NCDC 2024-25 Awards: Idaho Falls’ Durkin Named Mountain Division MVP And Goaltender Of The Year
By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com
The National Collegiate Development Conference congratulates the Idaho Falls Spud Kings’ Charlie Durkin for being named the Mountain Division MVP and Goaltender Of The Year, as voted in by the division’s coaches.
“It is a huge honor to be picked for both awards and I could not be more grateful. Not only being recognized as the Mountain Division’s top goalie, but also Most Valuable Player is an amazing feeling,” said Durkin, a 2006-born native of Glencoe, Ill. “I have the best defensive core and forwards in the league and I could not have done my job without them. They were constantly blocking shots and making great plays in front of me.”
Of course, Durkin’s biggest accomplishment this year was helping lead the Spud Kings to their first Dineen Cup. In addition, however, he was also the NCDC’s leader in wins (28), games played (38), and he had the best goals against average among goalies with at least 20 games played at 1.96. His .932 save percentage was fifth among goalies to play at least 20 games.
“My key qualities that the coaches saw this year were my consistency, calm demeanor, focus, and work ethic. I felt that my game was on, for the entire season. I always remained calm in stressful situations and never showed any emotions,” said Durkin. “Something Coach Anthony Bohn taught me this year was taking the game five minutes at a time. This helped me stay in the moment.
“Lastly, I feel my work ethic is the biggest characteristic that separates me from other players. I am highly committed to improving myself on and off the ice. After every single home game and close away games, I would head straight to the health club and work out. I knew nobody else was doing that after a game and I wanted to have an edge on my opponents. I am constantly in the gym, reading mindset books, and perfecting my nutrition and process.”
Durkin’s three favorite letters have become T-B-E, so don’t be surprised to see it on essentially everything he owns.
“I live by the statement TBE which stands for The Best Ever. I write it everywhere – on my helmet, my stick, and anywhere I can consistently see it. I am always doing things to the best of my abilities whether it’s getting ready for practice or something small like reading before bed,” added Durkin. “I strive to be the best and I always told myself by staying committed and working hard that I would become it.”
He was also thankful to the Spud Kings coaching staff for having the confidence in him to put him in as often as they did, even as a rookie junior player.
“Playing time is so important, especially for a rookie goaltender. This allowed me to develop a solid belief in myself and figure out routines that made me successful. In addition to this, we have an amazing coaching staff. They are willing to do anything to help you succeed. Shane Clifford, our goalie coach, helped me simplify and dial in my game. We focused a lot on shot preparation and making sure I was ready when the puck was coming towards me,” added Durkin. “Joey Strada, our assistant coach, would stay on the ice with me for hours to run drills and get extra reps in after practice.This unlimited ice time was huge because I was getting so many extra reps, which allowed me to get better at a faster rate.
“Erik Hudson runs a first class organization from the facilities to all the outstanding development opportunities he offered to us throughout the year,” added Durkin. “He believed in all his players and was truly proud of us for all our accomplishments this season.”
Durkin also knows that as he continues in his career, there are parts of his game that he wants to improve, especially with more colleges and other higher-level junior teams watching for potential future opportunities.
“My rebound control is a big part of my game. When you’re always making the first save, you’re not giving teams any opportunities for second and third chances,” said Durkin. “Another area is pace. I want to continue to get faster side to side, so I can make those east to west saves across the crease. Lastly, my shot preparation: managing angle, square and depth, so that I am ready for every shot.”
Durkin stopped all the necessary shots from late March through late April to send the Spud Kings to the top of the mountain, as they defeated the 2024 champion South Shore Kings in the final on April 28. They became the first Mountain Division team to win the Cup in just two years of the division’s existence, and the third year of the Spud Kings’ own existence.
“It was a special moment for not only the team, but the entire city of Idaho Falls. The fans are just as much a part of the process as we are. We couldn’t have done it without their support. It was the coolest thing I have done so far in my career,” said Durkin. “Being welcomed back with a parade and a huge celebration made it feel like we were in the NHL. It’s hard to describe the feeling in words, looking out into that huge crowd from the stage. It was truly a once in a lifetime feeling of gratitude and accomplishment seeing all the smiles and cheers.”
He is glad that he made the decision to join the Spud Kings and play in the USPHL’s top conference, the NCDC.
“It was amazing. I felt I was extremely consistent the whole year and improved immensely from the beginning to the end,” said Durkin. “The level of play in the NCDC is highly skilled. It is a great league to play in and develop.”