With now just third days remaining before the official start of the Division I collegiate hockey season, we look to our third reason for fans to be excited for the upcoming hockey season.

Today's focus is on WMU's three co-captains Dane Walters, Luke Witkowski and Dan DeKeyser.

All three will wear the "C" this year for Western Michigan. Walters and Witkowski both were assistant captains last season and both were captains in the United States Hockey League during their junior hockey careers. Witkowski was the captain of the Fargo Force, while Dane Walters was a captain with the Sioux Falls Stampede.

This is the first leadership position for Dekeyser, who did not hold a captains position with Trail during his season in the BCHL as well as with Sioux City Musketeers.

All three were key pieces in WMU's Mason Cup Championship run last season. Walters led the Broncos with 16 goals and was WMU's third-best scorer on the team with 29 points. DeKeyser and Witkowski were WMU's top defensive pair last season, spending several games logging around 30 minutes of ice time. DeKeyser was named Second Team All-CCHA, Second Team All-American and part of the CCHA All-Tournament team. Witkowski was second on the team in blocked shots with 66 and finished the season with a plus-8 plus/minus ratio.

WMU opens the 2012-13 season on Saturday with an exhibition game against Western Ontario at 7:05 p.m. The game is free to the public.