Scott Czarnowczan talks Red Wings development camp, Ferris State hockey

 

By Nick Barnowski – 

After a national title game appearance and WCHA championship, Scott Czarnowczan gave everything to the Ferris State hockey program.

Now, he’s doing whatever he can to take his career to the next level. His latest stop was Traverse City for the Detroit Red Wings’ annual development camp.

“You grow up watching them play and that’s what you want to do as a little kid,” said Czarnowczan, who finished his final season with the Bulldogs in March. “You dream of playing in one of those uniforms and now I’ve got a chance to play in the uniform.”

The 5-foot-10 defenseman was invited to camp as a free agent following a successful college career in Big Rapids. He said that getting the invitation was something he’s dreamed about.

“I fond out and I was pretty ecstatic,” the Macomb native said. “Being a part of the Red Wings organization, it’s a privilege to be here.”

Czarnowczan viewed the opportunity to once again play in the state of Michigan – even if only for a week – as an advantage.

“Michigan’s one of the best states for hockey in the U.S.,” he said. “To stay here, you keep learning from all of the coaches around here.”

He noted that after a couple of days camp had become tiring, between the on-ice practices, off-ice workouts, team events, and constant coaching, but the jam-packed schedule wasn’t going to stop him.

“You just got to keep pushing through,” he said. “It’s adversity. You face that in hockey everyday.”

Czarnowczan captained the Bulldogs in his senior season, leading them all the way to the Midwest Regional Final where they lost in heartbreaking fashion to North Dakota, 2-1, in double overtime.

As a sophomore, he had 21 points on the blueline and was a critical member of a Bulldogs team that captured the attention of the state on its run to the Frozen Four. They lost to Boston College in the national championship game.

The 23-year-old credited those senior to him when he was an incoming freshman at Ferris State for the program’s recent success.

“My class learned from our seniors and then the juniors taught us as well so you just want to keep buying into the program,” he said. “And we did.

“We talked to younger guys as seniors and said you just got to keep going with what the coaches are preaching. It’s helped us.”

After his collegiate career ended, Czarnowczan made the jump to the ECHL, playing in two games with the Idaho Steelheads. He scored a goal and picked up an assist in his professional debut on April 11.

“It was definitely a next step up,” he said of the experience. “In college, you’re pushing the tempo, never really bringing the puck back. In the ECHL, you’re circling back, slowing play down, and setting up plays. It was different, a learning experience before I came here.”

Czarnowczan said that training would occupy the rest of his summer as he waits to hear back from the Red Wings and other teams. He knows that the journey is only just beginning.

“No matter what your legs say, you just keep going,” he said. “I’m making the best of the opportunity I’ve got.”