Freshman Friday is a Q-and-A feature with new members of the men's hockey team. This is the sixth installment, featuring forward Chad Otterman. Otterman comes to the Big Red after reached star status in two sports at Delbarton in New Jersey. He talks about why he chose college hockey over lacrosse, his history of watching Cornell at Madison Square Graden, and his experience of joining teammate Beau Starrett in his post-graduate year in the USPHL.
 
Q: You're born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey — just outside of New York City. So ... Rangers? Devils? Islanders?
A: I'm actually a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.

Q: Pittsburgh? How did that happen?
A: One of my dad's buddies, his son used to play for the Penguins' farm team. So I used to love watching his games, and I love the colors black and gold. It just kind of started from there.

Q: So Delbarton is a bit of a powerhouse in New Jersey high school hockey. You were being recruited right around the time there was another pretty good New Jersey-born player here. Did you know of Joakim Ryan or ever play against him? Is there any connection there?
A: I never played against Yoki, but he went to a school — Christian Brothers Academy — which was a little south of where I was. His dad was actually the lacrosse coach for CBA. So I played against him all four years, and I always talked to his dad after the games and everything. We actually share the same adviser. So I knew of him and met him a couple times, but I never got a chance to play against him.

Q: Specifically, why Cornell then?
A: I have two cousins that went here, actually. They're older than me, so when I was probably 8 to 12 years old, my dad took me to two or three Colgate games here at home. I just remember those being one of the best experiences of my life. Seeing the fans so into it, just the rivalry and everything. It's not just that it's an Ivy League school with the education and the prestige that surrounds it. It's more about what it represents. It's a blue-collar Ivy League school. Everything that we work for is evident, and I just want to be a part of that tradition.

Q: I know it was a while ago, but do you remember any of the details from those games?
A: I remember we sat over there in Section A and when Colgate came on the ice, the fans were throwing the toothpaste on the ice and they brought out all their newspapers (for Colgate's introductions). It was just a great time.

Q: You played one post-graduate year in the USPHL, and one of the teams you played with was the South Shore Kings.
A: I did. We actually went up in the summer. He lived there, so that was the rink where he always played. So I went up there in the summer and we worked out and played hockey, but he got injured pretty early in the season. So we didn't have much time on the ice together, but we spent every day together off the ice. It's good going to into college knowing someone, especially your roommate. Makes it a little easier.

Q: Was there an adjustment to the USPHL?
A: Not as much. The physicality was a little different than high school, but I think the skill level was about the same. We travelled for high school. We went up to Boston and played Malden Catholic and Dexter. And then Shattuck (St. Mary's). So we played some pretty good teams, so the skill was there. The competition and physicality was probably what changed the most.

Q: Fans haven't had a chance to see you play yet. How would you describe yourself as a player?
A: I would describe myself as a power forward, using my speed and working in the corners.

Q: What kind of players do you model yourself after?
A: That's a tough question. I like the way (Evgeni) Malkin plays, but he's not technically a power forward. He's probably my favorite player to watch in the NHL.

Q: You have quite an athletic family, with your father and grandfather having played Division I sports at prominent schools out west and your brother currently playing football at Northwestern. Why not football for you?
A: It's a funny story. My dad actually never wanted me to play football. He never allowed me to play football.

Q: Wait, didn't his dad play football at USC?
A: He did. But I never asked too many questions. He saw what kind of build my little brother would be and let him play his first year in sixth or seventh grade, and it kind of just took off from there.

Q: Well what about volleyball? Your dad played that at UCLA ...
A: I've never played volleyball. It's just another one of those things. He got me started in hockey when he moved east, because a lot of his friends played hockey. So at an early age, I just started playing hockey and I didn't really think about any other sport besides that and lacrosse. I just loved playing them and they took up so much time with back-to-back seasons and everything.

Q: What do your parents do?
A: My mom's at stay-at-home mom; the best stay-at-home mom there is, I think. She takes better care of us than she should. And my dad works for Lazard at a marketing firm in the City.

Q: What do you see yourself doing after hockey?
A: That's tough. I'm not sure, I just know I want to work somewhere in the market, in the City and close to home. I love the City. But I don't know what I want to do for sure.

Q: Obviously we play at Madison Square Garden every year now. Was that something you were aware of when Cornell came knocking?
A: I've actually been to each one of those games, except for the one last year. My dad is close friends with a bunch of alumni who played here. They went to all the games and always got us tickets. It's a good memory we've always had.

Q: What's your favorite memory of those games?
A: I would say the one against Michigan (the Frozen Apple in 2012). I thought it was just a great game, and they came out in their alternate jerseys for a little bit. It was pretty cool to see. And then they raffled them off, and I think we actually got one of them. (Editor's note: Cornell wore camouflage jerseys in the second period to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project)

FRESHMAN FRIDAY SERIES
Oct. 23: Luc Lalor
Oct. 30: Mitch Vanderlaan
Nov. 6: Beau Starrett
Nov. 13: Trent Shore
Nov. 20: Alec McCrea
Next Week: Matthew Nuttle