Arizona State Sun Devils men's ice hockey

The Arizona State Sun Devils ice hockey team is the second of only two NCAA Division I ice hockey programs in the United States Sun Belt (the other being Alabama–Huntsville).

The Sun Devils are former National Champions in 2014 ACHA Tournament. They played a hybrid schedule their first season in the NCAA (2015-16), playing games against club programs, NCAA Division III and NCAA Division I squads. Since then, they have played exclusively against Division I rivals.  They have always been an independent program, not affiliated with any conference. The Big Ten Conference, National Collegiate Hockey Conference, and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (though not Hockey East, ECAC Hockey, or Atlantic Hockey) have been seen as potential landing spots for Arizona State.  The Sun Devils will continue as an independent in 2019-20. The Sun Devils reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 2019.

History 

Hockey began as a sport at Arizona State in the fall of 1973 with ASU students gathering at Tower Ice Plaza in Central Phoenix to play pick up hockey amongst each other. As collegiate club hockey evolved throughout the country, so did hockey at Arizona State.  By the late 80's ASU was fielding a full-fledged ice hockey team competing in Division II of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. In 1993, General Manager Mike Hoffarth led the program to achieving ACHA Division I status propelling the Sun Devil hockey program into the national spotlight by qualifying for the ACHA Division I National Tournament just two years later in the 1995–96 season. Then Head Coach, Gene Hammett would lead the program to three straight National Tournament appearances from 1995–1998. ASU has qualified for 10 ACHA Division I National Tournaments since competing at the Division I level in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, and developed 12 ACHA Division I All-Americans. In the 2013–2014 season the team won its first ACHA National Championship, defeating Robert Morris University-Illinois. In the 2015-2016 NCAA hockey season ASU played their first split schedule between ACHA Division 1 and NCAA Division 1 teams, marking their first transition year to become a full-time NCAA Division 1 hockey team.  In March of 2019 ASU became that fastest team to transition to NCAA Division 1 and make the NCAA Tournament, doing it in just 3 seasons.

Player Hall of Fame Inductees

Steve Hammett, Forward 1994–1998: Inducted 2009

Greg Powers, Goaltender 1995–1999: Inducted 2009

Adam Blossey, Defense 2001–2005: Inducted 2009

Tony Bonacorso, Defense 2004–2008, Inducted 2010

Ian Smith, Forward 1999–2003, Inducted 2010

Executive Hall of Fame Inductees

Gene Hammett, Head Coach 1992–2000: Inducted 2008

Mike Hoffarth, General Manager 1988–1999: Inducted 2008

Don Mullet, Donor: Inducted 2008

John Wold, Head Coach, General Manager, Oversight Committee 2001–present: Inducted 2009

Wayne Reid, Assistant Coach, Director of Hockey Ops, Oversight Committee 1992–present: Inducted 2009

Doug Maire, Video Coach, Projects Manager Executive Hall of Fame Inducted 2013, Lifetime Service Award 2014

National Tournament Appearances

1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98*, 2000–01*, 2003–2004, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–15

Final Four appearances: 2013, 2014, 2015

Awards and honors

NCAA

All-Americans
AHCA Second Team All-Americans

2018–19: Joey Daccord, G

ACHA Division I All-Americans

Steve Hammett, Forward: 1997–98

Greg Powers, Goaltender: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99

Ian Smith, Forward: 2000–01, 2001–02 (Team USA, World University Games 2002)

Nils Satterstom, Forward: 2000–01

Adam Blossey, Defense: 2003–04, 2004–05 (Team USA, World University Games 2005)

Tony Bonacorso, Defense: 2006–07, 2007–08 (Team USA, World University Games 2008)

Joe Schweiger, Forward: 2008–09 (Eastern Michigan), 2009–10, 2010–11

Mark Schacker, Goaltender: 2010–11, 2011–12

Kale Dolinski, Forward: 2012–13

Colin Hekle, Forward: 2012–13

Ryan Clark, Defense: 2012–13

Joe D’Elia, Goaltender: 2012–13

Arena
The Sun Devils have continued play most of their home games at the Oceanside Ice Arena, though they play a few games each season at Glendale's Gila River Arena, home of the NHL's Arizona Coyotes. Following the Sun Devils' move to the NCAA, Oceanside underwent extensive renovations that expanded the capacity to 840 and gave the facility a facelift in ASU colors.

Arizona State University is building a new Multi-Purpose Arena that they plan to open in 2021 or 2022.  The 5,000 seat, 175K SF multi-purpose arena will be attached to the Wells Fargo Arena. It will be an integrated indoor sports complex, housing the Sun Devil Ice Hockey team, gymnastics, wrestling, and other sports.

Season-by-season results

All-time coaching records
As of April 1, 2019

Team

2019–20 roster
As of December 20, 2019.

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Coaches

Head coach
Coach Powers has been on the Sun Devil Coaching Staff for 12 years, and enters his fifth year as Head Coach of ASU's NCAA Division 1 Hockey Program.  Coach Powers was a finalist for the 2019 Spencer Penrose Award, which is awarded to the NCAA Division 1 Coach Of The Year.  

Prior to becoming a NCAA Division 1 hockey team, Coach Powers helped guide the Sun Devils to their first ACHA Division 1 National Championship.  

During the 2018-2019 hockey season, Coach Powers and his staff led the Sun Devils to become the fastest start-up program to qualify for the NCAA Division 1 Tournament in NCAA History.   The Sun Devils finished the season ranked 10th in the Pairwise rankings.         

Coach Powers was a three time ACHA Division 1 All-American Goaltender while playing hockey for the Sun Devils, and graduated from ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 1999.  Powers was also inducted into the ASU Hockey Player Hall Of Fame in 2009.

Assistants and staff
 Alex Hicks - Assistant Coach  (former 15-year professional career including 5 years in the NHL with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and the Florida Panthers)
 
 Mike Field - Associate Head Coach  (former Assistant Coach Division I and United States Hockey League)

 Eddie Lack - Volunteer Coach  (former 9-year professional career including 5 years in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, and the New Jersey Devils).    

 Andrew Matheson - Director of Hockey Operations

 Jon Laughner - Coordinator, Equipment Operations 

 Liane Blyn - Head Coach, Olympic Sports

 CJ Clarizio - Assistant Athletic Trainer

 Chase Drieberg - Equipment Student Manager

References

External links

Category:Ice hockey teams in Arizona
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