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Lots of unknown as Cedar Rapids RoughRiders begin 2023-24 season
Top 13 scorers from last season have moved on for team that begins with games Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon at the USHL Fall Classic
Sep. 20, 2023 3:09 pm, Updated: Sep. 20, 2023 3:33 pm
CEDAR RAPIDS — There are unknowns every season for teams at the junior hockey level.
The player cycle is unending, as guys move on to college or turn professional, others graduate from the affiliate roster. Drafts are conducted, trades made, free agents found.
But as the United States Hockey League season begins Wednesday at the annual Fall Classic in Pittsburgh, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have put the ‘un’ in unknown.
The Riders play Wednesday night against Sioux Falls in the regular-season opener at the UMPC Sports Complex. They’ll lace them right back up Thursday afternoon and play Youngstown before busing back home.
All 16 USHL teams play a pair of games at the Fall Classic, which runs through Sunday.
“I thought we played a lot of good hockey in the preseason,” said RoughRiders Coach Mark Carlson. “You always want to win more, but it gave us a chance to evaluate all of our guys and get our roster to where it needed to be. We’re looking forward to getting started.”
The RoughRiders lost all four of their preseason games, but that shouldn’t have been completely unexpected as this group is a work in progress. New faces abound.
Cedar Rapids’ top 13 scorers from last season have moved on. Three of them (defenseman Eric Pohlkamp and forwards Zaccharya Wisdom and Ryan Walsh) were NHL draft picks over the summer.
Walsh set the club record for most points in a season in 2022-23.
Forward Ryan O’Connell is the most productive player offensively from last season who is back, as he had nine goals and six assists in 35 games. Other guys up front who played games for the Riders last season and are returning are Isaac Johnson, Riley Bassen, Connor Smith, Landan Resendes and Riley Fitzgerald.
Cade Littler, a Calgary Flames NHL pick, played four playoff games last season and will be counted upon heavily.
“That’s just a fact. That’s a fact, and that’s what’s happened,” Carlson said, about the dearth of returning scoring. “And tons of character gone, too, with guys that brought a lot of things. But that’s what’s exciting, too. It’s a brand new start. We’ve got to be demanding, as we always are. But also patient with our guys.”
Cedar Rapids does have some experience on the back end with returnees Joel Kjellberg, Dominic Elliott, Colin Grable, Joe Schiller and Zack Sharp. The club swung a trade this week that brought in D-man Donovan Hamilton from Omaha, who played 20 games last season for the Lancers.
Sam Scopa played 23 games in net last regular season for the Riders and returns. The other goaltender is Rudy Guimond, a Detroit Red Wings draft pick from Quebec.
“You always need your second-year guys to be impactful, so we definitely will count on that,” Carlson said.
“We’re more just optimistic about the group and how we can improve. With us having so many new guys, there is just going to be a great opportunity to improve every single week. We’re really excited about that.”
Gavin Middendorf had three preseason goals for Cedar Rapids, which led the team. He’s a 19-year-old from Forest Lake, Minn., who played junior hockey last season in Canada.
The RoughRiders’ home opener is Friday, Sept. 30, against the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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