Sicard brings more to table than just physical presence

At first glance, the barrage of penalty minutes stands out when it comes to Macon Mayhem forward Dennis Sicard.

Playing in the SPHL for the 10th year, the veteran has piled up more than 1,900 penalty minutes, and he has been involved more often than not in on-ice altercations with opponents while taking on the unofficial role as the Mayhem’s “enforcer.”

One facet of the game, however, hardly tells the whole story for Sicard. After all, he has registered three goals and seven assists for a plus-10 in the plus-minus rating through 17 games for the first-place Mayhem.

The Mayhem (13-2-2) travel to Columbus on Friday before hosting the Cottonmouths on Saturday. Fans in attendance Saturday will have an opportunity to help local families during the Christmas season, as a donation box for Layaway Santa will be set up in the lobby of the Macon Coliseum. Fans will be able to donate cash to the organization which uses proceeds to pay off layaway items at local stores for families in need during the holiday season.

The Mayhem will look for Sicard’s strong physical presence to continue as they aim to protect their three-point lead atop the SPHL standings.

“Every time Dennis Sicard is on the ice, every guy on the other team knows he is on the ice. That’s a good thing for the Macon Mayhem; that’s a great thing for our hockey team,” Mayhem head coach Kevin Kerr said. “If you’re not aware that he’s on the ice, he’ll make you aware.”

The 31-year-old from Coburg, Ontario, sets the tone with his physical play and by giving of a full effort from one end of the rink to the other. For Sicard, each shift of each game and practice is the most important, and his energy put into each one shows.

“He’s a coach’s hockey player. He works hard every day in practice; he battles every day in practice. I think he epitomizes what a hockey player is. He loves the game, he loves playing, he loves being at the rink and being on the ice and competing,” Kerr said. “He’s an old-school hockey player and has that mentality, and I hope that rubs off on our younger players. Dennis Sicard is not the most skilled hockey player. But his work ethic makes up for it, and at the end of the day, you can win hockey games with guys that work hard.”

It’s that work ethic that Sicard adopted into his play early on, and that relentless effort has defined him through his career in the professional ranks. In cases when Sicard might lack certain skill sets compared to other players, he strives to make up for it with relentless grit.

“It’s kind of how I learned to play early on. You have to be the player that you are on the ice. I was lucky to find my niche as a player early, and I do that to try to help the team as much as I can,” Sicard said.

In addition to his physical presence, one key role Sicard plays for the Mayhem comes in the locker room. Macon’s roster is made up of mostly first- or second-year players. With that degree of youth, veteran leadership is critical as players learn the ins and outs of playing on the professional level, in and out of the arena of competition. It’s an opportunity welcomed by Sicard.

“It’s great for me just to be able to show these younger guys a chance how to play the game,” Sicard said. “These younger guys see a lot, and you hope what you’re doing rubs off on them.”

Collin MacDonald, who joined the Mayhem before the start of the season as a rookie forward, is grateful to have a player of Sicard’s caliber as a teammate.

“He’s definitely a guy to have on your team, for sure. He’s a 10th-year pro. With guys like him and (Matt Summers), that’s a big help to a young guy like me,” MacDonald said. “On the ice, everyone knows who he is and is a little bit intimidated and it definitely helps us.”

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Sicard brings more to table than just physical presence."