Whatever Happened to...? A Laker Alumni Update

Whatever happened to Rich Zalewski?

Zalewski was a defender born on January 11, 1985 in New Hartford, New York.  He stood at a height of six feet and weighed 204 pounds.  Zalewski was a good player at New Hartford High School but went undrafted upon graduation.  He opted instead to attend SUNY Oswego where he was promised a tryout on the hockey team.  Though the tryout was probably bogus, Lakers head coach Ed Gosek was impressed by what he saw and decided to give Zalewski a spot on the team.  Going straight to Oswego without playing in juniors made Zalewski one of the last in the long line of a dying breed amongst the Division II/III Oswego State Lakers hockey players.

In his first year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 13 games and tallied two assists.  In his sophomore year with the Lakers he played in 28 games and tallied 17 points.  In his junior year with the Lakers Zalewski played in 24 games and tallied another 17 points.  In his senior year with the Lakers Zalewski scored in 18 games and tallied seven points.

Zalewski went undrafted out of college but quickly signed a contract with the independent Twin City Cyclones of the SPHL, where he tallied an assist in six games.  Following the season he signed with the Knoxville Ice Bears, also of the SPHL, where he tallied 11 points in 31 games.  He was traded to the Pensacola Ice Flyers late in the season where he played in 12 games without tallying a point.  The next season Zalewski signed with the independent Rome Frenzy of the FHL, but was released after playing in one game.

Zalewski retired after being released by the Frenzy and returned to his home in nearby New Hartford.  He still lives in New Hartford where he works as an auditor for a local chain of Stewart's Shops.