Throughout the month of August (and late July), BismarckBobcats.com will be taking a one-by-one look at the players on the Bobcats’ Training Camp Roster. Our first installment covers the Bobcats’ top returning scorer, Adam Knochenmus.
Name: Adam Knochenmus
Position: Forward
Hometown: Roseau, MN
2011-12 Team: Bismarck Bobcats
2011-12 Stats: 14 G, 35 A, 49 PTS, +20, 30 PIM
Favorite Movie: Slap Shot – “It’s a classic.”
Favorite Food: Spaghetti – “Or any other pasta. Hard to go wrong, there.”
Highlight of 2011-12: “Beating the Russians at the VFW Sports Center was pretty great.”
Trading Places
Entering his third season in the NAHL in 2012-13, Adam Knochenmus came to the Bobcats late in September as the key part of a trade that sent defensemen Charlie Aus and Rodney Lalonde to the Alexandria Blizzard in exchange for the Roseau native and a third-round pick in the 2012 NAHL Entry Draft (that pick later became Evan Giesler).
“At first I was kind of shocked to be traded away from Alexandria,” confessed Knochenmus, who tallied two goals and four assists in 41 games with the Blizzard in 2010-11, “but the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. I knew coming to Bismarck I’d have a better chance to be on a contender and go to the Robertson Cup.”
As a part of the Bobcats, Knochenmus’ scoring took off as he racked up 14 goals and 31 assists in Black and Gold.
The former Roseau Ram credits his point surge to quality linemates.
“Playing with Frank DeAugustine and Dan Zawacki was unbelievable,” he said of his regular 2011-12 playing partners, who combined for 39 goals and 64 assists during the regular season, “their games were so complimentary of mine, it let me go out and play with a lot of confidence.”
Despite his lofty point totals, Knochenmus only had two goals and seven assists on the power play—something of a statistical anomaly.
“Adam wasn’t a regular on the ‘PP’ until later in the season,” explained Bobcats head coach and general manager Layne Sedevie, who coveted Knochenmus as a prospect while playing for the Rams in 2009-10, “so, needless to say, we’re excited for his potential as a scorer and setup man with an expanded power play role this season.”
Mainly Prepared
Knochenmus led all participants at last weekend’s Main Camp in points with six goals and three assists.
“I felt like I played pretty well, but all camp I also had some great guys to play with,” deferred Knochenmus, referencing draft picks Joe Giordano (Springfield Pics, EJHL) and Kevin Becker (Aberdeen Wings). “Once we got in a groove on the ice, things were really clicking out there.”
Offseason training for the third-year veteran played a large role in his camp success.
“Lots of running, lots of sprinting,” he noted when asked about his off-season training regimen, “and then hitting the weight room hard to keep my body in top shape. I wasn’t a part of ‘Hell Week’ (a famous week of preseason off-ice conditioning for the Bobcats) last year, but I have been working hard to be ready for it this year.”
Fast Forward
With a disappointing finish at the 2012 Robertson Cup Tournament still fresh in his mind, Knochenmus was quick to list team aspirations when asked about his personal goals for 2012-13.
“The big thing is going to be clinching home ice in the playoffs again, winning the Central Division and getting back to nationals to take another shot at the Robertson Cup.”
When pressed a bit harder about his personal aims for the season, he related the same dream all NAHL players share: earning a Division I scholarship for 2013-14.
Stay tuned to BismarckBobcats.com over the next month as we take you in-depth with every player on the Training Camp Roster in preparation for the 2012-13 season. This week, we will also feature Patrick Moore, Shane Omdahl, Jeremy O’Keefe and Dan Kovar.