Introducing the captains

Minnesota State announced its leadership for the 2014-15 season, and it's an interesting group. Three seniors, one sophomore. Three defensemen, one forward. Two players who had captain experience last season, two newbies. Here they are:

C-Chase Grant

C-Brett Stern

A-Zach Palmquist

Carter Foguth

Stern started last season as an alternate captain. Grant was given an "A" for his jersey partway through the season. Coach Mike Hastings has talked about grooming leadership for the future, which may be why you're seeing Foguth, just a sophomore, emerging in such a role. There seems to be a lot of respect for him.

Warner signs with Wild

Hunter Warner, the Minnesota State recruit from Eden Prairie who opted to take the major junior route this summer, has signed a free-agent contract with the Minnesota Wild.

Warner, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman who played for the USHL's Fargo Force last season, went undrafted in his final year of eligibility this summer but was invited to the Wild's development camp.

After that, he opted to go to to the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. With something clearly in the works with the Wild, that move makes even more sense.

Warner played with the Wild in the Traverse City prospects tournament prior to training camp opening and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild on Tuesday. He currently is participating in the Wild's camp.

MSU releases promotional schedule

Minnesota State put out its promotional schedule for it's men's hockey home games this season, and there appears to be a few good ones, including giveaways, contests and ticket deals. Here's the schedule:

Oct. 5 vs. Trinity Western (exhibition) — $5 youth tickets

Oct. 18 vs. Minnesota Duluth — Hockey Night in Mankato presented by Snell (4:30-7 p.m. live band, food and beverages, games and prizes) ... First 1,000 fans will receive a WCHA playoff champion mini replica banner ... $16,000 Puck Shot presented by Pepsi

Oct. 24 vs. Alabama Huntsville — Pucks for Paws Night benefitting Athletes for Animals and the Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society ... First 2,000 fans will receive a David Backes poster

Oct. 25 vs. Alabama Huntsville — MAHA Night ... Skate with the Mavericks following the game

Nov. 7 vs. Bemidji State — Maverick Pregame Party Special ($30 adults/$20 for youth and includes game ticket, 2 beverages of choice and unlimited selected food items from 6-7 p.m.)

Nov. 8 vs. Bemidji State — $5 Kids Night (purchase at Verizon Wireless Center ticket office)

Dec. 5-6 vs. Alaska — Cyber Monday Special ... $5 tickets (purchase online at msumavericks.com)

Dec. 12-13 vs. Princeton — Family 4-Pack ... $40 includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 pops (purchase at Verizon Wireless Center ticket office) ... Dec. 13 game has $16,000 Puck Shot presented by Pepsi

Jan. 9-10 vs. Lake Superior State — Maverick Pregame Party Special ($30 adults/$20 for youth and includes game ticket, 2 beverages of choice and unlimited selected food items from 6-7 p.m.) ... Jan. 10 game, first 1,000 fans get a free T-shirt, presented by Wells Fargo

Jan. 30 vs. Ferris State — $5 Kids Night (purchase at Verizon Wireless Center ticket office)

Jan. 31 vs. Ferris State — Saluting Our Heroes Night

Feb. 6-7 vs. Alaska Anchorage — BOGO Night: Buy One, Get One Free (purchase tickets at Verizon Wireless Center) ... Feb. 7 game features postgame autographs, presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.

Feb. 27 vs. Michigan Tech — Student Appreciation Night ... Maverick Pregame Party Special ($30 adults/$20 for youth and includes game ticket, 2 beverages of choice and unlimited selected food items from 6-7 p.m.)

Feb. 28 vs. Michigan Tech — Sponsor Appreciation Night

Season's almost here

The Mavericks are practicing. Just two hours a week with coaches (plus captains' practices and conditioning), but they are practicing. The official start day is just 12 days away, and they'll jump right in after that with an exhibition game on Oct. 5 and a trip to Omaha five days later.

Preseason rankings should begin trickling in soon, and the WCHA will release its preseason coaches poll (compiled by yours truly) next week. Where do you think the Mavericks will stand in the conference prognostications? What about the national rankings?

Minnesota State put out its preseason prospectus in recent days. Here are a few highlights going into this season:

* This will be Mike Hastings' third season as head coach. Assistant coach Darren Blue begins this 15th season with the Mavericks, and Todd Knott begins his sixth on the staff.

* Of the nation's active players, Matt Leitner ranks third in career points with 121. He's behind Miami's Austin Czarnik (124) and Minnesota's Kyle Rau (123). His 81 assists rank second behind Czarnik's 87.

* Jean-Paul LaFontaine's 42 career goals rank fifth among active players. He's behind Cody Wydo of Robert Morris (65), Alex Grieve of Bentley (50), Rau (47) and Jonny Brodzinski of St. Cloud State (43). His 26 power-play goals rank first among active players. Rau has 22.

* Minnesota State needs 14 victories to reach 800 in program history. MSU is 786-601-138 since 1969. They are 305-313-77 in the Division I era.

* For the third year in a row, Teddy Blueger, now a junior forward, is the youngest player on MSU's roster (Aug. 15, 1994). Chase Grant (Aug. 17, 1989, is the oldest).

* The Mavericks' 25-player roster is a true melting pot. It includes players from three different countries and 14 different U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The breakdown includes: U.S.--Minnesota (6), North Dakota (2), Michigan (2), Wisconsin (1), South Dakota (1), Pennsylvania (1), Oklahoma (1), Alaska (1), Colorado (1), California (1) and Missouri (1); Canada--British Columbia (3), Saskatchewan (1) and Ontario (1); and Latvia (1).

* In an aside, the MSU women's team's 24-player roster has players from five countries (U.S., Canada, Germany, Norway and Sweden) and nine U.S. states/Canadian provinces (Minnesota, North Dakota, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, New York, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario). Ten players are from Minnesota. Put the two teams together and you get six countries, 14 states and four provinces.

WCHA announces office, staff changes

The WCHA on Monday announced that it will be headquartered in a centralized office at Minnesota State University's 7700 France campus in Edina.

This is something new commissioner Bill Robertson said he wanted to do upon being hired. No more dividing the duties between Denver, Madison and St. Paul.

Robertson and women's commissioner Aaron Kemp will share the office, along with league staff, and there will be some staff changes.

The league announced the hiring of two associate commissioners, Matt Hodson and Alyssa Bennett.

Hodson will handle public relations duties and oversee external and internal communications, brand marketing and social media. He has experience working for the San Francisco Giants as well as Stanford University and the University of Minnesota. He replaces longtime PR man Doug Spencer, who had been with the league for 28 years.

Bennett will mange the WCHA's budget and finance, handle vendor contracts, serve as a liaison with member institutions, handle office operations, marketing, social media and manage championships. She replaces Carol LaBelle-Ehrhardt, another longtime league official.

The league also announced that Greg Shepherd will remain on as its supervision of officials.

Jutzi off roster, out of school (updated)

Preseason workouts have begun for the Minnesota State men's hockey team, but they're taking place without junior defenseman Jon Jutzi.

Jutzi was removed from the roster on the MSU website last week, and coach Mike Hastings confirmed on Wednesday that he's off the roster and currently not enrolled at the college.

Hastings said he could not elaborate on the circumstances "because it is a student data privacy issue."

"He is currently off the roster and currently not enrolled in school," Hastings said. "I can't talk about anything other than that."

Reached later via a Twitter message, Jutzi said he's off for "Personal reasons that are going to be held between myself and my family. Every intention on returning to MSU after Christmas."

Hastings said that any future changes to the roster could be discussed if and when they occur.

Jutzi played in all 82 games over the last two seasons and had one goal and 14 assists in those games. Last season he ranked second on the team in blocked shots with 70 and was also plus-5, which ranked fifth on the team and third among defensemen.

The loss hurts the Mavericks' depth at the position, although there remain eight defensemen on the roster (six dress for games), including several regulars from last year: seniors Zach Palmquist and Brett Stern and sophomores Sean Flanagan, Carter Foguth and Casey Nelson.

Juniors Blake Thompson and Nick Buchanan also have experience, and freshman Jaden Schmeisser will be competing for a spots.

Mavs lose Warner

Oldish news but worth noting ...

Minnesota State recruit Hunter Warner, a defenseman from Eden Prairie earlier this month opted to sign with the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. Due to join the Mavericks in 2015, he opted for the major junior route instead of college hockey.

Minnesota State doesn't have a lot of experience losing players to the major junior level. Most notably, Tyler Pitlick left MSU in 2010, after his freshman year, to play for the Medicine Hat Tigers. Warner hadn't signed with MSU but had been verbally committed since 2012 following his sophomore season at Eden Prairie.

Warner, a 6-2, 205-pound D-man, had two goals, 10 assists and 125 penalty minutes for the USHL's Fargo Force last season.

The 19-year-old went undrafted in the NHL's June draft but was then invited as a free agent to the Minnesota Wild's development camp. Word is he had a very good camp. Perhaps that played into his decision to go to Prince Albert.

The Raiders' rookie camp begins this week.