Vincent Salice, who earned an A at the 2003 Michigan Bantam Fest, recently committed to Vermont. The Michigan native is a quick player who has good vision. The 4-star prospect is a playmaker who currently plays for Little Caesars Bantam Major AAA. The forward is slated to attend Vermont in 2021.
Neutral Zone chatted with Salice about his youth hockey jersey, how he committed to Vermont and more:
Neutral Zone: How and when did you start playing hockey?
Vincent Salice: My mom put me on the ice at the age of three. I started with Learn To Skate than learn to play hockey with TimBits hockey at Lakeland Arena in Waterford, Mich.
NZ: What’s your earliest memory from playing hockey?
VS: My earliest memory of playing hockey was tournaments. A tournament that stands out is the Brick Tournament in Edmonton Canada. I wore the Detroit Red Wings jersey and played against some of the best kids throughout North America. Some of those kids I played against I still talk to today.
NZ: What was your youth hockey experience like?
VS: I started my youth hockey experience at age five. I played for the Lakeland Hawks from five to eight years old and then moved to Little Caesars and I have been there for six years.
NZ: Take us through the NCAA recruitment process. What other schools were you talking to and where did you visit?
VS: The NCAA recruitment process started early and unexpected. At the start of this season, my coach approached me that a coach from a local university was interested me. It was very surreal for a 14-year-old and their parents. I visited Lake Superior State University and Vermont. During showcases, I visited Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame on my own and got a feel for them. I loved Vermont! I just knew, I had that feeling. I received offers LSSU and UVM. Both coaching staffs were very nice and both told me how I would fit into their programs as a student-athlete.
NZ: What made you decide to commit to Vermont? What went into that decision for you and your family to know it was the right place?
VS: I made my decision with Vermont because of the campus and its surroundings. The rinks atmosphere was loud and always a sold-out crowd, which was very cool. I like the Hockey East conference and the style of play, which is a fast and upbeat tempo. The coaches made me feel like I was a part of the team already and how I would fit into the team. The athletic director introduced himself to my parents and me. They answered our questions. The atmosphere made me feel like I was at home.
NZ: What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen while playing hockey?
VS: The strangest thing I have seen was during a game the opponent pulled their goalie thinking that we had the penalty when they actually did, we scored. That was funny!
NZ: What’s the best piece of advice anyone’s given you in hockey?
VS: The best advice I got was from Stephane Robidas. He told me, ‘It doesn’t matter the size you are, what matters is how big your heart is.'”
NZ: What are your best on-ice skills?
VS: My best on-ice skills are my speed and quickness. This helps me get by defenders and creates space and time for myself and my teammates. Also, my puck handling.
NZ: What aspect of your game are you working on improving the most?
VS: One aspect I’m working on is my faceoffs. I work on and off the ice with my coaches.
NZ: Is there a professional player you model your game after?
VS: I model my game after Marty St. Louis. I like his grit and how he competes. He is a skilled player and he makes the players around him better. He played with his heart!
NZ: Who’s been the biggest influence in your hockey career?
My parents have been my biggest influence. My dad would always help me with my skills on and off the ice and drive me to my skill lessons to improve my game. My mom was my biggest fan, always encouraging me to be the best I can. My parents sacrificed things for themselves and for my sisters and me. I want to give all my coaches and past coaches over the years a big thank you for their time, efforts, and believing In me. I also want to give a big thank you to the UVM coaching staff for giving me this awesome opportunity in the future and to keep working hard for it.
