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Generals Alumni Update: Kris Kranzky
Kris Kranzky came to try out for the inaugural Eugene Generals squad in the fall of 2005. Kranzky entered camp out of shape and a little over weight. At camp he did not come to mind as an impact player for that season, but Generals head coach Bobby Freeland put him on the squad to see what he can do. The decision to put Kranzky on the roster would be one of the best he made all season, and he made quite a few during the Generals inaugural campaign.
This was not Kranzky’s first Junior experience. He had played for the Bay City Bombers of the Western States Hockey League in the 2004/05 season, but it was rumored that he wasn’t sure if he was going to continue playing hockey. Kranzky did end up playing hockey for the Generals where he amassed 90 points in 42 regular season games, and he just finished his collegiate career with 101 points in 101 games for the UMass Boston Beacons. Kranzky is in the record books for the Generals with those numbers, and he still has the second highest single season point total in Generals history.
“I’m pretty proud of it still being that high in the record books,” Kranzky said. “I loved my experience with the Generals, and it was definitely a turning point in my life. I have never been a part of a program that was run so well, and it got me back on track to accomplishing my hockey goals.”
Kranzky was named the Generals Best Offensive Player in 2005/06 for his efforts during the regular season, where the 6-3, 220 lb. forward racked up 33 goals and 57 assists. Kranzky was a punishing player for the Generals who was deadly with the puck on or off of his stick.
“It was definitely a proud moment for me to be named Best Offensive Player. I played with two of the best players I have ever played with in my life in Garrett Bossert and Michael Frei, and they definitely helped me out with that. I’m just very proud of that line and that accomplishment.”
Kranzky was a man among boys during the 2005/06 NORPAC Regular Season, but he was a beast during the 2006 NORPAC Playoffs. Kranzky amassed 12 goals and 8 assists in 12 games in the playoffs, where he took them further than any other Generals team has managed to go. The Generals made it to the Cascade Cup Championship and lost in the fifth and final game to the Queen City Cutthroats (now Helena Bighorns).
Kranzky still holds the single season playoff records for most goals and most points, but the competitive nature of Kris Kranzky still leaves a sour taste in his mouth when he thinks about what could have been in those playoffs.
“It feels good to still hold those records. I still remember those playoffs. I’m still bitter about losing to the Cutthroats, and I think about that series every once in a while. That playoff run is something I’m proud of still.”
They were not all bitter moments in those playoffs, however. Kranzky’s favorite memory with the Generals came immediately after the first round playoff win over the Puget Sound Tomahawks where he had six goals and six assists in the best of three series to lead all players.
“There were so many good memories with the Generals that it’s hard to pick just one, but the one that I can remember is being in the locker room after we beat Puget Sound in the first round of the playoffs. We had just shut them out 4-0, and we had played our best game of the season in Game 3. Everybody was so excited, including our coach, and that was an awesome moment.”
That would be one of Kranzky’s last few Junior games and Junior moments, but it would not be one of Kranzky’s last hockey moments. Kranzky was offered a spot to play Division III collegiate hockey for Nichols College after he left the Generals, and that was a position he would take.
“Playing for the Generals helped me out tremendously. I came into the season in not very good shape. I was actually out of shape and the Generals preseason workouts and the workouts during the season made me in a lot better shape. It showed me what it takes to be a better hockey player. I’ve never been a part of a team that did that much for me, and it helped set the groundwork for that year and for years to come.”
Kranzky would take that knowledge and work ethic into the collegiate level where he was immediately effective. Kranzky scored 6 goals and added 5 assists in Nichols’s first 11 games, and looked to be an impact player on their roster.
Kranzky just didn’t feel right at Nichols, however, and he decided to transfer to UMass Boston for his second semester in college. The move was somewhat risky for Kranzky, but it paid off in a big way. Kranzky had found his home for the next three and a half years.
Kranzky played 17 games with the UMass Boston Beacons in his freshman season, and he was able to amass 6 goals and 7 assists. He ended his freshman season forth on the team in points, despite missing half of the season. His point output was a sign of good things to come from Kranzky on the ice, but he had a major impact off the ice as well.
“On the ice I would say that the area Kris contributed most to the team over the coarse of his three and a half years here was his poise,” Beacons head coach Peter Belisle said admiringly of Kranzky. “He never got rattled, and he had a great presence with the puck. When he would get the puck he would never get rattled, and he would always make the right decisions. Obviously his strength and his stick strength is a close second, but his poise was the best. The combination of the two was lethal.”
In Kranzky’s sophomore season with the Beacons he put up 7 goals and 19 assists in 21 games. He was tied for the team lead in assists, and third on the team in points. Kranzky had also garnered enough respect from his coaches and teammates that he was named the captain of the UMass Boston Beacons for his junior season, and his Junior season was the one where they traveled the furthest in his tenure.
“I would say that being the captain of the team is what I’m most proud of. I was happy to take more of a leadership role, and it was great having the guys look up to me. It was a lot of work because you can’t just expect everybody to automatically look up to you, but it was definitely worth it.”
As a captain of the Beacons, Kranzky put up career high numbers. He scored 8 goals and added 19 assists. Kranzky would also make the ECAC East All-Academic Team in his Junior season. He led the team in points and assists, and made the All-Academic Team, but that would not be his proudest moment. UMass Boston would make it to the ECAC East playoffs as the 8th seed, and they would face the 1st seed Norwich Cadets (2010 Division III National Champions).
“I would say last year in the first round of playoffs was my favorite moment playing for UMass Boston. We were the 8th seed and we were playing the 1st seed in Norwich. They had about 2,500 fans and we ended up winning in 1-0 in OT. That was my favorite moment in college, and one of the best moments of my life.”
Kranzky would have another great season as a senior. He put up 10 goals and 14 assists as a senior, and he led the team in goals and points. Kranzky would end his collegiate career with 101 points in 101 games, and that was the first time a 100 point player has played for the Beacons since the early ‘90’s.
“I felt pretty good about ending my collegiate career with a point a game. I feel like I could have done a lot more, but I’m definitely happy with what I accomplished here. What allowed me to be successful was working hard every day and loving the game. I realized that to excel in the rink you have to put in the work outside of the rink in the gym and in workouts. It definitely kept me in peak performance, and allowed me to excel at this level.”
His senior season would also be remembered as his favorite season with the Beacons for more reasons than just his performance or the team’s performance on the ice.
“This season was my favorite season. We had the best team out of the four seasons I was here. It was fun playing with all of the guys, and I wish we could have gone further in playoffs. The puck just didn’t bounce our way in our last game, but it was a great group of guys and it was a really fun season.”
Coach Belisle had Kranzky for all four season’s he has been at UMass Boston, and he had nothing but great thinks to say about the power forward from Glendora, CA. When asked to describe Kranzky, he couldn’t stop praising his on ice play and his off the ice personality.
“Awesome, just a great kid, salt of the earth, quite leader, leads by example with his work ethic on the ice and off the ice. As a player he was a man amongst boys the way he would protect the puck and shoot the puck. He was the best player on the team, and he was getting keyed in on by every team we played. Everybody on every other team knew who Kris Kranzky was and they tried to stop him. He was incredible. He was great for me being our captain. I could confide in him, and he would give me great advice. He would let me know what the guys were thinking. I feel like I gained a friend in Kris off the ice, and I’m going to miss him as a player.”
Kranzky’s playing days in college might be over, but that doesn’t mean his hockey career is over. Kranzky has aspirations of playing at the professional level, and if he does he will be the first General to accomplish that feat.
“I do have plans of playing pro hockey. I’m going to work hard this summer and try out for a couple of teams next season. I’m shooting for the ECHL, but if that doesn’t work out I’ll start off at a lower league like the CHL.”
These aren’t just pipe dreams for Kranzky, as he has garnered interest from a few different Southern Professional Hockey League teams. Coach Belisle also believes Kranzky has a future playing hockey.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Kris has a future professional career. I know he wants to get his degree, and I want him to do that before he pursues his professional career. But certainly, I hope, he will consider a career in a pro league.”
In the year that he was with the Generals Kris Kranzky proved himself as a player and as a person. It is apparent that he carried those characteristics that made him so successful over to his collegiate hockey career, and it will not be a surprise if he carries them over once again into a professional hockey career.