MSU's Vukovic signs Swiss pro deal

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Senior Michigan State defenseman Daniel Vukovic has signed a three-year professional contract with the Genève-Servette Hockey Club in Geneva, Switzerland.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“I’m really excited that I’ve found a home – sounds like a perfect fit for me, and it’s a great atmosphere to play in. It’s an exciting time for me and my family,” noted the blueliner. “I’ve talked to many former players who played in Europe during the NHL lockout, and from everything I have heard, this experience will help me grow as a hockey player and as a person.

“I have to thank the coaches and staff at Michigan State for not only bringing me into the program, but in developing me as a player for four years. Without them, I would not have the opportunities I do as a hockey player. My four years were an unbelieveable experience and I am proud to be a Spartan.”

Vukovic served as an alternate captain as a senior and capped his career with his best offensive season while helping lead the Spartans to the West Regional Final. An Honorable Mention All-CCHA selection, Vukovic put up 22 points on a career-best 19 assists and two goals. The Spartan defense ranked fifth nationally in scoring (2.56 points per game), and also finished the season 12th nationally in team defense (2.22 goals per game). Vukovic, primarily a stay-at-home defenseman whose offensive game blossomed in his junior and senior seasons, was named the team’s Most Improved Player after his junior campaign, and finished his career with 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points in 147 career games.

While the Swiss National League limits rosters to five foreign players, Vukovic holds both Canadian and Swiss passports, and therefore will be eligible to play in the 2008-09 season.

GSHC participates in the Swiss National League, (Nationalliga A), the top tier of the Swiss league system and of the two-tier National League. This past spring, Genève-Servette reached the Swiss National League A final for the first time in its history, defeating HC Fribourg-Gottéron in the semifinals.

Warriors sign solid quartet for fall

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Wayne State has announced that four prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to enroll at WSU in the fall of 2008.

Forwards Alyssa Baldin and Veronique Laramee-Paquette, defenseman Marlee Fisher and goaltender Delayne Brian will join the Warriors for the 2008-09 season.

"I am excited about the incoming class. We feel we are bringing in a great group that will continue to help us move in the right direction," said Warriors' head coach Jim Fetter. "These recruits are coming in with experience both at the junior level and internationally. I want to thank my staff for their hard work and for putting in endless hours towards our recruiting campaign. They did a great job and we are looking forward to getting our new Warriors on the ice this fall."

Baldin, a native of Mississauga, Ont., who was selected to the Ontario Blue team at the 2007 National Women's Under-18 Championships, played three years of junior hockey for the Mississauga Jr. Chiefs. She totaled 28 points in 2007-08 and 24 points the previous season while serving as team captain. Baldin is due to graduate from Loyola Catholic Secondary School in June, where she played four years of varsity hockey and led the team to four straight Region of Peel championships.

Laramee-Paquette played two years for Les Cheminots, a Junior AA team out of St. Jerome, Quebec. She aided the team to a first-place finish in 2007-08 and finished third in the league in scoring (25-36--61) after wrapping up the second-place 2006-07 campaign as the fifth-leading scorer. The Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, native will graduate this year from CEGEP de St. Jerome, where she was named Student of the Year in 2006 with excellence in biology and geography while earning Athlete of the Year honors three times.

Fisher totaled seven goals and nine assists while serving as an assistant captain for the Ottawa NCCP Capitals in 2008, silver medalists in the Provincial Women's Hockey League Championships as well as the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial championships. She was selected to the OWHA Team Ontario Blue in 2007 and was voted Most Sportsmanlike Player at the Canadian U-18 National Championships. A native of Kingston, Ontario, Fisher will graduate from Frontenac Secondary School where she participated in five different sports for the Falcons and was a member of the honor roll all four years.

A 2008 silver medalist as part of Hockey Canada's Under-18 national team, Brian spent the 2007-08 season with the Notre Dame Hounds in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League. She led the league in goals-against average (1.25), wins (17) and shutouts (6) during the regular season and finished third in minutes played (1053). Brian went 9-2 with a 1.92 GAA and three shutouts in the SFMHL playoffs, leading the team to a league championship and the Western Shield title. The Winnipeg native was also a finalist with Team Manitoba in the 2007 Canada Games and has been invited to this year's Hockey Canada U-22 Conditioning Camp.

Kennedy the third to bolt Spartans

Compiled by MiCHO Staff

Michigan State junior Tim Kennedy has opted to forego his final season of collegiate eligibility and sign a professional contract with his hometown Buffalo Sabres.

Buffalo general manager Darcy Regier made the announcement of Kennedy’s signing on Sunday.

“We certainly wish Tim Kennedy the best and thank him for what he has contributed to the program,” noted MSU head coach Rick Comley. “He has been such an important part of our success over the last three seasons, and helped bring a national championship to Michigan State . The reality is that players of Tim’s caliber rarely spend four years in school, and while we would have loved to have him back in Green and White, we are confident that he will have a very good professional career.”

“I’ve loved everything about Michigan State and its hockey program – it has been the best three years of my life,” said Kennedy. “I will miss everything about it, but I thought it was in my best interest to start my pro career at this time. I’d like to thank the coaching staff for recruiting me and bringing me to Michigan State and allowing me to be s Spartan.”

Kennedy appeared in 113 games for the Spartans, scoring 42 goals and 63 assists for 105 points. He led the Spartans in scoring in each of his last two seasons and missed 16 games with a hand injury early in his freshman season. This past season, he tied his career best with 43 points (20g, 23a) in 42 games. He led the team in all offensive categories, while scoring nine power-play goals and added five game winners. For his efforts, Kennedy was named a Second-Team All-CCHA selection. He served as an alternate captain in his junior season and would have again in 2008-09 had he returned to school.

In the Spartans 2006-07 NCAA championship season, the 22-year-old Kennedy was named to the All-Tournament Team at both the Midwest Regional in Grand Rapids and the 2007 Frozen Four. He scored the game-tying goal midway through the third period against Boston College in the national championship game and assisted on Justin Abdelkader’s game-winning goal.

Kennedy was originally drafted in the sixth round (181st overall) of the 2005 Entry Draft by Washington, but his rights were acquired by Buffalo in a draft-day trade with the Capitals.

“We are thrilled to have a player of Tim’s caliber join the Sabres organization,” said Regier. “After three years at Michigan State, we believe this local product is ready to make the move to the professional level.”

Kennedy played youth hockey in the Buffalo area and also won gold with the Western Division in the 2002 and 2003 Empire State Games. Prior to attending Michigan State, Kennedy spent two seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League.

Kennedy is the third Spartan to leave school with eligibility remaining this season. Sophomore Michael Ratchuk signed with the Philadelphia Flyers organization in April, while Abdelkader signed with the Detroit Red Wings four days after the completion of the 2007-08 MSU season. He continues to practice and travel with the Wings during their Stanley Cup run, where Game 5 will take place on Monday night in Detroit.

In addition, the Spartans lost five seniors to graduation - captain Bryan Lerg, who has since signed with the Edmonton Oilers and played several games at the end of the season for the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, forward Chris Mueller, who signed an amateur tryout with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), the Red Wings' top affiliate, forward Zak McClellan and defensemen Jeff Dunne and Daniel Vukovic.

Photo courtesy of Michigan State Athletics