GLHL opens this weekend
Youth movement for Pioneers something Wolverines hope helps
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HOUGHTON -- With games Friday night in Calumet and Saturday night in Houghton, the Great Lakes Hockey League kicks off this weekend with both local teams getting to host the McFarland Killer Bees.
The Portage Lake Pioneers, who have won the last two Kohlman Cups, are the team to beat yet again this season. They would not have it any other way.
"We have been on the ice for about a month now, and our roster is set," said Wyatt Geshel of the Pioneers. "We are excited to get things going here this Saturday!"
Youth movement for both teams
Portage Lake is excited to get back at it after closing out last season with a 10-3 win over the Eagle River Falcons to seal the playoff title. Part of the reason the Pioneers have been able to find so much success in the last two years has been the transition to a younger roster that included a number of former Houghton High School standouts in forwards Gaborik Carlson, Landon Stevens, and Connor Raffaelli.
"We have made the championship finals the past four seasons, winning the last two," Geshel said. "I would say commitment is a huge part to success in this league. Traveling on the road is key to obtaining a respectable record. Our group has continued to show up and do just that. We try not to look too far ahead, but if we travel well and play our game, we will do well."
The youth movement has paid huge dividends for the Pioneers, who remain near the top of the league year after year.
"Just like anything, as time goes on, things change," said Geshel. "Lucky for us, there is a great pool of players that come out of our area, and we’re lucky to have that. With that being said, I think it’s provided us with a handful of options when it comes to lineups each night, travel numbers, and overall a great outlook for the organization's future."
That's exactly what the Calumet Wolverines are looking for with a revamped roster this season. They have brought in some young players who were former Copper Kings standouts like forwards Nathan Londo and Rogan Gronlund, and defenseman Drake Neimala.
"We struggled for a couple years, and now these kids, well, we probably got four or five right out of the high school team," said Wolverines coach Bruce Coppo. "A couple have been laying around, not playing. They decided to come out, so it makes it a little more fun."
Calumet has struggled for a number of years to bring in a set of younger players like the Pioneers have, but this season, they are excited about this infusion of talent.
"Once they get a grip on this league (they will be good), and watching them in practice already, they’ve upped the speed of our team by double," Coppo said. "(They add) younger legs. Guys like (captain) Logan (Rastello), they’re all getting old and slowing down. It’s really good (to add these younger players)."
Coppo is excited to see a number of the younger Wolverines adjust to the speed of the GLHL.
"I really like the Londo kid," said Coppo. "He’s a good skater. He handles the puck well. This Gronlund kid, if he stays healthy, he’s looking good already."
The Wolverines are not just getting that youth injection up front, they have added three key pieces on the blue line with Neimala, and Ben and Matt Frantti.
"The Frantti boys on defense, they’re making a difference," Coppo said. "We played probably the last two, three years with forwards playing defense. This year we have 10 real defensemen. So those guys are standing out."
Meanwhile, the Pioneers will look to trust their goaltending to allow them to stay near, or at, the top of the league.
"Our players are a huge part to our continued success, but without the goaltending we have had, we wouldn’t be the team we have been, and are today," said Geshel. "Those guys show up and take care of business."
League restructure helps
Both the Pioneers and Wolverines are excited about the restructuring of the league this season. Gone are the days of divisions, and that means both teams will have easier travel schedules without a number of overnight stays, which should translate to larger travel rosters.
"With the divisions going away, and just having a standard home and home series with each team suits us well," Geshel said. "Although our schedule is pretty similar to last year’s, I think having less back to back games will most likely help us."
Coppo feels the same way in Calumet.
"Well, for me, it doesn’t change that much because I’ve been around forever, and we’ve had those teams out there," he said. "Everybody seems like it’s a long way, but we play Milwaukee on a Sunday afternoon, we’re going to be home by 9, 10 at night. So, it’s not as big a deal as a lot of people tend to make it. It’s nice to have different teams. You don’t want to be playing the same teams over and over, and also the expense that comes into factor.
"So, if you look at our league, we only have three overnight trips for the year. Take Mosinee, that’s a down and back, Eagle River is down and back, Menomine's down and back. So, those aren’t bad trips."
Game times
Friday night, the Wolverines host the Killer Bees at 7:30 p.m. in the Calumet Colosseum. Saturday, the Killer Bees are in Houghton to face the Pioneers at 7:30 p.m. at Dee Stadium.