Brahmas rookie forward making a name for himself
Former Michigan Tech star Pete Rouleau finds success in the CHL
Pete Rouleau is a quiet, unassuming sort of guy. In fact, if you saw him on the street, you would probably not peg him for a hockey player. Listed at 5’ 7”, 158 pounds on the Texas Brahmas website, he is smaller than most forwards in the Central Hockey League. But on the ice, Rouleau plays larger than his size and his tenacity and work ethic have made him a valuable member of the Brahmas offense.
“I’m really excited that he’s on our team,” Brahmas head coach Dan Wildfong said. “He does a lot of things exceptionally well. He’s a smart player with the puck and he works extremely hard. When you do that, you find success and he’s been finding it because he’s doing all the little things right.”
Rouleau, 25, is number five in the league amongst rookie scoring leaders with 16 points (6 G, 10 A) and only six penalty minutes in 17 games. He has four goals and five assists on the powerplay. He is also tied with Grant Jacobsen for second highest scorer on the Brahmas squad behind Scott Sheppard. In the Brahmas' first shootout of the season against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, Rouleau scored the winning goal.
Rouleau is humble when asked about the start to his season.
“When you get the bounces, things are going your way. It makes you look pretty good,” Rouleau said. “You just have to keep working hard and having fun.”
As far as being a player in the CHL, Rouleau isn’t shy about his feelings.
“I love it, I mean from top to bottom, I think it’s a good league," Roleau said. "You have to work hard every night to get a win.”
The 25-year-old native of Hancock, Michigan skated in 95 games and scored 61 points (19 G, 42 A) over three seasons with the Michigan Tech Huskies. He earned the Gary Crosby Award as the team's leading scorer his junior and senior year and won the Huskies' MVP award last season.
Rouleau is humble when asked about the start to his season.
“When you get the bounces, things are going your way. It makes you look pretty good,” Rouleau said. “You just have to keep working hard and having fun.”
As far as being a player in the CHL, Rouleau isn’t shy about his feelings.
“I love it, I mean from top to bottom, I think it’s a good league," Roleau said. "You have to work hard every night to get a win.”
The 25-year-old native of Hancock, Michigan skated in 95 games and scored 61 points (19 G, 42 A) over three seasons with the Michigan Tech Huskies. He earned the Gary Crosby Award as the team's leading scorer his junior and senior year and won the Huskies' MVP award last season.
Last March, Rouleau signed with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) but played just one game before being released on waivers. Head Coach Derek Laxdal said he would have liked to keep Rouleau on, but players returning to Idaho from it's AHL affiliate Idaho Stars created a lack of space on the roster. Rouleau was then signed by the Pensacola Ice Pilots and played six games, scoring 3 points (1 G, 2 A).
Rouleau spent the 2003-04 season competing for Finlandia University, an NCAA Division III team. He played in 25 games with the Lions and was Findlandia’s leading scorer with 39 points (15 G, 24 A). Prior to that, he played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League in 2002-03. In 56 games played, Rouleau recorded 24 points (10 G, 14 A).
In high school, Rouleau led the Hancock (Michigan) Bulldogs in scoring for four consecutive seasons. He was the most valuable player of the Lake Superior Conference three years in a row and All-State his junior and senior years. He played on the 1998-99 State High School Championship team and the 1999-2000 State Runner-Up team. He remains the career point leader with 264 points.
His lack of size has never held him back and Rouleau isn’t concerned with physical play.
“That doesn’t bother me at all," Roleau said. "I mean I’ve played hockey for a long time where there was hitting. I get around the ice and as long as I keep my head up and don’t put myself in a situation where I’m going to get hit hard…you know, I move the puck before the guy’s coming.”
A quarter of the way through the season, the Brahmas have an 12-6-1 record and are in second place in the CHL’s Southeast Division. Rouleau is candid when asked if the Brahmas have their systems and strategies laid out for success in December.
“I sure hope so,” Roleau said. “I think we have the guys on the roster to do it. We just keep coming out every day knowing we can get a notch better every game.”
His lack of size has never held him back and Rouleau isn’t concerned with physical play.
“That doesn’t bother me at all," Roleau said. "I mean I’ve played hockey for a long time where there was hitting. I get around the ice and as long as I keep my head up and don’t put myself in a situation where I’m going to get hit hard…you know, I move the puck before the guy’s coming.”
A quarter of the way through the season, the Brahmas have an 12-6-1 record and are in second place in the CHL’s Southeast Division. Rouleau is candid when asked if the Brahmas have their systems and strategies laid out for success in December.
“I sure hope so,” Roleau said. “I think we have the guys on the roster to do it. We just keep coming out every day knowing we can get a notch better every game.”
Originally posted on ProHockeyNews.com on 12/01/08
Photo Credit: Robert Keith
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