Michigan State University Athletics
Basketball State Produces Rare Hockey Talent in John-Michael Liles
2/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 20, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Indiana is not considered a hockey hotbed. Basketball, yes. Bobby Knight is a hero in the Hoosier State. Bobby Orr is not.
Michigan State standout defenseman John-Michael Liles, however, hails from Zionsville, Ind., which is just a folding-chair toss north of Indianapolis. He's the first Spartan hockey player from the state of Indiana.
"Coach Mason said he never thought that he'd actually have somebody from Indiana play on his team," Liles said with a grin. "It's always interesting when people who don't know me find out I play hockey. Nobody expects me to be from Indiana."
When Liles takes the ice, especially with the Spartan power-play unit, he looks as comfortable in his environment as a 21-year-old from Flin Flon or Kamloops.
Interest in hockey in Indiana peaked when the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association signed 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky prior to the 1978-79 season. Eight games into this pro career, Gretzky was sold to the Edmonton Oilers and the Racers folded midway through the season. Liles' first exposure to hockey came by attending Indianapolis Checkers' minor-league games with his father and grandfather.
"Indiana is a basketball state," said Liles, a finance major. "There are a few more rinks being built, but other than that it's really not a big hockey state."
Liles' career began no differently than those of his MSU teammates - traveling from tournament to tournament with his youth hockey mates.
"I was fortunate enough to be on some very good teams who had some very driven parents," said Liles, a fifth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. "They supported the team and were able to find us games, which helped us in turn to become better hockey players by playing the best teams and traveling everywhere in the country.
"Most teams didn't feel the need to come down to Indiana, and they really didn't have to, so we were forced to travel quite a bit to places like Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Cleveland and Chicago to play."
Liles began his career as a defenseman, but played forward for four years before moving back to the blue line as a prep at Culver Military Academy. After two years at Culver, Liles joined the fledgling U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Liles posted solid offensive numbers in his two seasons with the U.S. program. No one predicted his remarkable rookie season with MSU, however, when he scored eight goals and added 20 assists in 40 games.
"His breakout year was his freshman year here," said junior forward and roommate Troy Ferguson. "(With the U.S. team), he was a really solid player -- obviously his skating and puck handling are his two strengths. You knew he was going to be a great player. When he broke out like he did his freshman year, I think it surprised a lot of people. He played with a lot of confidence.'
That confidence is most evident on the power play. Last season, Liles scored 20 of his 25 points with the man advantage. He leads the Spartans in power-play points this season.
"(In our) freshman year he was on the power play, but it was Shawn Horcoff's power play," said junior defenseman and former blue line partner Brad Fast. "As soon as Horcoff left, it became his. He's the quarterback and he gets things going out there. He really takes charge on that power play. If he's not working, the power play doesn't seem to be working."
The Spartan power play has been the CCHA's best all season and Liles has been among the nation's top scoring defensemen. With four games left in the regular season, Liles leads MSU with 12-17-29. He's tied for the lead among CCHA defensemen in points and power-play goals and leads conference rearguards in goals. Nationally, he's tied for seventh among defensemen in scoring and is fourth among blueliners in goals.
Even while taking advantage of offensive opportunities, Liles has improved his defensive play since joining the Spartans.
"He's really become intelligent with his play - he doesn't force issues," Michigan State head coach Ron Mason said. "When he's out there on the power play, he doesn't shoot unless it's a good shot. He passes the puck a lot, he knows when to move in, and right now, the puck's going in for him."
