UMaine hockey center looking for big season after injury-marred campaign

ORONO, Maine — After an injury-marred junior season, University of Maine men’s hockey center Nolan Renwick has his sights set on a memorable senior year.

Renwick, who was UMaine’s third-leading scorer two years ago when he had 20 points on nine goals and 11 assists in 36 games, missed 12 games due to a nagging ankle injury last season and finished with 11 points on two goals and nine assists.

He missed virtually the entire month of November and seven weeks from early December to February.

But he is healthy now and excited about the season.

UMaine opens on Saturday night, Oct. 5, when the Black Bears entertain American International College (Massachusetts) from the Atlantic Hockey Association. Game time is 7 p.m.

“This is my last go-round and I want to make it a special ending. I had one of my best summers,” said Renwick, who is an assistant captain for the second year and one of the Black Bears’ biggest forwards at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. “Being a big guy playing a heavy game, it takes a high level of conditioning.”

Renwick said he has focused on getting in shape.

“Maybe that’s something that hasn’t been great over the years so I really addressed that this year. If I can play at a high-tempo for 60 minutes, that’s when I can be my most effective,” he said.

UMaine head coach Ben Barr said Renwick has the size and ability to be good in all aspects of the game, and praised his leadership.

“He was playing his best hockey at the end of the year and that was a good sign. We need him to pick up where he left off. We need him to take a step and be a better player for us if we’re going to accomplish our goals,” Barr said.

Barr said there isn’t anything Renwick can’t do “it’s the consistency with which he does it that will determine how effective he is.”

Renwick has taken that to heart.

“My goal is to be the most dominant player on the ice at all times and I think I have that kind of capability,” said Renwick, who had a career-high three assists in UMaine’s 5-0 win over New Hampshire in their Hockey East quarterfinal. “That’s what I’m focusing on. I know if I do that, the rest will take care of itself.”

He added that it will be important to stick to his identity by using his size and strength.

“I feel I’m one of the strongest players on the ice at all times and if I stick to that, I can have a lot of success. I can be an impact player. When I divert from that and play more on the outside and play more cautiously, that’s when I struggle,” said Renwick, who won an impressive 54.7 percent of his faceoffs a year ago.

“Nolan is an absolute force out there on the forecheck,” said UMaine senior defenseman and co-captain David Breazeale. “He has a heavy shot, he makes great plays and he is an unbelievable skater with a ton of size.”

Renwick is from Milestone, Saskatchewan and was a 22-goal scorer in 53 games during his final year (2020-21) in the United States Hockey League for the Omaha Lancers. He also had 19 assists.

He was also the recipient of the E.H. Motto McLean Leadership Award which goes to the Lancer who best exemplifies dedication and leadership on and off the ice to the team and the community.

Renwick appeared in all 33 games as a freshman at UMaine and had four goals and seven assists.

This season, he likes what he sees of this UMaine team.

“We’re older, we have a little more experience than last year. We brought in some good, veteran guys. We obviously lost some key players up front but we retained most of our team and that’s huge, especially with our first time playing at the (TD) Garden (in Boston for the Hockey East semifinals) and in the NCAA regionals. Being able to retain that experience is huge for this year,” said Renwick. “The first time playing in that experience, you’re a little bit shell-shocked going into it.

He expects his year’s team to have more depth than last year’s.

“We have four lines that can be effective, especially with the (five) transfers we brought in,” said Renwick. “We returned our whole defense corps and added (Merrimack transfer defenseman) Frank Djurasevic and we have Albie (Albin Boija) back between the pipes.

“It doesn’t matter who you throw on the ice, we’re comfortable with who we have,” said Renwick.