Q&A with Princeton's Kyle Hagel

The following question and answer feature appeared October 30 on the Princeton men's hockey Web site. The feature can be accessed via the Princeton Web site by clicking here.

Princeton senior forward Kyle Hagel answers questions about the start of the 2007-08 season and his career at Princeton. The Tigers are 1-0-0 after a season-opening win at Yale and head to Cornell and Colgate this weekend.

This Q&A is the first of a weekly Tuesday series that will appear throughout the hockey season and will feature a different player each week.

Last season the Tigers finished the year with 15 wins, in the top half of the league standings and hosted a home playoff series for the first time in several years. Can you talk about how the program has progressed in your time at Princeton?

The year before I got to Princeton, the team had finished in last place, 12th out of 12, in the ECAC for a couple of years. My freshman year we finished 10th, sophomore year we were ninth, and last year we were sixth. Last season we hosted and won a playoff series at Baker for the first time in a number of years. Enough credit cannot be given to Coach Gadowsky for rescuing the program. This year we have our sights set on the ECAC tournament. If we can get there, anything can happen.

How has the early part of the season gone and in what areas do you feel the team has improved the most since practices began?

These first three games (two exhibitions and one regular season game) have gone pretty well. We've won all three and are working hard to build an identity as a team that goes hard to the net and protects our house. We have some things that we need to work on, but that's ok because it's still early in the season. As much as we'd like to be, we can't be perfect right from the beginning. We are definitely developing quickly as a team. It stems from two things: how close the boys are with each other personally, and our work ethic in practice. We are working extremely hard to mend the areas of our game that need fixing and I think that we are poised to have strong start to the season because of it.

The team now has two exhibition games and one non-league game under its belt. How have those outings helped prepare you for the start of the league schedule this coming weekend at Cornell and Colgate?

This week, the only thing that the boys are thinking about is Lynah rink. We have some momentum underneath us right now with three straight wins and we are extremely focused on getting that win in Cornell on Friday night. Not only would a win in that barn be a huge way for us to start our season, but it would be extremely symbolic in terms of the direction of the Princeton Hockey program. Princeton has not won at Cornell in over a decade. Right now, all we are thinking about is Friday at Lynah.

You came to Princeton as a defenseman and moved up to forward last season. What do you like or dislike about your new position compared to your old one?

When I look back on it now I can't really comprehend how I was a defenseman for so much of my hockey career. Playing up front is so much more comfortable for me. I love being a forward. I can play a role on the team and contribute in a way that I couldn't as a defenseman. I'm a high-energy player, and playing up front I get the opportunity to forecheck, bang and crash and shoot pucks from all over the ice. The position suits my personality much better than defense.

Your physical game is an important part of who you are on the ice. What do you get more satisfaction out of: scoring a goal or throwing a big hit?

I love the physical part of hockey. Goals are always special, but hearing the crowd and your teammates explode with excitement after a big hit is a huge adrenaline rush. As for which is more enjoyable, I guess it depends on the situation, but a big hit can certainly be just as good a feeling as scoring a goal.

What is your favorite memory from your three-plus seasons playing hockey at Princeton?

My favorite memory of Princeton hockey so far has to be the series win at home against Brown last year in the playoffs. After losing the first game in overtime, we fought our way back to win the series in three games. That was huge step forward for our program.

Which of your current teammates do you think is poised to have a breakout season this year?

Well, Cam MacIntyre sure got off to a great start with three goals at Yale on Friday, and he is certainly going to have a great year. But I think that most people expected Mac to have a big year. He is an absolute monster and he has soft hands to complement his ruggedness. If you're interested in someone who might be a surprise though, I think that Kevin Kaiser is about ready to explode. He works extremely hard, sacrifices his body in all situations and has a great shot. We are playing on a line together right now and I can say that he makes me a lot better out on the ice. Look for him to not only put up points, but to also be a go-to guy in lots of defensive situations.

Can you talk about the group of freshman? What do they bring to the table?

The freshmen are a very talented and confident group of guys. They are going to make an impact immediately. It is still very early, but they seem to be adapting to the pace of college hockey very quickly and I expect that they will contribute in big ways right from the start of the season. They are all great guys off the ice too, which makes it easy for them to fit into the family dynamic of our team.