Breaking down the roster

Classes began at Minnesota State University on Monday, which means the students (hockey players included) are in town. What better time to take a closer look at the Mavericks' roster.

Most of MSU's players spent a good chunk of the summer in Mankato. Players are working out and doing some captains practices. I believe coaches are allowed to do individual and small-group practices now that school is in session, and they'll get two hours a week on the ice with their teams starting in mid-September. Full practices can begin on Saturday, Oct. 5, and the Mavericks will have an exhibition game the next day.

Some nuggets from the roster:

Here are the newcomers, with their jersey numbers:

3-Blake Thompson, D
5-Carter Foguth, D
6-Casey Nelson, D
11-Sean Flanagan, D
16-Jordan Nelson, F
17-Michael Huntebrinker, F
25-Zach Stepan, F
34-Cole Huggins, G

(A thank you to the veterans for not changing any of their numbers this year. Although our photographer won't be thrilled that Casey Nelson and Jordan Nelson each will have a 6 on his jersey.)

Here's a breakdown of where the players are from. The team represents three countries as well as 11 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces.

United States (20)
Minnesota (6): Blake Thompson, Zach Palmquist, Max Gaede, Zach Lehrke, Zach Stepan, Brett Stern
Wisconsin (2): Josh Nelson, Casey Nelson
Michigan (2): Carter Foguth, Jean-Paul LaFontaine
Oklahoma (2): Taylor Herndon, Chase Grant
Missouri (2): J.P. Burkemper, Mike Huntebrinker
North Dakota (1): Jordan Nelson
California (1): Matt Leitner
Massachusetts (1): Johnny McInnis
Pennsylvania (1): Dylan Margonari
Colorado (1): Cole Huggins
Alaska (1): Stephon Williams

Canada (7)
British Columbia (3): Nick Buchanan, Brett Knowles, Evan Karambelas*,
Saskatchewan (2): Bryce Gervais, Sean Flanagan
Alberta (1): Mat Knoll
Ontario (1): Jon Jutzi

Latvia (1)
Teddy Blueger

(* Evan Karambelas was born in Greece)

So how did these players get here? What leagues did they play in before coming to MSU?

United States Hockey League (14)
Foguth, Palmquist, Gaede, LaFontaine, Burkemper, Jor. Nelson, Huntebrinker, Leitner, Lehrke, Grant, Stepan, Margonari, Stern, Williams

North American Hockey League (4)
Josh Nelson, C. Nelson, Herndon, Karambelas

British Columbia Hockey League (6)
Buchanan, Gervais, Flanagan, Knowles, Jutzi, Huggins

Alberta Junior Hockey League (2)
Knoll, McInnis

Prep (1)
Blueger

Transfer (1)
Thompson**

(** Thompson transferred from Minnesota last December. Prior to college, he played in the USHL. He's not eligible to play until after the first semester ends.)

There are four seniors on the roster (Josh Nelson, Lehrke, McInnis, Karambelas), eight juniors (Palmquist, Gaede, Knoll, LaFontaine, Burkemper, Leitner, Grant, Stern), nine sophomores (Thompson, Buchanan, Gervais, Herndon, Blueger, Knowles, Margonari, Jutzi, Williams) and seven freshmen (Forguth, Casey Nelson, Flanagan, Jordan Nelson, Huntebrinker, Stepan, Huggins).