By J.C. Pennington

Much was expected of freshmen Dave Steckel (West Bend, WI) and R.J. Umberger (Pittsburgh, PA) when they signed with the OSU hockey team last year. After all, they were both members of the U.S. Development Program and had represented the United States in international competition and both were highly ranked NHL prospects. After their first year of NCAA hockey, both delivered on those expectations.

Umberger( 6'2", 200) led the team in scoring (14 goals - 13 assists - 37 points) while Steckel (6'5", 198) led the team in goals (17-18-35). Both the talented rookies made the CCHA All-Rookie team (the only teammates to do so), and Umberger last week was named the CCHA Rookie of the Year, finishing second in conference freshmen scoring. Steckel was third in league rookie scoring.

Both are eligible for this summer's NHL Entry Draft to be held in Sunrise, FL June 23-24. The NHL.com currently lists eight NCAA players as top prospects for the 2001 entry draft. Sixty-two percent (five) of that list is made up of CCHA players. Twenty-five percent of the list is Buckeyes...Steckel and Umberger.

The NHL Has Been Looking

Of Steckel, the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau says: A strong competitor with excellent size and strength ... is very strong in front of the net and in the corners ... a very good bodychecker who enjoys the physical aspects of the game ... has good puckhandling skills and is able to score in heavy traffic.

Steckel proved he enjoyed the "physical aspects of the game" by leading the Buckeyes in penalties (32) and penalty minutes (80). He also was the team-leader in plus/minus with a +10.

Central Scouting had this to say about Umberger in it's scouting report released Jan. 10, 2001: R.J. is a good puckhandler and is always dangerous when he has possession of the puck ... has shown the ability to score the big goal and is capable of making big plays in traffic ... he is strong on his skates and protects the puck very well ... used in all game situations and is frequently played on the power-play and penalty-killing units.

Umberger knew he was expected to carry the offense as the number one centerman and leader of the first power play unit. He led the team with 122 shots, 47 more than number-three shooter Steckel.

'Unbelievable Experience'

Buckeye Jason Crain (Defenseman, 6'3"-200-Jr.-Natrona Heights, PA) has an idea of what his freshman teammates are going through in anticipation of the NHL Entry Draft. Crain was drafted by the LA Kings in the third round of the 1999 draft.

"It was the most unbelievable experience of my life," Crain said. "You are up there and you see all these famous people, all the NHL people are all around you. For me, I didn't know what to expect. It was really wild," he said.

Unlike the NFL, the NHL leaves much of the control of the future in the hands of the NCAA players. Players eligible for selection in the nine rounds (plus compensatory picks) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft are subject to the following restrictions:

* North American players born between January 1, 1981 and September 15, 1983 are eligible for selection in all rounds.

* Non-North American players 18 years of age or older as of September 15, 2001 are eligible for selection in all rounds, with no maximum age limit.

* Non-North American players must be drafted before signing with an NHL team.

When an NCAA player is drafted, he determines when he will "come out." Until then, he retains his NCAA eligibility. There are practical considerations however.

" I think everybody knows the big thing is who drafts them," said OSU head coach John Markell.

"If they get drafted high to a desperate team that has no centermen, you don’t know what the NHL team is going to say. If they get drafted by perhaps a team strong in centers, they’ll say ‘No, you stay here for four years. You develop here,'" Markell said.

That has been the case for Crain. "That was their biggest thing," Crain said of the Kings. They told him, "stay in school," which is what he wanted to do.

"A big thing for me was that I always wanted to get my degree (in sociology) and they said work on that, develop as a hockey player, get stronger, put on some weight. I think I've done that in my past two years and I've still got a year left," he said.

Parents Are A Part Of The Mix

Players, coaches, and the NHL are not the only interested parties. Parents are a big part of the mix too. While "It's a tremendous feeling" to have a son about to be drafted by a major league team, Curt Steckel said, "We would have never believed that David would have been this special and making it up to this level, especially in hockey. " Arm problems ended a promising little league baseball career and golf is a major interest for his son. However, when Dave was in high school, soccer looked like his sport according to his father. "He played soccer his freshman year. He was the leading scorer on his JV team for high school," the elder Steckel said.

For the parents of a college player, it's not just about the hockey.

" My wife and I push the school thing. I'd hate to see him do something rash that's not going to work out. That degree is really important," Curt Steckel said.

His son was not "just an athlete" coming in.

"When he went away from home, West Bend (WI) West High School, he was the number one kid in the class, a 4.0 student."

When he was with the U.S. Development team in Ann Arbor, MI, Steckel attended Pioneer High School "which was tough," Curt said. "He still came out with a 3.8 overall."

For the parents of a serious student-athlete, there would be one reason to leave the college game for the "bigs.

"If the first-year experience on the ice was an unpleasant one, they might encourage the son to move on. The Steckels don't fall in that category. "The way it worked out, the way John (Markell) and (assistant coach) Casey (Jones) have been this year, he's just had a tremendous opportunity," Curt said of his son.

"I never would have thought he would have had this much ice time, on the penalty kill and power plays. We just can't express enough thanks to the Ohio State organization," Curt Steckel said.

Good For Ohio State Hockey

Two high draft choices "will be really good for Ohio State hockey," said Crain. "While that is undoubtedly true, Markell knows his young stars still have a lot to offer to the Buckeyes while they polish their game.

"I think they both recognize that they are not ready to come out." Markell said. "Does that mean that at the end of next year they are not going to be ready to come out? I hope they are that ready. That means we are going to have a great season out of them. But, I’m also hoping that at the end of next season the NHL club says ‘You played really well but we still want you to stay another year.' But in the meantime I get an unbelievable year out of them again just like we did this year," Markell said.

Everybody around the two freshmen has opinions, all of them good. Crain said that will not be the case as the draft draws closer.

"For Dave and R.J. it's going to be an incredible experience that they will remember forever," Crain said.

"They just have to go out there with an open mind and realize that you are not going to hear everything that you want to hear from those (NHL) people. That was the biggest thing for me," he cautioned. "It's a little different than what you've been hearing all season. You've got to realize that this is just a stepping stone to get to where you want to go. You are not going to be there (in the NHL) next season most likely."

Steckel and Umberger have no illusions about their games. They know they have things to work on. Steckel said he needs to work on his skating.

"Definitely my skating," he said, and "controlling the puck down low. Playing without the puck is something I do well right now which I can improve on even more. I’m sure there are other things but those are the things that stick out the most," he said.

Umberger said, "Right now I’m trying to work on thinking the game more, just trying to be in the right positions, learning how to play without the puck. It all comes back to playing defense all over the ice. I can play offense and I know that," he said. "I think right now developing my game defensively and thinking the game better is what I need to do."

'Stay In College'

It is obvious that Markell has talked to both players on what they need to work on.

"For Dave it’s more physical. But R.J. it's probably not as much physical but it’s more mental," the OSU head coach said.

"The NHL teams know that they are going to be given everything here that they could get in the minors, plus they can gain on their education. You get teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs who I know like them. Pat Quinn (coach and general manager) says stay four years. Stay in college four years. We get a better hockey player out of there in four years than we do with a guy playing in the minors for a year," Markell said.

"His strength is defense and his good defense creates his offense," Markell said of Steckel. "I think he understands that now but you have to go through it to understand it. R.J. learns that it’s his reaction back to the puck. He’s got no problem with the puck. He does mostly the right things. He now understands that the guys are bigger and faster here," Markell said. "His read on when to play defense, he’s getting exposed to that here because he’s been put in those situations. If you go to the minors or the majors, you might not get exposed to those situations. Here you can. You work on your reaction time and your reads. This is more helter-skelter than the pros. So if you can read it here, it makes it easy in the pros," he said.

When asked if they would stay or go next year, both hedged a little bit. Steckel said, "I’m going to assess that situation when it happens." Umberger said, "Staying here is definitely going to be an option."

However, both left little doubt when pressed.

"I definitely think I’m not ready right now or next year," Steckel said. "I need to gain weight and that's probably one of the things I need to work on in the summer. So, I think that will be one of the things that would prohibit me from going next year."

Umberger spoke for both players. "I think we are both not ready yet," he said. "We are both still maturing big time. The college game is probably the best way to do that. I think a sophomore year at Ohio State is probably the best thing for both of us."

John Markell and Ohio State hockey fans agree wholeheartedly.

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