Knights' Silver earned his 'C'
By Ted Ryan
Free Press Staff Writer
In a quarter-century of coaching the St. Michael's College men's
hockey team, Lou DiMasi had always named the next year's captain at
the Purple Knights' season-ending banquet.
Not so last winter.
Instead, DiMasi challenged team members to transform themselves not
only into better players but better members of the wider St.
Michael's community.
In particular, he delivered a message to his best player, Jared
Silver.
"I knew Coach wanted me to be a leader on this team," Silver said
this week. "He said he wasn't picking any captain; I'd have to earn
it."
Silver, who acknowledges he's sometimes "a little out of control
with penalties," -- he holds the SMC rec- ords of 213 minutes --
said, "I was going to have to earn everything I got.
"He just said I've got to make sure I was doing the right things,
making sure I was giving my all to whatever it was," said Silver.
"I don't mind taking constructive criticism from Coach and, oh,
yeah, it was fair."
This was a new challenge for the 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior from
Montreal, who had expected to return to Quebec after attending
Tabor Academy. Instead, St. Michael's came calling and Silver saw a
blend of hockey and academics that appealed to him.
On the ice, he quickly made an impression.
"He came in and hit it big as a first-year student," recalled
DiMasi.
Skating with Derek Giourard and Jonathan Perez, Silver was third on
the team in scoring with 15 goals and 31 points. In the season's
final game, the Northeast-10 championship against St. Anselm,
Silver and his linemates accounted for four goals in the Purple
Knights' 5-4 win.
In his sophomore and ju- nior years, Silver played primarily with
Alex Watts and Tim Dancey. He led the team in scoring each year --
17 goals and 43 points in '04-05; and 12 goals and 47 points in
'05-06.
"It worked out great; we were one of the top lines in ECAC and I
think we combined for over 100 points (112 to be exact) last year,"
Silver said.
"He's played with a number of great players and won a couple of
championships, and he was the NE-10 MVP the last time we won that
championship," DiMasi pointed out.
Still, one number was out of proportion: penalties (62) vs. penalty
minutes (189).
"I think some of the judgements he made in flight at the time
weren't conducive to being successful on the ice," DiMasi said.
"Some penalties taken were in the form of saying inappropriate
things or acting inappropriately."
"Sometimes I'd get a little bit frustrated," Silver said. "Coming
in, I was a little immature as a hockey player, taking bad
penalties, doing things I was not supposed to be doing."
DiMasi never questioned the young player's desire or effort. "He's
a hard worker, a kid who always wanted to do his best," the veteran
coach said.
And there was a question about Silver's motivation, or, as DiMasi
said, "At times, he focused on his game versus the team."
That's what prompted DiMasi's challenge to Silver prior to this
year. Silver answered. One week before the season began, DiMasi
handed Silver the "C."
"It's a great honor," said Silver.
"He's matured greatly. He's a real driving force for us now,"
DiMasi said.
Silver still has the quick hands, the speed, the perception of
who's where and what's going to happen that's made him a dangerous
player for three-plus seasons. He still leads the Knights in
scoring -- seven goals, seven assists -- and he still attacks the
game with the same fervor and love he's always had for the
sport.
"Jared turned from being the first guy out of the locker room to
being the last out of the locker room. He used to expect the team
to take care of him; now he's taking care of the team," DiMasi
said. "He's taken the challenge and he's been our mainstay."
And there's another role Silver has taken on for the first time on
the ice: Big Brother. Jonathan Silver, three years younger, is a
freshman who recently scored his first SMC goal.
"That was amazing when I found out my younger brother was coming,"
said Silver, who had never played on the same team with his
brother.
"He's not only my brother but he's like a best friend," said
Silver, sounding every bit the proud big brother. "He's doing
great, one of the only freshmen to play in every game."
And the little brother has a very good role model for a brother and
teammate.
