Wiedler enters first winter in charge: What to know about UVM men's hockey 2023-24 season
A tumultuous summer for the University of Vermont men’s ice hockey team ended with Todd Woodcroft’s firing.
The Catamounts lost their head coach after an internal investigation by UVM’s Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity found that Woodcroft failed to maintain professional boundaries after inappropriate text messages with a UVM student were discovered.
Coming off a winter where the Cats got their first Hockey East tournament win since 2018, defeating Maine on the road, they forge ahead with Steve Wiedler as the interim head coach for the 2023-24 season.
“I'm extremely excited about the experience in the room,” Wiedler said. “The fact that our returners got that win at Maine and went through that, you don’t know until you live it. That was great for them and then you combine that with the guys that we brought in, not only the freshmen, who have some talent in that group, but the transfers as well.”
The Catamounts’ top three scorers in Isak Walther, Andrei Buyalsky and Will Zapernick are all back in Burlington this season. But in total, they welcome 14 newcomers into the fold.
“He's given us a lot more freedom on offense,” Zapernick, who serves as the 64th captain in program history, said of Wiedler. “He just demands that if there is a turnover, if there's a mistake, that the non-negotiables are that we get back, and our first three strides back are really the most important part of our identity.”
Joel Määttä, an alternate captain this season, also returns to UVM’s forward line.
“I think we're a really tight group,” Määttä, a junior, said. “It’s a unique group and we haven't been this tight since I've played here, it's very exciting.”
Vermont (11-20-5 a year ago) opens at St. Lawrence on Friday night and then travels to Clarkson to conclude its first weekend.
For more on this year's Catamounts, including the 14 newcomers and the full schedule, read on below:
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Scouting the Catamounts
The Catamounts retained all eligible players in the program after Woodcroft’s firing. But they did lose fifth-round NHL entry draft selection and recruit, Alex Bump. The forward transferred to Western Michigan later in the summer.
“I will say these two guys (Zapernick and Määttä) played the heaviest hand in that they were spreading our story that they believe in this program,” Wiedler said of retaining the roster.
Of the 14 newcomers, four are graduate transfers with extensive collegiate careers. Jérémie Bucheler and Zach Dubinsky are both alternate captains this winter after spending last year with Northeastern and Michigan State, respectively.
“We were very selective in the transfer portal last year,” Wiedler said. “The guys that we brought in here are very calculated. They're all guys that have had either championships or winning experiences in their four years of college hockey.”
Bucheler, a defenseman, recorded 10 points for the Huskies last year. And Dubinsky, a defensive forward with the Spartans, blocked 22 shots while securing five points.
Ryan Miotto, an Atlantic Hockey champion with Canisius College, rounds out the graduate transfers this season.
“That's a growth moment for this program,” Wiedler said of the transfers with winning backgrounds. “Until as a collective you've lived it, you can't really take that next step.
“Now the guys that are at the top have had some experience in winning and it's spread throughout our lineups. That's the way that you win in college hockey.”
Gabe Carriere is back between the pipes again this winter after appearing in 23 of 35 games with a .905 save percentage.
Coaching staff updates
With the aforementioned firing of Woodcroft, the coaching staff’s shuffling of roles included Scott Moser's promotion to associate head coach.
Moser is entering his third year in the Catamount program and previously was responsible for the forwards and power-play units, while also coaching Slovakia in the World Junior Championships.
“(Moser) is unbelievable, one of the best assistant coaches in all of college hockey,” Wiedler said. “So, we're really lucky to have Scott stay with our guys and continue to develop them.”
Wiedler also promoted 2017 UVM graduate, Brendan Bradley, as an assistant coach with the Catamounts and hired Shane Madolora in the same role.
Madolora was a netminder for four years with RIT, where he posted a .932 save percentage. He also coached the Tigers’ goalies most recently.
"Shane will bring a polished and detailed approach to our coaching staff," Wiedler said in a statement. "On top of being an exceptional D-I NCAA goaltender himself, his ability to develop goaltenders over the last few years at RIT has been exceptional.”
Newcomers to the Catamounts
Nick Ahern: The 5-foot-10 forward from Chicago tallied 18 goals and 17 assists with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the North American Hockey League last year.
Eli Barnett: A towering 6-foot-6 defenseman, Barnett hails from Ontario where he played for the Victoria Grizzlies last winter. Barnett was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round in 2022 NHL draft.
Jérémie Bucheler: After four years with Northeastern, the 23-year-old defenseman transferred to the Catamounts with 110 collegiate games played. Bucheler had the assist on the game-winning goal in the Huskies’ 3-1 final over Boston University in the Beanpot semifinals. "Northeastern, they have an unbelievable program, winning Beanpots and everything else that he's had to do in his four years there," Wiedler said of Bucheler.
Matt Cato: The 20-year-old forward lit the lamp 36 times in 47 games played with the Trenton Golden Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League last winter.
Mateo Dixon: Another Ontario native, Dixon is a 5-foot-10 forward, who tallied 24 goals with Coquitlam Express of the British Columbia Hockey League.
Zach Dubinsky: Dubinsky spent last winter with Michigan State, where he tallied a goal and four assists as a defensive forward. The graduate student also a had a two-year stop at RPI and has appeared in 103 collegiate games.
Mario Gasparini: A 20-year-old defenseman from Minnesota, who last played in the BCHL.
Connor MacKenzie: Posted a .929 save percentage in 35 games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last year.
Jack Malinski: The 5-foot-10 defenseman tallied 36 assists in the NAHL a year ago.
Axel Mangbo: Another first-year goalie, Mangbo is 6-foot-3 and hails from Sweden. During the 2021-22 season, the netminder won the United States Hockey League with the Sioux City Musketeers. He had a .893 save percentage in 19 games that season.
Ryan Miotto: Transfer forward from Canisius College, where he won the Atlantic Hockey championship. Scored three shorthanded goals last year, which is fourth-most amongst all active returners in college hockey. "He brings that (culture of winning) into our locker room," Wiedler said.
Duncan Ramsay: A 19-year-old defenseman from Nova Scotia, who last played for Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL.
Daniel Sambuco: The 6-foot, first-year forward from Pennsylvania had 19 points in the USHL last fall.
Chris Theodore: Appeared in all 35 games for Union last year, scoring three goals and 10 assists. Also played for AIC for four seasons, where he won Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and four consecutive regular-season titles. "All he did was win championships," Wiedler said of Theodore. "He got four in a row and played the national tournament three times."
The Catamounts' 2023-24 schedule...
Note: All games streamed on ESPN+ except where noted.
Friday, Oct. 13: at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 14: at Clarkson, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 27: at Providence, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28: at Providence, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 3: vs. Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3: vs. Connecticut, 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10: at Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 11: at Massachusetts, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 18: at AIC, 7 p.m.*
Friday, Dec. 1: vs. Massachusetts, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 3: vs. UMass Lowell, 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 8: vs. Union, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 9: vs. Union, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 16: at LIU, 7 p.m.*
Sunday, Dec. 17: at LIU, 7:15 p.m.*
Friday, Dec. 29: vs. St. Thomas, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 30: vs. St. Thomas, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 6: at Dartmouth, 6 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 12: at Northeasterm, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 13: at Northeastern, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 19: vs. Boston University, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 20: vs. Boston University, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 26: vs. New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 27: vs. New Hampshire, 7 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 9: at UMass Lowell, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 10: at UMass Lowell, 6 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 16: vs. Merrimack, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 17: vs. Merrimack, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 23: at Boston College, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 24: at Boston College, 5 p.m.
Friday, March 1: vs. Maine, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 2: vs. Maine, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 7: at Connecticut, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 9: at Boston University, 4 p.m.
Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: What to know about the 2023-24 Vermont men's hockey team
