Prior draft experience inspires Jack Sadek to happy return

When 15-year-old Jack Sadek attended the 2012 NHL Draft with his cousin, top prospect Brady Skjei, he experienced the life of an NHL draftee.

From sitting with Skjei in Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center waiting to hear Skjej’s name called to watching him don the New York Rangers sweater and meet the team’s executives, the Lakeville, Minn. native  experienced much of what Skjei did that night.

While Sadek returned to Minnesota with a Rangers hat as a souvenir, the former Lakeville North defenseman also brought back something else: a dream.

“He was taken away by the draft,” Skjei said. “He really enjoyed (the draft) process and it was his goal to one day get there.”

Following a high school career that included both a state championship and a University of Minnesota commitment, Sadek did indeed return to the NHL Draft last month at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla. This time, however, Sadek brought home the sweater and hat of the Minnesota Wild—the team which drafted him in the seventh round (No. 204 overall).

“It meant a lot,” Sadek said of getting drafted by the Wild. “It’s fun how I played Minnesota high school (hockey) then will play for the University of Minnesota, then hopefully onto the Wild.

“I’m living the Minnesota dream.”

Another Sadek Division I defenseman, Jack’s sister Dani, couldn’t help but notice how elated her brother was when he realized his hockey career would continue in his home state for the foreseeable future.

“I haven’t seen him that happy in a long time,” said Dani, who will begin her sophomore season on the Ohio State University blue line in September.

Dani is just one member of Sadek’s intermediate and extended families which epitomize the word ‘athletic.’ Dani and Jack’s father, Brett Sadek, played football for the University of Minnesota after his father, Bob Sadek, played quarterback for the Golden Gophers in the early 1960’s.

The Sadek family also made an appearance in professional baseball from 1973-1981 when Mike Sadek, Jack and Dani’s great uncle, played catcher for the San Francisco Giants.

Heading into the draft process, the Wild were well aware of Jack Sadek’s lineage.

“That obviously helps when you know how athletic the family is,” Wild assistant General Manager Brent Flahr said. “We don’t obviously totally rely on genetics in our business, but it is certainly something that makes sense and is certainly not a strike against him.”

From Sadek’s athletic roots to his strong defensive play that made him a Mr. Hockey finalist in 2015, Flahr and the Wild saw it as a “no-brainer” taking Sadek in South Florida.

The 6 foot 3, 185-pound defenseman’s career is headed in the right direction, but he still has a ways to go before fans might see him play at the Xcel Energy Center in a green sweater.

“He’s a good size kid already, but he clearly needs to get stronger and put on weight, which most young kids do,” Flahr said.

Sadek will likely grow in strength and size at the University of Minnesota. But his mastery of the defenseman position will also need to continue to improve since he hasn’t played the position for that long.

“When I got my hands on him, he had just kind of made the decision to move from forward to defense, so he was really an infant in the position of defense,” Lakeville North coach Trent Eigner said. “That’s why there is a ton of potential with him because he’s not a kid who played the position for seven to eight years.”

Luckily for Sadek, he has two very knowledgable and talented relatives who know the position well: his cousin and sister.

Living just two minutes away from Sadek, Skjei played a mentor-type role to his younger cousin throughout their time growing up together.

“He always gives me tips on what I need to improve on,” Sadek said. “Brady has always been a role model of mine.”

And the future Gopher defenseman will need these tips from his cousin with what is to come.

“It’s a big adjustment for a number of these guys and it takes time and repetition, learning the game,” Flahr said. “There will be certain nights that it is going to be a big challenge for him, but at the same time, it’s a healthy learning curve.”

Even with the growing pains that will ensue, Sadek can’t help but smile knowing that he continues to live his dream, a dream that gained momentum the night he watched his cousin get drafted in Pittsburgh three years ago.

“I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Sadek said of the 2012 draft. “I did not picture myself being drafted [back then] but I’m glad it happened.”

The post A Minnesota dream come true appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Featured Image:
Colgate goaltender Charlie Finn watches a Minnesota shot in the third period at Mariucci Arena on Friday, January 4, 2014, in the Raiders’ 3-2 shootout win over the Gophers at the Mariucci Classic.
(COPYRIGHT: Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com)

Sluggish Gophers tie Colgate, fall in shootout in Mariucci Classic opener…

Twenty-six days can be a long time for a mid-season break. Maybe too long, as made apparent by a lifeless University of Minnesota Golden Gopher team Friday night.

The Gophers opened up 2014 as hosts of the Mariucci Classic, but didn’t retain their status as No.1 in the tournament with a 2-2 tie and eventual shootout loss to Colgate.

“We were just off, plain and simple,” said Gopher assistant coach Mike Guentzel.

Without Don Lucia, Brady Skjei and Hudson Fasching — who were on their way home after an early exit for the U.S. National Junior Team in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championships held in Malmo, Sweden — Guentzel took the reins and shook up the lines.

But while the lines appeared to work well together at first, something was off. Minnesota came out slow and struggled with smart plays. Maybe it was the holiday break lagging them down, but the energy was completely absent from the maroon and gold squad.

“Yeah, I really don’t know,”said Guentzel of his team’s struggles. “It’s tough, but you make the best of it. We have no excuses there. Whether it’s coaching or not scoring, being short-handed, there is no excuse for it. (Colgate) is a good team.”

Minnesota tested Colgate freshman netminder Charlie Finn early on, out shooting the Raiders 13-6 through the scoreless first period.. Minnesota sparked a flame in the middle of the second frame as Gopher freshman defenseman Michael Brodzinski continued to prove himself as an offensive threat. Brodzinski sailed one from just inside the blue line that skipped past Finn for a 1-0 Minnesota lead just 2:25 into the period.

Colgate responded with two of their own including Joe Wilson’s goal at 8:29 which he slipped between the pads of Adam Wilcox after the Gopher goaltender mistakenly assumed he had frozen the puck. Wilcox finished with 27 saves and appeared to be fighting the puck all night.

Just under seven minutes later the Raiders capitalized on a poorly executed Minnesota line change by turning a Nate Condon neutral-zone turnover into an easy 2-on-0 for Darcy Murphy and Daniel Gentzler with Murphy tallying for a 2-1 Colgate lead at the end of two.

“Ultimately, the bottom line tonight is that giving up the puck between the blue lines in the neutral zone, is going to cost you the hockey game,” said Guentzel.

And that go-ahead goal was a big turning point for Colgate according to Finn.

“I think just pulling in front of them for that lead against a No.1 team was a lot,” said Finn, who ended the night with 36 saves. “To do that here, obviously we’ve never played in front of a crowd like this, gave us that confidence to finish this game.”

The Gophers didn’t make it easy for the Raiders, however, as Travis Boyd slapped one in from the left side on the power play midway through the third for the tying goal. The final minutes were the most electric of the night, the announced crowd of 9,520 included. Each team had opportunities, but both goaltenders did their part to force overtime.

Colgate held an edge in the extra stanza but ultimately the teams were going to let a shootout decide.

Colgate’s Mike Borkowski scored leaving Kyle Rau with a must-score effort after two Gopher failed attempts. The Gopher captain prevailed, but Ryan Johnston potted one to end the game leaving the Gophers now 0-3 in shootouts this season.

What was supposed to be a prime match-up between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation in Minnesota and Ferris State on Saturday is no more. Colgate and Ferris State now play for the championship at 4 p.m. while the Gophers will face RPI at 7 p.m. consolation title.

Additional Game Notes:

Kyle Rau tallied his 100th career point on the assist to Boyd. He joins an elite class of 80 Gophers to have reached the century mark. Erik Haula, now in the Minnesota Wild system, was the last Gopher to achieve the honor.

“It’s pretty cool,” said Rau. “I’m disappointed in the loss but that’s a positive take away.”

The post Far From A Classic appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Featured Image:
Hudson Fasching is one of two Minnesotans on Team USA’s preliminary WJC playing roster.
(MHM Photo / Jeff Wegge)

USA Hockey today unveiled its 26-player preliminary roster for the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team that will participate in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden.

In addition to Gopher coach, and Team USA head coach, Don Lucia, Minnesota is represented by a pair of Gopher players, Hudson Fasching (Burnsville) and Brady Skjei (Lakeville), and St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko who will serve as one of Lucia’s assistants. Three players remain to be cut from a roster which has been pared from the original 44 players who attended the 2013 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. in August.

The 26 players, including 19 NCAA representatives, will participate in a training camp Dec. 15-18 at the University of Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, with preparations continuing in Angelholm, Sweden, before the final 23-man roster is announced on Dec. 23. The Mariucci Arena practices will be open to the public.

The U.S. will play three games before the start of the IIHF World Junior Championship highlighted by a Dec. 17 matchup in Mankato against Minnesota State. Contests in Angelholm vs. Finland on Dec. 20 and Sweden on Dec. 22 will follow.

“We’re excited about the group of players we’ve invited to camp,” said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team and assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “There will be some tough decisions in getting to the final roster, but that’s certainly a good problem to have.”

2014 Training Camp Roster

The post Preliminary WJC Roster Revealed appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.