Dave Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Tech’s Dylan Steman controls the puck during a game last season at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

HOUGHTON — Senior center Dylan Steman enters his final season as a Michigan Tech Huskies hockey player with 117 career games under his belt. After suffering multiple injuries during his sophomore and junior seasons, Steman played 43 games last season, tallying 19 points on seven goals and 12 assists.

Feeling healthy, Steman is ready to take on his leadership role with grace.

“(In) the last couple of years, we’ve had some success as a team,” said Steman. “Personally, I’ve had to overcome some injuries, so I’m happy to be healthy. (I’m) in more of a leadership role now, (and I am) really hoping to build on that and build on what we already have here.”

With a large incoming freshman class of 10 joining the team this year, along with another new transfer comes an opportunity for the WCHA All-Academic Team and Scholar-Athlete to lead his younger teammates in the right direction.

“I think leading by example is huge,” he said. “We have a pretty young team (and) a lot of freshman. When people look up to you, you want to make sure that you’re leading in the right (ways) and leading in the right direction.

“I just want to do everything I can and hopefully things fall into place.”

The Huskies will open their 2018-19 season with four non-conference games against Minnesota-Duluth and Wisconsin. Michigan Tech won’t see a conference match until the beginning of November when they play at Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 2.

“Early in the season, we have a couple non-conference games,” said Steman. “Those are going to be huge. In the end, it comes down to pairwise a lot to get that automatic bid and our non-conference games are going to be very important.”

For the 5-foot-11, 189 pound, left-shooting Steman, every game provides an opportunity to make a difference both for him individually and for the team, when it comes to NCAA Tournament discussions.

After reaching the NCAAs in three of his four years with the program, Steman would love nothing more than to get beyond that first matchup in his fifth and final season.

“Well, (we’ve) been to the (NCAA) Tournament a few times now,” he said. “That first game has kind of been a tough one for us to win. I think (if) we can win that one, (then) we can go pretty deep. I would like to win the league, win the (WCHA) Tournament (and) get ourselves back in the dance.”

A strong start early in the season is what the Hannover, Minnesota, native thinks will set the Huskies up for another winning hockey season.

“Last year, we had some ups and downs in the beginning,” he said. “It would really be nice to get off on the right foot.”