Wearing the Carnelian and White
Alyssa Gagliardi hailed from Raleigh, North Carolina.  While few players come from North Carolina, Gagliardi did play in a more well-known hockey area: Shattuck St. Mary's high school where she helped led her team to a national championship. Gagliardi entered Cornell as a freshman in the 2010-11 season, when Cornell looked to defend its first ever ECAC championship.  Gagliardi came in as a touted defenseman and managed to contribute to the team both behind the blue line and on the scoresheet.  Her freshman year saw her score one goal and 18 assists to help the team toward their second consecutive ECAC Championship.  As a sophomore, Gagliardi's physical presence became more apparent.  She contributed just as much to the scoresheet, with 5 goals and 16 assists, but her presence on the ice was apparent.  Gagliardi was a key shot-blocker for the Big Red, something not often seen in women's hockey, as well as one who wasn't afraid to stand up to the physicality of other teams.  Coach Derraugh named her the unsung hero of the 2011-12 season due to her physical game, in particular her incredible shot-blocking ways.  As a junior, Gagliardi helped lead the women to their third ECAC championship.  She served as alternate captain and her leadership was apparent.  In addition to being an incredible shot-blocker and checker, Gagliardi stepped up into whichever role she was needed.  During the time when several women's players went to compete for the 4 Nations Cup, Cornell was short on players, forwards in particular.  Gagliardi showed her versatility by playing forward in a few games during that time.  Back on her native defense, she was even more impressive.  Scoring five goals for the second season in a row, she managed to make the goals count.  Two of the five were game-winning goals.  Her passion bleeds through in everything that she does both on and off the ice.

What to Expect
This season is going to be an important one for Cornell, in particular its defensive corps.  After losing two key defensemen, Laura Fortino and Lauriane Rougeau, the upperclassmen will need to step up to show the younger defensemen what it takes to be a Cornell defenseman.  Alyssa Gagliardi has already begun to do so.  Co-captain of the team, Gagliardi has seen time in over 100 games thus far.  She is a dominant physical presence on the ice, but also manages to have an incredible scoring touch.  Her leadership will be key when it comes to keeping the team motivated, both on and off the ice.  In her last two seasons, Gagliardi has tested the waters in terms of physical play.  When a penalty is needed to stop the other team, she does not hesitate in doing what is needed for her team.  She will need to continue to walk the line between necessary and unnecessary penalties this season, and continue to be a strong defensive presence for the squad.  She is more than capable of leading the Big Red, in particular the defensive corps.

A Look Back
The number two has been worn 10 times before Alyssa Gagliardi donned the sweater, starting with Barb Sherbon in 1977 and last worn by Melanie Jue in 2008.  The player that we are highlighting here wore the number two from 1994-98.  Leanna House shares many characteristics with Alyssa Gagliardi.  House played defense for her four years on the team.  She also helped lead the team to an Ivy League title in 1996, the last one Cornell garnered before the 2010 season.  House was a native of Ithaca, NY, going to Ithaca High School and playing in the area before attending Cornell.  House also managed to complete a degree and go on to be successful off the ice.  Leanna House currently is a professor at Virginia Tech for biometry and statistics.  Cornell women's hockey turns out both great players and great people, and will continue to do so in the future.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
What cliches can one rely on when discussing a captain whose demeanor seems less captured in the poetry of Walt Whitman than the rhymes of Marshall Mathers? That's not to diminish John McCarron's role as an academic. One need only read his information on twitter to see that he emphasizes the scholarly aspects of being a student-athlete as much as the athletic element. However, John McCarron is an emotional, sometimes in-your-face forward and leader of the Cornell hockey team.

John McCarron came to Cornell from the USHL. McCarron earned a reputation as a sincere and grinding forward for the Lincoln Stars who was unafraid to tangle with players to motivate or defend his teammates. Schafer and his staff no doubt appreciated that attribute in the future captain when they recruited him. They knew that they would need to focus those tendencies toward productive ends.

McCarron made it known early that he was unafraid to tangle with the best in the league: whether that be in defense of his teammates, or outmaneuvering and outperforming some of the best forwards in the nation. As a freshman, he scored his first career goal against Colorado College at formidable World Arena. The goal was the game-winning tally. He would pour two more assists into his column the next evening.

The freshman’s real knack for leadership became apparent at the press conference before Cornell’s appearance in the 2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal. The media in Green Bay, WS was intrigued by the spectacle of a native Michigander playing for a team from Upstate New York against the flagship university of his home state. John McCarron fielded the questions with ease. He quipped that his family sided with Michigan State in the historic intrastate feud, so it would be no problem for him to revel in dismantling the Wolverines.

Revel he did. In a now-legendary contest, Cornell fell down one goal early. Cornell had regained its footing but had not clawed onto the scoreboard. Sean Collins and John McCarron rushed down on the maize zone with most defense committed to high-scoring Collins. The senior flipped the puck over to McCarron who corralled it on his stick and unleashed a blast of a shot from the wing. The sophomore bested Shawn Hunwick and began Cornell’s unforgettable rally.

As a sophomore, John McCarron showed great chemistry on a line with John Esposito and Cole Bardreau. The dynamic between McCarron and the lattermost was keenly apparent from their first shift on the ice together against Colorado College. When a violent hit ended Cole Bardreau’s season, it was McCarron who tallied the goal scored on the resulting major penalty.

McCarron left an indelible mark on the Pioneers of the Mountain Timezone. Questionable officiating in Cornell’s second game against Denver at Magness Arena resulted in a chippy game between the Big Red and the Pioneers. The hallmark of the series was that WCHA officials meted out major penalties to two of Cornell’s least penalized players. The second game was particularly lopsided, as Cornell seemed poised to defeat the Pioneer. Cornell kept pace with the Pioneers in scoring while killing off 17 minutes of penalties. In the first period.

Frustration on the parts of both teams resulted and the officials lost control of the game. These frustrations gave way to post-game antics in which Cornell was assessed all of the after-the-whistle penalties. John McCarron initially received 15 minutes of penalties after the whistle for use of “obscene language.” McCarron merely stated the truth. He informed the officials that they had created the post-game fracas with losing control of the game. The future captain showed no fear in stating his mind.

Necessary changes to Cornell’s line-up undoubtedly stunted McCarron’s offensive production during his sophomore season. He could no longer play with Bardreau on a line. Mowrey, Esposito, and McCarron played well together down the stretch to the playoffs, but the intangible flow in play between Bardreau and McCarron could not return for the remainder of the season.

What to Expect
John McCarron is the right captain for this Cornell team. This is a pivotal era in Cornell hockey. No one should mistake that. The proverbial ball is in Cornell’s court to rebut the bids of Union and Yale to become the dominant forces in the ECAC. The task will fall to John McCarron and Mike Schafer to ensure that the 98th team to represent Cornell understands that institutional pride and integrity is easily at stake this season.

The last time that a fellow ECAC team won the national championship marked an inflection point in Cornell hockey history. RPI won in 1985. Cornell rebutted the next season with its seventh ECAC Championship in 1986. Harvard became a national champion in 1989. Cornell did not respond the next season.

The 1989-90 season saw Brian McCutcheon begin his third season and Casey Jones captain his team to a showing in the 1990 ECAC Championship Semifinals. The duo did not do what Cornell needed. A championship banner would not hang after archrival Harvard broke through. Cornell slid into a near-decade of dormancy. Cornell graduated six classes that did not win a tournament championship following that season. It was the longest such drought in Cornell hockey history.

Leadership is what could have prevented such a slide; fiery, determined, and motivating leadership. That is what John McCarron provides; a constant, burning passion for his program and winning. Cole Bardreau is the inspirational speaker or the jolt of energy during a shift. Andy Iles leads by his unwavering example. John McCarron is the stern and demanding leader that lies somewhere between the extremes. The trio has the right chemistry to achieve the goals on which the 2013-14 team has set its sights.

Some detractors have used terms like “bruising” as pejoratives for the way that John McCarron has approached or will approach his game. These reductionists who seem to get their opinions from perusing the columns of college hockey stats rather than watching a game miss the style that McCarron plays.

Is he physical? He is a Michigan native who plays on a line with Upstate New Yorker Cole Bardreau, what do you think? McCarron plays on a line whose role is not only to grind opponents down but to be opportunistic when it does. McCarron has the grit to wear down opponents and the hands to make them pay. While some lines may be more decidedly grind-oriented, McCarron’s lines typically play a genuine and physical game, typical of Cornell hockey, with a wide-open flare that puts the puck in the back of the net. Reducing The Captain’s game to punishing checks is inaccurate.

McCarron never has ranked lower than seventh in terms of point production. The Captain recorded 19 points in each season with goals contributing six and seven of those points in his freshman and sophomore seasons respectively. His scoring usually begins in the second half of the season. Look for that to change.

This writer thinks that the C on his chest will motivate John McCarron to tickle the twine far earlier in the season and slightly more often. He will remain among the top-five or top-six scorers on the team while guiding the team through a very important season.

Shall we address the elephant in the room? John McCarron was the most penalized player on the Cornell roster last season. Some outside of the Cornell hockey establishment view it as jaw-dropping that the wearers of the carnelian and white would choose such a player to lead them. A statistic cannot be viewed out of context.

Approximately 36% of those penalty minutes came over two games. The first such game was game two against Denver at Magness Arena when McCarron was on the receiving end of 15 of Cornell’s 40 after-the-whistle penalty minutes. The second game was Cornell’s game at Cheel Arena. An unpenalized and violent hit on Kirill Gotovets, which resulted in injury, led to John McCarron standing up for his teammate. He sent the message in the North Country that Cornell would not tolerate cheap and dangerous hits on its players. His choice to hold one of the Golden Knights accountable resulted in his being whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct.

No one considers Brian Ferlin an undisciplined, bruising player, nor should they. However, if one removes just those two games from McCarron’s statistics last season, Ferlin and McCarron have identical levels of penalization in terms of minutes. Furthermore, Cornell choosing players as captain who have ranked highly in terms of penalty minutes during their prior season is a veritable tradition.

The comparisons of John McCarron to Mike Schafer are common. They are appropriate. Mike Schafer was a dynamic and passionate leader, much like John McCarron will be. Schafer was the second-most penalized player during his sophomore season; the season before he wore the C as a junior.  These comparisons are far from unique for Cornell captains.

Dan Lodboa who wore the C and 14 for Cornell during its perfect 1969-70 season was one season removed from being the most penalized member of the Big Red’s 1968-69 squad. Doug Murray sat in the penalty box for one hour and seven minutes during the course of the 2001-02 season. A few months later he captained the winningest team in Cornell hockey history and led them to the 2003 Frozen Four.

Leaders like Lodboa, Schafer, and Murray are not afraid to fight for what they believe in. They are not afraid to defend their teams. It is for these reasons that they inspire great achievement. John McCarron's taking the reins after being the most penalized player on Cornell’s team should give the Lynah Faithful hope. Past holders of a supposedly dubious title have led Cornell to greatness in subsequent seasons. McCarron plans to do the same.

A Look Back
Cornell players who wore 14 are among the greatest in Cornell hockey history. Dan Lodboa stands as a player overshadowed by no other wearer of the number to date. Lodboa scored a hat trick in the 1970 national-title contest, was selected as the most valuable player of the 1970 NCAA Tournament, and led Cornell through a perfect season. His name should be ingrained in the minds of all of the Lynah Faithful. It is another wearer of 14 who helped Cornell achieve greatness who is more easily overlooked because of the stature that one of his teammates has gained.

Few members of the Lynah Faithful forget that Mike Schafer was captain of his senior team that won the 1986 ECAC Tournament. How many can name the other two captains of that team? The answer is Duanne Moeser and Peter Natyshak. The latter wore 14 as his teammates and he guided one of the most dynamic teams in Cornell hockey history to playoff glory.

Lou Reycroft and his captains including Peter Natyshak were determined to return to Boston Garden. Getting to Boston Garden was a principal goal of the season. Then, Cornell hoped that its flash of scoring and demolishing defense would deliver the historic crown of the East to Lynah Rink.

Over Natyshak’s career, his point totals exploded. The Oakville, ON native notched a mere 29 points over his first two seasons. His point production rose to 44 points in his junior season and 51 points in his senior season. Score lines never tell the full story of a player and his leadership.

The importance of a player is captured best in the words of his peers. A season after Natyshak graduated, then-captain Joe Nieuwendyk commented, “as the season went on, we began to realize the importance of Moeser, Natyshak and Schafer. Those guys were good players but they also showed leadership off the ice.” Peter Natyshak led his team both on and off the ice. The goals for his Cornell players were not limited to those in the rink. They included those in the classroom.

Furthermore, Cornell’s ultimate success in the 1985-86 season rested on Peter Natyshak’s ability to inspire his teammate to greatness. Natyshak received the Mark Weiss Award at the end of his senior campaign. The award is given to the player who exemplifies the determination and passion that the late Mark Weiss had for life and the sport of hockey. Wearers of 14 have come to embody those principles.

McCarron, like Natyshak and other wearers of 14, will find ways to ignite the passions of his team throughout the season. Wearers of 14 do not accept failure. John McCarron will not accept failure and will use his refined skating, scoring touch, and physicality to give his team the edge it needs when it needs it to win. McCarron is The Captain. The fiery junior is what Cornell needs this season. The Captain realizes that the season’s too short not to go for broke.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
The legacy of Rodger Craig at Cornell will be an interesting one. What can one write about a grueling physical forward who intimidates opponents and wears down defenders, but finds the back of the net in the most pivotal games of his career? He is solely neither a finesse goal scorer nor a punishing forechecking opportunity creator. He can be both. He keeps his feet planted firmly in both camps. This acrobatic positioning is aided by his 6'5" frame.

Craig, or as Schafer calls him Rodge, played 24 games of the 34 games that Cornell played in his freshman season. Most of the Lynah Faithful expected the typical arsenal out of the towering Craig. They anticipated Rodger Craig as the strong power forward who would establish a screen while a more finesse-savvy forward or defenseman wristed the puck into the net. Perhaps they thought Craig would collect a few points off of redirections. Such anticipation would tell but a small part of the story and far less than the most memorable elements of Craig's game.

As a freshman, Craig found the back of the net in his second outing with the Big Red. He scored the then-equalizing goal against RIT. Cornell would go on to lose the game, but glimmers of Craig's oft-ignored scoring potential began to show through his other physical penchants. Craig tallied two more goals and garnered assists on his first season. This was in addition to his indefatigable punishing of other teams as he grounded them down for Cornell's subsequent scoring opportunities.

Ask anyone who has watched Cornell hockey over the last two seasons how Rodger Craig played in his sophomore season. Two goals cannot be far from any fan's mind. As a sophomore, Craig scored two points all season. They were a result of goals. Both were game-winning markers. They came in the two most pivotal games of the season.

Cornell's hopes of a second-life in the 2012 NCAA Tournament if it did not win the Whitelaw Cup rested on boosting the Big Red's pairwise rating. Cornell stripped three points from Colorado College and fell in a closely played, but controversial, game against Boston University. However, the game that would prove most valuable to pushing Cornell into the national postseason was against in-conference opponent Union College. The game was one of the loudest contests at Lynah Rink in recent memory. Cornell and Union exchanged blows. It was Rodger Craig who would play the hero.

Craig found an opening in the second half of the third period. Sean Whitney connected with him on a long pass to center ice. Craig's unexpected, but undeniable, speed and agility bested Dutchmen defenders. Craig unleashed a shot from the left wing that threaded the needle between Troy Grosenick's blocker and the post. The Union netminder was not in time as he slid across the crease. Lynah erupted as Rodger Craig celebrated his first of two goals on the season.

Giant slayer is a title apropos of Rodger Craig. He warrants the appellation after his performance in his one trip to the NCAA Tournament. Craig ensured throughout the game that the hubristic Wolverines could not intimidate Cornell in the physical game of the contest. He showed no signs of letting Cornell hockey wither in the face of a fellow elite program.

Overtime was an entirely different story. Dustin Mowrey, Greg Miller, and Rodger Craig broke out on Shawn Hunwick. Michigan had little defense committed back. The former two took their chances. The task was left to Craig. The puck bounced off of Hunwick's pads onto the blade of Craig's stick. Effortlessly, Craig flipped the puck into Hunwick's empty net slaying what many believed to be Michigan's best team since 1997. The most significant Cornell postseason victory of the last decade can be attributed directly to a Rodger Craig goal.

Craig played only 24 games during his junior season. He would not contribute any of the history-making goals that had become the hallmark of his play during his sophomore season. Nonetheless, his physical role and play was essential to Cornell's success over the season. Craig played an integral part in many of Cornell's winning efforts even though he did not add the flair that he had the previous season.

What to Expect
Rodger Craig will continue to play the role of disciplined but physical forward. He will block goaltenders and create openings for teammates. He will do all the little things that he has done well. Craig is a role player who delivers on a moment's notice, even in the middle of a shift. His skill from his performances in his sophomore season are not long gone.

It seemed amiss that Craig never found himself on the score sheet. This writer doubts very much that such a trend will continue. Rodger Craig is unlikely to play a pure goal scorers game, but that is great for Cornell. He does the things that smaller, speedier forwards cannot while adding a turn of speed and puck placement not expected of someone who plays such a dominating physical game regularly. Expect Rodger Craig to return to his sparing scoring form on occasion while playing the big game that the team needs.

If Cornell earns a berth to the NCAA Tournament, expect Rodger Craig to be a contributor to a key part of the Big Red's run. Cornell had few big-stage games at the end of last season while Craig had even fewer with unknown reasons keeping him out of two games during Cornell's postseason run. Rodger Craig has a knack for contributing in big games on big stages, so expect him to join in on the fun when those games present themselves in the regular season and as his senior class seeks its first tournament championship.

A Look Back
The glare of some of the gaudy statistics of number-15 wearers at Cornell masks the achievements of many others who wore the sweater. The achievements of Steve Giuliani or Colin Greening fall easily into that category. What of a phenomenal and decorated player who never happened to win a championship at Cornell? He should not be forgotten.

Randy MacFarlane arrived at Cornell for the 1981-82 season. He was a talented, albeit somewhat diminutive forward compared to the norm of the current era. His first season he would tally a respectable, but unintimidating, five points over the season. Cornell would change coaches from two-time champion Dick Bertrand who had served 11 years to new head coach Lou Reycroft after Randy MacFarlane's first season.

During Reycroft's first season, MacFarlane would increase his point production to 13 points on the season, but he would still rank eighth on the 1982-83 team in terms of offensive production. His junior season would see new talents such as sophomores Duane Moeser, Peter Natyshak, and Mike Schafer pass him on the scoring charts while MacFarlane's point production dipped to six points over the season. His scoring would witness an uptick to 15 points in his final season in carnelian and white.

What was noteworthy about Randy MacFarlane? To observers, it was his skating and playing ability. He approached the game with fine-tuned fundamentals and good hands. He may not have found the back of the net as often as others on his team but the honed skill with which he challenged for tallies and connected with teammates was unlike many other more prolific scorers on his teams. Furthermore, MacFarlane served as a captain during his sophomore junior seasons. The teams he captained may not have made the playoffs, but it laid the foundation for playoff success in the not-too-distant future.

Cornell made the 1985 ECAC Tournament. It was Randy MacFarlane's final season at Cornell. It was his first trip to the playoffs. Cornell hosted Yale in the ECAC Quarterfinals. MacFarlane contributed an assist as Cornell tamed the Bulldogs 9-2 in the first game of the series. He would do much more the next evening. Randy MacFarlane scored the game-winning goal that sent Cornell to Boston Garden for the first time in four years. Cornell would wait another year for a championship, but Randy MacFarlane contributed greatly to the program's efforts over his four-year career.

Randy MacFarlane was honored with postseason awards after three of his four seasons. As a freshman, he was honored with the Bill Doran Sportsmanship Award. He would be twice honored with that award. Randy MacFarlane received it again after his junior season. The award he received at the conclusion of his senior season best captures how Randy MacFarlane's career resembles the career of Rodger Craig in some ways. MacFarlane received the Cornell Hockey Association Award in 1985 as the player who displayed enthusiasm, dedication, desire, and unselfish willingness to give his team an extra ounce of energy. Craig honors this legacy because in small spans of time he delivers what his teammate

Wearing the Carnelian and White
Jessica Campbell came to Cornell by way of Saskatchewan after a successful U18 campaign for the Canadian National team.  When she entered Cornell, she was one of the few forwards in her year and this year will be the lone forward in the senior class.  Campbell started off her first year strong, with 4 goals in her opening weekend as a player, all in a single game.  Her skill was apparent.  Even through battling injuries, Campbell, one of the fastest players on the ice, contributed both to the score sheet as well as to the chemistry on the team.  She notched 26 points in her freshman campaign.  In spite of an injury that saw her miss the ECAC championship game, Campbell was a crucial part of ensuring that Cornell earned its second ECAC championship.  She came back the following year as an incredibly important part of an offensive onslaught that saw the Big Red retain their dominance in the league and the country. Always an energetic player, whenever Campbell stepped on the ice, the crowd knew momentum was going to swing in favor of the Big Red.  One particularly noteworthy contribution was her tally to start a Cornell rally against BU that led to a triple-overtime game and an eventual Cornell win and trip to the Frozen Four.  As a junior, it was clear that Campbell brought a whole new level of competition to her game.   She may not have surpassed her freshman point total, but she scored a career-high 16 goals and her goals were nothing if not pivotal ones.  Campbell scored three shorthanded goals, due as much to her puck-handling skills as her incredible speed, but what is most impressive was her knack for scoring game-winning goals.  Almost one-third of Campbell's goals in her penultimate season were game winners.  Not to be forgotten, she scored the final goal of the ECAC Tournament to put Cornell ahead of Harvard to win its third ECAC championship in a tight game.

What to Expect
Campbell's leadership on and off the ice is apparent both in how she carries herself as well as how she gives 100% every second of every shift.  Before coming to Cornell, Campbell served in leadership roles both for Team Saskatchewan as well as Team Canada.  This year, she will serve as co-captain along with fellow senior Alyssa Gagliardi.  Campbell's speed makes her a huge asset to the team this year, with key losses up front as well as behind the blue line.  Her speed and presence on the penalty kill will be a huge asset early on in teaching the six-member freshman class what is expected of a Cornell player as well as by contributing to the team in a huge way.  Coach Derraugh has long asserted that Jessica Campbell is one of the fastest players in Division I hockey and this author has to agree. The speed at which she makes decisions as well as can sprint down the ice is incomparable and will be a key component to helping the Big Red in a season when people are doubting them.  As a player, she will need to continue her pace in terms of contributions and moreover keep her penchants for scoring game-winning goals. The hunger and drive will be a huge asset to the young team.  Additionally, her background in playing in three ECAC and NCAA Tournaments, and winning two ECAC championships will be huge in terms of helping the freshmen know what is expected of a Cornell team.  Expect great things of co-captain Jessica Campbell this year.  She has given these fans no reason to believe otherwise.

A Look Back
The number eight had been worn 13 times before co-captain Jessica Campbell donned the sweater.  None, however, are more fitting to look back at than the woman who first threw on the jersey in 1976.  Cynthia Schlaepfer was a member of Cornell in its infancy.  She helped lead the team to three consecutive Ivy championships while a player.  Schlaepfer, an Ithaca native, was one of the key players of her time, contributing both by scoring and by leadership.  Schlaepfer was in the top two for scoring all three of her varsity years, finishing first as a junior and second during her sophomore and senior seasons, and holding quite a few Cornell women's hockey records including the number four all-time spot for scoring (199 career points), goals (95, just recently surpassed by Rebecca Johnston), as well as the third spot for assists (104, which Brianne Jenner will look to break during her ultimate season).  She is the outright leader in the category of assists per game. Anyone who saw her play wouldn't be surprised by any of these facts, given that she set the record for goals (seven), assists (nine), and points (13) in a game during her time there, most of which haven't been touched since then.  In addition to records, Schlaepfer was also a key player in terms of leadership.  She co-captained the team as both a junior and senior, helping lead them to three Ivy championships while a student, in Cornell's record-breaking consecutive Ivy titles.  She contributed to three of Cornell's six-consecutive titles. The owner of seven hat tricks in a single season and member of the lacrosse team as a senior, Cynthia Schlaepfer was inducted in the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the induction class of 1985.  A lot of similarities are seen in the two forwards who donned the number eight, but none more than their tenacity. Jessica Campbell's speed, skill, and grit are a testament to the number eight.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
Mike Schafer has cultivated the Sunbelt as fertile grounds for players that keep Cornell a perennial national power. Armand de Swardt from Plano, TX is no exception to that scheme. The imposing forward from the Lone Star State began playing a key role even in his freshman season when he saw action in 20 games. The freshman fit into a specific role that Schafer and his teammates needed him to play.

Armand de Swardt is not a flashy finesse forward. Few would mistake him for that. He has a solid skating ability with somewhat unexpected speed. He has the propensity to burn forwards that are committed low when taking the puck from Cornell's zone. De Swardt's size? It ensures that when he's carrying the puck on a rush, a tactic he does often, that few if any opposing defender can stop him. The Texan deposits the puck into the net rarely, but often provides the grit and muscle to change the flow of a game.

Cornell's goal is to function like "the Cornell hockey machine" of the 1960s and 1970s, or "the dream-crushing, soul-devouring juggernaut" of the 2000s. Brian Sullivan captured the tactics of both well. He noted how for the system to be successful Cornell needs its archetypical big, strong power forwards and defensemen to wrangle the puck from the opposition, connect with a finesse player, and put Cornell on the scoreboard. The system originates with the physical play of unsung players. Armand de Swardt often would be considered such a player. However, fortunately for him, Cornell and the Lynah Faithful have an appreciation for clean, gritty, physical play.

De Swardt has been integral on many shifts in beating back an oncoming opponent with his size and checking ability. The image of de Swardt pushing his way through forwards and defensemen alike along the boards at Denver last season is an evocative one. The Plano, TX native ground the Pioneers into submission early and set up the Red goal that opened the second game of the series.

Plays begin and end with de Swardt regularly. The play of de Swardt and his line often set up the opportunities for linemates or subsequent shifts to penetrate a much-softened defense. De Swardt is one of few vestiges of vintage Schaferian recruits from the earlier 2000s. A vestige that has been and is essential to much of Cornell's success.

De Swardt's size is put to use not only in the Texan's physical play, but in setting up crucial screens for Cornell. Few netminders want a six-foot-five player on their crease. The sight becomes all the more threatening when it is a player who can deal easily with the usual goalie-screen pushing and shoving.

Dedication to his appointed role on the Cornell team has afforded de Swardt few opportunities to score for himself. He has scored six points over his career. However, noteworthy is the occurrence of those points. An impressive one-third of his points have been scored in the postseason. The most memorable of which was his freshman season. Just 24 seconds after Sean Whitney put Cornell above Dartmouth in the 2011 ECAC Championship Semifinal, de Swardt directed an effort from Sean Collins into the net. The goal from de Swardt ensured that Dartmouth would not end its then-31-year drought from the ECAC title game and that Cornell would have a chance to defend its 12th Whitelaw Cup.

De Swardt creates opportunities and that is what he has done for his three seasons at Cornell. His line on the scoresheet may not be gaudy, but de Swardt revels in his role and knows his importance to the team's overall success. His opponents respect and revere his game-changing abilities, especially at Lynah Rink where few forwards on Cornell's roster can put the deep corners to the punishing and eviscerating effect of Armand de Swardt.

What to Expect
De Swardt and his gritty brand of hockey will return. That is a good thing. While it is easy to get preoccupied with the flair and offensive outbursts of other forwards, the players who create those openings are just as essential to Cornell's success. When Cornell plays a stalwart defense like the one that Union presents, there are reasons beyond the awe-inspiring skills of Brian Ferlin and Joel Lowry why Cornell's most prolific line can penetrate and convert easily on the Dutchmen late in the game. That reason is the tiring and punishing play of teammates like de Swardt.

As many readers know, de Swardt is an archetype that is much needed on East Hill, but much loathed in the ECAC. De Swardt embraces that role. He takes upon the demeanor of Cornell's physical, gritty antihero. The senior forward has taken it to new heights over his career. He further cultivates his image. In an interview with Ithaca's "Between the Lines" broadcast, the punishing forward remarked that it'd be fine with him, in fact he may even enjoy it, if some of the fish that rain upon Lynah's ice happened to strike the opposing Crimson as they lined up along the glass fearing the Lynah Faithful's pregame deluge. He said so with a laugh.

Armand de Swardt will not change his style of play. He will continue to do what the team needs. He will wear down opponents and create space for Cornell. He will take away netminders's eyes so that Cornell can score from the point. He will continue to stand up for his teammates. He will forecheck even the most vaunted forwards in the nation aggressively. He will show his speed as he races the other direction for a bruising backcheck with the hopes that he may cradle the puck on his stick back across the blue line.

An interesting statistical note is that de Swardt's point production over his career has increased linearly. Each season de Swardt has scored one more point than he has the previous season. The Lynah Faithful can see if this trend continues this season while watching de Swardt make an art form out of a hardworking position his senior season.

A Look Back
Mike Iggulden chose to wear Cornell's number 18 for the 2001-02 season, his freshman campaign. Iggulden was recruited to Cornell to play a physical, defensive role as a forward. His first three seasons witnessed his creating a reputation to such effect. Cornell's coaching staff began to trust Iggulden with greater responsibilities on special teams as his senior season continued. He would reward their confidence in him with stellar play.

The defensive forward from the Class of 2005 earned 16 points over his first three seasons on East Hill. Such a total lends light on his contributions as a grinding forward. However, few could have expected his break-out senior season. Iggulden was known for creating open ice for his team, blocking shots, and limiting opponents's scoring chances. He would add the position of clutch goal scorer to his resume during his senior season.

Members of the Lynah Faithful who followed the 2004-05 season joked often that Mike Iggulden was a greater scoring threat on the penalty kill than most opponents's power-play units. Mike Knoepfli and Jeremy Downs, classmates of Iggulden, described Iggulden in his senior season: "He's the guy who, if we are down, can come up with something to lighten up the mood. Or score a big goal."

Mike Iggulden registered more points in his senior season than he had throughout his first three seasons combined. He scored ten goals. Perhaps the most memorable marker of his career was in the last victory of his senior season. Cornell fell behind by two goals early in the 2005 NCAA West Regional Semifinal against Ohio State. Doug Krantz and Chris Abbott evened the score before the second period had ended. The weight of winning the game was left to Mike Iggulden.

The Olympic-sized ice sheet at Mariucci Arena began to tax Cornell. Iggulden raced in on Ohio State's net. The shot went wide. It wrapped around the net. Matt Moulson collected the puck and flipped it over to Mike Iggulden who still remained on the doorstep of the crease. Iggulden moved the puck to the right past the goaltender, released it, and dove out of the way of the challenging netminder. The puck sailed into the net and sent Cornell to the regional final.

The role that Mike Iggulden began to fill during his senior season and that which Armand de Swardt will be required to fill are likely dissimilar. However, the essentiality of both of their roles to Cornell's success over their senior campaigns cannot be debated. Mike Iggulden and his classmates led Cornell to its 11th Whitelaw Cup. Armand de Swardt and his senior class hope that they can do the same. If de Swardt continues to create the openings and whittle down the opposition, his role in bringing success to Cornell will be no less important than even the special season that Mike Iggulden had during his senior campaign.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
Cornell lost 48% of its offensive output after the end of the 2009-10 season. Graduation and key departures exacted its toll on a program that was one season removed from a title run. Dustin Mowrey was among the members of an incoming recruiting class that found a way to make a rebuilding season a success. Mowrey's first regular-season contest saw the talented freshman score two goals against New Hampshire at Lynah Rink. The contest would not end in Cornell's favor, but it was apparent that Cornell had a skilled forward in the newcomer.

Dustin Mowrey would add another goal by season's end. Perhaps the scoring output most noteworthy from Mowrey's first season was his connecting with Locke Jillson and Nick D'Agostino for an assist on the game-winning goal against Harvard. He provided the outburst that made good on the performance of one of his fellow classmates between the pipes. Cornell ran to the 2012 ECAC Championship Final. When the season was complete, Mowrey was the highest scoring member of the freshman class in its first season. The speedy and sometimes gritty forward was just getting started.

Coaching axiomata profess that the steepest learning curve for a college-hockey player occurs between freshman and sophomore seasons. Dustin Mowrey did very little to disprove that belief. Mowrey would join Greg Miller and Sean Collins atop the board for point production at the end of the season. His offensive production even outpaced those of the vaunted talents of freshman forwards Brian Ferlin and Joel Lowry.

The regular season concluded with Mowrey tallying 17 points. Four of those points came from putting the biscuit in the basket. His goal total would double by the end of the season. In true Cornell fashion, Mowrey exploded in the 2012 postseason. Mowrey registered two points in the playoff-opening game against Dartmouth at Lynah Rink. After a double-overtime victory, the sophomore forward waited a mere 67 seconds to put Dartmouth in a deficit in game two. Mowrey scored the first of two insurance goals against Colgate in the 2012 ECAC Championship consolation contest. His goal helped punch Cornell's ticket to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The spectacle of his goals increased with the stage.

Mowrey was held silent during regulation against Michigan in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. That would not stop Cornell or Mowrey in overtime. A Michigan lapse allowed Dustin Mowrey, Rodger Craig, and Greg Miller to race in on Shawn Hunwick in a break-out play. Miller and Mowrey took their chances, softening the target that was Hunwick, until Craig finally delivered the puck to an unprotected net.

Perhaps Mowrey's best goal of his career came against Ferris State the next day. The Bulldogs struck first against Cornell. In what seemed like an immediate response, Mowrey sprinted in on Taylor Nelson of the Michigan Bulldogs. Mowrey got the Ferris netminder to commit to protecting the inside post then accelerated the puck on the blade of his stick into an open five hole. The goal was as symbolic and emotional as it was essential. It put Cornell back in the game and had fortune been more favorable, it would have been the goal that saved Cornell's Frozen-Four run. It motivated Cornell. The Big Red did not relent for the remainder of the game. Mowrey had some of the best challenges of the waning minutes of the contest.

The season ended on an unfortunate bounce and a broken hockey stick. However, this did not stop Mike Schafer from pouring praise on the progress that Mowrey had made. Schafer regularly referred to Mowrey as the most improved player on Cornell's team and referred to him often as becoming an exemplar hockey player. He was right. However, fate and Mowrey's unique skills ironically would cost him an explosive junior season.

Mowrey was positioned for a phenomenal junior year. Schafer would call upon his talents to fill voids that misfortune opened on Cornell's roster. Mowrey was on pace to eclipse his point production from his sophomore season. He had notched nearly twice as many points at the midpoint of the season as he had his sophomore season at the same point. Then, injuries depleted the position of center on Cornell's lines. Particularly, he helped center the line of McCarron and Esposito after Bardreau was injured. Mowrey proved more than able to fill the role on those lines. He helped his team at center, abandoning his natural position of wing.

This movement and a late-season injury caused a slight drop-off in terms of point production during Mowrey's season. Mowrey was injured during Cornell's last regular-season contest and during the entire Princeton playoff series. He returned to the line-up against Quinnipiac in the 2013 ECAC Quarterfinals. Mowrey's playoff form returned despite playing in a new position. The junior forward assisted on Braden Birch's break-out goal that opened game three.

What to Expect
Dustin Mowrey has been what Cornell has needed him to be at various points in his career. His sophomore year, he filled the role of goal and point scorer. His junior year, he was a role player. The question is what role will Cornell need him to fill this season. Mike Schafer has shed light on this topic. Schafer states that with a large corp of new players joining Cornell hockey, the team will need leaders. He consistently emphasizes Dustin Mowrey's name on the list of players, including letter wearers, who he believes will need to fill a leadership role.

This is a large vote of confidence from a coach of Schafer's calibre. Mowrey showed flashes of leadership last season. There should be little doubt that he will be able to do the same on a larger scale next season. I am sure that many members of the Lynah Faithful hope that his scoring touch from his sophomore season will return.

Injury and role changes likely undercut Mowrey getting in a groove like that he was in his sophomore season. Assuming that Mowrey can find a rhythm and returns to his role as wing, it is likely that he will be a potent threat again. If Mowrey can return to his scoring form, the lines that Cornell can assemble will prove dangerous to all opponents that face the Red. It is unlikely that Mowrey will crack the top three in scoring this season, but it seems equally unlikely that he will not be contending for a top-five scoring position on Cornell during his senior season.

Speed, grit, and skill with a knack for scoring in the playoffs? If Mowrey can stay healthy and in position this season, opponents that do not respect this senior forward will pay dearly. Expect Mowrey to show young forwards with a touch for scoring how they fit into the Cornell system with early contributions that will remain consistent over the season.

A Look Back
Several wearers of number 20 conjure up immediate images of bygone eras of Cornell hockey. Roy Kerling wore 20 and helped Cornell win an ECAC Championship his sophomore season. Duanne Moeser who tri-captained the 1985-86 team to playoff glory with Schafer wore a carnelian-and-white 20. Former Cornell assistant and current Clarkson head coach Casey Jones wore it during his career. Evan Barlow wore 20 in the 2000s. No matter on which era one focuses, the wearer of 20 provided a lasting effect upon the institution of Cornell hockey or left an unforgettable impression on those fans who watched.

Dave Westner wore the number 20 from his sophomore season of 1969-70 until he graduated at the close of the 1971-72 season. Westner, even as a sophomore, was called upon to give Cornell the performances that it needed. Illness forced captain John Hughes to miss starts in February 1970. Hughes played a pivotal role on the 1969-70 season. When the captain was unavailable, Ned Harkness turned to newcomer Dave Westner to fill the hole in the line-up. Westner performed admirably. While serving in relief for Hughes, Dave Westner found the back of the net for the first time in his career.

Descriptions such as "hustler" began being used in The Cornell Daily Sun to characterize Dave Westner's style of play. He typically raced in on defenders and stick-handled through them before besting opposing goaltenders. He became known as a quick, tenacious forward. Westner broke into the top-five scorers on Cornell's squad in Dick Bertrand's first season. He only fell behind players of the quality of Larry Fullan and Brian McCutcheon while besting future great Carlo Ugolini.

Dave Westner kept pace his senior season with 40 points on the year. He demonstrated a keen skill for providing scoring flashes during playoff runs. No time was this more apparent than during his senior year's postseason. Cornell made appearances in the 1972 ECAC Championship Final and national-title game. Westner provided 10 points over the associated postseason. Cornell downed Denver in the 1972 NCAA Semifinal contest by a margin of seven Big Red goals to two Pioneer goals. Four Red goals came off of Westner's stick.

The performances that Westner gave, especially those in the playoffs, are not soon forgotten by those who had the privilege of witnessing them. The exact same can be said about the play of Dustin Mowrey. In a manner honoring the legacy of Westner, Mowrey plays a hustling game while play what role Cornell needs. Both shared a noteworthy ability to score big and memorable goals in the national tournament. No one who watched either Westner or Mowrey play can forget the energy and skill that they brought to the game and how it lifted their team. Mowrey looks to building upon this legacy of his this season.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
The path from the environs surrounding Rochester to a leadership role on East Hill are oft-tramped. Sam Paolini, Cornell recipient of the Hockey Humanitarian Award, is the most legendary player to have traveled that road. The legacy of Cornell forward and junior alternate captain Cole Bardreau may change that in the not-too-distant future.

Hard work typifies Cole Bardreau's approach to the game of hockey. One may even extrapolate that it embodies his approach to life. The Fairport native debated attending the historic hockey powerhouse of Cornell University or joining the emerging hockey insurgency at Yale College, among several other offers. Bardreau forsook the lyricism of Cole Porter and chose to belt out Davy with generations of fellow Cornellians at the Ivy of Upstate New York.

Cole Bardreau's career at Cornell began in an unassuming manner. Bardreau was a member of a recruiting class that included flashy talents like Brian Ferlin and Joel Lowry. The class was regarded as one of the best in college hockey before the 2011-12 season. The recruiting class would not have been elevated to that level without the solid, grinding play for which Bardreau had become known on the United States National Development Team.

Bardreau played in all but one contest during his freshman season. The freshman forward found the back of the net for the first time in his college career against Harvard. His goal opened scoring in a 4-2 Cornell victory. Bardreau's scoring tendencies were not what impressed upon Schafer, his staff, and the Lynah Faithful most. The energy and zeal that Bardreau brought to each shift exploded off of the ice surface. Cornell was reinvigorated every time that 22 leapt over the boards.

The 2012 ECAC Tournament witnessed Cornell surge to the semifinal contest. The 2012 NCAA Tournament soon followed. Bardreau remained with his team while injured. He battled through pain and continued to enliven his teammates as Cornell toppled Michigan and fell one-goal short of a Frozen-Four berth. For most, the off-season would have been for recuperation. For Bardreau, it was the time to train to reach new heights and to achieve new goals.

The offseason was the time for the rising sophomore to hone his skills and condition himself so that he would be ready for selection to Team USA for the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia. Bardreau spent the summer preparing with an expanded roster for the Under-20 Team USA in Lake Placid. The end of October marked the beginning of Cornell's season with a contest against Colorado College at Lynah Rink.

Few knew what to expect. Everyone knew that Bardreau was good and important to team cohesion, but when he returned he was spectacular. Bardreau was placed on a line with senior John Esposito and classmate John McCarron. The improved skill of Bardreau and his linemates was apparent. The earliest challenges that unnerved the Tigers were lobbed from a skater on the Esposito-Bardreau-McCarron line. The line scored all of the Big Red's goals in a shutout performance. Bardreau was rewarded with an assist on each Cornell goal. The sophomore forward found the back of the net against Colgate in the second week of competition.

Bardreau had become more than an impressively improved grinding forward. Schafer had begun to rely on him somewhat regularly during special-teams play. The sophomore forward killed penalties with ease and a relentlessness that drew attention even on an team as defensively disciplined as Cornell. Bardreau would depart from his role on the energy line and emerging presence on the penalty kill to join the Under-20 Team USA. He had notched three points on the season until that point.

Phil Housley and his staff recognized that Bardreau was a leader of his fellow teammates. The Cornell forward was selected as an alternate captain when the United States wore its blues in the 2013 World Junior Championships. Bardreau scored an impressive breakaway goal against Slovakia during qualifying for the championship round of the World Juniors. However, the United States stumbled early. Canada and Sweden earned byes into the semifinals contests. Bardreau and his Team USA teammates needed to begin their challenge for a gold medal in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic.

Bardreau was particularly impressive against Canada and Sweden in the semifinal and gold-medal game respectively. His skill on the penalty kill prevented many of the world's most talented players from even threatening John Gibson. The Upstate New Yorker wowed the world's best. No opponent of the United States scored a goal while Bardreau was on the ice.

Bardreau played a central role in Cornell's 5-1 victory over Canada and gold-medal-winning performance against Sweden. Bardreau returned to the United States a gold medalist. He was unable to join his team during its series in Denver. He would wait to rejoin his Cornell teammates when the Big Red returned to ECAC play.

Former Team USA teammates, Cole Bardreau and Shayne Gostisbehere, faced off in Bardreau's return to college hockey. A mere 67 seconds into Bardreau's return, the recent gold medalist assisted on Esposito's goal for Cornell. Bardreau then began the rally for Cornell after it had fallen into a 2-1 deficit. With the game knotted behind Bardreau's goal, Bardreau took to ensuring that Union was shut down while allowing Ferlin, Lowry, and Miller to connect for a finesse goal to win the contest.

Then, the injury happened.

Bardreau was riding the high of a wave of excruciating potential when a vicious hit from behind into the boards ended his season. It did not end his role in that game. Bardreau returned to the line-up after missing only one shift. He battle through what one can only imagine was tremendous pain and disorientation. However, medical analysis during the following week diagnosed him with a fractured neck. He would play only 13 games of his sophomore season.

Disappointed, but undaunted, Bardreau continued to lend his energy to the team that dedicated his locker stall at Lynah Rink to him as a display of solidarity. Bardreau was present at all remaining games, home and away. He was alongside Cornell during its playoff run. He motivated the team during intermissions, especially before Cornell battled late in game three against Quinnipiac in the 2013 ECAC Quarterfinals.

What to Expect
Many have asked if Cole Bardreau can possibly pick up with where he left off. Could he possibly play with the same zeal and physicality after an injury like the one he sustained? People who ask these questions do not understand the character of this season's junior alternate captain. Bardreau will be back and will be stronger.

Bardreau's career has been one of overcoming odds and sacrifices to reach his goals. All conversations with Bardreau indicate that he views his season-ending injury as just another challenge on his road in life. Few thought that Bardreau would make the Under-20 Team USA team. Even fewer, this writer a noteworthy exception, believed that Bardreau would serve as a captain once he made the final roster for the 2013 World Junior Championships. The Upstate New York forward did both. Not only did he do both, he excelled. He turned heads and changed the course of games. He was deprived of doing the same for Cornell team during the Big Red's most crucial time of year. He wants that opportunity. He will do what is needed to obtain it.

It seems to go without saying that Bardreau is a vocal leader. He was tasked with providing the last speech to his Team USA before they took the ice for competitions. No one can deny the results. His knack for leadership and inspiration on and off the ice will be invaluable to Cornell. Cornell needs to incorporate several new freshmen at both ends of the ice early this season. When the season is dragging on or the playoffs are daunting, the team may need to be picked up. That is Bardreau's niche.

Bardreau's role on the team will be the same. As Mike Schafer described Bardreau's role, "he provides energy, he provides physical play and competitiveness. He can give you offensive ability, but at the same time he’s going to bring a physical ability, energy and a locker-room presence. He does a little bit of everything." The junior alternate captain will be pivotal on penalty killing. That is expected. If you're in the market for perhaps unexpected predictions, I would venture that Bardreau rediscovers elements of his scoring touch from his youth.

Bardreau tallied seven points in a mere 13 games. Two of those points were registered on Bardreau's first game back from World Juniors after he had found his new game. That seems to indicate an upward trajectory. Furthermore, against the world's best talents in an abbreviated tournament, Bardreau recorded three points. In terms of point production per game, Bardreau ranked fifth of returning players last season.

Is it likely that Bardreau will challenge for overall point production? No. But, it will reify the fact that opponents will need to respect his re-emerging offensive potency or suffer the consequences. When Bardreau returns to college hockey against Nebraska-Omaha, he will bring with him a complete game from backchecking and penalty killing to scoring.

Bardreau's most important role likely will be that of energizing leader. Before the gold-medal game against Sweden in January, Bardreau told Team USA that he was not leaving the building without a gold medal around his neck. One can only imagine that Bardreau looks forward to sharing such a moment with his Cornell team. Perhaps in Lake Placid or Philadelphia.

A Look Back
The number-22 sweater in carnelian and white did not receive a respite before Cole Bardreau donned it. Joe Devin became the go-to clutch-goal scorer for Cornell his senior season. That was just a season months before Bardreau wore it. However, the characters who have worn 22 for Cornell have existed long before even Joe Devin played on East Hill.

Brian Marrett opted to change his jersey number from 16 to 22 at the beginning of his junior season. This transition marked an uptick in his career for Cornell as recognition began to pour upon him after his 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons. Marrett ended his junior season ninth in scoring. That might raise an eyebrow now, but one must consider in which era of Cornell hockey he was playing. Marrett played that season on a roster with the high-scoring likes of Lance Nethery and Brock Tredway who scored 271 and 207 points over their respective careers.

Brian Marrett's performance his junior season had him recognized with the Cornell Hockey Association Award. The Award is given to the player who has improved most over the past season. Recipient of such an accolade provided quite a boost for Brian Marrett.

The junior forward opened Cornell's scoring in its spectacular run to its sixth ECAC Championship from the last-seeded position. Marrett unleashed a wave of Cornell goals with a two-goal effort against Boston College when Cornell began its playoff run on the road. A game of the 1980 ECAC Tournament would not pass without Brian Marrett tallying a point against the opposing team's netminder.

Marrett and Tredway assisted Doug Berk to open scoring against Providence at Boston Garden in March 1980. The Friars would be toppled by a margin of 6-5. The senior wearer of 22 buoyed his team and program to another playoff championship with a goal against Dartmouth's Bob Gaudet. The goal would stand as an insurance goal as Dartmouth would score only one goal in the contest. However, the efforts of Marrett were important to Cornell's ultimately triumphant playoff run. He ended the season sixth in scoring on the Cornell roster.

Joe Devin as captain scored an overtime goal against Quinnipiac that sent Cornell to Atlantic City in March 2011. Brian Marrett's efforts to improve over his junior and senior seasons earned him respect and helped his Cornell accomplish a feat that no team has equaled. Alternate captain Cole Bardreau has been denied the ability to play an entire postseason healthy. If he does, assuming that past is prologue and knowing the work ethic of Bardreau, the current wearer of 22 will surpass the legacy of even his predecessors in helping his team reach new heights.

Wearing the Carnelian and White
Kirill Gotovets? Kiryl Hatavets? It does not matter how you transliterate it, the play of Cornell's Belarusian blueliner has translated into dependable and stalwart defense since he arrived on campus in 2010. Gotovets joined the ranks of the Big Red after Cornell had won its 12th Whitelaw Cup. Cornell was hungry. Mike Schafer and the Lynah Faithful knew quickly that they had a very talented defenseman in the freshman Gotovets. Gotovets was the only player from the Class of 2014 to play every game during his freshman season. The green blueliner rewarded his team for its faith in him with lifting the team with an impressive +8; the highest +/- of any freshman on the 2010-11 team and third-highest overall. Gotovets tallied seven points over the course of his first season on East Hill while gaining a reputation as a first-pass defenseman.

The versatility of Gotovets was displayed early in his sophomore season. A series of line-up shuffles placed him as a forward at various times during the 2011-12 season. Noteworthy is the fact that Gotovets's most memorable goal from that season, and perhaps his career thus far, came in Cornell's first ECAC contest against Yale. Gotovets collected the puck, skated in on Jeff Malcolm, and unleashed a shot that arced over Malcolm's blocker and glided across the top bar into the net. It would be Gotovets's lone goal of the season. This would not prevent Gotovets from shining the same way that he had in his inaugural season at Cornell. Gotovets ended the season with the second-highest +/- of defensemen behind only then-captain Keir Ross. The Belarusian blueliner's penchants for blocking shots and stifling opponents's offensive efforts shone through in his +13.

Kirill Gotovets was a talented junior who joined a defensive corp including Nick D'Agostino and Braden Birch. Gotovets was paired commonly with sophomore Jacob MacDonald. The junior defenseman helped break in the talented MacDonald who had played in just eight games during his freshman campaign. The duo performed admirably. The two became known for their ability to turn back the advances of even the most talented players of opposing squads. Gotovets delivered another patented performance in Cornell's game against eventual national champion Yale. The junior dove in front of a blast from Antoine Laganiere that would have ended the contest in regulation. Gotovets's fearless dive, caught by the cameras and commentators of NBC Sports, preserved an opportunity to win the game for Cornell. Then, Cornell's and Gotovets' season took an abrupt turn.

Cornell was in the midst of a slide very uncharacteristic of Cornell hockey. The Big Red braved the North Country. Gotovets was in tow. During the contest at Clarkson, the season for the junior defenseman changed. In a punishing and shockingly unpenalized hit, the defenseman was injured. He returned for two contests to battle with his team, but then needed to nurse his injury for the playoffs. Gotovets would not rejoin Cornell's line-up for three weeks. The 2013 ECAC Tournament witnessed the return of Cornell's conservative and reliable defenseman. Gotovets was able to return for only the first game of the opening series in Cornell's 2013 postseason run. He delivered responsible and crucial, even nationally recognized performances, but his junior season was sadly cut short due to injury. The effect of the loss of an integral element of Cornell's defensive corp cannot be overstated.

What to Expect
Gotovets missed 12 games of his junior campaign. His game-changing talents are apparent. His versatility is evident in his ability seamlessly to transition from attacking forward to stay-at-home defenseman without losing perspective of his role within Cornell's system. Gotovets is a rare talent who can deliver on both ends of the ice when required. However, it was the role that he dappled in last season that will prove most vital during the 2013-14 season.

Gotovets dipped his toe in the pool of leadership last season when he defended the blueline and blue paint with Jacob MacDonald. His role as leader will be one that will be crucial this season. Cornell welcomes four freshman defensemen to its roster this season. Gotovets will serve as the only game-experienced senior. Even exceedingly talented sophomore Reece Willcox and junior Joakim Ryan likely will turn to him for guidance at times this season.

For new defensively minded defensemen like Clint Lewis, Gotovets will provide an archetype of resilience and composure for defensive play. His status as a veteran will help him guide and lead a young defensive corp, both by instruction and example. Last season indicates that Gotovets will shoulder the responsibilities of leadership with ease.

Staying healthy is an imperative for Gotovets. It is hard to imagine many members of the Lynah Faithful not wondering what if when reflecting about Cornell's playoff run last season. Recall the fatigue on the faces of some of Cornell's defensive corp as game three of the 2013 ECAC Quarterfinals lingered in its second overtime. It is not unthinkable that Gotovets's presence in the run-up to and run through the playoffs could have been a difference maker. The Lynah Faithful need to hope that their responsible defenseman can stay healthy this season and avoid hits like the one he endured against Clarkson last season.

What can be expected of Gotovets this season? The answer is likely more of the same. And, as the Lynah Faithful know, that is a great thing for Cornell. Gotovets executes a shot-blocking and offense-limiting defensive game that thwarts opponents and keeps Cornell in games. If Gotovets stays healthy and embraces his new role as leader of Cornell's blueliners, he will immunize the Big Red against the growing pains of breaking in a new group of defensemen. The senior defenseman is more than capable of both.

A Look Back
The highest profile wearer of 24 at Cornell in recent memory was Matt Moulson. However, the immediate predecessor of Gotovets was defenseman Brendon Nash. Nash was an essential part of Cornell's 2009-10 team that won Cornell's 12th ECAC Championship. Brendon Nash was a physical defenseman who accumulated most of his points over his career with a first pass or while grinding opponents to a submissive pulp on the power play.

Brendon Nash scored eight goals over his career. Six of those goals were scored in his first three seasons. Nash scored nearly one-third of his career points during his championship-winning senior season. His stellar play contributed to the success that Cornell enjoyed against Boston University, New Hampshire, and North Dakota during his last campaign. At both ends of the ice. He had four multiple-point games during his senior campaign. The most noteworthy of which came at Red Hot Hockey II in a two-point effort assisting Cornell's three-goal output.

The role of Brendon Nash to the 2009-10 team extends far beyond mere statistics. On a team of leaders, he found ways to stand out. He was not the lone senior defenseman that season, but he helped players like Braden Birch, Nick D'Agostino, Keir Ross, and Sean Whitney find their niche as defensemen within Cornell hockey. This alone would be a sufficient legacy for most players to wear the carnelian and white. Brendon Nash was not most Cornell players.

Brendon Nash's efforts and successful career at Cornell were recognized at the end of his final season. Brendon Nash was selected as a First-Team All-American in 2010. Ben Scrivens and he were the last Cornellians selected as First-Team All-Americans. Nash's legacy is a great one. It will never be forgotten as his All-American selection and the banner of the championship he won will boast of his achievements for generations at Lynah Rink.

Gotovets will be tasked with a responsibility not unlike that which faced Brendon Nash his senior season. A young, but talented, corp of defensemen needs leadership and will look to its seniors for guidance. Brendon Nash provided that guidance and proved indefatigable in helping his team reach its goals. This defines the responsibility of a defenseman who wears 24 at Cornell. Gotovets likely will prove more than able to lead in the tradition of great Cornell players like Brendon Nash.