University of Minnesota Athletics
Perfect Attendance: Senior Forward Troy Riddle
3/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
And he has had his fair share of bumps and bruises. But Riddle just gets up, rubs some dirt on it (or rather throws an ice pack on it) and laces up for his next shift. "Ice it up and get it better for the next night" is the Riddle Remedy. "It's tough but you deal with it" is his mentality.
Through aching backs and knees, through hip flexors and sore shoulders, Riddle has competed in 163 contests thus far in his collegiate career. The only time he was not donning his Maroon and Gold jersey was when he represented the United States on the Junior National Team competing in World Juniors. He missed four games during that time as a freshman, but that will be accepted as an excused absence.
"I've been very lucky," Riddle said. "I've been fortunate and it's pretty cool that I've been able to play every night."
Maybe it's his near perfect attendance at Golden Gopher hockey games over the past four seasons that have made some people take the number 21 in the lineup for granted. He's always out on the ice. It's just something fans expect to see at hockey games. Riddle's out there, as usual. And because he is always out there, his contributions to the game seem to be not forgotten, but predictable, and sometimes not given the credit that they deserve.
"Recognition-wise everything's been alright," Riddle remarked. "Everyone's got a role on the team and mine is different than Grant [Potulny's] or Keith [Ballard's]. We've all had a part in this thing over the past two years. I don't think it bothers me.
"People have asked me that before too. You know, individual rewards or recognition, that has nothing to do with it as long as you win. Everyone is going to have a part in it. There are guys that absolutely work their butts off and they don't see anything, like [Jake] Fleming and [Jon] Waibel and those kind of grinders. I'm a little more in the middle. But it doesn't really bother me."
Entering into the University of Minnesota his freshman year, Riddle was selected as the pre-season WCHA Co-Rookie of the Year in 2000. During his 38 contests that season, he tallied 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points to place sixth on the team in scoring and third in the WCHA among freshman. His efforts garnered him a WCHA All-Rookie team selection.
Riddle followed up his freshman efforts with a solid sophomore performance. In 44 games, he totaled 16 goals and 31 assists to rank fourth on the team with 47 points. One of the best weekends of his career came February 15-16, 2002 against the Colorado College Tigers in which he collected seven points in the series (1-6-7).
His scoring numbers kept on improving during the 2002-03 season. Riddle earned a Third Team All-WCHA selection for his 52 points, setting career highs for goals (26) and assists (26). He finished second on the team to Thomas Vanek, who led the nation's freshmen in scoring. Riddle also established his place on the Minnesota power play, leading the team with 12 goals with the man-advantage.
This year has seen Riddle not only continue to collect points, but move up the Golden Gopher record books while doing so. Thirty-six contests into the 2003-04 season, Riddle is near the top of Minnesota scoring with 17 goals and 18 assists. Those numbers have helped him climb the career ranks. He currently has 75 career goals (15th all-time), 89 assists (24th) and 164 total points (17th). His power-play goals are also leading the team again with nine lamplighters. But when asked about writing his name in with some of the greats to ever wear the `M', Riddle maintains that his focus is still on the team. "That's one thing I don't get myself wrapped around in is individual stats. I just try to stay out of it and do my own thing."
"It's funny because Kevin [Kurtt, Minnesota hockey sports information director] comes up to me after games and says `You just passed so-and-so.' And I had no idea," Riddle commented. "And then I think about how I watched that guy play all the way up, how weird is that? Then you throw my name in there and it just sounds surreal. It's definitely pretty cool and I'll look back when I'm a little older and it will mean something more then than I think it does now."
Riddle added that there was one name in the record section he was excited to pass, former teammate Johnny Pohl. "I've got Johnny in goals. That was good," he said, laughing. "No, I'm just kidding."
The collection of points and ascension up the Golden Gopher career record books for Riddle is not a concern for him, especially when there are still games to play. During games the alternate captain just focuses on using his great speed and intensity to aid Minnesota to victory. Through injury and all, he is driven to get the team a win.
"I am a little bit of a change in the momentum, a spark here out there. If the play is not working out, I go out and try to have a good shift. Try to do something to get the crowd into it."
Riddle's in-game efforts that have resulted in numbers being tallied on the Minnesota scoreboard, but his steady contributions for his team over the past four seasons have possibly been taken for granted. The constant presence of "21" zipping around the ice has become the usual. Don't be mistaken, it is a good norm to have. But maybe an extra second should be taken during his next shift to appreciate the bumps and bruises Riddle has played through to make sure he is out there every night for his team. Knock on wood.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius. She welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu. Find a piece of wood and start knocking on it before you read this next sentence. Did you know that senior forward Troy Riddle has never missed a game due to injury? That is four years of hitting, checking and the overall daily pounding that the body takes while playing the sport of hockey. Never once has he been a scratch.
And he has had his fair share of bumps and bruises. But Riddle just gets up, rubs some dirt on it (or rather throws an ice pack on it) and laces up for his next shift. "Ice it up and get it better for the next night" is the Riddle Remedy. "It's tough but you deal with it" is his mentality.
Through aching backs and knees, through hip flexors and sore shoulders, Riddle has competed in 163 contests thus far in his collegiate career. The only time he was not donning his Maroon and Gold jersey was when he represented the United States on the Junior National Team competing in World Juniors. He missed four games during that time as a freshman, but that will be accepted as an excused absence.
"I've been very lucky," Riddle said. "I've been fortunate and it's pretty cool that I've been able to play every night."
Maybe it's his near perfect attendance at Golden Gopher hockey games over the past four seasons that have made some people take the number 21 in the lineup for granted. He's always out on the ice. It's just something fans expect to see at hockey games. Riddle's out there, as usual. And because he is always out there, his contributions to the game seem to be not forgotten, but predictable, and sometimes not given the credit that they deserve.
"Recognition-wise everything's been alright," Riddle remarked. "Everyone's got a role on the team and mine is different than Grant [Potulny's] or Keith [Ballard's]. We've all had a part in this thing over the past two years. I don't think it bothers me.
"People have asked me that before too. You know, individual rewards or recognition, that has nothing to do with it as long as you win. Everyone is going to have a part in it. There are guys that absolutely work their butts off and they don't see anything, like [Jake] Fleming and [Jon] Waibel and those kind of grinders. I'm a little more in the middle. But it doesn't really bother me."
Entering into the University of Minnesota his freshman year, Riddle was selected as the pre-season WCHA Co-Rookie of the Year in 2000. During his 38 contests that season, he tallied 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points to place sixth on the team in scoring and third in the WCHA among freshman. His efforts garnered him a WCHA All-Rookie team selection.
Riddle followed up his freshman efforts with a solid sophomore performance. In 44 games, he totaled 16 goals and 31 assists to rank fourth on the team with 47 points. One of the best weekends of his career came February 15-16, 2002 against the Colorado College Tigers in which he collected seven points in the series (1-6-7).
His scoring numbers kept on improving during the 2002-03 season. Riddle earned a Third Team All-WCHA selection for his 52 points, setting career highs for goals (26) and assists (26). He finished second on the team to Thomas Vanek, who led the nation's freshmen in scoring. Riddle also established his place on the Minnesota power play, leading the team with 12 goals with the man-advantage.
This year has seen Riddle not only continue to collect points, but move up the Golden Gopher record books while doing so. Thirty-six contests into the 2003-04 season, Riddle is near the top of Minnesota scoring with 17 goals and 18 assists. Those numbers have helped him climb the career ranks. He currently has 75 career goals (15th all-time), 89 assists (24th) and 164 total points (17th). His power-play goals are also leading the team again with nine lamplighters. But when asked about writing his name in with some of the greats to ever wear the `M', Riddle maintains that his focus is still on the team. "That's one thing I don't get myself wrapped around in is individual stats. I just try to stay out of it and do my own thing."
"It's funny because Kevin [Kurtt, Minnesota hockey sports information director] comes up to me after games and says `You just passed so-and-so.' And I had no idea," Riddle commented. "And then I think about how I watched that guy play all the way up, how weird is that? Then you throw my name in there and it just sounds surreal. It's definitely pretty cool and I'll look back when I'm a little older and it will mean something more then than I think it does now."
Riddle added that there was one name in the record section he was excited to pass, former teammate Johnny Pohl. "I've got Johnny in goals. That was good," he said, laughing. "No, I'm just kidding."
The collection of points and ascension up the Golden Gopher career record books for Riddle is not a concern for him, especially when there are still games to play. During games the alternate captain just focuses on using his great speed and intensity to aid Minnesota to victory. Through injury and all, he is driven to get the team a win.
"I am a little bit of a change in the momentum, a spark here out there. If the play is not working out, I go out and try to have a good shift. Try to do something to get the crowd into it."
Riddle's in-game efforts that have resulted in numbers being tallied on the Minnesota scoreboard, but his steady contributions for his team over the past four seasons have possibly been taken for granted. The constant presence of "21" zipping around the ice has become the usual. Don't be mistaken, it is a good norm to have. But maybe an extra second should be taken during his next shift to appreciate the bumps and bruises Riddle has played through to make sure he is out there every night for his team. Knock on wood.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Courtney Walerius. She welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu.
