Post by Admin on Nov 7, 2003 11:08:39 GMT -5
URL: www.theahl.com/AHLOnTheBeat03/1029.html
Aucoin keeps defying the odds
Written by John Lachmann
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Somehow, Keith Aucoin keeps defying the odds.
After playing U.S. Division III college hockey, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks center should not have been able to go pro.
And there is no way he should have made the AHL as an undrafted player after less than a season in the United and East Coast Leagues.
If those two obstacles are not overwhelming enough, it is virtually impossible to become a prolific scorer in the second-best league in the world when you are listed at a very generous 5-foot-9, unless your last name happens to be Fleury.
Apparently, no one has told Aucoin any of these things yet. Or he hasn't listened.
"Hopefully this year, I can prove to Anaheim that I can play for them," Aucoin said.
The 24-year-old Waltham, Mass., native scored 74 points in 78 games during his first full AHL season in 2002-03, and as of Oct. 28 has scored 96 points in 114 games since being promoted to the "A".
Aucoin has already amassed six points in six games for Cincinnati this season.
"The puck sort of follows him around," Ducks coach Brad Shaw said. "He's one of those guys that works his rear-end off, and he gets good things to show for it."
Cincinnati is developing a reputation for pumping out small and undrafted - yet productive - NHL players. Now after four years of playing in college and two-plus years of high-level pro hockey, Aucoin finds himself one Anaheim call-up - and perhaps one injury on the parent team - away from a potential first-ever call-up to the NHL.
Which would be a huge leap for a guy that was so small he wore number 5 during his youth, despite playing left and right wing.
"Growing up, I always had a small jersey because I was the smallest guy on the team, so I always had a low number," Aucoin said. "I wore (number 5) in high school, and stuck with it in college - it's not a hard number to get because not many guys wear it - so I've stuck with it, and it's worked out alright so far."
Aucoin moved to Chelmsford, Mass., when he was a pre-teen, and played high school hockey for Chelmsford High School. When he graduated, he decided on Norwich University in Vermont and began what would turn out to be a very prosperous collegiate career.
"(Norwich) recruited me heavily, and I wasn't getting many offers to go Division I," Aucoin said. "I was small - I was only like 5-foot-6, 140 pounds coming out of high school - and Norwich was getting a new rink, and they said I was making good strides, so I went there. It worked out for the best."
Aucoin shattered Norwich's scoring records, posting 240 points during his career, and recording 36 goals and 77 points during his junior year. He won a Division III national championship there, was named Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year twice, and was first-team all-league the other two. His brother, Phil is currently a senior there.
After college, Aucoin wanted to continue his hockey career, and figured he would end up in Europe or hopefully the ECHL. Instead he was signed by Lowell of the AHL, and assigned to B.C. (Binghamton) of the UHL, where he showed his scoring prowess was not limited to the amateur ranks.
Aucoin rolled up 58 points in 44 games with the Icemen in 2001-02, and was called up to Lowell five different times. He tallied six goals and 10 assists in his 30-game AHL debut.
The Boston Bruins signed Aucoin for the 2002-03 season, giving the Massachusetts native a chance to play in his hometown team's system. He played the entire year for AHL Providence, where he exploded offensively.
"(Providence) coach (Mike) Sullivan gave me a good opportunity and he gave me a lot of ice time - both on the power play and (at even strength) - and I didn't get that in Lowell," Aucoin said. "So he gave me the opportunity and I proved that I can play at this level."
Aucoin racked up 25 goals and 49 assists for the P-Bruins. He had never finished a season with 49 assists in college or the pros.
Aucoin was signed by Anaheim during the past off-season, and was assigned here before the season. The move could work out in Aucoin's favor, considering the members of Cincinnati's under-six-foot-and-undrafted club.
Anaheim center Andy McDonald, Los Angeles Kings center Sean Avery, and Detroit Red Wings center Jason Williams are all enjoying NHL success despite having to overcome the undrafted stigma.
"You have to prove yourself even more if you aren't drafted," Aucoin said. "Nobody expects anything from you."
Aucoin considers himself a bit of a joker in the locker room, which may be just the tension relief the Ducks need considering the team has yet to win a playoff round in six-plus seasons.
"We've had a couple of pre-game jokes with the rookies," Aucoin said. "(Later in the season), I'll be leading the way, don't worry."
Although he played defense, Brad Shaw is just 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, yet he played 377 games in the NHL. Shaw possessed many of the characteristics when he played for Hartford Whalers and Ottawa Senators that he appreciates in Aucoin.
"He's got great instincts offensively, and he's got the skills and the quickness to take advantage of those instincts," Shaw said. "It's like the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, nobody saw it coming and all in the sudden they made it to the Stanley Cup finals. (Aucoin) was an unknown guy, all in the sudden at the end of the season he had a few teams knocking on his door trying to sign him. He sure made a name for himself, and it's not just the points but it's the work ethic. It's the way he competes out there on the ice for a guy his size - he really battles hard and he's sort of an inspiration for the other guys on the bench."
John Lachmann covers the Mighty Ducks for the Cincinnati Post
Aucoin keeps defying the odds
Written by John Lachmann
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Somehow, Keith Aucoin keeps defying the odds.
After playing U.S. Division III college hockey, the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks center should not have been able to go pro.
And there is no way he should have made the AHL as an undrafted player after less than a season in the United and East Coast Leagues.
If those two obstacles are not overwhelming enough, it is virtually impossible to become a prolific scorer in the second-best league in the world when you are listed at a very generous 5-foot-9, unless your last name happens to be Fleury.
Apparently, no one has told Aucoin any of these things yet. Or he hasn't listened.
"Hopefully this year, I can prove to Anaheim that I can play for them," Aucoin said.
The 24-year-old Waltham, Mass., native scored 74 points in 78 games during his first full AHL season in 2002-03, and as of Oct. 28 has scored 96 points in 114 games since being promoted to the "A".
Aucoin has already amassed six points in six games for Cincinnati this season.
"The puck sort of follows him around," Ducks coach Brad Shaw said. "He's one of those guys that works his rear-end off, and he gets good things to show for it."
Cincinnati is developing a reputation for pumping out small and undrafted - yet productive - NHL players. Now after four years of playing in college and two-plus years of high-level pro hockey, Aucoin finds himself one Anaheim call-up - and perhaps one injury on the parent team - away from a potential first-ever call-up to the NHL.
Which would be a huge leap for a guy that was so small he wore number 5 during his youth, despite playing left and right wing.
"Growing up, I always had a small jersey because I was the smallest guy on the team, so I always had a low number," Aucoin said. "I wore (number 5) in high school, and stuck with it in college - it's not a hard number to get because not many guys wear it - so I've stuck with it, and it's worked out alright so far."
Aucoin moved to Chelmsford, Mass., when he was a pre-teen, and played high school hockey for Chelmsford High School. When he graduated, he decided on Norwich University in Vermont and began what would turn out to be a very prosperous collegiate career.
"(Norwich) recruited me heavily, and I wasn't getting many offers to go Division I," Aucoin said. "I was small - I was only like 5-foot-6, 140 pounds coming out of high school - and Norwich was getting a new rink, and they said I was making good strides, so I went there. It worked out for the best."
Aucoin shattered Norwich's scoring records, posting 240 points during his career, and recording 36 goals and 77 points during his junior year. He won a Division III national championship there, was named Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year twice, and was first-team all-league the other two. His brother, Phil is currently a senior there.
After college, Aucoin wanted to continue his hockey career, and figured he would end up in Europe or hopefully the ECHL. Instead he was signed by Lowell of the AHL, and assigned to B.C. (Binghamton) of the UHL, where he showed his scoring prowess was not limited to the amateur ranks.
Aucoin rolled up 58 points in 44 games with the Icemen in 2001-02, and was called up to Lowell five different times. He tallied six goals and 10 assists in his 30-game AHL debut.
The Boston Bruins signed Aucoin for the 2002-03 season, giving the Massachusetts native a chance to play in his hometown team's system. He played the entire year for AHL Providence, where he exploded offensively.
"(Providence) coach (Mike) Sullivan gave me a good opportunity and he gave me a lot of ice time - both on the power play and (at even strength) - and I didn't get that in Lowell," Aucoin said. "So he gave me the opportunity and I proved that I can play at this level."
Aucoin racked up 25 goals and 49 assists for the P-Bruins. He had never finished a season with 49 assists in college or the pros.
Aucoin was signed by Anaheim during the past off-season, and was assigned here before the season. The move could work out in Aucoin's favor, considering the members of Cincinnati's under-six-foot-and-undrafted club.
Anaheim center Andy McDonald, Los Angeles Kings center Sean Avery, and Detroit Red Wings center Jason Williams are all enjoying NHL success despite having to overcome the undrafted stigma.
"You have to prove yourself even more if you aren't drafted," Aucoin said. "Nobody expects anything from you."
Aucoin considers himself a bit of a joker in the locker room, which may be just the tension relief the Ducks need considering the team has yet to win a playoff round in six-plus seasons.
"We've had a couple of pre-game jokes with the rookies," Aucoin said. "(Later in the season), I'll be leading the way, don't worry."
Although he played defense, Brad Shaw is just 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, yet he played 377 games in the NHL. Shaw possessed many of the characteristics when he played for Hartford Whalers and Ottawa Senators that he appreciates in Aucoin.
"He's got great instincts offensively, and he's got the skills and the quickness to take advantage of those instincts," Shaw said. "It's like the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, nobody saw it coming and all in the sudden they made it to the Stanley Cup finals. (Aucoin) was an unknown guy, all in the sudden at the end of the season he had a few teams knocking on his door trying to sign him. He sure made a name for himself, and it's not just the points but it's the work ethic. It's the way he competes out there on the ice for a guy his size - he really battles hard and he's sort of an inspiration for the other guys on the bench."
John Lachmann covers the Mighty Ducks for the Cincinnati Post