Ferris State hockey signs six recruits

By Bob Allan (4-14-2000)
Pioneer Sports Editor

BIG RAPIDS -- The common theme in the Ferris State hockey recruiting class this year is speed and skill.

FSU coach Bob Daniels and the coaching staff will be adding six players for the upcoming season. While none of the recruits stand over 5-foot-11, they all do possess the same qualities.

"Size-wise we aren't that big, but they all skate well and are at a very high skill level," Daniels said. "This is a good group of kids that fit into our program well."

Ferris State signed four forwards and two defensemen to the squad. With solid recruiting classes ahead of them, Daniels is only looking for a couple to step up into starting roles.

"Out of this group, we are looking from the forwards a couple of them to step up and contribute right away and one of the defensemen," Daniels said.

In the last two years, FSU has lost a total of 12 forwards, including four this year. The biggest loss will be Brian McCullough, who tallied 24 goals and 24 assists for 48 points to finish third in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

With the big loss at forward, Daniels, along with the coaching staff of Drew Famulak and Jeff Blashill, spent most of their time.

What they finished with is nothing short of spectacular.

Chris Lieckfield comes from the Texas Tornadoes of the North American Hockey League. In 50 games this season, Lieckfield tallied 19 goals, 36 assists for 55 points.

"He's very, very fast -- he has tremendous speed," Daniels said of the 5-foot-10 forward. "His biggest asset is he can really skate."

Lieckfield will have at least one familiar face when coming to Big Rapids. That is because teammate Don Patrick also will becoming to Ferris State this fall.

Patrick tallied 64 points on 27 goals and 37 assists in 53 games for the Tornadoes this season.

Both Patrick and Lieckfield participated in the NAHL All-Star game.

"He's a very good offensive player with the ability to score goals," Daniels said. "In some respects, he reminds us of Brian McCullough."

Brett Smith is another good offensive player, if numbers mean anything. Smith tallied 78 points on the strength of his 43 goals and 35 assists in 46 games playing for the Guelph (Ont.) Midwest Junior B league.

"He's an excellent skater and has tremendous speed," Daniels said. "He's a very tenacious type of player."

Trevor Large lit the lamp once a game playing for the Provincial Junior A league in Brampton (Ont.). Large scored 49 goals in 49 games to go along with his 39 assists for 88 points.

"His goal scoring abilities obviously is what attracted us," Daniels said. "He has an excellent shot."

The pair of defensemen the Bulldogs signed are Matt Gossett of the Danville Wings, of the NAHL, and Simon Mangos of the Brampton (Ont.) squad.

Gossett tallied eight goals, 17 assists for 25 points in 50 games, while Mangos tallied 54 points in 43 games with 11 goals and 43 assists.

"Matt is a very good skilled defenseman who moves the puck well," Daniels said. "He's not overly flashy, but has a high skill level.

"Simon is a good skating defenseman," Daniels continued. "He has a high skill level and is very offensive minded.

"He has the ability to make players around him better."

While all the players coming to FSU have a high skill level and speed, they do lack size. But that has been kind of a trend that Daniels has been following.

"Our team is based on speed and skill," he said. "You would like to have a big player, but on the same token, we have Chad McIver who will have to supply that."

Daniels isn't sure where the class ranks with the rest of the CCHA. The only way to rank this class is by comparing it to past Ferris State recruiting years.

"This class stacks up well with previous years," Daniels said. "This year contributed well. (Phil) Lewandowski, (Troy) Milam and (Chris) Kunitz got a lot of mileage and this class will stack up with them."