Peyton Frantti spent three seasons at Culver before joining the NAHL. After putting up 48 points in 60 games during the 2017-18 season, he committed to St. Norbert. The Illinois native spent two seasons in the NAHL, split between the Topeka Roadrunners and the Odessa Jackalopes.
Neutral Zone caught up with Frantti to talk about his youth hockey experience, Culver and his commitment process.
Neutral Zone: How and when did you start playing hockey?
Peyton Frantti: I started skating when I was three years old. But didn’t start playing hockey until I was four or five.
NZ: What’s your earliest memory from playing hockey?
PF: Winning our conference championship in the NIHL league. I played my youth hockey out of Crystal Lake Illinois.
NZ: What was your youth hockey experience like?
PF: It was a big part of where I learned to love the game and develop my skills with my friends.
NZ: How did you end up at Culver?
PF: My older brother actually attended Culver first and loved it. I knew I would end up loving it too because of the academics and hockey were both stellar. So I ended up applying and getting accepted the summer of my eighth grade year.
NZ: How did playing there help your development?
PF: Culver was where everything took off in my hockey career. I actually played on all four hockey teams during my four years at Culver. I started off playing JV hockey, and then my sophomore year I earned a spot on the U16 AAA team. After my sophomore year I tried out for the prep team, which was the highest level, and ended up not making it. This helped me a lot actually in the long run. My junior year is when I started to notice to my scoring ability. During my senior year I ended up making the prep team and was fortunate enough to work with great teammates and coaches. Head coach Steve Palmer was very helpful in improving my game and also in the recruiting process.
NZ: Take us through the NCAA recruitment process. What other schools were you talking to and where did you visit?
PF: My recruiting process started my senior year in high school during the hockey season. It all started at a showcase out east where UMass Lowell came up to me and introduced themselves. After the season I went out on an official visit to Umass Lowell. That same summer I went to go tour Northern Michigan, where my brother Connor currently plays. When I started my junior hockey experience more schools started to talk to me. At the NAHL Blaine showcase, Robert Morris, Alaska Fairbanks, Bentley, and Holy Cross just introduced themselves. In my last year of juniors, I went on a tour to Air force and needed to retake the ACT and get a certain score. However, that didn’t end up happening. Towards the end of the season nothing Division I ended up working out so I started to look at Division III programs that were going to be the right fit.
NZ: What made you decide to commit to St. Norbert? What went into that decision for you and your family to know it was the right place?
PF: The decision for St. Norbert was a no-brainer. Once I toured the campus with my father, I knew right away this is the place I want to be. What made it stand out to me was the campus, facilities, coaching staff, academics, and obviously the hockey program. Also the fact that it’s not too far from home makes it easy for my family to come watch. I’m very excited with my choice and ready to join the winning tradition.NZ: What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen while playing hockey?
PF: The strangest thing I’ve seen while playing hockey has to be during my first year of juniors. It was the last game of the year and there was a goalie fight center ice. Not too often do you see that happen nowadays.
NZ: What’s the best piece of advice anyone’s given you in hockey?
PF: The best piece of advice I’ve been given was by my Culver coach Steve Palmer. He was big about the little details in a player’s game, which helped me out a bunch realize what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong.
NZ: What are your best on-ice skills?
PF: I would have to say my shot, size and my ability to create offensive plays.
NZ: What aspect of your game are you working on improving the most?
PF: The aspect in my game that I’m working on to improve is quickness. Being a big body I think it’s very important to be able to keep up with smaller quicker players.
NZ: Is there a professional player you model your game after?
PF: I like to model my game after Nick Bjugstad because he is a bigger guy who is good at contributing offensively.
NZ: Who’s been the biggest influence in your hockey career?
PF: The biggest influence on my hockey career has to be my older brother and my parents. They always push me to get better every day.
NZ: What’s the toughest challenge you’ve faced in hockey?
PF: The toughest challenge I’ve faced in hockey is staying healthy all year round. It’s hard to play a 60 game season in juniors without any injuries. A lot has to do with recovery after practices and making sure your body is ready every night.
Photo credit: Hickling Images