Jack Beck Joins Arizona State Lineup Following Pro Stints

For as long as he can remember, Jack Beck’s life has revolved around ice. From the Ottawa 67’s in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to skating in both the ECHL and American Hockey League (AHL) last season, his path has already taken him through the professional ranks before most college players even think about the next level.

But over the past few weeks, that familiar world has existed just beyond reach. Instead of sprinting into corners and battling at the netfront, Beck has been stuck in the stands, watching the NCAA team he transferred to adjust without him.

“Sitting in the crowd is not very fun, especially when you’re healthy and you’re watching, and you could be out there,” Beck said. “I’m excited to get out there and be a part of the team now and try and help the boys win.”

Beck also arrives with some family familiarity in Tempe. His older brother, Noah Beck, patrolled Arizona State’s blue line last season, giving Jack a built-in connection to the Sun Devils’.

“My brother loved it here,” Jack said. “He cherished every moment and it’s the reason I’m wearing number two. He’s my role model and I want to follow in his footsteps.”

Beck will now be in the lineup this weekend as the Sun Devils travel to the University of Miami, Ohio, entering NCHC conference play.

Long Time Coming for Jack Beck

Beck has spent the early part of the season working quietly behind the scenes. Whether it’s building chemistry with teammates or staying sharp in practice, every rep has mattered as he prepares to play in the NCAA.

“The off week definitely helped,” Jack said. “Two weeks of practicing before coming in, it feels good. We have such a tight-knit team, such a close team, so everyone loves each other. I got the two weeks to practice to get the chemistry on the ice.”

Before arriving in Tempe, Beck gained valuable experience in the professional ranks. He registered three points in four AHL games last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

“Everyone wants to move on to pro at one point in their career and just learning the ins and outs of how it was done up there, you play a lot more games,” Jack said. “You can focus on recovery a little more down in NCAA and help young guys. Just kind of tell them how it’s run up there, maybe for a little bit, and just tell them how they do things up there.”

Arizona State head coach Greg Powers has been clear about the role Beck expects to play once he joins the lineup, and that moment has finally arrived.

“He’s a veteran presence with puck poise and the ability to make plays and inserting confidence to our entire lineup,” Powers said after practice on Tuesday, Oct. 28. “Whether they’re playing with him on the ice or not, just to have a guy that has a ton of experience playing the game at a high level, and that is just a helpful player.”

With the ever-changing rules of college hockey and NIL, players like Jack will be more available on the market for grabs. However, don’t expect this to be a regular occurrence for Powers and Arizona State.