Colorado College Goaltender Leaves Team

(above) CC Goaltender Hudson Stremmel has left school

Goaltender Hudson Stremmel, Colorado College's backup goaltender, has left the team according to the Coming Down The Pipe Blog.

This is yet another sign of the times in college hockey. A highly recruited player doesn't like his playing time, role on the team or his development and he is out the door in less than a semester.

Stremmel lost the starting goaltender job to Freshman Joe Howe and CC coach Scotty Owens elected not to go with a rotation. Junior Tyler O’Brien will backup Howe in the nets for the remainder of the season

Stremmel’s future, like Colorado College’s, is rife with questions. Answers may not be known immediately, but expect him to reappear in the WHL soon.
According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, "The freshman from Reno, Nev., was undecided about his future his junior year of high school.

Unlike most teenagers, Stremmel, now 18, had the option of choosing between golf and hockey to pay for college.

So, instead of heading off to junior hockey like other prospects, Stremmel focused on golf for a year. It was a decision that would have dumbfounded most hockey parents after years of traveling to rinks 152 miles away (Vacaville, Calif.) to play for the California North Stars and trips to goalie schools in Minnesota. But when his team moved to Las Vegas, Stremmel, who first played inline at age 7 and then switched to ice hockey a year later, had to make a decision.

“He loves hockey, but if it didn’t work out, he didn’t want to look back and wonder what would have happened with golf,” his father Steve said.

The scratch golfer was fortunate to find a Junior A team willing to take a chance. The USHL’s Chicago Steel drafted him his sophomore year and stuck with him despite the year off.

“It did take time for him to adjust to our league but he was one of the hardest-working kids on our team,” Steel coach Steve Poapst said.

11 comments:

msbdu said...

Wow, Scott O. has got to have a complex...first Bachman, then his assistant coach now one of his goaltenders.

What are the chances Murray will start think about leaving if his playing time is limited this year?

dggoddard said...

Depends on the player and his relationship with the coaching staff.

DU has games with MSU & UAA in the next two weeks. Ideal times to start Murray and see what he can do.

Needless to say these in-season defections are a HUGE problem in college hockey right now.

Anonymous said...

Defections can affect anyone at anytime (as we saw with Fast and Seabrook). There are some things that can be done to minimize the chances, but overall, I feel that if they are going to leave, screw 'em.

I would be surprised to see Murray leave. He is slated to be the #1 his junior year. He has two full years to be "the man". That's about all a goalie can reasonably ask for.

I am a proponent of getting Murray more playing time not because he might leave. But, because he is the heir apparent to the throne and needs to develop his skills. I'm confident he can devlope into an all WCHA caliber goalie with playing time and coaching from Dr. Evil.

dggoddard said...

I'm a big fan of Dr. Evil. The job he has done with Chevy is nothing short of amazing.

Anonymous said...

Murray came in as a back up to Chevy.He has played 2 out of 6 games.Chevy has put up 3 shutouts.Gotta ride the Chevy for now,Murray will get his chances.

Anonymous said...

Minnesota State is up next. Give Murray another chance.

dggoddard said...

Official confirmation of Stemmel's departure fromn the Colorado Springs Gazette.

http://cchockey.freedomblogging.com/2009/10/26/stremmel-leaves-team-for-juniors/3281/

"Freshman goalie Hudson Stremmel has left CC to play for the junior team in Prince George, B.C., coach Scott Owens confirmed Monday afternoon. Stremmel told the team Saturday night and left town Sunday, he said.

“It came as a bit of a surprise to us,” Owens said.
Stremmel played a period in the exhibition game versus Calgary. He was ill during the first two weeks of the season and did not get any playing time.

Owens said the team will look to replace him over Christmas break.

“We feel pretty set with Joe (Howe) and Tyler (O’Brien),” Owens said.

dggoddard said...

CC Senior forward Andreas Vlassopoulos is having knee surgury and is done for the season.

Anonymous said...

On a side note, i wonder how this will affect vlassopoulos' plans to dress up in blackface as Dr Dre for Halloween...

msbdu said...

It would appear that CC is perhaps a sleeping giant...taking the Gold Pan this year is not a sure thing for DU.

Anonymous said...

Huh???

Because they beat Tech twice???

Right now, I see CC as a "sleeping doormat" who thinks they are a "giant"....

CC Sux