Shelby Lum / Photo editor
Then-sophomore Tanner Fritz avoids the defense during a game against Michigan on Feb. 23, at the Schottenstein Center. OSU lost, 6-3.
The Ohio State men’s hockey team has named senior defenseman Curtis Gedig captain for the 2013-2014 season.
A pair of juniors, Ryan Dzingel and Tanner Fritz, will serve as alternate captains for the Buckeyes.
A native of West Kelowna, British Columbia, Gedig said he is “looking forward” to the opportunity to be OSU’s captain and is confident in the team in the upcoming season.
“I definitely believe that we have the team, the guys, the chemistry and the coaching staff to go all the way this year,” Gedig told The Lantern. “I cannot wait for this season to start.”
Gedig said he is “really excited” to play in the Big Ten men’s hockey conference in its inaugural season, but knows the challenge it will present.
“It’s a big change for sure,” Gedig said. “It’s definitely a harder league but everybody is excited for the year.”
The three players were selected to their respective positions after a team vote. First-year coach Steve Rohlik is pleased with the team’s selection of its captains.
“We feel really good about the three players who will be leading the team this year,” Rohlik said, according to the release. “The maturity all three show both on and off the ice and the way they carry themselves is an example of how we want each member of our team to represent Ohio State.”
Entering his final year at OSU, Gedig leads all returning Buckeyes with 100 career games played. He also wore a “C” for the majority of the 2012-2013 season even though the team did not have a set captain.
Dzingel and Fritz are also coming off stellar 2012-2013 campaigns, with Dzingel leading the team with 16 goals and 38 total points and Fritz dishing out a team-leading 26 assists.
An honorable mention All-CCHA selection last season, Dzingel enters his third year as a Buckeye with 23 goals and 39 assists in 73 games played.
Fritz was named to the All-CCHA second team after he won the conference scoring title last season by posting 32 total points in league action. He enters his junior season with 17 goals and 34 assists in 74 career games.
Coming off a 16-17-7 season that finished with a loss in the CCHA Tournament Semifinals to Notre Dame 3-1, the Buckeyes kick off their regular season in a non-conference matchup Oct. 11 at Value City Arena against Miami (Ohio).
