of the Dryden Ice Dogs of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League have signed up for effective the 2022-2023 school season.
Teammates with Dryden during the 2021-2022 season, goalie Cole Johnston, defensemen Jordan Gagnon and Chase Muswagon and forwards Maxime Collette, Cameron Ware, Tristan Takats and Pineshish Whiteduck all have commitments to play for schools in either the National Collegiate Athletic Association or the American Collegiate Hockey Association for the 2022-2023 campaign. All have 2001 birth dates and helped Dryden to a third place finish during the 2021-2022 regular season and through two rounds of the playoffs before losing to the eventual SIJHL champion Red Lake Miners.
• Johnston is headed to Paxton, Massachusetts to tend goal for the Anna Maria College Amcats, a Division 3, NCAA school. Johnston joined the Ice Dogs as a free agent at the January 10 trade deadline and posted a regular season record of 4-4-2 with a 3.75 goals against average and .899 save percentage. He then took over as Dryden’s clear cut starter for the playoffs and backstopped the Ice Dogs through two rounds with a 5-3 record, 2.40 goals against average, .923 save percentage and two shutouts.
• Gagnon is also off to play Division 3, NCAA hockey. A lanky defender, Gagnon also went to Dryden at the trade deadline and rang up four goals, five assists, nine points in 19 regular season games. He then dished out one goal, six assists, seven points in nine playoff games for the Ice Dogs. Gagnon is headed to Reading, Pennsylvania to play for the Alvernia University Golden Wolves.
• Collette is taking his considerable scoring skills to the Division 3, NCAA level. Collette, who led the Ice Dogs and the entire SIJHL in scoring during the 2021-2022 season, is headed south of the border to play for the Northland College Lumberjacks. Northland is based in Ashland, Wisconsin. Collette tallied 45 goals, 36 assists, 81 points in 43 regular season games to capture the SIJHL scoring crown en route to being named the league’s most valuable player. He then added four goals, six assists, 10 points in nine games to complete his junior career in Dryden.
• Ware and Takats will be teammates again in the fall for the Maryville University Saints of the Division 1, ACHA. Maryville is based in St. Louis, Missouri. The 6-foot-6 Ware netted 17 goals, 28 assists, 45 points in 36 regular season games and then added three goals and three points in four playoff matches while serving as the team captain for Dryden. The 6-foot-7 Takats produced 27 goals, 27 assists, 54 points in 39 regular season games for the Ice Dogs. He then finished his junior career with one goal, one assist, two points in six playoff contests for Dryden.
• Muswagon and Whiteduck will be teammates again in the fall for the Sault College Cougars of the Division 2, ACHA ranks. Regular season and playoffs included, Muswagon mucked it up for one goal, six assists, seven points and 59 penalty minutes in 40 games for the Ice Dogs. Hailing from The Pas, Manitoba, Muswagon is known as a defensive defenseman and a good character individual. He will study Fish And Wildlife Conservation at Sault College. Meanwhile, hailing from Maniwaki, Quebec, the 6-foot-1, 190 pound Whiteduck totalled two goals, seven assists, nine points in 28 games, regular season and playoffs included, for Dryden during the 2022 segment of the recent SIJHL season. A shutdown forward with energy and speed and also a person of good character, Whiteduck was acquired by Dryden from the Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League at the January 10 trade deadline. He plans to study Business at Sault College. Both Muswagon and Whiteduck get to stay in Canada and play for an ACHA school. Sault College is the only Canadian men’s team in the entire ACHA ranks.
Great coverage Randy. Good to know where all these players have found the next level. Same education and calibre of hockey in a Canadian College at a fraction of the cost but it’s their call. I wish them all success in school and on the ice and we are very pleased with all our recruits and returnee’s.
The Dryden GM Ice Dog Program has fed many many many players into the college ranks in both Canada and in the USA for over 20 years.The program is committed to winning and developing the skills and the future for these hard working dedicated young men. There is yet one more commitment lingering right now and when that is announced it will represent a scholarship commitment for every 20 year old on the team last year. You simply can’t argue with success of that type of program. And in our barn we may be one of the hardest teams I. Canada to play against.