Reinke’s return a boon for him, RoughRiders

CEDAR RAPIDS - In junior hockey, it's called 'The Decision.” No offense, Lebron James.

When a player gets through one season in the United States Hockey League, or sometimes more than that, he starts to get the itch. The primary purpose of the league is to develop kids and move them on to college and professional hockey.

That's where Mitch Reinke wants to go. He's got a scholarship waiting at Michigan Tech.

But sometimes it's best to return. After a lot of deliberating, that's what the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman chose.

'I talked to Coach at our year-end exit meetings,” Reinke said. 'It was kind of up in the air throughout the year and going into the summer. But I just thought another year here would be good for me. You can never be too ready going into school, and going into school, I want to make a huge impact. I think that was the big thing for me.”

Reinke, 18, is a Minnesota resident who made a definite impact in his rookie USHL season. He had a pair of goals and 21 assists in 55 games a season ago for the Riders, playing in all situations and impressing with his puck-moving skills and hockey sensibilities.

There even was talk he could be a late-round NHL draft pick last spring, though that never happened. He is, by far, the most experienced of the three returning defensemen on the Cedar Rapids roster, a guy who racked up considerably more ice time than Logan Von Ruden and Derek Daschke.

The Riders begin the 2015-16 regular season Saturday night at home (7:15 p.m.) against Lincoln.

'I thought last year was a good year,” Reinke said. 'We would have liked to have done more as a team. Coming back, it's a good learning experience. Now us returners, it's got to start with us. We've got to get after it and get some wins right away and continue it all year long.”

He seeks consistency.

'It is just something that you look at it every night, you've got to be ready to go,” Reinke said. 'I'd like to help out the young guys, though, and kind of show them what the league is all about. I'm just going to focus on my game and do what I can to help the team win.”

Reinke said he learned a lot last season from veteran defensemen Charlie Curti and Clark Kuster, who have both moved on to college. Curti was his defensive partner.

'I thought we had great chemistry,” he said. 'He just helped me get acclimated to the USHL and know what to expect. He had a great work ethic.

'I'm just looking to have a great night every night. That's it. You've got to come out ready to play every night, have that consistency. I want to improve on all aspects of my game. You've got to be an all-around player at the next level, so I think that's huge.”

Around the rink

-The RoughRiders are at the top of a pair of preseason power polls in the USHL. The Hockey News has them ranked No. 1 in the league, as does another distributed by USA Hockey. The latter is compiled via vote of sportswriters and others (including The Gazette's Jeff Johnson) who cover the USHL. Following Cedar Rapids is Waterloo, Dubuque, Sioux City and Omaha, in that order.

-Two veteran forwards who had the possibility of returning to the RoughRiders this season will not. Center Casey Jerry was released two weeks ago and has hooked on with the Minnesota Magicians of the lower-level North American Hockey League. Winger Zach Court left the team shortly after fall camp began and has returned home to Canada, where he is playing in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

-First-year RoughRiders forward Zac Robbins announced his commitment Friday to Brown University. Robbins, from Glenview, Ill., had 12 goals and 29 points in 43 games last season for the NAHL's Johnstown Tomahawks.

-First-year center Matt Filipe and second-year defenseman Derek Daschke played Thursday night in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game at Buffalo, N.Y. Youngstown defenseman Luke McInnis was named MVP of the game, which featured 40 of the top 2016 NHL Draft prospects in the United States.

-The RoughRiders said all of their home games will be televised on a multi-day, delayed basis on Imon cable systems.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com