United StatesCory Wenzel has always been defined by the sound of his shot — a heavy, echoing boom that makes everyone in the rink stop and look up. He played his college hockey on the East Coast at the Division III level, where he anchored the blue line and once clocked a slapshot at over 90 miles per hour to win a hardest-shot contest. His game took him overseas for a summer tour of Finland, where he faced fast, skilled European forwards and learned to value positioning just as much as raw power.
Back home, Wenzel is a steady presence on the back end. He clears the crease with authority, using his size and strength to protect his goalie and his zone. Teammates know that if he winds up at the red line, the goalie at the other end better brace for impact — whether the puck finds the net or not, the message is clear.
Off the ice, Cory is quiet and unassuming, but the second he jumps over the boards, he turns ruthless. He doesn’t chirp, doesn’t gloat — he just lets that booming cannon from the point do the talking.
