Now this is a nice story of perseverance and reward -- Jared Tuton arrived on the UAA campus in the fall of 2006 as a walk-on, quickly became an indispensable winger/defenseman, became an assistant captain this past season as a junior and next season will captain the Seawolves as a senior.

Tuton is one of those guys who do whatever it takes to stay in the lineup. Need a checking-line winger willing to hit and skate his butt off? He's your man. Need a guy to drop back to the blue line and defend? He's your guy, again. Hope someone jumps on the grenade? Bingo.

Tuton is not possessed of great skill, but he counters with smarts -- it's rare to see him made a dumb play, and all hockey players make the occasional (and sometimes far too frequent) bone-headed play (just like sports reporters write some groaner sentences -- guilty as charged). I've found him a stand-up guy, always willing to answer questions in both good times and bad.

Tuton and company will have three assistant captains, as announced by coach Dave Shyiak today. Wearing an "A'' will be seniors-to-be and wings Josh Lunden and Kevin Clark, and senior-to-be and defenseman Nils Backstrom.