Player-Coach: Benji Eckerle’s Impact on ASU Hockey

(Photo: Sammi Maxwell/WCSN)

On Jan. 30 prior to Arizona State’s series opener against Miami, Redhawks head coach Anthony Noreen went to the Sun Devils’ encampment in Goggin Ice Center to meet up with head coach Greg Powers.

It just so happened that he ran into an old friend riding a stationary bike on the way there.

While the two were catching up, Arizona State graduate forward Benji Eckerle informed his former USHL coach that he was particularly excited about the game between the two teams the next day since his family would be in attendance.

Fast-forward to pregame warmups and moments before puck drop, Noreen looked at his phone to read a text message he had just received. It had been sent from Powers to let him know what had just happened: Eckerle had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during dry land warm ups that effectively ended his season.

“I was appreciative for him letting us know and then obviously reached out to Benji to say, ‘Hey, I can’t even imagine what you’re going through but we’re here for you and support you,” Noreen said.

The injury not only ended Eckerle’s season but brought his collegiate hockey career to a premature end. However, ASU then immediately doing everything in its power to keep him around reflects the value the veteran forward provided off the ice.

After spending five seasons in the maroon and gold, Benji Eckerle transitioned into the role of “honorary coach” for the remainder of the 2024-25 season to assist in his team’s preparation for the NCHC Tournament in pursuit of an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Northville native began his amateur hockey career in 2012 in the High Performance Hockey League where he played for five seasons before moving up to the North American Hockey League’s Janesville Jets. One year later, Eckerle was drafted by the Tri-City Storm of the USHL with Noreen at the helm.

His second season in the USHL still stands as a career-best, playing 48 out of 62 games and scoring 14 goals on the way to finishing fourth on the team in points amongst a roster of six current NHL players including Toronto Maple Leafs’ standout Matthew Knies.

“There’s no real off-switch for him,” Noreen said. “The way that he plays in a 5-1 game is the same way he plays in a 1-1 game. I think he’s the guy you know what you’re going to get out of every single day and especially in today’s day and age, there’s a huge value level in those types of guys.”

In 2019, the 3.75-star prospect by Neutral Zone’s efforts landed him a commitment to Powers and Arizona State. Although the program reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time that same year, ASU hockey looked drastically different at the time as the team was independent and called Oceanside Ice Arena its home.

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed Eckerle’s freshman season into a 26-game all-road gauntlet against only Big 10 opponents. Despite the team only winning 7 games that year, the forward displayed his trademark dependability by playing in all but one game. In addition, he got the chance to learn from and follow the example of veterans like Jacob Wilson, Dom Garcia and Johnny Walker.

“All those guys were just unbelievable,” Eckerle said. “Great locker room guys, and they had all been part of the transition from the beginnings of this program to what it’s started to become. They made those tournaments and everything, and they were huge examples.”

Eckerle gradually evolved from one of the new kids on the block to a reliable cog in the machine over the next three seasons. He started no less than 28 games each year and consistently turned in quality shifts on the penalty kill to the tune of a combined plus/minus of +10. This includes a breakout season in 2023-24 where Eckerle recorded five goals, 15 assists, and a point total of 20.

In the background, the now-experienced veteran took it upon himself to offer a guiding voice to the team’s younger forwards. Whether in the locker room or on the bench, Eckerle constantly gave both constructive criticism and positive feedback in hopes of helping those behind him on the roster reach their full potential on the ice.

“Not always the things they want to hear but things they need to hear,” Arizona State assistant coach Alex Hicks said. “He really stepped up this year for sure, being that influence on those younger guys with (freshman forward) Cullen Potter and doing it in a positive way when Cullen needed to hear something. Sometimes it’s more important to hear from a teammate.”

Eckerle’s decision to pursue a master’s degree at ASU after graduating in the Spring of 2024 allowed him to return to the team for one final ride that was ultimately cut short.

Not wanting to lose a key leadership figure during NCHC play, Powers approached Eckerle the day after he ruptured his Achilles to let him know that the coaching staff had decided to make him an honorary coach for the rest of the season.

His temporary coaching position mainly consisted of boosting the team’s spirits at all times and noting areas needing improvement during film sessions.

“I’ll just chime in if there’s anything that’s pressing or we really want to emphasize,” Eckerle said. “Most of the time when I’m with the team, I put myself in charge of morale almost where I’m just going around and trying to make sure everyone’s focused, everyone’s feeling good and the energy is good. Try to bring a positive presence to everybody.”

Currently, Eckerle is finishing up his pursuit of a Master’s of Legal Studies degree to go alongside his Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is in the process of applying for law school. When he eventually walks off campus for the final time, he’ll be able to say that he’s the only skater to have ever played all five seasons as a Sun Devil.

Although Eckerle’s first impression of ASU hockey included playing every game at least 1,600 miles away while calling a 747 seat arena home, he never lost his desire to help turn the program into a serious contender.

His loyalty to the maroon and gold over five years allowed him to witness the move to Mullett Arena, joining the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and the transformation into a perennial top 25 team.

“The big thing was the fact that there was a new program with some much potential,” Eckerle said. “We’ve always talked about being the tradition, that’s sort of our mantra. And that’s 100% what sold me. There’s a lot of programs you can go to that have great history, but it’s a rare opportunity to go somewhere and sort of embody what you want the tradition to be.”

The final horn sounding on ASU’s 4-2 defeat against Denver in the Frozen Faceoff Semifinals may have signaled the end of the Sun Devils’ season and Eckerle’s time with the team, but nothing can take away from the legacy he leaves behind in the desert. His consistent impact both on-and-off the ice is a testament that true impact comes less from stat sheets and more from doing what’s best for the team.

“I just want to be remembered as somebody that worked hard every day and made as positive of an impact as I could,” Eckerle said. “I don’t think I could ask for much more than that.”