Kuhlman Preparing For First Overseas Hockey Trip

Wes Vork-NSO File

July 11, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Cloquet-Esko-Carlton forward Karson Kuhlman, who was recently selected to the 2012 U.S. Select team is preparing for his first overseas trip. Kuhlman and 21 other Under-18 players will compete at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia in August.

Kuhlman is among a group of five Minnesotan’s to make the team, the most from any one state. A total of 10 states are represented with four players from New Jersey and three from both California and New York on the roster. Players were chosen from participants in the USA Hockey Boys’ Select 117 Development Camp which took place on June 23-29 in Rochester New York. The U.S. roster also includes 12 players who helped the U.S. Under-17 Select Team capture first place at the 2011 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament held in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Kuhlman has come close to making such teams in the past, but was able to crack the roster this season. “Last year I was out in Rochester (NY) also and I didn’t make this team so I set a goal that next year I wanted to make it,” commented Kuhlman. “I really wanted to make team USA. So going into it I thought I had a really good chance if I worked hard at it, it would come and luckily it did.”

Playing in the Cloquet-Esko-Carlton program helped to prepare Kuhlman by teaching him hard work, a good work ethic and doing the little things. All those things came into play during his tryout for Team USA. “Obviously they wanted the natural skill, but work ethic. They picked a lot of guys that worked hard, they blocked shots, they did all the little stuff right. And that’s what most coaches do want,” explained Kuhlman. “Coming from the CEC program helped a lot. Coach Esse pushes us a lot and that’s the style of hockey we play here and that helped a lot.”

While the process was exciting and long and hard it all paid off once Team USA announced the players who would make the team. “At the end of the tournament they pick two teams for the all star game. After the all star game is complete we all go up to a meeting area. There’s probably 45 kids or so up there. The coaches stand up and tell us if you don’t make the team it is not the end of the world, the you are all great speech,” recalled Kuhlman of the final process. The coach then he starts listing off names of players who made the team.

“Once you hear your name called, you go downstairs and have a little meeting with them and the team. When my name was called I didn’t say anything, I just walked out to the hall. I was trying to play it cool but my heart was just racing, I was just so happy. It was crazy; I was just in awe the whole time.”

Head coach of the CEC Lumberjacks, Dave Esse, has had the pleasure of coaching Kuhlman over the past two seasons and appreciates the efforts his young star has made to the program. “Karson Kuhlman has worked really hard over the past couple years and continues to improve his game,” Esse remarked. “I’m very proud of him and all of his accomplishments. He loves the game of hockey and strives to be the best he can be. Making team USA shows what kind of talent and potential he has.”

For Kuhlman the experience of playing for Team USA is starting to sink in and it all started after he boarded the plane to head back to Minnesota from the tryout. “On the plane ride home I was sitting there thinking how cool it is. It is every kid’s dream to wear a USA jersey, so I think that will be one of the coolest experiences I will ever have,” thought Kuhlman. “It’s just an incredible honor. I’ve never played for USA so this will be awesome. It will be cool to represent the USA on and off the ice in everything we do; whether it’s going out to eat or whatever we do. People will recognize us and see we are wearing USA and hopefully they will think favorably of us because we are doing the right things on and off the ice. Coach Esse has us working real hard to represent CEC right which will help me a lot. It will be pressure, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Kuhlman is also looking forward to the overseas travel and experience. “The only other country I have been to is Canada. We went up there, did a little fishing, played a little hockey up there; but never over the big pond. The Slovakia trip should be awesome; I have heard some good things about the region.”

He is also looking forward to bringing back some things which will help the CEC hockey team. I will learn a lot from our (USA) team. That’s what I am really looking forward to. Just talking to guys from everywhere across the country. They have played everywhere; some guys have played USHL, some major juniors in Canada. It will be fun to just see what they think about stuff. I’m looking forward to bringing it back here and sharing my experience. I would also like to really thank Coach Esse. Over the past years I have learned so much and grown a lot. All of the off-ice stuff that we do, all of the training and stuff like that has obviously helped in making this team.”

The 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament will feature teams from Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. The U.S. team has routinely placed well at the tournament, winning the tournament championship in 2003. The United States has also finished twice a total of seven times and third twice in the tournament which began in 1991.

Matt Herr of Alpine New Jersey and head coach of the Kent School in Connecticut will serve as the team’s head coach. His assistants will be Bob Corkum, an associate head coach at the University of Maine; and Grand Forks North Dakota native Nick Fohr, who is currently an assistant coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.

Kuhlman led the Lumberjacks in scoring this past season with 55 points on 28 goals and 27 assists. As a freshman Kuhlman’s 17 goals and 35 assists were second on the team; four points behind Senior Jack McFarlane’s 56 points.

Wes Vork contributed to this article. Kerry Rodd can be reached at kerry@northlandsportsonline.com