By Warren Kozireski–
Union College freshman defenseman Ryan Sidorski will turn 20 years old later this year, but he is a year ahead of the planned schedule for jumping junior hockey to the ECAC.
Originally slated to play for Sioux Falls in the USHL this season after his six-game cup of coffee in 2017-18 in between his Buffalo Jr. Sabres season, he is now a member of the Dutchmen.
“I think I’ve definitely been improving since the beginning of the year,” Sidorski said. “It’s definitely an adjustment from junior to college coming in a year early. I got a call from Coach (Rick) Bennett over the summer saying they needed me to come in a year early and I did.”
The 6’2”, 195 lb. blueliner had played in nine games this season as of Jan. 17 and was still looking for his first collegiate point, but Union eighth year head coach and former NHL winger Rick Bennett has been happy with Sidorski’s development to this point.
“He’s working with the penalty kill and a regular shift five-on-five and he just plays hard and does the right things on the ice as well as off the ice,” Bennett said after a game in St. Lawrence.
“He’s a younger guy as far as his age coming into the program because we needed him and he’s done a real nice job for us.
“We wanted a defenseman who could take care of his own end, a penalty kill guy, some size that played a physical game and, as far as the physical side, I don’t think we’re going to see his best until probably sophomore year second half or maybe even junior year once he starts to really grow into his body.
“We’re expecting some good things from him.”
When he was in the line-up, the coaching staff was already entrusting him in penalty kill situations—even part a long five-on-three kill on the road, so the level of confidence that he is up to the challenge is growing.
The Williamsville South and Amherst Youth Hockey product also played with the Buffalo Regals and, most recently, the Jr. Sabres last year except for those six games in Sioux Falls.
“I wanted to stay home and finish my high school and they gave me an opportunity to play a couple of games (in the USHL) and get used to it and the plan was to come the following (this) year.
“The coaches for the Jr. Sabres helped me out a lot. Matt Ellis is a great skills guy who worked with me throughout the season and I got a lot better. And Nick Tuzzolino is a great defensive coach.”
Athletics runs in the Sidorski family as his sister, Elizabeth, is a star field hockey player at South and is going to play at the collegiate level this fall.
So who is the better athlete?
“Honestly, her; she’s pretty impressive.”
