Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey

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Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey
Current season
Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey athletic logo
UniversityArizona State University
ConferenceIndependent
First season2015–16
Head coachGreg Powers
7th season, 73–102–17 (.424)
ArenaOceanside Ice Arena/Gila River Arena
Capacity: 747[1]/17,125
LocationTempe, Arizona
ColorsMaroon and gold[2]
   
NCAA Tournament appearances
2019
ACHA Tournament championships
2014, 2015

The Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents Arizona State University. It primarily plays at the Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe, but occasionally plays games at Glendale's Gila River Arena (home of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes).

The Sun Devils initially competed in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Since the 2015–16 season, it has competed as an independent in NCAA Division I—one of only two teams to do so. Arizona State also maintains both WCHL Club Level teams with the WCHL D-1 Sun Devils, and the PAC-8 D-2 Sun Devils, respectively.

History[]

Hockey began as a sport at Arizona State in the fall of 1983 with ASU students gathering at Tower Ice Plaza in Central Phoenix to play pick up hockey amongst each other. As collegiate club hockey evolved throughout the country, so did hockey at Arizona State. By the late 80's ASU was fielding a full-fledged ice hockey team competing in Division II of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. In 1993, General Manager Mike Hoffarth led the program to achieving ACHA Division I status propelling the Sun Devil hockey program into the national spotlight by qualifying for the ACHA Division I National Tournament just two years later in the 1995–96 season. Then Head Coach, Gene Hammett would lead the program to three straight National Tournament appearances from 1995 to 1998.[3]

ASU qualified for 10 ACHA Division I National Tournaments since competing at the Division I level in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, and developed 12 ACHA Division I All-Americans. In the 2013–14 season, the team won its first ACHA National Championship, defeating Robert Morris University-Illinois.

On November 18, 2014, Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson announced that the Sun Devils would move to NCAA Division I ice hockey. The transition was funded by a $32 million donation by multiple parties (including former ASU hockey players). As a transitionary season, the Sun Devils played a split schedule between ACHA and NCAA games during the 2015–16 season, before migrating exclusively to NCAA play the following season. The Sun Devils were expected to begin as an independent, but pursue conference membership in the future.[4]

In the 2018–19 season, Arizona State received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, in only its third season as a Division I team. They were defeated by the Quinnipiac Bobcats in the regional semifinals.[5][6]

On October 6, 2020, the Sun Devils announced that for logistical reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would enter into an agreement to play all of its games as non-conference away games against Big Ten opponents, playing each of its seven hockey members four times in a 28-game season. This would assure the team a full season schedule, and avoid conflicts with the Coyotes at Gila River Arena due to the delay of the 2020-21 NHL season. The team still played as an independent, and were not eligible to qualify for the conference tournament.[7]

Player Hall of Fame Inductees

Steve Hammett, Forward 1994–1998: Inducted 2009

Greg Powers, Goaltender 1995–1999: Inducted 2009

Adam Blossey, Defense 2001–2005: Inducted 2009

Tony Bonacorso, Defense 2004–2008, Inducted 2010

Ian Smith, Forward 1999–2003, Inducted 2010

Executive Hall of Fame Inductees

Gene Hammett, Head Coach 1992–2000: Inducted 2008

Mike Hoffarth, General Manager 1988–1999: Inducted 2008

Don Mullet, Donor: Inducted 2008

John Wold, Head Coach, General Manager, Oversight Committee 2001–present: Inducted 2009

Wayne Reid, Assistant Coach, Director of Hockey Ops, Oversight Committee 1992–present: Inducted 2009

Doug Maire, Video Coach, Projects Manager Executive Hall of Fame Inducted 2013, Lifetime Service Award 2014

National Tournament Appearances

1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98*, 2000–01*, 2003–2004, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–15

Final Four appearances: 2013, 2014, 2015

Awards and honors[]

NCAA[]

All-Americans[]

AHCA Second Team All-Americans

ACHA Division I All-Americans

Steve Hammett, Forward: 1997–98

Greg Powers, Goaltender: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99

Ian Smith, Forward: 2000–01, 2001–02 (Team USA, World University Games 2002)

Nils Satterstom, Forward: 2000–01

Adam Blossey, Defense: 2003–04, 2004–05 (Team USA, World University Games 2005)

Tony Bonacorso, Defense: 2006–07, 2007–08 (Team USA, World University Games 2008)

Joe Schweiger, Forward: 2008–09 (Eastern Michigan), 2009–10, 2010–11

Mark Schacker, Goaltender: 2010–11, 2011–12

Kale Dolinski, Forward: 2012–13

Colin Hekle, Forward: 2012–13

Ryan Clark, Defense: 2012–13

Joe D’Elia, Goaltender: 2012–13 [8]

Arena[]

The Sun Devils play most of their home games at the Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe. Selected games each season are played at Glendale's Gila River Arena, home of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes.[9] With the move to NCAA Division I, Anderson stated they planned to pursue an on-campus arena in the future.[4] In the meantime, Oceanside underwent a renovation for the 2015 to bring its facilities to NCAA standards.[10]

In November 2020, the Arizona Board of Regents' finance committee approved plans to construct a new, 5,000-seat indoor arena on-campus near Desert Financial Arena, which is expected to house the school's hockey, gymnastics, and wrestling programs among others.[11][12][13]

Season-by-season results[]

Main article: List of Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey seasons

[14]

All-time coaching records[]

As of March 15, 2021

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct.
2015–Present Greg Powers 6 73–102–17 .424
Totals 1 coaches 6 seasons 73–102–17 .424

Team[]

Current roster[]

As of January 26, 2022.[15]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team NHL rights
1 Washington (state) Bronson Moore Senior G 5' 11" (1.8 m) 161 lb (73 kg) 1997-11-004 Tri-Cities, Washington Minnesota (USPHL) —
4 Missouri Jacob Wilson (C) Graduate D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1997-02-27 Ballwin, Missouri Sioux City (USHL) —
5 California Ty Murchison Freshman D 6' 2" (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 2003-02-02 Corona, California USNTDP (USHL) PHI, 158th overall 2021
7 Arizona Johnny Walker (C) Graduate F 6' 1" (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1996-08-21 Phoenix, Arizona Chicago (USHL) —
8 Alberta Tanner Hickey Junior D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1999-04-30 Leduc, Alberta Alabama Huntsville (WCHA) —
9 Illinois Sean Dhooghe Graduate F 5' 3" (1.6 m) 150 lb (68 kg) 1999-03-09 Aurora, Illinois Wisconsin (Big Ten) —
10 Michigan Michael Mancinelli Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 2001-06-28 Northville, Michigan Des Moines (USHL) —
11 Michigan Benji Eckerle Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1999-09-24 Northville, Michigan Tri-City (USHL) —
13 New York (state) Chris Grando Senior (RS) F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 171 lb (78 kg) 1998-08-22 Islip, New York Boston College (HEA) —
16 Michigan Ethan Szmagaj Freshman D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 194 lb (88 kg) 2001-09-18 Canton, Michigan Waterloo (USHL) —
17 Michigan Jacob Semik Junior D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 2000-03-10 Canton, Michigan Dubuque (USHL) —
18 Minnesota Jack Jensen Freshman F 6' 2" (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 2000-08-31 Eden Prairie, Minnesota Omaha (USHL) —
19 British Columbia Jordan Sandhu (A) Senior F 5' 7" (1.7 m) 155 lb (70 kg) 1999-05-13 Richmond, British Columbia Vernon (BCHL) —
20 California Jackson Niedermayer Freshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 2001-03-11 Newport Beach, California Penticton (BCHL) —
21 Illinois Peter Zhong Junior (RS) F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1998-07-30 Orland Park, Illinois Philadelphia Rebels (NAHL) —
22 British Columbia Jack Judson Junior D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 2000-02-26 White Rock, British Columbia Vernon (BCHL) —
23 Arizona Demetrios Koumontzis Senior F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 2000-03-24 Scottsdale, Arizona Edina (USHS–MN) CGY, 108th overall 2018
27 Massachusetts Tim Lovell Sophomore D 5' 8" (1.73 m) 150 lb (68 kg) 2002-02-08 Hingham, Massachusetts Boston College (HEA) —
28 Colorado Matthew Kopperud Sophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1999-08-04 Denver, Colorado Dubuque (USHL) —
33 New Jersey Ben Kraws Junior G 6' 4" (1.93 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 2000-08-02 Cranbury, New Jersey Miami (NCHC) —
34 Ontario Cole Brady Sophomore G 6' 5" (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 2001-02-12 Pickering, Ontario Fargo (USHL) NJD, 127th overall 2019
39 Texas Ryan O'Reilly Sophomore F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 2000-03-21 Southlake, Texas Green Bay (USHL) DET, 98th overall 2018
44 Ontario Tim Theocharidis Graduate D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 183 lb (83 kg) 1998-06-28 Scarborough, Ontario Bowling Green (WCHA) —
63 Michigan Colin Theisen Graduate F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 1997-04-24 Monroe, Michigan Notre Dame (Big Ten) —
72 Minnesota Jack Becker Graduate F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 1997-06-24 Dellwood, Minnesota Michigan (Big Ten) BOS, 195th overall 2015
91 Arizona Josh Doan Freshman F 6' 2" (1.88 m) 176 lb (80 kg) 2002-02-01 Scottsdale, Arizona Chicago (USHL) ARI, 37th overall 2021

Coaches[]

Head coach[]

Coach Powers has been on the Sun Devil Coaching Staff for 12 years, and enters his fifth year as Head Coach of ASU's NCAA Division 1 Hockey Program. Coach Powers was a finalist for the 2019 Spencer Penrose Award, which is awarded to the NCAA Division 1 Coach Of The Year.

Prior to becoming an NCAA Division 1 hockey team, Coach Powers helped guide the Sun Devils to their first ACHA Division 1 National Championship.

During the 2018-2019 hockey season, Coach Powers and his staff led the Sun Devils to become the fastest start-up program to qualify for the NCAA Division 1 Tournament in NCAA History. The Sun Devils finished the season ranked 10th in the Pairwise rankings.

Coach Powers was a three time ACHA Division 1 All-American Goaltender while playing hockey for the Sun Devils, and graduated from ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 1999. Powers was also inducted into the ASU Hockey Player Hall Of Fame in 2009.

Assistants and staff[]

  • Alex Hicks - Assistant Coach (former 15-year professional career including 5 years in the NHL with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and the Florida Panthers)
  • Mike Field - Associate Head Coach (former Assistant Coach Division I and United States Hockey League)
  • Eddie Lack - Volunteer Coach (former 9-year professional career including 5 years in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and the New Jersey Devils).
  • Andrew Matheson - Director of Hockey Operations
  • Jon Laughner - Coordinator, Equipment Operations
  • Liane Blyn - Head Coach, Olympic Sports
  • Rick Covard - Assistant Athletic Trainer
  • Chase Drieberg - Equipment Student Manager

Statistical Leaders[]

[16]

Career points leaders[]

Player Years GP G A Pts PIM
2017–Present 116 64 46 110 122
Brinson Pasichnuk 2016–2020 136 39 68 107 170
2016–2020 131 26 51 77 249
2016–2020 132 23 53 76 48
2015–2019 127 25 41 66 159
2019–2021 62 15 41 56 32
2018–2020 71 15 37 52 60
2016–2019 100 20 23 43 43
2018–2021 94 21 19 40 28
2017–Present 119 9 31 40 118

Career goaltending leaders[]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

minimum 30 games played

Player Years GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAA
2018–2021 51 2737 22 20 4 138 4 .908 3.02
Joey Daccord 2016–2019 82 4685 32 40 7 240 8 .913 3.07
2015–2018 34 1703 6 22 1 111 0 .894 3.91

Statistics current through the start of the 2021–22 season.

Sun Devils in professional hockey[]

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