For Paul DeNaples, a first-year defenseman from the Scranton, Pennsylvania area, being able to return back to his Pennsylvania roots is a rewarding concept after two years playing for Sioux Falls of the USHL.
"I thought we had some tough winters in Scranton growing up," DeNaples said. "But the wind chill would be 50 degrees below sometimes getting off the bus and you can't even move, so that was definitely a big difference."
As DeNaples makes the adjustment from juniors to the NCAA, he understands the value of time management in the busy day-to-day life of a student-athlete.
"Coming from juniors, the biggest adjustment is trying to balance the schedule between classes, workouts and practice," DeNaples said. "And also trying to find time at night to get homework done and study for tests."
The adjustment has been made easier by the fact that he's known a pair of his teammates for years now. Junior Classmates Nikita Pavlychev (Yaroslavl, Russia) and Denis Smirnov (Moscow, Russia) each billeted with family firends of DeNaples since the age of 13 in the Scranton area as they each sought to hopefully become professional hockey players in the United States.
Pavlychev and Smirnov were also joined by a third Russian teammate who has already made the jump to the pro level and is one of DeNaples' best friends. His name, Ivan Provorov, is one that many Pennsylvania hockey fans can recognize, as one of the promising young defensemen with the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers.
"Growing up, I was more of a Pittsburgh fan, but Provorov actually billeted with my family for three years and we became really close," DeNaples said. "He's one of the best defensemen in Philly now, so that kind of changed my opinion on which team is my favorite.
"I think he does everything right and he's one of my biggest role models. I talk to him a couple times a day and we have a good friendship."
While Provorov is a role model for the trio, he may end up playing against them sooner rather later. Pavlychev's NHL rights are held by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him in 2015, while Smirnov's are held by the Colorado Avalanche, who drafted him in 2017.
In Sioux Falls, DeNaples spent the past two seasons playing at the USHL level, where he was named the Rookie of the Year for the team after the 2016-17 season, and the team captain for the 2017-18 season.
"That was a players vote," DeNaples said. "It was definitely a big change, and I was honored to hold that role on the team. It was a big accomplishment for me, and I had to lead the team on the ice and off of it."
DeNaples appeared in a total of 113 games over the past two seasons in Sioux Falls, registering 23 points for the Stampede with 10 goals and 13 assists. While he has planned on coming to Penn State this coming season for a couple years now, DeNaples first worked on improving his game at the USHL level.
"I made my verbal commitment before I went to Sioux Falls," DeNaples said. "I was comfortable going out there knowing that I didn't have to prove myself again.
"I was just trying to improve my game and get better for Penn State, and then following my second season there I felt bigger and stronger, and ready to make the transition to the college level."
DeNaples joins a young defensive core for the Nittany Lions that is looking to make strides heading into the 2018-19 season. Regardless of what he is asked to do, DeNaples is essentially ready for anything.
"I think I can contribute a lot defensively," DeNaples said. "I'm definitely a penalty kill guy. I always try to work on simple things like making the first pass out of the defensive zone, and I think that's where my strongest part of the game is."
He noted the biggest adjustment from the juniors to collegiate level on the ice has been the speed with which the game operates around him.
"So far in practice, I think the biggest thing is quickness," DeNaples said. "That's the biggest jump from youth to juniors and then college. Guys are a couple years older, and strength/size are also a factor but I think the biggest thing is making quicker decisions and faster plays."
More than anything, DeNaples is looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of the Roar Zone, one of the loudest college hockey student sections in the country.
"Getting to play here in front of the student section and all the fans is going to be an experience in itself," DeNaples said. "The Big Ten is one of the best college hockey leagues out there so I'm really looking forward to that."
