Troy Stecher returns for UND’s professional camp with 624 NHL video games and classes to share – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Ten years in the past, Troy Stecher helped UND win an NCAA nationwide championship, then signed together with his hometown Vancouver Canucks.

Stecher was an undrafted free agent, dealing with lengthy odds of constructing it on the highest degree.

That yr, just one undrafted defenseman at 5-foot-10 (or shorter) performed greater than seven NHL video games — Torey Krug.

But Stecher has an unusual drive, relentlessness and competitiveness which have at all times allowed him to beat the percentages.

He returned to campus final week as a 10-year NHL veteran with 624 regular-season NHL video games and counting.

There’s just one 5-foot-10 defenseman at the moment within the NHL who has performed extra video games — Jared Spurgeon of the Minnesota Wild.

“I think the biggest thing to this point in my career is that I’ve always believed in myself,” Stecher mentioned. “It didn’t really matter what outside people thought. When you have the belief and you have the work ethic to go along with it, I think you can achieve a lot of special things.”

Stecher, who’s beneath contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, mentioned his purpose is to achieve 1,000 NHL video games.

“I don’t think a lot of people ever thought I’d play one,” he mentioned. “Not to pump my own tires, but it’s not by luck. I really believe I’ve earned this opportunity.”

For all the extremely drafted NHL stars who’ve come by means of UND, this yr’s professional camp featured one other faction of alums — those that have been handed over within the NHL Draft however developed into NHL-caliber gamers.

The camp additionally featured Matt Kiersted, who has performed elements of 5 seasons within the NHL, and Cole Smith, who performed within the Stanley Cup Final two months in the past.

Kiersted is beneath contract with the Minnesota Wild. Smith signed a $9-million cope with the Chicago Blackhawks within the offseason.

“The aspect a lot of people don’t think about or talk about is that when you come here, you’re surrounded by such good players,” Stecher mentioned. “Everybody is a good player, so naturally, you’re going to get better every single day because you go and compete against them.”

Stecher singled out his class of defensemen, together with Paul LaDue, Gage Ausmus and Keaton Thompson.

“Every single day was a competition between us,” he mentioned. “There were some fist fights in the garages. There were some fist fights in 4-on-4 skates. Then, 30 minutes later you’re laughing in the shower and being like, ‘Let’s go to The Bun for lunch.’

“Being a Sioux, you are naturally going to get higher each single day, as a result of everybody has the identical widespread objectives. It’s to win. In order to win, you must be at your finest. That’s simply an accountability factor right here, the place there aren’t any dangerous days. You’ve acquired to be sure you convey it each single day. That’s an incredible a part of the participant side, the place you may progress your sport to professional.

“When people look at programs, it’s like, ‘Who is the coaching staff? What’s the facility like?’ I think you kind of forget about your own teammates and how they push you.”

Stecher has saved in shut contact with UND and his outdated teammates since turning professional.

He nonetheless watches UND’s video games and he joined a reunion with former teammates in Chicago this summer season.

“We’re always talking to each other in the group chat or on FaceTime,” Stecher mentioned. “But it’s always nice to see them in person.”

Stecher walked round campus final week to see all the adjustments whereas he spent a number of days understanding in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

“It’s amazing,” Stecher mentioned. “This is such a special place to come back to. To see all the changes, I feel like I kind of missed out. But then I think back and I’m like, ‘I had it better than anybody.’

“It’s simply wonderful to see how effectively they deal with the blokes right here. You sort of return to that feeling as quickly as you step again on campus. It’s a really particular place. I’m completely happy to be right here.”

Stecher has returned as an NHL veteran who has constructed the kind of profession most present UND gamers dream of.

Stecher has been inside a sport of getting his title on the Stanley Cup. He’s received gold with Canada on the Men’s World Championship. And he may eclipse 700 video games this upcoming season.

But his message to the present workforce is to take all of it in whereas they’re at UND.

“The craziest part,” Stecher mentioned, “is I’d give it all up to re-live that lifestyle.”

Schlossman has lined school hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been acknowledged by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the highest beat author for the Herald’s circulation division 4 instances and the North Dakota sportswriter of the yr twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.