by Arch Ecker
Reed Seckel played one season in Topeka, and made a huge impression.
Nicknamed "Freight Train" for the barrage of bone-jarring hits he laid on opponents, Seckel arrived in Topeka as a high school senior. Balancing classes at Washburn Rural High School, he played in all 58 regular season games, scoring 22 goals and 29 assists, including 4 shorthanded tallies. He also played in all 12 postseason games, putting up another 9 points as the RoadRunners advanced for the first time ever to the Robertson Cup Tournament.
The following season he was drafted by the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, and he played 60 games, putting up 52 points, and last season, he added another 58 points as the Gamblers claimed both the Anderson Cup for most points in the regular season, and the Clark Cup awarded to the playoff champion. And waiting for Seckel after a triumphant end to his junior career, a spot with Division I Northern Michigan University.
Now Seckel has another thrill to add to his list of accomplishments, being invited to the Detroit Red Wings Prospects Camp. " I got a call from Glenn Murray and Bill Ciraulo (of the Detroit Little Caesars Midget Major Hockey Club where Seckel played before Topeka). They said they talked to Jim Nill (Red Wings assistant GM) and Jiri Fischer (Red Wings Director of Player Development) and how they liked my play and they wanted me to come to the camp", said Seckel. The camp is certainly proving to be challenging. "The hardest part of the camp is probably being on the ice trying to keep your breath and trying to do your best." He went on to add, "It's fun being out there with all the draft picks and playing with them. It's a good learning experience for me."
Seckel, a native of Melvin, MI has been a Red Wings fan his whole life. "Wearing the Red Wings jersey is just unreal. I never thought I would get to put one on. Although the practices are pretty hard and tiring, I love just being out there and having a good time." Practice isn't the only hard part. "It's hard to hold the smile in the whole time."