Frederick: Ten years has gone by fast for alums

Sports

July 23, 2012

Frederick: Ten years has gone by fast for alums

By Shane Frederick The Free Press The Mankato Free Press Mon Jul 23, 2012, 09:14 PM CDT

— Ten years ago, Tim Jackman left the Minnesota State men's hockey team early to turn pro, and Shane Joseph was about to embark on what would be an All-American season for the Mavericks.

"(Jackman) was on my line the year before; he was a great hockey player," Joseph said. "If we would have had him (in 2002-03), you never know what would have happened."

On Monday, Joseph and Jackman teamed up again, this time on the golf course. They participated in the annual Dan Meyer Golf Classic, a fundraiser for the MSU Blue Line Club.

Another of their teammates, Brad Thompson, played in the tournament at the Mankato Golf Club, as did Aaron Fox, who played for the Mavericks from 1997 to 2000.

But it's the "02-03 season that is remembered as the greatest of Minnesota State's Division I era. Joseph, playing alongside another All-American, Grant Stevenson, led the Mavericks with 29 goals and 65 points (Stevenson had 27 and 63) as a junior as MSU made its only NCAA D-I tournament appearance.

"Ten years, it's tough to believe it was that long ago," Joseph said. "That was probably my most memorable year of hockey, as far as having fun and success. When a team is successful, you're successful; it creates really good memories.

"The group of guys we had together that year, we still have a lot of those bonds and created some lifelong friendships. It was probably one of my best years of hockey, if not the best."

Joseph retired this summer after playing eight years of professional hockey. He spent the last six years playing in Germany. He is now a realtor in the Twin Cities.

"I decided to settle down, start something new, start a new chapter," he said.

For Jackman, he probably would have enjoyed playing one more season with the Mavericks. But he eventually settled in as a professional player, finding a home with the Calgary Flames, his fifth NHL team. He played 75 games with the Flames last season and a career-high 82 the year before. He signed a two-year contract extension in February.

"Time goes by fast," Jackman said. "There was a time when I didn't think I was going to make it to the NHL, and I was in the minors. It's been a long road, but it's been a good journey for me. ...

"I enjoyed my time (in Mankato) when I was here. I met a lot of good people, and a lot of people helped me."

Thompson, who played for MSU from 2001 to 2005 before playing six years of minor-league hockey, now works for FHIT, a hockey training center in Blaine,.

Fox is about to embark on his 10th season of professional hockey in Europe (he also played three seasons of pro hockey in the United States before that). He will leave in eight days for Austria.

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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