Photo by: Jacob Rokeach

Pioneer sophomore defenseman T.J. Fast has officially left the DU hockey team and withdrawn from the university, Pioneer head coach George Gwozdecky announced Jan. 9.

Fast, who has played in 19 games for the Pioneers this season, will continue playing hockey in the Western Hockey League for the Tri-City Americans, according to a source.

Though the news may come as a surprise to the majority of Pioneer hockey fans, Gwozdecky was not surprised by the decision.

“I am not really surprised that T.J. decided to leave,” said Gwozdecky. “I was surprised by the timing of the decision, however.”

Gwozdecky said that he and the rest of his staff had discussed with Fast the possibility that he might leave to pursue his hockey career more thoroughly. However, Gwozdecky said that before Fast went home for Christmas, Fast said that he would definitely stay for the remainder of the year.

When Fast came back from break, he informed Gwozdecky of his decision.

“In the time that he spent back home,” Gwozdecky said. “He decided with the support of his parents that he wouldn’t return to school.”

The reasoning that Fast gave to Gwozdecky was that he wanted to be able to concentrate on hockey full time without having to be distracted by school. This is a decision that Gwozdecky is very familiar with while coaching.

“Certain kids are young and impressionable,” said the two-time national coach of the year. “They see that they can play hockey full time and jump at the chance, even if it isn’t the best thing for them.”

Though many would be inclined to think that the decision to leave would be based on a player doing poorly in school, Gwozdecky made it clear that Fast was having no trouble with his classes and would have made the All-WCHA Academic team had he finished out the year.

Fast’s decision to leave has had an effect on his teammates.

“He was really close with a lot of the guys. Its hard when you lose anyone,” Gwozdecky said. “But at the same time, it isn’t good to have someone on your team who doesn’t want to be there.”

Fast’s decision to leave seemed to have very little effect on the Pioneers this past weekend, however, as they swept No. 17 Niagara at Magness Arena.

With accepting the invitation to play in what is considered a major junior hockey league in Canada, Fast is permanently ineligible for NCAA hockey, which eliminates any possibility of a return to the Pioneers.

Fast had one goal and 10 assists in 58 games for his career.

Gwozdecky and the Pioneers are next in action this weekend, as they travel to Minneapolis to take on the No. 1 ranked University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Puck drops Friday night at 6:07 p.m. MT.