(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)
During a town hall-style Zoom meeting with fans, alumni and media members on Friday morning, Arizona State head coach Greg Powers revealed his captains for the 2020-2021 season.
Senior defenseman Jacob Wilson and junior defenseman Josh Maniscalco will serve as the fourth and fifth captains in program history. Senior forwards Johnny Walker and Dominic Garcia will be the alternate captains.
“This is a special group of leaders who have seasoned themselves for the opportunity to lead what we believe will be our best team yet,” Powers said in a release. “This group of four young men will do a tremendous job and continue to embody what ‘Be the Tradition’ means.”
One of Powers’ most reliable, physical defenders, Wilson made strides as an alternate captain during the 2019-20 season with 11 points and a season-best plus-6 rating in 29 games played.
“Since day one, I’ve known that [Wilson] was going to be a captain of this team, because of his approach to everything that he does,” Powers said. “He is the epitome of what we define as character and what he does when nobody is watching.”
The senior from Ballwin, Missouri, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity.
“It’s a big honor to be named captain and stand along these three other guys who have clearly set the example and the culture of what a Sun Devil should be,” Wilson said. “Our job as captains is now to create that championship culture. I can’t be more excited to start.”
Dawning the “C” alongside Wilson, Maniscalco will have a letter on his chest for the first time in his collegiate career.
The junior has become one of college hockey’s elite two-way talents on the backend. The native of Perkiomenville, Pennslyvania, posted career-bests in goals (11), assists (21), power-play points (13) and a plus-12 rating in 36 games played last year.
“It’s a huge honor,” Maniscalco said. “It makes me smile. To be able to be a part of that leadership group with these three guys, it should be fun and we have big plans to get this season going.”
According to Powers, Maniscalco had offers to sign an NHL contract from multiple teams during the offseason. However, the 21-year-old decided to return to Tempe in hopes of tying up some loose ends.
“He has, in his mind like we all do, massively unfinished business for this season because of what happened and how last year ended,” Powers said. “He was not going to leave on those terms, even those he could have. That’s the kind of kid he is and how much he means to our program. That’s why he deserves a letter.”
Now preparing for his third season dawning the letter ‘A’, Garcia battled an injury throughout his junior campaign and finished with four points and a plus-2 rating.
The Las Vegas born forward has become an off-the-ice leader for Powers’ squad over the last several years and the momentum he provides the Sun Devils in that role led Powers to honor him with an ‘A’ for a third consecutive season.
“[Dominic] gives us energy and does all the little things that a lot of guys aren’t willing to do in the big moments, like eat pucks defensively on the penalty kill and spark the energy on the bench and in the locker room,” Powers said. “He’s a special skill set that way.”
Walker rounds out the captain’s committee for the 2020-21 season. During his junior year, the energetic forward finished with his second-straight 20-plus goal campaign and recorded a personal-best 18 assists and 38 points in 36 games played.
“It’s an honor really,” Walker said. “From the day that ASU became a Division I program, I wanted to come home and play here. To wear a letter for such a great organization and to help lead this team among these guys, it’s just such a privilge.”
Walker wore an ‘A’ for six games during the 2019-20 season while Wilson was out due to an injury. Now, Walker will keep the alternate captain title as a reward for his hard-nosed competitive spirit.
“Johnny is a guy who has natural leadership ability that his teammates are really attracted to,” Powers said. “He has the ability and competitiveness to put a team on his back and win us games.”
