September 22, 2008

Season Outlook: Clarkson Anticipates Another Strong Season

The following article appeared September 22 on the Clarkson Web site.

With back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament, a pair of ECAC Hockey titles and consecutive 20-win campaigns over the past two seasons, Clarkson University Hockey has regained its presence among the top teams in the country. And although the Golden Knights graduated six key players who were very instrumental in the Green and Gold’s rise back to national prominence, sixth-year head coach George Roll is confident that Clarkson has the potential this season to once again challenge for league and national honors.

Roll, associate coach Greg Drechsel and assistant coach Jean-Francois Houle, have guided the Golden Knights back to their accustomed perch near the top of the Division I rankings by recruiting some of the best student-athletes available to the Clarkson program. The coaching triumvirate has brought to the Potsdam, NY campus 15 National Hockey League Draft choices since taking the reigns of the program in the spring of 2003, including eight on this year’s roster.

Senior defensemen Tyrell Mason (Dawson Creek, BC) and Phil Paquet (Quebec Phil PaquetCity, QUE), both 2005 NHL Draft selections, will serve as co-captains for the Golden Knights, who return 19 lettermen from last year’s squad. In 2007-08, Clarkson skated to a 22-13-4 overall record, claimed the ECAC Hockey regular season title and posted its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1996 to cap off one of the best season’s in the 86-year history of the tradition-laden program.

Complete article can be accessed by clicking here.