Oct. 1, 2007
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson has named his team captains for the 2007-08 season as the Irish look forward to their first official practice on Saturday, Oct. 6. The team then opens the regular season on Friday, Oct. 12 with a 5:05 p.m. game versus Wisconsin at the Lefty McFadden Invitational at Dayton, Ohio.
Senior Mark Van Guilder (Roseville, Minn.) was selected as the team’s captain and will be joined by three alternate captains – Brock Sheahan (Sr., Lethbridge, Alb.), Dan VeNard (Sr., Vernon Hills, Ill.) and Erik Condra (Jr., Livonia, Mich.). All four players are in their first season as captains with the Irish.
In making the announcement, Jackson said, “The leadership of our team is in good hands with the group of players that we’ve chosen. They are a good representation of the attitude, commitment and balance that is necessary to succeed as a student-athlete and they will represent us with pride and class.”
Senior defenseman Dan VeNard teams with fellow senior Brock Sheahan to provide leadership on the Irish blue line.
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Van Guilder is one of the CCHA’s top returning scorers after finishing the 2006-07 season ranked fourth on the Irish in scoring with career highs in goals (18) and points (34). A versatile forward who has played all three positions on the front line, he also had four power-play goals and one game winner. Named one of the 40 candidates for the Hobey Baker Award after a fast start last season, Van Guilder has played in 116 consecutive games in his career and has a chance to break the school’s “Iron Man” mark of 153 consecutive games set by Tim Wallace `06. For his career, the Roseville, Minn., native has 29 goals and 39 assists for 68 points with 12 power-play goals, one short-handed tally and two game winners.
“Mark Van Guilder is a leader by example,” says Jackson. “He is a self-made hockey player and a great example of what Irish hockey is all about.”
Sheahan is one of two seniors on the Notre Dame defense and a team leader on-and-off the ice. Known for his tough, hard-nosed style of play, the 6-0, 191-pound blueliner was a finalist for the CCHA’s top defensive, defenseman award as a junior. During 2006-07, he played in all 42 games, scoring three goals and five assists for eight points, while being +20 for the season. He was part of a stingy defensive unit that led the nation by giving up just 1.67 goals-per game. He has played in 114 career games, scoring three goals with 17 assists for 20 points.
“Brock (Sheahan) wears his heart on his sleeve and sets a great example with his work ethic and what it means to pay the price to our younger players,” says Jackson.
VeNard joins Sheahan from the defensive unit and does a great job of leading the Irish both on and off the ice. A defensive-minded defender, VeNard saw action in 17 games last season due to injuries and collected four assists and was +9 in those games. VeNard possesses a great attitude and a tremendous work ethic and has exhibited strong off ice leadership skills. He will serve his senior year as the president of Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In 71 career games, VeNard has two goals and six assists for eight points.
“Dan VeNard is the ultimate representative of our program,” says Jackson. “He is someone that our younger players can follow on or off the ice when it comes to doing things the right way.”
Erik Condra becomes just the second junior to serve as team captain under head coach Jeff Jackson.
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Condra rounds out the trio of alternate captains, wearing the “A” for the first time as a junior. He is Notre Dame’s top returning scorer and one of the CCHA’s top offensive threats. As a sophomore, he led the Irish in scoring and was sixth in the CCHA with 14 goals and 34 assists for 48 points while turning in a league-best +30 for the season. The Livonia, Mich., native had four power-play goals, one short-handed goal and four game winners on the year and was an honorable mention all-CCHA selection and the team’s offensive player of the year. In two seasons at Notre Dame, Condra has played in 78 games with 20 goals and 62 assists for 82 points with seven power-play goals, one short-handed marker and five game winners.
“Erik Condra is just the second junior to serve as captain in my three years here along with T.J. (Jindra),” says Jackson.
He is one of our captains because of his passion to play the game. He leads by his performance both on the ice and in the classroom.”
The four Notre Dame captains will make their first public appearances on Wednesday, Oct. 10 when the Irish host their annual Blue/Gold game along with the Drop The Puck Reception at the Joyce Center. The Blue/Gold game will begin at 7:30 p.m. while the reception begins at 5:45 p.m. in the field house. Former Detroit Red Wing great and current vice-president, Steve Yzerman will serve as the guest speaker for the event. Tickets can be obtained through the Notre Dame ticket office or by calling 574-631-7356.