Courtesy Joe Paisley
Former captain Mike Testwuide credits his time at Colorado College for preparing him for a professional playing career overseas that has led him to February's Winter Olympics.
"Hockey has always taken up so much of my time but I have always been interested in traveling and experiencing new places," the 2010 graduate said recently. "I think CC and its student body breed a wanderlust curiosity that has definitely rubbed off on me. To me, it is a school that is focused on teaching life experience and helping people find out who they are. Traveling and seeing the world has become a big part of my life after CC."
Indeed it has. He has played professionally in Seoul, South Korea, for the past 4 1/2 seasons following three in North America.
His success overseas – he was the 2015-16 Asia League MVP and a prolific scorer the past four seasons (243 points in 198 games) – opened an unexpected door for the Vail native. He will be the first former CC hockey player to compete in the Olympics since defenseman Rob Doyle skated for Austria in 1994.
Testwuide's performance in the eight-team league was noticed by national team coach and director Jim Paek – the first South Korean native to be drafted by the NHL. The two-time Stanley Cup champion (Pittsburgh) knew he needed to add size and skill to his team.
"The game here is very fast but structure and system play is lacking a bit," the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Testwuide said. "I have found a great amount of success camped out in front of the net as defenders are smaller in size."
CC prepared him well for life in a different culture, Testwuide said.
"CC is also a school with a very diverse student body with a lot of people who have differing views on life," he said. "I think this has helped me in my new experiences overseas. I'm never quick to judge and always have an open mind, even when live octopus and eels are on my dinner plate!"
"Colorado will always be home and nothing will ever change that," he added. "I go home to Vail in the offseason and get my fix of outdoor activities and a little peace and quiet before heading back to Seoul which is one of the most populated cities in the world. While Vail and Seoul are very different places, playing here allows me to balance two contrasting but very fun lifestyles."
Marching in the Pyeongchang opening ceremony on Feb. 9 and competing Feb. 14-25 will fulfill a childhood dream, even if it is not for the U.S. as he once hoped.
But being an Olympian for his adopted home is a good consolation prize after falling short of the NHL during three seasons in the American Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers organization. He recorded 73 points in 170 AHL games.
The right wing became a naturalized citizen in 2015 after a decision by the Korean Ice Hockey Association to streamline that process for Olympic prospects. Testwuide credited his experience with the block plan in helping him learn enough Korean for a citizenship test during a whirlwind March 2015.
The nation, ranked a best-ever 21st in the world, automatically qualified for the 12-team tournament as host. The team will compete against Canada, the Czech Republic and Switzerland in pool play.
Now, Testwuide is enjoying the moment, as both a professional and an Olympian.
He signed with Gangwon High1, where fellow CC alum Alex Kim played from 2007-10, after winning three regular-season titles and the 2016 and 2017 playoff titles with Anyang Halla. He joined the new team, in part, to play alongside longtime friend and fellow former Pikes Peak Miner Jeff Dimmen, a Colorado Springs native.
"I am focusing on this year and not looking too far into the future," Testwuide said. "My time at CC will always be four of the best years of my life. I learned so many things about myself. The education I received is going to benefit me for the rest of my life no matter what direction I choose to go. I graduated with a degree in economics. I'm not sure how much of the curriculum I remember, but for me Colorado College was so much more than just the classroom."
