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Born to skate Cincinnati's Erik Cole has starred at every level
By Josh Goldfine, Special to CNNSI.com For Erik Cole, it was always supposed to be this way. One of the top young players in recent memory to hail from upstate New York, the 22-year-old Cole has tasted success in his first professional season and is on the cusp of the National Hockey League. Cole’s journey began in his hometown of Oswego, New York, a small town (pop. 8,000) nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario. A skilled offensive player even at a young age, Cole dominated each level of play. “You could see early on that he was going to be a fine college hockey prospect, said Clarkson University Associate Athletic Director Steve Yianoukos, whose son, John, played in youth leagues with Cole. Yianoukos knew talent when he saw it, and he went to bat for his university by striking up a relationship with Cole’s father, Dennis. “He would ask my father if he [Yianoukos] could speak to me after games,” recalled Cole, “Just to let me know about opportunities for scholarships.” Cole totaled 90 points in just 25 games in his junior season of high school, while also playing in a Junior B team on the side. It was then that Yiaoukous’ relationship yielded results, as Cole passed on scholarship offers from such big-time powers as Boston University, Boston College, and Lake Superior State and selected Clarkson as his college of choice. It became clear to Cole that he needed to test his skills against better competition in order to prepare for the rigors of the college game. And, for his senior year of high school, Cole was headed to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the United States Hockey League. “If you’re going to play in college, you’ve got to play against good competition,” said Yianoukos. “But it’s tough to leave home for your senior year of high school. People don’t understand the sacrifices these kids make.” Cole’s sacrifice was well worth it. He scored 64 points (30 G, 34 A) in 48 games and was awarded as the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie, in addition to being recognized as the fans’ most popular player. “I was nervous at first for a different league and higher talent level,” said Cole. “But it was the best preparation for being away from home.” Cole was more than prepared for his freshman season at Clarkson and earned co-ECAC Rookie of the Year honors, with 31 points (11 G, 20 A) in 34 games. It was in Cole’s sophomore season, though, that he truly caught the attention of the National Hockey League.
That season, Cole tallied 42 points (22 G, 20 A) in 36 games, earning a spot on the ECAC First Team and Second Team All-America squads. That spring, he was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the NHL draft. “I had no idea it was going to be Carolina,” said Cole. “I met with them the day before the draft, but you meet with a lot of teams. My sister [Allison] lives in Raleigh, so I was excited to be going there.” After the draft, Cole considered leaving school for the professional ranks. “We had some pretty good discussion about [that],” said Clarkson Head Coach Mark Morris. “But we came to the determination that, with one more year, he’d be one step closer to being a better pro.” Cole’s junior season produced the lowest point total (30) of his three college campaigns, but the 1999-00 campaign would be Cole’s last in upstate New York. Several months after the Golden Knights had completed a disappointing 17-15-3 season, Cole was off to join the Hurricanes’ organization. “It was tough to leave,” said Cole. “The opportunity was there for me to leave, but I felt bad about leaving my teammates.” After working out an agreement to have the remainder of his education paid for in full by the Hurricanes, Cole was off to the pros. Morris, though not surprised by Cole’s decision, still laments the loss of his top player. “We discussed it, and it was almost expected,” said Morris. “But still, to find a guy in the middle of the summer was awful tough to swallow. It was a tough thing for us to try and replace a guy like him. You just can’t do it. Those players are few and far between. “He’d rank right up there with some of the better players that we’ve had. “His straight-away speed is exceptional, and he can drive the net as well as anybody. He’s a joy to watch in the open ice.” Cole wasted no time in getting acclimated to the life of a professional hockey player. He married his girlfriend, Emily, in July and spent the summer training with Hurricane veterans in North Carolina. Despite a rigorous workout regimen, Cole turned in an underwhelming performance in training camp and has been with Cincinnati of the International Hockey League for the entire season. The league’s Rookie of the Month in December when he tallied 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 15 games, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Cole ranks fifth among IHL rookies with 36 points (18 G, 18 A), despite missing a month with a sprained knee. Through March 14, the Carolina Hurricanes have scored the fewest goals (179) of any NHL playoff contender. Now that he is once again healthy, it would not be a stretch to think that Erik Cole may be able to contribute to that cause. Because of the injury, Cole may not see NHL ice this season. But, you won’t have to look far to see him in the future.
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