I decided I would start a discussion on junior / CIS / NCAA / ACHA hockey as I suspect this will become an even bigger topic in the future.
I will also include articles pertaining to junior and college hockey in here... enjoy!
Things are heating up on the NCAA/CHL front.
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, Feb 7 2012
Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reports that “College Hockey Inc., is working to enact legislation — either with the oversight of the NHL or through the transfer agreement between USA Hockey and Hockey Canada — to bar Canadian major junior teams from stealing a player who has signed a letter of intent until after the player’s freshman year.”
As Schlossman reports, NCAA teams can’t recruit CHL players, because they no longer are eligible to play at a U.S. school.
“We need to have a deal in place with the NHL and with the CHL,” U of North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol said. “We are going into a back-alley brawl. They are bringing guns. We’re coming with no weapon and one hand tied behind our back.”
Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., told Schlossman that “it is our position that once a kid signs a letter of intent, he’s made up his mind and demonstrated it in written form. He should be off limits and shouldn’t be continually recruited until at least after his freshman year. Continued recruiting of players after they’ve committed in writing to college, we find that conduct to be unacceptable. We’ve communicated that fact to the NHL. We’re hoping to bring some order to the process.”
Schlossman’s complete story is below, including thoughts from Hakstol on the possibility that the NCAA could re-do its rules regarding the college eligibility of CHL players.
Folks, take cover. The shooting is soon to start.
-----
UND MEN'S HOCKEY: Signing day could become vital in the future
Brad Elliott Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald, February 04, 2012
Signing day has become, perhaps, college football’s biggest holiday with schools and fans waiting anxiously for players to make their college destinations official.
In the college hockey world, where players often commit two-plus years in advance of signing and almost always stick to it, signing day passes without registering a blip on the radar.
That may soon be changing.
College Hockey Inc., is working to enact legislation — either with the oversight of the NHL or through the transfer agreement between USA Hockey and Hockey Canada — to bar Canadian major junior teams from stealing a player who has signed a letter of intent until after the player’s freshman year.
And while this is happening, there is a behind-the-scenes movement by some coaches to try to ditch the longstanding gentleman’s agreement between coaches that they won’t recruit players that have made verbal commitments.
If either happens, letters of intent will become big deals to the college hockey world.
The Canadian Hockey League, which routinely tries to poach college players and recruits, is driving these developments to an extent.
UND has lost two highly regarded recruits to the CHL since July in first-round draft pick J.T. Miller and possible 2012 first-rounder Stefan Matteau. Both had signed letters of intent. Miller bolted in July, leaving UND with few options to find a replacement before the start of this season.
And while the CHL routinely pursues college players, NCAA teams are not allowed to do the same because CHL players are currently not eligible for college.
“We need to have a deal in place with the NHL and with the CHL,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said. “We are going into a back-alley brawl. They are bringing guns. We’re coming with no weapon and one hand tied behind our back.”
Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., is leading the charge to enact the new legislation.
“It is our position that once a kid signs a letter of intent, he’s made up his mind and demonstrated it in written form,” Kelly said. “He should be off limits and shouldn’t be continually recruited until at least after his freshman year. Continued recruiting of players after they’ve committed in writing to college, we find that conduct to be unacceptable. We’ve communicated that fact to the NHL. We’re hoping to bring some order to the process.”
If no agreement is reached with the NHL or the CHL, Hakstol thinks it’s worth exploring the possibility of opening up CHL players to colleges.
The NCAA would have to change its stance on the CHL, but Hakstol believes it’s possible.
“The first and most important step would be the coaches discussing it and deciding that it would be a good pathway for us to take,” he said. “I think if that group was to decide on it, it would be feasible.”
The positive for college hockey would be that teams could pluck CHL players, including high-end guys, to replace recruits it loses. If the CHL is open to colleges, it also may be more likely to agree to new transfer rules.
The negative for college hockey is that all of the high-end players may immediately go to the CHL, knowing that the college hockey window would remain open.
“We discuss it each year,” Hakstol said. “The sentiment is against it as a body. I’m not speaking for anybody except myself. There are potential pros and potential cons to it. My belief is that we have to look at every potential avenue to improve our game and improve our ability to build quality teams. I believe this is one avenue we need to have more serious discussion about.
“We have to decide whether or not that’s a worthwhile challenge to take on.”
Verbal commitments
In the meantime, verbal commitments have been taking center stage at recent coaches conventions.
Currently, college hockey coaches do not recruit players once they have made a verbal commitment. In other NCAA sports, coaches routinely pursue them until they have signed letters of intent.
“I like that our coaches have abided by this gentleman’s agreement,” Kelly said. “It does lead to some abuses — programs that verbally commit a large number of players, probably with the full realization that they aren’t going to be able to take all of them. Not everyone is treating it in the manner that it was intended. But this is a coaches’ issue.”
Most likely, some of the more established programs — the ones most affected by the CHL poaching players — would be open to ending the gentleman’s agreement. It would allow them to poach top recruits of smaller schools to replace those lost via the CHL or NHL.
“Verbal commitments, early commitments and long lists of future commitments are serious areas of discussion right now,” Hakstol said. “There are a lot of sides to that issue. It’s a very complicated issue. My opinion has changed over time. I was a very strong proponent of it eight to 10 years ago. I think we need to find a middle ground on verbal commitments.
“I think we want to continue the gentlemanly side of college hockey and our close-knit community. At the same time, I think it’s time we take a real close look at exactly what we’re doing.”
NCAA vs. CHL: Strengthening NLIs, Opening College Hockey to CHLers
Chris Peters, The United States of Hockey, February 8, 2012
The recent article in the Grand Forks Herald, in which Brad Schlossman interviews North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol has stirred up a bit of NCAA vs. CHL conversation. It usually doesn’t take much to get tempers flaring in this hotly contested debate, and there has been a wide array of responses, both positive and negative.
The key points of Schlossman’s piece include the revelation that College Hockey, Inc., is pursuing legislation through the National Hockey League that once a player signs a National Letter of Intent with a college, he is off limits to major junior for one year of college hockey. Letters are typically signed in November or February of the year preceding college. This would prevent situations like players bailing on their commitment in June or July, which happened a lot over the summer (John Gibson, Connor Murphy, J.T. Miller among the notable decommits).
The late decommits are a real issue as they really tend to hamper college programs. It is not easy to replace a first-round draft pick, or any recruit for that matter, two months prior to classes beginning. There are more instances where recruits have bailed for various reasons, like coaching changes, or changing his mind about what school he wants to go to. However, the ones that frustrate the NCAA is when a player has made a written commitment to a school and that commitment is ignored by an outside entity, that has no such rules to abide by.
The CHL is merely operating within its own set of rules, as there is no obligation to abide by the NCAA’s commitments. You can’t fault them for that, but if College Hockey, Inc., is to succeed in its aim to strengthen the NLIs, it at least gives the NCAA schools a little more power to keep the players that have said they want to play college hockey.
Making the NLI a binding document is going to be tough, especially when it’s basically going to probably have to amount to a gentleman’s agreement between the NHL and both the NCAA and CHL. Where it gets a bit more interesting is using the transfer agreement between USA Hockey and Hockey Canada.
Before a player of a certain nationality can play in a foreign country, he has to be released by his home country’s hockey federation, per IIHF regulations. This is where college hockey may be able to find appropriate leverage to make binding NLIs a reality.
Without the transfer agreements, who knows what kind of consequences would be able to be put in place if there was some violation. Who would sanction it? You can’t depend on the NHL to. Again, at that point, it’s simply a gentleman’s agreement.
Another factor: it’s hard to imagine the NHL would prevent its own teams from signing players early, as was the case with Connor Murphy and J.T. Miller, thus ending their college eligibility. However, players that sign NHL contracts the same summer in which they are drafted is rare. So while the NHL might be able to protect college hockey from the CHL in some regard, there’s no guarantee the league would be able to protect the NCAA from NHL teams.
Neate Sager also brings up a very salient point regarding the strengthening of NLIs.
…would knowing the letter of intent — which many believe is of contestable legal validity, although it has never been challenged in court — effectively binds a player to attending school cause some to get cold feet about committing and elect to keep their options open? Quite possibly.
Having spent enough time around players that have to have this inner debate about what to do with their hockey careers, it’s not something I’d wonder about. I’d expect it.
The elite players would wait longer to make a choice. Even if that’s the case, I think most college coaches would rather have a guy keep his options open for as long as possible, rather than backing out of a commitment he made months prior and leave the team holding the bag.
It might delay the building of recruiting classes to some degree, but the number of players who wait to make a decision are often among the better players in a class. Those are guys you don’t mind waiting around for.
The kids that always wanted to go to college, will still commit on schedule. The ones that aren’t sure should be given all the time and space they need for a decision.
The one area where this could backfire is if players wait to commit until after they are drafted. That’s when it becomes almost too late for schools to add a player to the mix. So that’s a valid concern.
Players can’t sign NLIs until they are seniors in high school anyway. So there’s still the possibility of kids making verbal commitments at age 15 or 16 and backing out later. College coaches would rather not have any kids break their commitments, but it’s those late ones that are particularly difficult to swallow. Eliminating those would be a step in the right direction as far as college hockey is concerned.
Hakstol also talked about the benefit of potentially opening up the college ranks to former CHL players if this proposed legislation falls through.
While it makes sense on many levels, many arguments still remain for why it’s a bad idea.
First off, allowing CHL players to retain college eligibility could have a gigantic impact on the USHL. More top-end players would go to the CHL fully knowing that they’ll have a fall-back plan. So they can go up and get added exposure, get in front of more scouts on a nightly basis. The top end in the USHL could be significantly diminished in such a scenario.
While this move would help the NCAA’s depth, it would most likely eliminate many of the top-end players from ever making it to the NCAA. By the time a player’s Junior career is over at age 20, most would go to the NHL or AHL. Only the guys that would have otherwise played lower-level minor-league hockey would end up in college. The quality of play gets dragged down in the college ranks. While the NCAA would remain a developmental option, it also becomes a safety net for CHL players similar to what the Canaidan Interuniversity Sport is right now. That’s an ugly scenario for American college hockey, which has produced NHL talent as long as it’s been in existence.
Granted, there will still be players that prefer college hockey, and the NCAA was never going to lose those guys anyway. It’s losing those players that are on the bubble that would really hurt. The allure of playing in the CHL, with the chance to go to American college hockey if it doesn’t pan out, is attractive. A player might feel he can get the best of both worlds that way. Which, if it’s allowed, then more power to him.
Another interesting column came out in the wake of Schlossman’s Herald piece, this one from Patrick King of Rogers Sportsnet. The column is titled “Misguided Anger from NCAA.” I know and respect Patrick a heck of a lot, but in my opinion, the column misses the point of what this debate is actually about.
A large portion of King’s column is geared towards the fact that the NCAA is limiting itself by not allowing CHL players. Particularly, King takes Hakstol to task for the UND coach’s comments in Schlossman’s piece about how the NCAA is at an unfair disadvantage in this battle. The only thing I didn’t understand, is that in that article Hakstol is quoted from, he admits that there needs to be reform. Hakstol even said he is in support of opening up college hockey the CHL players, which King never mentions, focusing solely on Hakstol’s analogy that the NCAA is fighting with one hand tied behind its back. So I felt it was a bit of a misrepresentation of what Hakstol was talking about.
King later goes on to chastise the NCAA programs for recruiting kids in Grade 9 without ever mentioning the fact that the WHL annually holds its “Bantam Draft,” the primary method the league selects its players, in which 14-year-old hockey players become property of a WHL member club. For most kids selected in the Bantam Draft, they’re still two years away from even being eligible to play Junior hockey.
Just for an example… Luke Moffatt was drafted as a 14-year-old bantam second overall by Kelowna. Moffatt would end up verbally committing to Michigan when he was 16 and sticking with that commitment.
While I absolutely agree that the early recruiting needs to be curtailed, we’re seeing fewer commitments being made by 14-year-old kids. Many players are getting the idea that it is better to keep their options open and make a more conscientious decision at a more mature age.
It’s unfair to knock college hockey for a poor practice, when a CHL-sponsored league engages in an equal “offense.”
King also paints the CHL as a bit more innocent, claiming the league is blissfully unaware it is in a battle with college hockey. If it were so blissfully unaware, would Windsor Spitfires GM Warren Rychel routinely crow in the media about his recruitment of college committed players and making every effort to get that player into the OHL? Would Kelowna’s Bruce Hamilton be publicly blasting the USHL and college hockey in his pursuit of Zemgus Girgensons?
This is not one-sided. I might not go as far as Hakstol who said, “We are going into a back-alley brawl. They are bringing guns. We’re coming with no weapon and one hand tied behind our back.” There is still some truth to his comment, and yes, that one hand is tied behind their backs by their own rules, partially.
Where I agree with King is that the NCAA needs to take a long look at itself and its policies, which unfortunately are not specifically tailored to hockey. There is certainly need for reform. As all of us can agree, the NCAA is far from perfect in all sports. The only issue is, the NCAA has to make rules that fit across all sports, they don’t make special rules for one.
As I mentioned, I respect Patrick and really enjoy his work. This column, for me, was a bit off point and perhaps unfair.
My hope is that one day there is a compromise between the NCAA and CHL. It’s gotten to a point where it feels detrimental to the game to have such a feud. It’s a battle that is masked in “doing what’s best for the players,” when all it really is, is a pair of rival businesses looking out for their own best interests (which you can’t really fault them for).
To be honest though, it’s getting old. Perhaps it gets worse before it gets better, but count me among those that hopes each finds a way to get this thing figured out once and for all.
Misguided anger from NCAA: North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol is fed up with the CHL.
Patrick King, Sportsnet.ca, February 8, 2012
The endless saga that is the Canadian Hockey League and college hockey cold war reached new lows recently.
North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol is understandably upset after losing forwards J.T. Miller to the Plymouth Whalers last summer and now Stefan Matteau to Blainville-Boisbriand a month ago. Neither suited up a game (nor will ever suit up) for the school where Jonathan Toews once starred.
Frustration is giving way to sensationalism, something those within the college game never seem to shy away from. The portrait being painted south of the border is that of a renegade league of bandits, one part Jesse James another part John Dillinger.
"We need to have a deal in place with the NHL and with the CHL," Hakstol told the Grand Forks Herald recently. "We are going into a back-alley brawl. They are bringing guns. We're coming with no weapon and one hand tied behind our back."
If a picture can tell a thousand words, Hakstol managed to use far fewer to portray the CHL as a callous, indignant league with no remorse for its ramifications on the college game. It's hardly the first time -- and we're betting far from the last -- where a coach of a college program cries foul over a rule whose injuries are self-inflicted.
It is, after all, the NCAA's rule which prevents players from joining their program if they sign a standard CHL contract or play so much as an exhibition game of major junior. Therefore, it's the NCAA, not the CHL, that handicaps its own program.
It's not exactly like showing up with a knife to a gun fight, which, as per Hakstol's comparison, would actually lessen the disadvantage. This is a supposed war involving two parties, one of which is practically blissfully unaware of its participation. That's more like a back-alley brawl where a punch-drunk boxer is fighting with the image he sees in the mirror.
College Hockey Inc. is now working on a legislation that would enable any player who signs a letter of intent, as Matteau did, to join the CHL only until after one season in the NCAA.
Michigan's head coach, Red Berenson, once went as far to say a player "contaminated" his college eligibility by playing major junior in a Globe and Mail story. Others have called it poaching or stealing. We get it. Playing major junior renders one ineligible for college. But is it really necessary to be so dramatic and negative towards another program that did nothing shady or outside of their own rules and regulations?
No such rule exists where a player can't play in the CHL after suiting up in college. No such rule exists within the CHL that declares a player ineligible of taking his craft to the college game after his junior career concludes.
Their arguments make about as much sense as the analogy Hakstol presented. We've heard it all before; a player makes a verbal commitment and must then fulfill his obligations. Should he back out, he is then viewed as a liar and accused of using the NCAA as a bargaining chip to land in whichever CHL destination he desires most.
What's never mentioned is the timing the commitments are being made. To get a leg up on the CHL, players are being recruited and giving verbal commitments around the same time as they're attending a Grade 9 math class.
Kenny Ryan's father, K.C., once put it in perspective when his son was being wooed by college programs.
"Here's a kid who is still having sleepovers," he said.
And yet, when a young kid returns from said sleepover, he's supposed to have his college career sorted out well before high school graduation day. Should he change his mind, as teenagers are prone to do and hardly ever chastised for doing with any other decisions, he's suddenly a liar unwilling to see through a commitment.
Sometimes it's a matter of numbers. Jack Campbell withdrew his commitment to Michigan to join the Windsor Spitfires last season. As a goaltender, he knew his college options would be lessened if he waited to declare his destination after attending the United States National Team Development Program and the NHL draft, since a team would make sure those spots are taken care of well in advance.
"Really, what it comes down to is people don't realize that players are getting recruited at such a young age, 14, 15-years old," Campbell said. "Being a goalie, there's only two spots on the team, especially with scholarships and everything. It wouldn't have been possible for me to wait until my (age) 18 year to commit to a college or after the draft."
If a college coach feels slighted, and there are many examples, he should redirect his anger. Rather than pointing a disapproving finger at the CHL and saying, "shame on you," maybe it's time for those within college hockey to review their constitution.
Blaming the CHL for doing nothing more than operating their league as they see fit is nothing more than looking for a scapegoat.
If Hakstol and others feel as though their hands are tied behind their backs, it's bound by the NCAA and not the CHL. And if they're at such a disadvantage, then maybe they should stop looking for a fight.
NCAA/CHL Battle Heating Up [UPDATED]
Chris Peters, United States of Hockey, July 27, 2011
The college hockey world has been mainly focused on the constant realignment talk, but there’s another big story developing over this summer and it’s not a good one.
In recent weeks, three of the four college-committed players selected in the first round of the 2011 Entry Draft have decided to go to the OHL. J.T. Miller, previously committed to the University of North Dakota, has reportedly signed with the Plymouth Whalers. Jamie Oleksiak, who would have been a sophomore at Northeastern signed with the Saginaw Spirit last week. And the latest: I was informed by two independent sources that Connor Murphy will drop his commitment to Miami University and will sign with the Sarnia Sting. That is expected to be announced soon.
That leaves Tyler Biggs, a Miami recruit, as the only first-round draftee that has yet to drop his commitment in favor of the OHL. Biggs reaffirmed his commitment to Miami on the Pipeline Show Tuesday night. His rights are held by the Oshawa Generals.
Biggs is a Toronto draft pick. Brian Burke has a special connection to Miami and likely wouldn’t push Biggs in one direction or another. Burke knows Miami can develop his first-round pick. That said, Biggs just lost his college roommate in Murphy and there’s no doubt Oshawa has the full-court press on the power forward. You just never know.
The hits didn’t stop there. I was told last night by a reliable source that John Gibson, easily the top goaltending recruit in all of college hockey, will forego his commitment to Michigan to sign with the Kitchener Rangers. Michael Spath later confirmed this report via text with Gibson and Michigan head coach Red Berenson issued a statement saying, “John Gibson has decided not to attend the University of Michigan or to play college hockey.” This particularly stings for Michigan in that this is the second straight year they’ve lost the top goalie recruit in the country, as Jack Campbell was a previous Michigan commit before signing with Windsor.
Earlier today, I also got word that Reid Boucher, who was the leading goal scorer for the U.S. Under-18s at the World Under-18 Championship, also will be headed to the Sarnia Sting. Boucher, who was selected in the fourth round by New Jersey, has one year of high school left and was slated to play in the USHL next year before heading to Michigan State in 2012-13. Looks like plans have changed and Sarnia has itself another huge coup, while college hockey takes another hit.
[UPDATE (7/29): J.T. Miller signed with the New York Rangers Thursday, and Plymouth officially announced Miller signed with them on Friday morning. John Gibson's signing with the Kitchener Rangers was made official Wednesday afternoon. Connor Murphy's signing with the Sarnia Sting was announced Wednesday, shortly after this post was published. Just minutes prior to this update, Sarnia also announced that it had signed Reid Boucher. That's a rough couple of days for college hockey.]
Not only has college hockey lost the players that saw their profiles raise after being drafted this past June, they’re losing some top-end youngsters as well.
Three players that wouldn’t have been on college campuses until 2013-14 at the earliest have also gone north. Former BU recruit Anthony DeAngelo, who skated for Cedar Rapids in the USHL this year, signed with Sarnia earlier in the summer. Adam Erne, another BU recruit who played in the USHL last year, was traded to the Quebec Remparts and is expected to sign. Most recently, Brandon Shea, who had previously committed to Boston College and was slated to play at the NTDP this year, has reportedly agreed to a deal with the Moncton Wildcats.
These three players are top-end 1995 birth years. Unlike their older counterparts who are more developed, we don’t know how good these guys will be in the next two years. We know how good Miller, Oleksiak, Gibson and Murphy are. So college hockey losing those guys hurts a little more, for now at least. However, seeing three high-profile youngsters head north is bad news not only for college hockey, but the USHL as well.
So what does it all mean? This isn’t a post to argue college or Major Junior is a better option, because that’s a silly apples and oranges argument. Each path has benefits unique to individual players and it is impossible (and unfair) to make a blanket statement of one being better than the other.
As a fan of college hockey, I think there should be concern, though. Concern that this summer is going to become the norm and that more elite players are going to choose the CHL over the NCAA, thus hurting the level of play in college hockey.
Does a summer like this give off the impression that the CHL is actually better? To me it doesn’t, but to people unfamiliar with the development process it just might. Most importantly is this signalling to other prospective players that the CHL is clearly the “better” option?
Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald wrote about the NCAA’s perception problem, and makes a ton of valid points while focusing on one case. Neate Sager of Buzzing the Net had a counterpoint that I think may have taken Schlossman’s column slightly out of context, but still made valid points along the way.
I count eight (what I would consider) top-end, high-profile players that have chosen the CHL route after previously committing to a college, all of which are mentioned above. The optics of this are not good for college hockey. In this case, it is not necessarily the quantity of players choosing the CHL route, but the quality. The good players have influence over the next class coming up, without ever having to say a word.
I posed the question on Twitter as well, asking my followers: Knowing however much or little you know about this topic, which is better? CHL or NCAA? Most responded with “it depends on the player,” which I think is correct. It does in some ways. I’m not fully on board with that though, only because I believe if a player is good enough he’ll make it to the NHL regardless of path. I had to ask the question though, to see if that perception that one is better than the other exists. I was impressed and surprised to see the majority of people who answered couldn’t pick one over the other or say one was better.
A few folks have asked whether all of this realignment talk has had any affect on the players’ decisions. I would have to say no. It might have a little influence, but having been around top-end teenage hockey players, realignment is likely a tiny blip on their radars. The only thing on these kids’ minds is going to the NHL, in almost every single case. That player is going to make the choice that he and his family (or in some cases his NHL team) feel is the best path to get him to the NHL as quickly as possible.
Another issue at hand is the lateness of these broken commitments. Neate Sager had a great take on this very topic today. Regardless of what side of the debate you’re on, the college teams are getting royally screwed with these late defections.
I’m not going to criticize a kid for changing his mind. I’ve been around long enough to know that it happens far more than any of us would like. However, the teams that are just a month away from fall practice have to entirely shift plans for the season. They may have to find replacements. They can only hope they’ll be as lucky as Notre Dame was last year in being able to call in T.J. Tynan who was scheduled to play one more year of junior and went on to lead the team in scoring after Kyle Palmieri went pro. Odds are, that won’t be happening. It’s a shame for those schools to have such little time to recover.
At the end of the day, college hockey is a great path for pro development and shouldn’t be considered an inferior product to the CHL. It is just… different. That said, these high-profile defections deliver quite a blow to the college game. What is left to do? How does college hockey keep this from continually happening?
I guess that’s up to College Hockey, Inc., the commissioners and head coaches to figure out, but there really is no easy answer in this whole ordeal. I take issue with people saying the CHL “stole” a player, because at the end of the day, the choice is the kid’s (though its fair to say the CHL teams can be extra persuasive). College hockey has to find a way to make sure more kids are choosing it as opposed to the CHL.
It has been a long summer, and it might get longer, for college hockey. As a fan of the college game, I hope we continue to see a great on-ice product and more college kids making it to the NHL.
All that said, we all have to understand that these kids have options and there is never going to be an absolutely correct answer for which option a player should take. It’s one of those things that makes hockey’s development system entirely unique and often times entirely confusing.
Rockets battling over import’s playing rights
Larry Fisher, Kelowna Daily Courier, August 19, 2011
The Dubuque Fighting Saints have won this battle, but might still lose the war. That is, the war over dynamic Latvian forward Zemgus Girgensons, a top 2012 NHL draft prospect.
The Kelowna Rockets selected Girgensons with the 45th overall pick in this summer’s CHL Import Draft, but the 17-year-old won’t be reporting to the Central Okanagan for next week’s rookie camp. Instead, Girgensons will be returning to Dubuque, Iowa, where he posted an impressive 21 goals and 49 points in 51 games last season for the Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.
Still, Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton hasn’t given up on luring Girgensons north of the border at some point this season or next.
“It’s at a stalemate,” Hamilton said. “His agents think (Dubuque) is where he should be playing and he’s very loyal to that program. But I know as soon as he’s drafted, the NHL team’s not going to want him in Dubuque and they’re not going to want him going to the University of Vermont, either. We’ll have a real good opportunity to have him here for sure next year, and potentially after Christmas this year. When the Latvian team plays in the world juniors, we’ll be very aggressive again there.”
There is no transfer agreement between the WHL and USHL and no transaction would be necessary for Girgensons to jump ship mid-season. The Rockets have rolled the dice on high-end Europeans in the import draft and successfully landed them in years past, such as current Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund, who was another late arrival but helped lead Kelowna to the 2009 WHL championship and Memorial Cup final.
The Rockets have also had success with another Latvian product, Lauris Darzins, a left-winger who called Kelowna home from 2004 to 2006, was drafted by the Nashville Predators and currently plays in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. Hamilton even had Darzins help in selling Girgensons on Kelowna and the Rockets, to no avail.
“We’re going to go after him still,” Hamilton insisted. “I’m not worried about him starting the year down there because the USHL is stealing players out of Canada on a daily basis right now, so it won’t bother me if we steal one out of there.”
For now, the Rockets will have to settle for one import — Slovakian sniper Filip Vasko, the 58th overall selection this year. Kelowna traded for that pick, acquiring it from the Portland Winterhawks, after catching wind that Vasko was contemplating coming overseas to play.
“This guy was never coming over and then we got word late in the draft that he would consider coming and would consider coming here, so we took a gamble and picked him,” Hamilton said of Vasko, who is expected to arrive in Kelowna next Wednesday. “We’re excited to have him coming, and from all reports he’s a pretty good player. He’s another skilled guy and he’s going to be a good draft pick next year, too.”
Rockets head coach Ryan Huska is looking forward to Vasko’s addition, to see where and how he fits into the depth chart. Also 17, Vasko has played against older competition the past two seasons in Slovakia’s under-20 league, tallying 23 goals and 60 points in 78 games, plus 32 goals and 71 points in 61 games at the under-18 level.
“I’ve had great reports from a lot of different coaches on this young man,” Huska said. “One guy you could make a comparison to is Zach Franko, where he’s a very fast and skilled forward that will hopefully fit in nicely with one of our offensive lines.”
Vasko joins a talented offensive core that already consists of last year's leading scorer Shane McColgan, Franko and another top 2012 prospect in Colton Sissons, with the potential for veterans Brett Bulmer and Mitchell Callahan to return if released by their respective NHL clubs.
Huska added that he’d gladly welcome Girgensons to the fold in the future. The hope is these imports, specifically Vasko for the time being, will be upgrades on last year’s castoffs — forwards Andreas Stene of Norway and Gal Koren of Slovenia.
“We went through a tough year last year,” Hamilton said. “The two kids we had, they both came and did everything they could, but they just weren’t good enough. And there’s no sense having those (European) guys if you’ve got Canadian guys that are better than them. Hopefully (Vasko) will be a better fit for what we want and need.”
-----
Spitfires continue pursuit of Schmaltz
Jim Parker, The Windsor Star, October 21, 2011
The Windsor Spitfires will draw a lot of attention for the 2012 NHL Draft.
Eight current players on the roster are up for the draft for the first time in June, but Spitfire fans should not forget the name Jordan Schmaltz.
“He’s a top 10 player,” Spitfires head coach Bob Boughner said.
And someone the Spitfires have been trying to bring to Windsor since the club took the offensive-minded defenceman in the seventh round of the 2010 OHL Draft from the Chicago Mission minor midgets.
“We’ve talked to his advisor,” Boughner said of Kurt Overhardt, who also represents Spitfire goalie Jack Campbell.
“We’ve expressed our heavy interest to get him into a Spitfire uniform.”
For two years, the Spitfires have had their overtures rebuffed by Schmaltz and his family, who have son Nick Schmaltz eligible for the 2012 OHL Draft.
“It hasn’t been as pleasant as I had expected,” Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel said. “I think he’s making a mistake in not exploring his options.”
At this point, the 18-year-old Schmaltz is playing his third season in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux City Musketeers in Iowa.
Next year, he’s scheduled to attend North Dakota University on a full-ride scholarship, but the Spitfires believe professional hockey will come calling long before he gets his degree.
“He won’t play four years of college hockey,” Rychel said.
“(And) you can’t attend an NHL training came when you go to college.”
International Scouting Service has Schmaltz rated 21st overall, but at six foot-two and 175 pounds with a big offensive upside, most expect him to climb much higher.
When the draft arrives in June and Schamltz’s name is called in the first round, that’s when things might get interesting.
“He has to make a decision,” Boughner said.
“College is the right decision for some guys, but a guy like that, we’re the one that going to get you prepared for the NHL.”
Boughner said Cam Fowler, who compares to Schmlatz in many respects, is a perfect example.
He turned down a scholarship from Notre Dame University, came to the Spitfires for one season where he won a Memorial Cup.
He was then taken in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks and went straight to the NHL.
“The Cam Fowler situation is a perfect scenario where you could be in the NHL in 18-to-24 months,” Boughner said.
For now, the Spitfires would just like Schmaltz to make a phone call and not to someone and not to someone in club management.
“Just look at Cam Fowler,” Rychel said.
“(Schmaltz) should pick up and phone and call Cam Fowler or his dad should pick up a phone and call Perry Fowler (Cam’s dad) or pick up the phone and talk to Jack Campbell, (who walked away from a scholarship at the University of Michigan to join the Spitfires).”
If that call doesn’t come before the draft, the Spitfires are hoping it might come after the draft like it did for many players from this year’s NHL Draft.
J.T. Miller was headed to North Dakota until the New York Rangers made him a first-round pick and he changed directions and joined the Plymouth Whalers. He wasn’t the lone player to spurn college hockey for the OHL.
Goalie John Gibson passed on Michigan to join the Kitchener Rangers, Jamie Oleksiak left Northeastern University to join the Saginaw Spirit, Reid Boucher opted for the Sarnia Sting over Michigan State while Connor Murphy spurned Miami of Ohio to play in Sarnia.
“Bob and I have a great relationship with NHL teams,” Rychel said.
“Hopefully, he’s taken by one of those teams that can give him direction.”
CHL vs. NCAA: The Public Pursuit of an American Top Prospect
Chris Peters, The United States of Hockey, October 24, 2011
Sunday night, I was alerted to a story from the Windsor Star regarding Jordan Schmaltz. In it, Windsor Spitfires GM Warren Rychel and head coach Bob Boughner reveal that they are continuing their pursuit of Schmaltz, currently a defenseman for the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL, a top 2012 Draft prospect and verbal commitment to the University of North Dakota.
That Windsor is hot on the trail of a college-committed American top prospect is nothing new. The squad has had success luring away several previously committed Americans like Cam Fowler, Jack Campbell and Kenny Ryan. There have been other, less publicized, instances where Windsor was unable to secure the rights to players they pursued (Stephen Johns, for example), but they’ve reeled in some big fish over the last few years.
This curiously timed article really piqued my interest, and it should be required reading for anyone that has been following the ongoing battle between the Canadian Hockey League and NCAA for a variety of reasons.
First, just to quickly reset the stage…
Jordan Schmaltz is considered a likely first rounder for this year’s NHL Entry Draft. He was selected by Windsor in the seventh round of the OHL Priority Draft in 2010 at age 16. Schmaltz previously was committed to the University of Wisconsin (a verbal he made at age 14), but later backed out. He then gave a verbal commitment to North Dakota in September of 2010. Schmaltz spent last season with Sioux City and returned this year. Since drafting him, Windsor has been in hot pursuit.
If the allure of racking up points with the Spits during his draft season wasn’t enough to get Schmaltz to leave the USHL and his commitment to North Dakota, I have a hard time believing his mind will change. If he was going to go, why not this year?
That is what makes the timing of this piece so curious to me. The season is only a few weeks old, the tumultuous summer of broken commitments to college hockey programs has begun to fade, so why bring this up now? It’s just so out of the blue.
The Spits are an average team this year, but still possess a winning record in a very tough Western Conference in the OHL. You don’t think… Nah… They couldn’t be trying to get him out of the USHL for this season, could they? Well, maybe, just a bit.
It is rare for a player to leave one league in-season for another, though not unprecedented. Kenny Ryan left Boston College a few weeks into his freshman season to join Windsor. That said, I can’t recall it ever happening during a player’s draft-eligible season and I don’t see Schmaltz being the first.
So what gives?
First off, there might not be a better team in hockey that is as good at utilizing the media as the Windsor Spitfires. This article reads like a public challenge to Jordan Schmaltz. It also plainly lays out the cookie-cutter CHL recruiting pitch, as to why a prospect should choose that route over the NCAA.
Rychel told Windsor Star reporter Jim Parker that Schmaltz is making a mistake in not “exploring his options.” Now, we have to take Rychel at his word, I guess, but how do we know Schmaltz hasn’t been exploring his options in his own way? I’m not saying Rychel is lying, I’m just saying he’s not Jordan Schmaltz.
Additionally, Boughner brought up Cam Fowler as a comparable player to Schmaltz and a big reason why the latter should consider Windsor.
Rychel also mentions that Schmaltz should call Fowler and Jack Campbell and have his father call Fowler’s father.
That’s great. But why is Warren Rychel telling us this? Most likely, it’s because whatever he’s saying to Schmaltz and his family in private is not getting through. So he’s taking it public.
This piece allows Rychel to let everybody know Windsor wants Jordan Schmaltz and if Schmaltz doesn’t go to Windsor, he’s making a mistake. Whoever reads the piece is getting that as the takeaway.
There will be no rebuttal in public from North Dakota, and likely none from Schmaltz himself, and Rychel knows that. North Dakota Head Coach Dave Hakstol can’t say a word about Jordan Schmaltz publicly because Schmaltz has yet to sign a National Letter of Intent. So for now, there is one public voice on this issue, and it’s the voice Rychel most wants you to hear. His own.
This is not a criticism of Windsor. In fact, I think it might be quite smart. If Schmaltz elects not to go to Windsor, the team has already stated they think that’s a mistake. Then again, perhaps Schmaltz takes the challenge to heart and gives Windsor an extra look (assuming he’s not offended by the public nature of the challenge).
There are no rules preventing Rychel or Boughner from talking to the media about a prospective player. It’s merely a tool that they have, and they’re using it well.
So now, it puts the ball is in Schmaltz’s court. The Spits have laid it all out there for everyone to see. Odds are, he sticks with his USHL club this season, continues to raise his draft stock and earns a first round selection, but the war doesn’t end there as Rychel notes in the piece…
“Bob and I have a great relationship with NHL Teams,” Rychel said.
“Hopefully he’s taken by one of those teams that can give him direction.”
Just a friendly reminder from Rychel, regarding the few college committed players that were advised by the NHL teams that selected them in last year’s draft to go the CHL route.
It’s also a reminder that there are more hurdles than ever before for colleges to overcome in order to get a top player into their hockey programs.
Schmaltz seems firm in his commitment. He has family ties to North Dakota (including his father, who is an alum). Still, with the landscape the way it is, it seems as though every top player becomes an individual case study on the CHL vs. NCAA battle. Schmaltz will be no different.
So which recruiting pitch does he become part of next year?
Personally I feel CHL should honor NCAA commitments. I understand why they take players leaving NCAA but it seems they still recruit players that have committed to NCAA.
Disclaimer. I?m American and played NCAA.
But the other side is its apples to oranges. NCAA takes 20-21 year old freshman while CHL drafts out of Bantams. Players that are serious about hockey don?t want to wait. I see both sides.
Abredeen,
I too see both sides. I don't like seeing kids make a commitment and then back out. I also question whether either side (NCAA or CHL) should be allowed to 'force' a kid to make a commitment at such a young age. I didn't even 'know' what I wanted to study in university when I got there; I took interesting courses that were 'easy' because I was playing hockey and working. I wish I 'knew' what I wanted to study instead of taking the path of least resistance and getting a relatively useless BA degree!
Right now, the CHL can recruit NCAA players and they don't have any repurcussions if they choose to do so. If it were the other way, I am sure the NCAA would do the same. At the end of the day, it is a competitive business for the CHL teams / NCAA programs and they must do whatever is best for their own programs. They don't care about the opposition. That's reality and a competitive market!
I think the rules must be re-examined, discussed and then all parties must abide by them (CHL / NCAA / USA Hockey / Hockey Canada / IIHF / CIS, etc.) In my own personal world, these would level the playing field for both systems and not allow for immediate transfer - they must complete a year or sit out a year before being able to play - among other things.
I played for Spokane while attending school in the US but upon my graduation from junior, I moved back to Canada to finish school (I was recruited by CIS teams) but focussed on coaching instead. Later, I coached in the Tier 2, WHL, Canadian College and University ranks, so my experiences are based on those leagues. The only places I haven't coached are in the NCAA (would like to one day!) and in the US junior league (USHL - maybe coach there one day too?) I was always a fan of the WHL and CIS because that is what I knew best.
If someone was to ask me my opinion on what direction their son should take, I would say, "if the kid is big for his age (an early developer) and isn't academically inclined, lean towards the CHL. If he is average (or small) for his age and is average or better at school, lean towards Tier 2 with the goal of an NCAA / CIS scholarship." After coaching at Tier 2 and in the WHL, I would also tell the kids / parents to do their homework on the individual programs. Tier 2 seems to be more 'unprofessional' than the CHL; but while the CHL is run like a pro league, that can also have a negative impact. The old cliche: "Sometimes your greatest strength is your greatest weakness - and vice versa!" Caveat Emptor!
Today, I have similar feelings but truly appreciate putting the education and hockey option first wherever possible (Tier 2 / NCAA or CIS). Hockey is only a game and a very small number play in the NHL. More play in the minors, Europe and at college / university. At the end of the day, the game ends and it is time to 'reintegrate' into society; most likely needing to work and 99.9% of the time, you need at least an undergraduate education to be considered. Kind of like in the 1950's / 1960's - a high school education was needed. Now it's an undergraduate degree or technical diploma... and even now, many places are advertising requirements asking for advanced degrees / diploma standing! I think as time goes by, it will become even more competitive so far as school credentials go.
Ultimately, I think the CHL has done a number of things that hurt it's credibility and perception when it is compared side by side with the NCAA - either through arrogance or stupidity. The more I see / hear, the more I like the CIS and NCAA. If I was advising my own kids, (if they were to play hockey), I would encourage academics first and this means Canadian university or NCAA.
Quebec league schedule change does more harm than good
WILLY PALOV, Halifax Herald, February 17, 2012
I understand why the Quebec league pushed the start of next season back a couple of weeks.
It gets them in line with the Canadian Hockey League’s other partners — the Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League. It also means teams can ice more legitimate rosters during the early part of the season.
Opening on Sept. 8 this year meant several league stars were still away at NHL training camps. The Saint John Sea Dogs, for example, were missing a dozen players for a few games. Naturally, they lost those outings to teams that normally wouldn’t have any business making it close against them. Fans who paid to attend those games may not have felt like they got fair value for their dollar.
So for a lot of reasons, the decision to move opening night to Sept. 20 makes sense. But there are plenty of other reasons why it makes no sense at all.
For starters, the pre-season is already too long. Players reported to training camp in mid-August last year, like they do every year. That gives teams just over three weeks to make their roster decisions and get everyone on the same page. That’s more than enough time to ramp up for the season, perhaps even too much time for junior teams whose rosters are typically 80 or 90 per cent set before the first skate of training camp is held.
So now they’re going to add nearly two more weeks to the pre-season to make it a five-week slog? That’s absurd.
I don’t envy coaches who will now need to find even more ways to keep the players engaged during the tedious lead-up to the season. And if the league decides to pass that time with more exhibition games, I pity the general managers who have to watch their top talent risk injury a few more times.
Does anyone recall what happened to Marty Frk in the Halifax Mooseheads’ second-to-last game of the pre-season this year? Frk suffered a concussion and missed the first 3 1/2 months of the regular season. Mooseheads teammate Andrew Ryan also broke his ankle during a training camp practice.
I’m sure the Mooseheads brass were thrilled to lose two top players during a pointless part of the year.
The obvious compromise would be to start training camp later to make up for the Sept. 20 regular-season opening, but that’s where everyone’s hands are tied. The Quebec college system requires students to be enrolled and available for classes by Aug. 20 each year. Since the majority of the league’s players are from that province, roster decisions must be made for those kids by that deadline.
It wouldn’t be fair to those players or the teams to start training camp on, say, Sept. 1, when those kids are already supposed to be attending classes. So we’re stuck with the Aug. 15 training camp start.
What’s worse, by starting the regular season on Sept. 20, the league is compromising the education of every player in the league.
When the league pushed its season opener into the Sept. 8 range, a bit of breathing room was created in the schedule. The league was able to schedule fewer weekday games so players didn’t have to miss as many classes or sacrifice as much of their study time. Now they have to cram those games into a shorter time frame. For a league that prides itself on its education standards, this is a step backwards.
An acceptable solution to the education issue would have been to start the season later but cut a few games out of the schedule to make it more manageable for the players. But let’s not be naive. There is no way the league’s owners would sacrifice that much revenue just to lighten the players’ load at school.
So for better or worse, we have an imperfect schedule with an imperfect set of variables dictating that it won’t be optimized any time soon. C’est la vie in the Quebec league, I suppose.
I like the discussion. I think the elite level players are going to make it to the NHL no matter what. In fact, an added bonus for a player like Jaden Schwartz who has gone the NCAA route, is that if he signs next year and doesn't make the parent club, he gets to play in the AHL as opposed to being forced back to the CHL.
Either way, the teams that sign players at a younger age on both sides of the border are taking large risks at players expense. Would be nice to see both sides not be allowed to commit kids until they turn 17. CHL would not be allowed to have players U17 rostered. This would allow time for the players to explore both options while also taking an extra year to develop and might stop some players who excel at a young age from going the wrong direction.
Eric,
I enjoy the discussions too. "Armchair league presidents!"
I also agree that if a player is good enough, "the cream will rise to the top" - regardless of which path they take.
The younger any league drafts a kid, the larger the risk. Kids haven't matured physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.
Wouldn't it be nice to increase the NHL draft age up to 19 (it used to be 19 or 20 - the "Ken Linsman rule" is when it changed in the 1970's) and move the CHL draft age to 15 (or better yet - 16!) Have the NCAA also allowed to come in at the same age as the CHL.
Next year, the WHL is going to increase their roster size by two players to 25. People smarter than me have asked why they don't allow for an addtional two 20-year olds to make up this increase (up from three per team) to make the league more mature. This would fit nicely if they increased the NHL draft age.
Sources: Commissioners told Kelly to resign or be fired as College Hockey Inc. executive director
By Todd D. Milewski • Executive Editor USCHO.com • Feb. 20, 2012
Paul Kelly was given a choice Monday to resign or be fired as executive director of College Hockey Inc., sources said, and he chose the former.
An erosion of trust in Kelly from the commissioners of college hockey’s five Division I men’s leagues led them to end Kelly’s two-plus-year term leading the promotional and marketing group.
The announcement was made Monday afternoon by the Hockey Commissioners Association, which controls College Hockey Inc.
Sources described a falling out between the commissioners and Kelly that had been a while in the making, based on a difference of opinions on College Hockey Inc.’s scope.
But the final straw, the sources said, was Kelly recently approaching athletic directors from some ECAC Hockey schools about meeting to give College Hockey Inc. a more leading role in the administration of Division I men’s hockey.
Kelly could not immediately be reached for comment. In a text message to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun posted on the broadcaster’s website, Kelly said: “Time to move on. I told them I’d give them 2-3 years to get the entity established and operational. It’s been 28 months and it’s time for a new challenge.”
“The HCA would like to thank Paul for his service to CHI and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” Steve Hagwell, Hockey Commissioners Association president and ECAC Hockey commissioner, said in a statement.
The commissioners group also said in the statement that it expects to discuss a “different course” for the executive director position. A replacement for Kelly was not immediately announced.
Kelly, the former executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association, was hired in November 2009 by the commissioners to run College Hockey Inc.
College Hockey Inc. was formed by the commissioners as a central marketing vehicle for college hockey. It is funded in part by a grant from the NHL through USA Hockey.
TMQ: BU and Kelly’s ouster
By Jim Connelly and Todd D. Milewski • Senior Writers USCHO.com • Feb. 21, 2012
Jim: That was a very impressive week for Boston College. Monday’s Beanpot final was dramatic and emotional and it would’ve been very simple to let up against Merrimack. It may have been convenient that the Eagles had further motivation — BC coach Jerry York going for win No. 900 — on Friday. But there’s no explaining Saturday and a tough road atmosphere in Merrimack’s Lawler Arena. That win took the determination of a champion. Man, where have we seen this before?
Now, down Commonwealth Avenue, things may not be as nice where, for the second time this year, the Boston University Terriers have had a player arrested for alleged sexual assault. This time it was defenseman Max Nicastro, just two months Corey Trivino was booted from the team. It’s impossible to know exactly what happened in either case, but at this point it seems like the Terriers are developing a bit of a bad reputation. Being in Boston, I can tell you it was one of the top stories on all the newscasts all day on Monday. Regardless of the outcome, you have to think head coach Jack Parker is anything but pleased with his team’s reputation right now.
Todd: It’s really a scary situation there, to be honest, and you have to think there’s going to be a lot of scrutiny on that program, not only from the media but also from the school itself. And there should be. These are serious accusations that have been made, and at some point, fairly or not, people are going to have to ask some tough questions of people in the program.
Are these charges indicative of the culture of the team? It’s impossible to say from my chair, and I wouldn’t even want to go down that road with what we know now.
Jim: I actually will say straight out that this is not indicative of the culture of BU’s team. But perception is reality far too often and it takes just a few small instances as such to damage a reputation.
BU wasn’t the only big news this week. Late on Monday, the Hockey Commissioners Association announced that Paul Kelly has resigned. As USCHO.com’s story said, though, Kelly’s resignation may have been a bit of face saving. Now, I’ve met Paul a number of times and like him very much. But we all know he comes from a position of power at the NHLPA and, without knowing all the facts, we could speculate that Kelly wanted more power in the college hockey world.
Todd: I still hope we hear from Kelly on this story because I think he can fill in some gaps. We’ve tried reaching out to him but haven’t heard back. The news was surprising when it first came out, but after hearing what sources had to say, it sounds like this has been brewing for a while.
Let’s be honest here: The Division I men’s commissioners, it seems both individually and collectively, have ways that they like things to be done. So does Paul Kelly. Maybe it wasn’t exactly destined to come to this from the start, but there were strong forces on each side, and in the end the commissioners had the last say.
It does bring up some important questions about the future of College Hockey Inc., and what kind of replacement the commissioners will seek.
Jim: My thought is that the commissioners will look to take the solid roots that Kelly has put in place but get someone more in line with their thought processes to take the top role. And that’s not to suggest that Kelly wasn’t aligned with the commissioners in many ways. But I do believe that his past made him someone who could see himself as the overall spokesperson for all things college hockey. And the individual — and, as you mention, the collective — personalities of the five commissioners doesn’t seem to jell with that.
I will say, though, what Kelly did in his two-plus years was a major positive for college hockey. He stirred debate, brought together college hockey and the NHL, created tremendous structure to the marketing of college hockey in general and served as a face that college hockey has never had.
Todd: It would be a shame to go backward on the outreach that Kelly helped get going with CHI. The idea of the group is still much needed — in part, to get into places where individual college hockey teams can’t get because of NCAA rules — so let’s hope the overall message doesn’t get lost.
Dean where you play university? In the US or in Canada?
Little off topic here but wanted to bring up something that most in Canada dont know about. Thats US ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association). The topic is for elite players, what about the good players that just dont get that opportunity to be part of an elite program?
NCAA rules and guidelines are outdated, just look at the mess with the recent NCAA Football story lines. Title IX is also an issue and in the US the fastest growing league for College/University is ACHA.
Formally known as Club hockey. The hockey is way too good now and far more organized than "Club" but its now sort of a sister league to NCAA. Let me be clear though, it is NOT NCAA level hockey. But the reason I bring this is up there are 300 school that play in the ACHA 3 levels. Now most of these are true non varsity sports and offered as a service the universities students. But the in the ACHA DI level and top DII teams are legit, they actively recruit and compete at high levels. The top ACHA teams play some NCAA DIII teams. Take a look at Lindenwood roster (http://www.lindenwoodlions.com/roster.aspx?path=mhockey&;
). Liberty is where Ryan Walters son played and activity recruits Canadians ( http://www.liberty.edu/campusrec/clubsports/index.cfm?PID=15305).
The reason this league is getting better each year is because there arent enough teams at NCAA for the players.
I coached a ACHA DII team so I do have a bias. But I got NCAA caliber players that didn?t make NCAA team. I got a player that captained his Jr A team and aged out, went to NCAA DIII team in Mass and found out there were 15 players for 3 spots. Welcome to NCAA hockey! Where do those 12 cut players go? Most go ACHA.
Anyway sorry that was long. Again for the sake of conversation and I would bet within 10 years ACHA will rival NCAA DIII programs because they don?t have NCAA restrictions like Title IX. If NCAA doesnt add more NCAA DI programs soon they will really suffer.
And here is the real reason I mention this. Its gives players another option to continue playing. And isnt that why we coach? To help them reach their potential and continue playing as long as they want. At the end of the day it doesnt matter what
Aberdeen,
I played junior in Canada and the US. University in Canada.
I know of the ACHA and have watched it's progression since around 2000 - when I first became aware of 'club programs' in the US. The play by play person from Tri-Cities had a son who played for EWU (the US university I attended) so that's where I first became aware of it. Not sure if they are now in the ACHA, but I have also seen the rise of various Junior B and Junior A leagues throughout the US - leagues that previously went unnoticed by 99.9& of Canadians. And yes, there are more Canadians being recruited into these programs.
I heard rumours that the NCAA was considering implementing new scholarship rules that would start to 'cap' the number of Canadian kids allowed with the intent to provide more spots to Americans. (If this is true, this shows how quickly US hockey is developing. If the NCAA leaves the rules as is, I am sure a free-market economy in hockey players will take care of itself! In time, it will become a moot point as the talent pool in the US grows.)
Looking at Lindenwood's roster, I see Rick Zombo is the head coach (former Detroit Red Wing / St. louis Blue) and Ted Sator (former long-time NHL coach) is the Assistant Coach.
While not 100% current on the NCAA regulations (or those of the ACHA), I agree it is good that there are more places for kids to play and people to coach. Does the ACHA provide athletic scholarship monies to it's players? I would love to hear more details...
Thanks for the post. I will have changed the title of the thread to include 'ACHA' and CIS as I hope this becomes a wider-ranging discussion.
OMG ACHA is in the title of this thread. I didn?t see that, sorry. Ha
Best hockey name ever....Rick Zombo!
No scholarships for ACHA, which isnt all that different than NCAA. No scholarships for Ivy League, DII, and DIII. I think some Atlantic Hockey Assoc only offer 12 scholarships.
I know you know this Dean but for those that will be reading this.
59 total NCAA DI programs. Only the top 120 US players each year get some form of scholarship with the avg scholarship being $20K. The max is 18 scholarships per program. Not per year, per program. The numbers suggest that programs can only offer 2-3 full rides each year. From what I hear most hockey programs that offer scholarships break them up so each player gets some form of money while the blue chip players get full rides. Scholarships are provide one year at a time so they need to be re-upped after each year.
I do a presentation to the parents of a local youth org on the info above trying to set expectations. Most of them want their kids to get scholarships but have no idea how it works. Its actually easier to get an academic scholarship than an athletic scholarship.
Aberdeen,
I changed the title after you brought the information about the ACHA to the discussion. No worries!
Roman Hamrlik is one of the funniest player names I can recall. I also like Cal Clutterbuck!
Ivy league schools offer 'financial aid' based on the parents latest income tax returns. The more money your folks declared, the less the schools will offer.
Last I heard, the NCAA Div 1 hockey programs get 18 scholarships, per year (is this different than what you said?), and divide these up according to how they value their players. These are decided on a year-by-year basis, so the concept of a 'full ride / 4 year scholarship' is a marketing misnomer. Most parents and kids don't realize that their scholarship offer must be reviewed and renewed annually... and that there are less 'full' scholarships per year (18) then roster spots (20+)!
Here is more info to help provide backing to Aberdeen's comments:
http://www.athleticscholarships.net/icehockeyscholarships.htm
How many ice hockey scholarships are available and what schools offer them?
Number of scholarships offered per team, per year, by DivisionNot all colleges that are eligible to offer scholarships will choose to do so. For example, Ivy League schools choose not to offer athletic scholarships.
Hockey is an equivalency sport which means all scholarships are NOT full scholarships. For example, in NCAA D1, hockey coaches can divide the value of the 18 scholarships available to them between as many players as they see fit.
Men’s Hockey
http://www.athleticscholarships.net/icehockeyscholarships.htm#q4
NCAA D1: 18
Women’s Hockey
NCAA D1: 18
NCAA D2: 18
Number of College Hockey Programs
Men’s Hockey
NCAA D1: 58
*NCAA D3: 70
Total: 136
Women’s Hockey
NCAA D1: 34
NCAA D2: 2
*NCAA D3: 48
Total: 84
*NCAA Division 3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships, but do offer other forms of financial aid.
Of course, it is always best to go to the horse's mouth - here is the link to the NCAA:
www.ncaa.org
"Athletics grants-in-aid (frequently referred to as athletics scholarships) for Divisions I and II undergraduate student-athletes are partially supported through the NCAA revenue distribution. About $2 billion in athletically related financial aid is awarded each year at Divisions I and II institutions to more than 126,000 student-athletes. Grants-in-aid are awarded and administered directly by each institution, not by the NCAA.
Division III members do not offer athletically related financial aid."
NCAA Last Updated: Jan 31, 2012
Correct. max is 18 but Altantic Hockey has a max of 12
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/05/26_atlantic_hockey_shoots_down.php
A proposal to increase the scholarship limit for Atlantic Hockey teams from 12 to 13, failed at the recent league meetings.
The vote was 7-5 in favor, but eight votes were needed for passage.
The NCAA's scholarship limit is 18 per team, but Atlantic Hockey has limited that to 12.
With the landscape of college hockey in complete flux, the decision could have a number of ramifications.
There is thought to be at least five teams among the 12 willing to play with 15 scholarships or more. They are widely believed to be Mercyhurst, Canisius, Robert Morris, Niagara and Air Force. RIT cannot give scholarships, directly, because it's a Division III institution and joined D-I in hockey after the grandfather clause was in effect. However, it is still believed to support being a part of the group supporting the scholarship increase.
The failure to pass the increase could hasten a split of the 12 teams into two different camps, a possibility which is only further hastened by the shifting landscape around college hockey. It's possible that some current CCHA teams could be looking for new partners or new homes, as well.
There are a variety of possible scenarios that could unfold as a result, but the status quo does not appear likely.
and not much change but good overview on updates to stipend
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/11/03_ncaa_enacts_scholarship,_academic.php
I have added the ACAC, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference to the list as it is also a league that offers partial scholarships. There is a men's and women's division. http://www.acachockey.info/index.php is the link to the hockey section.
Both Dean and I have coached in that league.
The men's division is mostly made up of players who chose Jr. A hoping to get an NCAA scholarship and that didn't work out for them. The CIS gets most of it's players from major junior. If the pro career didn't work out they get a years tuition and books for every year they played in the CHL.
The women's division is the same with high school aged girl's who play U18 midget or go to sports schools usually look NCAA first, CIS second and ACAC third.
Of course there are some major junior grads in the ACAC and some Jr. A in the CIS and oftern players chose the ACAC first because they either like the programs or don't want to move away.
A nice thing about the ACAC is that the government pays about 75% of the actual tuition cost, so it is much cheaper to get a degree than private universities. The Province gives a grant to all Alberta students who play hockey and to everyone in their second season. Each institution also has a scholarship fund to help with expenses.
Tom
Tom ACAC sounds like great hockey! That would be above ACHA for sure.
I love that fact that there are the chances for players to keep playing
Once I finish my "So you child wants to play college hockey" (WORKING TITLE) presentation Ill post it for upload.
Lots of fine details, like for NCAA DI admissions is handled though the athletic dept but NCAA DIII is handled through admission dept. This is why DIII over recruits because without a Letter of Intent process coaches have no idea who will show up until schools starts
Emotions Run High After Kelly's Departure
With Coaches Upset, Many Issues Lurked Below the Surface
Adam Wodon, College Hockey News, February 23, 2012
Paul Kelly was asked to resign earlier this week as executive director of College Hockey Inc. after 27 months on the job.
The reactions ranged from shock and outrage, to disappointment and resignation, and everything in between. Or everything all at once.
"All of the above," said Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson.
Universally, coaches around the country reacted negatively to Tuesday's news that Paul Kelly had resigned — forced to resign — as executive director of College Hockey Inc. To the coaches, Kelly, the former head of the NHL Players Association, was the perfect person to help resolve many issues important to coaches, and college hockey in general.
"Paul Kelly is the best thing that happened to college hockey in 25 years," Jackson said, echoing the sentiments of every coach.
The decision to push Kelly out was made by the Hockey Commissioners Association, the organization in charge with establishing College Hockey Inc. two years ago, and the one that Kelly ultimately reported to. But the coaches were working with him, too, a good idea to be sure, but where the seeds of discontent were sewn.
"There were a lot of very positive things that Paul was developing for us, as a result, you can imagine how disappointed we all are to hear the news," Denver coach George Gwozdecky said.
"He opened lines of communication. We made great first steps with all of these entities — the NHL, the NHLPA, the NCAA, USA Hockey. There was so many positive steps in those regards. That dialogue shed light on a number of issues. ... Just to sit down with them is huge."
Said Jackson, "You couldn't have asked for a better representative. ... He was making major gains. All of the things that he was doing, I think it's all down the drain now."
The impression you get is that these comments are mild compared to what coaches are saying to each other.
The commissioners are not oblivious to this reaction.
"I'm not looking forward to Naples, that's for sure," said Steve Hagwell, president of the HCA and ECAC commissioner, referring to the annual coaches convention each April in Florida. "But I'm not going to hide from it. I'll be there and address whatever the coaches have to say."
The decision is inexplicable to the coaches, who were thrilled with what Kelly had been doing. The news is made even more hard to understand because the commissioners haven't given any reason for the move, even privately to the coaches.
"The commissioners have not informed the coaches as to what the issues are and were, and so before going off and condemning someone, I think as coaches we need to be given the facts by the commissioners," Gwozdecky said. "I've spoken with one of the commissioners, and he was not willing to share the reasons."
Power Play
Kelly was ultimately asked to resign because the commissioners believed he was making clandestine maneuvers intended to consolidate more power for College Hockey Inc. itself, sources tell College Hockey News. Essentially, rightly or wrongly — and it could be argued that it was a very good idea — Kelly wanted to be the commissioner of college hockey, with all of the authority that the title implies.
As far as the coaches were concerned, this was favorable, if not outright encouraged. To the commissioners, this is an impractical concept outside the established structure. To them, dealing with Kelly became like dealing with a renegade coach who skirts the system and is combative with his own athletic department, but nonetheless wins a lot of games.
Of course coaches would want a single "commissioner" to deal with, one with the power to do what they want — the same way Gary Bettman does for NHL owners.
Unfortunately, the NCAA doesn't work this way.
The amount of attention placed on Paul Kelly as a theoretical head of college hockey, was not commensurate with the amount of authority he actually had. That is inevitably and understandably frustrating.
The commissioners supported Kelly's main goals, but did not support the way he tried to make them happen. After trying to manage this situation for two years, a straw broke the camel's back.
Ultimately, the commissioners believed that Kelly, more and more, was lobbying overtly for more authority. He was going to the NHL, the athletic directors, and to anyone else who might listen.
The Labyrinth
College Hockey Inc. was created to be the "marketing arm" of college hockey. Kelly's mission was to do outreach, educate, hold seminars, and be the public face of the sport to many people, particularly in Canada, who needed to know what college hockey was all about. It was an attempt to offset the obvious advantages of the Major Junior system, which can speak to kids at will. Because of NCAA regulations, college hockey coaches are not allowed to speak to prospects until they are 16.
In fact, this end run around the NCAA regulations almost ran afoul of the NCAA itself. When the commissioners were establishing College Hockey Inc., the NCAA wanted to know how this would work, so that it wasn't in fact taking advantage of a loophole in order to "recruit" players earlier.
But with so many pressing issues, the coaches wanted Kelly to do more than just marketing and giving speeches. They saw his background as an attorney with deep connections to the NHL and its players, and general stature in the pro hockey world, as something that could be leveraged further.
Coaches are notoriously frustrated by the NCAA's labyrinthine politics, and saw College Hockey Inc. as an opportunity to get around all of that. Their oversight group, comprised of some of the sport's most well-known names, like Gwozdecky and Jackson, met with Kelly to push their agenda with him.
Take, for example, the issue of helmets. Coaches have by and large loathed the idea of full face shields/masks since it was legislated in 1980. They believe it actually makes the sport less safe. They also believe that Major Junior uses half shields vs. full shields as yet another selling point. Kelly was someone that could work the angles with the NCAA from a legal perspective to try to make inroads in this department.
Then, of course, there's the ongoing battle with the Canadian Hockey League — the overseer of the Major Junior system — over players jumping ship. That fight is being fought on a number of fronts, including trying to get NHL rules changed, and/or working with the CHL on an understanding.
And Kelly was in discussions with the NHL and NHLPA on increasing the Draft age to 19, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement. Coaches believe this could help alleviate the pressure on kids looking to leave, if they haven't even been drafted yet.
Who better than Paul Kelly to facilitate these talks, and to help move the needle?
"He got us into discussions we've never been able to do in the past," Jackson said. "He was able to get that done. ... We had somebody that was never really able to challenge things in that way before. Everybody respected him at the NHL level."
According to Hagwell, Kelly had the blessing of the commissioners to do what he could in those departments. The coaches' priorities may have been different than the commissioners, but the efforts weren't at odds with each other. In fact, the commissioners group was largely trying to do the same things prior to Kelly's hiring.
Inevitably the structure of the NCAA will be at odds to getting many of these things accomplished. The commissioners are people who understand and work within that system. Kelly was trying to overthrow the system.
The System
There's a point often lost in the haze — criticizing the NCAA's labyrinthine politics is really just criticizing your own school, or collection of schools. The schools have the authority, and the schools themselves — via the athletic directors — hire the commissioners, who in turn, collectively, hired Paul Kelly.
Meanwhile, the commissioners created College Hockey Inc. at the behest of USA Hockey. After first sending a "shoot for the moon" proposal to the NHL for money to fund something like College Hockey Inc., the NHL decided to give $8 million to USA Hockey instead. Thus, the commissioners needed to appeal to USA Hockey for a piece of that pie.
"They didn't say, 'Here's a pot of money, go do what you want,'" Hagwell said. "It's a grant. Each year we have to report to them on what we did."
That means College Hockey Inc.'s masters are the commissioners, followed in turn by USA Hockey and the athletic directors.
Trying to make an end run around all of that, as enticing as it may be, was going to inevitably lead to conflict.
The sentiments of Gwozdecky and others point to this conflict.
"The overwhelming feeling from the coaches (is), 'How did this happen? Why did this happen?'" Gwozdecky said. "As far as the coaches were concerned, Paul was doing a terrific job for college hockey. He had our support. And he was working for college coaches.
"He reports to the commissioners, he works for the 58 D-I programs."
The question is whether the commissioners should have, or could have, put up with the difficulty of handling Kelly, because of the myriad of great things he brought to the table. Or did his maneuverings rise far enough above insubordination to make the relationship no longer sustainable?
Would it have made a difference if Tom Anastos, former CCHA commissioner and now Michigan State coach, and former president of the Hockey Commissioners Association, still been in the group? Anastos was a point person pushing for the hiring of Kelly to begin with. And Anastos himself was the man who was leading the efforts previously to get a dialogue with the NHL and so on, responsibilities that ultimately went to Kelly. But Anastos knew the parameters under which he was working, for better or for worse.
Difficult Position
Kelly wanted more authority. He wanted the NHL to directly fund College Hockey Inc. instead of having to deal with the measly sum being steered from USA Hockey. He considered, at the coaches' encouragement, ideas like being in charge of supplemental discipline (suspensions) across all leagues, scheduling, and helping with television contracts.
He wanted to be the commissioner of college hockey.
But that job doesn't exist.
There was an actual formal proposal, to the NCAA hockey rules committee, to have a central figure handle discipline for non-league games. The proposal was shot down.
Because there are so many institutions with so many different interests, it's not feasible for a "grand poobah of college hockey" to exist — as much as we might all like to see one. If there was, we wouldn't have had all of last summer's turmoil. But who is going to create that position? Who is going to give that authority? The executive director needs to play inside the system that exists, for better or for worse. That is not the fault of the commissioners.
It could be argued that the commissioners should have kept managing this situation, since Kelly probably wasn't going to ever succeed in superseding anyone's authority anyway.
Instead, the commissioners believed the situation could no longer be sustained.
Some have argued that the commissioners were just trying to keep power for themselves. I don't believe that makes any sense.
As Hagwell said, "Even if they did (give up authority), if my group of ADs came to me and said, 'You're no longer involved with College Hockey Inc., no longer a part of the HCA, you're solely doing the work of our league,' what am I going to say? I'm going to say 'OK.' ... So to say I'm out for power. I'm not. I spend an inordinate amount of time on broad issues, like amateurism. If someone wants to take that off my plate, I'm not going to fight it.
"I'm not sitting here fighting it saying, 'Oh my gosh, don't take supplemental discipline off my plate.' Every time I'm calling someone to suspend their kid, that's not a good thing."
Really, the schools themselves have the power and authority to make decisions, and you're not going to get 58 schools — each with much larger athletic departments and institutional hierarchies within them — to give up their authority to a college hockey commissioner.
The hierarchy exists to bring order to the madness. And yes, it also gets in the way sometimes, as any bureaucracy does. It's a catch-22. But if you decide to break a law because you don't think it's just, don't be surprised when you get arrested.
The commissioners obviously know about Kelly's strengths. They obviously know, and were pleased, that Kelly was getting to the table with the NHL and NHLPA. They obviously knew that firing him would enrage the coaches.
Yet they did it anyway. Why? Out of hubris? Out of power? Out of stupidity?
That can hardly be the reason.
This is a difficult and unfortunate situation. Everyone, from coaches, the commissioners, to ADs, to fans wanted Paul Kelly to continue to do the great things he was trying to do for college hockey.
But the commissioners did what they believed they had to do, not for petty reasons like power, but for good, albeit difficult and debatable, reasons. And it's up to everyone to decide whether they were justified in that or not.
Paul Kelly Explains Surprise Resignation, What May Come Next
Chris Peters, The United States of Hockey, February 24, 2012
In the days following Paul Kelly’s abrupt resignation from College Hockey, Inc., speculation and various reports have surfaced as to the reasoning behind the surprising end to Kelly’s tenure. Aside from a radio interview in Toronto Wednesday night, Kelly’s version of what transpired in the lead up to his surprise resignation has gone largely unheard. The man who joined the hockey elite when named the executive director of the National Hockey League Players Association approached United States of Hockey about sharing his side of things.
Kelly confirmed to United States of Hockey that he was asked to resign or face action from the Hockey Commissioners Association, which oversees College Hockey, Inc.
Todd Milewski of USCHO reported Monday that Kelly’s forced resignation was a result of “an erosion of trust in Kelly from the commissioners of college hockey’s five Division I men’s leagues,” according to a source. Milewski’s source also informed USCHO that Kelly had recently approached athletic directors from ECAC Hockey to give CHI a more leading role in college hockey.
Kelly admitted that he had talked to two athletic directors on this topic, one of which was from ECAC Hockey, but that his intentions differed from what USCHO’s source relayed.
“The notion that I was out shopping to talk to athletic directors, that didn’t happen,” Kelly said in a phone conversation. “The suggestion that this was a power grab, that I was involved in trying to wrestle power or a money grab, if that’s a picture they’re trying to paint, that ain’t what happened at all.”
As Kelly revealed to Bob McCown on his radio program Wednesday night on Toronto’s The FAN590, the former CHI executive director was in the middle of an underlying tug-of-war between the commissioners and many head coaches in Division I college hockey about the scope of College Hockey, Inc.
“For many months I was trying to stay out of it,” Kelly said of the disagreement between college hockey’s coaches and commissioners.
That was until Kelly caught wind that his tenure at College Hockey, Inc. may soon come to an involuntary close in an effort by one unnamed commissioner trying to save money, essentially.
“When it was pretty clear that my tenure was going to come to an end relatively soon anyway, I figured I should try to help [the coaches] at least by getting some input from some people who could deal with the issue,” Kelly said.
Kelly laid out the coaches’ vision for College Hockey, Inc. in an email to United States of Hockey: “A committee of veteran coaches, while pleased with our efforts, believed that College Hockey, Inc. could be a more vital and impactful organization for D-I college hockey. Their vision was to increase the entity’s areas of responsibility, and to change the structure of oversight and supervision from the Commissioners to a representative committee of head coaches and ADs.
“They felt that since one of the primary objectives of College Hockey, Inc. was education and recruitment of new prospects, as well as the retention of existing student athletes, that this fell more into the domain of coaches rather than administrators. The coaches wanted a greater voice in setting the strategy, and deciding how best to employ the limited resources of the organization. Given my legal background, the coaches sought my advice and input on how best to bring their desire and vision forward for discussion and decision in an appropriate forum. Since I worked on behalf of the coaches, I felt a responsibility to assist them in determining how best to bring this issue forward.”
Kelly admitted in our phone conversation that his conversations with the athletic directors were handled quietly and confidentially, in an effort to gather information, advice and input on this topic, not to set the wheels in motion on anything.
“What the Commissioners appear to have found objectionable, was my effort to help the coaches frame this matter for consideration at the approaching coaches’ convention in April,” Kelly said.
The argument can also be made that the commissioners took issue with Kelly’s perceived lack of transparency on this issue with them. That could have contributed to “the erosion of trust” as it was put to USCHO.
Kelly, however, felt that he had a responsibility to both parties. He cited that while the HCA signed his pay checks, he felt he also worked for the coaches. That feeling of responsibility to both parties stems from how College Hockey, Inc. was developed.
The wheels on College Hockey, Inc. started rolling due to the coaches’ desire to create an outside entity to assist in the education and recruitment of prospective student-athletes and combat the looming threat of the Canadian Hockey League.
The commissioners association was integral in securing the funds necessary to build College Hockey, Inc., an effort spearheaded by then CCHA commissioner and president of the HCA, Tom Anastos, who is now head men’s ice hockey coach at Michigan State University.
Despite the joint effort to build CHI, the vision of its scope has become increasingly different, and came to a head ultimately with Kelly’s forced resignation.
While Kelly had plans for stepping away from College Hockey, Inc. in about six months, he was still disappointed that he will not be able to see through some of the initiatives he helped get off the ground.
“I had hoped to see through some of these important tasks and initiatives that we had started and it bothers me that some of these things are going to fall by the wayside,” Kelly said.
The former NHLPA executive director expressed great faith in CHI’s interim director Nate Ewell and Jeff Dwyer, CHI’s director of education and recruitment, but also feels the organization will miss his prior experience and connections within the hockey community.
“There’s nobody that can immerse himself in the CBA negotiations with the league and the NHLPA the way I could have. Or negotiate with [CHL President David] Branch or deal with the heads of the ice hockey federations in Sweden and Finland and Norway. They just don’t have those kinds of links and a lot of that stuff just won’t happen.”
In addition to his disappointment of not being able to see the job through, Kelly took particular issue with a report published Thursday by Adam Wodon for College Hockey News.
Wodon got reaction from a few veteran college hockey coaches and Steve Hagwell, ECAC commissioner and president of the Hockey Commissioners Association, on this situation, but did not speak with Kelly. (Editors note: After his piece was published, Wodon expressed on Twitter that he was under the impression that Kelly did not want to speak with CHN and offered an invitation for the former executive director to speak with CHN.)
Both Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson and Denver’s George Gwozdecky, two giants in the college coaching fraternity, expressed deep dissatisfaction with Kelly’s surprise resignation and high praise for the former CHI exec.
“Paul Kelly is the best thing that happened to college hockey in 25 years,” Jackson said to Wodon.
“There were a lot of very positive things that Paul was developing for us, as a result, you can imagine how disappointed we all are to hear the news,” Gwozdecky told the CHN editor.
Gwozdecky also informed Wodon that he questioned one of the commissioners about the reasons for Kelly’s force out and received none.
Wodon also shared this bit of information from inside sources, which somewhat corroborates USCHO’s earlier report:
Kelly was ultimately asked to resign because the commissioners believed he was making clandestine maneuvers intended to consolidate more power for College Hockey Inc. itself, sources tell College Hockey News. Essentially, rightly or wrongly — and it could be argued that it was a very good idea — Kelly wanted to be the commissioner of college hockey, with all of the authority that the title implies.
After our initial conversation, Kelly reached out through email to respond to some of the accusations levied in the College Hockey News piece, particularly the above text.
“The premise of Mr. Wodon’s article – that I was akin to a ‘renegade coach who skirts the system and is combative with his own athletic department’ and that I was lobbying to be the ‘Commissioner of college hockey’ – is utterly false,” Kelly wrote.
“At all times during my tenure as Executive Director I respected the NCAA system and worked within it. I also did not have a combative relationship with the Hockey Commissioners. In fact, I respected them individually and as a group; we worked well together and enjoyed each other’s company. They helped to shape and support the mission of College Hockey, Inc. and did what they could to give us the tools needed to succeed. We spoke often, including during monthly conference calls, and I regularly provided them with detailed written status reports of our efforts and any significant new developments. The notion that there was friction, or that I was acting independently or contrary to their wishes and objectives is untrue.”
Kelly also took issue with the notion that he was trying to overthrow the NCAA system.
“Just three weeks ago I traveled to Indianapolis for a several hour meeting with officials at the NCAA to discuss a range of topics, from dealing with family advisers to the recruitment of players from Europe. My purpose in doing so was to the ensure that we fully understood and abided by NCAA by-laws and interpretations, and identified areas for possible future legislative change.”
Kelly reiterated that this was not a power grab, but that the issues raised by the coaches are valid and should be closely examined.
“We certainly were not trying to overthrow any system or structure, and neither were the coaches,” Kelly wrote. “However, the coaches did deserve to have their views and vision for what College Hockey, Inc. could and should be properly addressed at the April convention. It appears from recent events that the Commissioners would rather not have this issue raised for legitimate discussion and deliberation.
“The committee of veteran head coaches may have had a different vision of what College Hockey, Inc. could or should be, with sound reasoning and years of experience behind their views, but I was content to fulfill my responsibilities regardless of who was overseeing our efforts.”
In our prior discussion, Kelly also expressed that this issue of the tug-of-war between coaches and commissioners is far from over.
“This issue isn’t going away,” Kelly said.
“That someone is asked to resign or resign, who is in the process of just trying to bring to the floor [the coaches'] desire to at least have an intelligent discussion about something; if the act of talking to athletic directors about that and trying to figure out how do you at least start this discussion is enough to get rid of the person, something is dramatically wrong.”
As suggested in a post earlier this week, the recent happenings with Kelly’s resignation bring the many fractures in college hockey’s power structure to the forefront.
That coaches are unhappy with the direction of college hockey and the limitations of the NCAA are unsurprising. In fact, it’s stereotypical more than anything.
College hockey is faced with a set of unique challenges that no other NCAA sport faces. That is a fact. While Kelly insisted that he had no aspirations for power, he did outline what an independent entity could do for college hockey, based on the ideas of a committee of veteran coaches.
“I think [an independent entity] can and should [exist],” Kelly said.
Without a hint of irony, Kelly pointed to the Canadian Hockey League as an example of what an overseeing umbrella can do for a fractioned organization.
“There’s the Ontario league (OHL), Western Hockey League, and the Quebec league (QMJHL) than overarching that, they have the CHL office. It’s the CHL which negotiates a number of things like national sponsorships and national television and deals with their Memorial Cup. They have an umbrella entity that handles certain aspects and it’s critically important and it gives them a certain consistency and clout in working together as a 60-team super league.”
Hard to believe the man recently dedicated to challenging the CHL for recruits paying such a high compliment, but it is an intriguing analogy.
College hockey’s conference structure, as evidenced most recently by the flurry of realignment, operates very much in an every-man-for-himself fashion.
“Having commonly five conferences, soon to be six conferences, and you may one day have the Ivy League spinning out for seven conferences, what you get is very parochial interests,” Kelly said.
Kelly pointed to the recent television deals struck by Notre Dame and Hockey East with NBC and the NCHC’s recently announced deal with CBS Sports Network, as two instances where it was singular conferences looking out for their best interests. Kelly surmises that an umbrella that oversees all of college hockey could potentially work out television deals that benefit each conference, pointing to the ECAC and Atlantic Hockey being left “to the side.”
Kelly said that the coaches’ vision for an umbrella entity would find a way to ensure that all conferences reap some rewards.
“In their view, if you have a commissioner or a central office, an objective, independent office, whose job it was to oversee the best interest of college hockey: Marketing, promotion, certain business initiatives, championships, special events, dealings with the NCAA on bylaw issues and rule issues, etc., that in fact you would help all of the programs. You would particularly help the small programs that don’t have the resources, the have nots, that need an entity to kind of look after their best interests.”
Kelly admitted that College Hockey, Inc., could be the beginnings of that entity, but that it didn’t have to be. It could still operate as the educational arm, while a different group takes on the other responsibilities under the umbrella.
There is some concern on Kelly’s part that the current setup with the commissioners looking out for their own interests won’t help the game advance or expand.
“[The commissioners] are looking at these developments through the lens of their conference, their region of the country,” Kelly said. “They’re not looking at it through the lens of the greater good, the longterm best interest of the sport as a whole and that’s what concerns the coaches.”
It appears that a good portion of college hockey’s coaches are in concert on their vision for the game. That could cause a certain amount of consternation at the annual coaches convention in Naples, Fla., this April.
“This issue isn’t going to fade,” Kelly said. “The fact that the coaches hold a certain view of what college hockey can be, should be, will be in the future, if anything, the recent developments will cause the issue to come to the surface, which is ultimately probably going to be a good thing.”
While the coaches and the commissioners butt heads, none of either party’s ideas or visions for the future can come to fruition without a collective green light from the real power brokers in college athletics:
“The athletic directors. They employ the coaches. They employ the commissioners,” Kelly said. “How do you get that group to reach some consensus?”
That’s the million dollar question, and one that won’t come with an easy answer.
What happened to Kelly isn’t the story. It is what comes next. Clearly, the coaches and commissioners are not on the same page. This issue is far from over and there is no clear vision of when this might end.
With the athletic directors, a group of individuals with more than just ice hockey to worry about, holding all the power, how will they deal with this current disconnect? Are we headed for a quiet return to the status quo? Will the coaches have enough pull with their bosses to force more college hockey introspection? Who will support the commissioners?
What we do know is that Paul Kelly will not be taking part in this discussion, which is certain to dissapoint the former College Hockey, Inc. executive director who had become a strong voice in the ever-changing college hockey landscape.
“My capable staff and I worked very hard to market college hockey and expand its geographic footprint, to educate elite young players of the many benefits of playing NCAA hockey, and to seek out new approaches to protect and promote the sport,” Kelly said. “I am proud of the work we did, but disappointed that I will not be able to see through to conclusion many of the important and ongoing initiatives we had underway.”
While Kelly is disappointed that his tenure came to an abrupt end, college hockey will always have a place in his heart.
“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed the role and enjoyed being an advocate for college hockey. I believe very firmly in the mission and the message. That’s never going to change. I’ll probably continue to be an advocate for college hockey regardless of what I do in the future.”
Coming off of a near insufferable off-season in which the entire college hockey world was turned upside down by realignment, it appears we are headed for yet another messy summer; the kind that even the most seasoned janitor wouldn’t go near.
Battle over North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname ramps up
The Fighting Sioux logo has been a point of contention for years and the issue seems to be coming to a head.
Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News, 2012-03-01
Fighting Sioux fans, I have some advice for you. Actually, wait – can I call you Fighting Sioux fans? Not sure where the lawsuits are at today.
Anyway, for those unaware, the University of North Dakota has once again been thrust into the spotlight because of its Fighting Sioux nickname. The NCAA sent a letter to the school stating that the potential of forfeiting post-season games is now a real possibility if the team logo or nickname is displayed on its uniforms. The women’s team will already play any national post-season games on the road, even if they earn a high seed – the NCAA’s policy against what it deems to be an offensive nickname prevents the school from hosting playoff events (conference games are different).
If you’re not familiar with the controversy, here’s a quick and dirty primer: When the NCAA cracked down on nicknames a few years ago, schools could earn an exemption if the peoples of the local tribes involved were OK with it. That’s why the Florida State Seminoles retain their famous moniker, while Miami, Ohio ditched ‘Redmen’ in favor of ‘RedHawks.’
North Dakota was in a bit of a spot because there are two separate Sioux tribes in the state. The Spirit Lake Sioux gave consent to use the name, while the Standing Rock Sioux did not. The school had three years to convince the tribe otherwise, but could not. Therefore, the NCAA said the name had to go. A lot of legislation, bad feelings and paperwork ensued and the issue still isn’t resolved. North Dakota legislators even passed a pro-Fighting Sioux law stating the team had to wear the logo and name on its uniforms, essentially daring the NCAA to come after them. Now it’s happening.
Of course it’s the players who lose out here. The men’s team has “neutral-themed” jerseys on order in case the squad makes it to the Frozen Four – and with 15 NHL draft picks on the roster, including first-rounders Brock Nelson and Derek Forbort, that’s not a stretch – but state law would prevent them from wearing the alternative sweaters. What, exactly, is the university’s sports department supposed to do?
I understand how passionate the people of North Dakota are about the Fighting Sioux name and “Indian Head” logo, but optics are not on their side. When Ralph Engelstad dedicated $100 million to build the arena that bears his name, he made sure there were so many logos included inside that stripping them off would be nearly impossible. He also dictated that North Dakota hockey had to retain the Fighting Sioux name and look in order to play there. It’s pretty obvious he knew what was going to happen, just as the state’s legislators only passed the pro-Sioux law in order to stick it to the NCAA.
But the fun and games ends now because North Dakota needs the NCAA more than the other way around. A Frozen Four without UND would be a shame, given that recent alumni include Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise and T.J. Oshie. But Michigan, Boston College and Minnesota bring just as much profile to the table.
On the other hand, what high-profile recruit is going to come to a school that literally has no shot at a national title? Here’s a perfect case study for you: Right now, top 2013 draft prospect Seth Jones is deciding where he’ll play next season. The U.S. national team development program defenseman can head to the Western League’s Everett Silvertips, or a college program. One school high on his list is North Dakota. Jones would be the biggest UND recruit since Toews – in fact, one NHL exec told me it was unfair for the 2011 draft-eligible blueliners on the NTDP when Jones was on the ice, because all the scouts were watching the Texas native. That was last year, when he was supposed to be with the under-17 team, not the under-18s.
So ask yourself, Fighting Sioux supporters: What’s the name and logo worth if there’s no one around worthy enough to wear it?
-----
One of my friends played for UND way back in the day (before the new rink) but he has gone back for some slumni events and told me this is perhaps the best rink he has ever been inside. He claims it is better than most NHL rinks... and he has been to quite a few of those in his day. I hope they get this naming issue settled. Far too many times, we make a mountain out of a molehill.)
WHL PeeWee Prospects Camp Announced
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, March 8 2012
BOOM! The WHL has fired a shot across the bow of the NCAA’s ship. . . . The WHL announced Wednesday that it will hold a prospects camp at in Calgary, March 23-25. What is interesting about this camp is that it is open, according to a news release, to “Major Pee Wee (1999-born) AA players across Alberta.” . . . Again, according to the news release, the camp “will be the first in a series of prospect camps the WHL will be staging, focusing on player development and education.” . . . Players attending that camp will be 12 and 13 years of age. . . . The WHL also holds an annual U.S. prospects camp in Anaheim, which is in California, and will hold a camp for 1998-born players in Calgary in August.
-----
The younger these leagues can get the propoganda into the parents and players face, the better for those leagues (but not necessarily for the athletes and kids if only one point of view is provided!) The NCAA can't initiate contact until the end of the athlete's Grade 10 (?) year. But kids and parents can initiate contact with the NCAA programs... This battle is going to get more involved before it (ever?) gets solved!
Western, McGill advance to CIS men's hockey final
FREDERICTON— The Canadian Press, Mar. 24, 2012
The University of Western Ontario Mustangs are playing every game like it's their last at the Canadian university men's hockey championship.
Keaton Turkiewicz had a goal and an assist as Western advanced to the championship final with a 3-2 upset victory over top-seeded New Brunswick Varsity Reds on Saturday.
No. 4 Western will now meet No. 2 McGill in Sunday's final in a rematch of the Queen's Cup. The Mustangs lost that game 4-1.
“We've played some great games, but in terms of playing with a desperate energy inside of you, every game (at the University Cup) has seemed like an overtime game for us,” said Western defenceman Adam Aarssen. “I'm really proud of how the guys have worked so far. I haven't seen that out of the guys many times this year and it's great to see we're rising at the right time.”
The Redmen booked a spot in the final earlier in the day, despite a 4-3 loss to the No. 3 Saskatchewan Huskies in the other semi-fnial. McGill advanced thanks to a better goal differential.
Jason Furlong's short-handed goal at 17:48 of the first period stood up as the eventual winner for Western. The Mustangs had a 3-0 lead after the first period, with Dominic De Sando also scoring in the frame. Goaltender Josh Unice made 31 saves and was named player of the game for Western.
“I think we even elevated our game (from Thursday),” said Unice. “Guys were diving and we had, who I feel is the best player in the CIS (Aarssen) putting his bare hands in front of pucks just to block them.”
“It's a great attribute of our team. We have a lot of sacrifice in our locker room.”
New Brunswick scored twice on the power-play goal in the third period on goals by Jon Harty and Kyle Bailey, but couldn't complete the comeback. Travis Fullerton made 40 saves for UNB.
“It's tough right now and obviously we've done some incredible things over the past five years and one of those things is developing this expectancy (to win),” said fifth-year player and New Brunswick captain Bailey.
“I'm sure there's however many teams here that are dancing around happy that we lost right now, but in our dressing room it's an expectation, we're expected to win and win expect to win in our locker room. It didn't happen today and it's disappointing.”
Earlier on Saturday, Huskies captain Kyle Ross scored the winner during a power play with five minutes remaining in regulation.
The second-seeded Redmen could afford to lose to the Huskies by two goals or less and still qualify for the championship match. The OUA champions had doubled the Moncton Aigles Bleus 6-3 on Thursday, while Saskatchewan lost 5-1 to Moncton on Friday.
The three teams finished Pool B with identical 1-1 records but McGill advanced on a goal differential.
It's the Redmen's second straight appearance in the gold medal game. They dropped a 4-0 decision last year to UNB.
Kyle Bortis had a goal and two assists while Derek Hulak and Cory Smuk also scored for Saskatchewan.
Netminder Ryan Holfeld of Leroy, Sask., delivered a 40-save performance for the Huskies.
Captain Evan Vossen, Francis Verreault-Paul of Mashteuiatsh, Que., and defenceman Keven Dupont of St-Charles-de-Bellechasse, Que., had the goals for McGill.
Morin, a native of St-Georges-de-Beauce, Que., turned aside 26 of 30 pucks fired his way.
-----
A highly entertaining game! Can't wait for the final tomorrow!
The Decision: OHL or U.S. college?
Eric Cornel is on the fence when trying to decide between the OHL and U.S. college
Andrew Duffy, The Ottawa Citizen March 24, 2012
The last big decision in Eric Cornel’s life required him to choose a high school. His hometown, Kemptville, has two. Most of his friends were going to one of them.
“Yeah, I guess it really wasn’t that tough,” concedes Cornel, a Grade 10 student at St. Michael’s Catholic High School.
Yet the decision that now faces the 15-year-old is, undeniably, a whopper: It will determine the course of his education and his hockey career.
Both are currently flourishing.
Cornel, captain of the minor midget AAA Upper Canada Cyclones, is widely regarded as the best 15-year-old hockey player in the region. This season, in minor midget, he recorded almost two points per game. At the recent Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, he registered nine points in six games.
The playmaking centre is projected to be a Top 10 pick in next month’s Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. One scouting service, TheScout.ca, has him going sixth overall.
But Cornel is also an honour roll student — he carries an 88 average at St. Michael’s — and is being recruited by Boston College, one of the most successful programs in U.S. college hockey. He has also paid visits to other schools interested in his services: The University of New Hampshire and the Ivy League’s Harvard and Cornell.
Sometime in the next month, Cornel must decide whether to take the well-travelled Canadian road or a scenic American detour to his NHL destination. It is the kind of decision that every young hockey player dreams of facing. But that doesn’t make it any easier — especially for someone not yet old enough to drive.
“It’s tough,” Cornel says. “It doesn’t keep me up at night, but when I have spare time, in class or whatever, I find myself thinking about it … I know I’m fortunate: I have lots of options and both have their benefits. So that makes the decision even harder.”
Junior hockey has always offered the shortest route to the NHL, but U.S. college represents an increasingly attractive alternative. This year, 30 per cent of those who have played at least one game in the NHL have college experience.
So what should Cornel do?
If he goes to the OHL, he’ll be able to play next year against top-flight competition, the kind that can accelerate a player’s development. He’ll face a 68-game schedule that some believe best prepares a player for the rigours of the NHL.
What’s more, if he succeeds, Cornel is highly likely to be drafted into the pro ranks: About 20 per cent of NHL draft picks have come from the OHL in recent years. Eleven of last year’s 30 first-round picks came from the league; the year before, nine first-round picks came from the OHL, including the entire top three.
Cornel would have his school-related costs, along with his room and board, paid for by his OHL team. A scholarship program would also cover one year of post-secondary education for each year he’s in the league.
On the downside, Cornel will have little control over where he plays — and his university education could be put on hold for a time.
The U.S. college route obviously offers a more robust educational experience: Cornel would be living on campus and surrounded by other student-athletes.
An Ivy League education costs more than $50,000 a year. Cornel could have four years of that education largely paid for through scholarships or bursaries (the Ivy League does not offer athletic scholarships) and still emerge with a legitimate shot at a pro hockey career. Boston College has a dozen players in the NHL, including Montreal’s Brian Gionta and Pittsburgh’s Brooks Orpik, while Princeton, Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth each have several players in the league.
If he goes the college route, Cornel will control what team — and coach — he plays for in the U.S.
But the college route also presents some problems. Since Cornel still has two years before he graduates from high school, he’ll have to play in a lesser league until then: Either with the Kemptville 73’s of the Central Canada Hockey League or at a U.S. prep school (he loses U.S. college eligibility if he plays in the OHL).
What’s more, U.S. college teams are restricted to 34 regular-season games a year — half an OHL season — limiting the opportunity for development.
Many players with modest academic skills publicly muse about going the college route in order to deter certain OHL teams from selecting them; they’ll whisper the truth about their intentions only to select coaches in the cities where they want to play.
But Cornel, for one, is not bluffing. He understands that an Ivy League education offers a much more certain path to success than hockey. He has strong marks in math and science. Last year, in Grade 9, he earned an 89.6 average while playing a raft of varsity sports, including basketball, volleyball and soccer. He wants a career in sports medicine or physiotherapy if a life in hockey doesn’t materialize.
“School is something I take pride in — I have always worked hard,” says Eric, whose mother, Heidi, is a supply teacher. “My parents have always been pretty good at making us understand that homework just has to get done.”
The 6-1, 165-pound Cornel is built of hard, sharp angles; his wide-set brown eyes dominate his still-narrow face. Potential drips from him like an XL T-shirt.
So which way is he leaning? The OHL, with its lure of a fast ride to the NHL? Or U.S. college and its priceless education?
“I’m pretty much stuck right in the middle,” Cornel says.
He’ll rely on his parents to help him make a final decision. His father, Rob, an electrical engineer for Alcatel-Lucent in Kanata, says the decision would be simpler if they could see two or three years down the road.
“If we had a crystal ball, it would be easy.”
Rob expects hockey considerations will weigh evenly against academic ones.
“Eric is disciplined enough that he won’t let one slide because of the other no matter where he goes,” he says. “He has that drive about him.”
Hockey agent Andy Scott says there are hockey families that struggle with the same decision every year.
“The best thing we can do is put all of the options on the table,” says Scott, a University of Ottawa law school graduate who works with the Octagon sports management agency.
Unscrupulous agents, he says, will push young clients into the OHL because the player’s pro potential will be revealed within two years, limiting a firm’s investment.
Scott says Cornel needs to do what’s best for the long term.
“For Eric, it’s really, really tough because he’s going to be a Top 10 pick for sure if he decides to go OHL. For a kid like that, the upside is huge,” Scott says. “But at the same time, he’s an ‘A’ student. He has all of his options open. For him to come out of an Ivy League program or a Boston College, with a degree and no debt — and not to shut doors to a pro career — is huge.”
So how does he make up his mind?
“It will be whatever feels right,” says Cornel, who often sounds older than he is. “And it will be whatever I think is the best fit for my development, not only as a hockey player but as a person.”
Wickenheiser leads Calgary to CIS hockey crown
EDMONTON — The Canadian Press, Mar. 11, 2012
Add CIS champion to Hayley Wickenheiser's impressive list of accomplishments.
Wickenheiser scored two goals and added two assists as the University of Calgary Dinos won their first ever CIS women's hockey championship with a 5-1 victory over the Universite de Montreal Carabins on Sunday at the University of Alberta's Clare Drake Arena.
It's the latest in a long run of hockey accomplishments for the 33-year-old Wickenheiser, who has led Canada to three Olympic golds and a silver and six world championships.
“This one is surprisingly very special,” she said. “It's not been an easy road for this team. Playing in this league has brought a lot of challenges. A lot of people wrote us off. I'm really proud of how much these girls have improved in a year's time. It's remarkable.”
Dinos' head coach Danielle Goyette, Wickenheiser's former teammate on the national team, was soaking in every moment after the victory.
“It was their Olympics,” she said. “As a player when you win something you have some emotion. But as a coach you multiply that by 23. It's hard to describe. The players worked so hard for this.
“At one point they thought about cutting this program and now five years since I have been there, here we are. This is just going to make this program better.”
Jenna Smith, Elana Lovell and Iya Gavrilova also scored for the third-ranked Dinos, who were making just their second appearance in the national championship tournament, having finished fifth in 2001 when they were the host team.
Calgary goalie Amanda Tapp was named the tournament MVP.
“It's amazing,” said the Calgary native. “To win it so close to home and have our parents be able to be here. It was very special to be able to share this. I'm just so proud to be a part of this program.”
It was the 18th consecutive win this season for the Dinos.
Elizabeth Mantha scored the lone goal for the sixth-seeded Carabins, also making their first appearance in a national final after just three years in the CIS.
“Just getting to the final was a great accomplishment for us,” said Montreal head coach Isabelle Leclaire. “We played an amazing game, probably one of our best performances ever. We had a lot of scoring opportunities. I have every reason to be proud of this.”
While some may question having a player of Wickenheiser's stature playing at the college level, Leclaire doesn't have a problem with it.
“We've faced other teams that have players with the national program as well,” she said. “I think it is a good learning experience for our players. I think they just realized that they can compete against a team like that and against a player who is among the best in the world. If you can compete against her, you can compete against anybody, which is a positive.”
It was a tight defensive battle for much of the first period before Canadian Olympic team mainstay Wickenheiser took over.
With 3:14 left in the opening frame, Wickenheiser put on a show short handed, cutting through the defence before scoring on a backhand.
Just over a minute later Wickenheiser scored her second of the match. She sent a wrist shot over the shoulder of Montreal goalie Rachel Ouellette for a 2-0 Calgary lead heading into the second period.
Tapp kept it a two-goal game with a huge stop on a partial breakaway by Kim Deschenes and several more quality saves during a Montreal power play midway through the second.
The Dinos went up 3-0 with just over a minute remaining in the middle period as Smith tipped home a point blast from Casey Irving.
Calgary extended their lead to four goals just over a minute and a half into the third as Wickenheiser made a nice feed to set up an easy tap in at the side of the net for Gavrilova.
The Carabins finally got on the board six minutes into the third as Mantha scored on a power play point blast.
Calgary went up 5-1 just past the period's midway point as Lovell intercepted a shot in front of the net and undressed Ouellette with a deft move to the backhand.
Earlier in the day, McGill defeated Wilfred Laurier 4-0 in the bronze medal match while the U of A Pandas got past UPEI 1-0 in the fifth-place game.
Notes: The Carabins upset top-seeded Wilfred Laurier 6-5 and then fourth-ranked UPEI 4-1 to advance through to the gold-medal game... The Dinos won both of their games to punch their own ticket to the final, defeating McGill 1-0 and the University of Alberta by a 4-2 score... In addition to former Canadian Olympians Wickenheiser and Goyette, the U of C team also featured former Russian Olympian Iya Gavrilova... Wickenheiser has posted 72 points in 31 games in two seasons with the Dinos... The defending champion McGill University Martlets had appeared in five consecutive gold-medal games in the tournament prior to missing out this season and had won three of the last four CIS championships.
McGill stops Western for CIS men’s hockey crown
FREDERICTON— The Canadian Press, Mar. 25, 2012
Evan Vossen ended his CIS men's hockey career in spectacular fashion.
The McGill captain scored in overtime as the Redmen won their first CIS men's hockey title in program history, beating the Western Mustangs 4-3 Sunday.
Vossen broke into the Western zone to the right of goaltender Josh Unice 6:00 into overtime. He fanned on his shot, but the puck slid through Unice's pads.
“It's like a storybook ending,” Vossen said. “I mean overtime, my last game, a national championship. It doesn't get any better than that and I'm very grateful for that.”
Vossen said he was going to go high, but with Unice taking away the top half of the net he just wanted to put the puck on goal.
“He whiffed,” Unice said. “He made a wicked play over the blue-line and we know they like to go three guys hard to the net. We didn't want to give up the two-on-one on the backside.”
“I'm pretty sure he tried to go high with it and it tricked me and it went in.”
McGill lost in the 2011 final 4-0 to the UNB Varsity Reds.
“McGill is one of the oldest hockey teams,” said McGill forward Francis Verreault-Paul. “This is huge part of the history of the program in the future. I'm in my fourth year. In the first year we won no games, won one in my second, and lost in the final last year.
“We learned from mistakes and now we're champions.”
Alexandre Picard-Hooper assisted on the winner to break the all-time points record for the Redmen. He ended his career with 268 points in 175 games.
Verreault-Paul was named the tournament MVP. The trophy, named after former NHL supervisor of officials Major Danny McLeod, was presented by McLeod himself.
“I'm really proud of winning this, but you know I couldn't win this by myself,” Verreault-Paul said. “I had a lot of good bounces this tournament that I was able to capitalize on and I'm really honoured to be named the MVP.”
Benoit Levesque added a pair of goals for the Redmen, while Nicholas Biniek also scored. Hubert Morin stopped 19 of 22 shots.
Keaton Turkiewicz scored a pair of goals for the Mustangs, while Kevin Baker had the other Western goal. Unice made 38 saves.
“I just tried to do what I'm supposed to do and in the end there's a couple things I wish I could have done differently,” Unice said. “I owe it to the team. We battled hard and never gave up all the way to the last second. We did a lot of things this year that no one thought we could have.”
McGill will lose eight or nine players from this championship, making it more difficult to repeat next year.
“It's going to be another fresh start for the program next year,” Verreault-Paul said. “I won't be here, but after seeing this team win a national championship, the future is bright for the program.”
Unice was named the goaltender of the tournament all-star team.
UNB's Jonathan Harty and McGill's Marc-Andre Dorion were named as defencemen.
Turkiewicz, Verreault-Paul and Picard-Hooper were named all-star forwards.
-----
The neat back story: Mike Babcock (Detroit) is an alum of McGill; playing there in the mid 80's. He allowed McGill's head coach (Kelly Nobes) to come to the Red Wing training camp for 10 days and observe. Kelly got to sit in on all the discussions, etc. and said it was an incredibly wonderful PD experience. (No doubt - one lucky guy!) Mike didn't really know Kelly prior; it is a tribute to Mike's love for his old team and desire to give back to McGill that allowed this to happen. It would be great if more (former college) coaches in these positions did the same! (I have heard of some doing it; even former junior coaches moving to the NHL and allowing the 'new' junior coach from their 'old' team to have some interaction with them.) Hats off to Mike for the opportunity and to McGill for winning a great game!
Leo-Guy Morrissette is still a Titan of controversy in the QMJHL
Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo! Sports, Mar 31 2012
There’s never a dull moment in the QMJHL, in part because of the many outspoken and colourful characters the league seems to attract.
The latest controversy in the Quebec league surrounds comments made by Acadie-Bathurst Titan owner Leo-Guy Morrissette, in which the long-time lightning rod alleges his fellow QMJHL owners are using their riches to help entice high-profile players to join their teams.
Saint John Sea Dogs owner Scott McCain seems to be Morrissette’s biggest target, though Quebec Remparts owner Patrick Roy as well as the Moncton Wildcats, Rimouski Oceanic and Shawinigan Cataractes are also name-dropped in his accusations.
“They use money because they have money,” Morrissette told Peter McGuire, sports editor of the Telegraph-Journal. “They have more money than me for sure. Mr. McCain is a nice guy but his organization uses that money. They use too much money. They can have more (NHL) first-round picks on their teams, European and American players. Mr. Coyle is a very good player, eh… . You need a lot of money for that. Patrick Roy, Shawinigan, Mr. McCain … other teams can’t fight with this.”
“Mr. Coyle,” better known in Saint John as Charlie Coyle, was a big free agent acquisition for the Sea Dogs in December, when he decided to leave Boston University and sign with the defending Memorial Cup champions. Since joining the Sea Dogs, the Minnesota Wild prospect has been on a tear. In Saint John’s four-game sweep of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Coyle scored nine goals and added four assists. So the rich got richer, so to speak.
It seems like time has not tempered Morrissette’s ire since he was equally displeased when Coyle was signed, telling Le Nouvelliste reporter Steve Turcotte: “Une équipe qui achète les championnats, ça n’a pas d’affaire dans notre ligue!” or roughly translated: “A team that buys championships, has no business in our league!”
Allegations of players receiving “impermissible benefits” have been around forever – in all three branches of the Canadian Hockey League – but what makes this most interesting is that this is coming from a team owner and not some scuttlebutt heard around the rink or posted on a message board. The idea of owners turning on each other is no doubt causing headaches for QMJHL commissioner Giles Courteau and CHL president Dave Branch. As we’ve been told ad nauseam, the CHL is a beacon for all that is good, safe and decent in junior hockey. Under-the-table payments and shady dealings – that only happens in the NCAA, right?
Understandably, Sea Dogs owner Scott McCain was none too pleased to have Morrissette air the league’s alleged dirty laundry in the press. Although, in a league with Morrissette, Patrick Roy and Cataractes GM Martin Mondou, the public airing of grievances is almost a daily occurrence.
“It is somewhat disturbing that [Morrissette] would make these statements,” McCain wrote in an email to the Telegraph-Journal. “It’s not good for owners to be critical of each other in public. If Leo-Guy has a concern, he can call me directly and voice his opinions. Being critical towards my ownership of the Saint John Sea Dogs does nothing to promote harmony in our league and it is truly unfortunate.”
Sure, it would make for better business to keep these kinds of accusations private, but that wouldn’t be much fun, would it? One thing that has always made the QMJHL most interesting – from a media perspective, at least—is the fact that many of their owners, general managers and coaches aren’t afraid to speak their minds for fear of fines.
This year alone, Patrick Roy has paid the QMJHL $12,000 in fines because of his comments. Of course that’s a drop in the bucket, because as Morrissette has already noted, Patrick Roy is rich.
The odd thing about this, though, is the fact that the Morrissette family (Leo-Guy and his five brothers) were always accused of bending the rules when they were owners of teams in the QMJHL during the mid-1990s. Rumours of trading elite players amongst themselves for playoff runs, at a heavy discount, were always rampant back when Leo-Guy Morrissette was running the Titan franchise in Laval.
In 1998, the year Morrissette moved the team to Acadie-Bathurst, N.B., the Titan were involved in one of the biggest scandals in QMJHL history over a trade with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. The convoluted deal involved more than 10 players, prospects, draft picks, and cash—which contravened the league’s bylaws. Courteau spent six weeks investigating the transaction and found both teams guilty of collusion, fining each franchise $100,000 and taking away their first-round draft picks for the following two years (2000 and 2001). Morrissette denied any wrongdoing and threatened to take the league to court.
It’s hard to believe that more than a decade later, Morrissette is now the Robin Hood figure trying to fight against the rich teams on behalf of the QMJHL’s poor ones.
“It’s a bit funny to see that because he used to be one of the kings of the league,” said veteran QMJHL reporter Stephane Leroux of RDS. “Now he’s not the king anymore and that’s why he’s crying. But I can understand, because he’s playing in a small market and he can’t fight equally with all those other teams, that’s for sure.”
And while his brothers eventually left the QMJHL, Morrissette has stayed on in Acadie-Bathurst, one of the smallest markets in the league. No longer having the same kind of clout in the league might be taking its toll on the long-time owner.
“He’s like a supporting actor in a movie,” said Leroux, who has been covering the QMJHL for RDS since 1990. “He’s not the big star now, so he’s tired of not getting the chance to have the big Europeans like the Radulovs or the Grigorenkos. He doesn’t have the money needed to afford those big European players that are coming over to play here. He’s tired of that and he’s complaining about it.”
Like some of his newer QMJHL counterparts, Morrissette has never been one to shy away from controversy. Back in their heyday, the Morrissettes were nicknamed “The Daltons” by long-time Journal de Montreal scribe Marc Lachapelle, after the outlaw brothers in the Lucky Luke cartoons.
“He’s from the old school,” said Leroux of Morrissette. “That was the old junior stuff of the 1990s in the league, but it’s not like that anymore. Leo-Guy is coming from that time when he used to have control, and he doesn’t have that anymore.”
-----
There have always been rumours in regard to paying the top bantam picks / list players / NCAA players to come to the CHL. I remember hearing stories about Tri-Cities offering Terry Ryan $100,000 to 'burn' his potential scholarship offers to the NCAA (he was playing Tier 2 at the time) by signing in Tri. He did and was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, but never had a notable NHL career. I imagine things like this happen behind closed doors in both Major Junior and the NCAA...
Small schools take spotlight at Frozen Four
TAMPA—Steve Kornacki, Globe and Mail, Apr. 04, 2012
The Frozen Four has gone to the dogs this year.
It’s the underdogs from Ferris State and Union College playing in Thursday’s first semi-final game at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Then it’s the big dogs – Boston College and the University of Minnesota – going at it in the second game.
And, come Saturday night’s NCAA Division I championship game, there will be a top dog.
While Minnesota features no Canadians and Boston College has three from British Columbia (defencemen Mark Begert and Isaac MacLeod and forward Destry Straight), the two surprise teams are stocked with players from the country.
Ferris State has eight Canadians, including star goalie Taylor Nelson and leading scorer Jordie Johnston, both from Saskatchewan.
Union College has 13 players from five provinces. Six of Union’s top seven scorers are Canadians, led by forward Jeremy Welsh (27 goals, 16 assists) of Bayfield, Ont.
Rounding out the top point men for the Flying Dutchmen are Kelly Zajac (8 goals, 34 assists) of Winnipeg; Daniel Carr (19 goals, 20 assists) of Sherwood Park, Alta.; Josh Jooris (8 goals, 20 assists) of Burlington, Ont.; and East Paul, Man., brothers Kyle Bodie (6 goals, 24 assists), and Mat Bodie (8 goals, 21 assists).
“There has never been a game like this in the Frozen Four,” said Neil Koepke, who has covered 34 of the past 35 tournaments for the Ann Arbor News and Lansing State Journal in Michigan. “And it’s great for the game. It would never happen in football with two schools this small in a national semi-final. But it can happen in hockey if you find the right players for your system.
“Ferris has uncovered diamonds in the rough, many from Saskatchewan, to put together a team that has beaten Michigan State and Ohio State.”
Nelson, who has a 2.1 goals-against average and .923 save percentage, played for Humboldt and is from Regina.
Johnston, a forward from Rosetown, leads Ferris with 20 goals and 36 points.
They followed another Saskatchewan product, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz, to Big Rapids.
Johnston said an aggressive coaching staff, which includes associate head coach Drew Famulak of Saskatchewan, made him feel “welcome and wanted” on his visit. He liked the “homey” aspects of the town and closeness of the team, too.
“And I kind of also liked the underdog kind of feel of the school,” Johnston added.
Nelson said having Johnston, Mike Trebish and Justin Menke – all from his native province – at Ferris opened the doors.
Union relies almost completely on Canadians to score.
Welsh, an undrafted shooter, will have his pick of NHL teams after this weekend. He played for the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League.
“There’s people who like to score goals and the people who love to score goals,” said Flying Dutchmen coach Rick Bennett. “And I think he really loves to score goals by the way he shoots it. He puts everything he has into those shots, and he’s actually ... killing our stick budget.
“He’s been a force. He’s a huge reason why we’re here. I’m not going to say he’s the only reason. But he’s a big reason.”
Ferris and Union are vying for a chance to slay a giant.
“No matter what happens Thursday night,” said Gary Thorne, who will call the game on ESPNU with Barry Melrose, “we are going to have a David-Goliath matchup. That’s guaranteed. And in sports, that is always interesting. You are waiting for the unusual as a fan, and this game will be that.”
The Golden Gophers have been to 19 Frozen Fours and won it all five times.
The Eagles have played in 23 Frozen Fours with four NCAA championships.
This is the first time either Ferris State or Union College has advanced to the sport’s Holy Grail game. Hockey fans will be scratching their heads when reading about the matchup between a team from Big Rapids, Mich., and Schenectady, N.Y.
Ferris State’s Bob Daniels, on Wednesday chosen the winner of the Spencer Penrose Award as the top Division I coach, said retired dean of the school of business Dick Hansen put the situation into perspective for him.
“He had an interesting take on small school versus big school,” Daniels said. “He said, ‘Say you end up running into a Minnesota in the finals.’” Daniels said Hansen used a 40,000 enrolment figure as an example. Minnesota, with more than 52,000 students, is the nation’s fourth-largest school.
Hansen told him, “The nice thing is you’re only playing 20 of their student-athletes. You don’t have to play all 40,000.”
Daniels continued, “So, size of school I don’t think makes much of a difference.”
Ferris lists its enrolment at 14,560, while Union has just 2,200.
These schools are big only in their dreams.
-----
Should be some exciting hockey to watch this weekend...! I hope I can find it on the satellite. Alwys neat to cheer for the underdog; especially when Union is such a small school. If memory serves me, I believe they started their hockey team as a Div 2 or 3 program?
Bold move in world of college chess
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP), Apr 6, 2012
It was one of the most brazen moves in the chess world since the Najdorf Sicilian Defense, perhaps even the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.
Fresh off her second straight national championship, the legendary chess coach at Texas Tech is jumping to another school and taking all the top members of the team with her. No one has ever seen anything like it in intercollegiate competition, not even among powerhouse basketball and football teams that are worth many millions of dollars.
Similar deals are not uncommon in academia, where a star professor recruited by another school may bring along a cadre of researchers, lab assistants and post-docs. But in the competitive realm, the practice is virtually unheard of.
"There's no equivalent," said Mike Hoffpauir, a Virginia consultant who helped organize the recent President's Cup chess tournament, the game's version of the Final Four, which was won by Texas Tech. "If the coach from Kentucky gets hired by UCLA this summer, the whole team's not going to go with him."
Susan Polgar, a home-schooled prodigy from Budapest and the world's top female player by the time she was 15, is taking her champions to private Webster University in suburban St. Louis, a city that is already home to the World Chess Hall of Fame and the U.S. national championships.
It also has a swanky new chess club and scholastic center bankrolled by a billionaire, the kind of place where students can immerse themselves in chess arcana, learning moves like the King's Indian Defense and others with mysterious names steeped in the game's 1,500-year history.
Webster lured the team with the promise of a greater financial investment.
"The program grew rapidly, and Texas Tech wasn't ready to grow with the speed of the program," said the coach, who founded the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence, known as SPICE, in 2007. "St. Louis today is the center of chess in America. It just seemed like a perfect fit."
The Webster program will be based on campus, but its top players will clearly spend plenty of time at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis, a 6,000-square-foot shrine to the game where the resident rock star is Hikaru Nakamura, the top-ranked U.S. player and No. 6 in the world. He, too, is a recent transplant to St. Louis. The club was bankrolled by businessman Rex Sinquefield, a retired financial executive and avid chess player who is also active in Missouri politics.
The Knight Raiders of Lubbock won their second straight President's Cup in Herndon, Va., last weekend, defeating chess powerhouses New York University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Texas at Dallas.
There are no hard feelings in Lubbock, said Texas Tech spokesman Chris Cook. The school plans to continue its chess program despite the departure of Polgar and her all-star squad of seven chess grandmasters, the game's highest competitive ranking.
"What these kids have done in the short time they've been here is amazing," Cook said. "They've put us in some niches where we haven't been before. They've put us in some countries where we haven't been before."
The championship chess team has also helped elevate the Texas Tech brand, Cook said — though chess matches draw far less attention than Tech football under former coach Mike Leach or Red Raider basketball under the irascible Bobby Knight.
Polgar said she was recruited by a half-dozen top programs, though she declined to identify her unsuccessful suitors. In the end, she chose Webster, a former Catholic women's college in a leafy suburb that now has more than 100 campuses worldwide, including many near U.S. military bases, as well as residential programs in Vienna, Geneva and China.
Provost Julian Schuster, a native of the former Yugoslavia who calls himself "a very strong fan and casual player," helped broker the deal after learning of Polgar's interest through mutual friends. He envisions a broader academic focus revolving around chess, espousing a "dream of connecting chess as not only a game but as a didactic tool, to apply in a learning setting."
Neither Polgar nor Schuster would discuss the specifics of the financial commitment to attract the program.
The Texas Tech students transferring to Webster in the fall will receive scholarships. At Tech, the program had a $30,000 pot for the entire team, but Polgar noted that some top chess schools award individual students that amount.
The team members hail from around the world: Germany, Brazil, Iran, Hungary, Israel and Azerbaijan. In interviews, several said they had no qualms about the surprise relocation. Such is their faith in Polgar, who in 2005 set a Guinness World Record by playing 326 simultaneous games — and winning 309 of those matches, with 14 draws and just three losses. That feat also gave her another world record, with 1,131 consecutive games played.
"It was a very easy decision," said Georg Meier, a freshman from Trier, Germany. "When the program decided to move to St. Louis, I didn't have to think twice."
About 30 schools nationwide have competitive chess teams, from Yale and Princeton to Miami-Dade College and the University of West Indies. And while college chess remains a niche activity, Polgar's unprecedented move has given the game a brief moment in the spotlight.
Hoffpauir's consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton heavily recruits elite chess players for their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Some Wall Street firms do the same.
"These players that were here were the equivalent of Kansas and Kentucky, athletes at the top of their game," Hoffpauir said.
-----
This isn't hockey but I was blown away that chess is an NCAA 'sport' with scholarships. As the story says, when a 'normal' sport coach moves, it is unusual for most of his players to follow...
NCAA Frozen Four: Boston College, Ferris State prepare for David vs. Goliath final
Derek Berry, The Hockey News, 2012-04-06
Tampa, Fla – A look at some of the odds and ends of the NCAA Frozen Four college hockey championship, direct from the Sunshine State:
AND IT’S DOWN TO ONE GAME
Looking ahead to Saturday night’s championship here in warm and sunny Florida, the brackets couldn’t be more perfect. You have the David vs. Goliath matchup with the Ferris State Bulldogs from Big Rapids, Mich., and the heavyweight Boston College Eagles, who knocked out the difficult Minnesota Gophers.
Ferris State players say they believed in each other when many doubted them.
“I think kind of the way the season started, everyone told us we weren’t good enough,” said Kyle Bonis, who had two goals in the Bulldogs 3-1 semifinal win over Union College. “I think that what we have in that locker room, I don’t think there’s any 26 guys I’d rather go into a national championship with.”
Boston College head coach Jerry York, who has been at the helm for the Eagles since 1994 wondered about his team at the beginning of the season, but couldn’t be more confident now.
“Starting the year I wasn't quite sure where we were going to take this group of guys and they really have matured and become a real - they've become a real good team,” he said. “And I think that's a great tribute to the leadership and the captains of our team.”
KEYS TO SATURDAY NIGHT’S FINAL
You have Ferris State’s tight, swarming defense and their growing confidence going up against Boston College, which has far more NHL draft picks and loads of talent, along with their ability to get up and down the ice quickly.
But the Eagles have a strong defense, too, having given up only one goal the entire NCAA tournament and riding an 18-game winning streak.
An offensive struggle type of game would favor the Bulldogs and an all-out offensive fest would favor the Eagles. Either way, it should be interesting.
BONIS TURNS SOME HEADS
With two goals in the semifinal, Ferris State junior forward Kyle Bonis is sure to turn the heads of NHL scouts, particularly because he is an undrafted free agent. Bonis had a knack for scoring going back to his junior days with the Traverse City North Stars of the NAHL.
“It’s funny, no one recruited Kyle Bonis,” said Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels. “He’s always been a scorer. He scores. He’s had a history of scoring goals since he was 14, 15 years old.”
UNION’S WELSH HAS THE NHL TOOLS
NHL scouts also took notice of big-bodied Union College forward Jeremy Welsh, who had a fine NCAA tournament. At 6-foot-3 this undrafted free agent has a presence down the middle, possesses good hands and feet, wins a lot of faceoffs and isn’t afraid to mix it up. Ferris State held Welsh mostly in check in the semifinal, but other schools had problems with him.
So it was no surprise when Welsh signed a pro deal with the Carolina Hurricanes mere hours after the Dutchmen fell to Ferris State.
LOOK IN THE MIRROR
One of the fascinating elements of this Frozen Four is that each team in the semifinal resembled each other to some extent. Minnesota and Boston College each have a selection of skill players and both like to get up and down the ice.
Minnesota head coach Don Lucia downplayed any rivalry with Boston College, despite the fact both teams are very similar in style. He said it’s really more of a respect between two storied programs.
“Certainly look at what they’ve done in their history, very similar to Minnesota over the years,” said Lucia of Boston College. “Very elite players.”
Boston College head coach Jerry York agreed adding: “I think of all the teams in the country, when we look at them, we kind of look in the mirror. They like to play the game with high skill level. They play very tenacious defensive play. They wear the same uniform colors. But the tradition of both programs, there’s a lot of things that are similar with BC and Minnesota.”
Ferris State and Union College are very disciplined and rely on their goaltending and defense to a large extent (though Union’s power play ranked fourth in the nation).
Ferris State coach Bob Daniels and Union College coach Rick Bennett both had complimentary things to say to one another as well, prior to their semifinal matchup.
“I think we’re both very structured in our approach to the games,” said Daniels. “I think both teams play a really strong unit-of-five team game on the ice.”
Bennett, a one-time player for Providence College and the New York Rangers, said both teams have a workman-like approach to the game.
“That’s how we both (got here)” he said. “It’s two teams that pride themselves on working hard.”
FERRIS AND UNION A JV MATCHUP?
Players from both Ferris State and Union College bristled when asked about Twitter and blogosphere pundits calling their semifinal game a ‘JV matchup.’
Ferris State goaltender Taylor Nelson especially took exception to the analogy prior to the semifinal.
“I think that’s silly,” said Nelson. “First off, we’re in the Frozen Four last time I checked. And it’s a pretty big accomplishment for both teams. And you look at Union…that’s not a team to joke about. We’re here playing for the championship. The junior varsity thing, I just find that kind of funny.”
Welsh also found the Internet buzz about the game odd.
“I wouldn’t bat at an eye at it. Don’t read that stuff,” said Welsh. “Doesn’t really matter what other people think. We’re here at the national championship. We’re all in the same boat.”
OH LOOK IT’S YOU!
Players from Union and Minnesota in particular were giving their stars a lot of grief for the larger than life murals pasted on the front of the Tampa Times Forum.
Welsh said it was neat to see as the team bus came in.
“It’s not every day I see myself on the side of a building,” he said.
But Welsh’s Union teammate, forward Nolan Julseth-White, gave him the business for it.
“This morning I woke up, saw this beautiful sunrise, and then, wham, there’s Jeremy Welsh,” he said jokingly. “Living with him all summer and dealing with him all year, you think you could get away from him for just five minutes.”
The Minnesota Gophers players had some fun with the murals, too. Gophers forward Nate Schmidt said of teammate Taylor Matson’s pose: “It was kind of fun when we pulled up. Everyone obviously gave Taylor a little bit of grief. But he’s a well-deserving kid to be up there.”
BY THE NUMBERS
1 – number of times Ferris State and Union College have appeared in the NCAA Frozen Four each.
42 – number of times Minnesota and Boston College have appeared in the NCAA Frozen Four combined.
0 – number of NHL draft picks on Ferris State and Union College.
24 – number of NHL draft picks on the Minnesota and Boston College rosters combined.
0 – number of scholarship players on the Union College Dutchmen.
9 – years since a team from the ECAC appeared in the Frozen Four until Union did it this year. The last was Cornell in 2003.
10 – Appearance number for Boston College in the NCAA championship.
0 – number of previous appearances by Ferris State in the NCAA championship.
18 – current Boston College winning streak.
1 – goal allowed by Boston College so far in the NCAA hockey tournament.
Boston College claims NCAA hockey title
TAMPA, Fla. — The Associated Press, Apr. 07, 2012
Boston College is making winning NCAA hockey titles look easy.
Coach Jerry York and star goalie Parker Milner know how hard it really is.
“You can't buy one of these championships,” York said Saturday night after the Eagles beat Ferris State 4-1 for their fifth NCAA championship and third in five seasons.
“You have to earn them. And this team definitely earned it.”
Milner, the Frozen Four's Most Outstanding Player, made 27 of his 33 saves in the final two periods.
“It's hard to put it into words because everyone did their part and we came together as a team,” Milner said. “You don't do this without contributions from everyone and that's what we got.”
Steven Whitney scored twice to help Boston College (33-10-1) finish with a 19-game winning streak. The Eagles outscored their opponents 77-21 during that span.
“We knew Ferris State was going to be outstanding,” York said. “They might not have the name recognition, but we knew how good they were. We stayed patient through the first two periods. Parker was extremely strong in net. You can't be measured until you win that last trophy. Now this team can take its place among the other championship teams.”
Ferris State (26-12-5) was making its first Frozen Four appearance.
“You can't say enough about what Boston College has accomplished,” Ferris State coach Bob Daniels said. “I think that's a very special program. It's going to be hard to duplicate.”
Paul Carey broke a tie with a power-play goal midway through the first period, redirecting Brian Dumoulin's blast from left point to make it 2-1.
Johnny Gaudreau also scored for Boston College.
Garrett Thompson scored for Ferris State.
Whitney opened the scoring at 3:18 of the first period, stealing a pass and beating lunging goalie Taylor Nelson. Thompson tied it at 5:19, and Carey put the Eagles in front at 10:33.
Gaudreau weaved through the Ferris State defence to make it 3-1 with 3:02 left in the game. He carried over the blue line with two defenders between him and the net. The freshman star went around one defenceman, faked forehand on the other defender, then went to his backhand and flicked a shot from the edge of the right circle. It got past Nelson to the far post.
“That was a big-time goal by a big-time player,” York said.
Whitney added an empty-net goal with 1:03 to go.
Boston College also won national championships in 1949, 2001, 2008 and 2010. The Eagles are the first program to win three titles in five years since Denver accomplished the feat with wins in 1958, 1960 and 1961.
Daniels said he felt Ferris State represented itself well.
“I felt very comfortable coming out of the second period, but they just had too much,” Daniels said. “I have zero regrets about this. We did the best we could. I have zero regrets about how they played and how they performed.”
NCAA Frozen Four: Boston College takes down title for coach Jerry York.
With a 4-1 win over Ferris State, Boston College won its third title in five years.
Derek Berry, The Hockey News, 2012-04-08
TAMPA BAY - In the aftermath of the Boston College Eagles 4-1 NCAA tournament championship victory over the Ferris State Bulldogs, let’s look at just how successful this BC program really is. When you sit back and think about it, it’s truly astounding. And programs that are this good, don’t just grow on trees.
Boston College coach Jerry York said he learned from legendary long-time Wisconsin coach ‘Badger’ Bob Johnson to create a blueprint. York recalled the advice he got in analyzing how he did and how valuable it still is to him.
You can see the results not only with what he’s done with the BC program, which has won three national titles in the past five years, but also with the types of players he produces and the success they have at the next level.
Looking back at the Eagles, you could call them the team of the past decade and you could make a solid case for them being the premiere college hockey program right now. Consider the results over the past 15 seasons for BC in the NCAA tournament:
1998 – lost to Michigan in overtime thriller in Boston?
2000 – lost to North Dakota ?
2001 – beat North Dakota in overtime? for title
2006 – lost to Wisconsin in Milwaukee?
2007 – lost to Michigan State
2008 – beat Notre Dame? for title
2010 – beat Wisconsin? for title
2012 – beat Ferris State for title
York admitted the blueprint includes simply getting to the championship and playing well, even if you fall short. Although he noted, you do want to win a few, which the Eagles have done.
Through the years, the Boston College players have bought into what York has taught them. And this team has to play in Hockey East, one of the toughest conferences, if not the toughest in college hockey, on a regular basis. BC battles teams such as Boston University, their arch-rivals, Maine, New Hampshire and others.
Players who come to Boston College not only come to win, they come prepared to go to the next level. The Eagles program is a machine. And York has played a big part in that. He understands the professional game and NHL GMs love picking players from BC because they know they’re getting solid, quality talent and players with good heads on their shoulders.
After the Eagles basked in the glow of yet another championship, York brought the trophy out to the media interview room and placed it atop the table for all to see and for he and his team to admire. It is the trophy that you strive for, that you are expected to win at Boston College, by following York’s blueprint.
NOTES
AWARDS – The annual Hobey Baker Award, presented to college hockey’s most outstanding player, was presented to Jack Connolly, senior forward from Minnesota-Duluth. The Hockey Humanitarian Award was presented to Aleca Hughes, senior forward from Yale University’s women’s hockey team who started a foundation in honor of a teammate who passed away from leukemia.
TAMPA SETS RECORD – Two-day attendance at the Frozen Four, held at the Tampa Bay Times Forum broke a record for a first-time host city.
SEE YOU IN STEEL TOWN – Next year’s Frozen Four will take place in Pittsburgh at the Consol Energy Center, home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, April 11 and 13, 2013.
JONES: Best-of-nine made history
Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun, April 15 2012
EDMONTON - If Bill Hunter was still alive and running the Edmonton Oil Kings, the series against the Moose Jaw Warriors would probably be beginning this weekend.
It would be a best-of-nine Might even go 10.
That’s the way it was the last time — the only time — Edmonton played Moose Jaw in a Western Hockey League playoff series.
And it almost did go 10!
Moose Jaw won it three games to two — with four games tied.
And Game 9 was a tie!
One of the wonderful things about the current Oil Kings magical 19-game winning streak and being eight wins away from the Memorial Cup, with Games 1 and 2 against Moose Jaw here Friday and Sunday, are the memories it brings back from the days when the juniors were king.
This series isn’t a first seed against a sixth or eighth seed; it’s between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, both coming off sweeps.
The Oil Kings had a 107 point season and the Warriors put up 98.
The timing is right to remind Edmonton of what a real wild west junior playoff series can be like.
Even if it’s only a best-of-seven.
The last one, in 1967, was in the first year of the league, the year after the Oil Kings won their second Memorial Cup of the ’60s after playing in it seven consecutive years when it was a two-team East vs. West best-of-seven showdown.
The Oil Kings won the regular season title (as they did this year), but it was Moose Jaw, then called the Canucks, who won the series.
“It was unbelievable,” Billy Moores said of that Oil Kings squad. “We’d played the whole year in the Jasper Place Arena because they were renovating the Edmonton Gardens. The series started at JP and ended up in the Gardens.”
Teammate Ron Walters agrees, adding: “It was bizarre; it was Bill Hunter at his best.
“They changed the rules as we went along. It was a best-of-nine. And then it was going to go 10! I honestly think it was about gates.
“We beat them big in the first two games; it wasn’t even close. But back in Moose Jaw, it was a different story. I don’t know if our goalie, Smokey McLeod, had something to drink, but he couldn’t stop anything in one game. He let one in from the other blueline. That’s where they got their momentum.”
Both men agreed that the best guy to tell the story of that memorable series is Ken Brown.
He won it.
The kid who grew up a couple blocks from Jasper Place (now Bill Hunter) Arena, was brilliant in goal for Moose Jaw.
Brown, who went on to be Jacques Plante’s goaltending partner with the 1974-75 Edmonton Oilers when Brown was 25 and Plante was 46. (Yes, Virginia, the legendary Montreal Canadiens goaltender played his final year of pro as an Oiler in the WHA).
Brown worked for years as Rod Phillips color commentator on Oilers NHL broadcasts and is a former advertising manager of the Edmonton Sun.
Contacted Friday in San Antonio, Texas where he now enjoys watching his 10-year-old grandson grow up, the memories flooded back for Brown from the same spring the Toronto Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup.
“How much fun was that ’67 series? Oh my!
“The 66-67 season was the year we were an outlaw league from the CAHA, so Wild Bill wanted to stretch out the season because we couldn’t play for the Memorial Cup.
“As I recall, the Oil Kings were seeded first, and we were sixth. So the best-of-nine series would give the other four teams enough time to play their two series to determine the other finalist to face either Edmonton or Moose Jaw.
Stolen
“The series didn’t go to 10 games — if it had, we would have stolen home ice advantage, that’s why it was so cool to be able to win with a tie. It actually turned into a ‘whoever gets to 11 points first wins the series.’
“And going into Game 9 we were up 10-8 in points, so they need to win just to stay alive.
“We got killed in the first two games at Jasper Place Arena. I think we got shutout both times by Smokey McLeod. Something like 4-0 and 8-0. I remember him making one save by actually stepping on the puck. It was the damndest thing I’ve ever seen.
“We went back to Moose Jaw for games 3-4-5. I think we tied the first one, then won the next two to go back to Edmonton tied at five points each.
“God bless him — our people made sure that Ace Bailey had enough beer in his hotel room while staying in M.J.,” Brown recalled of the former Oiler who mentored Wayne Gretzky and died in the 9–11 terrorist attack on World Trade Centre.
“I think we had about a week off, then went back to Edmonton to open the Gardens after the renovations.
“That’s when Ross Perkins of the Oil Kings stick hit Ken Hodge in the eye. I chased Perky from my crease to their bench then dropped him with a two-hander. The referee, Jules Swick, said he never saw it. Babe MacAvoy was the linesman, and he says he never saw it either.
“Eventually we ended up in Edmonton for that final game. We needed a tie. The Oil Kings needed to win to go back to Moose Jaw for Game 10.
“I remember the headline in the paper that morning: ‘Oil Kings book 20 plane tickets to Moose Jaw.’ ”
These days neither team is allowed to fly, so even if Bob Green could convince the league to go to a best of nine with a chance to play a Game 10, there would be no headline like that to write.
“We flew flew to Edmonton for Game 9,” said Brown. “That day and that game were so exciting, because for most of our guys, it was their first plane ride.
“All we needed was a tie to win the series.
“At the start of the third period, I think we were down 4 -2. I remember Garry Gilbert coming up to me prior to the period, tapping me on the pads and saying, ‘Well Brownie boy, this is where they separate the bearshit from the buckwheat.’
“The game ended in a 4 - 4 tie. We won the best-of-nine series with a tie!
“One of our rookies, Jerry Miller, a Moose Jaw boy, got the third goal and I think Edmontonian Donnie Walker got the tying goal.
“But it was mayhem for the final 10 minutes — intense, scary ... but so exciting.
“Because they had to win to play a Game 10, Bill Gadsby pulled Smokey with a couple minutes to go and they were all over us.
“I think Barry Long stopped as many shots as I did in that flurry,” Brown said of the defenceman who would later become an Oiler (and later head coach of the Winnipeg Jets).
Shaking
“I remember looking back at goal judge Ted McPhail, and he was just shaking his head.
“When it was all over, it was bedlam for us. We’d worked so hard and had so many ups and downs. With so many of us from Edmonton and area, our families were on the ice hugging us and just celebrating. That’s still a vivid memory today.
“I remember carrying my sister Sheila, who was 10, around the ice and the two of us were crying our eyes out. We went back to our rooms at the Beverly Crest Hotel and had one of those great evenings when you just couldn’t sleep and the party just went room to room , with everyone hugging and crying.
“When we got back to the airport in Regina on the Saturday afternoon there was a motorcade to escort us the 40 miles back to Moose Jaw, where the city had set up a parade. That was such a thrill!
“I remember the lead in the story in the paper on that Saturday: ‘They cancelled 20 air plane tickets to Moose jaw today: the Oil Kings aren’t going anywhere.’ ”
Yes, this Edmonton-Moose Jaw series could be good.
But there is NO chance it’ll be anything like that one.
Scouts galore descending on Moose Jaw
Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun, April 21, 2012
EDMONTON - Eighty scouts. That’s a lot of scouts.
That’s a lot of seats high in the corners of the stands. That’s a lot of hotel rooms in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
There are only 30 teams in the National Hockey League.
Eighty scouts equals 2.67 scouts per team.
And they’re all headed to Moose Jaw to watch 2.0 players.
They’re all coming from the about-to-be-completed U-18 world championships in the Czech Republic to Moose Jaw for Game 3-4 of the WHL Eastern Conference Final.
Morgan Rielly of the Warriors and Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings are now two of the last few prized players eligible for the NHL Entry Draft still skating. And they’re in the same games for comparison including Game 2 Sunday.
In the case of Rielly, in Game 1 he played his first game after missing 63 due to injury after he tore up a knee Nov. 6 against Calgary.
“I think it’s safe to say this will be the largest gathering of scouts to ever come to Moose Jaw,” said Warriors head of hockey operations Alan Millar.
“Seventy or 80 for sure. Head scouts. Area scouts. General managers. Assistant general managers. Most of them are coming from teams picking in the top 10 or 12. Most of those teams are bringing contingents in.
“Obviously the big reason is because Morgan hasn’t played all year. But it’s also the head-to-head with Reinhart in a conference final playoff series. It’s intriguing viewing.
“We’ve already seen something like this happen this year. When Alex Galchenyuk came back from injury in mid-March, there were 64 scouts in Sarnia to watch him.
“It’s been one of those years. A lot of the top prospects got hurt and haven’t played many games. It’s now an important part of the year and there are only so many hockey games left to watch.”
The scouts, returning from watching Filip Forsberg, Mathew Dumba, etc. at the U-18, have had their last viewings of Nail Yakupov, Ryan Murray, Mikhail Grigorenko and Galchenyuk, the players ranked in the top four by Central Scouting. Rielly is rated No. 5. Reinhart was rated No. 10 but is said to be trending much higher than that with his play so far in the playoffs and the stock on players like Grigorenko, for one, said to have dropped dramatically with his play in the playoffs.
So what’s it like to be an 18-year-old kid to go to practice Saturday, after playing your first game back in Friday’s Game 1 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL Eastern Conference Final, to find out 80 scouts are going to be watching you back home in Moose Jaw?
“Pretty nerve-wracking, obviously,” said Rielly.
“It is kind of surprising to find out there are going to be that many scouts around. Right now I’m thinking that it’s good to have the opportunity to play a couple of games first,” said the Warrior’s puck-moving defenceman who averaged a point per game before his injury and returned to set up the only goal in the Moose Jaw loss.
“It was just a great feeling just to play in a game again. I’m just trying to keep it simple, play my game and try not to do everything.
“It’s been a pretty tough road to get back. I put a whole lot of work in giving myself a chance to get back to being part of the team in the playoffs. The toughest part was to watch the Prospects Game at home,” he said of the one game where 80 scouts is the norm.
For Reinhart, who grew up playing with Rielly on the West Coast, the news of having 80 scouts heading to Moose Jaw didn’t seem to have an effect on him — although if you watch him play, seldom does anything seem to have an effect on him. He’s an unflappable as 18-year-old defencemen come.
“I’ve been used to it all year,” he said.
The more the merrier, is his opinion.
“The further your team goes in the playoffs, the more I think it helps. I think it’s really helping me to play on a team like this. I think it’s been going really good for me in the playoffs so far. I’m not focusing on offence at all. I think I’ve been managing my own end really well,” said the six-foot-four, 202-pound player.
His dad Paul, the former Calgary Flames star who was the No. 12 draft pick in 1979, said times have changed.
“I was a first-round pick and I never knew there was a scout in the building. I never once talked to a scout. I didn’t even know I was drafted until I was at the Olympic camp and I was called off the ice to take a phone call from Cliff Fletcher,” he said watching practice Saturday.
“Now, if you are a GM or a head scout, you don’t want to make a mistake with a first-round pick or you’re going to pay for it.”
Ailing father inspires Oil King
Jason Hills ,Edmonton Sun, April 25, 2012
We've witnessed Laurent Brossoit make some incredible saves during these 2012 Western Hockey League playoffs -- battling and fighting to make that game-changing stop.
If you wonder where he gets it from, look no further than to his father John, who has spent the last five years battling multiple sclerosis.
In their own way, father and son are inspirations to one another.
When John has one of his "down" days, all he has to do is turn on his computer in Port Alberni, B.C., and watch Laurent and the Oil Kings in what has so far become a memorable playoff run.
For Laurent, just knowing what his dad has been through is inspiring in its own right.
"My dad has gone through a lot in his life, especially in the last few years. It's nice to see my dad fighting -- he fights so hard, and he teaches me so much," said Brossoit.
"It teaches you to not take anything for granted and appreciate what you have.
"I was young when he was diagnosed, but you start to learn how to deal with it, and try and remain positive and understand where he's at and just try to keep him positive."
When his father suffers through one of his bad days, Brossoit makes sure to give his dad a call or send him a text with a little encouragement. John does the same after every one of Laurent's games.
Last year, Laurent and some of his family members raised $8,000 for his father to undergo a chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency treatment.
The treatment is only available in the U.S. and it's been known to erase some of the symptoms of those suffering from M.S.
John's not cured, but since receiving the treatment in Seattle, it's helped ease many of his symptoms.
"Before I had the treatment, I would get vertigo ... it was pretty bad. I would get dizzy from any kind of activity. My brain was in a fog," said John.
"Physically, now I'm doing what I used to do. The only thing that I think hasn't got too much better is the cognitive side of things."
There are more good days than bad right now for John, as he's been able to watch the Oil Kings win 21 games in a row heading into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
He's one proud papa.
"Every game that I've been able to see him play (this year) has got me out of my doldrums. It really helps that the team is winning and the team is doing well," said John.
"We all gather at my brother's house on game nights. Even my mother, who isn't a big hockey fan, she's now hooked. We're so proud of him and the team."
Brossoit was given the reins to be the No. 1 guy in the Oil Kings crease this year, and he's entrenched himself as one of the best goaltenders in the WHL.
The 19-year-old, a fifth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2011 finished the regular season near the top of every statistical goaltending category. In the playoffs, he's been almost unbeatable with a sparkling 1.40 goals against average and 0.950 save percentage.
His 48-save performance in Game 2 of the Conference Final against the Moose Jaw Warriors were the most saves made by a winning goaltender in the Western Hockey League playoffs this year.
If he wasn't already on Hockey Canada's radar for the 2013 World Junior tournament, Brossoit is now.
His play in the playoffs has captivated Oil Kings fans, starting an 'LB' chant that could be heard all the way back to Port Alberni.
When Brossoit skates into his crease, he has the mentality that he owns it and it drives him to be the best.
"I knew I had to earn it," said Brossoit.
"But my whole focus is on the puck, I don't focus on where I am considered in people's eyes."
John has only been able to see four games in person this year. Not being able to work because of his illness has made it tough financially to see more games. But he may get an opportunity if the Oil Kings advance to the final.
"I have a good friend, who's son (Tyler Wotherspoon) plays for Portland," said John. "I've already been getting texts from him saying that if the Oil Kings play Portland, that he's bringing me with him."
How the Winterhawks ended up in Portland . . .
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, April 27 2012
This story, written by Dean (Scooter) Vrooman five or six years ago, appeared on this blog on March 30, 2008, and again on Nov. 4, 2008. Originally, it was to have been one chapter in a book about the Portland Winterhawks.
With the Winterhawks having advanced to the WHL final against the Edmonton Oil Kings, it’s worth another look. After all, the Winterhawks, who not that long ago were the Winter Hawks, started life as the Oil Kings.
Here then is Vrooman’s story of the Three Amigos and how the WHL ended up in Portland . . .
PORTLAND’S THREE AMIGOS
Written by DEAN (SCOOTER) VROOMAN
Edited by Gregg Drinnan
It was the summer of 1975 and Brian Shaw, Ken Hodge and Innes Mackie were unemployed. With nothing but time on their hands, they decided to go duck hunting in Stettler, Alta.
Shaw and Hodge had been fired by ‘Wild’ Bill Hunter, who owned the World Hockey Association’s Edmonton Oilers and the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Mackie had just returned from Kimberley, B.C., where he had turned down a job offer at a mine. The offer Mackie had received included a chance to play a little hockey on the side.
Shaw was in the process of putting together a group of investors to buy the Oil Kings from Hunter. Shaw would run the show.
Hodge would coach. Mackie would be the trainer. They didn’t know it at the time but they were embarking on a 20-year relationship — relationships of hockey, business and friendship.
The Three Amigos became inseparable until Shaw passed away in the summer of 1994.
On this day in Stettler, the three men, who would become the three original members of the Winter Hawks’ front office, were solidifying the mutual respect and trust needed. The ducks weren't flying that day, at least not in the Stettler area, so the three erstwhile hunters headed for a local bar to shoot a little pool. Everyone was having fun, too, until a cowboy in a black hat came over and started yipping at Hodge for monopolizing the pool table. After an unflattering comment from Hodge regarding the cowboy’s hat, feathers started to fly — and it had nothing to do with ducks.
"He started to take his jean jacket off and when it got about half way down each arm, I smoked him," Hodge remembers. "It's Saturday night and the place is full. There were five of us — and two of them bailed out. Brian, who was always quick with the wit, was not ready to handle this type of negotiation. So that left Innes and I — and, needless to say, we had our hands full. There were probably eight of them involved by now. The pool cues are getting broken, I'm getting thumped in the back of the head and Innes got jumped. Finally, we hear sirens and red lights. The three of us were never so happy to see the RCMP."
That incident was neither the first nor the last for friendships that would last more than 20 years.
When he was 16 years of age, Hodge earned a job as a defenceman with the Jasper Place Mohawks — a high-profile team in Edmonton. Coincidentally, the general manager and head coach was Shaw, who was working in the first of what would be many dual roles. It didn't take Shaw long to earn his reputation as a slick team manager.
"The team was the talk of the town," Hodge says. "People in Edmonton were very envious. Brian started out with just one bantam team and ended up with the first true feeder system in the Edmonton area when he expanded to midgets and junior. The Jasper Place Mohawks were first class all the way. They paid all their bills, wore flashy uniforms and won lots of hockey games."
Hodge was one of four players from Jasper Place chosen by Shaw to play the next season with the Moose Jaw Canucks of the newly formed Western Canada Hockey League. Shaw was the general manager and head coach and Hodge was a key defenceman.
Other than the Canucks, the WCHL featured the Oil Kings, Estevan Bruins, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades, Weyburn Red Wings and Calgary Buffaloes. Moose Jaw finished fourth in a 56-game regular season, 16 points behind the first-place Oil Kings, but went on to win league’s first championship trophy by beating the Oil Kings — the Canucks won that series 3-2 with four games tied — and then Regina, winning the best-of-seven final, 4-1.
It was the pivotal season of Hodge’s career. In a regular-season game against Regina, Hodge was struck in an eye by a high stick. In the playoffs, he again was hit in the same eye. After a series of operations during the summer, doctors told him that they would know by early 1968 if his eye would ever recover.
On Nov. 15, 1967, Hodge received a call from Gordon Fashaway inviting him to Portland to play for the Buckaroos of the professional Western Hockey League. Hodge was excited about the offer and pushed the doctors for an answer. Unfortunately, the answer he received wasn’t the one he had hoped to hear. Hodge's playing career was over.
The next season, Shaw moved on to the St. Catharines Black Hawks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. While Hodge was helping with training camp, he accepted an offer to coach the Sorel Eparviers of the Quebec Junior A Hockey League.
Hodge, at 21 likely the youngest head coach in the history of Canadian junior hockey, had quite a debut season. Sorel put up a 33-16-1 regular-season record and went all the way to the Eastern Canadian best-of-five final where it lost 3-1 to the Montreal Jr. Canadiens, who would go on to win the Memorial Cup. It’s worth noting that the Jr. Canadiens played in the OJHL, where they ousted Shaw’s Black Hawks from the best-of-seven championship final in five games.
Hodge’s impressive season in Sorel opened up an opportunity for him to coach in the International Hockey League, with a team in Flint, Mich. He would spend four seasons in Flint.
Meanwhile, Shaw returned to Edmonton where he coached the Oil Kings, winning the WCHL’s 1971-72 title in his first season. That put the Oil Kings into what was the first Memorial Cup to be decided in a tournament format — this one also featured the Peterborough Petes and Cornwall Royals, but no host team — in Ottawa. The Oil Kings were eliminated with a 5-0 loss to Cornwall during which Edmonton defenceman Keith Mackie, Innes’s brother, was struck in an eye by a deflected puck and suffered a torn iris. For the record, Cornwall edged Peterborough 2-1 in the final.
The next season, Hunter, the Oilers’ general manager who was most impressed with Shaw's championship season with the Oil Kings, offered him the head-coaching job with the WHA team. When Shaw accepted, Hunter hired Hodge to coach the Oil Kings.
"I jumped at the opportunity because the Oil Kings were a very prestigious team," Hodge remembers. "I wanted to get on with my career in hockey and I saw too many people stagnating in Flint."
As it turned out, Hodge made the wrong move at the wrong time. He got caught in a rebuilding program with the Oil Kings. Much of the talent from the previous season graduated and Hunter gave Hodge a little over a year to win. He didn't, so Hunter fired him.
Meanwhile, Shaw's Oilers got off to an amazing start — winning 18 straight games. Unfortunately for Shaw, the team was playing over its head and it didn't take long for reality to set in. Hunter enjoyed the winning streak and wanted it to continue. When the wins stopped coming, Hunter, never know for his patience or for a willingness to avoid headlines, fired Shaw.
Two months later brought Shaw, Hodge and Mackie to a pool room in Stettler.
Eventually, Shaw's group bought the Oil Kings from Hunter and 16 games into the 1975-76 WCHL season the three amigos became the WCHL club’s new management team. Shaw was the general manager, Hodge the head coach and Mackie the trainer.
However, things weren’t all coming up roses. Shaw's one year at the helm of the Oil Kings was less than successful. Edmonton hockey fans weren’t in any hurry to go to the old Memorial Gardens to watch the Oil Kings when they could watch the WHA’s Oilers in the brand new Northlands Coliseum.
"Brian and I felt we knew more about the game than anyone else," Hodge says. "We thought we would be able to turn the Edmonton Oil Kings into the premier franchise in the Western Hockey League and a very profitable venture. We found out very quickly that we weren't as smart as we thought we were. We thought we could compete with a major league team on a minor league budget, but we lost more money than any of us could afford to lose.”
Mackie had played on Shaw’s and Hodge's Oil Kings and, contrary to what you might have guessed, the relationship didn't begin on the best of terms. When Mackie was an 18-year-old defenceman playing for Shaw in Edmonton, he had been asked to go to Crosstown Motors, an Oil Kings sponsor, and pick up a new car for Shaw.
"Innes and Brian probably came to an understanding after Innes smacked up two of Brian's brand new cars," Hodge says with a laugh. "One of the accidents was just one of those things, but the other was pretty funny. Innes went to Crosstown Motors, picked up Brian's big Dodge, and only had to cross one busy two-way street. Smack! He couldn't have been more than 40 feet out of the parking lot when he's done and it's tow truck city."
As a player, Mackie quit the Oil Kings early in the 1973-74 season after being taken out of a game by Hodge.
"It's all water under the bridge now," Mackie says. "When I was 18, I played for Brian as a fifth or sixth defenceman. At that time they only used four defencemen and sometimes three. I wasn't getting very much ice time and I wasn't going to go through the same thing when I was 19. So, Hodgie sat me out one game and that was it. Goodbye.“
"Innes and I didn't see eye to eye as coach and player," Hodge agrees. "But I always enjoyed Innes as a person. His brother Keith and I were golfing buddies and Innes was the little brother who always tagged along."
Even through their trials and tribulations, Hodge had enough respect for Mackie to make him the Oil Kings trainer.
Since then, Mackie has always been more than just a trainer. He looks for statistics, quotes and any other information he can find out about every player in the league. One of his attributes is a near photographic memory, and Hodge and Shaw came to depend on that over the years. If there is ever a question about a player, Mackie is the first person asked.
"Innes sometimes confirmed my feelings about hockey players," Hodge says. "He has always been a very knowledgeable hockey person. Innes helped Brian and I on some of our decisions on who we would keep and who we would release or trade. He also had input on people from other teams that might help our franchise if we traded for them. The early years of the Winter Hawks was basically built through trades. Most of our trades were very positive for us and Innes had a role in many of them.”
Mackie also scours the rule book on the long bus rides. He knows the rules inside and out — and has a knack for memorizing them, no matter how obscure.
Mackie earned the nickname ‘Eagle Eye’ for his ability to spot illegal curves in the blades of opponents' hockey sticks. Players with illegal sticks were sent to the penalty box with minor penalties and several Portland victories were been earned as the result of subsequent power plays. In 18 seasons, he was wrong about one stick — and he still claims that the referee didn’t measure that one properly.
"When the game is on, I watch things differently," Mackie, who now is with the Tri-City Americans, points out. "I watch what's happening behind the play, on the other team's bench, and away from the puck. If I see something the coaches don't, I can help out once in awhile. Sometimes, I can relay information to the coaches if an opposing player misses a shift, or a guy is hurt."
All three of the amigos were involved in the move from Edmonton to Portland.
Originally, Shaw went to Vancouver to meet with Nat Bailey, who owned the Mounties of baseball’s Pacific Coast League. Bailey wanted to get involved in hockey and was going to underwrite all the costs of moving the Oil Kings to Vancouver. Bailey also was prepared to give Shaw plenty of working capital to get started. This dream move never happened, however, because the New Westminster Bruins, a nearby WCHL franchise, blocked the move.
At the time, Hodge wanted to move to Spokane. Shaw, though, wanted to check out Portland and arranged a meeting with Dick Reynolds, the general manager of Memorial Coliseum.
"I didn't have any idea where Portland was," Mackie says. "I had to get a map. All I knew was that the Edmonton Oil Kings were in the Western Canadian Hockey League — and Portland wasn't in Canada."
Shaw’s meeting with Reynolds and the Coliseum staff was very positive and soon the Oil Kings were to become the Portland Winter Hawks.
"It was one of the best decisions that Brian made," Hodge recalls. "At that time, we both had an equal vote. So, it was one vote for Spokane and one vote for Portland. Brian decided his vote was bigger than mine and he won."
The first three seasons were very difficult in Portland.
In spite of good, competitive teams, large crowds in 10,400-seat Memorial Coliseum were a rarity. The team was losing money and several of the original investors from Edmonton pulled out when the going got tough. But Shaw, Hodge and Mackie never doubted the potential of the Portland hockey market. The three amigos hung in there and waited for Portland fans to discover the excitement of junior hockey.
"We raised our level of communication — and we communicated without a lot of words," Hodge says. "We had a very good understanding of one another — and we went through some very difficult times in our early years in Portland. There were times when we didn't know if we had enough money to bring the bus home. We had a good, solid relationship. Relationships are built on trust — and we trusted one another."
That trust was only broken one time and that was in the early days of the Winter Hawks. On an off-night in Lethbridge during the 1977-78 season, Mackie went out to do the team laundry and ended up having a couple of beers with several players.
"At the time, I was about the same age as the players — and I had known them as friends and even played hockey with some of them,” Mackie recalls. “I should have been smart enough to know there is a fine line between being a staff member and getting too close to the players."
"I had to fire him," Hodge says. "I really didn't have any options there. I was told to do it because somebody else (Shaw) didn't want to. I can't remember if he was fired for two hours, four hours or a half-a-day, but during this other person's cooling-off period, I convinced him to rehire Innes. Eventually, that other person did the rehiring."
They stuck together in other times of strife, too. From 1987 to 1991, the Hawks had terrible teams — missing the playoffs three of four seasons. This did not set well with Portland fans who had become accustomed to the winning tradition established by the Buckaroos and the early seasons of the Winter Hawks. Hodge became an easy target for the fans. It even came to the point where petitions were being circulated among the Coliseum crowd to have him terminated as coach. Publicly, though, Shaw took most of the criticism for the Hawks' poor on-ice record and deflected as much blame as he could away from Hodge.
"I appreciated what Brian did, but I didn't really feel it was necessary," Hodge says. "My record spoke for itself through the good seasons and Brian knew a coaching change might have injected some short term life into the team, but it would not solve the problem long term.
"We didn't have a very good product on the ice. We had some very good people that were not necessarily very good athletes. Some of the problems with the product were Brian's fault and some were my fault. Brian did take a lot of the heat."
Shaw's passing in 1994 was clearly an emotional time for Hodge and Mackie. The three amigos had been through it all together. The highs and lows. The good times and the bad. They always stuck together even though many times they agreed to disagree.
"It's very obvious to anyone who has worked in this office or is in any way connected with the Portland Winter Hawks that Brian's sense of loyalty was tremendous," Hodge notes. "His sense of loyalty was unwavering and nothing got in the way. Not dollars. Not wins. Nothing gets in front of loyalty."
This is a sense of loyalty that has been ingrained from standing up for one another in a Stettler pool room to building a hockey franchise. Very few have achieved what these amigos have.
WHL Draft Storylines
WCHBlog, May 3, 2012
Here's a look at some of the storylines from today's WHL Bantam Draft.
-The most direct impact on college hockey came early when Prince George moved up a couple spots in the first round by putting together a package that sent Michigan Tech recruit Jujhar Khaira's rights to Everett. Prince George seemed to have no chance at signing Khaira, and with Everett getting him in a trade, they have to think their odds are less-than-zero. Khaira was ranked 74th among NA skaters by NHL Central Scouting for this year's draft, and was invited to the NHL Draft Combine today, so he'd be a pretty big recruit for Michigan Tech. Khaira has a reputation as being pretty academic-minded, but there's always a chance he could be swayed after he is drafted by an NHL team.
-The second overall pick in the draft was forward Jansen Harkins of the North Shore Winter Club. Harkins is the son of Todd Harkins, who played three years of college hockey at Miami, before going on to a long pro career that included a couple stops in the NHL. Also, thanks to a retweet from Bob McKenzie, I had half of Canada inform me that Harkins also was on a reality show in Canada.
There's never a great amount of confidence for the NCAA any time a player is selected that high in a CHL draft, but on the positive side, he was picked by Prince George, which has a tough time drawing players due to location, and his dad has experience working in the BCHL, potentially giving him some place to play pre-college. And with the WHL drafting earlier than the other CHL leagues, a high draft pick doesn't mean as much. Luke Moffatt and Dan Bertram were both second overall draft picks and ended up playing college hockey. Jonathan Toews went first overall in his draft year. Perhaps there's a chance for the NCAA there.
Harkins also theoretically would have the option of playing for the NTDP, similar to the top prospect in the QMJHL draft this year, Daniel Audette. Although with the IIHF's goofy ruling on Stefan Matteau's eligibility, it seems Harkins would have to play in the US next year--I'm not sure if just playing in the Youth Olympic Games would count--in order to be eligible for the U18 world championships as a 17-year-old.
-The first player playing in the US to go in the draft was Los Angeles Selects defenseman Keoni Texeira, who was selected 26th overall by Everett. That's fairly high for an American, but lower than a player of his talent would usually go, depending on if you're glass half-empty or glass half-full.
-The younger brother of Seth Jones, Caleb, was taken at the end of the 3rd round by Portland. Caleb is reportedly a pretty good player in his own right, but probably more importantly, it gives Portland another bargaining chip in trying to woo Seth to play for the Winterhawks next year.
-The first Minnesotan to be selected was Osseo/Maple Grove forward Jesse Gabrielle. Benilde-Margaret's forward Chase Jungels was selected 133rd by Vancouver. He was overshadowed a bit as a very young kid on a very good Benilde team, but he definitely showed some talent, especially later in the year. Other Minnesotans to be drafted: Stillwater's Luke Osterman, Shattuck's Jordan Klehr and Rem Pitlick, and UMD recruit Blake Heinrich. Heinrich went in the 12th round to Portland, and seems like a complete shot in the dark.
-Kelowna traded away once-top prospect Shane McColgan for draft picks, so next time Bruce Hamilton runs his mouth about his team could get a player to the NHL faster than an NCAA school, know that by 'NHL' he really means 'Saskatoon'.
NCAA set to scrap full shields
QMI Agency, May 4 2012
It might seem like a backward move, but the NCAA is poised to scrap full face shields in favour of three-quarter visors.
The NCAA hockey rules committee will recommend the change at a meeting in Indianapolis next month, according to College Hockey News.
The committee admits the move will result in more facial cuts and lost teeth but it thinks the game will be safer in other ways.
There is a belief that full shields impair peripheral and up-and-down vision, creating unsafe conditions, the publication reported. It is not uncommon for a player to lose sight of the puck at his feet and have to look down to locate it, leaving him open to a headshot.
Hawks and Oil Kings together on a plane? I'd buy a ticket to that
John Canzano, The Oregonian, May 06, 2012
An otherwise lovely Sunday evening ended with a thud in the opponent's end of the ice for Ty Rattie. He was face down. Two Edmonton Oil Kings were jabbing their sticks into the back of his neck, mushing his NHL-drafted grill into the ice, while he waited for the horn to sound ending the game.
It was Portland 4, Edmonton 3. The Winterhawks lead the best-of-seven WHL finals 2-1. And while I know there's Tuesday's Game 4 ahead, it's the chartered plane ride after that game that I'm already thinking about.
Turns out the WHL finals are a big deal. The pucks are brand new. The officials are said to be the best in the league. The Zamboni gets a tune-up. And also, it's the only road trip of the season that the teams utilize an airplane instead of a bus. Except, these are still tight economic times and the teams have agreed to share a single plane.
Sunday featured a pair of fights, two ejections, blood on the ice, and an Edmonton goal late that was being celebrated when Winterhawks captain William Wrenn was jabbed with a stick. Wrenn took exception. We know this because he immediately charged at the huddled, joyful Oil Kings and pile drove their little party into the boards.
The officials missed the whole thing. It so bothered Edmonton coach Derek Laxdal that he refused comment in the postgame news conference about the issue, but then stormed back toward the visiting locker room where he cornered the team video guy and asked him to pull up the exchange on his laptop.
The team huddled around just outside the locker room. The video guy fidgeted. Finally, on the computer screen, there it was -- the goal, the Edmonton celebration, Wrenn turning whipping around toward it all, and then -- nothing.
The Oil Kings camera man cut away.
"Are you (bleeping) kidding me?!?" Laxdal muttered. "Oh my (bleeping) God! What a (bleeping) joke!"
So yeah. These two teams are going to share an airplane on Tuesday night after Game4. The series is either going to be 3-1, Portland or tied, 2-2. And I'm thinking the poor pilots end up innocent bystanders if this series continues to heat up the way it currently is.
The post-game ritual here turned into a brain teaser. You remember that puzzle where a man has to figure out how to get a fox, a chicken and a sack of corn across a river? Well, the WHL people were faced with just that after the game, ushering Edmonton's players into the news conference while directing Portland's players around the back hallway, trying to limit the contact, presumably so nobody gets eaten.
Nobody did, far as we know.
The league has already informed Portland and Edmonton that there will be protocol for the shared plane ride, too. Edmonton will board first and take the back of the plane. Then, the league officials and media will board second and take the middle-plane seats. Then, Portland will board last and sit in the front section of the plane.
Fox. Chicken. Corn. All on one plane.
They took the same ride from Edmonton to Portland after the first two games of the series. Winterhawks media relations director Graham Kendrick reported after that uncomfortable flight: "Not a lot of socializing."
This was before the two teams starting trying to beat each other's brains in.
Heaven help that rig as it flies through the skies toward Edmonton. Let's hope, too, there are bathrooms in both cabins. Also, that the flight attendants have military training. Because Portland's Brad Ross and Edmonton's Joe Peddle, who fought and were ejected for game misconduct on Sunday, will be aboard. As will be Winterhawks defenseman Joe Morrow, who threw his gloves down as the Ross-Peddle fight broke out, shed a helpless official and whipped Edmonton's Keegan Lowe as if they were fighting in the Rose Garden Arena's back alley.
Explained Portland coach Mike Johnston: "The way Lowe came after Joe in Edmonton, I was happy how (Joe) stood up."
Explained Morrow: "I've got a short temper."
Not the ugliest hockey game in history. Not the most bitter rivalry, either. But man, get yourself a ticket for Game 4, and also, can someone with the E! Network get a production crew on that plane? I'd watch that show while waiting for Mayweather-Pacquiao.
Sunday was again the best-kept secret in the city. Despite another playoff sellout, the Winterhawks' front office refuses to open the 300-level and sell more tickets. And why should they? It would ruin the exclusivity and intimacy. On Sunday, there were 10,947 ticket holders who felt like they were in a monogamous relationship with the Winterhawks.
Wish there were seats on that airplane for them all.
The Merchant of Portland…
Slightly Chilled - Where we let the puck and the beat drop, May 10, 2012
The father of National Team Development Program defenseman Seth Jones said Wednesday it was a “no-brainer” for his son to go to the WHL.
Former NBA forward Popeye Jones said there were a lot of items which helped his son decide if he wanted to spend next season with the Portland Winterhawks. Jones, 17, chose to play for the Winterhawks on Monday ending a tug-of-war for his services between the WHL’s premier franchise and the University of North Dakota.
“He put a lot of thought into it,” Popeye Jones said. “He did not want to choose a college early like a lot of kids do. We told him if you are not sure, to keep your options open. If a college is planning on you coming there, back it up. As parents, we felt it wouldn’t be a good thing to do and he didn’t think so either.”
Jones choosing Portland over North Dakota brought an end to one of the more publicized recruiting battles in recent hockey history. The 6-3, 205-pounder is projected to be the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in next season’s NHL Draft.
Popeye Jones said what made Portland stand out was the reputation of coach Mike Johnston, who has turned the team into one of Major Junior’s elite over the last few seasons.
Another thing, Popeye Jones said, that helped was the fact his son could continue his education while playing in the WHL.
“There is a great academic program there,” he said. “It was really important to us because he’s not playing in college. We want him to get a degree and get into a strong academic program. He’s a smart kid and skipped a year of high school and that in itself lets everyone know that as a family, we put education ahead of sports.”
Popeye Jones added his son wanted to stay in the United States and it is another reason why Portland made sense.
Jones’ rights were owned by the Everett Silvertips (Wash.) and were later traded to Portland further solidifying the chances he’d be staying in America.
Staying in the United States, playing for one of Major Junior’s elite franchises, having a 72-game regular season schedule coupled with producing four first-round draft picks since 2010 is what helped put Portland over North Dakota, Popeye Jones said.
“I think will all the success Portland has had,” Popeye Jones said. “And the guys they’ve developed, it was a no-brainer for him to go there.”
Popeye Jones did add that his son did enjoy his visits to North Dakota.
Though there is one question that remains for the Jones’ family. Will it be enough to convince Caleb Jones to follow his brother?
Caleb Jones was taken in the third round by Portland in last week’s WHL Bantam Draft.
Like his brother, he is a defenseman and is currently playing midget hockey in the Dallas Stars’ youth program. Popeye Jones said Caleb was a different player than his older brother describing him as “bigger and more physical.”
“He’s still trying to decide,” Popeye Jones said about Caleb’s future. “He’s a very mature kid also as is Seth and that is what he’s thinking about right now. One thing that he’d love to do, is playing in Ann Arbor. That is his goal right now.”
Should Caleb Jones follow his brother to the NTDP, which fosters what is considered to be the nation’s best talent, it appears it may not be a problem for Popeye Jones.
Popeye Jones said he was impressed and grateful for everything the NTDP did for his son’s development on the ice and way from it during his two-year stay.
He said the NTDP was everything Jones wanted it to be and more given the demands the program has on its players from an academic viewpoint as well as the mindset it takes with development.
“For me and Seth may say something different, but any kid that has the chance to go to Ann Arbor and go to the NTDP, it’s a great program,” Popeye Jones said. “It is everything as a player that Seth wanted and everything as parents we wanted. The education aspect, even the grind of it. I don’t mind the grind of it and for a young kid, that is important. Seth’s billet mother was wonderful and he also lived with Quentin Shore (Denver) and they’ve been good friends for a long time. All of that has been great for him. The gains he has made while he was there were great. He was around 170 pounds and is leaving at 205 and the strength training and hockey training of Coach (Danton) Cole, they ride kids pretty hard there and they are very disciplined there as well.”
From patsy to powerhouse: Winterhawks coach/GM keeps building on success
Kerry Eggers, The Portland Tribune, May 10, 2012
Portland Winterhawks coach-GM Mike Johnston says the best thing he and assistant Travis Green did when they joined the club was to take the time and effort to create an environment for success.
There are a lot of reasons for the Winterhawks' resurgence since hitting rock bottom as the Western Hockey League laughingstock in 2007-08.
None bigger, mind you, than the man who serves as general manager and head coach.
Mike Johnston brought a lot of things to the franchise when he arrived in Portland in November 2008, including instant cred.
Johnston had served nine years as associate coach for the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. That after six years with Team Canada, serving as head coach the final season.
The even-tempered, level-headed Johnston has been the most instrumental part of a remarkably dramatic swing by a franchise in four years -- from worst to first if the Hawks are able to eliminate Edmonton and claim their first WHL championship since 1998.
It took a perfect storm to bring Johnston to Portland, a city he had never visited before taking over a woebegone team early in the 2008-09 season.
Johnston had been let go with Marc Crawford's Kings staff in June 2008. Interviewed by Kings ownership for the head coaching job, he learned in late July he would not be hired for the job.
The next day, he got a call from former NHL head coach Dave King, who was compiling a list of coaching candidates for the prospective new owner of the Winterhawks -- a Calgary oil magnate named Bill Gallacher.
In November, Gallacher got the franchise, and Johnston became his general manager and coach. Johnston had been interviewed for three NHL head coaching jobs, but didn't get them. He had offers to be associate or assistant coach with several NHL teams.
"But I wanted to be a head coach again," he says.
And he liked the idea of a dual role as GM and coach.
"I'd been in situations where other people control your destiny," he says. "I wanted to control my own destiny in every way. I wanted to control the draft, the players, the player signings, my staff. I was going to sink or swim on my own. There would be no excuses."
There never have been for Johnston since his days growing up in Nova Scotia, through his playing career as a forward at Acadia (Nova Scotia) and Brandon (Manitoba) universities and professionally in Australia, and through a long coaching career that began at age 23 at the University of Alberta.
After five years as head coach of one of Canada's top programs at the University of New Brunswick, he began his half-dozen years with the Canadian national team, serving as GM and associate coach of the '97 team that won gold at the world championships.
Nine years into his NHL tenure with Vancouver and L.A., he made the career move that turned the Hawks from patsy to powerhouse in the WHL.
Gallacher had one request -- that Johnston hire Travis Green, recently retired after a distinguished NHL playing career -- as an assistant coach. Johnston and Green had worked together for three years with Team Canada, including the '97 world championship club.
"It was a fabulous fit," Johnston says.
Johnston and Green set about overhauling the entire program.
"The best thing we did was sit back, evaluate and take care of the environment," Johnston says. "I'm a big believer in creating the right environment for success. Those are the things that make your program work."
There was increased focus on the billets -- the people who take the players into their homes as pseudo-parents. And on the players' schooling set-up. And on designing an off-ice and summer training program. And on partnering with some of the best medical people in Portland.
"We wanted to make sure we did everything so people felt comfortable with us," Johnston says. "That if you were a parent sending a player to us, you'd be really happy. We didn't have the players at that time, but when we went out recruiting the next May after having the team for six months, people were saying, 'We're hearing things are getting better.'
"Billets, education, medical -- that's what Mom wants. Dad's thing is the hockey environment -- 'Does my son have a chance to be a pro?' That took some selling. We had only 19 wins my first year. It slowly moved along, and we progressed from there."
Johnston has made shrewd trades and player acquisitions, but mostly he has developed through the draft.
"As easy as it is to get frustrated with a kid at 16, 17, 18 years old, usually when you make a trade, you're getting somebody else's problems," Johnston says. "It's best to deal with the issues you know and work with the guys you have. If they have some downfalls, you address it and push them to be better."
One of his mentors -- legendary Canadian college coach Clare Drake -- had offered advice that became a key component of Johnston's philosophy.
"Clare told me if you want to have a good program, the older players must set an example," he says. "The way they act, the way they dress, the way they practice, the way they train, the way they take care of teammates off the ice.
"You bring in good players, you're hard on your captains and top players, and when they're 18, 19, 20, they'll set the example for the younger group."
Johnston has become a hallowed figure among both his coaches and players.
"Right away, I knew he'd be a great guy to coach and learn under," Green says. "First and foremost, he is a good person. He is honest, which goes a long way. You look for a coach who isn't going to tell you one thing and do another. Players respect that.
"He has taught me a lot about patience. As a player, the fire is burning and you tend to react on things very quickly. As a coach, you have to take a step back sometimes and not overreact to situations.
"He speaks very well in front of a group -- probably better than anyone I've been involved with at any level in delivering a message to a team. He is very articulate and can get his point across very well. That's a real art. And I've seen him develop. He has become a better coach over these four years."
Team President Doug Piper -- hired the same week as Johnston -- had worked previously in the front office of NHL clubs in Edmonton and Carolina.
"I compare Mike to guys I knew at the NHL level," Piper says. "The reason Mike is so effective, he is as much a teacher as he is a coach. He is not a screamer, not a Bobby Knight type. He gets his point across without doing that. He has this demeanor, if he is displeased, you know it.
"Mike is the central figure that got everybody on board with the program very quickly. The parents, the agents, the scouts, the billets -- he displayed an air of confidence you buy into quickly. Plus, he's a real hands-on guy. He doesn't let his GM duties keep him from being right there with the team.
"By the second year here, he had really turned it around. He won over the kids who had been here before, and that's not easy to do. Kids really want to play for him."
The players verify that.
"He is consistent with the way he does things," defenseman Joe Morrow says. "You know what to expect from him. You can really respect a coach like that. He is easy to talk to, and he is an extremely smart man who can mix and match players and get them to where they're the most comfortable."
"He knows what buttons to push on different guys," goalie Mac Carruth says. "He's not going to call you out in front of the guys. He'll take you aside and let you know what you did wrong. We all look up to him. He is the leader in the locker room with how he carries himself in both wins and losses."
"He is the smartest Xs and Os guy, video guy, on-ice guy I've been around in hockey," right wing Ty Rattie says. "I've learned so much from him. My numbers would be nowhere without Mike Johnston. The plays he comes up with are second to none. I can tell you this right now -- he'll be in the NHL before you know it."
That's right. This could be Johnston's final run with the Hawks.
"He is one of the guys talked about (as a prospective NHL head coach)," Green says. "He is a guy the NHL has to look at. I'd be shocked if there isn't an NHL (head-coaching) opportunity for Mike Johnston some day."
Johnston, 54, admits it is a goal.
"I would like to be (an NHL) head coach," he says.
But Johnston has gotten a great deal of satisfaction in working with major junior players.
"I enjoy this as much as any job I've ever had," he says. "It's a great environment. You can impact young kids so much, change how they are as people as well as hockey players.
"I had a dream of playing in the NHL. Every kid growing up playing hockey does. If you can help your kids get to that place, that's special. There's nothing more special than to get your kids drafted and signing an NHL contract."
Last summer, Johnston was offered a position as associate coach with a "high-profile" NHL team.
"Toughest call I've had to make," he says. "I never thought I'd turn them down, but I did. I enjoy what I do, and Bill is great owner to work for."
Johnston and his wife of 25 years, Myrna, have embraced the city of Portland. They live in a high-rise condo on the South Waterfront.
"I love it here," he says, "and the response by the city to our team has been super."
Piper signed Johnston to a four-year extension last summer that runs through 2015. Piper would love to keep his GM and coach. At some point -- as soon as after this season -- Johnston will probably take over an NHL team.
Until then, Winterhawks fans should enjoy watching a master at work.
Edmonton 4, Portland 1: Winterhawks come up short in Game 7 of the WHL finals
Evan Daum, Edmonton Journal , May 13, 2012
EDMONTON, Alberta -- With everything on the line, the Portland Winterhawks couldn't shake history in Game 7 of the Western Hockey League championship series.
Looking to become the first road squad in league history to win a seventh and deciding game -- after visiting teams had come up short in the WHL's previous nine Game 7s in the finals -- the Winterhawks fell 4-1 on Sunday night against the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rexall Place in front of a boisterous crowd of 12,514.
"I wasn't a big believer in home ice until this series. I think home ice was a huge advantage," Portland forward Ty Rattie said. "Both teams had amazing crowds, and their crowd took over tonight. They had a couple early goals to give them a little bit of juice, but we just couldn't respond."
The loss marked the second consecutive season that the Winterhawks fell short in the WHL finals. They lost in five games to the Kootenay Ice in 2011. It was the eighth time in 10 trips to the league finals that Portland failed to take home the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
"Not much I'm going to say, not much I have to say," Rattie said. "This is the worst feeling ever, but you can't really look at a positive side right now. I guess we had a good season, but give a lot of credit to Edmonton and good luck to them."
For Edmonton, the win was the latest benchmark in a season that's been a breakout one for the franchise, which in its fifth WHL season topped the regular-season standings, won its first playoff game, first playoff series and first league title.
"I thought I had enough chances tonight to get a couple in, but now it doesn't matter. It's too late and we can't change it anymore," said Portland's Sven Bartschi, who finished first in WHL playoff scoring with 34 points.
With only 20 hours between the end of Portland's thrilling 3-2 win at the Rose Garden on Saturday night and the puck drop for Game 7, the short turnaround didn't faze the home side. At 1:51 of the first period, Edmonton's Rhett Rachinski squeaked a shot past sprawling Portland goalie Mac Carruth to make it 1-0.
"I think, in Game 7, scoring early is always important. It's a key turning point," Winterhawks coach Mike Johnston said. "They scored on their second shift there. I thought the fans got into it and gave them lots of energy and lots of jump in their legs."
Despite falling behind early, it didn't take Portland long to push back and generate several scoring chances. But that newfound jump in a series that's been a yo-yo of momentum was soon derailed.
After watching Portland control the play for several minutes, Edmonton made the most of a momentum-zapping TV timeout just past the midway point of the first. With 18 seconds left in the period, Ty Maxwell took advantage of a slick passing play by Kristians Pelss to make it 2-0.
Second-period goals from Michael St. Croix and T.J. Foster stretched the Oil Kings' lead to 4-0, before Portland got on the scoreboard at 11:40 when Oliver Gabriel beat Edmonton goalie Laurent Brossoit.
The Hawks couldn't beat Brossoit in the third period, firing only four shots on goal as Edmonton stymied Portland's offense.
"Our first 20 minutes, we scored right off the hop, we scored at the end of the period and that put us up 2-0 and in the (second) we scored two more and they scored a goal, but our guys shut them down," Oil Kings coach Derek Laxdal said.
The Oil Kings head to the Memorial Cup tournament in Shawinigan, Quebec, where they'll be joined by the host Shawinigan Cataractes, the Quebec league champion and defending Cup holder Saint John Sea Dogs, and the Ontario league champion London Knights. Edmonton will open the 10-day tournament against Shawinigan on Friday.
MacKinnon: Oil Kings alive and thriving
John MacKinnon, edmontonjournal.com, May 13, 2012
EDMONTON - Just five seasons after being brought down from the musty attic of Edmonton’s sports memory and revived as an expansion franchise, the junior Oil Kings are alive and thriving, back on top of the Western Hockey League.
The Oil Kings defeated the Portland Winterhawks 4-1 in Game 7 of a thrilling best-of-seven WHL final series Sunday night in front of a franchise record playoff crowd of 12,514 at Rexall Place to clinch the championship.
Edmonton native Rhett Rachinski, who set the tone by scoring at 1:51 of the opening period, Tyler Maxwell, Michael St. Croix and T.J. Foster staked the Oil Kings to a 4-0 lead before Oliver Gabriel, also an Edmonton native, scored for Portland not long after the mid-point of the second period.
That was it for scoring, and Edmonton was able to protect that lead, no sure thing against the high-octane Winterhawks, who were held to just four shots in the third period.
Now the Oil Kings are headed back to the Memorial Cup tournament to compete for a national junior championship for the first time in 40 years.
“You know what, it’s a little surreal right now,” said Rachinski, a fifth-year player who has lived the growing pains of this fledgling franchise. “If you would have told me the last couple of years that we’d be winning a championship, I wouldn’t have believed you.
“Going through that adversity early on in my career, it makes you value this experience even more.”
The Oil Kings won’t have much time to savour their league championship. They play the host Cataractes on Friday night in the tournament opening game in Shawinigan, an industrial city of about 50,000 on the St. Maurice River, the hometown, famously, of former prime minister Jean Chretien and legendary goaltender Jacques Plante.
Their other opponents will be the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights and the Saint John Sea Dogs, defending tournament champions, who are representing the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the second straight season. The tournament runs from May 18-27.
“I’m just ecstatic,” said second-year Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal. “The work we’ve done in the last two years with this group of kids has been just outstanding.
“They’ve done everything we’ve asked. This is their time and this was the best game they played in the series. Now we’ve just got to take it on to Shawinigan.”
The Oil Kings haven’t been to the Memorial Cup since 1972, when they failed to win a game in the first national championship held in a tournament format in Ottawa.
In 1971, the Oil Kings lost a best-of-three series in two straight games to Guy Lafleur and the Quebec Remparts.
Back in the day, they were finalists seven straight years, from 1960-66, winning in ‘63 and again in ‘66, the latter occasion against Bobby Orr’s Oshawa Generals.
Reborn under the ownership of the NHL’s Oilers for the 2007-08 season, the Oil Kings have regained pride of place in the Edmonton sports community now, after some tough early seasons, including 2009-10, when they won just 16 games.
As with previous editions, these Oil Kings are tightly woven into the fabric of the community, from Rachinski, to team captain Mark Pysyk, of Sherwood Park, to assistant coach Steve Hamilton, son of Al, who helped the Oil Kings win a Memorial Cup in 1966.
Those connections also include defenceman Keegan Lowe, son of Oilers president Kevin, who was watching via the Internet from Finland, where he is GM of Team Canada at the World Hockey Championship.
“I felt bad,” the younger Lowe said. “He stayed up (Saturday) night to watch the game (a 3-2 Portland win), so staying up two nights in a row, he must be pretty tired.
“Growing up in Edmonton, most recently I can remember 2006 Oilers (run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final) and the city was absolutely electric. Edmonton knows their hockey, loves their hockey and the Oilers haven’t been having a great couple of years.
“We’re just happy to give Edmonton a little taste of a championship series. It was a great feeling and Edmonton got behind us, too, right at the end here, which was really nice.”
Here’s another nice thing: Win or lose in Shawinigan, roughly 20 members of the current Oil Kings roster will be back in 2012-13.
They will be a year older next season. And better? It should be fun finding out. For now, the fun will be in Shawinigan.
Oil Kings build winning culture
ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI AGENCY, May 16 2012
A Western Hockey League title is fantastic, and a Memorial Cup would be even better, but what the Edmonton Oil Kings accomplished over the last two seasons is bigger than any trophy.
They are the founding fathers of a winning culture, lifting an expansion team from a 16-win gutter and creating, with nothing more than their own character and work ethic, a legacy they hope will last long after they are gone.
“There have been some low times here but we stuck with the program, started building it up, and here we are today,” said team captain Mark Pysyk, who’s been there from the beginning. “Two years ago we only had 16 wins, this year we had 16 wins in the playoffs. There’s a winning culture here now with what we did this year and last year. In the years before that, we sort of came to the rink being afraid of teams. Now, hopefully we can be on the other end of that.”
They are. And Keegan Lowe loves that he helped do for the Oil Kings what his old man helped do for the Oilers all those years ago.
“Talking to a few (former Oil Kings), when they came down into the room after Game 7 against Portland, they were like ‘You guys are really paving the way for the Oil Kings of the future,’” said Lowe. “We’re no longer a team that can be pushed around. Hopefully this can be a successful hockey team for years to come.”
Being pushed around like they were in 2009-10 didn’t break the young Oil Kings, it made them stronger, hungrier, more determined to never be anyone’s doormat again.
“They say the third year is always the toughest for an expansion team and it lived up to it,” said winger TJ Foster, who joined the Oil Kings in Year 2. “It was hard on us, but as young players we got experience in different situations, which was good.
“It helped us in our careers. You look at it now and it’s unbelievable how we turned it around, 16 wins to 50 this year and winning the playoffs. It’s an unbelievable feeling that I’ll never forget.”
Foster remembers, before the Oil Kings taught themselves to win, coming to the rink half expecting to lose.
“Coming into games we knew we were in tough,” he said, adding they almost learned to accept defeat. “You’d lose a game and it wouldn’t sting as much as it did this year.
“This year, when we lost, there was no talking in the room, no anything. We re-focused, practised and knew we needed to win the next game. The whole outlook changed.”
And they’re the guys who changed it.
It’s not easy turning a losing program into a winner. A lot of times, when a team is as low as the Oil Kings were, they stay that way. They simply can’t recover. They learn how to be losers.
These guys fought back.
“I don’t know if some teams get used to losing or don’t know how to win,” said Foster. “I’m really glad that wasn’t our case.”
Being an Oil King now comes with weighty expectations and responsibility. Good enough isn’t good enough anymore, not on a winning program.
“I was here for that 16-win season and it was not fun,” said Lowe. “I don’t want to have one of those ever again for this franchise, even when I’m not here.”
Like the Oilers, back when they were winners, the Oil Kings will pass what they’ve learned to the next generation.
“That’s what Derek (head coach Laxdal) and Steve (assistant coach Hamilton) are telling the guys, how important it is if you learn how to win when you’re young,” said Foster. “You know what it takes, you’ve been through it. Now you’re able to teach it to the younger guys.”
They’ve built something here that, no matter what happens in Shawinigan, is bigger than they are, something they can look back at and be proud of.
“It’s been the best year of hockey of my life,” said Pysyk. “Hopefully we can cap it off with a win.”
Memorial Cup could be best in seven years
RYAN PYETTE, QMI Agency, May 16 2012
There's only one thing missing from this Memorial Cup.
An NHL lockout to grant it centre stage.
When labour woes cancelled the Stanley Cup tournament in 2005, the spotlight shone brightly on the Canadian Hockey League's showcase event at London, Ont., and the 10-day series of puck soirees which starts Friday in Shawinigan, Que., sets up to be the highest-calibre Memorial Cup since that classic seven years ago.
There isn't a Sidney Crosby-like talent to track this go-round -- you'll have to make do with Florida's third overall pick, Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs, once again -- but there are zero pretenders here.
Four of the CHL's top five-ranked teams are in the mix.
None of the three league champs -- Quebec representative Saint John, London of the OHL and Edmonton from the West - won fewer than 49 games. They blasted through the playoffs with only the Oil Kings needing a Game 7 pressure-cooker at home against Portland to punch their ticket to La Belle Province.
The host Shawinigan Cataractes lost a second-round Game 7 in a Q-league upset special by Chicoutimi, but they're no pushovers, either. They won 45 games, finished second to Saint John and surrendered the fewest goals in their league.
Each team has one defenceman who played for the Canadian world junior squad -- Shawinigan's Brandon Gormley, Edmonton captain Mark Pysyk, Saint John's Nathan Beaulieu and London's Scott Harrington.
Just like 2005, the Hunter-led Knights are back in the tournament.
This time, it's Mark Hunter serving as general manager and coach. Dale Hunter made a splash Monday by leaving his short-lived gig in charge of the Washington Capitals to return to London, but the co-owner and president's primary function will be as an adviser in Quebec.
Unlike 2005, the Knights are not the clear-cut favourite. That label belongs to the Gerard Gallant-coached powerhouse Saint John, which was the first Maritime team to win the Cup, last year in Mississauga.
The Sea Dogs return with numerous familiar faces, trying to make it back-to-back titles just like the Windsor Spitfires in 2009-10.
The Edmonton Oil Kings brand, if you followed junior hockey during the 1960s, is a familiar one. Back in those golden years, it felt like they made it to the Cup final every spring.
But this isn't the same outfit. This crew was started up by the Oilers owners six years ago as an expansion team, but the Oil Kings stopped playing like one in a hurry.
They can win it all this year and are young enough to be back next season, too.
The young Knights are in the same boat.
Back-to-back looks are starting to become a theme in major junior hockey.
SAINT JOHN SEA DOGS
* Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions and defending Memorial Cup champs
Coach: Gerard Gallant. Two-time reigning Canadian Hockey League coach of the year.
Regular season: 50-15-0-3, 103 points. Didn't match 58 wins from previous season but played most of it without their full lineup. Finished season ranked first overall in CHL.
Playoffs: Rolled 16-1 through the playoffs. Lone defeat in Game 3 of the semifinal at Chicoutimi in overtime. Never trailed in four-game final sweep of Rimouski.
Big guns: The Sea Dogs were already good. Then, Minnesota Wild prospect Charlie Coyle left Boston University to join them. He racked up 15 goals and 34 points in playoff MVP performance ... Russian Stanislav Galiev had 34 points, too, including five in the playoff finale ... Florida's third overall pick, Jonathan Huberdeau, was Saint John's scoring hero last year in Mississauga. Sea Dogs captain had 72 points in 37 games this season ... Overager Danick Gauthier scored 47 times during the season ... Reedy overage G Mathieu Corbeil has 55 combined regular season and playoff wins after serving as backup last season.
NHL property: Eleven players, including Minnesota Wild first-rounder Zack Phillips.
Franchise history: The McCain-owned Sea Dogs lost 55 games as an expansion team in 2005-06. They are riding three consecutive 50-win seasons, having become the first Maritime team to win the Memorial Cup last year in Mississauga.
Motivating factor: Saint John bid on this event and, despite its powerhouse squad, lost. Best revenge is to hoist the Cup on Shawinigan ice.
LONDON KNIGHTS
* Ontario Hockey League champions ahead of schedule
General manager/coach: Mark Hunter. First coach in OHL history to take over during the season and win league title. Older brother Dale left in late November to take over NHL's Washington Capitals, but has returned and has said he wouldn't coach. His son Dylan is on the bench.
Regular season: 49-18-0-1, 99 points. Lost back-to-back games twice. Never dropped three in a row.
Playoffs: Went 16-3, including 8-1 on the road and swept rivals Windsor and Kitchener. Haven't lost in regulation since April 9 at home against Saginaw in Game 3 of the second round.
Big guns: Playoff MVP Austin Watson (10-7-17) does it all. Nashville first-rounder scores big goals, shuts down top lines and blocks shots like a machine ... G Michael Houser is the OHL's most outstanding player and goalie of the year. He's the backbone ... Finnish top import pick Olli Maatta (6-17-23) had one of the best playoffs by a defencemen in franchise history and is one of three world junior players on the blue line (along with Scott Harrington, Jarred Tinordi) ... Seth Griffith scored 45 goals during the season, then 10 more during the playoffs ... Gritty Ryan Rupert, a Dale Hunter clone, scored four of his nine playoff goals during the league final against Niagara ... Nearly half of the players on this promising team are 17 or younger, including first-round rookies Max Domi and Bo Horvat.
NHL property: Six players. Group includes captain Jarred Tinordi (Montreal) and Tampa first-rounder Vladislav Namestnikov.
Franchise history: Second OHL title. Won Memorial Cup in only previous appearance on home ice, seven years ago.
Motivating factor: Launching a new dynasty and trying to re-capture 2005 glory.
SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES
* Host team waiting impatiently the past month
Coach: Eric Veilleux. Top scorer on 1993 Laval Titan Memorial Cup semifinalist in Sault Ste. Marie, now in his seventh year behind Cats bench.
Regular season: 45-16-3-4, 97 points. Second overall in the QMJHL behind Saint John. Went 22-8-1-3 on home ice at Centre Bionest but actually had one more win on the road.
Playoffs: Lost Game 7 shocker on home ice to Chicoutimi in the second round. Haven't played a game since April 17.
Big guns: Russian F Anton Zlobin (40-36-76) only Cat among top-20 scorers, but the team had a whopping eight 20-goal men ... Much of the crease time this season went to 17-year-old G Alex Dubeau (2.56 goals-against average, .904 save percentage). The Cats had the lowest GAA in the Quebec league this season . . . Canadian world junior F and Montreal prospect Michael Bournival had 30 goals in 41 games, but scored only once during the playoffs ... Watch out for Russian Kirill Kabanov, who had another strong post-season ... The defence includes Morgan Ellis (27 points in 26 games after trade from Cape Breton) and veteran Phoenix first-rounder Brandon Gormley, QMJHL's first overall pick by Moncton in 2008.
NHL property: Eight players. Philly pick Michael Chaput can do some damage up front.
Franchise history: Founding members of the QMJHL, the Cataractes have never won the league title. They lost Game 7 of the final to Drummondville in 2009. They made it to the Cup final in 1985 as host team (losing to Prince Albert), even though most of the tournament was moved to Drummondville because of arena deficiencies.
Motivating factor: They're out to erase their playoff flop and prove they're just as good as the three league champs.
EDMONTON OIL KINGS
* Western Hockey League champs bubble to the surface
Coach: Derek Laxdal. Former Toronto Maple Leaf was a member of 1983 Memorial Cup champion Portland Winterhawks.
Regular season: 50-15-3-4, 107 points. Finished the schedule on an 11-game winning streak and kept rolling.
Playoffs: 16-4, needing a Game 7 victory over Portland at home on Sunday night to qualify for the tournament.
Big guns: Busy veteran G Laurent Brossoit showed little fatigue from 61 regular-season appearances He was named MVP of the WHL championship series ... Rookie Curtis Lazar, a 17-year-old from Vernon, B.C., led team in playoff scoring (8-11-19) ... Edmonton native and overage F Rhett Rachinski scored one of his seven post-season goals in overtime to knot up league final 2-2 ... Top NHL prospect D Griffin Reinhart (team-best plus-14 in playoffs) is the son of former NHLer Paul Reinhart. Brothers Max and Sam part of last year's WHL champion Kootenay Ice ... Henrik Samuelsson, whose dad, Ulf, was a notorious NHL defenceman, suspended a game during the league final. The 17-year-old F from Scottsdale, Ariz., had 14 points in 17 playoff games ... New York Rangers pick Michael St. Croix scored 45 times and had 105 points -- 25 more than his closest teammate, Dylan Wruck.
NHL property: Seven players. Buffalo first-rounder Mark Pysyk played for the Canadian world junior team in Alberta this year.
Franchise history: Fifth season in team's history. Ownership group is same as the Oilers -- Daryl Katz' Rexall Sports. Previous incarnations of the Oil King brand won Memorial Cups in 1963 and 1966 and went to the Cup final eight times during an 11-year span (1960-71).
Motivating factor: Building joy to ease Oilers' pain.
HOCKEY TIES
* The hockey world is small, the select group in the Memorial Cup even smaller. There are bloodlines, puck family trees and old friendships at this year's tournament in Shawinigan
-- Saint John star defenceman Nathan Beaulieu's father, Jacques, now the Sarnia Sting general manager/coach, served as a London Knights assistant before and after he ran the Sea Dogs (2006-09). He was part of the Knights' 2005 Memorial Cup champion team and Nathan grew up at the John Labatt Centre.
-- Edmonton coach Derek Laxdal was a teammate of London Knights rookie forward Max Domi's dad, Tie, then a teenager, in 1989-90 with the Newmarket Saints, the Toronto Maple Leafs' former AHL affiliate.
-- Edmonton forward Michael St. Croix is the son of former NHL goalie Rick St. Croix, who helped the Randy Carlyle-led Manitoba Moose in 1999-2000 when Shawinigan coach Eric Veilleux played forward for Winnipeg's International league entry.
-- Edmonton defenceman Keegan Lowe's dad, Kevin, celebrated three Stanley Cups during the 1980s with Oilers teammate Dave Hunter, who is the brother of London Knights co-owners Dale and Mark Hunter. To boot, Shawinigan defenceman Morgan Ellis was named the best defensive defenceman in the Quebec league and received a trophy named after Keegan Lowe's father.
NUMBERS GAME
* A look at the members of the 2012 Canadian world junior team who will be playing in this Memorial Cup tournament. Each Cup team has one of the seven defencemen
Saint John: Nathan Beaulieu, Jonathan Huberdeau
London: Scott Harrington
Shawinigan: Brandon Gormley, Michael Bournival
Edmonton: Mark Pysyk
Patience key to building expansion franchise:
Green joked about having a five-year plan, but that’s how long it took to make the Oil Kings a WHL champion
Jim Matheson, edmontonjournal.com, May 14, 2012
EDMONTON - Bob Green was on the ice Sunday night, a Western Hockey League championship ballcap on his head, a smile plastered on his face amidst the cacophony of whooping and hollering from a bunch of kids.
He was like a dad on Christmas morning as the children got the presents they all wanted when the Edmonton Oil Kings defeated the Portland Winterhawks in the seven-game league final.
The Oil Kings general manager put this team together, in concert with assistant and chief scout Randy Hansch and a gaggle of other bird dogs over five roller-coaster years.
The expansion Oil Kings won 22 of 72 games their first season, but they have won 66 of 92 games in Year 5, including 16 playoff victories which takes them to the next destination — the Memorial Cup in Shawinigan, Que, with their first game Friday against the host Cataractes.
Green knew what he was getting into when he left the Medicine Hat Tigers as head scout in 2006, spending a winter scouting bantam tournaments, watching WHL game webcasts, and picking the brain of another expansion team GM, Scott Bonner of the Vancouver Giants, to see what he had done. His first team in 2007-08 was older and didn’t win a pile of games, but it was the first stop on a long road.
Did he have a five-year plan for winning it all?
“Absolutely,” said Green, with a hearty laugh. “Five years? That’s what I told everyone. It’s a long process and I’m not sure if I’d go through it again, but this one sure turned out OK.
“It’s been done before. It’s not rocket science. Calgary has done it (with the Hitmen). The Kootenay Ice did it. Vancouver (Giants) did it.
“You have to be patient,” Green continued. “You build through the draft. That’s the only way. I mean, there’s a lot of great players who were never drafted in the bantam draft, like (Joffrey) Lupul and (Tyler) Ennis, Jason Chimera, (Scottie) Upshall, Clarke MacArthur, who are in the NHL now, but that was a different time.
“There’s upwards of 250 players taken in the bantam draft every year. It’s harder and harder to find free agents like Lupul and Ennis.”
In the Oil Kings’ first bantam draft in 2007, they got current captain Mark Pysyk and forward T.J. Foster, who scored in Sunday’s clinching win over the Winterhawks.
Green also added Rhett Rachinski, who had four goals in the final series, to the club’s organization list after nobody took him in the bantam pool. In 2008, he got Keegan Lowe, Stephane Legault, Michael St. Croix, Travis Ewanyk and goalie Laurent Brossoit. Griffin Reinhart and Mitch Moroz came the next year.
The Oil Kings were on their way. That’s nine bantam draft picks and a listed player on the current roster from the first three years they were in existence.
“Only one year drove me nuts and that was the third year. The others have been fun. Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. Keegan Lowe and Tomas Vincour (now playing with the Dallas Stars) both had H1N1. We had an import defenceman leave. We had some players with concussions. Very frustrating year, illness, injury. I hate losing,” said Green, who decided to fire coach Steve Pleau, who is now a Calgary Flames pro scout.
“Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in hockey,” Green said. “It usually doesn’t come down to ability as a coach, it’s injecting some life and a different delivery of the message.”
There was a large stack of applicants for the job, and Green interviewed more than 10 candidates. In the end, Green decided on Derek Laxdal, who was coaching the Idaho Steelheads, the Dallas farm club in the East Coast Hockey League.
“Derek is a smart guy and I think he saw the value of how coaching these kids, being a good teacher, could help him develop as a coach.”
Looking back, it’s all progression for Green.
“The first year, we had some good kids like (New York Islanders’ third-round draft) Robin Figren, who’s now playing in Sweden. The next year, we got into the playoffs when Rachinski scored in overtime. Pysyk and Foster were on that team, too,” said Green.
The Oil Kings lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Hitmen, but nobody cared. Any playoff games were a bonus.
Then there was the forgettable third season when the Oil Kings won only 16 times. In Year 4, they finished with 31 wins and lost to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Red Deer Rebels in Round 1.
“Last year, we weren’t too sure if we’d win games. We gave up lots of early leads and guys weren’t comfortable with playing from behind. This year, the guys wanted leads and they kept them. I think we lost only one game in the regular season taking a lead to the third period,” said Green.
This year, the Oil Kings won 50 league games and lost only four of 20 playoff games.
“Moving up six spots in the bantam draft to get Griffin Reinhart. It was complicated,” Green said about one of his best moves, going from the ninth pick to third overall in 2009. “We valued Griff the most, but that was the year that (Moose Jaw’s Morgan) Reilly and (Red Deer’s Matt) Dumba and (Portland’s Derrick) Pouliot all went in the top four.”
Reinhart, Rielly and Dumba could all go in the top eight at the NHL entry draft in June, Pouliot maybe 12 to 15.
Hockey runs in the Reinhart family
Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun, May 14, 2012
Middle child Griffin Reinhart plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings and is projected to be a first-round NHL draft pick this year.
Middle child Griffin Reinhart plays for the Edmonton Oil Kings and is projected to be a first-round NHL draft pick this year.
Photograph by: Andy Devlin , for North Shore News
VANCOUVER — Brother acts in hockey. People seem to love them, although maybe not so much in Nashville after Andrei Kostitsyn's late night escapade helped torpedo the Predators' playoff drive.
But the Sedins have done okay. So have the Staals and, before them, the Sutters and Espositos, among others sublime siblings. Rocket Richard and his little bro, the Pocket Rocket, could play on our team any day.
Next up? It appears to be happening right here in B.C. where Paul Reinhart's three sons – Max, Griffin and Sam of West Vancouver – are turning hockey's scouting heads.
Max, 20, just wrapped up his junior career with the Kootenay Ice, was called up to the Calgary Flames farm team in Abbotsford and collected four points in four American League games. Max was a third-round pick of the Flames in 2010.
Griffin, 18, is this week flying off to the Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings after he and his mates captured the Western Hockey League championship Sunday night, prevailing in a seven-game series over the Portland Winterhawks. Griffin is expected to be a top 10 pick in next month's NHL entry draft.
Sam, 16, was named WHL rookie of the year earlier this month thanks to a 62-point freshman campaign. He has a November birthday and won't be eligible for the NHL draft until 2014. Who knows how good he'll be by then?
Max and Sam won the WHL title last year with Kootenay and went to the Memorial Cup. Now it's Griffin's turn. The Staal brothers had better look out.
“Maybe we're a mini-version of them,” chuckled Griffin as he basked Monday in the glow of his team's championship. “We still have a long way to go to catch up with the Staals but, hopefully, someday we'll get there.”
There is obviously some pretty solid hockey DNA in the boys thanks to dad Paul. But mom Theresa came to the party with a vast athletic background that included competitive badminton and volleyball. Her dad played college football, her mother was a ski racer, her sisters were synchronized swimmers and her nephew, James Love, is playing professional golf on the Nationwide Tour.
“Paul and I were never really fanatical hockey parents,” explained Theresa. “We didn't go crazy. The boys were born after Paul played so they weren't around hockey. They didn't play spring hockey. It was never a priority for them.
“I never envisioned this,” she continued. “I kept trying to get them to be golfers. My sister was always going with her son to tournaments in Mexico or Hawaii or somewhere really nice and I was going to Prince George and Salmon Arm. Finally, one day Max looked at me and said: 'Mom, I'm a hockey player. I'm not a golfer.' It was never a dream for me. This is their dream.”
Theresa and Max will be heading to Shawinigan later this to watch Griffin play in the Memorial Cup. Sam will stay behind in West Van to do his schoolwork while Paul, who left early Monday morning on a mining business trip to Mexico, might join Theresa and Max once he's wrapped up his work.
Sibling competition being what it is, Griffin is happy he'll be matching his brothers in Memorial Cup appearances.
“I feel like I've caught up to them a little bit now,” he said. “Last year I was still in school and watching it on TV. I've just heard great things from them and I really wanted to do this for myself, to get some experience at the Memorial Cup.
“I was able to talk to both of my brothers after we beat Portland last night and they congratulated me. We all support each other very well.”
The Oil Kings, who have another Lower Mainland connection in goalie Laurent Brossoit of Surrey, will head Wednesday for Shawinigan and face the host Cataractes in their first game Friday. They'll be attempting to secure the WHL's first national title since the Vancouver Giants and Spokane Chiefs won back-to-back in 2007 and '08.
“That would definitely be really cool,” Griffin said.
It would also give him a family first. Paul didn't win a Memorial Cup when he played junior for the Kitchener Rangers and it appears Max will skate in the Flames' farm system next season, leaving Griffin and Sam as the last hopes. Win or lose, the three sons of Paul and Theresa Reinhart are making their parents proud.
“We just sort of wanted them to do well in what they wanted to do,” concluded Theresa. “So I am definitely enjoying this because they are all succeeding.”
U of A athletics: Search for new Bears hockey bench boss enters homestretch
Evan Daum, Edmonton Journal, May 15, 2012
Stan Marple, who was named Golden Bears GM in late March, will play a major role in finding his successor behind the bench for the 2012-13 season.
With the application deadline for the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey head coaching position having come and gone, the real intrigue now begins.
The deadline for coaches to put their name forward passed Tuesday night at 5 p.m. with shortlisting expected to be completed by Wednesday. Interviews for the position will come soon after, as the process works towards an announcement of the new coach, which is expected for early June.
Countless names have been floated around as potential replacements behind the bench at Alberta after Stan Marple, who coached the Bears last season on an interim basis after former coach Eric Thurston left the program last spring, was anointed the first general manager in program history some six weeks ago.
Potential candidates to replace Marple include successful major junior coaches with ties to Alberta, most notably Kootenay Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. Other possibilities include former players now making their living at the junior A level, like Gord Thibodeau of the Fort McMuarry Oil Barons.
Knoblauch in particular is sure to draw major support from the Bears hockey alumni – whose importance in this whole process can’t be understated – as his connections to the WHL pipeline of talent, among other things, would be an extremely valuable asset. While I don’t think Knoblauch had considered the possibility of being Alberta head coach anytime soon when there were still question marks as to whether or not Marple’s interim tag would remain indefinitely, I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe his mood changed significantly after Marple’s new GM role came into effect, along with a first round playoff exit.
(Side note, but if Knoblauch did in fact apply for the Bears job and gets it, recently fired Islanders assistant Dean Chynoweth undoubtedly will be offered the job by his brother and Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth. Knoblauch’s assistant in Kootenay Todd Johnson recently took over the University of Regina job and even if he was still with the Ice, bros before non-bros, or something like that).
While it remains to be seen whether or not Knoblauch did apply, one thing is all but guaranteed when it comes to one credential the next coach of the Bears will have – alumni status.
That has seemed a given since the start of the process, as director of athletics Ian Reade and Marple – along with an advisory committee – will be looking for someone who isn’t a stranger to the program.
With respect to Knoblauch and Thibodeau, both have strong ties to the Bears after lengthy playing careers at the U of A.
Knoblauch, who is one of the few players in Western Hockey League history to have played for both the Edmonton and Kootenay Ice, had a tremendous career in Green and Gold. In five seasons with Alberta, the Imperial, Sask. product put up big offensive numbers and played a major role in the Bears second of back-to-back Canadian Interuniversity Sport titles in 2000 as a rookie.
As a coach Knoblauch has enjoyed his fair share of success in a short amount of time as well, after leading the Ice to the WHL title last season in his first year as the team’s head coach following two years as an assistant with the franchise.
For Thibodeau, who played with the Bears between 1987 and 1991 and was a teammate of Marple’s for two seasons, his connection to Alberta is also significant. The longtime Alberta Junior Hockey League coach has had great success with the Oil Barons including this season when the team went to the AJHL final before losing to the Brooks Bandits in six games.
Along with ties to the program, another prerequisite for the next head coach of Alberta will be a university degree.
While Thurston had U of A ties from both his single season playing for the Bears in 1985-86 and a lengthy run as an assistant with the program, a degree is one thing the former head coach didn’t have. While that certainly didn’t stop Thurston from having success as a head coach at the university level, I don’t expect we’ll ever see a scenario again in which the head coach of the program doesn’t have a degree. That’s no indictment on Thurston, but moving forward I can’t see candidates without undergrad credentials even getting a sniff.
So when it comes to who will be the next head coach of the Golden Bears two things are clear. Firstly, they’ll be coming into familiar territory when they take over behind the bench at Clare Drake Arena, and second they’ll have a degree to go with that experience.
Knoblauch and Thibodeau are just two possible candidates who satisfy both requirements. If they did end up applying, they’ll be a pair of options in a field that’s sure to be deep with qualified individuals one might expect, as well as some applicants who are sure to be surprise additions to the race for one of the country’s best collegiate coaching gigs.
My experience with the choice between major junior and college hockey
Justin Bourne, The Score, May 11, 2012
After reading about Seth Jones choosing major junior over NCAA hockey – a fine choice for the talented young buck – I felt the need to weigh in with my thoughts on The Choice, and share the path I took to come to a decision. Hope you enjoy, or at the very least, learn something about the process you didn’t know before.
***
I tried out for the Kelowna Rockets, one of the premier programs in the Western Hockey League, in the fall of 2000. I was 17 years old, although in the junior hockey world I was considered an 18 year old because I was born in 1982. I was coming off of a successful year of Midget AA, having been captain of a team that won the BC provincial championship. But being that I was that old and undrafted, I was a definite longshot and I knew it.
The thing is, I had a really good camp, and sometimes you catch people off guard. I scored twice in a heavily attended low-scoring intra-squad game in Kelowna’s Prospera Place, and was invited to travel with the team to Kamloops to play the Blazers in the first of a number of exhibition games. They had already made a great many cuts by this point.
As a young player, you deal with a range of ideas and emotions: I’m from Kelowna, so if I could walk onto the hometown Kelowna Rockets and make it…I have to do that, right? (By the way, the Rockets won the Memorial Cup in the next year or two. Dammit.) But, I was also a gangly kid who got cut to house hockey his first year of Bantam, got better (read: bigger) in a hurry, and had figured out that you can get your entire undergrad education paid for if you play junior A puck. I also knew that if I played one game – even an exhibition game – at the major junior level, I was ineligible for at least a year of that NCAA hockey (plus a game for every CHL (major junior) game played, I believe), making that dream scholarship less likely.
My parents and I sat in the room and listened to The Most Important People in the Rockets Organization at the time and tried to gauge how likely it was that I would make the team while trying to make the decision to go for it or not. Essentially, it was down to myself and large, fellow right-winger Randall Gelech (a player far better than I, who would’ve likely played in the NHL for years by now had he not been drafted/buried in the Red Wings organization when they were on top of the world for years). We told them our concerns about NCAA eligibility. And they told us “how this works”: just play/tryout, and we’ll rip up the rosters after the game. If you make it – and you have a good chance – cool. If you don’t, you’ll be fine. I’m not sure if it still does, but it seems this is a thing that occasionally happened at the time.
My parents didn’t want me to play. Between all of us, a college scholarship was the goal. If I got an education paid for then the investment in gear, practices, and time would have amounted to something. Yes, you can get Canadian college hockey paid for after playing major junior, but it’s suuuuper rare to advance, hockey-wise, beyond that. You’re basically saying it’s NHL or done-by-20. NCAA puck gives late bloomers (like myself) years to develop against incredible talents to see what you can become.
At 15 or 16 or 17, a young hockey player has to a make a decision that will forever change his career and his life: take your shot at Major Junior or commit to the college path.
I played Junior B hockey that winter, led my conference in points (beating Chuck Kobasew’s team record), and finished second overall in the league to Andrew Ebbett. That summer, I signed a card with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL, trained my butt off, and committed to earning that scholarship.
I scored 131 points over my 120 game Junior A career, and we won a BCHL title. After fly-down visits to three different NCAA schools, I accepted a full Div. 1 scholarship (to the University of Alaska Anchorage) just like my family had hoped – just like I had hoped.
So here I sit, with a primary education in hockey, but a different title on my business card, and I couldn’t be happier. I got an education (an education your love of hockey forces you to get, if you want to play), found my best friends and really, myself. College was an experience I can’t explain, an experience I’d never give back. I was fortunate to have the opportunity. (I was more fortunate that I lived with guys capable of installing a keg-orator line from the garage to the kitchen sink, giving us water taps labelled hot, cold and beer.)
When most players have to make the decision between major junior and college, they take what they can get. Most don’t reject one for the other; their talents, age and size direct them one way or the other. Only a lucky few get to choose.
Either one works. There is a hockey cliche that “If you’re good enough, they’ll find you”. And it’s true. They’ll find you in Timbukfuckingtu if you’re NHL calibre. It’s insane. Few are overlooked.
As someone quickly approaching their 30th birthday thinking about what I’d do if I were a young player now deciding between the two, I can’t help but think: I’d have to be awfully damn good to choose major junior hockey over college. It’s not taking anything away from those who choose to go the CHL route, it’s just that one way seems a little more all-or-nothing than the other. Both seem like flying down the highway on a motorcycle, but one affords you a helmet.
As a further college hockey pump-up: going that route isn’t exactly a hockey dead end. During my years in the WCHA I faced some great players – Zach Parise, Tomas Vanek, TJ Oshie, David Backes, Matt Niskanen, Alex Goligoski, Kyle Okposo, Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler, Andreas Nodl, Jonathan Toews, Chris Conner, Matt Greene, Keith Ballard, Matt Carle, Paul Stastny, Joey Crabb, Ryan Potulny, Ryan Stoa, Brandon Bochensky, Brian Lee, Matt Smaby, Drew Stafford, Rene Bourque, Adam Burish, Brian Elliot, Tom Gilbert, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Suter, Travis Zajac, Ryan Carter, Jason Garrison, and the toughest to play of all of them all at the time, 5’7? Hobey Baker-winner Ryan Duncan (AHL). I was also teammates with Curtis Glencross, Jay Beagle and Nathan Lawson. You can develop at that level, and you can still make it big.
For the big guns, major junior is great too: it’s more pro-style puck, it’s great exposure, and it’s comparable to the NHL schedule.
Nobody can say for certain what’s the best route – each player has a different set of developmental needs, and each league fulfills those differently.
But for those who could use a little more time to develop and miiiigghht just want to hedge their bets on the future with an education, college hockey is the way to go.
THE COACHING GAME: Cory Clouston is out as Wheat Kings' Head Coach
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, May 15 2012
Kelly McCrimmon, the owner and general manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings, announced Tuesday that head coach Cory Clouston won’t return for a second season. Clouston, who had been fired by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators after the 2011-12 season, signed a two-year deal with Brandon on Aug. 3.
"I have given a great deal of thought to our coaching situation for the upcoming season," McCrimmon said in a news release. "I do not want uncertainty with this important position and as a result have decided we will not have Cory return next season. He will perhaps have opportunities to coach professionally, failing that, we will honor the second year of his contract."
Clouston, 42, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun: “I don’t think I expected it, but I definitely understand Kelly’s thinking. He feels the team is in a rebuilding mode for the next couple years and he told me he just doesn’t want to have the coaching position in limbo for the next two months. I have options.
“He doesn’t want me coming in early July, telling him I’m going to the American league or wherever it may be. I’m not saying that was going to happen, but he doesn’t want that as an option and I can understand his reasoning.”
The Wheat Kings finished sixth in the Eastern Conference (39-28-5) and got past the No. 3 Calgary Hitmen in the opening round of playoffs. Brandon was then swept by the eventual-champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
McCrimmon was Brandon’s head coach for the seven seasons prior to his decision to hire Clouston.
McCrimmon doesn’t have a list of potential coaches. When he puts one together, you have to wonder if his name will be on it?
Clouston played four seasons (1989-93) with the U of Alberta Golden Bears, who happen to be in the market for a head coach. In fact, the closing date for applications was yesterday. You have to think, however, that the Golden Bears’ job wouldn’t be Clouston’s first choice.
Bruce Luebke, the veteran play-by-play man who calls Wheat Kings games on CKLQ, offers up his take below and it’s rather evident that he feels Clouston wasn’t a good fit.
-----
Cory Clouston is out as Wheat Kings' Head Coach
Luber's Lounge, May 15 2012
The Cory Clouston coaching era with the Brandon Wheat Kings came and went in a span of 287 days.
After being hired last August 3rd and signing a two-year contract with the club, the Wheat Kings announced Tuesday that Clouston would not be back behind the bench for the 2012-2013 season.
“I have given a great deal of thought to our coaching situation for the upcoming season," said Brandon general manager Kelly McCrimmon in a release, "I do not want uncertainty with this important position and as a result have decided we will not have Cory return next season. He will perhaps have opportunities to coach professionally, failing that; we will honor the second year of his contract.”
The club is framing the move as a preventive one, not wanting to be caught without a head coach if Clouston were to leave for the professional job at some point in the next few months.
However, it had become apparent to even the most casual of the Wheat King fan that Clouston wasn’t the proper fit for a club that, moving forward, will be employing a number of rookie players in 2012-2013.
One could also argue that he wasn’t as good a fit for the club during the 2011-2012 season as initially thought.
The hard-driving coaching style employed by Clouston was looked upon with disdain by the players, and his treatment of the players, especially the younger players, became such an issue that sources told me that team captain Mark Stone met with GM Kelly McCrimmon midway through the season to discuss the matter.
In addition to those interactions with the players, there was also obvious dysfunction within the coaching staff.
On the ice, there was a real lack of offensive imagination to the Wheat Kings’ game in 2011-2012, and the club used mainly a passive style of play rather the aggressive style fans had grown accustomed to.
Skill development was put the back burner for a more defensive style while, in my mind, there were also some questions about how some players were used.
For example, Ryan Pulock and Eric Roy were overplayed on the blue line throughout the season, which may have led to their lack of production late in the season and in the playoffs (a combined 70 points prior to January 1st, 43 points after plus a combined eight points in eight playoff games).
Another would be how Ayrton Nikkel and Dylan Kuczek were handled in the first half of the season – not only playing forward when they were in the lineup, but also PRACTICING as forwards instead of as defencemen on a daily basis.
An observation during the post-season for me came in the post-season, when I had a chance to watch the Wheat Kings’ opponents (Calgary and Edmonton) practice, something not often afforded during the regular season.
Those teams ran high-tempo practices with coaching staffs that worked in sync with one another – two things lacking during Brandon’s practices.
Bottom line, Cory Clouston might be good with the X’s and O’s of the game, but his motivational techniques and personality might be in conflict with what’s effective in this day and age of hockey.
Does not being warm and fuzzy make Cory Clouston a poor hockey coach? Not in the least.
But, it does make him a difficult person to be around on a daily basis.
For the most part, I could pick and choose how much time I wanted to spend around him.
His players don’t have that much freedom.
Moving forward, Wheat Kings’ general manager Kelly McCrimmon said that no decision has been made on Clouston’s replacement.
“There are a lot of those things that I’ll give consideration. I’m telling you honestly, there has been no decision made with respect to the coaching for the 2012-2013 season,” McCrimmon told CKLQ’s Tyler Crayston, “I say that sincerely and, because of that, there’s not a lot more that I can say about any possibilities that you might throw out.”
I did go through a quick checklist in my head, and here’s some men I’d consider to be potential candidates:
Dean Chynoweth – former Swift Current Broncos’ GM/Coach and Seattle Head Coach. Was recently let go from his assistant coaching position with the NHL’s New York Islanders.
Dave Lowry – former NHL player spent one successful season as head coach of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen in 2008-2009 before spending the past three years as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Was let go by the Flames last month.
Dave Hunchak – associate coach with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers this past season after four years as head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Steve Hamilton – assistant coach with WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings for past two seasons and former head coach of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints.
Mike Vandenberghe – former Wheat Kings’ player and assistant coach, spent the past 1 ½ years as an assistant with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Prior to that, was head coach for the University of Regina Cougars and the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds.
Dave Struch – Saskatoon Blades’ assistant coach for the past six years, although whether he would leave the Blades as they prepare to host the Memorial Cup would be a question.
Darren Kruger – Medicine Hat Tigers’ assistant coach for the past five years.
Dean Brockman – longtime coach of the SJHL’s Humbolt Broncos, leading the team to four league title in the last six years.
Chad Mercier – former WHL assistant with Regina and Saskatoon, has spent the past six years as GM/Coach of the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs.
I would have to also throw both current Wheat Kings’ assistant coaches – Dwayne Gylywoychuk and Darren Ritchie – into the mix.
A guide to the Memorial Cup
Rory Barrs, National Post, May 18, 2012
The 2012 Memorial Cup begins Friday in Shawinigan, Que., where the host Cataractes will battle the Edmonton Oil Kings, London Knights and Saint John Sea Dogs for Canadian junior hockey dominion. Post reporter Rory Barrs provides a breakdown of the four teams:
EDMONTON OIL KINGS
Western Hockey League champions
Memorial Cup appearances 10 (1954, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971, 1972)
Memorial Cups 2
2011-12 regular season 50-15-7, 107 points, first in the Eastern Conference.
2012 playoffs Defeated Kootenay 4-0; Brandon 4-0; Moose Jaw 4-1; and Portland 4-3 in the WHL final.
Coach Derek Laxdal, second year.
First-round draft picks D Mark Pysyk (Buffalo, 23rd in 2010).
Top prospects D Griffin Reinhart (10th on Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters); F Mitchell Moroz (72nd); F Henrik Samuelsson (75th); D Ashton Sautner (92nd).
Names to watch Goalie Laurent Brossoit’s 2.82 goals-against average and .910 save percentage earned him MVP honours of the WHL championship series. Centre Michael St. Croix (New York Rangers) led all Oil Kings with 105 points, including 45 goals, in the regular season; he and Curtis Lazar shared the team lead with 19 playoff points. Third-year winger Stephane Legault had five goals in 20 playoff games, after recording just 15 in the regular season. Reinhart was a team-best plus-14 in the post-season.
They can win if Brossoit (Calgary) continues to stand tall in goal, while Pysyk, Reinhart and their fellow defencemen keep quality scoring chances to a minimum. Edmonton’s offence has been clicking — scoring five or more goals four times in the playoffs — and will ultimately determine how far this team can go.
From the lip “We’re not done yet, we have one more tournament to go to.” — Lexdal
LONDON KNIGHTS
Ontario Hockey League champions
Memorial Cup appearances 1 (2005)
Memorial Cups 1
2011-12 regular season 49-18-1, 99 points, first in the Western Conference.
2012 playoffs Defeated Windsor 4-0; Saginaw 4-2; Kitchener 4-0; and Niagara 4-1 in the OHL final.
Coach Mark Hunter, first year.
First-round draft picks F Vladislav Namestnikov (Tampa Bay, 27th in 2011).
Top prospects D Olli Maatta (eighth on Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters); F Andreas Athanasiou (40th); F Josh Anderson (57th); G Michael Houser (16th, goalies).
Names to watch Houser was named the OHL’s most outstanding player, posting a 46-15-1 record, tying the league’s record for wins in a season. His 2.25 goals-against average was the second best among all OHL playoff goaltenders. Winger Seth Griffith is setting the pace up front for the Knights, leading the club with 23 playoff points. 17-year-old centre Ryan Rupert had nine post-season goals, including five in the OHL championship series.
They can win if Defencemen Jarred Tinordi (Montreal) and Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh) can keep opposing top lines off the score sheet. Tinordi led all OHL playoff skaters with a plus-15 rating. London’s young guns can come up large, including 17-year-old Max Domi, who contributed with four goals in the playoffs.
From the lip “These are some of the most important hockey games some of us will ever play.” — Houser
SAINT JOHN SEA DOGS
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions
Memorial Cup appearances 1 (2011)
Memorial Cups 1
2011-12 regular season 50-15-3, 103 points, first in the Maritimes Division.
2012 playoffs Defeated Cape Breton 4-0; Baie Comeau 4-0; Chicoutimi 4-1; and Rimouski 4-0 in the QMJHL final.
Coach Gerard Gallant, third year.
First-round draft picks F Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida, 3rd in 2011); D Nathan Beaulieu (Montreal, 17th in 2011); F Zack Phillips (Minnesota, 28th in 2011); F Charlie Coyle (San Jose, 28th in 2010).
Top prospects None
Names to watch The reigning Memorial Cup champions possess the top four scorers from the QMJHL playoffs: Coyle, Phillips, Russian winger Stanislav Galiev (Capitals) and Slovakian winger Tomas Jurco (Red Wings). Huberdeau played in just 37 games during the regular season due to injury, but still managed to record an inspiring 72 points. He appears to be skating in full stride, with 21 points in 15 post-season contests. Beaulieu is the backbone of the defence and goalie Mathieu Corbeil (Columbus) is not too shabby either, leading all QMJHL netminders with a 2.38 goals-against average in the regular season.
They can win if Saint John plays up to expectations as the heavy favourite, and harnesses its experience on the big stage. The Sea Dogs swept Rimouski in the QMJHL final, including a decisive 8-0 victory in Game 4. Expectations are set at win, or bust.
From the lip “I’m really happy with the way we’ve played lately and that’s a good sign going into the Memorial Cup, where you know you’re going to face really good competition.” — Gallant
SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES
Hosts
Memorial Cup appearances 0
Memorial Cups 0
2011-12 regular season 45-16-7, 97 points, first in the East Division.
2012 playoffs Defeated Rouyn-Noranda 4-0; eliminated by Chicoutimi 4-3.
Coach Éric Veilleux, seventh year.
First-round draft picks D Brandon Gormley (13th, Phoenix in 2010).
Top prospects F Anton Zlobin (137th on Central Scouting’s list of North American skaters).
Names to watch Zlobin scored a team-high 40 goals in the regular season, adding three more in 11 post-season games. Russian winger Kirill Kabanov (New York Islanders) is a potent weapon up front, scoring four times for Shawinigan in two rounds of QMJHL playoff action. Gormley, acquired from Moncton in January, has experience playing for Canada in the 2012 world junior championship.
They can win if Goalie Alex Dubeau, who had a league-best 2.08 goals-against average in the playoffs, can take his game to an otherworldly level, and the home fans can inspire Shawinigan to play its best hockey of the season.
From the lip “Obviously, it wasn’t an ideal situation not playing for the last few weeks, but our coaches had a plan in place for us.”
Pats' Volek exploring overseas options
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, May 18 2012
Earlier in the week, The MacBeth Report broke the news here that F David Volek, who just completed his freshman season with the Regina Pats, had signed a junior contract with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, J20 SuperElit).
Volek, 18, had 32 points with the Pats and it was expected that he would return for another season.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post provided the Pats’ view of this situation below.
The Färjestad news release was headlined J20: FBK Strengthens from Czech Republic.
The first three paragraphs of that release:
“Färjestad's J20 is strengthened for next season with a Czech national team member. Dominik Volek, most recently with the Regina Pats in the Canadian junior league, joins the club's J20 team. ‘From the reports we received, he is a very interesting two-way player with great potential,’ says Färjestad's Youth and Junior Manager Peter Johansson.
“Volek comes from the Canadian junior league where he played for the Regina Pats. His father, David, is a multiple Czech national team member who also played six seasons for the New York Islanders.
“Volek is one of three new forwards in the J20 squad.”
Of course, a lot can happen between now and late August, but that sounds pretty definitive.
Volek’s agent is his uncle, Ales, whose agency is called Alvo Sports Management. According to the agency website, Ales was a scout for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators from 1999-2002. Jiri Hudler Sr. is the head of player development for the agency.
Ales also is the agent for Roman Cervenka, who just signed with the Calgary Flames.
And here’s another connection for you — The MacBeth Report points out that the man in charge of running FBK from top to bottom, who just reorganized the FBK coaching and management staff for their junior programs, is former Flames F Håkan Loob.
-----
Pats' Volek exploring overseas options
Greg Harder, Leader-Post, May 18, 2012
The Regina Pats aren't hitting the panic button over the possibility that import forward Dominik Volek could jump ship to Europe.
Not yet, anyway.
In response to an online report stating that Volek had signed with Färjestad Karlstad of the junior elite league in Sweden, Pats GM Chad Lang placed a call Thursday morning to Volek's agent (he's represented by his uncle, Ales Volek). Lang said the agent told him no contract had been signed but the opportunity was being explored.
Volek, an 18-year-old native of the Czech Republic, has already been added to the Swedish club's roster on its website.
"It's a little bit of a surprise, yet it's not uncommon among Euros," said Lang. "We see this over and over where they go back home (in the off-season) and look at their options.
"I think it's a little premature. Yet, if it happens, it happens. At the end of the day if he signs over there, it doesn't affect his ability to come back here.
"Until I hear it from him or his agent, we're anticipating him back. I guess we'll wait and see."
Lang explained that Volek is indeed free to sign with a European team because the Pats' exclusive rights only apply to this side of the pond.
"Each European kid is on a year-to-year release," explained Lang, whose team selected Volek ninth overall in last year's CHL import draft. "He can go back to Europe and sign a contract there. If he wants to stay, he stays."
Lang pointed out that there are often complications in dealing with European players, be it due to posturing agents or the lure of playing at home. However, the Pats' GM has no concern about the intentions of Volek, a happy-go-lucky rookie who wore a perpetual smile during his time in Regina.
"I have no doubt the kid wants to be back here; no doubt whatsoever," said Lang, who hadn't yet spoken to Volek. "Do I question maybe some of the tactics of his agent? There's some question there with what they're trying to do yet I'm comfortable and confident that if it's Dom's decision I know where he'll be. I would be surprised if Dom even knows what's going on."
At this point, Volek's situation hasn't changed Lang's approach to the import draft on June 27, when the Pats are planning to select one player to fill out their two man import quota. Regina is slated to pick 32nd out of 60 CHL teams in the opening round.
Barring an NHL lockout, the Pats will be looking to replace Slovak defenceman Martin Marincin, 20, who's under contract to the Edmonton Oilers and expected to graduate to the pro ranks. Volek, meanwhile, is regarded as a key returning player who will be counted upon for offence, especially with the loss of star centre Jordan Weal.
Volek started strong last season but struggled with consistency down the stretch - a common trait for European players adjusting to the North American game - while contributing 14 goals and 32 points in 70 games.
Despite an invitation to the CHL Top Prospects Game, Volek's stock fell in Central Scouting's rankings for the 2012 NHL entry draft, dropping from 95th at midseason to 163rd on the final list (out of the top 210 North American-based skaters).
Volek also played for the Czechs this spring in the world under-18 championship, recording two goals and two assists en route to his team's eighth-place finish.
If he returns to Regina, the Pats are anticipating that Volek will follow the path of other European players, many of whom are known for taking a big step forward in their second WHL campaign.
"He definitely showed his ability," added Lang. "I said all year he was a young guy trying to get accustomed and familiarized not only with the style of play but our coaching staff, the new system, all those things.
"There's no question in Year 2 we anticipate he'd be a guy who would have to step up and fill a void for some of those guys who moved on. We're comfortable and confident he would be able to do that."
London upsets Saint John Memorial Cup
SHAWINIGAN, Que.— BILL BEACON, The Canadian Press, May. 19, 2012
It was a classic case of hard work beating talent as the London Knights came out on top Saturday.
Vladislav Namestnikov scored twice and Austin Watson had a goal and two assists as the Knights outhustled and upset the defending champion Saint John Sea Dogs 5-3 at the MasterCard Memorial Cup.
The No. 1-ranked Sea Dogs were a perfect 4-0 while winning last year’s Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ont., but their star forwards were thwarted by London’s team defence and they needed two short-handed goals just to stay in the game against the Ontario Hockey League champions.
“We’ve been battling all year to outwork teams and beat teams,” said Watson. “Play a tight defence and capitalize on our chances.
“They definitely didn’t take us lightly. They came out flying. It was a good battle. They’re a great hockey team and we’ll have to battle if we see them again.”
London is in action again Sunday night against the host Shawinigan Cataractes (0-1), while the Sea Dogs play their second game on Monday night against the Western Hockey League champion Edmonton Oil Kings (1-0).
Watson’s goal at 10:49 of the third period turned out to be the winner as the Knights held off the Sea Dogs’ vaunted attack.
Down 4-3 in the third, Saint John mounted some late pressure, but any chance of tying the game and forcing overtime disappeared when star forward Jonathan Huberdeau over-reacted to a poke from pesky Ryan Rupert and got a four-minute roughing call with 2:04 left to play.
Coach Gerard Gallant went ballistic on the bench and got a bench minor, giving London a two-man advantage they used to put the game away on Namestnikov’s second of the game.
Gallant later acknowledged his top players didn’t work hard enough and that London deserved to win, but his frustration spilled out toward the officials. He said his team has been a target as it dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League the last three seasons.
“I’ve been complaining for three years that we always get the short end of the stick and I’m tired of it,” he said. “I’m not taking anything away from London, they were the better team, but I’m so tired of that.
“You show your frustration at the end of the game. I don’t want to do that, but it’s been over and over again, so I’m tired of it.”
London went 1-for-8 on the power play, while Saint John was 1-for-5.
Huberdeau, the third overall pick in last year’s NHL draft by Florida, admitted his error.
“It was frustration. I shouldn’t do that,” he said. “We had a chance to come back and I took the penalty. It was undisciplined.
“Now we have to forget about it. We can’t panic now. We have to think about the next game and work on what we didn’t do well.”
Huberdeau may have been lucky not to be tossed from the game when he rammed Ryan’s brother Matt Rupert into the glass from behind only 16 seconds into the first period, earning an elbowing minor.
But the Sea Dogs used that to take the lead while shorthanded at 1:37 when Charles-Olivier Roussel beat Michael Houser with a long shot.
After that goal, Saint John let up and London took over, forcing turnovers and winning nearly every puck battle, even though the Sea Dogs ended up with a 25-24 shot advantage.
“We just played hard and out-competed them and came out on top,” said Ryan Rupert, who with his brother Matt checked Saint John’s top line relentlessly. “We wanted to come in here and make a splash right away.
“With them being Memorial Cup champions, we wanted to prove ourselves in the first game, and we did.”
Domi, son of former NHL tough guy Tie Domi, showed some grit as he went to the net and flipped the puck over Mathieu Corbeil while falling to the ice to tie the game at 14:11.
Only 1:20 later, strong forechecking saw Tyler Ferry feed Namestnikov in the slot as the Knights took the lead.
The Sea Dogs were in trouble when they were outhustled again and Seth Griffith made it 3-1 at 12:41 of the second frame.
But while shorthanded again, Saint John got a strange goal as Huberdeau’s long shot went off Namestnikov and bounced to the net and right between Houser’s pads with 2:03 left in the period.
Ryan Rupert stole a puck from Pierre Durepos behind the Sea Dogs’ net and fed Watson in front to restore the two-goal margin, but Saint John struck back at 12:01 with the man advantage. Unhappy with his stars, Gallant sent his third line out for the power play and Ryan Tysink scored on a deflection of a Nathan Beaulieu point shot.
Gallant said the bad ice at the Bionest Centre that has plagued the most skilled players was not an excuse because his best should have worked through it.
“We weren’t good,” he said. “The only time we worked hard was on the penalty kill.
“It was a pretty disappointing performance, but we’ve still got a couple of games to battle back. London played a great game. They frustrated our guys. That’s not typical for the Sea Dogs. We didn’t get our game going at all.”
Notes: The tournament hockey operations committee announced that officials should not have reviewed a Shawinigan goal in Friday’s 4-3 win by Edmonton. Goals scored after a whistle are not reviewable. The goal by Anton Zlobin at 6:37 of the third period cut Edmonton’s lead to 3-2. Had Shawinigan won, then there would be controversy.
Cataractes down Knights at Memorial Cup
RYAN PYETTE, QMI Agency, May 20 2012
SHAWINIGAN, QUE. - It doesn't matter if Brandon Gormley is on the ice all by himself staring at an empty net in the off-season back home on quiet Prince Edward Island.
Whenever the Shawinigan Cataractes defenceman winds up, he always imagines a massive crowd of defenders lining up to block his shots.
That's the London Knights' calling card, but the savvy Canadian world junior defender squeaked enough through their normally impenetrable wall of shin pads and sliding bodies, scoring twice in an entertaining 6-2 victory for the Memorial Cup hosts before 4,674 Sunday night at Centre Bionest.
“It's not easy against them,” said Gormley, the Phoenix Coyotes first rounder. “They're great at blocking shots and we knew that going in. You have to think about it in today's game. You look at that New York Rangers and (London president Dale Hunter's) Washington Capitals series in the NHL playoffs) and the number of shots that were blocked was just crazy.
“They probably blocked as many as I got through.”
But he'll take the 50/50 split, and the Cataractes will definitely take their first win here.
This is a compelling Cup now. The only club that hasn't won yet is the defending champion Saint John Sea Dogs.
“We knew it was going to be good coming in,” London veteran forward Jared Knight said. “You have four good teams here and it looks like anyone can win it.”
The games turn on a dime.
Down a goal in the third, Knight sent a bullet off the Shawinigan crossbar, and Pierre-Olivier Morin grabbed it and roared down the ice to score a much-needed insurance goal. The Cataractes never looked back.
“That's hockey,” Knight said. “Sometimes, that's all it takes. I got all of that one, and unfortunately, it didn't go in and they scored. It's a break and they got it. Hopefully, we get it next time.”
Shawinigan head coach Eric Veilleux had no problem testing Lady Luck.
After 17-year-old goalie Alex Dubeau surrendered four goals in an opening loss to Edmonton, Shawinigan opted to start tiny overager Gabriel Girard, who hadn't played a game in 44 days.
All he did was beat London's Michael Houser, who could end up the Canadian Hockey League's top netminder – and possibly player of the year.
“I was a little bit anxious in the beginning,” the 5-foot-10, 162-pound puckstopper said, “but I felt better as it went on and I know, now that I've had this game to play, I'm going to be better.”
No one's facing their Cup mortality yet. A tie-breaker game on Thursday is looking more and more like a possibility.
“They definitely had more legs than we did,” said Knight, whose team was on the end of back-to-back games, “but that's an excuse. We played back-to-backs all year. We have to bounce back with a better effort.”
The OHL champs have to start keeping the puck out of the net while they're on the power play.
Hard-working Shawinigan forward Loik Poudrier put the Cataractes up two goals in the second with a fine shorthanded individual effort. The Knights have given up more goals with the man advantage so far (three) than they've scored (two).
“That's not the goal,” Poudrier said, “but I got the puck in my own end and if the opportunity is there, then, of course, you look for it and go to the net as hard as you can. It worked out, we scored.”
London looked at it as a sign of a lacklustre effort.
“That's the kind of thing that can happen when you don't have all five guys coming back hard on the play,” Knight said. “We have to be going both ways.”
Both teams had goals called back. The Cataractes, though, had more finish.
The game turned nasty late. There were a handful of roughing calls and London's Brett Cook and Shawinigan's Vincent Arseneau engaged in a spirited punchup – the second fight of the tournament.
“That's part of the game,” Gormley said. “You get here, there's going to be a lot of hitting.”
The real key against London, he knows, is to keep pucks from hitting them.
Paul Cyr - former Victoria Cougar (WHL), RIP
Gregg Drinnan, Taking Note, May 20, 2012
Paul Cyr, who was one of the best players in the history of the WHL’s Victoria Cougars, has died. He was 48 years of age. Cyr played on the 1982 Canadian national junior team that won the world tournament in Minnesota. That team is recognized as the spark that ignited Canada’s love affair with the national juniors and the world tournament. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more on Cyr right here:
http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Former+NHLer+dead/6649793/story.html
Hockey Buzz has more right here, including a news report from CHEK-TV:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/GARTH/Rest-In-Peace-Paul-Cyr/6/44497
Sea Dogs dump Oil Kings at Memorial Cup
SHAWINIGAN, Que. — Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press, May. 21, 2012
The Saint John Sea Dogs have served notice they are still the team to beat at the MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Zach Phillips scored twice and the defending champion Sea Dogs used greater effort and more of their considerable skill to defeat the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-2 on Monday night and create a four-way tie for the tournament lead.
It is the first time all the teams have been tied with 1-1 records since the current four-team format was adopted in 1983.
For Saint John, it was a much stronger performance, particularly from their top talents like Phillips, Jonathan Huberdeau and Charlie Coyle, than their listless loss to the London Knights in their opening game on Saturday.
“It’s really just our work ethic,” said Phillips. “When we work hard, there aren’t many teams that can beat us.”
The Western Hockey League champion Oil Kings are back in action Tuesday night against Ontario Hockey League winners London, while Saint John faces what is sure to be an emotional final round-robin game on Wednesday against their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rival Shawinigan Cataractes.
Huberdeau, Danick Gauthier and Ryan Tesink also scored for the Sea Dogs, while Kristians Pelss and Stephane Legault replied for Edmonton, which beat the host Cataractes in their first game.
Sea Dogs coach Gerard Gallant singled out Tysink as an inspiration as he was crushed by a Griffith Reinhart hit in the first period and rebounded with a solid two-way game.
It was an important win for Saint John, as only one team has ever started 0-2 and won the tournament — the 2009 Windsor Spitfires.
“We try to steer clear of what the game means and just play our game,” said Phillips. “That’s what we did tonight, and it worked.”
The Oil Kings, who were coming off a two-day break, must now make a quick turnaround to face a London side that plays a tight defensive game and likes to surprise opponents on counterattacks.
“We just couldn’t get it done,” said forward Curtis Lazar. “We need to pick up the effort, but it’s short-term memory time now.
“This is bitter, but we need to get a good night’s sleep and forget about it.”
Lazar also took a massive hit in the first period and responded in the second with what appeared to be a knee-on-knee hit on Phillips, although no penalty was called. Phillips limped to the bench in pain, but returned before the end of the period.
“That hit on Phillips was borderline,” Lazar admitted. “I felt bad.
“I said sorry to him and I think he was a little surprised.”
Phillips said he was hit by Lazar’s knee and that it hurt for a few minutes, but he said he will be fine.
Edmonton coach Derek Laxdal said Lazar’s line with Legault and Henrik Samuelsson was his best because of their energetic play, but said there were some passengers on his team who will need to pick up their game against London.
“They’ll trap you and try to score on 2-on-1s and 3-on-2s,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready for that.”
The slow, choppy ice that has plagued the tournament during a spring hot spell was evident again in strange bounces and unusual goals. Organizers have called in ice expert Mike Craig to help improve the playing surface for the rest of the event.
The Sea Dogs got a quirky one early as Phillips fired the puck at a slim angle from the right boards and it got between Laurent Brossoit’s pad and the post at 4:23.
Edmonton tied it at 7:03 when Pelss tipped a high Mark Pysyk point shot past Mathieu Corbeil on a power play.
Huberdeau, who rebounded from a weak opening game with a stronger effort, showed his skill as he got behind the defence to take a Coyle pass and beat Brossoit with a deke 4:42 into the second frame.
Gauthier made it a two-goal lead at 15:53 with a partially blocked shot that bounced crazily past Brossoit, but Legault got it back 1:03 later as he took a feed from Samuelsson and put a move on Corbeil.
Phillips put the game out of reach with his second of the game with 1:37 left to play and Tesink added an empty net goal.
With each of the teams winning at least once, it guarantees there will be a tiebreaker game on Thursday night to determine one semifinalist.
Notes: Organizers fined the London Knights $1,000 for an incident near the end of their 6-2 loss to Shawinigan on Sunday, in which Greg McKegg and Matt Rupert threw punches at the Cataractes’ Alex Grandmaison from the bench. . . Saint John made two changes, putting Devon Oliver-Dares and Oliver Cooper into the lineup and scratching Spencer MacDonald and Jason Cameron.
Popeye and son: Former NBA forward's offspring, teenager Seth Jones, shows his strength is in hockey
U.S. U-18 captain-defenseman prepares to play for WHL Portland Winterhawks
Kerry Eggers, The Portland Tribune, May 20 2012
Despite what you might guess, Popeye Jones can ice skate. A little.
“I have a custom-made pair of size-15 skates,” the father of the newest Portland Winterhawks defenseman, Seth Jones, says. “It’s a long way for me to fall, though, and the ice is hard.
“I could never learn to stop, so I can’t go that fast. It gives you a whole new perspective and appreciation for the game of hockey.”
Popeye Jones is a lug of a man who is 6-8 and was listed at 265 pounds at the end of his 11-year run as an NBA power forward. The middle of his three sons is good-sized for a young hockey player, 6-4 and about 200 as he nears his 18th birthday this October.
Seth Jones — whose Western Hockey League rights were acquired by Portland from Everett this season — is one of the top junior prospects in the country. The captain of the under-18 team with the National Hockey Development Program, he would have been one of the top 10 picks in this year’s NHL draft, though he was too young to be eligible.
Jones is good enough that he could go No. 1 in the 2013 draft.
For at least a season, though, he’ll be patrolling the back end for the Winterhawks, who want to kick down the door after knocking at it while reaching the WHL finals the past two years.
Papa Jones has become very knowledgeable about the sport all three of his sons have chosen to play.
“I remember laying in the bedroom with the kids and watching Brett Hull (of the Dallas Stars) score a controversial goal to beat Buffalo in the 1999 Stanley Cup finals,” says Jones, now an assistant coach for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.
When Popeye was playing for the Dallas Mavericks, Stars center Mike Modano invited the Jones gang to a game.
“We didn’t know what we were watching,” the senior Jones says, “but had a really good time going to the game as our family. The Stars became our team.”
In 1996, Jones was traded to Toronto, “and you know how hockey is up there,” he says. “If you’re going to watch sports in Toronto, you watch (The Sports Network) and Hockey Night in Canada.”
By the time Jones was dealt to Denver in 1999, the oldest son — Justin, now 21 — had decided he wanted to play hockey.
“Seth tagged along when we went to the hockey shop for gear,” Popeye says. “He wanted hockey skates and roller blades.”
About that time, Jones ran into Colorado Avalanche standout Joe Sakic.
“I said, ‘Joe, my kids want to play hockey; what do I need to do?’ " Jones says. “He said, ‘They’re going to be huge. Just make sure they know how to skate.’ "
At 5, Seth took lessons from a female figuring skating coach for a year before entering into a youth hockey program. He continued working with her for years.
“He enjoyed skating as much as playing hockey, at least at first,” Jones says. “She taught him strides and edges and how to skate backward and to do forward and backward crossovers. She would always comment on how quickly he picked things up.”
Few blacks play or have much interest in hockey.
“That worried me a little bit when the kids were young,” says Jones, 41. “But we know the reason why is because of the cost of the sport. It’s very expensive, which makes it tough for a lot of African-Americans to be able to afford to play.”
As an NBA player, Jones was a rebounder — he twice averaged more than 10 boards a game for the Mavericks — and a defender. It may have rubbed off on Seth, who always preferred playing defense in hockey.
“I always said, ‘Defense wins championships,’ " the elder Jones says. “Seth wasn’t a great puckhandler as a little boy. He was always nimble and light on his feet, though. He’d lose the puck off his stick, and skate a few more strides before realizing he didn’t have it.
“He just liked defense. The forwards would get in the scrum and fight over the puck. He never wanted to do that. He wanted to stay back.”
At 15, Seth left the family and moved to Ann Arbor, Mich., to become part of the National Hockey Development Program, providing a wealth of national and international experience.
Though he was the youngest player, Jones was captain of the U.S. under-18 team that won gold at the 2012 world championships. He was nearly a year younger than the next youngest player invited to try out for the U.S. national junior team for players 20 and under. Jones made the team, but suffered a shoulder injury in an exhibition game against Russia and had to return home.
“The national program was wonderful for Seth,” Popeye says. “He needed to get stronger, develop his body, develop personally being away from home, fit into a group setting and train with kids who have the same goal as you at a young age.
“USA Hockey does a great job with the kids teaching them what it takes to be an elite athlete and an elite student and person. The whole experience for him was great — even the 14- to-16-hour bus rides.”
Jones has a few more long bus trips on the horizon next season with the Hawks, who sold him on a weekend recruiting visit to Portland with mother, Amy, during the playoff series with Tri-City last month.
“She had a lot of questions about billets and wanted to meet our academic advisor,” says the Hawks’ general manager and coach, Mike Johnston. “Seth had questions about hockey and our team.”
Seth had some familiarity with the Hawks, who had listed his roommate with the U.S. U-18 team — forward Quentin Shore — a year ago. Defenseman William Wrenn, Portland’s captain this season, is a former member of the national development program.
“Seth knew a little bit about how we play,” Johnston says. “We play a puck-moving, up-tempo style that is suited toward his game.”
Jones could have chosen to accept a scholarship to play for nearly any college hockey power in the country.
“It’s fine that he didn’t go the college route,” his father says. “I was happy he didn’t choose a college early, then back out. I’m glad he waited to choose between college and the Western Hockey League.”
Jones, Johnston says, “is going to fill out. He can play at 210 or 215 next season. He’s a big guy but he doesn’t look heavy. He skates really well for a defenseman. He can jump up ice with the puck and lead the rush. He handles and moves the puck very well.”
There’s no telling how good Jones will be next season, or further in the future. His father isn’t about to predict.
“We don’t look at that,” Popeye says. “The one thing you can control is how hard you work. You put in the time, you make sure you’re prepared for games and everything else falls into place. The stars align when you do those things.”
When Jones was coaching with the Mavericks after his playing days ended, he would take Seth to practice and point out the work habits of such players as Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry.
“Seth watched them take extra work before and after practice and shootaround, how they prepared, how they locked in to try to learn the opponents’ plays and tendencies,” Popeye says. “It helped him grow as a hockey player.”
Justin Jones is a forward who will play hockey at Division-III Wisconsin-River Falls next season. Seth’s younger brother, Caleb, who turns 15 on June 6, is a 5-11, 175-pound defenseman who was chosen in the third round (with Portland’s second pick) by the Hawks in the recent bantam draft.
“Doctors have projected him to be 6-5 or 6-6 and about 235,” Popeye says. “He is going to be a big kid. Seth will play the body when he has to, but that’s not his total game. Caleb, that’s his thing. He wants to knock you on your butt.”
The younger Jones was coached by one of the Hawks’ scouts on his Texas youth team.
“Caleb is a more physical player than Seth, with good upside,” Johnston says. “We’re excited to have both of them in our system.”
So is their father.
“Everything I’ve heard about the Winterhawks is that they are a class organization all the way,” Jones says. “It reminds me what we’re trying to do with the Nets, except the Winterhawks are ahead of us because of their success in the playoffs.
“I’ve talked to (associate coach Travis) Green and I’m looking forward to meeting Mike Johnston. I plan to come up for training camp to spend three or four days up there. I'm hoping to have Caleb take part, too.”
Caleb’s father, the youngest of five children, was christened Ronald at birth.
“But my parents asked (his siblings), ‘What should we call your new baby brother?’ " he says.
The kids were watching a Popeye cartoon at the time. “Ronald” became “Popeye,” and it stuck.
Seth Jones doesn’t have a nickname yet.
George Gervin’s “Iceman” might be appropriate.
Cataractes romp to 6-1 win, eliminate Oil Kings from Memorial Cup
Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press, May 24 2012
SHAWINIGAN, Que. - The Shawinigan Cataractes got goals from six different players as they coasted to a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in the tiebreaker game Thursday night at the Mastercard Memorial Cup.
The win put host Shawinigan (2-2) into the semifinal on Friday night against the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Saint John Sea Dogs (2-1). It will be the Cataractes' third game in as many nights.
The winner advances to the final Sunday night against the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights (2-1).
The Oil Kings (1-3), never found their stride after beating Shawinigan 4-3 in the tournament opener. The last Western Hockey League club to be the tournament's first casualty was Kelowna in 2005.
Yannick Veilleux, Morgan Ellis, Anton Zlobin, Kirill Kabanov, Michael Bournival and Pierre-Olivier Morin scored for the Cataractes, while Brandon Gormley and Michael Chaput each had two assists.
Henrik Samuelsson replied for the Oil Kings, who were outshot 31-30.
Shawinigan was coming off a 4-1 loss on Wednesday night to Saint John, the QMJHL powerhouse that is seeking a second straight Memorial Cup title.
Nerves were evident for both teams in the opening minutes until Veilleux opened the scoring at 7:30, tipping in a Gormley point shot after some good work from Kabanov.
Ellis was in the left circle to one-time a Gormley pass in during a power play at 17:01.
The Cataractes scored on their first shot of the middle period as Zlobin one-timed a back pass from Chaput past Laurent Brossoit at 1:54.
Proof that everything was going Shawinigan's way came when Kabanov's shot went off Brossoit, rebounded off the end glass, hit the goaltender again and rolled into the net at 2:59.
Bournival added a power play goal at 8:11 and it went from bad to worse for Edmonton when Morin picked off a pass and scored on a short-handed breakaway for a 6-0 lead at 13:59.
Edmonton finally got one with Shawinigan on a line change as Stephane Legault sent Samuelsson in on a breakaway to beat Gabriel Girard.
The Oil Kings, a young team that will have most of its top players back next season, arrived in Shawinigan only a few days after beating Portland in seven games in the WHL final. They never seemed to find their legs in Energy City, Shawinigan's nickname because of its hydro power plant.
The Cataractes were knocked out in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs and had a 31-day break before the Memorial Cup.
Scouting combine dress rehearsal for draft
Vancouver Sun, May 24 2012
Scout, scout, scout. It's a never-ending cycle for hockey teams trying to unearth the next great one.
From spring hockey to summer tournaments to league play beginning each fall, there is always a prospect to watch, to evaluate and to analyze. Then when all the bird-dogging is done, there is the NHL scouting combine.
The combine, now in its 19th year, brings together the top 100 prospects for next month's entry draft and the 30 teams that will be selecting them. It's the biggest deal happening in the hockey world next week - May 28 to June 2 in Toronto - other than the little Stanley Cup tournament the league also has going.
Player and possible future employer have the chance for a meet-and-greet. Player does dryland testing while possible future employer observes. Player performs a variety of tasks, among them vertical jump, long jump, bench press, VO2 Max (aerobic) and Wing-ate (anaerobic).
It's a must-attend event and the Vancouver Canucks will be there with an army of eyeballs. Assistant GM Laurence Gil-man, who oversees the Canucks amateur scouting department, is leading the contingent that includes all the full-time amateur scouts, some of the part-timers as well as conditioning coach Roger Takahashi and even Takahashi's assistant, Bryan Marshall.
"I think the best way to describe the combine is that it completes the body of work that has gone on in the prior eight months," Gilman explained.
"Our scouts have been on the road watching hundreds of games across the globe. The combine affords them an opportunity to see a player's personality where, often times, you don't see it when you're scouting a game and just watching them.
"It also gives us an opportunity to see them tested physically. So it really just brings together everything that has been collected from conventional scouting."
Gilman emphasized that the Canucks don't rely solely on these interviews to probe a player's psyche. Scouts are asked to gain a lot of intel on prospects throughout their draft-eligible seasons.
"We expect our scouts to do off-ice homework and get to know the kids as well as they can," Gil-man said. "We expect them to talk to their coaches and, if possible, go into the school, talk to their principals, speak to their billets, talk to their teammates. But a player's stock can be enhanced, or in the alternative, can decrease based on his performance at the combine.
"So the combine is extremely important. It is clearly an opportunity for a player to audition and, like any audition, some go well and some don't."
Vancouver Giants defenceman Brett Kulak, 18, is among the anointed 100 heading to Toronto. He is projected to be an early third-round pick by The Hockey News. Central Scouting has listed him No. 55 among North American-trained skaters.
A smooth-skating puck-mover, Kulak has been doing a little scouting of his own, seeking out Giants teammate Davil Musil and other pals who have been to the combine.
"They just told me 'be ready' and to train hard leading up to it," Kulak said Wednesday from his hometown of Stony Plain, Alta. "So that's what I've been doing. I'm more excited than nervous. I'm going to take this opportunity and make the most of it."
The interview process can be tiring and Kulak has been warned he could do as many as 15 a day.
"I've started to think about the questions I might be asked and to prepare myself a little bit for it," he said. "I've already had one written kind of test for a team and there were some really weird questions on there. You kind of didn't know which answer was right. Yeah, there was one like the 'which-animal-would-you-be?' question."
Edmonton-based player agent Gerry Johannson, who represents prominent NHLers Milan Lucic, Ryan Getzlaf, Brent Sea-brook and Carey Price, has been sending clients to the combine ever since it began. This year he has five, including Kulak. He keeps his advice simple: prepare for the physical testing and be yourself in the interview room.
"I really try not to prepare the players for the interview pro-cess because I think they need to go in relaxed," said Johann-son, 45, a one-time defence-man for the New Westminster Bruins. "They're sometime meeting 20-25 teams and, generally, there will be at least five guys, and maybe six or seven, in the room. Some are just visiting with you, some are challenging you and some want to talk about your teammates.
"So we just want our guys in there being relaxed and comfortable and being them-selves. They've had interviews throughout the season so they've met with scouts before and they kind of get it."
This year's entry draft goes June 22-23 in Pittsburgh.
OHL's Knights, host Cataractes on a collision course in Memorial Cup final
Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press, May 24 2012
SHAWINIGAN, Que. - The London Knights and the Shawinigan Cataractes will be coming from opposite directions when they collide in the final of the Mastercard Memorial Cup.
The Ontario Hockey League champion Knights have been off since Tuesday, as they clinched a bye to the final by finishing first in the round robin portion of the four-team tournament.
The host Cataractes took the long route, finishing last in the round robin but then winning the tiebreaker game against the Western Hockey League-winning Edmonton Oil Kings and dethroning the defending champion Saint John Sea Dogs in the semifinal.
The Knights (2-1) and Cataractes (3-2) will clash Sunday night in the final amid the clamour of the raucous Shawinigan fans at the Bionest Centre.
The question to be answered is whether the Knights have the advantage of being rested or the Cataractes are favoured for taking momentum into the decisive game.
''I guess we'll have to wait and see,'' was all Cataractes defenceman Morgan Ellis would say.
The main advantage could be home ice, where a veteran Shawinigan side seems to feed off the deafening noise, which may be intimidating for a mostly younger London team.
''The buildings' always really loud and it definitely helps,'' said Shawinigan rearguard Brandon Gormley, the Phoenix Coyotes' prospect who has been one of the stars of the tournament with nine points in five games.
The Cataractes also have confidence from having handed London its only loss of the tournament, a 6-2 thrashing on May 20 in which Gormley had two goals and an assist.
''We'll have to play good defence and we need our forwards playing good sound hockey and our goalie playing well,'' said Knights coach Mark Hunter.
The Knights have succeeded with a defence-first game and strong counterattacking from top forwards like Seth Griffith and Vladislav Namestnikov.
Their specialty is shot blocking, particularly from veteran centre Austin Watson — who is also their scoring leader thus far with four points in three games — and the top defence duo of Jarred Tinordi and Scott Harrington. Watson's linemates, the pesky twins Matt and Ryan Rupert, should also be a factor.
A problem is that Shawinigan's defence aces, Ellis and Gormley, have been particularly effective at getting shots through to the net for forwards to tip in or score on rebounds. Both prefer the well-placed wrist shot to the big slapper from the point.
''It's so hard to score in today's game,'' Gormley said. ''Guys are blocking shots and collapsing down low.
''Any way we can get pucks to the net and keep them in at the blue-line, it benefits our forwards.''
The game-winner that sank the Sea Dogs on Friday night was a case in point, as Ellis slipped a shot through that Yannick Veilleux tipped past goalie Mathieu Corbeil to break a 4-4 tie.
It was the Cataractes third game in as many nights and dispelled any notion that fatigue would be a factor.
Hunter welcomed the break because his team had been through a long season and playoff drive that culminated with their victory in five games over Niagara in the OHL final.
Shawinigan finished second to Saint John in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League regular season, but then were upset in seven games in the second round by Chicoutimi. That left them a 31-day break before the Memorial Cup, although they didn't sit idle.
Coach Eric Veilleux put his team through a punishing schedule of practices and off-ice workouts to get them into top shape in body and mind.
''We had a chance to talk during that month,'' said Veilleux. ''Many things were addressed.
''When you go through adversity, you pretty much know the reasons why. I don't want to call it an accident, but we lost Game 7, which we weren't really planning on. The right things were said. You find solutions. They were clearly understood before this tournament and that's what we're seeing right now.''
Now Shawinigan has a chance to be only the second team to win the Memorial Cup after having to play in a tiebreaker game. The first was also in Quebec in 2009 in Rimouski, where the Windsor Spitfires lost their first two games and then ran the table.
The final will be Shawinigan's fourth game in five nights and their sixth in 10. It will be London's fourth in 10 days.
''They look prepared, physically and mentally,'' said Hunter. ''They're an older team, not depending on 17-year-olds. That helps.''
Another factor is goaltending, where Shawinigan veteran Gabriel Girard has been solid while London's Michael Houser has been surprisingly off his game. Girard has been the starter since the Cataractes' second game after Alex Dubeau got the loss in the tournament opener against Edmonton.
He has posted a 2.50 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in four starts.
Houser was named the outstanding player of the OHL this season after tying a league record with 46 wins and posting a 2.47 average. But at the Memorial Cup, he has let in some soft ones. His average is 3.03 and his save percentage a weak .885.
But history favours London.
The Cataractes are a founding member of the QMJHL but have never won a Memorial Cup. The Knights are seeking their second in seven years, both with brothers Dale and Mark Hunter running the club.
They had a veteran, star-studded team in 2005 that included winger Corey Perry and won the event on home ice.
Dale Hunter was the coach then with Mark as general manager, but the roles are reversed after Dale took time out to coach the Washington Capitals this season.
Mark said the brothers have evolved since their first title.
''We're calmer than we were then,'' he said. ''We know it won't help them if we're too wound up.
''They have to do it on the ice. We're just here to help them along. We don't want them too tight. It's going to be a game with a lot of emotion. And too much emotion is no good either.''
Cataractes win Memorial Cup
Ryan Pyette, QMI Agency, May 27 2012
SHAWINIGAN, Que. –For the eighth time in the last 40 years, the Memorial Cup needed an overtime hero.
Today, his name is Anton Zlobin.
The crafty Russian scored 17:51 into overtime to deliver the Shawinigan Cataractes their long-awaited first Canadian Hockey League title, 2-1 over the London Knights before 4,763 Sunday night at Centre Bionest in one of the most riveting finals in tournament history.
Zlobin will get free poutine for life in Quebec.
For the Knights, it's a shot right to the gut.
Seven years ago when the Knights won the Cup, it felt like the coronation of a king.
This time, they tried to grab the crown and shove it onto their heads, defying all pretenders with fortified defence, expert shot-blocking, timely scoring and shameless icings.
The game plan worked perfectly but, in the end, they fell one goal short.
They call Shawinigan the ‘Energy City,’ and you have to wonder where the Cataractes got theirs this week.
Four games in five nights wasn't enough.
They needed the legs for overtime, too, before finally knocking off the Knights.
After 43 years of close-but-no-cigars, they started to feel like a team of destiny this year.
The Cats had been either prince or paupers in their star-crossed Quebec league history. They were hoping for, just this once, to sit in the throne.
They finally got there.
But not before Eric Veilleux's run-and-gunners had a devil of a time removing the sword from GM and head coach Mark Hunter's massive stone of discipline and structured hockey.
Nothing was decided after three periods.
Fitting, because no one with the Knights saw a trip to the final coming. Not until the trade deadline, anyway.
“Once we saw (the indefatigable Austin) Watson and (Greg) McKegg walk in the room in January,” London forward Matt Rupert said, “we knew what was expected of us.”
London lost its head coach Dale Hunter to the NHL's Washington Capitals and his Stanley Cup dreams, but never flinched. His younger brother Mark stepped in.
The Knights stared at elimination for the first time in the last game on the Canadian Hockey League calendar, and didn't blink.
London turned defenceman into forwards, forwards into D-men, and sat out older players to give younger kids minutes. They put together a checking line of 18-and-unders who didn't care if they played against the other team's top scorers.
They had junior hockey's best goalie, then camped out in front of him and did everything humanly possible to avoid pucks from getting to him.
A handful of Knights from the 2005 Cup champs flew in on a private plan for the game, including Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry and former captain Danny Syvret. Knights rookie assistant coach Dylan Hunter was on that legendary Knights team, too.
“We wanted to be here to support the boys,” former Knights sniper Rob Schremp said, “and to hope this team got to feel what we did back then. The games I saw them play, and it was just in the playoffs, they were relentless (the way they were in '05).
“They never give up and keep pushing. It's great to see and it's fun to watch.”
London had a dream start.
They wanted, in the first 10 minutes, to score first, shut down Shawinigan's red-hot offence and take the revved-up crowd out of it early.
They did it all.
Ryan Rupert put the Knights, who came in with four days rest, on the board 5:42 into the game, banging home a pass in the slot after furious forechecking by his twin brother Matt, and Austin Watson. The Cataractes surrendered the opening goal in five of their six Cup games.
Shawinigan scored 13 goals in its previous two games and lit up London for a half-dozen last Sunday.
But it took them 10 minutes to register a shot and they ended up with only four in the opening 20 minutes. It looked like the Cats needed a map to find the Knights net.
When you're watching London play, you have to look beyond the usual stats to the smaller things – blocked shots, faceoff wins and the number of icings.
London GM and head coach Mark Hunter figured if his team could establish a lead and play physically, the quick Shawinigan forwards would start to feel the lead in their legs from playing four games in five nights.
But Russian forward Anton Zlobin gave the Cats a second-period jolt, scoring three minutes in to tie the game.
From there, it turned into a stalemate.
Shawinigan was trying to become the second team – after Watson's 2009 Windsor Spitfires – to win the Cup from the tiebreaker game.
It's a little easier to do now because there's a day off between the semifinal and the championship game. Teams no longer have to play three-in-three to win the tournament like they did seven years ago.
In fact, the 2005 Knights were the last team able to jump on a tuckered-out squad, beating the Sidney Crosby-led Rimouski Oceanic less than 24 hours after they had to win a semifinal game against Ottawa.
The following year, the CHL added the day off in between, hoping to create more competitive final games. In Quebec, they call it the 'Doris Labonte' rule after the outspoken Oceanic coach, who complained about the format.
CHL-NHL teenager rule needs adjustment
Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News, 2012-05-30
This year’s top draft prospects are currently having their heads scrambled by their prospective employers at the NHL combine and many decisions will be made in the next few months. The players themselves also need to figure out where their development will be best served and with players jumping from the NCAA to major junior, an inequity has become more pronounced recently: The kids drafted outside the Canadian League can go to the American League as teens, while their major junior counterparts must wait.
At 6-foot-7 and 242 pounds, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak possesses a frame that is surpassed by just a handful of NHL players. It’s part of the reason Dallas selected the Toronto native with the 14th pick in the 2011 draft and why he will turn pro next season, either with the Stars or their AHL affiliate in Texas.
Oleksiak ended this campaign in the Ontario League with the Niagara IceDogs, who acquired him during the season from Saginaw. But it’s only because he was drafted out of Northeastern University that Oleksiak will be able to play for the AHL’s Texas Stars next season as a 19-year-old. If he had been in major junior all along, it would have been NHL or bust for another year. And that is kind of dumb.
While it’s great for players such as Oleksiak or Washington’s John Carlson, it seems unfair that Boston Bruins pick Dougie Hamilton would have to return to junior next season if he doesn’t make the big squad, just because he was drafted out of OHL Niagara.
By all accounts, Hamilton’s size and skill (he’s 6-foot-5 and nearly 200 pounds) mean he will crack the B’s blueline next year, but I’m sure the Bruins wouldn’t mind the option of sending him to AHL Providence to play against men.
The NHL has an agreement with the CHL that its prospects must remain in major junior until they are 20 or have played four full seasons. This rule, of course, is to keep talent in major junior. But is it outdated?
Prospects today are much more prepared physically than even 20 years ago and thanks to Goliaths such as Oleksiak and Hamilton, they’re often bigger than most NHLers. In Europe, top prospects play against men all the time – Tampa’s Victor Hedman and New Jersey’s Adam Larsson being two of the more high-profile recent examples. Those two D-men also boast big frames and high skill levels.
With Oleksiak in particular, the Stars were happy he was dealt to Niagara mid-season, but wouldn’t have minded seeing him play against men, either.
“He could have gone to the AHL this year,” said Les Jackson, Dallas’ director of scouting and player development. “But he was going to a good coaching setting and with all those guys playing at the world juniors (four other IceDogs played for Canada), that was confirmation he was with a good group.”
Still, it was nice for Oleksiak and the Stars to have options. Pundits will tell you that no player has been ruined by being developed longer, while many who were rushed have, but that’s the problem here: The AHL represents the perfect middle ground between junior and the NHL and it’s not available to everyone.
The perfect example is Toronto’s Jerry D’Amigo. Drafted out of Team USA’s national team development program, he spent one year at R.P.I. before deciding to leave school. He turned pro and joined the AHL Marlies as a teenager. When his results were middling, he went to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers midway through the campaign before heading back to the Marlies this season. He’s now in the Calder Cup final and boasting 13 points in 13 games.
D’Amigo needed a little more time before becoming an effective pro, but because he and the Maple Leafs had options, the stocky left winger was able to navigate those waters.
Carlson went from the United States League’s Indiana Ice to the London Knights after he was drafted by the Capitals, but jumped to the AHL Hershey Bears after one season. He actually joined Hershey in the playoffs and won a Calder Cup as a teen, then came back the next year and did it again for the repeat. Now he’s Washington’s best defenseman.
The CHL is not suffering for talent – just ask Miami University, which has lost Tyler Biggs, Connor Murphy, Ryan Hartman and now Patrick Sieloff to major junior the past two summers – so why not allow the option for the exceptional to become pros as teens? The stakes in the AHL are lower than the NHL and the kids can always come back to junior if necessary, but at least they’d have the choice.
Junior hockey rakes in big money
PAT HICKEY, The Gazette, May 29, 2012
MONTREAL - Junior hockey is big business.
We saw that last week in Shawinigan, which played host to the Memorial Cup tournament. Every hotel and auberge in the city was fully booked. The same held true for accommodations in neighbouring Trois-Rivières.
Folks were lined up three deep to order a Shawinigan Handshake at Le Trou du Diable, and the two chip wagons on 5e Avenue were doing a roaring business as the local bars closed.
(For the uninitiated, a Shawinigan Handshake is a locally crafted brew whose label carries a caricature of former prime minister Jean Chrétien with his hands around the neck of Don Cherry)
The Edmonton Oil Kings arrived on a chartered flight, while the London Knights made the trek in a bus equipped with Internet connections and satellite television. Brothers Mark and Dale Hunter can afford such luxury. The former National Hockey League players who own the London franchise take in more than $6 million in gate receipts, and their player payroll is about one-tenth of that. NHL owners would love to have profit margins like that.
But if the Canadian Hockey League’s gamble on a relatively small market like Shawinigan paid off last week, the rewards were dwarfed by the windfall produced at the World Junior Championships this year in Alberta.
At Hockey Canada’s annual meeting last weekend, the governing body tabled a preliminary report on the event. It showed a profit in excess of $22 million, which is why Canadian cities are lined up to host the event.
Hockey Canada will get $9 million to support grassroots programs across the country. A chunk of that will go toward recruiting young players and another chunk will be devoted to keeping them in the game. Hockey Canada also retains $3 million to help attract future tournaments.
The CHL, which contributed most of the players to the bronze-medal Canadian team, gets $6.6 million. Most of that money will go into the scholarship program for major-junior players. The three major-junior leagues announced last week that they spent $5.2 million on scholarships this past school year for 545 active and 722 former players. That’s a lot of money until you do the math; it averages out to a shade over $4,100 a player, which doesn’t cover tuition at most Canadian universities.
Hockey Alberta gets $950,000, while the other 12 branches across the country get $165,000 each.
The International Ice Hockey Federation receives $1.5 million, while the other nine federations represented in the tournament will divide $450,000.
Ex-Kootenay Ice coach Kris Knoblauch in limbo after Alberta Golden Bears land AHL coach
Neate Sager, Buzzing The Net, 30 May 2012
Kris Knoblauch has had a rough few days even by the standards of the coaching profession.
First Kootenay Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth, well, iced him as coach on Friday. The WHL team learned Knoblauch was interviewing for the University of Alberta Golden Bears coaching vacancy even though no one from the CIS powerhouse ever contacted the Ice for permission to speak to a coach under contract. It also looked like Knoblauch was a betting favourite to land one of the top five coaching positions in all of Canadian Interuniversity Sport, which should explain why someone would leave a WHL team for a more secure university position.
Then over the weekend, Fort McMurray Oil Barons play-by-play man Tyler King reported Alberta had offered the job to another Golden Bears alumnus, Ian Herbers, from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, rather than Knoblauch. (The story was of interest in Fort McMurray since Oil Barons coach Gord Thibaudea was reportedly intereste.) The Edmonton Journal ended up reporting a denial that was true, only to end up reporting about 48 hours later that King's report was bang on. What was the source of confusion that left Knoblauch in limbo?
From Global TV Edmonton's Dean Millard:
"I was told [Herbers] didn't interview and couldn't get the job because he didn't interview. So either someone on the selection committee wasn't aware of the whole story or someone on the selection committee was telling different information. One of two things happened." (The Pipeline Show)
That just makes it all the more bizarre. Typically, Canadian Interuniversity Sport isn't like the NCAA; the director of athletics can't just say, "Hire this man." (Or woman, as the case may be; some schools have this strange idea gender equity also applies whom is paid to coaches their female athletes, imagine that. But I digress.) There's always procedures and protocols in place. If Bill Belichick suddenly said to himself, "Self, I need a new challenge and no media scrutiny, I'd like to coach the York Lions," he'd still have to go through the whole rigamorale.
Is Herbers qualified for the job? No doubt. The way it was handled, though, comes off badly. It reads like the fallout from the Knoblauch news leaking out, and the reaction in Kootenay, caused Alberta to go off the board and offer the job to Herbers. There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions. The obvious space on the jump-to-conclusions mat is the one stating that Alberta might have worried that playing poach-a-coach by hiring Knoblauch would hurt its rep in the WHL, its main recruiting pond.
Much of recruiting in CIS is by word of mouth. Players who aren't going on to pro hockey often base their school choice on having former teammates and close friends already there, or a recommendation from their junior coach or GM. Gregg Drinnan reported, "I am told one U of A player has apologized, via email, to [Jeff] Chynoweth for how all this was handled." That plays into the idea that hiring Herbers was about saving some face in WHL circles. But that doesn't help Kris Knoblauch, who just won the WHL championship last season, find a new job.
Knoblauch knew interviewing for Bears coaching position was a big risk:
It cost him his job when the Kootenay Ice learned what he was doing
Evan Daum, edmontonjournal.com, June 6, 2012
EDMONTON - Kris Knoblauch knows that life as a hockey coach can be a gamble.
The former head coach of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League lost his job a few weeks ago after his general manager, Jeff Chynoweth, learned that Knoblauch was set to interview for the University of Alberta Golden Bears head coach position.
“I thought for my family and my career, it just made so much sense to try and get that position at the U of A and that’s why I took a chance. I trusted some people I should’ve been more cautious about, but it was certainly a risk that I was willing to take,” Knoblauch said.
Knoblauch’s firing by Kootenay was the culmination of a Golden Bears hiring process that started in mid-April for the former Bears standout, who spent five successful seasons between 1999-2004.
“I was in the office one day and there were rumours about me going to the University of Alberta and I hadn’t contacted the university, nor had they contacted me. That day, there was a message from my secretary to call Stan Marple,” Knoblauch said of the beginning of his involvement in the Bears job search.
“I returned that call and that’s when we discussed the possibility of returning to the university as a coach.”
Knoblauch then became part of the process to find the Bears next head coach, a position that came open in late March when Marple, who spent a year as interim head coach, was reassigned to the newly minted general manager position.
“That day, when I got contacted by the university, I talked to my employer — the Kootenay Ice — about my interest in the job and they gave me a one-week window to pursue it, but this was the middle of April and the job closing date didn’t come until May 15th, so there was really no possibility for me to really pursue it in that week time frame,” Knoblauch said.
It was at that point Knoblauch began a gamble that would eventually cost him his job, despite giving the Ice the impression that he was no longer interested in returning to the U of A.
“Absolutely, I took a huge leap of faith,” Knoblauch said about pursuing the Bears job. “The coaching position with the University of Alberta meant a lot to me. It was a risk I was willing to take, because I thought it was the best thing for me.”
Knoblauch isn’t bitter about Ian Herbers being named head coach of the Bears, but the former WHL championship-winning coach is frustrated by the process, which resulted in his firing only moments before interviewing for the Alberta job.
“Certainly, there wasn’t a guarantee that the job was mine, but I was under the impression I was a very good candidate. Everything short of the job being guaranteed to me,” he said. “After this process was over, I’ve heard many names of people being kind of given the same sales pitch of applying.”
Marple, for his part, has expressed disappointment that Knoblauch lost his job, but felt there was no wrongdoing on the part of the selection committee.
“At the end of the day, I feel very bad for Kris that he lost his job over this with the Kootenay Ice, but again I don’t know what his contract entailed, or if he had the legal right to apply,” Marple said. “I do feel the process was successful in the sense that we hired the best coach that we could’ve for the position.”
Despite losing his coaching job, Knoblauch is not ready to leave the coaching ranks.
“Coaching is my passion and I truly love it, so I’ll continue that,” Knoblauch said.
The latest edition of DubNation is available below.
It’s more than 70 pages of major junior-related stuff, including some terrific photos, a feature on Portland Winterhawks star Sven Baertschi, a look at the artwork done by Taylor Vause of the Swift Current Broncos, a flashback to when Don Cherry played in the Memorial Cup.
It’s all created by Doyle Potenteau and it’s all free.
So . . . check it out!
Gregg Drinnan
http://dubnation.ca/DubNation/Magazine.html
Under the Mask: Hockey Canada should look in the mirror regarding goalie woes
John Cullen, Buzzing The Net, June 25 2012
A four-year Ontario Hockey League veteran, goalie John Cullen recently finished his final year of junior with the Windsor Spitfires. He will be bringing his player's perspective to Buzzing The Net on a regular basis.
There is no doubt that Canada is one of the most proud hockey nations in the world. And with that level of pride comes the constant expectation of success.
There's a reason Hockey Canada's blueprint is called the "Program of Excellence." Gold medals at the under-18 and under-20 tournaments are very important to Hockey Canada, because success at the lower levels helps develop the players that can succeed on the Olympic stage. Perhaps because of bias, I believe that the goaltender is the most important position on any team going into these kinds of international tournaments.
I was lucky enough to play for Team USA at the under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, and being able to wear my country's jersey was an awesome experience — one that I will cherish forever. As many in Canada know, the world junior championship is the pinnacle for all junior aged players and it's every kid's dream to represent his country on the world stage.
Earlier this month, Ron Tugnutt, Hockey Canada's goalie consultant, said he thinks European goaltenders in the Canadian Hockey League are stealing jobs and robbing homegrown talent of valuable playing time.
"Too many junior teams are taking the easy way out by bringing in European goaltenders and not giving Canadian kids the chance to develop," said the former NHL goaltender.
Hockey Canada's head scout, Kevin Prendergast, believes having American and European goalies in the CHL is hurting the quality of the Canadian goaltenders the country is producing.
"Over the past 8-10 years the goaltending in Canada hasn't been at the elite level that it had been for the 20 years before that," Prendergast told The Pipeline Show. "From a goaltending standpoint, there are just not enough jobs for our (Canadian) kids to get better."
Prendergast is also quoted during the interview saying he doesn't think it's fair for American or European goalies who win starting jobs in CHL to represent their countries and beat Canada on the world stage.
Well, guess what? Hockey isn't fair.
Take it from someone who spent four years in the Ontario Hockey League and played behind two world junior medal-winning goaltenders — Canada's Mark Visentin and Team USA's Jack Campbell.
I love hockey, the lifestyle and everything else that comes with it, but when you get to a high enough level it becomes a business. There's a point where the game you fell in love with as a kid learning to skate on a pond can, at times, be cold and unfair.
I have seen kids at all ages put in the countless hours of hard work only to have their dreams cut short by a career-ending injury or an abusive parent; that is a reality. But when I hear Hockey Canada's brass calling for a limitation on European and American goalies I take it personally. If they had their way, I might not have had the chance to play in the OHL, which was, for me, the opportunity of a lifetime.
Young goaltenders in Canada have almost every advantage imaginable when it comes to development. Compared to the players in Europe or certain places in America, things like available ice time, good facilities, competitive leagues and tournaments, and knowledgeable coaching are far more accessible in Canada.
This year with the Windsor Spitfires, I had the opportunity to play with a young European goaltender named Jaroslav Pavelka. He was in the OHL playing as an import player away from his native Czech Republic. Pavelka (aka 'Pavy') and I developed a friendship as I helped teach him English and assimilate to the new culture. Playing with him opened my eyes to all the sacrifices these import players make, not only moving thousands of miles away from their families but away from the only way of life they have ever known.
Growing up in a culture where hockey is a way of life is a dream come true for many young players. It's the perfect breeding ground for talent to become successful and the competitive nature of Canadian minor hockey is an amazing thing.
If Hockey Canada is upset over their own development of goaltenders, why are they blaming the imports and Americans? Many of us have worked our whole lives, made countless sacrifices to move far from home for a chance to play in the best junior league in the world.
The message to young Canadian goaltenders is straightforward — work hard and utilize all of the resources available to you. Many players around the world do not have those same luxuries. If you don't make it to the NHL or CHL you don't blame imports or Americans, you look in the mirror. The same is true for Hockey Canada.
The poor play of Canadian goalies at the world juniors was one of the biggest factors for the end of the nation's five-year gold medal streak (2005-2009) and has been a factor in their recent bronze (2012) and silver finishes (2011).
That is not the CHL's fault. Having world class goaltenders come in from outside of Canada only makes CHL and its players better.
I played with fellow American goalie Jack Campbell over the past two years, and it was one of the most rewarding hockey experiences in my life. He is one of the nicest, hardest working people I have ever had the chance to meet. Being able to play alongside him not only made me a better goalie, but it made me a better person. Having a world-class athlete like Jack on our team was great because his work ethic and positive attitude rubbed off on all of us.
When Jack left Windsor for Sault Ste. Marie he joined up with a Hockey Canada goaltending prospect by the name of Matt Murray. Murray is a very talented goalie who has represented Canada internationally, winning bronze at the world U-18 and has earned an invite the Canada's world junior goaltending summer camp.
A goalie partner relationship is a tight bond because you share tips and tricks to help each other become better. Having a goalie partner like Jack — a Dallas Stars draft pick, three time IIHF gold medalist — even for a short time can only be beneficial.
As a goaltender, Jack Campbell has been in more pressure situations than anyone I know and those are the kinds of players you want on your team. The kinds of players who are committed, who strive to be better or work harder than the competition, regardless of their nationality.
Blades featured on TV
Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The StarPhoenix, June 28, 2012
In addition to their traditional summertime workouts, Saskatoon Blades' players might want to practise their wit and on-camera charm for the coming WHL season.
The Blades, in conjunction with the WHL, have been in talks with Sportsnet in an effort to create an allaccess television show that will regularly document the team's process during their 2012-13 MasterCard Memorial Cup campaign.
The show will be called On the Edge: Road to the Memorial Cup, according to discussions from a Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications commission hearing on May 7.
Blades head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken expects the series will be similar to the popular 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic episodes that aired on HBO in each of the last two years.
The two respective HBO series were designed as a precursor to the outdoor NHL games featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals in 2011 and the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers in 2012.
"We have a bit of an idea of what they want to do," Molleken said. "Obviously, they'll start right at the start of the year. They'll be allowed into the dressing room, onto the bus, different things like that.
"We want to be as open as possible so that people have a good understanding of what it's all about."
The WHL released its schedule Wednesday, but the total number of episodes or the amount of filming time is not yet known.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison said an official announcement is expected in the coming weeks.
"Rogers Sportsnet has plans to feature the Blades as a lead up to the MasterCard Memorial Cup throughout the course of the season," Robison said. "That's one of the exciting elements that fans can watch (this season) - the Blades' preparation as it leads up to May."
Blades owner Jack Brodsky met with members of Fadoo Productions, the show's production company, at the 2012 Memorial Cup last month in Shawinigan, Que., to discuss some of the parameters. Brodsky believes Fadoo is close to receiving the green light from Sportsnet. Corey Russell, president of Fadoo Productions, could not comment when contacted.
"Obviously, with these things we have to be respectful of the ages of the players and whatnot, but it's going to be a neat thing," Brodsky said. "It's interesting when you see the 24/7s and things that are going on. I watch those to get an insight into some of the people and the characters.
"The way the thing is done, to have that done around our hockey club especially in a year like this, would be terrific."
The filming will continue into the playoffs, so Molleken has some reservations about giving the crew too much access to his mostly teenaged players.
Molleken added that he wasn't sure at this time when an episode would air after shooting had concluded.
"I think that they'll do a real good job with it," he said. "They know that there's certain guidelines and situations that they won't be involved in.
"We'll cross that when a situation arises. Once I get a chance to sit down with them too, then I'm sure that I'll want to hear what their ideas are and it'll either be a yes or no."
Although discussions are ongoing, Robison is already excited to watch the first episode. He sees it not only as a chance to create interest locally, but league-wide as well.
"Well, not only in Saskatoon, but throughout Western Canada and across the country with Rogers Sportsnet," Robison said. "As a result, it'll certainly get everyone very familiar with the Blades' organization, the preparation, the players and the challenges of being the host team of the Master-Card Memorial Cup."
Plymouth Whalers’ Connor Carrick explains decision to decommit from Michigan
Neate Sager, Buzzing The Net, Fri, 29 Jun, 2012
Connor Carrick vows that he will block out reminders of his decision.
Decommitting from the college powerhouse Michigan Wolverines to play for the Plymouth Whalers means the offensive defenceman will still be in the same state where UM's maize and blue often dominate sports headlines. But Carrick, whom the Washington Capitals drafted in the fifth round at the NHL draft last Saturday, figures he can move onward and upward with the Whalers. The way he describes what went into his change of course is reminder that no matter how much people talk about a NCAA team losing a player who had a scholarship waiting for him for two seasons, a teenager's prerogative to change his mind always prevails.
"It was very difficult for me to decommit," said the 5-foot-11, 187-pound Carrick, the second graduate from the U.S. under-18 team to join the Whalers since the end of last season after forward Ryan Hartman. "If I was going to college hockey, Michigan was the only school for me. I'm a man of my word, and it didn't make me feel very great to be doing this, but I knew I had to call [associate] Coach [Billy] Powers and [assistant] Coach [Brian] Wiseman. Quite frankly, if I can't man up and call them, I'm probably not old enough to make that decision. I hope they win a national title next year.
"I'm the kind of guy who tends to make decisions very slowly," added the Orland Park, Ill., native, who had already chosen his roommate for this season at Michigan, U18 teammate Andrew Copp. "I make decisions very slowly. There was a lot of agonizing over this decision. I may take baby steps to arrive at a decision, but I don't take backward steps once i arrive. If Michigan has a great year next year I'm not going to feel like I should have gone there. At this time, this i what want. If they hoist some hardware next season, I'm not going to regret it. Hopefully we can hoist some hardware of our own in Plymouth."
Carrick should be pencilled in as a top-four defenceman for the Whalers, who return a good-sized core from the team which tied for the second-best record in the 20-team OHL with 97 points last season before a seven-game second-round loss to rival Kitchener. Former overage captain Beau Schmitz and 20-year-old Austin Levi, who combined for 84 points from the back end last season, are each likely going to be in the Carolina Hurricanes farm system. So Carrick believes the Whalers can offer him the minutes and role he needs.
"I think I can bring a good offensive dimension from the blueline," says Carrick, who has been invited to Team USA's national junior evaluation camp along with Hartman and two of his new Whalers teammates, NHL first-rounders J.T. Miller (New York Rangers) and Stefan Noesen (Ottawa Senators). "I really like the way Coach [Mike] Vellucci has his teams play, a high-octane, high-speed game and they have some great forwards. I think I can fit into that."
Family relocating to Michigan
The Whalers traded with the Guelph Storm for Carrick's OHL rights on Wednesday, four days after he was drafted by Washington. It reads somewhat like Plymouth did its homework on finding out that Carrick would be interested in playing for a U.S.-based major junior team. His mother, Debra Carrick, and hockey-playing brothers, 15-year-old Blake and 11-year-old Hunter, are already planning to live in the Detroit area this season for the sake of getting better competition. Along with the more extensive OHL schedule, joining the Whalers means Connor Carrick can live with family instead of a university residence.
"The decision to move my brothers up was made a long ago," he said. "When the Plymouth option came up, it was a huge plus. We're all going to be here this year. My dad's making a big sacrifice, staying back home during the week and then coming up on weekends. I'm really tight with family. There were a lot of moving parts that had to be worked out before I decided.
"I was already thinking about this before I got drafted," Carrick added when asked where the Capitals organization stands on his choice. "Anybody who thinks that [about Washington possibly steering him to the OHL] could not be more wrong. I came came to it independently. They showed an ability to support both sides. When I talked to the Caps, they were very supportive."
Carrick knows he's closing the door on an opportunity of a lifetime by passing on Michigan, which is one of America's premier state schools. He is confident casting his lot with the Whalers will pay off with a shot at the pros, although he wants to make sure to have a fallback.
"I'm going to get my degree regardless," he said.
Kitchener Rangers irate over Jacob Trouba report
Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo! Sports, Tue, 3 Jul, 2012
Nothing says summer quite like the ongoing bitter feud between the NCAA and Canadian Hockey League.
If the latest firestorm over defenceman Jacob Trouba is any indication, it’s going to be a scorcher.
On Monday night a report in The Michigan Daily – the University of Michigan’s student newspaper – suggested that Trouba could potentially forgo his commitment to the Wolverines to play for the Kitchener Rangers who, according to unnamed sources, had offered $200,000 in place of an education package.
Such a payment would contravene the Ontario Hockey League’s rules in regards to impermissible benefits.
Steve Bienkowski, the Rangers’ chief operating officer, flatly denied the report and any kind of payment offered to the Trouba family. In addition, Bienkowski said the team has retained a lawyer and will purse the matter legally.
“We’re going to look at every legal remedy we have against the newspaper, the reporter and these so-called unnamed sources in the OHL who need to be held accountable for basically saying lies against our organization,” said Bienkowski in a phone interview from Halifax.
Unlike most OHL teams, the Rangers are community-owned and not a privately held company. As such, an external accounting firm audits their financial statements and those accounts are presented to season-ticket holders each year.
“The reality is there’s nowhere to hide the kind of money people are accusing us of paying,” said Bienkowski, who is a chartered accountant himself.
“But it is what it is, we’ve been targeted before and I’m sure we’ll be targeted in the future.”
This is not the first time an OHL team – or the Rangers – have been accused of paying players large sums of money to play for them. Last summer Paul Kelly, the then-executive director of College Hockey Inc., an arm of NCAA hockey, accused teams of paying players though no proof was ever produced.
“As much as the CHL denies it, there are still instances where money is being paid to the family to lure kids away and de-commit from colleges,” Kelly told the Boston Globe. “It’s off the books, under the table, whatever you want to call it. If your dad is a fisherman, an out-of-work machinist, or a farmer, and a CHL program comes along and offers you $300,000 in cash, it’s tough for these families not to accept that type of proposal.”
On Tuesday afternoon, as the report continued to gather steam, the Trouba family issued a statement via University of Michigan spokesperson Rob Tillotson.
“There is absolutely no truth or merit to the recent media reports that the Kitchener Rangers have offered Jacob any remuneration,” said the release. “We have the utmost respect for the Kitchener Rangers and those that choose the CHL as an option, but Jacob will be attending the University of Michigan next fall as a student athlete.”
During last summer’s NCAA exodus, Trouba spoke to Yahoo! Sports at great length about the importance of keeping his word. He was adamant that he would take his time in making his final decision between the OHL and the NCAA because he didn’t want to be seen as someone who broke his promise.
"It's important because people have to trust you and what you say," said Trouba during the interview last August. "If you keep backing out of decisions – and all that, going back on your word – then you're just going to get that reputation."
From the looks of things, Trouba is still intent on being a man of his word. The only wrench in his plan to attend Michigan this fall is if the Winnipeg Jets – who drafted Trouba ninth overall last month – decided to sign him. Signing a pro contract would automatically terminate his NCAA eligibility.
At the draft, however, the 18-year-old told reporters he made his intentions to the Jets clear and that they told him they’d abide by his wishes.
"(The Jets) expect that, and I'm glad they do,” he told the Detroit Free Press of his decision to play college hockey. “I made it clear that's where I was going. I wanted them to know that picking me."
Last week, defenceman Connor Carrick decided to forgo his commitment to the University of Michigan and join the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, adding to the angry discourse between fans of the CHL and NCAA. The fifth-round pick of the Washington Capitals intends to continue his studies at the University of Michigan while playing for the Whalers.
“I think they’re a little stung over Connor Carrick leaving and now they’re a little nervous over Jacob Trouba,” said Plymouth Whalers GM Mike Vellucci. “(The $200,000 payment) is not believable though.
“It’s just people that are scorned or people that want to make up an excuse why a player left. In our case Carrick came to us. We had his (OHL) rights, and he and his dad approached me to possibly play in Plymouth. It was the kid’s decision – there was no monetary (incentive) from us whatsoever. He wants to go to school, so he’ll continue to go to school and we’ll pay for it and he’ll play for us – it’s pretty cut and dried.”
Jacob Trouba “will be attending the University of Michigan next fall”
Cam Charron, Buzzing The Net, Wed, 4 Jul, 2012
After a potentially damning report that surfaced Monday night that suggested Jacob Trouba would allegedly accept a large sum of money to play in the OHL next season, Trouba's family took to the University of Michigan's Twitter account to deny the allegations.
Statement from the Trouba family: "There is absolutely no truth or merit to the recent media reports that the Kitchener Rangers have...
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) July 3, 2012
...offered Jacob any remuneration. We have the utmost respect for the Kitchener Rangers and those that choose the CHL as an option... — Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) July 3, 2012
...but Jacob will be attending the University of Michigan next fall as a student athlete."
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) July 3, 2012
The statement was included as the first on-record source quoted in Matt Slovin's story, updated at 2:51 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
The following paragraphs were not included in the original version the paper ran:
When contacted on Tuesday morning, the league office told the Daily that OHL commissioner David Branch was unable to comment due to "summer holidays." Ken Miller, the league's director of security, also was out of the office when contacted.
But later Tuesday afternoon, the Michigan hockey program released a statement on Twitter in regards to Trouba's future plans.
"Statement from the Trouba family: 'We have the utmost respect for the Kitchener Rangers and those that choose the CHL as an option ... but Jacob will be attending the University of Michigan next fall as a student athlete.' "
Prior to last week's NHL Draft, the original source said the odds were stacked heavily in Kitchener's favor. But Trouba's promise that he will be playing for Michigan this season makes it a coin flip.
You can't blame a young journalist for making too much of a rumour. Un-sourced attribution in regards to junior hockey players happens to even the most experienced journalists who are looking for a story. Dollar figures attached to players and teams have been circulated through my own email inbox, but there's no concrete evidence for any of them.
At this point, you have to think that the optics are too bad at this point for Trouba to be seriously considering going to Kitchener if he isn't signed by the Winnipeg Jets, the team that selected him 9th overall in the recent NHL Draft. If Trouba signs an entry-level deal, he'll be ineligible for the NCAA but not for the OHL. They control his development at this point.
As Sunaya pointed out yesterday:
The Kitchener Rangers are a community-run team so their books are open to the public. Hiding $200K might be hard even for Steve Bienkowski.
— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) July 3, 2012
For some privately-run teams, you may be able to sneak a few thousand bucks without anybody noticing, but if there's enough money circulating under the table, at some point there will be a smoking gun to follow up on. At this point there isn't, and it won't happen with the Kitchener Rangers, who are understandably furious with the report. Bienkowski has already said that the Rangers "are going to look at every legal remedy we have against the newspaper."
This story may have a few extra twists and turns, but unless the Winnipeg Jets can convince Trouba otherwise with a good signing bonus to play in the CHL, I'd expect Trouba to suit up for Michigan Hockey in the fall as a student athlete.
QMJHL scholarship rules affecting recruitment of American players
Cam Charron, Buzzing The Net, Wed, 4 Jul, 2012
Of all three Canadian Hockey League member organizations, the one with the least overall American presence is likely the QMJHL. The mid-season Charlie Coyle defection to the two-time champion Saint John Sea Dogs notwithstanding, while WHL and OHL teams had a pool of players to draw from states where the NCAA isn't as established, the QMJHL's Eastern American presence is.
The Lewiston MAINEiacs are no more, which left the "Q" as the only CHL league without an American team this past season. As such, a rule was instituted last June to increase the number of Americans drafted. Each team had to take a minimum of two as part of a new development program for the league.
The problem now is that the QMJHL simply can't compete, monetarily, with the NCAA in the East. Especially not after the league's governors put in a provision that attempts to balance the playing field for small-market clubs, capping scholarships.
From a report in Le Soleil, translated by @HabItHerWay that quotes Quebec assistant-GM Jean Gagnon:
Aiming to favour its smaller markets, the governors* voted in a new rule concerning "special arrangements" with players. This new rule, starting now, puts an annual limit of $10,000 on scholarships/bursaries allotted to Americans, for a maximum total of $40,000.
This amount is in addition to the one already outlined in the QMJHL's scholastic policy, which puts an annual limit of $5,000 on bursaries awarded to these student athletes, for a possible total of $60,000.
And yet, one year's tuition in colleges such as Boston University, Boston College or Cornell University can easily cost anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000, depending on the program. As such, it's not uncommon for an American player to be offered a full scholarship ranging from $100,000 to $150,000.
"The League's message is paradoxical", according to Jean Gagnon. "On the one hand, for the last year we have been forcing teams to draft two American players, but on the other, we're preventing teams from making competitive offers to these players."
For the Quebec Remparts, they weren't able to recruit Calgary Flames-draftee Jon Gillies, who says in the story that he has two idols: Carey Price and Patrick Roy. Even Roy, who runs the Remparts, couldn't convince Gillies to come play for Quebec. Gillies says he needs the available time for off-ice workouts, but Gagnon is convinced it's due to education cost.
The new rule levels the playing field, because now not even the big market teams can recruit the big American players, according to Gagnon. This isn't the case in other leagues.
For instance, the way its done in the WHL, according to Director of Education Services Jim Donlevy, is that a player will get a scholarship based on "the cost of a publicly funded university in their home province or their home state". The cost is reviewed annually by the league, but a player from California or Arizona or Texas coming north to play in Alberta, even though the education may cost more where they're from, the WHL will still cover a basic education.
That isn't the case in the QMJHL anymore. If publicly-funded education programs cost, say, $25K, a player would need pretty well a full junior career to afford two years of school. NCAA programs out East can still offer full scholarships.
The way Gagnon describes this rule is a paradox. The QMJHL has mandated two new rules pertaining to American players. One that tries to lure them up north, and one that shuts down shop in the interest of promoting small-market clubs.
Kootenay hire Ryan McGill as coach, Victoria and Brandon only vacancies
Cam Charron, Buzzing The Net, Thu, 5 Jul, 2012
The Kootenay Ice can simply replace one WHL Championship-winning coach with another. It's been a while since we've followed upon the strange saga of Kris Knoblauch, who was behind the bench for the team's 2011 Ed Chynoweth Cup team. Knoblauch was fired after news leaked that he had been talking with the Alberta Golden Bears about a head coaching job in CIS.
Chaos ensued. The Ice cut ties with Knoblauch, who didn't even end up getting the job in Alberta. Instead, that was Ian Herbers. The Ice were also left without a coach, but that void was filled on Wednesday. Ryan McGill, who won two Cups with the Ice in 2000 and 2002.
Not only does McGill have an extensive coaching record in major-junior and professional hockey, but he also spent some time as a player in the NHL in the early 1990s.
"He played in the NHL and that's what players want, is to get to the NHL and players can relate to him in that sense," said Chynoweth. "He's played in the NHL, coached in the NHL, coached in the American Hockey League, he's coached at all the highest levels, and he's won. [The Townsman]
http://www.dailytownsman.com/article/20120705/CRANBROOK0201/307059997/-1/cranbrook/former-ice-coach-returns-to-lead-the-bench-once-again
McGill had a 174-133-43 record during his first tenure, one that began when he took over for Dave Siciliano in the Edmonton days. The Ice won two Ed Chynoweth Cups as WHL Champions in 2000 and 2002, and the Ice won the 2002 Memorial Cup in Guelph. He left to join the professional ranks as the coach of the AHL's Omaha Ak-Sar Ben Knights, the Calgary Flames affiliate, and moved with the team to Quad City before becoming an NHL assistant in 2009. He was let go by the club after two seasons.
The hiring clarifies the WHL coaching situation. Only the Victoria Royals and Brandon Wheat Kings have spots to fill right now. The Wheaties' former coach in Cory Clouston has been linked to the Victoria job, telling the Victoria Times-Colonist "there is definite interest on my part. That's all I can tell you."
Clouston not only has NHL experience, spending two-and-a-half years in Ottawa with the Senators, amassing a record of 95-83-20, but he got his coaching start on Vancouver Island with the Junior A Powell River Paper Kings of the BCHL. Whatever the cause for his departure after one season in Brandon, he certainly has the qualifications to be a successful WHL coach.
Also mentioned in the Times-Colonist article from this morning is Dave Lowry. Nobody has been rumoured or linked to the Brandon job, but obviously assistant Dwayne Gylywoychuk is looking for the head coaching gig. The stated reason for the Wheat Kings letting go of Clouston in the first place was "in part because they didn't want uncertainty with the position during the offseason."
Here we are in early July, and the Ice have filled their vacancy, with the Royals likely closing out their search within a couple of weeks of learning they would need to fill the position. The Wheat Kings are losing Mark Stone and Michael Ferland this summer to pro hockey. Unless they're planning on hiring an internal candidate, they've gone through two drafts, a bantam draft and an import draft, without a key office piece at the table.
The bus life of a WHL play-by-play announcer
Kelly Friesen | Buzzing The Net – Thu, 5 Jul, 2012
From Brandon, MB. to Portland, OR. — Western Hockey League play-by-play announcers' jobs entail traveling throughout four provinces and two states with their respective teams on a charter bus.
"It's part of the job description," says the voice of the Prince George Cougars, Dan O'Connor. "Obviously there are better ways of transportation than a bus, but there's not a lot of money in junior hockey, so this is the best option available. Traveling on a bus isn't one of the bright spots of the job, but you get comfortable with it over time."
The WHL's longest road trips involve traveling over 4,000 kms in total. These long and grueling trips would be more durable if they led to a hot, sunny beach rather than a cold hockey rink. Nonetheless, as O'Connor said, it's part of the job description. Every announcer knows it's included in the lifestyle when they sign up for calling hockey games rather than working a real job.
"It definitely wears a guy down mentally and physically," says former Regina Pats play-by-play announcer Dan Plaster. "The ride there is usually exciting; everyone is pumped up for the game. The ride back is a different story though. A lot of people are grumpy and everyone can't wait to get back home."
Teams' success or lack thereof has a real effect on the mood of the bus. As a rule, it also determines whether movies and/or music are allowed on the bus to help pass the time.
"There is a huge difference between a winning and a losing road trip," says the voice of the Swift Current Broncos, Shawn Mullin. "You can't wait to get off the bus after a losing road trip, everyone is down or mad and it's just a bad atmosphere. While it is just the opposite after a string of wins. There are lots of smiles and laughs when they win. Winning also means you can watch movies. It always sucks when you can't watch any movies on the way back, time goes by really slow."
Even though the majority may not admit they secretly cheer for their radio station's team, the benefits of a win for the bus ride home is enough for one to think all announcers have their fingers crossed for a road victory.
"As a professional, you try and call the fairest game possible," says Mullin. "However, every Broncos play-by-play announcer Shawn Mullinannouncer is hoping their team wins. A road win equals a happy bus. It's just human nature to hope for an upbeat bus ride home."
Sleep appears to be the main attraction of spending countless hours on a bus for play-by-play announcers. There are bound to be some announcers who struggle to sleep in a crowded bus; nonetheless, the majority seem to take advantage of these long road trips by catching up on some sleep.
"I have no problem sleeping on the bus," says Plaster. "I try and get as much sleep in as possible on the trips. Players seem to have trouble sleeping, but not radio guys. I remember when I was colour commentator with Rod Pedersen, he would be out like a light before we even go out of our parking lot."
Despite there being a usable toilet on every bus, relieving oneself on the bus isn't very popular. One would not only have to take the walk of shame from the front of the bus to the back with everyone knowing something's not right in Texas, but one would also make the trip a little less comfortable by leaving a less than pleasant lingering odour.
"No one ever wants to get diarrhea on the bus," says Plaster. "You definitely watch what you eat on the road trips; try to avoid stomach aches at all cost. For us No. 2s are prohibited. I think the majority of teams have that rule. You have to take advantage of the rest stops. If you don't, it could mean a really uncomfortable drive."
The bus is one of the best places for announcers to get interesting inside information. There are often several conversations on each road trip that makes one perk up their ears. Nevertheless, the unwritten rule of "what happens on the bus, stays on the bus" stops these stories from being repeated on air.
"You learn a lot about players and hear a lot of stories on the bus," says O'Connor. "But those stories stay on the bus. They would make for a really interesting broadcast, but any professional broadcaster knows not to repeat what you hear on the bus in a broadcast."
Victoria Royals to travel in style with customized bus
Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist, July 7, 2012
Whoever thought a team hockey bus might be a candidate for the MTV reality show Pimp My Ride?
But the Victoria Royals newly-delivered bus — which sleeps 30 and comes complete with fridge/ freezer, two flatscreen TVs, MP3 plug-ins and Blu-ray disc player — might just qualify.
The cost of the bus is estimated at $650,000, but the team would not confirm price.
“It cost more than $500,000,” is all Royals president Dave Dakers would allow.
Anyway you cut it, it's a long way from those dent-marked, beat-up Bull Durham- and Slap Shot-era sports team buses of yore.
Dakers first got the idea during pro ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings days when he saw similar buses used by the Las Vegas Wranglers and Phoenix Roadrunners.
The bus will begin transporting the Western Hockey League's Royals beginning this coming season.
A used bus was gutted and interior of the shell retrofitted. Just getting it to Victoria from its retro-fit assembly site in Hueytown, Alabama, was a six-day cross-continental adventure. Wilson’s Transportation, which will provide the drivers and maintenance for the bus, flew maintenance-manager Jim Morrison down to Alabama. Morrison drove the bus back to Victoria.
But despite the 30 bunk beds, Morrison was able to sleep only one night in the bus because of the extreme high temperatures being experienced across the United States. It was so hot at night that the bus air conditioning couldn't keep up.
Because all the bus is taken up with living space — including restaurant-style leather banquette seating — it comes with a 20-foot trailer hooked behind that will carry the hockey equipment. The whole unit, bus and trailer, is 65 feet long.
“It’s a B.C. Ferries dream,” quipped John Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Transport.
But it will allow the Royals to arrive from away games at anytime overnight at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and simply park the bus and await the 7 a.m. sailing while the players sleep in relative comfort.
Getting the high school-aged players to class first thing in the morning was a main consideration, said Dakers, not hotel room savings.
“With some of our transportation issues, this makes a lot of sense,” he said.
“This give us flexibility in travel and to arrive for road games as rested as possible. Coming home, the players will miss less days of school.”
It is believed to be the best bus in the WHL.
-----
This last sentence is going to cause clubs to try to out do each other in the busing department now...!
Kitchener Rangers sue student newspaper: Jets draft pick Trouba at centre of story
QMI Agency, July 09, 2012
The Kitchener Rangers of the OHL have taken legal action against a University of Michigan student newspaper and one of its reporters for publishing a story that alleged the team offered defenceman Jacob Trouba $200,000 to play for it.
A story that appeared in The Michigan Daily last week alleged that the Rangers tried to coax Trouba, a first-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets last month, out of a deal to play for the Michigan Wolverines.
The Rangers have now sued the newspaper and reporter Matt Slovin, according to the Waterloo Region Record.
"It's not a threat anymore," Rangers chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski told the Record Monday. "We served the newspaper and the writer there to either back it up or retract it."
The Rangers drafted Trouba two years ago but he declined to play, opting for the U.S. National Team Development Program instead. He has committed to Michigan but will lose his NCAA eligibility if he signs with the Jets.
Rangers seek $1M in damages
Josh Brown, Rangers Report: A Waterloo Region Record blog on the Kitchener Rangers, July 10, 2012
The Kitchener Rangers are seeking $1 million in damages over a story published in a Michigan student newspaper that claimed the club offered to pay a player to suit up for the team.
The defamation suit against The Michigan Daily seeks $500,000 in general damages and $500,000 in punitive damages and was expected to be filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Kitchener Tuesday, according to a team lawyer.
The story, which was published last week by the University of Michigan student newspaper, alleges, through an unnamed source, that the Rangers offered defenceman Jacob Trouba $200,000 in place of an education package to play in Kitchener. The team and Trouba family both denied the claim.
Trouba’s OHL rights are owned by the Rangers, but the blueliner has committed to the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship for next season. The 18-year-old was selected ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in last month’s NHL draft and is considered one of the top defensive prospects in his age group.
The Rangers formally requested that The Daily retract the story or issue an apology and set a Monday deadline before moving ahead with a lawsuit. As of Tuesday, the story was still on the paper’s website. Staff from the Daily said they could not comment when reached earlier this week.
Trouba has never wavered from his desire to play for the Wolverines and expressed his position to prospective NHL teams before the draft. However, if the blueliner inks a deal with the Jets he will forfeit his right to play in the NCAA as the league does not allow pro players.
Rangers move forward with lawsuit over Trouba report
Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo! Sports, Tue, 10 Jul, 2012
The long, bitter and ongoing feud between the Canadian Hockey League and NCAA hockey took an interesting twist when the Kitchener Rangers announced they had made good on a previous threat to sue The Michigan Daily.
According to Kitchener’s chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski, the Ontario Hockey League team has filed a statement of claim in a Kitchener, Ont., court against The Daily – the University of Michigan’s student newspaper – and to reporter Matt Slovin. The issued claim is expected to be served on Wednesday morning.
The lawsuit stems from a report the newspaper published last Tuesday, which quoted an anonymous OHL source, who alleged the Rangers had offered standout defenceman Jacob Trouba, a Wolverines commit, $200,000 in lieu of an education package to play for Kitchener this season. Such a payment would contravene the OHL’s rules in regards to impermissible benefits.
Ryder Gilliland, the lawyer representing the Rangers in their suit, said the team is seeking $1 million in damages – $500,000 in general damages and another $500,000 in punitive damages. Once the official claim is processed, the newspaper and Slovin have 40 days in which to defend that claim because they are located in the United States.
“We’re actually not making any comment at this time,” said Jacob Axelrad, the editor-in-chief of The Daily.
The report, which appeared on the newspaper’s website gained traction on both sides of the border both in print and on the Internet, a fact that Gilliland said played into their suit.
“This story is all over the Internet,” said Gilliland. “It’s a very serious allegation and that’s why the Kitchener Rangers are taking action.”
The Trouba family has since come out publicly to deny the report through the University of Michigan.
“There is absolutely no truth or merit to the recent media reports that the Kitchener Rangers have offered Jacob any remuneration,” said the statement in part.
The Kitchener Rangers are community-owned team that has an external accounting firm audit their financial statements each year. Those statements are distributed to their season ticket holders at their annual general meeting.
“The reality is there’s nowhere to hide the kind of money people are accusing us of paying,” said Bienkowski, who is a chartered accountant, last week.
Gilliland said he sent The Michigan Daily a libel notice on behalf of the Rangers on July 3, a day after the story was first published, asking for the story to be removed and a retraction to be published. When that didn’t happen, the Rangers pushed forward with their lawsuit.
Also at issue for the Rangers is the fact that the report of payment was based on an anonymous source, someone allegedly within the OHL.
"When you're dealing with sources one thing you have to be very careful about is relying on a source that has a bone to pick," said Gilliland. "The Kitchener Rangers are very concerned - they don't know who the source is - they're concerned that... this was a source that was deliberately trying to cause harm to the Kitchener Rangers. Again, we don't know if that's the case, but that's a very real concern."
This isn’t the first time allegations of this nature have been leveled at the Rangers or the OHL. In March of 2009, both the Rangers and Windsor Spitfires threatened to sue Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson when he alleged that Kitchener had offered to pay $500,000 to the family of defenceman Cam Fowler to play in the OHL. Fowler later went on to play for the Spitfires and his father, Perry Fowler, denied the report that Kitchener had made such an offer.
Last summer it was Paul Kelly, the then-head of College Hockey Inc., an arm of NCAA hockey, who threw out a figure of $300,000 during an interview in the Boston Globe as a sum allegedly shelled out to players in order to play in the CHL.
None of the claims against CHL teams paying players “under the table” have ever been proven.
CHL president and OHL commissioner Dave Branch said he has been in touch with the Rangers since the Daily story was published and said these kinds of allegations damage the reputation of his league.
“It’s disturbing,” said Branch in a phone interview. “We hope that we can take the necessary steps moving forward that will preclude such proclamations that have no substance, no basis.”
In 2010, the OHL hired retired OPP officer Ken Miller as the league’s enforcement officer to investigate claims made against teams breaking the rules. According to Branch, Miller has not been involved in this case to date.
“This just came to our attention last week,” said Branch. “We have not taken any steps, at this point, to engage our enforcement program into the process.”
U. of Michigan paper faces $1 million defamation suit — in Canada
Judgment may not be enforceable in U.S.
Seth Zweifler, Student Press Law Centre, July 11, 2012
MICHIGAN — A Canadian hockey club filed suit against the University of Michigan’s student newspaper in an Ontario court Tuesday, following a story that alleged the team offered money to a UM-bound player.
An article published last week by Matt Slovin in The Michigan Daily quoted an anonymous Ontario Hockey League source who claimed the Kitchener Rangers offered Jacob Trouba $200,000 to play for the Rangers rather than honor his commitment to the university for the upcoming year.
Had Trouba accepted money as part of a professional deal, it would nullify his NCAA eligibility.
Tuesday’s defamation lawsuit seeks $500,000 in general damages and $500,000 in punitive damages, according to a report in The Waterloo Region Record.
A court spokesman confirmed the suit — Kitchener Rangers Junior A Hockey Club v. The Michigan Daily, Matt Slovin and John Doe — was filed in the Superior Court of Justice in Kitchener. He would not provide a copy of the suit, but said no court dates on the matter have been scheduled.
The Michigan Daily and the Rangers both declined to comment. Ryder Gilliland, who is representing the Rangers, did not respond to multiple requests for comment as of press time.
“When you're dealing with sources, one thing you have to be very careful about is relying on a source that has a bone to pick,” Gilliland told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday. “The Kitchener Rangers are very concerned — they don't know who the source is — they're concerned that ... this was a source that was deliberately trying to cause harm to the Kitchener Rangers. Again, we don't know if that's the case, but that's a very real concern.”
Trouba and his family denied the Daily report in a statement.
“There is absolutely no truth or merit to the recent media reports that the Kitchener Rangers have offered Jacob any remuneration,” said the family's statement. “We have the utmost respect for the Kitchener Rangers and those that choose the Canadian Hockey League as an option, but Jacob will be attending the University of Michigan next fall as a student athlete.”
Adam Goldstein, Student Press Law Center attorney advocate, believes the suit does not stand much of a chance of succeeding, given that the defendants are all United States citizens and likely do not have any assets in Canada.
He said that Canadian courts have in recent years increasingly dismissed attempts at “libel tourism” — the practice of pursuing a defamation case in a country like England or Canada, rather than the U.S.
While the standard to win a libel case is more relaxed in Canada — even true statements can be libelous — collecting damages from a U.S. citizen is challenging.
If a Canadian court were to find that the Daily had defamed the Rangers, a U.S. court would have to uphold that judgment for any damages to be collected, Goldstein said.
“Ordinarily speaking, a U.S. court will enforce a foreign judgment if it’s a valid judgment under foreign law, but the one exception comes when the judgment offends the First Amendment,” he said.
That exception was created in 2010, when Congress passed the Securing the Protection of our Enduring and Established Constitutional Heritage Act. The SPEECH Act makes foreign libel judgments unenforceable in U.S. courts unless they satisfy First Amendment standards.
Goldstein also pointed out that neither Slovin nor any Daily staff members can be forced to cooperate with Canadian court proceedings.
At this point, the defendants have several options. If they choose to ignore the Rangers’ suit, the hockey team could win by default. And while monetary damages may not be enforceable in the U.S., the defendants could be denied entry into Canada or countries it has treaties with because of the outstanding judgment, Goldstein said.
The Daily could also retain a Canadian lawyer to contest the suit on its behalf.
Detroit-based attorney Herschel Fink, who has consulted with the Daily staff on the suit but is not yet formally representing them, added that the amount requested in damages is “meaningless,” given the differences between the court systems.
Fink declined to comment further on the specifics of the suit, saying he was not yet familiar enough with the Daily’s coverage of the Trouba allegations.
Patrick Sieloff
Ryan Kennedy, The Hockey News, 2012-07-14
Situated on the border with Michigan, Windsor has become an NHL prospect factory thanks to an equal development of Canadians, Europeans and Americans. The latest prize comes from the same U.S. national team development program that saw Cam Fowler, Jack Campbell and Kenny Ryan don Spitfires jerseys and proximity certainly mattered for Ann Arbor, Mich. defenseman Pat Sieloff.
“I grew up watching the OHL thanks to Plymouth,” he said. “Windsor, they put guys in the NHL. There isn’t another team I would have gone to in the ‘O.’ ”
Which is probably cold comfort for Miami RedHawks fans. Sieloff was originally slated to go the NCAA route, but with the draft approaching (Calgary selected him with the 42nd pick overall) he changed his mind and signed with Windsor, a team he was pretty familiar with already.
“I love the way they play,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of ‘94s (birth years) and I grew up with a couple of them.”
That cohort included fellow draftees Brady Vail and Ben Johnson, while Sieloff also skates in the summer with Kerby Rychel, a 2013 prospect and son of Windsor co-owner/GM Warren Rychel. For the normally skill-based Spitfires, Sieloff rounds out the lineup for next season.
“He’s a big specimen,” said co-owner/coach Bob Boughner. “His physical presence on the ice is what we need; a shutdown defenseman who is going to be hard on opposing players. I like that he has a defense-first mentality and that you can put him out in any situation.”
Scouts are also high on the youngster’s contributions.
“Not flashy, but has a lot of substance,” said one talent evaluator. “You might not find him in a game, but if you watch for him you don’t lose him. Coaches are really going to like him. Smart and competitive.”
Look for highlights from Sieloff and you won’t find many cannon shots or end-to-end rushes. You will, however, see carnage – whether it’s fearless shot-blocking or blowing up an opponent with a huge open-ice check. No surprise the Michigan native tabbed Red Wings blueliner Niklas Kronwall as an inspiration.
“I love the way he can change the momentum of a game with a hit,” Sieloff said.
Boughner described his latest addition as a character kid and the six-foot, 198-pounder minces no words when it comes to his team’s play. Sieloff won gold at the world under-18s in the Czech Republic with Team USA, a squad made up entirely of NTDPers with the exception of prep schooler Danny O’Regan. But it was a previous bronze medal performance at the Five Nations that set the table.
“In Finland back in February, we were awful,” he said. “We had to make changes and guys had to buy into their roles.”
Sieloff certainly has his role spelled out in Windsor and glory may follow there, too. On a team that attracts high-end imports from Europe and also develops local talent, the Spitfires are well positioned for next season and 2014, when the OHL once again hosts the Memorial Cup. Windsor, after controversially losing out to Mississauga in 2011, would be a perfect host based on its on-ice product and new arena, which opened in 2008. That 2014 squad would hypothetically include Sieloff, Rychel (who led the team in scoring this past year) and recent OHL draft pick Josh Ho-Sang, a dynamic offensive talent that harkens back to the Taylor Hall era in Windsor.
The Spits always score goals; now they have someone to punish those who attempt to light the lamp in the other direction.
Kitchener Rangers’ lawsuit against student newspaper is ‘bullying’: lawyer
Sunaya Sapurji, Yahoo! Sports, Tue, 17 Jul, 2012
It looks like it’s game on for the lawsuit involving the Kitchener Rangers and The Michigan Daily newspaper.
Herschel Fink, the lawyer representing the University of Michigan student paper and reporter Matt Slovin, confirmed to Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday that his clients had both been served with libel notices.
“It’s really disturbing to me what the Rangers are doing and it’s bullying,” said Fink. “It’s bullying a student newspaper and student journalists who are reporting on a legitimate subject of public interest, particularly in the public interest of those who follow hockey.”
The Rangers are suing The Daily over a story published on July 2 in which Slovin reported – based on an anonymous OHL source – that Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Trouba had been offered $200,000 in lieu of an education package to play in the Ontario Hockey League this season. Such a payment would contravene the OHL’s rules pertaining to impermissible benefits. The Rangers hold the Canadian Hockey League rights to the standout defenceman, though he has been steadfast in his commitment to attend the University of Michigan and play hockey for the Wolverines.
On July 3, the Trouba family issued a statement through the university that began: “There is absolutely no truth or merit to the recent media reports that the Kitchener Rangers have offered Jacob any remuneration.”
This case has garnered national attention in both the U.S. and in Canada because of the number of intriguing facets to the case – sports, cross-border law, anonymous sourcing, the rights of journalists, and the ongoing war between the CHL and NCAA hockey.
That feud, said Fink, is what he believes is at the heart of Kitchener’s legal action.
“I think that The Daily and (Slovin) its columnist appear to be really pawns in some ongoing feud … between the Canadian Hockey League and the NCAA,” said Fink. “It’s really, as it occurs to me, nothing more than a PR battle, because I don’t see that the Rangers have anything to gain by proceeding in this case.”
According to Fink, The Daily was served its notice in person on Monday, while Slovin received his notice on Tuesday morning. The lawsuit was filed in a Kitchener court, which means both the paper and Slovin have 40 days from the time they have been served in order to file their statement of defence. The Rangers are seeking $1 million in damages – $500,000 in general damages and $500,000 in punitive damages.
Fink, a former reporter and editor himself, isn’t tipping his hand in terms of how he and his clients intend to proceed.
“There are a number of things we might consider doing in Canada,” said Fink, who worked as the night city editor for The Detroit News while he was going to law school. “I think, first of all, we could appear and oppose jurisdiction and argue that, simply, there is no jurisdiction whatsoever. As part of that we could also argue that the forum (in Kitchener) is inconvenient and ask that it could be dismissed because there is another very convenient forum – those are possibilities that would certainly have to be considered.”
The biggest fight between the two sides looks to be over where the case should be heard. Since the Rangers have filed suit in Canada, Fink is accusing the Rangers of forum shopping, since the libel laws in the U.S. generally tend to favour the defendants. He also notes that because the Rangers do business in the U.S. – particularly in Michigan – where the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and Plymouth Whalers are located, the case should be heard by the U.S. courts.
“They clearly know where Detroit is and they clearly know the road,” said Fink. “They do business here. There are a lot of interesting possibilities, but I don’t know how far they want to take it.”
But as far as Ryder Gilliland, the lawyer representing the Rangers, is concerned - he believes they’re right to have their case heard in Kitchener.
“We are quite confident that the Ontario court does have jurisdiction given that the subject matter of the article is the Kitchener Rangers,” said Gilliland in an interview last week. “The story even quotes an OHL source, so it’s clearly dealing with Ontario matters and it clearly affects the Kitchener Rangers which are Ontario based.”
No matter where the suit ends up being heard – if it goes that far – one thing is certain: hockey fans, media, and lawyers alike will all be interested to see what happens next in this fascinating case.
“It’s almost a law school exam in international jurisprudence,” said Fink.
Victoria Royals to name Dave Lowry new coach — report
Neate Sager | Buzzing The Net, July 19 2012
With a choice between two coaches who have NHL experience and a major junior track record,, it appears the Victoria Royals will hire the one with more recent success in the latter realm.
It appears the Royals, after speculation on Wednesday that they would hire former Ottawa Senators coach Cory Clouston, are going with former Calgary Flames assistant coach Dave Lowry. Lowry, of course, guided the Calgary Hitmen to a 122-point season and to within one game of the Western Hockey League championship during his lone season with that team in 2009 before going on staff with the Flames.
From Cleve Dheensaw and Mario Annicchiarico:
Lowry did not return calls Wednesday evening but was said to be en route to the B.C. capital.Royals GM Cam Hope interviewed several people for the open head-coaching position, including Lowry and other former WHL coaches Mark Holick, Kris Knoblauch and Cory Clouston.
"I have no comment," said former Brandon Wheat Kings coach Clouston, when reached Wednesday.
In an interview earlier this summer, Lowry expressed qualified interest in the Royals' coaching vacancy. His son and 2011 NHL draft pick, Joel Lowry, played two seasons for the Victoria Grizzlies of the B.C. Hockey League. (Victoria Times-Colonist)
(TSN's Darren Dreger tweeted it while I was in the course of typing this up.)
Many factors surely went into the Royals' pending decision, but it's hard to escape the conclusion there was an immediacy factor regarding Clouston's rough finish in Brandon. The former Sens coach's transition to coaching teenagers was, to put it politely, rather choppy and the Wheat Kings were perceived as an underachieving team after losing 4-0 to eventual WHL champion Edmonton in the second round. Had the Royals hired him, it would have been ironic since Victoria traded its best player, Buffalo Sabres prospect Kevin Sundher, to Brandon last season when it was looking for a shot in the arm.
Lowry, on the other hand, has a good reputation at the junior level after his success with the Hitmen. He also has that aforementioned connection to the city through his son, who plays for the NCAA's Cornell Redmen.
With Victoria naming its new coach today and Brandon promoting Dwayne Gylywoychuk yesterday, every WHL head coaching position is accounted for, barring anyone moving to the NHL or AHL.
Hockey Coaching ABCs - Forum
https://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=4625