St. Louis defenseman Schumacher makes college commitment

July 27, 2016

For Brian Schumacher of the NA3HL's St. Louis Jr. Blues, one of his favorite things about playing junior hockey was meeting other people from across the country and around the world.

 

“You play hockey with this group of guys every day of the week pretty much, travel the country with them, and hang out with them outside of the rink. It just builds bonds and memories with them that will last the rest of your life,” said the 5’8/165 lbs. man from Imperial, Missouri.

 

It was this sort of bond—albeit a slightly more local one—that drove him to commit to play for Missouri State University in ACHA Division I. Schumacher was sold on the Ice Bears by after talking to current head coach Bob Bucher, who previously was in charge of the hockey team at Seckman High School, where Schumacher played all four years.

 

“We kept in touch all throughout high school and juniors, he mentioned [coming to Mo. State], I visited and fell in love with the place”, said Schumacher. In addition, he cited three of his best friends from hockey in St Louis joining the Ice Bears as swaying his decision: his Jr. Blues teammate Chris Brown, Point Mallard Ducks forward Jake Champaign (who, like Schumacher, played for Bucher at Seckman), and Jordan Bratton, who was a teammate of Schumacher on several USA Hockey National Championship teams at the youth level for the Affton Americans.

 

A versatile cog in the Jr. Blues’ Midwest Division championship team this season, Schumacher was most comfortable on the blue line but could also “flex” to a forward role when needed. In his two years with St Louis, Schumacher scored 12 goals and added 21 assists in 78 total games, with a career plus/minus of +4. He also played all eight games of the team’s 2016 Silver Cup playoff campaign, finishing up with one goal and two assists, and represented the Midwest Division at the 2016 NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament.

 

This knowledge of both the offense and defensive facets of the game is what sets him apart from other defensemen, Schumacher believes. “I think I can lock it down on defense when I need to, but I like playing an offensive style of game, jumping up in the play.”

 

Jr. Blues head coach Chris Flaugher added, “Brian was a guy who, for the last two seasons, did whatever we asked of him and did it well. He brought a unique set of attributes to the club. I’m confident Missouri State will be getting a high-quality player and a great presence in the dressing-room.”

 

Schumacher noted that the “big school feel” of Missouri State is what he looks forward to most about matriculating to Springfield. He plans to major in either pre-law or architecture.