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Mike Hastings’ whirlwind schedule immediately following his accepting the Minnesota State men’s hockey coaching job included a trip to the Czech Republic to watch the Under-18 World Championships.
Specifically, he was there to watch and meet Mavericks recruit Teddy Blueger, who was playing for the Latvian national team.
Blueger signed with MSU during the early period in November. But as Blueger’s stock grew throughout an outstanding season at Faribault’s Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, Hastings had to make sure that the talented center was down with the coaching change.
“Gotta go see Teddy,” Hastings said in an interview following the press conference introducing him as coach.
For fans, if the 17-year-old Blueger wasn’t Minnesota State’s most intriguing incoming freshman since David Backes a couple of months ago, he certainly is now.
On Saturday in their home arena, the Pittsburgh Penguins picked Blueger in the second round of the NHL entry draft. Only two other players with Minnesota State ties have been taken higher than Blueger at No. 52, and only one of those, Tim Jackman at No. 38, played for the Mavericks after getting drafted (Tyler Pitlick was taken at No. 31 after his freshman year at MSU but had already left school to go to the Western Hockey League).
This year, only 10 other players with college ties were drafted before Blueger. Four of them, including North Dakota recruit Jordan Schmaltz and Minnesota freshman-to-be Brady Skeji in the first round, will play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Mavericks have never had a huge number of draft picks on their roster. This season, Blueger and Max Gaede, a third-round pick of the San Jose Sharks two years ago, will be the only players whose rights belong to NHL teams.
But having a pro team’s name or initials next to your name on college roster doesn’t necessarily guarantee greatness. The Mavericks have had a number of mid- and late-round picks who didn’t exactly perform like superstars over their careers in Mankato.
Meanwhile, there have been undrafted free agents who have caught the eye of the sport’s top level. Although his NHL career never really blossomed, Grant Stevenson got a few million before the Collective Bargaining Agreement tamped down rookie wages. And Ryan Carter has carved out a nice niche for himself at the top level, getting his name on the Stanley Cup once and nearly getting a title again this year.
But there’s something special about those high-round picks. Minnesota State has never had a first-rounder. Pitlick, who was taken with the first pick of the second round in 2010 had a very nice freshman season, and I would have put good money on predicting a breakout sophomore season had he been more interested in going to school. Jackman had two solid years of college hockey and, although it took time, has made a nice, long career for himself in the NHL, most recently with Calgary. Backes, of course, became an All-American at MSU and is now a superstar in St. Louis.
This fall, all eyes will be on Blueger to see not only what Minnesota State and Mike Hastings saw in him but the Pittsburgh Penguins, too.
Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Read his blog at mankatofreepresshockey.blogspot.com, and follow him on Twitter @puckato.
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