University of Connecticut Athletics
Getting to Know the #IceBus Freshmen: Eric Linell
2/19/2020 4:13:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
UConn forward Eric Linell is a native of Great Neck, New York, on Long Island. He has appeared in 14 games this season for the Huskies, and prior to UConn, he played in the BCHL for two years. He has a family connection that led him to the UConn hockey program. We learned more about that and other things about Eric in an interview last week.
Q: Why did you pick UConn?
EL: I would say probably because it's a great campus. I grew up watching Hockey East. It's a great league. Coach Cavanaugh coached my brother at Boston College, so I know he's a great coach. It was my dream to come here.
Q: Did your brother have an effect on that? Did you talk to him about playing for Coach Cav?
EL: Yeah definitely. My brother talked to me about how great of a coach Coach Cav was. They used to work in the mornings on like special skills when he was at BC. So my brother was definitely a big reason why I chose UConn.
Q: What's your favorite thing about being a part of the hockey team here?
EL: I would say the boys. I love going to the rink, seeing the boys every day, spending time with them. We spend basically 24/7 with each other, going to meals, just hanging out outside of the rink and getting to to the rink and competing with them every day.
Q: What is the best thing you feel you bring to the team?
EL: I would say my leadership and right now my speed. I'm a good skater. That's one of my strengths. But just leading by example and trying to be a great teammate.
Q: So you played in a couple of leagues before UConn — the BCHL and USHL. What stands out to you from those experiences?
EL: Definitely being more independent, I learned how to be independent there. I developed an offensive and defensive game there, especially in the BCHL. I love that league. It was a great league. Developing there for two years and just living in a different atmosphere in the mountains and in Vancouver, I really liked my time there.
Q: How did playing there help your transition to college hockey?
EL: I would say thinking quickly, making quick decisions and the offensive side of the game. My game developed there really well, my scoring touch. So I loved my time and I played for three teams there — Coquitlam, Surrey and Penticton — and I loved my time with each team.
Q: What do you think is the biggest leap to the college level that you had to make?
EL: I would say the strength, everyone's stronger. Something I got to work on is my lower-body strength, but I'm gonna keep working on that. I would say that's the biggest difference between juniors and the college level.
Q: What part of your game do you want to continue to improve on?
EL: I would say probably my defensive positioning. Just being in the right spot at the right time in the defensive zone and being more accountable in the defensive zone.
Q: What would you say has been your best moment at UConn to this point?
EL: I would say honestly sweeping UNH last weekend because it's a huge sweep standings-wise. We want to make a deep playoff run this year, and that was huge for our team and a big momentum builder heading into the last few games of the Hockey East regular season. We want to make a deep playoff run and that's our goal.
Q: Who's your favorite professional team and player?
EL: I would probably say the New York Rangers is my favorite team. And my favorite player, I would say Johnny Gaudreau probably just because he was my brother's roommate. So I would always go to the games and watch him. I just loved watching him.
Q: What's a random fun fact about you that someone wouldn't be able to just find in your bio?
EL: I would say I'm a better golfer than my brother Danny. I know he'll probably read this and be a little disappointed, but I'm 11 handicap in golf, and I like to take pride that I beat him sometimes in the summer.
Q: What do you want to accomplish over your time here at UConn?
EL: Definitely bringing a championship back to UConn and leaving the program in a better place than when I came here. I think this university deserves a championship, and we're gonna work real hard to bring one here.
