Jeremy Swayman came from Alaska to join the Pikes Peak Miners’ (now Colorado Springs Tigers) 18U AAA team prior to last season and made an immediate impact between the pipes.

This season, he’s doing the same with the United States Hockey League’s (USHL) Sioux Falls Stampede and recently secured an NCAA Division I commitment with the University of Maine (Hockey East).

READ OUR LATEST ISSUE

“My goals for this season are to commit to a D-I college and get drafted in the NHL,” said Swayman. “I’m proud to say I have knocked off one of my personal goals already and am 100 percent focused on attaining the next one.”

Sioux Falls is also hosting the annual USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game later this season and Swayman said, “I want to play in front of my home crowd in that game.”

It’s been a roller coaster year for Swayman, who said the Maine coaching staff first approached him in September in Omaha at the USHL Fall Classic event. Being a part of the Stampede has also been a positive situation.

“I am loving everything about it from the community, school, billet family, coaching staff and team,” said Swayman. “I feel that I am fitting in well and still have a lot more to offer. I’m learning a lot from the older guys and my mental game has excelled from playing back-to-back weekend games and going right back to practice on Monday to get ready for the next games.”

Swayman added that he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in today if not for last season in Colorado.

“The teammates I had on that team will always be brothers to me,” Swayman said. “The lessons I learned on and off the ice will be with me for life and I cherished every moment I had with them. Also my billet family there (Bob Nolette, Beth Nolette, JP Nolette, Dalton Dosko) had a huge impact on my off-ice environment and gave me a perfect opportunity to succeed.”

Photo/Hickling Images

— Matt Mackinder