The Mighty Ducks — The Rise of Oregon Hockey
In the late hours of 2017, if you were fortunate enough to brave the biting chill of Eugene’s winter to travel to The Rink Exchange ice skating rink, you may have caught one of the University of Oregon’s hidden gems: its hockey team. No one would have faulted you at the time for being unaware of their existence, as the team (founded in 1989) was a club sport even after their entry to the American College Hockey Association (ACHA) in 1995.
Now, standing in the sardine-packed, outdoor Pavilion ice rink in Bend, Ore., you’d be remiss to ignore the rows of fans donning their Oregon Hockey sweaters, screaming the fight song, and banging on the plexiglass as if to shatter the arena with pride. The Ducks, who shut out the Boise State Broncos in both of their sold out games at The Pavilion, are determined to show that the Northwest can be the next big destination for “Cawlidge Hawkey,” and their elevation to the ACHA Division 1 level beginning in 2022-23 is a huge boost.
“If you would’ve asked me in 2017 if it was doable, I had a lot of fun that year and it was a great group of guys, but we were a far-ways off at that point,” said Oregon Hockey Head Coach Rylee Orr on the team reaching ACHA Division 1 status. “Slow and steady with a lot of hard work and what not, we are where we are now.”
Orr joined the program in 2017 despite the 10 p.m. puck drops and dwindling crowds. He had previously played in three national championships with the Utah State Aggies and was a lead scorer in the 2016-17 season for the EHC Neuwied in Germany. After his travels abroad, he happened upon a listing for the University of Oregon head hockey coach. It was then he saw potential to make this club team into a viable candidate for NCAA Division 1.
“I watched as Arizona State elevated their program to NCAA and just knew Oregon could do that too,” Orr said.
Now, as the back-to-back PAC-8 champions rush toward their third consecutive league title, and enter the ACHA Division 1 competition in 2022, every barn they visit sees swells of fans. The 15 to 20 Duck nuts that warmed the rickety benches at The Rink Exchange years back blossomed into hundreds this season. Their season opener versus Cal in Medford completely sold out both nights, with the same happening in Bend.
“Talking with opposing coaches when they come in, they don’t like it,” Orr said, “which is always fun to see because when we go into those barns on the road and it’s a crazy crowd and whatnot, it can throw you off and it can be hard to think and get everything sorted out. Knowing that we have the fans now and we’re one of those teams, it’s awesome. It’s very exciting.”
Ducks Hockey isn’t just that undiscovered gem anymore, as athletes for the team mark social media posts with the quote, “UO is a hockey school.” From Oregon women’s basketball star Nyara Sabally rocking a Ducks hockey sweater in pregame photos, the University itself posting the team on its Instagram page, and popular hockey commentator John Buccigross showing the Ducks some love on Twitter, Ducks Hockey is creating a “mighty” presence.
The Oregon Duck mascot-laden jerseys the team sells on their website are back-ordered by five months due to popular demand.
“Seeing where the program has come from where I first started to now has just been a huge growth, and it’s amazing to see the success the program has had,” said four-year forward Dominik Estrada.
That success is widely attributed to Orr and his assistant coach Christian Vivian, who was a teammate of Orr’s at Utah State. The two of them, along with their staff, began recruiting up a storm. With each perspective Duck, they pitched the potential of Oregon’s brand and the inevitable growth of the only collegiate hockey team in the state.
“Just [Orr’s] personality and his passion for moving this program forward was a big key for me,” said defenseman Austin Pultz, whom Orr recruited from Calgary. “Living somewhere where we don’t get snow was a plus for a little bit, but it’s been awesome.”
“The sell is fairly easy, because it’s the University of Oregon,” Orr said. “Our goals and passions have players excited to come to a big university and be a part of something where they’re chasing down NCAA, which is exciting. So if you can’t get an NCAA Division 1 scholarship, being able to come somewhere they’re aggressively chasing that is a big thing for these players as well.”
With their 16-4 record and undefeated run through the PAC-8 play so far, that NCAA Division 1 dream doesn’t feel too far off. At The Pavilion, you could swear these athletes are among their university's greats, as kids swarmed them with adoration.
During both games, the Ducks attacked the Broncos with grit, as pucks hit the net and skates carved all over the ice. One fan remarked to me, “You can see which team are the professionals here.”
“I think this is the next step for us to get to where we want to achieve,” said defenseman Hunter Voyles regarding the Ducks heading to ACHA Division 1.
Recruiting for the team is becoming “overwhelming” due to the league leap in 2022. The newest NHL addition, the Seattle Kraken, as well as the success of the Portland Winterhawks throughout their tenure in the Rose City, are brewing the perfect potion to keep young talent flocking to the Ducks.
“[The Winterhawks] are in a non-traditional hockey market. They’re playing in a Canadian league and they’ve had one of the best attendance records across that league every year so we knew it would take some work, but hockey has potential in Oregon,” Orr said.
While following the team this past week, my eyes darted between the plexiglass at both the game and the fans. The stack of pucks held at the merchandise table were mowed through to a whisper when I left. Attendees of every age exited The Pavilion muttering to each other their descriptions of the atmosphere of an Oregon Hockey game, but assertions from the team lent the best image:
“Electric,” Orr said simply.
“It’s great. A lot of energy. There’s always something going on. Either a physical game, it’s kind of really flowy, always has your attention,” Voyles said.
Oregon Hockey is slowly amassing that attention they so deserved since their debut in ‘89. With Orr helming the ship, a run for NCAA Division 1 status rushes closer and all because of the teams’ philosophy and brotherhood.
“It’s a work ethic league. I truly believe that,” Orr said.
Oregon Hockey laces up for their next opponent Weber State on Jan. 14 in Boulder, Colo. Their return to the good ‘ol Rink Exchange will be on Jan. 21, where they hope to hammer a “Dubs down” to the Washington Huskies and continue their “hockey school” mentality.
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