UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach Guy Gadowsky and the Penn State men's ice hockey team announced captains for the 2022-23 season earlier this week. Returning captain Paul DeNaples (Moscow, Pa.), who opted to use his fifth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will once again don the 'C' this winter. Senior classmates Connor McMenamin (Collegeville, Pa.), Tyler Gratton (Pottstown, Pa.), Connor MacEachern (Brooklin, Ontario) and Kevin Wall (Penfield, N.Y.) will each serve as alternates rotating between home and away.
"In addition to our captain Paul DeNaples, the team has voted numerous members of the senior class as leaders of this program," commented head coach Guy Gadowsky. "With so many of our seniors being identified as key leaders this season, we will be rotating alternate captains at home and on the road. This class will be relied upon to meet and exceed the level of Penn State Hockey standards that was evident during their freshmen year when the program won its first Big Ten Regular Season Title."
McMenamin and Gratton will wear the 'A' during home games at Pegula Ice Arena while Wall and MacEachern will each don an 'A' on the road as all four, along with DeNaples, will serve as integral leaders throughout the entirety of the season regardless of uniform color.
DeNaples remains the ninth Nittany Lion captain in program history and becomes just the second player to wear the 'C' for multiple seasons joining Tommy Olczyk (2012-14). DeNaples is wearing a letter for the third-straight season after also serving as an alternate captain in 2020-21 before donning the 'C' last season. DeNaples hasn't missed a game since stepping foot on campus in the fall of 2018, playing in 133 consecutive contests. Entering the 2022-23 campaign, the Moscow, Pennsylvania native currently ranks tied for first all-time in career plus/minus for the Nittany Lions at plus-50 including plus-31 as a freshman, the second-best single-season mark in program history.
DeNaples, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, enters the season eighth in the Penn State record book for points and assists by a defenseman with 34 and 27, respectively, and is tied for tenth all-time in goals by a defenseman with seven. His 220 blocked shots are good for the second most all-time behind Kris Myllari '20.
"Having the opportunity to come back to such a special university and be able to represent this prestigious program as captain for another year is a true honor," mentioned DeNaples. "This team has some unfinished business and eager players ready to compete and bring some more hardware to Hockey Valley."
McMenamin will be wearing a letter for the second straight season while Gratton, MacEachern and Wall will enter the season as first-time Nittany Lion captains.
McMenamin skated in all 38 games last season scoring five goals while adding 10 assists for 15 points and has 15 goals and 42 points in 92 career games.
For Gratton, MacEachern and Wall the 2021-22 season saw each of them register career-high marks with Wall pacing the team in goals and points with 16 and 29, respectively. MacEachern wasn't far behind with 14 goals and 28 points while Gratton lit the lamp a career-best nine times.
Wall enters his senior season leading all returning Nittany Lions with 26 goals and 55 points in 86 career games while MacEachern is second among returners with 19 goals and 50 points.
The Nittany Lions open their season at Pegula Ice Arena on October 7 against Canisius.
For more information on the 2022-23 season presented by the Penn State Bookstore: the Official Bookstore of Penn State Athletics, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
