Jeff Cox, JeffCoxSports:
September 3, 2014 - University of New Hampshire senior goaltender Casey DeSmith was arrested over the weekend on one count of simple assault and one count of resisting arrest.
The report by Morgan Palmer says the incident occurred with DeSmith's girlfriend on the morning of Sunday, August 31st shortly before midnight. DeSmith, a three-year starter, was expected to once again carry the load in the UNH crease.
The University of New Hampshire is aware of Casey DeSmith's arrest. The university takes the allegations very seriously and will always act to ensure the health and safety of our community. The university will treat this report with the seriousness that it deserves and in a manner consistent with our handling of similar cases involving any UNH student. Consistent with our policies regarding student athletes charged with this type of behavior, Mr. DeSmith has been suspended from the men's hockey team pending further investigation into the matter.
Mike McMahon, CollegeHockeyNews:
The UNH suspension was ended in November, 2014 after a disciplinary hearing, which found that statements had varied, among other evidence, which also included no evidence of physical harm and other eyewitness statements that DeSmith did not do anything physical during the incident, according to the report.
The board found that DeSmith was not responsible for causing physical harm and was allowed to re-enter the University as a student in good standing the following semester. However on December 1, UNH head coach Dick Umile and athletic director Marty Scarano reportedly told DeSmith he would not be allowed to rejoin the hockey team. Freshman Adam Clark had taken over in goal, and there was no need to reinstate three year letterman, DeSmith.
Multiple Division I schools were interested in DeSmith. Five top-tier schools, including Michigan and Wisconsin had contacted DeSmith as well. "Declining my waiver did not help anyone and only hurt my family and me; and the schools that I could have attended." In typical NCAA fashion, the school transfer waiver was denied. DeSmith carried a 3.3 GPA as a business major.
After exhausting all collegiate avenues, Casey DeSmith signed with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has moved up to The American Hockey League with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and shares goaltending duties with Tristan Jarry.
The NHL dispersal draft in June will fill the roster of the new Las Vegas Golden Knights.
All 30 existing team are told they can "protect" a certain number of its existing contracted players by furnishing their names to the league office. The expansion team is then allowed to select players not on the protected lists in a manner somewhat similar to an entry draft. All teams are allowed to protect one goalie.
Karen Ciccotelli, Seacoastonline:
We have all made mistakes in life. Not all of us have those mistakes end up as headline news. And, as we all know, what is in the headlines is almost never the "whole story."
When Casey is promoted to the NHL, UNH will be first to broadly display this remarkable achievement in their game program. UNH Hockey, Dick Umile and his staff, produces another star player for the world's top league. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
Paul Murphy
Follow me on Twitter at @_prmurphy
Good story
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