Oct. 18, 2002

by Alex Clark, CU '05

For one of Colgate's own, the future is now brighter but no less uncertain. The Philadelphia Flyers selected sophomore defenseman Joey Mormina with the 193rd pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, making him the highest drafted Raider since Bruce Gardiner was picked by the St. Louis Blues 11 years ago. Voices from Colgate's past will tell of just how far Mormina still has left to go.

Being drafted will not ensure Mormina of playing in the NHL, much less of having his name mentioned in the same breath with other ECAC alumni such as John LeClair, Adam Oates, and Joe Nieuwendyk. Colgate graduate Steve Poapst of the Chicago Blackhawks has shown that the road from this small, liberal arts school to the world's top level of hockey is not one taken with ease.

Poapst flew around the ice at The Edge Ice Arena in Bensonville, Illinois, as he prepared himself for the upcoming season with the Blackhawks at the team's voluntary practice. He looked at ease as he broke up a pass between Theo Fleury and Eric Daze, his opponents during a four-on-four scrimmage.

"It's definitely intimidating to sit in a locker room with quality players like Alex Zhamnov," said Poapst after the practice. "When you first get to this level you ask yourself questions like 'Should I be here?' and 'Can I play with these guys?' It's a definite adjustment, no matter what level you are coming from."

Like Mormina, Poapst was a defenseman for the Raiders, and a successful one at that. A member of the only Colgate team to capture the ECAC title in 1990, he compiled 61 points and 157 penalty minutes in four years and 132 games with the Raiders. Poapst was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team in 1988 and was an All-ECAC Honorable Mention during his senior year in 1991.

Unlike Mormina, however, Poapst was never drafted by an NHL team. Following his graduation, he failed as a walk-on for the Vancouver Canucks, and packed his bags for the East Coast League and the Hampton Roads Admirals.

After years of paying his dues and improving his play, Poapst finally broke through with the Washington Capitals late in the 1995-96 season. In his first career game, he filled in for an injured regular and scored the game winning goal against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. He had officially made his mark on the NHL.

Poapst is not the only Raider to fight his way to the professional level as an undrafted free agent. While Gardiner was drafted, he was left unsigned and subsequently picked up as a free agent. He scored 66 points in 239 games played with the Ottawa Senators, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New Jersey Devils. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim signed Andy McDonald only two years ago, and he has amassed 29 points in only 69 games played, an achievement that led to his placement on the top line alongside All-Star Paul Kariya.

The struggle to remain in the league continued long after Poapst's fist game, however. He bounced between the NHL and the American Hockey League before finally finding a home in Chicago. Through 117 games, he accumulated 14 points and 50 penalty minutes. Poapst is now a reliable defender on the Blackhawks bench and proves to himself and his coaches that he deserves to play with the best.

Now a 33-year-old veteran at every level of professional hockey, Poapst attributes his final immergence in the NHL to his constant hard work and concentration on the basics, disciplines he learned as a youth in Cornwall, Ontario and that were expounded upon when he came to Colgate. "At this level you have to play consistently," said Poapst. "If you play one game below your capability, chances are you aren't going to stick around. You have to play that way every day, even in practice."

Both Poapst and Mormina make their mark as stay-at-home defensemen. This means that while neither score a lot of points, they both play important roles on their teams. Poapst believes that recognizing this role is essential for success.

"To be a stay-at-home defenseman in the NHL, you can't do stuff outside of where your capabilities lie," he said. "You have to know your position so you don't get beat, and you have to clear pucks away from the front of the net. Just make a first good pass and don't get yourself in trouble or in a position you don't want to be in."

Mormina has one advantage over Poapst: size. Standing 6'5" and weighing 220 pounds, Mormina possesses the makings of a dominant force on the ice. As Poapst proves, however, size isn't all that counts at the NHL level. Despite his short, six foot stature, the Colgate grad continues to earn trust from Blackhawk coaches and players with his positioning skills.

"At that height he should have an advantage," said Poapst of Mormina, "as he'll be able to move people out from in front of the net with his size, if he plays that way. In my case I rely on being in the proper position, taking the puck away, and not losing any battles. And for the last couple of years my assignment has been to shut down the top players on the other team, which has been challenging and fun."

Now in the waning years of his career, Poapst still finds himself fighting to remain at the top level of play. To be the best, he stresses focus on fundamentals, personal growth, and steady play. He believes these will be the best tools for Mormina as he tries to make his way in professional hockey.

"You should always work on your basic skills," he said. "Whatever drill you're doing you should do it to the best of your ability. Play each practice like you would in a game. Make sure all passes are on, all your shots hit the net, and always work on your skating. It's easy to take the easy way sometimes, and it's hard to do things the proper way. It takes work to get better, and that comes from practice and learning the game."

Mormina's attention won't be on the NHL this fall. He will be just another member of a team trying to bring glory back to Colgate, just as Poapst did over 10 years ago. With commitment and an understanding of his own strengths, however, Mormina could not only follow in the footsteps of Gardiner, McDonald, and Poapst, but see his name among the greats to immerge from the ECAC.