When longtime MSU head coach Ron Mason announced that the recently concluded season was going to be his last behind the bench, freshman center Jim Slater started considering options. He openly stated that he might leave MSU for the Ontario Hockey League if he felt it would better prepare him for the NHL.
But Slater said Tuesday that he’ll be back in East Lansing next season, playing for new Spartan head coach Rick Comley.
“Seeing who they picked, I was real happy with it, so I’m going to stay,” Slater said. “I’m looking forward to the next three years with Rick Comley, learning from him and playing under him.”
Slater also thinks that Comley’s offensive-minded style could help out his game next season. He scored 11 goals and 21 assists this season, playing under Mason’s defense-first philosophy.
“I have some raw offensive talents and everything like that, and I’m looking forward to using them out there next year,” Slater said. “We had a real defensive team this year, but I think Comley’s going to try some different things on offense and that should be real good for me.”
Already pro
Right wing Adam Hall and defenseman Andrew Hutchinson both signed with the Nashville Predators earlier this week and were assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.
Terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
The players concluded their four-year Spartan careers with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss on Friday. Hall led MSU with 19 goals this season, while Hutchinson contributed six goals and 16 assists to the Spartans.
In his Admiral debut, Hall took one shot and recorded no points Wednesday night against the Manitoba Moose. Hutchinson didn’t play.
Minus three
Only three Spartan players finished the season on the negative side of the plus-minus statistic, which helps to measure a player’s effectiveness on the ice.
A plus-three rating means MSU scored three more goals than they allowed when the player was on the ice over the course of the season. A minus-three rating means the opponent scored three more goals than MSU did with the player on the ice.
Freshman left wing Brock Radunske was the low man with a minus-three rating, followed by junior forward Troy Ferguson and junior right wing Kris Koski at minus-two.
Junior left wing Brian Maloney paced the Spartans at plus-19.
Recovery road
Maloney recently moved back into his Beal Street apartment after living at junior goaltender Ryan Miller’s parents’ house while he recovered from injuries suffered earlier this month.
He said his lacerated kidney and two broken ribs are healing well and he could start playing in fewer than the three months originally predicted by doctors. But one thing just isn’t right in the apartment he shares with junior defenseman Brad Fast and junior left wing Steve Clark.
“I’m the king of my lair, of my apartment,” Maloney said. “Usually, if my roommates get out of hand, I smack ’em around, but right now I have to take all the lip.
“As soon as I get better, I’ll be able to straighten them up.”
Most Valuable Supporter?
Tickets to the 2001-02 Hockey Awards Banquet are available through the Ralph Young Fund for $50. The banquet will be held April 11 at the Holiday Inn South, 6820 S. Cedar Street in Lansing.
The banquet will honor the superlative MSU players of the recently concluded season, as well as distinguished alumnus Ron Scott, who was an All-American Spartan goaltender from 1981-83.
Festivities start with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Call (517)355-8257 for ticket information.
