MEN'S HOCKEY: Feature Story on SCSU's Chris Hepp
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Chris Hepp
By Jake Laxen
SCSU Athletic Media Relations
St. Cloud State University sophomore defenseman Chris Hepp used to work for
the Minnesota Vikings. He was a security guard and helped escort the players
out of the Metrodome.
No one caused an incident for Hepp.
“I never had any trouble or anything to deal with,” Hepp said. “I had to
stand out by the players' cars and keep people, who were trying to get
autographs, behind the rope so the guys could get through. It was a fun
experience.”
Much like his stint with the Vikings, trouble seems to stay clear of the
Huskies when the with the 6-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore is on the ice. In
turn, Hepp has earned a reputation as an enforcer.
“I like to play a tough game,” Hepp said. “I like to make my presence known.
If I get the chance to throw a big hit, I’d like that to be a part of my
game.”
Hepp developed a tough guy reputation during his junior career with the
Omaha Lancers of the USHL He ranked among league's leaders in penalty
minutes as a junior player, and that reputation followed him in his freshman
season in 2006-07, with the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Hepp, though, doesn’t just fight for the sake of it. He is all about
defending the honor of his team and his teammates.
“I always got their back and will defend them (his temmates) at all costs,”
he said. “I’m always there for my teammates if I can be.”
His new Husky teammates respect his pride. And some are especially glad to
have him after facing him in the USHL.
“It’s nice to have him on our side now,” Huskies captain Garrett Raboin
said. “I’ve played against him and I like his style.”
Hepp was part of an on-going feud with Omaha’s USHL rival, the Lincoln
Stars. On the Huskies' roster Raboin, Jared Festler and David Carlisle all
played for Lincoln against Hepp. Forward Travis Novak was an Omaha teammate
of Hepp.
“We had a pretty good rivalry with Lincoln,” Hepp. “I don’t think I went
after anyone on the team now, but I did with some of their teammates (at
Lincoln). And throughout college hockey there are some familiar faces.”
But Hepp is eager to let people know, he’s not out there just to fight.
“Hopefully I can do more out there than be tough,” he said. “It doesn’t
bother me, but hopefully I can broaden my range so people don’t just see me
as an enforcer.”
Hepp has done a solid job this season in shedding the label that he’s a
one-dimensional player. He has scored a pair of goals and assisted on four
others through the first nine games.
College success wasn’t an immediate thing for the Burnsville High School
graduate. After two seasons with Omaha from 2004-06, Hepp had only five
assists through 18 games with Air Force in 2006-07.
Hepp decided to leave the school part way through the season and returned to
the USHL. He completed the 2006-07 season with Omaha, and then went on to
win the Clark Cup with the Lancers in 2007-08.
“It was nicer than coming here and redshirting,” he said of his decision to
move back to Omaha last winter. “I had both options and I was glad I was
able to go out and play games. And we also went on to win a national
championship, which was great to be a part of.”
He then wanted to pick a school closer to his Savage home. And when the
opportunity to come to St. Cloud State arose, he couldn’t turn it down.
“As soon as I left Air Force I was looking at schools,” Hepp said. “As soon
as I came up here and talked to coach Motzko...it felt like the right fit
for me.”
The decision to be a Husky has been one he’s happy he made.
“It’s been a great fit,” he said. “It’s a great group of guys in the locker
room and it’s been a fun place to play.”
The team was also happy to get an experienced blueliner since the Huskies
were looking to boost their ranks of experienced defenders for the 2008-09
campaign.
“It’s perfect to bring in a veteran guy like that,” Raboin said.
For Hepp, the tranisition to SCSU was made easier thanks to the presence of
a few familiar faces from his past. Former Lancer teammate Novak was also
making his debut with the Huskies in 2008-09, while sophomore forward Nick
Oslund grew up playing hockey with Hepp back home in the southwest Metro.
“All last year when I was committed to come here, I’d call (Oslund) up and
see how things were going here,” he said. “And also having (Novak) here made
it real easy. The guys accepted me right away...but it was nice to have old
friends.”
On the ice, the jump from juniors to the collegiate level has gone smoothly
for Hepp.
“It’s definitely a faster game then juniors,” Hepp said. “You can tell it’s
a step up to the next level. I’m still getting used to it but I feel I’ve
made the adjustment pretty well.”
Hepp keeps his ties to his time in juniors. He continues an Omaha
superstition with Novak.
“We have a signature chest bump that we do after every stretch,” Hepp said.
“I have a couple habits I keep in check from those days.”
And his next goal is to advance to even higher levels of hockey. The dream
is to be escorted out of arenas by security in the same way that he used to
for NFL players at the Metrodome.
“It’s been a dream of mine for forever,” Hepp said. “I’d like to play hockey
for as long as I can, and it’s definitely something I look forward to.”
