Pulver takes his talents to another level
 

By DAVID BOSSICK / The Chippewa Herald
Wednesday, December 26, 2007 10:45 PM CST

MARQUETTE, Mich. — Mitch Pulver wanted more ice time.

It wasn’t that Pulver didn’t like his experience with the Chippewa Falls Senior High School’s varsity hockey team, either.

That’s what led Pulver to play AAA Midget hockey for the past three years in the Midwest Elite Hockey League.

“I guess I wanted to play more competitive hockey. There’s a lot more competition. You also get looked at a lot more with a 70 game schedule instead of 22 games in high school,” he said. “It’s more hockey-oriented.”

Pulver left after his freshman year at Chi-Hi for the Ojibwa Eagles for the 2005-06 season. The Eagles are another AAA Midget hockey team, based in Houghton, Mich.

“He came as a recommendation from a friend. He came out of tryouts and without question, he was good enough,” former Eagles coach and current Electricians coach Scott Nevenhoven said. “What stands out about him is his passion and work ethic. I’ve never seen anyone his age so intense.

“It’s kind of intimidating.”

The move for Pulver was a little difficult at first.

“I get a lot of support. At first, when I decided to leave the high school team, there was some people who weren’t very happy. But, for the most part, they’ve helped me out when I needed it,” he said.

Nevenhoven left the Eagles following Pulver’s first season with the team and took a year off. Pulver sought a new team after the coach left and Nevenhoven recommended Pulver to the former Marquette coach.

“He didn’t want to go back,” Nevenhoven said. “He went to my home town, where the Electricians were, and I knew the head coach from last year.

“I told him, he was definitely a great player. They offered him a spot.”

Pulver also was attracted to the Electricians because for a variety of reasons.

“My decision to go to Marquette was based on the tradition of the organization and our coaching staff,” he said. “They’ve always had a good team.”

Along with playing 70 or so games a season, Pulver’s family has remained in Chippewa Falls while he plays hockey in Michigan. He stays with what’s dubbed a billet family, or a family that allows Pulver to stay in their home for the season.

“It’s a different experience than most kids my age, but I love to play hockey and my billet family is nice,” he said.

He’a also maintained his academic studies at a good pace as well. Pulver attends Marquette High School where many of the players, both natives of the surrounding area and players from around the country, go to school.

“It’s kind of exciting because everyone knows you play. You don’t really know that many people other than your teammates,” he said. “You’re almost treated differently at school. We’ve got a kid from Russia, Norway and Iowa all on the team and going to school there.”

Nevenhoven said Pulver’s grades are also in good shape, as is his maturity.

“Other than he’s than the fact that he’s a 4.0 (grade-point average) student, he’s just all-around a great person to be around,” he said. “He’s got a great personality.

“He’s older than his age is. He’s very mature.”

That maturity level that Pulver displays has helped earn him the captain’s “C” on his sweater. Nevenhoven said there’s two sides to Pulver’s leadership abilities as the Electricians’ captain.

“He leads by example and hardest working kid we’ve got. He’s boisterous, but not in a yelling kind of way,” he said. “He kind of gets his point across in a mild manner. He doesn’t have to get loud.”

Pulver is draft-eligible for the National Hockey League, as are all 18-year-olds, but he’s looking toward the potential of junior hockey and college.

“This is a critical year,” Pulver said. “My coach doesn’t like to talk to us about who’s scouting.”

Nevenhoven said he didn’t know where Pulver stood in the eyes of scouts.

“We don’s really know until it happens,” he said. “That kind of stuff they keep on the down-low. I don’t know where they stands in that.”

What may or may not add more pressure to Pulver this season is an injury. He suffered a tear of his Medial Collaterial ligament (MCL) and he was out for a part of this season already.

“I’m going to rehab everyday and it’s going good,” Pulver said in early December. “It’s still week-to-week.

“The more time you sit out, the less games you’ll play and you’re not going to get looked at.”

Reach David Bossick at david.bossick@lee.net.