It's not a rebuilding, but it's pretty close.
Gone are familiar names and faces such as Jim Fuhs, Dave Fitzgerald, Jim Roach and Clay Labrosse ' big, strapping forwards who could put the team on their backs late in hockey games.
Say hello to Mike Schultz, Jimmy Irwin, Jared Fuhs, Sean Roach and Ryan Whyte. They may not be the overpowering, physical force that came to define Ohio hockey teams of years past, but they add a different element to head coach Dan Morris's squad.
These are different types of kids, too. No longer are players enrolling in club hockey because Division I programs didn't come calling.
Morris's new blood did receive offers from bigger schools, but instead, they are here after successful careers in junior and high school hockey.
Now, this team will be a faster, more skilled version of the crash-and-bang groups fans had come to embrace a couple of years ago. Whyte could be one of the fastest skaters in the state, and Schultz's vision will be a valuable asset on the power play.
Both Whyte and Schultz are junior hockey transplants from Brockville, Ontario, where they were pupils of former National Hockey League defenseman Todd Gill. While in Canada, both players learned to round out their game.
These aren't one-dimensional players with a keen eye for the net; nearly all of Morris's newcomers are sound, positional players that can play on either side of the ice. The energy level of this year's group will be different as well. Morris has 15 freshmen or first-year players on his roster, and all of them have played competitive hockey for respected teams across the country.
We bring a lot of speed
intensity and defensive skill Whyte said of this year's group. A lot of the freshmen played Junior A hockey somewhere and we all know the speed and intensity of the college game.
Of particular note is freshman center Irwin, who arrived to tryouts on the outside looking in. With a speedy stride and exceptional vision, he has earned himself a spot on the roster straight out of high school.
Irwin is a quick skater
Whyte said. He's got the ability to score.
Perhaps most beneficial for this year's Bobcats is a short memory. They weren't around for previous playoff and tournament disappointments, and a fresh perspective may prove to be their strongest asset come March.The Bobcats open this weekend at home against rival Lindenwood. Before you say who?, this team has had Ohio's number as of late. Ohio went 0-3 against Lindenwood last season, and what stung most was a 4-3 overtime loss in the CSCHL semifinals.
A change in style will be something to watch, too. Don't be fooled, though: this team will still get in the face of opponents and stir the pot ' that's a staple of Bobcat hockey. Their offensive potential is higher than it's been in years, and as they always say: you can't hit what you can't catch.
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Rob Mixer
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Ohio center Jim Roach goes for the puck in the Bobcat's game against Robert Morris University on Jan. 5. The former captain has graduated and will no longer be playing for the Bobcats; however, his brother Sean Roach is a freshman on the team and play
