GRAND FORKS — "My grandpa played hockey, my great grandpa is actually in the Hockey Hall of Fame, so it kind of just runs in the Spicer blood to be a hockey player." Cole Spicer says.
Spicer grew up in Grand Forks where the town rallies around the game of hockey, and where he had some of his favorite memories of playing on the backyard rink. The game has been passed down from each generation, and one family member in particular had a big influence on Spicer.
"My dad," Spicer says. "He coached me when I was 5 all the way until I left for high school. He's been there through pretty much everything. Every game, every practice. The long road trips where we would sit in cars for 10 hours and just joke around and laugh, and then we would just get to the rink and have a good time too. We've gotten super close over that."
Spicer's dad also gave his son a piece of advice that he said has been the best advice he's been given.
"Never be satisfied," Spicer says. "That's what I grew up listening to from my dad."
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Hockey has taken Spicer all over the world. He played AA in Grand Forks up until his freshman year of high school, where he then played for state powerhouse Grand Forks Central. Come his sophomore year, Spicer headed to Michigan to play for Honey Baked in Michigan, part of the High Performance Hockey League. After playing AAA, the next chapter would come during his junior and senior year of high school, where he earned a spot on the USNTDP roster. Moving away from home at a young age can be scary for some, but for Spicer it was the opposite.
"I liked the idea of just moving away and it just being hockey," Spicer says.
"I was pretty excited about it, and just the travel aspect I just loved. I loved going places, seeing new rinks, playing new teams. It was just always what I dreamed of when I was little, and being able to live that dream was pretty cool these last three years."
During the 2021-22 season, Spicer posted 30 goals and 25 assists in 84 games between the USDP and USNTDP. In the final NHL Central Scouting list, Spicer was ranked 121st among North American skaters.
By the fall of 2022, Spicer will be making the switch from juniors to college hockey, where he will be playing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
"You just look at their history and they just win," Spicer. says. "They win national championships, they win games, they've got a great coaching staff with (head coach Scott) Sandelin, and then just the team. I was fortunate enough to go up there about two weeks ago and all the guys are awesome. The incoming freshman, and especially the older guys do a great job, so I'm super excited for next season."
Profile
Age: 18
Hometown: Grand Forks
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 174 pounds
Current team: University of Minnesota-Duluth
NHL Rights: Eligible to the 2022 NHL Entry Draft
Elite Prospects Profile Link
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