By Warren Kozireski
About 16 months ago on this website there was a profile on New York Rangers 2023 sixth round draft pick Ty Hendriks. Then he was playing with his second team in the USHL, Muskegon, and had committed to play college hockey at Western Michigan University.
Fast forward 16 months and Hendriks was a 19-year-old freshman with the Broncos playing on the fourth line and, oh yeah, scored the game-winning goal in the Frozen Four national championship game.
“It’s still setting in,” Hendriks said in the locker room following the on-ice celebration. “Feels good to be able to help the team out any way possible.
“I didn’t really see much I kind of had my back turned toward the play. As soon as turned around it was “Knubs” (linemate Cam Knuble) coming through with a two-on-one so I decided to stop up and he took it to the nest and I got the rebound.”
The 6’5”, 210 lb. left wing from Mission Viejo, California left home at 13 years old to pursue his dream with Shattuck St. Mary’s for three seasons.
“When I was about 11, I went to the Shattuck camp for younger kids and it’s kind of a bite-size experience of the school and I did that twice and fell in love with the program and I knew that it was one of my goals to attend the school,” Henricks recalled.
“When I got the opportunity to play up on the U14 at13, there is no way I would turn that down. My parents weren’t too pleased with the idea, but after some thought they said if this is what’s best for him in his hockey career, then let’s let him do it.”
Then it was back home with the Jr. Ducks for the 21-22 campaign where he exploded for a combined 87 goals and 68 assists in 80 games for the 16-U program.
During two seasons in the USHL split between Fargo and Muskegon, Hendriks registered 51 points in a combined 107 games. Now he adds a national title to his resume and a pretty nice ring. And next year a chance to compete against his brother, Tanner, who will be a freshman with NCHC conference opponent St. Cloud State.
This season Hendriks finished with eight goals and five assists in 41 games at Western Michigan. His fourth line did not see the ice in the third period or either overtime period in their semi-final victory over sixth-seeded and defending champion Denver, so to score the game-winner one game later was a little bit of a surprise.
“It’s been a lot of learning and definitely made me a better person and player and just being with this group of guys has been awesome; nothing more I could ask for.”
