The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team has added more depth to their lineup, recruiting a pair of former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I players.
Defenceman Michael Folkes, who last played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, said he’s excited at the prospect of a fresh start with the Ravens.
“As soon as I got here, it felt like I was part of the team,” Folkes said. “Immediately, as soon as I got to the dressing room, the team was real nice and it felt really comfortable for me.”
The rugged defender’s childhood roots played a part in his decision to play for the Ravens.
“I knew a bunch of the guys on the team already from growing up in [Burlington, Ont.] with them, so after talking to them a few times, it seemed like the right fit,” Folkes said.
The six-foot-one defenceman’s time in the NCAA ended after a coaching change at Ohio State brought an unexpected change in his plans, Folkes said.
“We got a new coach that came in over the summer and he decided that things weren’t right for a couple of the Canadian players on the team,” Folkes said. “[The coach] decided to make some moves, and that ultimately led to me ending up at Carleton.”
Folkes told the Charlatan radio show Oct. 11 he wasn’t given any indication about why he was let go, other than that it “wasn’t because of [his] abilities.” Folkes said he got the news in a “two-minute meeting” with the coach.
He committed to the Ravens midway through last season, but wasn’t eligible to play until this season.
In two seasons with the Buckeyes, Folkes contributed three assists and racked up 28 penalty minutes in 35 games as a shutdown defenceman. He figures to be an important cog in the Ravens’ back end, providing some more grit and a physical edge, which will be key with the departure of captain Brad Good.
“My physical play and my defensive defenseman style . . . will definitely help the team in the long run,” Folkes said.
He emphasized that his play will require him to “[keep] the puck out of the net” and “keep the front of the net nice and clean for the goalies.”
“We’re going to try and get him in and see how he plays,” said Ravens head coach Marty Johnston. “We see him as a guy that could be physical, can be a strong force on the penalty kill and provide a solid effort every night.”
The Ravens have also added winger Andrew Glass from the Boston University Terriers. Due to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) regulations, Glass will remain ineligible to join the team in games until Dec. 20.
“I think the fact that he was drafted by [the NHL’s] Washington [Capitals] and that he went to such a great school like [Boston University] shows that there is definitely some high-end talent there,” Johnston said. “It’s just a matter of getting it out of him.”
Like Folkes, a dispute with the coach led Glass to pursue other options to further his career in hockey.
Glass told the Daily Free Press in Boston, Mass. he was suspended from the Terriers after being late for two meetings and missing a team weightlifting session during exam week last December. He eventually was dismissed from the team after a number of other conflicts with head coach Jack Parker.
“It’s a fresh start,” he told the Daily Free Press about his move to Carleton. “It’s a place where I can start over and get away from all of this, move on and just start pursuing a future with hockey and academics somewhere else.”
Glass’ issues with his former team didn’t worry his new coach.
“We try to do as much homework as possible on the situations,” Johnston said. “We’ve had a good experience with [third-year forward] Joey Manley’s transfer from the NCAA and turning into a top-four scorer, so I think everyone deserves a second chance.”
