From top: Nick Schilkey (37), Craig Dalrymple (24) and Anthony Greco (44) will be OSUs 2015/2016 captains. Photo Illustration by Samantha Hollingshead / Photo Editor

From top: Nick Schilkey (37), Craig Dalrymple (24) and Anthony Greco (44) will be OSUs 2015-2016 captains. Photo Illustration by Samantha Hollingshead / Photo Editor

Seniors Craig Dalrymple and Anthony Greco, along with junior Nick Schilkey, have been named the captains of the Ohio State men’s hockey team for the 2015-16 season.

OSU coach Steve Rohlik was ecstatic when talking about the decision to give all three players the “C” to wear on their jerseys.

“I’m really excited to be able to call those three our captains,” Rohlik said. “They say what we’re all about on the ice, off the ice, in the weight room, how they carry themselves. It’s a ‘lead by example’ type of thing, and I think they all bring a little something different to the table and they have the respect of the room.”

Dalrymple, a defenseman from Kippen, Ontario, has played in 82 games for the Scarlet and Gray over his career, tallying five goals and 25 assists for 30 points.

He was third on the team in blocked shots a year ago with 52, and he has 122 in his career.

Greco, a speedy forward from Queens, New York, led the Buckeyes in goals last season with 15 while assisting on eight others for 23 points.

Over the course of his 89-game career, he has 25 goals and 24 assists.

He had a breakout season last year as his performance led to him being named an honorable mention on the All-Big Ten Conference team.

Although he knows he will be counted on for his offensive talents again, Greco said he welcomes the challenge that comes along with being put in a leadership role.

“I think it only goes up from last year,” Greco said. “I’ve always been a player that feeds off of confidence and to have that kind of label now, I’m going to do my best on and off the ice to lead. To be put in that spot, I need to have success and I need to play well.”

Being a senior, Greco has seen the ups and downs of OSU’s program, and he’s been able to see how prior captains have handled certain situations.

He plans to use all that he’s learned in the previous three years for the betterment of the team.

“Being here for that long, you see how different guys are that have been put in this situation, and you’re able to see throughout the year when things go good and when things go bad,” Greco said. “For me, it’s more of just being myself. I’ve always been extremely vocal, and I don’t have a problem with talking.”

Schilkey, a forward from Marysville, Michigan, had 10 goals and 12 assists last year. Through 70 career games, he has 23 goals and 25 assists.

With 10 freshmen on the roster this season, Schilkey said he realizes the importance of having the underclassmen on the same wavelength as the team’s veterans.

“Being an older guy, I want to make sure that there isn’t a large discrepancy between classes,” Schilkey said. “As captains we want to make sure that we bridge the gap between freshmen and seniors. We need everybody to get on the same page and not shun the younger guys out and get everyone on board right away.”

What is evident in Schilkey’s demeanor is that he has bettered himself not only as a player, but as a leader over the previous two seasons.

“If you were to ask me a few years ago, I would say I’m just a ‘lead by example’ kind of guy, and by no means do I think I’ve lost that role,” Schilkey said. “One of the bigger things that I’ve grown into the last couple years is being vocal, and I’m going to need to be a voice in the locker room. I think it will be a little bit of a challenge for me, but at the same time I think I’ve really come around to it the last couple of years and learned that I can be that type of leader.”

It’s this mentality that drives him to have a selfless attitude every day.

“It’s not just about leading by example, it’s about being there for everybody else, too,” he said.

Rohlik knows that this young team has a lot of growing to do, which is part of the reason why he has the utmost confidence in his captains.

“They want to go out and do the right things with so many new guys in the mix,” Rohlik said. “I think these three can really make a difference.”

The Buckeyes are scheduled to face Brock, Ontario, in an exhibition contest on Oct. 3 at the Schottenstein Center before their first regular-season game at home against in-state rival Bowling Green on Oct. 9.