TWO FUTURE FERRIS STATE SKATERS PICKED IN THE 2004 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

The Ferris State University men’s ice hockey program received some notable attention this past weekend (June 26-27) during the 2004 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft as a pair of future Bulldog skaters in goaltender Derek MacIntyre (Stanwood) and defenseman Chris Zarb (Detroit) were drafted by professional teams.

MacIntyre was tabbed in the eighth round with the 234th overall pick by the San Jose Sharks while Zarb, who has verbally committed to FSU and will not join the Bulldogs until the 2005-06 campaign, was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers with the 144th overall pick in the draft’s fifth round.

Their selections represent the first time since 1999 that a Ferris State player has been chosen in the NHL Entry Draft as goaltender Phil Osaer was the most recent being tabbed in the seventh round by the St. Louis Blues. MacIntyre and Zarb will be the 25th and 26th draft selections in the FSU program’s history. The Bulldogs had a school-record six individuals apiece taken in the 1987 and 1991 entry drafts.

Incoming Ferris State goaltender Derek MacIntyre was taken by the San Jose Sharks in the eighth round.(Kenn Filkins)

A 6-2, 185-pound netminder, MacIntyre played this last season (2003-04) for the Soo (Mich.) Kewadin Indians of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). MacIntyre, who signed with Ferris this spring, led the Indians to the NAHL’s North Division Regular-Season title with a 1.77 goals against average (65 goals allowed) to go with a 31-3-2 record and a .924 saves percentage (786 saves) in 39 outings. He also recorded four shutouts and finished second among the league’s goaltenders with 31 victories and tied for fourth place in save percentage as the Indians paced the NAHL in least amount of goals against. A 2003-04 All-NAHL Second-Team selection, MacIntyre earned the distinction of being the only player to receive both league all-star and all-rookie team kudos. He was listed 21st among North American goaltenders in the final 2004 NHL Central Scouting rankings prior to the draft. In being drafted, MacIntyre became the second Soo Indians player to be drafted directly from the team after completing a season in the NAHL, joining former Indians netminder and Michigan State All-America netminder Ryan Miller, who was drafted in 1999 by his current team the Buffalo Sabres.

“We’re excited for Derek in getting drafted by a NHL club,” said FSU head coach Bob Daniels. “He has a lot of potential and must have been pretty well thought of to get selected. Derek is a big, athletic-type and technically-solid goaltender which is what the NHL covets. “We’re hopeful Derek can come into this upcoming season and challenge starting netminder Mike Brown for ice time. His development in strength and conditioning along with the adjustment period to the collegiate level will be some of the factors in determining his amount of playing time,” added Daniels.

Zarb, who skated this last season for the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League (USHL), was taken by the Flyers through a pick obtained from the Minnesota Wild. The 6-4, 185-pound defenseman entered the draft ranked 37th among North American players on the NHL’s Central Scouting Service and was the highest of the 29 USHL players to be ranked. Zarb totaled 24 points with four goals and 20 assists in 43 contests for Tri City in the 2003-04 campaign. His season point total ranked 11th best on the squad and was second highest among the Storm’s defensemen. He went on to post four points (all assists) in 11 playoffs contests a season ago. Zarb, who was featured on the cover of a recent USA Junior Hockey Magazine issue, helped Tri-City capture its first-ever Anderson Cup as the USHL’s regular-season champions. Tom Rudrud, who skated collegiately at Ferris State from 1979-83, is currently an assistant on the Tri-City coaching staff.