High School hockey season kicks off as Joe Butkovich Scramble returns Friday

HOUGHTON -- The defending state champion Houghton Gremlins hockey team will hit the ice Friday as they begin their title defense with the annual Joe Butkovich Scramble at Dee Stadium. The Gremlins will be a vastly different team from the one that ran the table last season, but that is a big part of why the scramble is still so valuable to high school teams in the area.

"(It's) extremely valuable," said Gremlins coach Micah Stipech. "Scrimmage is where you fix things, where you get to see where you’re at."

Because the hockey season butts up against the high school football season, not everyone coming into Friday has their roster settled, and that is part of what makes the event even more interesting.

"Every year, it’s a little bit different, based on what you’re returning, and where you’re at in the process," Stipech said. "Teams (might) have football teams still playing. It may be part of a tryout still, or selection, but for us, it’s going to be seeing where we’re at, seeing how our lines and pairs (work, and) giving goalies an opportunity.

"Both of our goaltenders haven’t played a varsity game, so there’ll be a lot of first looks like that. I think, for fans and supporters in the area, it’s a first look at seeing what all the teams have and who made the teams and things like that."

For Stipech, rebranding the scramble last season to the Joe Butkovich Scramble was a no-brainer, and something that helps honor the legacy of a local legend in the sport.

"There was a tournament named after Joe that went defunct," said Stipech. "We have the plaque in our equipment room. I see it all the time and thought about if you can’t bring back the tournament, how at least adding his name to the scramble would carry his legacy forward. People would know about him, what he meant for hockey in the area, and carry that into the future."

Stipech said that he heard nothing but overwhelming support for the change, and all the area coaches and parents were very positive about it.

The scramble format remains the same, with teams playing 20-minute, stop-time periods. The Gremlins, the Jeffers Jets, the Hancock Bulldogs, and the Calumet Copper Kings will all be involved again, with the Gremlins and Jets up first at 3 p.m. The day will end with a matchup between Calumet and Hancock at 6:45 p.m.

Houghton steps on the ice Friday having won just their second state title in school history, but Stipech knows that does not mean that things will be easy to start this season. The most notable departure is forward Gunner Gullstrand, who scored 14 goals and 30 points in just 16 games last season before adding another five goals and nine points in five playoff games.

"I’ve actually talked to some coaches that have been in similar situations to try to get some advice," Stipech said. "Human nature is that to let up, expect maybe (to) have complacency, and to think that things will just continue to happen. The fact is, that was last year. That group earned that championship. The players that were part of that group and (returned) need to carry it forward."

Stipech feels that his team will carry a different identity.

"So far, we’ve seen great attitudes and compete out of our team," he said. "I think we have a very scrappy, hard working team that’s excited to get out there and earn it. I haven’t seen that (complacency), but, of course, that’s the concern; that you would have that hangover after a championship."

Based on the level of returning talent, Stipech believes that Hancock will be very tough to contend with given the volume they are bringing back. Jeffers is two seasons removed from a deep run of their own, and they will be tough to battle again this season. Calumet, with a new coaching staff, is the biggest question mark at this point, but should never be overlooked.

"I think Hancock’s the team to beat in our area," said Stipech. "They return the most. I would expect them to have a strong start, once they get the Lake Linden kids back. For me, they’re the favorites, or the front-runner in our area. I know Jeffers also has some strong players returning there. Then Calumet lost a lot, and I don’t know what to expect from them right now, but I know that they’ve got good players, and that they’ll, by the end of the season, they’ll be right there."