Lumberjacks Commence 2022 Preseason with a Half-Dozen Contests
September 7, 2022 – United States Hockey League (USHL) – Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, Mich. – The Muskegon Lumberjacks will open the 2022 preseason schedule with six contests against three different teams. First, the Jacks play a home-and-home series with the Chicago Steel on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9 and 10, respectively. Friday’s game will start at 7:00 pm EDT from the newly-rebranded Trinity Health Arena in Muskegon, with Saturday’s contest taking place at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, Ill., at 8:05 pm EDT. The Lumberjacks will then host the Youngstown Phantoms at Trinity Health Arena on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:00 pm EDT and Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 12:00 pm EDT for a pair of exhibition games. Finally, the Jacks close out the 2022 preseason slate with another home-and-home with Team USA U18, starting with the annual Education Day Game, presented by the Muskegon Lumberjacks Charitable Foundation and the Reading Caravan on Friday, Sept. 16 at 10:00 am EDT and Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Mitchel Kiefer Memorial Rink at USA Hockey Arena at 6:00 pm EDT for the 5th Annual Play With Purpose Charity Hockey Game.
REMARKABLE RETURNERS
The Lumberjacks welcome back about half of last season’s roster, with 13 players from 2021-22 making the cut. Up front, the Jacks hope to see progression and improvement from third-year forward Owen Mehlenbacher (56 GP, 17-25-42) and sophomore Jake Richard (56 GP, 18-30-48), – both of whom were drafted in the 2022 NHL Draft – second-year forwards Ethan Whitcomb (44 GP, 8-8-16), Tyler Hotson (60 GP, 7-20-27) and David Hymovitch (50 GP, 6-13-19). On the back end, Muskegon will have a strong returning blue line with third-year defenseman Tyler Dunbar (61 GP, 4-21-25), sophomores Nathan McBrayer (61 GP, 2-20-22), and Gavin McCarthy (53 GP, 2-11-13).
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS
There will be an influx of new names and faces in this year’s lineup, comprising over half of the roster. Muskegon’s two tenders from last season will see considerable ice time, with Sacha Boisvert and Owen Keefe slotting into the lineup. Three NHL Draft picks from the 2022 Draft will make their USHL and Muskegon debut, as the Lumberjacks will receive production from forward Michael Callow and defensemen Matthew Morden and George Fegaras. Luke Buss, who was drafted by the Lumberjacks in the USHL Phase II Draft, is also expected to take a giant step forward, after lighting up both the BCHL and Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep. Finally, the Russian pipeline is still alive and well for the Jacks, with Muskegon importing forward Matvei Gridin, who scored 50 points in 34 games with Avangard Omsk U17 last year.
SIX PACK
The 2022 NHL Draft was one for the record books for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, as six players were selected by NHL teams in the draft, tying a franchise record. George Fegaras was the first to have his name called on draft day, with the Dallas Stars taking him in the 3rd round, 83rd overall. In the 5th round, defenseman Matthew Morden went next by the Arizona Coyotes 131st overall, followed by right-winger Michael Callow 154th overall by the Anaheim Ducks. The Buffalo Sabres used their 6th round selection to take Jake Richard 170th overall, making him the first Lumberjacks off of the 2021-22 roster to be drafted into the NHL. Another pair of Jacks were taken in the 7th round, those being Owen Mehlenbacher by the Detroit Red Wings, 201st overall, and Ben Strinden by the Nashville Predators, 210th overall.
STATE-OF-THE-ART STAFF PART I
With the departure of Associate Head Coach Cody Chupp and Assistant Coach James Ryan, the Lumberjacks rounded out their coaching staff with two slam-dunk hires with Adam Phillips and Parker Burgess. The first to climb aboard was Assistant Coach Adam Phillips, who previously served as an assistant coach with Adrian College under head coach Adam Krug for the last two seasons. Before his time at Adrain, Phillips worked behind the bench of the Odessa Jackalopes of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) for the 2019-20 season before being promoted to interim head coach during the second half of the season. Phillips also has an extensive playing resume, seeing time at the NCAA D-I and ECHL levels prior to his coaching career.
STATE-OF-THE-ART STAFF PART II
Parker Burgess arrived on the scene in Muskegon as the new Associate Head Coach after previously serving as head coach and assistant general manager of the Janesville Jets in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) for the last two seasons. In his first season in Janesville, Burgess piloted the Jets to a Midwest Division championship with a 31-13-4-0 record in the regular season, earning him the Midwest Division Coach of the Year award, and was promoted to assistant general manager for the Jets at the conclusion of last season. Burgess was also the head coach of Nichols College for five years, guiding the Bison to a 74-48-13 record, including a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship in 2017-18, while simultaneously turning Nichols College into an NCAA D-III hockey powerhouse in the national rankings.
SO LONG, PARTNER!
Earlier this offseason, the Lumberjacks said goodbye to Associate Head Coach Cody Chupp as he moved on to the University of Minnesota Duluth as an assistant coach with the men’s ice hockey program under legendary Bulldogs Head Coach Scott Sandelin. Chupp left Muskegon after previously serving as Associate Head Coach with the Lumberjacks during the 2021-22 season and as Muskegon’s assistant coach for one season prior to his promotion in the 2020-21 season. Before his time with the Lumberjacks, the Big Rapids, Mich. native was the head coach of the USHL’s Lincoln Stars from 2017 to 2020, compiling a 70-85-8-7 record in 170 games, including winning seasons in two of his three years and one postseason berth in 2017-18. Prior to his time in Lincoln, Chupp served as an assistant coach for the Green Bay Gamblers from 2014 to 2017.
BIG TEN
In all, ten players from the 2021-22 Lumberjacks roster moved on to their respective NCAA D-I colleges and universities. Muskegon sent four players to Hockey East schools, those being Quinn Hutson (Boston University), Noah Ellis (UMass), Parker Lindauer (Maine), and captain Jack Williams (Northeastern). The revamped CCHA received two former Lumberjacks in Joey Larson (Northern Michigan) and Jake Braccini (St. Thomas), with both the NCHC and ECAC plucking a pair of Jacks, respectively. Jacob Guevin (Omaha) and Ben Strinden (North Dakota) will attend NCHC programs, while Phil Tresca (Harvard) and Chase Clark (Quinnipiac) head to ECAC institutions.
PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Fri. Sept. 9 | 7:00 pm EDT | vs. CHICAGO
Sat. Sept. 10 | 8:05 pm EDT | at Chicago
Mon. Sept. 12 | 7:00 pm EDT | vs. YOUNGSTOWN
Tue. Sept. 13 | 12:00 pm EDT | vs. YOUNGSTOWN
Fri. Sept. 16 | 10:00 am EDT | vs. TEAM USA U18 | Education Day Game
Sat. Sept. 17 | 6:00 pm EDT | at Team USA U18 | Play With Purpose Charity Hockey Game
UPCOMING THEME NIGHTS – FLANNEL FEST
Flannel Fest, our annual home-opening tradition, returns on Friday, September 30! To kick off the 2022-23 Lumberjacks season in style, we’ll give you the ultimate Lumberjacks experience with a live show from Jack Pine Lumberjack Shows. You’ll witness chainsaw carving, axe throwing, log rolling, crosscut swinging, and more! Flannel Fest is also jam-packed with face painting, yard games, and scrumptious food trucks with grub from the Muskegon area. The party will continue into Trinity Health Arena as the Lumberjacks take on the Chicago Steel, with more axe throwing during the intermission. Don’t forget to wear your Flannel! For more information, call the Muskegon Lumberjacks Business office at (231)-799-7000 or email [email protected].
OVER THE AIRWAVES
All Muskegon Lumberjacks preseason games, both home and away, will be broadcast live on FloHockey (Video, paid subscription) on Mixlr (Audio, free of charge) with Lumberjacks play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Vallon.
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