Leadership in hockey comes in many different forms. Some captains lead with big speeches and highlight-reel plays. Others lead in the quiet moments — blocking a shot, making the safe play, or saying the right thing in the locker room at the right time. For Kalamazoo Wings captain Collin Saccoman, leadership is built on consistency, preparation, and a love for the game that hasn’t changed since he was a kid.

Saccoman didn’t always grow up playing the position that would define his professional career. In fact, his path to becoming a defenseman started with a decision from a coach when he was just a kid. “Growing up, I was a forward, and then my coach, Bernie McBain, when I was 10 or 11, was like, Yeah, you're going to be a defenseman now, and I have been a defenseman ever since,” Saccoman said.

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