Lumberjacks tweak protected lists

Following the Muskegon Lumberjacks’ annual tryout camp, the team has made some adjustments to its protective list as the deadline to report its active roster and affiliate list approaches.

The Jacks must submit a 25-player active roster and a 14-player affiliate list to the United States Hockey League office by July 1. The team currently has 42 players on its protected list. Teams’ affiliate lists can include six players born in 1995, six players born in 1994 and two players born in 1993.

“The active roster and the affiliate list are two very big pieces,” Lumberjacks head coach and general manager Kevin Patrick says, “and you have to think about how you will fit together.”

One year ago, Gavin Hartzog impressed scouts so much during Lumberjacks tryout camp that he committed to the University of Wisconsin, where he had one point in 14 games as a freshman.

Patrick knows a lot can take place between tryout camps and the league’s deadline – including drops, adds and trades.

“Our list is very solid,” Patrick says. “But the next 10 days in the league can potentially be very interesting.”

Muskegon’s annual camp opened last Monday and concluded with two all-star games, one Saturday night and the other Sunday morning. Patrick says the staff has had far more difficult decisions than it did a year ago when the Jacks were an expansion team.

“This year has been a totally different animal,” Patrick says. “But having these sort of tough decisions is a good problem to have.”

The Jacks’ protected list consists of the following skaters and goaltenders:

Initial protected players:
Vito Aluia (5 foot-8, 160 pounds; 2/23/94)
Noah Batis (5- 9, 160; 2/23/94)
Travis Belohrad (5- 10, 180; 1/13/91)
Paul Berrafato (5-11, 178; 6/9/93)
Ryan Bullock (6-0, 170; 2/5/93)
Garrett Clemment (5-9, 165; 6/18/93)
Brett D’Andrea (6-0, 175; 1/2/94)
Jimmy Davis (6-0, 180; 4/22/93)
Matt DeBlouw (6-0, 165; 9/17/93)
Carter Foguth (6-3, 215; 2/13/92)
Lance Fredrickson (6-0, 175; 1/1/92)
Tyler Heinonen (6-0, 190; 5/8/93)
Mason Jobst (5-6, 135; 2/17/94)
Dakota Klecha (5-10, 157; 12/25/91)
Ryan Lomberg (5-10, 178; 12/9/94)
Jordan Masters (5-11, 150; 4/30/94)
Alex McCauley (6-2, 180; 4/8/91)
Mike Moran (6-6, 203; 9/16/93)
Omar Mullan (5-8, 172; 7/18/93)
Tayler Munson (6-0, 183; 3/2/93)
Tyler Murray (5-8, 135; 2/11/93)
Christian Pomarico (6-1, 190; 11/11/92)
Kevin Schulze (5-8, 146; 4/23/93)
Nick Seeler (6-0, 170; 6/3/93)
Max Shuart (6-1, 180; 6/27/94)
Casey Thrush (6-1, 175; 5/5/92)
Joel Vienneau (6-4, 185; 1/18/92)
Ben Walker (5-9, 165; 6/21/93)
Travis Walsh (5-11, 184; 6/4/93)
Mark Yanis (6-2, 195; 5/26/94)

Futures:
Riley Alferd (5-10; 3/26/95)
Grant Besse (5-10, 165; 7/14/94)
Cole Cassels (5-11, 157; 5/4/95)
Garrett Cockerill (6-0, 190; 2/19/94)
Joseph Cox (6-0, 170; 1/7/94)
Josh Henke (5-10, 192; 5/17/94)
Christopher Leibinger (5-9, 172; 6/16/94)
Mike McNicholas (5-10, 175; 3/23/94)
Matej Paulovic (6-2, 172; 1/13/95)
Corey Schueneman (5-11, 166; 9/2/95)
Alex Smith (5-11, 173; 1/31/95)
Alex Talcott (5-11, 190; 2/26/95)