Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey

Last updated
Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey
Hockey current event.svg Current season
Vermont Athletics wordmark.png
University University of Vermont
Conference Hockey East
First season 1925–26
Head coach Steve Wiedler
2nd season, 13–19–3 (.580)
Assistant coaches
  • Scott Moser
  • Brendan Bradley
  • Shane Madolora
Arena Gutterson Fieldhouse
Burlington, Vermont
ColorsGreen and gold [1]
   
NCAA tournament Frozen Four
1996, 2009
NCAA tournament appearances
1988, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2010, 2014
Conference regular season champions
1996
Current uniform
HE-Uniform-UVM.png

The Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Vermont. The Catamounts are a member of Hockey East, joining in 2005 after competing in ECAC Hockey from 1974 to 2005. They play home games at Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vermont. [2] Vermont has appeared in the NCAA Men's Hockey Championship six times since making the move to Division I in 1974–75, including trips to the Frozen Four in 1996 and 2009.

Contents

Prior to moving to Division I, UVM competed in ECAC Division II, where it won back-to-back ECAC Division II titles in 1972-73 and 1973–74. [3]

Since 1990, the Catamounts have hosted what is now known as the Catamount Cup tournament, winning the title seven times. [4]

Alumni

The University of Vermont has produced 18 National Hockey League (NHL) players in its history. The seven UVM Alumni who have won Stanley Cup championships are: Ross Colton '18 (Tampa Bay Lightning), Patrick Sharp '02, Viktor Stålberg '09, Éric Perrin '97, and former NHL All-Stars Martin St. Louis '97, Tim Thomas '97 and John LeClair '91.

In 2004, St. Louis was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer, the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association, and the Bud Light Plus/Minus award. Thomas has won the Vezina Trophy twice as the NHL's top goaltender in 2009 and 2011, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2011. He also holds the NHL record for best single season save percentage. UVM is the only NCAA program in history to count alumni who have won both the Hart Trophy and the Vezina Trophy, as well as the only NCAA program to generate an Art Ross winner.

A two-time Olympian in 1998 and 2002, LeClair was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 after a standout 16-year NHL career where he scored 406 goals. He was a two-time NHL first team All-Star and twice won the Bud Light Plus/Minus Award. LeClair is the only American born player to record three consecutive 50 goal seasons, and is the only NHL player with back to back game winning SCF OT goals.

Other Catamounts who were U.S. Olympians were Thomas (2010), former NHL defenseman Aaron Miller (2002, 2006) and Ryan Gunderson (2018). St. Louis skated for Canada in the 2006 and 2014 Olympics, while Sharp was named to Canada's 2014 Olympic squad. Viktor Stalberg also represented Sweden at the 2018 Olympics. Vermont was one of just five college hockey programs to have at least one alumnus participating in every Olympic games since NHL players began competing in 1998 until 2018 when NHL players did not compete in Olympic competition. [5]

Season-by-season results

Source: [6]

Head coaches

As of the completion of 2023–24 season [6]

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1963–1965 Bill Ruffer 210–14–2.423
1965–1984 Jim Cross 19280–251–9.527
1984–2003 Mike Gilligan 19279–289–46.492
2003–2020 Kevin Sneddon 17251–301–84.461
2020–2023 Todd Woodcroft 320–55–9.292
2023–2024 Steve Wiedler 113–19–3.580
Totals5 coaches61 seasons853–929–153.480

All-time scoring leaders

Source: [6]

Goaltending leaders

Career save percentage leaders (min. 40 games): [7]

PlayerYearsGAASavesSave%
Stefanos Lekkas 2016-202.613913.918
Joe Fallon 2004-082.052907.916
Tim Thomas 1993-972.703950.914
Brody Hoffman 2012-152.451934.914
Mike Santaguida 2013–172.451686.913
Gabe Carriere 2020-242.772295.908
Christian Soucy 1991-932.991725.908
John Kiely 1971-742.84N/A.903
Rob Madore2008-122.913352.902
Dave Reece 1968-713.012019.900

Single-season save record:

Current roster

As of September 22, 2024. [8]

No. Nat.PlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
1Connor MacKenzieSophomore G 6' 0" (1.83 m)165 lb (75 kg)2002-05-10 Toronto, Ontario Grande Prairie Storm  ( AJHL )—
2Eli BarnettSophomore D 6' 6" (1.98 m)218 lb (99 kg)2003-09-16 Ottawa, Ontario Victoria Grizzlies  ( BCHL ) SJS , 195th overall  2022
4Philip TörnqvistJunior D 6' 0" (1.83 m)181 lb (82 kg)2001-08-24 Gothenburg, Sweden Wichita Falls Warriors  ( NAHL )—
6Charlie KinsmanFreshman D 5' 11" (1.8 m)190 lb (86 kg)2005-03-17 Orchard Park, New York Tri-City Storm  ( USHL )—
7Colin KesslerFreshman F 6' 1" (1.85 m)181 lb (82 kg)2004-06-07 Anchorage, Alaska Sioux City Musketeers  ( USHL )—
9Joel MäättäSenior F 6' 2" (1.88 m)202 lb (92 kg)2002-07-06 Helsinki, Finland Sioux City Musketeers  ( USHL ) EDM , 222nd overall  2022
10Mario GaspariniSophomore D 5' 11" (1.8 m)170 lb (77 kg)2003-02-28 Lakeville, Minnesota Wenatchee Wild  ( BCHL )—
11Mateo DixonSophomore F 5' 10" (1.78 m)185 lb (84 kg)2002-08-19 Toronto, Ontario Coquitlam Express  ( BCHL )—
12Blake SteenersonFreshman F 6' 4" (1.93 m)194 lb (88 kg)2005-04-29 Maple Grove, Minnesota Tri-City Storm  ( USHL )—
13Timofei SpitserovJunior F 6' 0" (1.83 m)176 lb (80 kg)2002-03-26 Saint Petersburg, Russia Culver Academies  ( Midget AAA ) SJS , 210th overall  2020
14Dawson GoodSophomore F 6' 1" (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)2002-04-17 Abbotsford, British Columbia Chilliwack Chiefs  ( BCHL )—
15Luca MünzenbergerJunior D 6' 2" (1.88 m)200 lb (91 kg)2002-11-24 Düsseldorf, Germany Kölner U20  ( DNL ) EDM , 90th overall  2021
16Will ZapernickGraduate F 5' 9" (1.75 m)180 lb (82 kg)1999-11-16 Edmonton, Alberta Sherwood Park Crusaders  ( AJHL )—
17Matt CatoSophomore F 5' 11" (1.8 m)174 lb (79 kg)2003-09-15 Whitby, Ontario Trenton Golden Hawks  ( OJHL )—
18Massimo LombardiJunior F 5' 10" (1.78 m)195 lb (88 kg)2002-05-18 Beaconsfield, Quebec Cowichan Valley Capitals  ( BCHL )—
19Simon JellúšSenior F 6' 2" (1.88 m)202 lb (92 kg)2001-01-18 Ilava, Slovakia Karlskrona J20  ( J20 Nationell )—
20Xavier HenryJunior D 6' 5" (1.96 m)216 lb (98 kg)2001-03-20 Scarborough, Ontario Chilliwack Chiefs  ( BCHL )—
21Daniel SambucoSophomore F 6' 0" (1.83 m)190 lb (86 kg)2003-06-10 Springfield, Pennsylvania Lincoln Stars  ( USHL )—
22Isak WaltherSophomore F 6' 3" (1.91 m)179 lb (81 kg)2001-08-02 Södertälje, Sweden Södertälje J20  ( J20 Nationell ) NSH , 179th overall  2019
23Jax WismerFreshman D 6' 0" (1.83 m)176 lb (80 kg)2005-03-03 Newmarket, Ontario Alberni Valley Bulldogs  ( BCHL )—
24Michael La StarzaFreshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m)190 lb (86 kg)2004-01-14 Montreal, Quebec Fargo Force  ( USHL )—
25Jack MalinskiSophomore D 5' 10" (1.78 m)170 lb (77 kg)2002-06-23 Lakeville, Minnesota Austin Bruins  ( NAHL )—
26Thomas SinclairJunior F 6' 3" (1.91 m)194 lb (88 kg)2002-12-26 Toronto, Ontario Fargo Force  ( USHL )—
27Duncan RamsaySophomore D 6' 5" (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg)2004-02-08 Halifax, Nova Scotia Chilliwack Chiefs  ( BCHL )—
29Max StrandFreshman F 5' 10" (1.78 m)190 lb (86 kg)2003-09-03 Roseau, Minnesota Sioux City Musketeers  ( USHL )—
35Keenan RancierSenior G 6' 2" (1.88 m)184 lb (83 kg)2000-06-21 Victoria, British Columbia Minnesota State  ( CCHA )—
37Nick AhernSophomore F 5' 10" (1.78 m)161 lb (73 kg)2002-12-02 Chicago, Illinois Johnstown Tomahawks  ( NAHL )—
38Sebastian TörnqvistSophomore D 5' 11" (1.8 m)187 lb (85 kg)2003-05-22 Everlöv, Sweden Massachusetts  ( HEA )—
40Jens RichardsJunior F 6' 2" (1.88 m)194 lb (88 kg)2002-12-14 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Austin Bruins  ( NAHL )—
50Axel MangboSophomore G 6' 3" (1.91 m)181 lb (82 kg)2003-04-15 Höganäs, Sweden Sioux City Musketeers  ( USHL )—

Awards and honors

NCAA

Individual awards

All-American teams

AHCA College Division All-Americans

AHCA First Team All-Americans

AHCA Second Team All-Americans

ECAC Hockey

Individual awards

All-Conference teams

First Team All-ECAC Hockey

Second Team All-ECAC Hockey

ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team

Hockey East

Individual awards

All-Conference teams

First Team All-Hockey East

Second Team All-Hockey East

Third Team All-Hockey East

Hockey East All-Rookie Team

Olympians

This is a list of Vermont alumni who have played on an Olympic team. [6]

NamePositionVermont TenureTeamYearFinish
John LeClair Left Wing1987–1991 Flag of the United States.svg USA 1998, 2002 6th, Silver medal icon.svg Silver
Aaron Miller Defenseman1989–1993 Flag of the United States.svg USA 2002, 2006 Silver medal icon.svg Silver, 8th
Martin St. Louis Right Wing1993–1997 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg CAN 2006, 2014 7th, Gold medal icon.svg Gold
Tim Thomas Goaltender1993–1997 Flag of the United States.svg USA 2010 7th, Silver medal icon.svg Silver
Patrick Sharp Left Wing2000–2001 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg CAN 2014 Gold medal icon.svg Gold
Ryan Gunderson Defenseman2003–2007 Flag of the United States.svg USA 2018 7th
Viktor Stålberg Left Wing2006–2009 Flag of Sweden.svg SWE 2018 5th

Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame

The following is a list of people associated with the Vermont men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses). [11]

Catamounts in the NHL

As of July 1, 2024

= NHL All-Star team = NHL All-Star [12] = NHL All-Star [12] and NHL All-Star team = Hall of Famers

Source: [13]

Media

All games are broadcast on 620-AM WVMT across the Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY region; Adam LaFleur provides play-by-play. [14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Vermont Athletic Style Guide" (PDF). September 1, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ "USCHO.com :: U.S. College Hockey Online :: Vermont Catamounts Men's Hockey". Archived from the original on 2007-10-24.
  3. ↑ Vermont, University of. "University Communications : University of Vermont".
  4. ↑ "Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup".
  5. ↑ "Sporting Vermont on Twitter".
  6. 1 2 3 4 "UVM Men's hockey Record Book" (PDF). Vermont Catamounts. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  7. ↑ "UVM MEN'S HOCKEY RECORD BOOK" (PDF).
  8. ↑ "2024–25 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Vermont Catamounts. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Legends of Hockey". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
  10. ↑ "United States Hockey Hall of Fame". Hockey Central.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  11. ↑ "University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame". Vermont Catamounts. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
  13. ↑ "Alumni report for U. of Vermont". Hockey DB. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Richards and Bucheler Lead Offensive Flurry as Catamounts Best #14 UMass 6-2". 11 November 2023.
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