Midnight in a Perfect World

Here are a few photos from the midnight practice held by the Nittany Lion men Friday night/Saturday morning at Pegula Ice Arena to officially get the season underway. All are by and courtesy of Steve Hass. Click on any one to open the gallery view.

Redshirt junior forward Max Gardiner

Sophomore forward David Glen

Freshman goaltender Eamon McAdam

Sophomore defenseman Connor Varley

Freshman defenseman David Thompson

The remainder are posed shots from the public skate that followed practice.

McAdam

Freshman forward David Goodwin

Freshman defenseman Mike Williamson

Redshirt sophomore forward Eric Scheid

Men's Jersey Countdown: #19 Eric Scheid

Redshirt Sophomore - Forward - 5'9" - 163 pounds - Blaine, MN

Snagging an NCAA Division I transfer isn't quite the attention grabber that it was before Penn State's surprising success in 2012-13. But don't sleep on the fact that Eric Scheid, formerly of Alaska-Anchorage, has more games of NCAA experience than anyone on the Nittany Lions roster beyond fellow transfers Max Gardiner, Nate Jensen, Taylor Holstrom and Patrick Koudys. Scheid was the Seawolves' leading scorer among freshmen in 2011-12 and, after leaving the program, set the USHL on fire with the Lincoln Stars in 2012-13, while also developing into a more dangerous goal scorer and becoming more defensively responsible. Scheid's +37 rating was fifth across the whole circuit, and his 59 points made him the leading scorer on a playoff team (just ahead of Vinni Lettieri, who will face the PSU as a Minnesota Golden Gopher this season). Expect Scheid to step into the lineup and become an important member of a scoring unit almost immediately.

Career Statistics (with Alaska-Anchorage):
Season	GP	G	A	Pts.	PIM	PP	SH	GW	GT
2011-12	30	6	9	15	6	0	0	1	0
NCAA Career	30	6	9	15	6	0	0	1	0

Three Stars: February 4-10

3. A Sneak Peek at the Pegula Ice Arena
(The Penn Stater)

PIA tours have become frequent enough that it's no longer a guaranteed all-time top tenner (traffic wise) when I drop in a photo of the progress, whether from myself or someone else. Regardless, here's a solid recent look from Tina Hay, the editor of PSU's alumni magazine. Pics beyond the two in the post were dropped in a Facebook gallery as well.

2. State College High School grad Holdcroft playing big role
(Centre Daily Times)

If you don't like the way Jill Holdcroft plays, you don't like hockey.

"I work hard, which might make up for not having some other essential skills," Holdcroft said. "I love to forecheck and get into the corners and make the other team work even harder to defend against."

Yeah, no kidding.

1. Fourth concussion forces an end to Lady Icer's career
(The Daily Collegian)

While I referenced it directly and indirectly a few times over the weekend, I wanted to get one last shoutout to Kate Christoffersen on the record, following the forward's Senior Day on Saturday. She's a pre-donation player who finished on the NCAA team, a great thing in and of itself. But for those who don't know by now, this happened at the end of the 2010-2011 season:

Kate Christoffersen and her parents couldn’t help but cry at their kitchen counter.

The three shed tears on March 6, after Kate arrived home to Trumbull, Conn., for spring break as David and Mary talked to their daughter about the possibility of ending her 14-year hockey career.

The Lady Icers sophomore defender had sustained her fourth career concussion on Feb. 11. After the season, Christoffersen decided to hang up her skates and stop playing the game she has played since age 6 because of what she calls her “most severe concussion.”

From there to here - one of my favorite stories ever.

Best of the Rest

Minnesota-Grown College Commitments
(Let's Play Hockey)

When combining the men and women, and among DI schools, Penn State's six recruits from Minnesota trail only North Dakota's eight among out-of-state schools. They're not leftovers either. On the men's side, Anchorage transfer Eric Scheid is a proven DI player, as he was fourth on the Seawolves in scoring as a freshman last year. For the women, Amy Petersen and Laura Bowman are most of the offense for two-time defending state high school champ Minnetonka and Hannah Ehresmann is part of a 50-50 goalie rotation for the Skippers. Christi Vetter (Lakeville North) and Sarah Nielsen (Edina) are also two of the best players on two of the best teams in the state. National and district camp invites are sprinkled throughout as well. Basically, well done, coaches.

B³ Postgame Recap: Lincoln 2, Omaha 4
(Black and Blue Blog)

One of those Minnesotans - Scheid - had a chance to play in the USHL's first outdoor game on Saturday, the afternoon half of a doubleheader at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park. However, the archrival Omaha Lancers jumped all over Scheid's Lincoln Stars early and coasted to the win in front of an announced 13,650. The Blaine High School product was a +1 with a pair of shots.

The nightcap was an NCAA game, with host Nebraska-Omaha (or just "Omaha" if you ask them) falling to the North Dakota [Nickname] ("Fighting Sioux" if you ask them) 5-2.

Brandon Saad First Goal
(nhl.com)

Congrats to George Saad's brother on scoring his first NHL goal for the Blackhawks. I'm going to be honest with you guys though, I'm a little tired of living vicariously through Penn State siblings and other, much more tenuous, connections to the show. Here's hoping for our very own NHLer - not one from the OHL's Saginaw Spirit or Wisconsin (Max Gardiner's brother Jake) - in the next five years or so.

Five collegians to watch for the 2013 NHL Draft
(Hockey's Future)

...so, towards that end, here's someone who thinks Mark Yanis is a "collegian to watch" for this year's NHL Entry Draft. As a second-year eligible guy, the deck's kind of stacked against him, because there's a whole new birth year available for people to get excited about, and hey, everyone already passed on him once (seven times, actually).

That said, it does happen. One example is a player PSU saw this year, and in fact scored a game-winning goal against the Nittany Lions: Union defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who was passed over in 2011 before being drafted 78th overall by the Flyers in 2012. Yanis, who was given a B rating (roughly translating to mid-round consideration) on the NHL Central Scouting watch list in 2011 before dropping out of the ratings closer to the 2012 draft, is an intriguing prospect. He does fit the mold as a possible second-year pick, since he's someone who has taken a developmental step that many expected to see last year, specifically with respect to his offensive capabilities. He's been as advertised otherwise, of course (see photo above). The bottom line for me is that he is good enough for an NHL team to own his rights, but the logistics are against him. We'll see - here's hoping.

2013 Draft Blog: Eamon McAdam Pt. 3
(The Pipeline Show)

A PSU guy much more likely to be drafted is Eamon McAdam, an incoming freshman next year, who chipped in a long-awaited third blog entry for TPS last week. In it, he discusses his SportsCenter-worthy save at the USHL Top Prospects Game, as well as his other experiences at the showcase.

PJ Musico riding the Penn State hockey wave and making the most of it
(Stack the Pads)

Keeping the goalie love going, here's a comprehensive look at Penn State's repository of Caliswag.

Also, is there a more Canadian place name than Flin Flon? Maybe Moose Jaw.

Penn State ice hockey team might not return to Hershey for a while
(pennlive.com)

Obvious statement is obvious. PSU will want to play at Pegula Ice Arena as much as possible, and if they do venture to neutral Pennsylvania sites, it will likely be to cultivate their following in the major cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Three Stars: January 14-20

3. Tess Weaver enjoying ice time at Penn State
(Daily American)

Oh hey, feature story on Tess Weaver to lead things off. I actually didn't know it existed until I went to assemble this post because it didn't get pushed through to my phone for some reason, so that was a nice surprise.

2. Ice Hockey Recap: Of Facepalms and Philadelphia
(Black Shoe Diaries)

One reason I love IcersGuy recaps: he always makes some connection that I miss. Here's the latest one:

What we learned from tonight is that Taylor Holstrom and Justin Kirchhevel like to play in the city of Brotherly Love. Both players tallied goals in the Winter Classic game against Neumann last season, and they would both light the lamp against Vermont in this game.

Didn't even think to check on that. Clearly, my mind has lost its keen edge. And clearly, TBS runs way too many Big Bang Theory commercials.

1. UAH Hockey Accepts Invite to Join WCHA
(uahchargers.com)

I normally reserve the top three slots for items directly connected to Penn State, but this is a worthy exception. Congratulations to all associated with Charger hockey on what is widely viewed as a program-saving outcome.

Worth mentioning: The PSU/Big Ten-triggered realignment still hasn't killed anyone. And it played a huge role in UAH's new lease. Chew on that, haters.

Best of the Rest

@e_scheid39 (1, 2)
(Twitter)

Know who my least favorite PSU recruit is? Eric Scheid.

Homophobic slurs? F reading and school? What a fine representative of our academic institution we've pulled. Someone inform this joke that he's not at Alaska-Anchorage anymore. We're better than this, period.

NCAA rules overhaul alters recruiting picture for college hockey coaches
(USCHO)

While not necessarily something that drastically affects the lives of you and I, for those charged with recruiting college hockey players, life has gotten a little easier. The NCAA has removed some recruiting restrictions, notably ones related to methods of communication and the number of coaches on the road at one time.

The changes come as part of a drive toward “reducing the volume of unenforceable and inconsequential rules that fail to support the NCAA’s enduring values,” according to the proposals.

College Hockey News also observed that the rules will be more restrictive in at least one way, as coaches are now prevented from scouting opponents in person unless their team is participating in the same event.

Why would "Rocky" not go to the school that offers the best chance for games in Philly?

Hard knocks pay off for Joe Gambardella in United States Hockey League
(silive.com)

Falls product Muto to attend NU
(Niagara Gazette)

Sticking with a recruiting theme, here are a couple who got away. One is Joe Gambardella, a teammate of PSU signee Zach Saar. He's headed to Lowell, which is really unfortunate, because...

Take the week after Christmas, when Gambardella, the leading scorer for the United States Hockey League's Des Moines Buccaneers, was hit in the face with a deflected puck. The disc struck him under his half-shield, broke his left cheek, sinus and orbital bones and caused a deep cut that required 22 stitches. After getting sewn back together, Gambardella went back out and finished the game.

"The way I like to look at it is, it's like a 'Rocky' story," Gambardella said of his rise in hockey world. He waited a beat, and delivered the punch line.

"And now," he cracked, "I look like Rocky."

The other is Jared Muto, who plays for Sioux Falls in the USHL and claimed a PSU offer but will attend Niagara.

“Location was a big thing for me,” Muto said. “I’ve been doing the whole traveling, dorming thing in the USHL, so I’m looking forward to moving back home. … My dad’s side of the family has never seen me play. We’re all really excited that I’m coming back.”

Never went to an Icers game.

As athletics boosters' bucks roll in, questions arise
(Philadelphia Inquirer)

An interesting both-sides-of-the-coin look at huge-money college athletics boosters, including T. Boone Pickens, Phil Knight, Kevin Plank and our very own Terry Pegula. Well, it's probably interesting, it lost me with the lede...

Just 28 months ago, ice hockey was a successful but obscure club sport at Penn State. Its players shared ice time with broomball teams and its arena held slightly more than 1,000 fans, which hardly mattered since few ever came to hockey games.

Frank Fitzpatrick: No Frank Seravalli, that's for sure.

Penn State Hockey Gear
(PSU Sports Blog by Lions Pride)

Penn State hockey gear? Penn State hockey gear.

Into the woods: After getting lost, I built a cabin
(Broad Street Hockey)

Finally, shoutout to Geoffrey Detweiler of BSH, who is hanging up his Ctrl key and retiring from doing the site's link posts. His reasons are well respected in this corner, especially in the midst of all the #HockeyIsBack ridiculousness (hockey never left, the NHL did), and worth a read.

Why am I linking it? Because BSH is literally the number three source of all-time pageviews for this site, due mostly to Detweiler. Thanks bud. And try not to go too crazy keeping up with the perpetual circus that is Chelsea FC.

Three Stars: December 17-23

3. 2012-2013 ACHA Division 2 Rankings
2012-2013 ACHA Women's Division 2 Rankings
(achahockey.org)

Awkwardly, the semester-end rankings for both the men's and women's ACHA teams were released after this past week's Club Sandwich post, so I'll address them briefly here.

Men: The Ice Lions, thanks largely to a win over then-Southeast No. 2 Rowan on December 15, moved from fourth to second in the region. While just two spots, the significance is much larger than that: the top two teams in each region earn autobids to the ACHA national championships, bypassing the regional playoffs. The trick now, of course, is to stay there until the end of the regular season.

Women: Pat Fung's crew also moved up, from fifth overall (fourth in the East Region) to fourth overall (third in the East Region). Like the men, the team's current position would qualify them for a nationals bid - which would be quite the story as a first-year organization built largely through the hard work of student leaders.

2. How Stuff Works - Part 1: Varsity vs. Club Hockey
How Stuff Works - Part 2: NCAA D1 Conference Breakdown
(Black Shoe Diaries)

IcersGuy at BSD is putting together a series of primers for those new to this whole NCAA hockey thing - and the comments are proof that he's doing an excellent job of it. If you want to be into Penn State hockey and don't know what any of us are talking about, this would be my recommended place to start.

1. BIG TEN Men's Hockey Promo
(YouTube)

Is this the first official nod to the fact that there will be Big Ten hockey next year? No, but it kind of feels like it.

Best of the Rest

Scheid making most of return to Lincoln Stars
(Lincoln Journal-Star)

This story was worth dropping here, where it will presumably get more attention than in Commit Cycle, which generates about 30 pageviews each time out (seriously... and it's easily the most time-consuming thing I do on a regular basis). So, PSU signee Eric Scheid, where did you consider going after leaving Alaska-Anchorage?

Scheid quickly received recruiting interest from several top college programs. Before committing to Penn State last month, he was choosing between Northeastern, Nebraska-Omaha, Penn State and Minnesota State-Mankato.

And, of course, there's the obligatory "why did you pick Penn State" quote:

Scheid visited State College, Pa., before committing to Penn State. He’ll be the first former Star to play there.

"I had it narrowed down to a few schools that were interested, and the Penn State campus was the one that really stuck out to me the most," he said. "It had everything I was looking for as the Big Ten atmosphere with all the sports and a lot of students. They offered the playing time I was looking for going right in, instead of having to sit."

Podcast: Gadowsky on Recruiting
(College Hockey Inc.)

Listen and appreciate.

AHA Possible Expansion: Rhode Island
(Excalibur Sports)

Thanks to recent rumors, there's been a renewed push to get NCAA hockey to URI, complete with a Twitter account. Here's a blog post looking at the possibility.

I happen to think that Rhody represents one of the more credible rumors out there, but Penn State was a pretty credible rumor for quite a while too. We shall see.

OSU (and possibly PSU as well) gets to duck Miami leading scorer Riley Barber this weekend.

2013 U.S. National Junior Team Roster Nears Completion
(USA Hockey)

From purely a Penn State perspective (disregarding general hockey interest, et cetera), there really isn't much reason to care about the World Junior Championships yet, beyond how it affects other teams. Good news: it does. Highly-regarded Miami forwards/NHL draft picks Sean Kuraly and Riley Barber will miss the Three Rivers Classic, as will Ohio State coach Mark Osiecki, due to their participation in the WJC.

Calling my shot right now: PSU gets revenge on Robert Morris, while the missing firepower for the RedHawks costs them against the Buckeyes. All-Big Ten championship.

2012 Great Northwest Showcase
(greatnorthwestshowcase.com)

Speaking of holiday tournaments, the one outside of Pittsburgh I'll be keeping my eye on is the Great Northwest Showcase in Burnaby, BC. It involves ACHA teams Arizona State and Oklahoma (both PSU opponents this year) as well as Simon Fraser, probably Canada's best non-varsity program and UBC, a CIS school that frequently plays exhibitions against NCAA teams - this year, the Thunderbirds went 1-1-1 against Air Force, Denver and Colorado College.

If you're not a fan of throwing teams at different levels and under different sanctioning organizations together to see what happens, I don't get you.



Penn State Hockey Jerseys
(YouTube)

Let it be known that there are hockey jerseys available at Lions Pride, the official PSU merchandise store of TYT.

The End Is Nigh
(Fear the Triangle)

Finally, shoutout to FTT - my go-to for all things UMass hockey and beer - which is shutting down at the end of the season, due largely to the life circumstances that inevitably catch us all at some point (there aren't a ton of unpaid bloggers who are over 30, with kids and a successful career if you haven't noticed).

Not to get too personal, but there was a lot in this post that resonated with me, in terms of the blog's backstory and having "that moment" when you fully realize your limitations (living in Ohio, I have realizations of a smaller magnitude quite frequently). I was fairly late in learning about FTT, but look forward to reading the rest of the way, especially since we have more in common than I realized.

Three Stars: November 19-25

2014 defense commit Bo Pellah is getting a serious look from NHL scouts.

3. Gadowsky Lands 2013 Transfer
(Lions 247)

Recent commit Eric Scheid, an Alaska-Anchorage transfer, gets the Andrew Dzurita treatment. Your money quote:

“I expect us to really surprise some people. I think a lot of people have been writing Penn State off to not be competitive for the first couple of years, but people don’t understand how easy it is for Penn State to recruit with their facilities and coaching staff. With the guys they have now, I think next year we’re going to make a big jump and turn a lot of heads.”

2. Union-Penn State postgame report
(Schenectady Daily Gazette)

I don't normally include recap-ish stuff in Three Stars, but I'm making an exception as a way to give a stick tap to Ken Schott, who covers Union hockey and is easily the hardest-working opponent beat writer I've encountered this season. He made my life ridiculously easy this past weekend with his in-game updates and with his postgame content (including players and coaches from both sides).

This is Schott's blog post about Sunday's PSU-Union game. Be sure to read it, watch the linked videos, and give him a follow on Twitter as well, you won't be disappointed when doing any of those things.

1. 14 BCHLers, plus one alum, listed in latest Central Scouting rankings
(bchl.ca)

Halifax's Fucale tops Central Scouting's list of goalies
(nhl.com)

In 2011 and 2012, Penn State sort of flirted with the NHL Entry Draft in the form of Luke Juha and Mark Yanis, both of whom were considered at different points of the process but ultimately passed over. However, it's starting to look more and more likely that PSU will finally have a player drafted (while associated with the school, apologies to Max Gardiner) in 2014, with Eamon McAdam and Bo Pellah standing as the top two candidates for the distinction of being the first.

The latest evidence: the listing of both Pellah and McAdam in the NHL Central Scouting Service preliminary rankings. McAdam was named the USHL's best goaltending prospect, while Pellah received a C rating, which loosely translates to fourth, fifth or sixth round consideration.

McAdam was also named one of five draft-eligible goalies worthy of first or second round consideration by The Pipeline Show.

Best of the Rest

What If? BC To The Big Ten: A Hockey Perspective
(BC Interruption)

With the Big Ten drastically lowering its standards to chase television sets of late... hey, why not Boston College? Added bonus:

While joining the Big Ten would put BC in a stable football conference and make the athletics department more secure financially, it would be absolutely catastrophic for the hockey program and would effectively destroy BC hockey as we know it.

Get on the phone, Jim Delany.

Wildcats vs Buckeyes (in Paint)
(Deadly Nuts)

Deadly Nuts is absolutely one of my favorite blogs because it's sort of what I wish I could be if I was a) funnier and b) less inhibited. Oh, and c) could recap hockey games using MS Paint. Seriously, take a look at this post covering OSU's sweep of Northern Michigan two weekends ago, it's unreal.

Duxbury's Amie Varano commits to play ice hockey at Sacred Heart
(wickedlocal.com)

A recruiting miss for the women, as Varano considered the Nittany Lions, along with DIII schools Norwich, Castleton State and the University of New England. And picked Sacred Heart, which would be my last choice of the group.

New hoop event at NHTI will replace Jacob's Bridge
(unionleader.com)

Here's some insight on a possible St. Anselm move to NCAA Division I for both men's and women's hockey - and why it may be more likely now than nine years ago, when a previous batch of serious rumors hit. St. Anselm's women would likely join Penn State in College Hockey America, should DI status become a reality.

@MarkHorgas
(Twitter)

Former Icers player and coach and long-time sponsor and booster Mark Horgas found a couple quality teammates at the rink last Monday night in the form of women's players Jill Holdcroft (left) and Kendra Rasmussen (right).

Daily Dish: Should USA Hockey's Dave Ogrean Resign?
(juniorhockey.com)

This column calls for a high-ranking official in an organization to resign because he allegedly didn't do enough to stop abuse. Never heard of anything like this happening before, that's for sure.

What do I think? I don't know, ask USA Hockey fanboy Chris Peters what he thinks. Then I'll take the opposite position, because he's probably wrong.

Huntsville’s biggest concern is off ice
(Omaha World Herald)

I like to toss something in about Alabama-Huntsville once in a while, just because. This one's a nice update on their present status, which is...

In January, the WCHA is expected to discuss whether to extend an invitation to Alabama-Huntsville to join the league.

“Without a conference, it’s going to be difficult to keep the program, without a doubt,” Chargers coach Kurt Kleinendorst said. “I don’t think the WCHA is looking at it that way — the WCHA needs to do what’s best for the conference. But I think Huntsville has a lot to offer. I don’t see the downside.”

It goes without saying by now, but best of luck to our brothers in non-varsity origins. UAH visits the Ice Pavilion on February 8th and 9th.

Hockey withdrawal
(hockeybuzz.com)

I started the year by watching the Rochester Americans, and that lasted for awhile, but it's just not the same. It's not NHL hockey. It's not the Buffalo Sabres. I also covered the Buffalo State men's hockey team and that was very intense, especially in the season opener when they defeated Penn State, but still, after some time, it didn't make up for NHL hockey.

What's "NHL hockey?"

Former Seawolf Scheid Joins 2013 Class

Eric Scheid, who was Alaska-Anchorage's fourth-leading scorer as a freshman in 2011-2012, has elected to resume his college career at Penn State, according to the Lincoln Stars' Twitter account and other sources.

Eric Scheid

Forward
Lincoln Stars (USHL)
5'9", 163 pounds
Coon Rapids, MN
DOB 5/5/1992

EliteProspects.com


Season   Team                   Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM
-------------------------------------------------------------
2009-10  Blaine HS              MN-HS  30   23   32   55    6  
2010-11  Lincoln Stars          USHL   57   15   21   36   10
2011-12  U. of Alaska-Anchorage WCHA   30    6    9   15    6
2012-13  Lincoln Stars          USHL   13    7    7   14   16

Scheid left UAA over the summer and returned to Lincoln, where he's been outstanding in his second tour with the Stars. In addition to his point total, good for second best on the team and tied for 21st in the USHL, his +15 rating is tops in the league. Furthermore, Lincoln is off to a torrid 11-3-0 start, two points behind first-place Waterloo but with a pair of games in hand.

The Minnesota native didn't mince words with respect to his reasons for departing Anchorage and playing in the USHL this season.

“I didn’t think I could see myself playing there for four years. I kind of had my sights set on something a little higher, like somewhere where I could maybe make a run at a championship. If I leave I have to transfer and sit out a year, so instead of practicing with a school I might as well come back to Lincoln and play 60 games. You can’t complain about playing here.”

The massive college hockey realignment coming next summer will see Scheid's former school, already a perennial WCHA doormat, relegated to a reformatted conference that will not be considered among the nation's best. Accordingly, he looked primarily at programs in the newly-formed power conferences, the Big Ten and NCHC. As part of that process, he visited Penn State on October 22nd and was apparently satisfied with his experience.

A productive USHL player? There's no complaining about that. A productive USHL player and with previous NCAA DI experience? Jackpot, for what will still qualify as a green roster (and program, for that matter) heading into Big Ten play next season. While hitting the transfer market isn't anything new for Guy Gadowsky and his staff - see Justin Kirchhevel (who attended UAA for the year prior to Scheid's time there), Bryce Johnson, Taylor Holstrom, Max Gardiner and Nate Jensen - it's certainly not a bad idea to maintain a steady flow of DI vets in these formative years. Scheid's addition will also help balance a roster that may actually end up with fewer upperclass players next year - every "original Icer" other than Mike McDonagh and Matt Madrazo is set to graduate following this season.

While at Alaska-Anchorage, Scheid earned three starts in his 30 games played. The obvious highlight: his pair of rebound goals, one of which was the overtime winner, on February 17th that helped the Seawolves to a 3-2 win at St. Cloud State. It was UAA's first-ever win at the National Hockey Center, snapping a 34-game winless skid in the venue. Another multi-point game came last November 26th, with Scheid's two assists contributing to a 5-5 tie at Minnesota State. Two weeks prior to that, his first collegiate goal opened the scoring at then-defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth.

As indicated above, this year represents Scheid's second stint in the USHL. With the Stars two seasons ago, he was a key contributor to a team that enjoyed a 33-22-5 campaign, good for fifth place in the Western Conference and a playoff spot. Among his 15 markers in 2010-2011 were three game winners, two of which came against future teammates (Joe Lordo on November 13, 2010, 2013 commit Zach Saar on March 26, 2011). Scheid was Lincoln's 10th round pick in the 2010 USHL Entry Draft - it's safe to say that they got decent value there.

In 2009-2010, the son of former Wisconsin center Jim Scheid (a Badger from 1976 through 1980) played his senior season at Blaine (MN) High School and was the second-leading scorer on a Bengals team that won the Section 5AA championship. The guy ahead of him? NHL first-rounder Nick Bjugstad, who led Minnesota with 25 goals last season (the Gophers, of course, made the Frozen Four). No shame in that.

Prior to being drafted into the USHL, Scheid (right) was a four-year standout at Blaine High School.

So what kind of player are we getting? To answer that question, let's consult someone who would know better than me - Yeti of Lincoln Stars blog Black and Blue (make sure you're checking out both the site and its Twitter account for the latest on Scheid throughout this season). Here are his unedited thoughts.

---

Scheid is a great get for a program like Penn State. As you are well aware, Scheid was originally here in Lincoln a couple of years ago for one season before committing to UAA. In 2010-11, he really wasn't a guy that stood out here in Lincoln, although he did have a solid year (36 points in 57 games). He wasn't a guy who was getting top three minutes.... but not really getting bottom six minutes either. Second or third line guy most of the season, for the most part. I didn't see much grit from him that season compared to what I see today.

Fast-forward to this past Summer, when it was announced that he was leaving UAA and coming back to Lincoln. Scheid is a '92, and this season any player born in 1992 is considered an "overager." Each USHL team can roster a maximum of four overagers this season. The Stars had a number of '92's coming back this season, so some tough decisions had to be made in terms of which '92's would make the team. I was at Lincoln's tryout camp this past June in Minneapolis, and Scheid definitely stood out. He was quicker than what I remembered, and definitely had some grit to his game that I didn't notice before. His play at the tryout camp made it easy for the Stars coaches to pick him as one of the four overagers on the team.

The Stars started this season with a ten-game winning streak, and Eric was a big part of that. We've had some key players start the season kind of slow, so if it wasn't for Eric and a few other forwards, I don't think the Stars would have started the season as fast as they have. They've cooled down a bit since then, having lost three of their last four, but they are still two points out of first place and have the best winning percentage in the USHL Western Conference. Scheid is definitely a first line guy now, and gets plenty of both PP and PK minutes. As the head coach here likes to say, getting PP and PK minutes are a privilege. Scheid certainly plays well enough to earn those special teams minutes.

What I really like about Eric this season is that he's shooting the puck more.... which was something I wish he would have done more back in 2010-11. Back then he was averaging about 1.6 shots per game. This season he is averaging 2.2 shots per game. He's still a pass first type of player, but he has shown that he can be a goal scorer when he wants to. As I stated above, he's playing with more grit and sandpaper in his game, which is fun to watch. He's not a pest or anything like that, but he's not afraid of the corners and not afraid of contact. Speed is his primary game. One of the fastest players on the Stars this season.