Back to School: Angus Crookshank

When Angus Crookshank suits up for the New Hampshire Wildcats for the first time this season, he might have a bit of a leg up on the competition.

The North Vancouver, B.C., native was able to train almost as normal despite the Covid-19 pandemic due to British Columbia having better numbers relative to other provinces meaning he was able to continue to work out and skate.
"Thankfully out west it didn't affect me all that much," Crookshank said. "They operated obviously at lower capacities but I was able to train as though Covid never happened which I was super thankful for."
Now back in New Hampshire, Crookshank can see the stark differences between how Canada and the United States are handling the virus. However, as a team, Crookshank and his teammates are mandating themselves so that they can remain in a position to train and play.
"We're doing the right thing as a team," he said. "A lot of it is team-mandated. It wasn't mandated by the US government to quarantine but it was mandated by the school. We had our first workout as a team on Sept. 8 and we only just started skating as a team so it's a little slower to get going but I think the university is doing a good job of taking things slow and doing things the right way versus just hopping right in and risking an outbreak."
The 20-year-old says practice is pretty much as normal, calling it "full-go." The team has maintained its own bubble making their return to the ice much easier. However, getting workouts in has been a little more challenging due to all athletes sharing the gym facilities meaning Crookshank has to work out in smaller groups with his teammates.
"You have to wear a mask during the workout which isn't the most fun thing to do but it's the new norm and you have to find ways to deal with it," Crookshank said.

Off the ice, all but one of Crookshank's classes are in-person which he describes as being "a lot more beneficial than being online." His fellow students are wearing masks and being socially-distant in the classroom and around campus. Heading into this third year, Crookshank is a double-major in political science and justice studies and once his professional hockey career is over, has his eye on going to law school.
Speaking of hockey, Crookshank enjoyed a career high 16 goals last season for the Wildcats, who at the time of the season's cancellation, were ninth in the Hockey East Division with a 15-15-4 record.
As of now, NCAA men's hockey seems on track for a November return. One benefit the H-East division has is geography as all teams can bus to games and avoid unnecessary nights away that will hopefully allow all 11 member teams to complete its 2020-21 season.
A fifth-round pick of the Senators in 2018, his assists slipped from 13 as a freshman to just six last year. But his commitment to his development has been crucial, talking extensively with Senators player development coaches Shean Donovan, Clarke MacArthur and Jesse Winchester about his game.
"They've helped my game a lot but it's just continuing to do the right things and implementing the habits to make it to the next level," Crookshank said. "At the end of the day, stuff that works in college won't work in the pros so I'm generating the habits that will help me make that adjustment to the next level."
The Wildcats are a historic program that hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 2013 and have not had a winning season since 2014-15. A two-time Hockey East Champion (2002, 2003), Crookshank is looking to lead the team back to the team's heyday.
"There's a lot of motivation there," he said. "This is a program that has known excellence since it started and it's not acceptable for us to be around or under .500.
"I think there's a lot of determination pent up, everyone is fired up and ready to go, everyone is dialed in, everyone knows what they need to do to make the team successful and at the end of the day that's all matters in hockey."