On Thursday, one day before his debut as head coach, Minnesota State-Mankato’s Troy Jutting announced the suspensions of three players for violating unspecified team rules.
Sophomore Jerry Cunningham and seniors T.J. Guidarelli and Ryan Severson — all forwards — will sit out the first six games of the season, a span that includes series at Colorado College, at defending WCHA regular-season champion Wisconsin and at home against defending national champion North Dakota.
“There are certain responsibilities we all have in life,” Jutting said in a statement released by the school. “In this particular instance, these young men made an unfortunate decision. We are coaches, but first and foremost we are educators, and as such we have a responsibility to ensure that our student-athletes learn from these decisions and grow as individuals.”
Guidarelli is the top returning scorer from last year’s team, which finished fourth in the WCHA and made a trip to the league’s Final Five. Cunningham scored 15 points as a freshman, while Severson had seven goals and an assist.
