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Hockey Canada aiming to keep kids in the game

ALLAN MAKI Globe and Mail Update Tuesday, Aug. 02, 2011

Nimble hockey players are good; adaptable hockey administrators may be even better.

In a bid to introduce more options and playing opportunities for hockey players and their families, Hockey Canada’s officers have produced a list of six priorities for the 2011-12 season. The recommendations, which will be addressed later this month by Hockey Canada’s board of directors, range from creating a flexible season for players who want to participate in other sports to enhancing non-contact hockey leagues “as a viable and credible participatory program.”

Hockey Canada chairman Mike Bruni of Calgary helped formulate the six priorities at recent meetings in Penticton, B.C. He believes Canadian hockey needs to be more flexible in how it oversees the game and corrects the decline in minor hockey registration.

“The whole concept for this is we have to be a lot more nimble,” said Bruni. “We’re the stewards of the game but we need to be advocates of influence. The head hits issue is a clear example. It was easy for us to get to a decision point because of the market demand (from players, administrators, coaches, on-ice officials and parents).”

The Hockey Canada priorities include: creating ways for player movement “to facilitate flexibility within the game reflecting the needs of the modern player and family;” finding new partnerships with private hockey programs “to provide the best development programs;” working with sports schools and also the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, “recognizing it as a critical part of a vision of the Canadian student/athlete alternative, with particular focus on female hockey.”

The call for a flexible hockey schedule and the enhancement of non-contact hockey are two keynote areas, both aimed at keeping kids in the game and interested.

“If we go from September to December maybe kids can ski or play volleyball and basketball, do other things,” Bruni said of the rationale for an altered hockey season. As for non-contact hockey, Bruni acknowledged the concerns and suggested a possible solution.

“There is a stigma with non-contact hockey that the kids aren’t good enough or they’re scared. We have to look at a national championship for non-contact hockey,” he said. “We’re losing players to the U.S., to Finland, to European programs. We have to make these opportunities as attractive as possible in Canada … I’m excited it’s going to make a difference in the game.”

The six priorities will be examined by Hockey Canada’s board Aug. 25-26 in Montreal.

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Campbell: Father's life provides Mika Zibanejad with perspective
Mehrdad Zibanejad's decision to leave Iran created a more secure life for son Mika, who was drafted by the Senators in June.

Ken Campbell The Hockey News 2011-08-02

Standing in the lobby of a hotel in downtown Minneapolis the day after his son was picked in the first round of the NHL draft by the Ottawa Senators, Mehrdad Zibanejad seemed rather oblivious to it all. He obviously hasn’t read the hockey parent manual that says this should be seen as a crowning achievement, one that should be celebrated as the greatest day his family has ever seen.

In reality, he knows his son, Mika, hasn’t accomplished anything yet. Yes, he was chosen sixth overall, a remarkable accomplishment in itself, but not one that should be the center of his universe. In fact, instead of following his son to the Senators’ rookie camp a week later, he was planning a trip with his wife to Puerto Rico. “Yesterday we enjoyed it, but that was yesterday and today we go back to business and take care of the plan for the future,” Mehrdad said. “Mika’s life is not my life. It’s not something I’m thinking about all the time.”

Regardless of what Mika Zibanejad does on the ice during his NHL career, he’ll probably never be thrown in jail. Chances are he won’t ever go to war or leave his country to avoid persecution and to seek basic freedom. Mehrdad has done all of those things, which is perhaps why he has the kind of perspective he does.

These days, Mehrdad Zibanejad is a 50-year-old IT engineer with the Swedish government and the father of two Swedish hockey players. But more than three decades ago, he was living in his native Iran when the Iranian Revolution resulted in the Shah being overthrown and replaced with the Ayatollah Khomeini. Soon after, Khomeini became Supreme Leader of Iran, giving him the highest political ranking and religious authority for life.

Radical Islam was not something with which Mehrdad agreed and he was once jailed for writing a magazine article on existentialism. Mehrdad and Mika are Christians, but it was a lack of religious freedom that Mehrdad was protesting. “With existentialism you can go your own way,” Mehrdad said. “I believe in God, I read the Bible, I believe everything they write in the Bible, but God gave me some choice also. But in Iran you have no choice. They tell you what you should think and what you should do and I can’t accept it. God gave you freedom.”

That made it all the more difficult for him to fight in the Iran-Iraq war, which broke out in 1980. Mehrdad had to serve his two-year mandatory military service and faced either jail or war. “I had no choice,” he said, “they would put me in jail or maybe kill me, or I am going there and fighting for nothing, for something I don’t agree with.”

He served largely in administration, but said he engaged in battle when there was an offensive. Did he ever kill anyone? “I don’t know, I didn’t see anyone,” he said. “ Maybe, maybe not.”

After earning a passport by fulfilling his military obligations, Mehrdad left Iran in December, 1983 and landed in Sweden, where he met his Finnish-born wife Ritva. Mehrdad is reticent to talk about his experiences or his feelings about them, largely out of concern for Mika. “There are some people, maybe living in the USA or North America, who are fanatic Muslims and I don’t want them to contact him,” Mehrdad said.

For now, Mika Zibanejad is a highly touted prospect with a bright future. He shot up the rankings this past season and impressed scouts with his performance with Djurgarden of the Swedish Elite League. Senators GM Bryan Murray has already inked him to an entry level deal, meaning Zibanejad can take part in training camp in the fall. If Zibanejad isn’t yet ready to play in the NHL, he will likely return to Djurgarden to continue his development.

Much has been made of the Senators gaping hole in the No. 2 spot down the middle behind Jason Spezza. But Murray isn’t naive enough to think the Senators filled it when they selected an unproven 18-year-old. Zibanejad has NHL size and skill, but lacks NHL experience. “I don’t think he can do that,” Murray said. “I’m hoping we’re going to give him a chance to be looked at, but we don’t expect him to carry that ball.”

This feature orginally appeared in the August, 2011 issue of The Hockey News.

Ken Campbell, author of the book Habs Heroes, is a senior writer for The Hockey News and a regular contributor to THN.com with his column.

Dean
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TOP BANTAM HOCKEY PLAYERS TAKE PART IN MENTORSHIP CAMP

TSN.CA STAFF Aug 2, 2011

Some of the best bantam-aged Canadian hockey players will get a chance to learn from the pros this week in the first annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp.

The camp, led by 21-year NHL veteran Gary Roberts, runs from Wednesday through Saturday at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont. It concludes on Saturday with the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup, an inter-squad exhibition game that will be broadcast on TSN2 at 2pm et/11am pt.

The four-day experience is touted to be like no other hockey camp available as it focuses on skill development under the guidance of former and current NHL stars and includes advice on strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental preparation from some of the most renowned hockey experts.

"What we're trying to do is identify those players at this age and let current NHL players give them some mentorship experience of what to expect, and how to deal with the pressures that come with being an elite level player," said NHLPA Director of Corporate Partnerships, Colin A. Campbell.

"At the end of the day, it's a very positive thing for both the players and for our guys as PA members," said Campbell.

Along with Roberts, several current NHL players including Luke Schenn, Jason Spezza, Steve Staios and Jeff Skinner will work with the young players during daily practice sessions to improve the players' hockey skills.

Jordan Thomson, selected fourth overall by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2011 WHL Draft, couldn't believe it when he was invited to learn from the best.

"I had to ask my parents if it was real," said Thomson. "My heart started racing and now to come to this day, I'm just excited and can't wait to get out there."

Besides the on-ice training, Roberts will work with all 42 players to educate them on proper nutrition while renowned strength and conditioning trainers, Lorne Goldenberg and Matt Nichol will teach them to improve their off-ice workouts. Dr. Paul Dennis, a sports psychologist, who formerly worked with the Toronto Maple Leafs, will discuss the importance of achieving a strong mental state to excel in the game.

"Meeting the players is gonna be awesome," said Thomson. "And also learning about nutrition and all that stuff is going to make you a better person and a better hockey player."

Aaron Ekblad, selected first overall by the Barrie Colts in the 2011 OHL Draft, says the camp's all-around nature will be a great opportunity for development on and off the ice.

"Just learning about respect and about nutrition and about how the game's played," said Ekblad. "All the different seminars, it's all going to be vital to learning how to deal with being older and living your own life."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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NHL set to experiment with rule changes

By LANCE HORNBY, QMI Agency, Aug 2, 2011

TORONTO – Think of referees gabbing via helmet radios, hand passes in the offensive zone, the death of the trapezoid and repeat shootout contestants in overtime.

Yes, it’s time for the National Hockey League to put white mice on skates and turn the rink into a 200 by 85 foot experimental lab, with the noble intent of streamlining the game and boosting offence.

The league’s second research and development camp, to be held at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke Aug. 17-18, seeks to continue the flow re-created after the 2005 lockout. Many of the camp’s more far-fetched ideas won’t go further than this study phase, involving two teams of 2012 draft eligible players, coaches Dan Bylsma and Dave Tippett and an audience of league brass and media.

The concept of three primary faceoff dots instead of nine and red-meshed nets didn’t survive this year, but some holdover experiments, such as hybrid icing, shallow nets and gradually reducing overtime manpower from 4-on-4 to 2-on-2 will be getting a second look.

Here’s a look at some of the rule tweaks to be evaluated during the camp:

Referees with head-sets

Would be useful for staying in touch during hectic action as it moves up ice. Ideally, both refs would make sure to be in the best possible position to judge goals or call penalties, as the official who is the furthest away often makes what can be a controversial minor call. They could also relay the linesmen’s comments or stay in touch when one ref is with the timekeeper and the other at the team benches.

No line changes after an offsides

Currently in effect only for a team that ices the puck, this would have the dual effect of discouraging offsides and trapping tired players, leading to scoring chances.

Only on-the-fly line changes permitted

Coaches won’t like their matchups being messed with, but this would restrict stop-time changes only when goals are scored or manpower situations arise.

Faceoff changes

In the continuing effort to stamp out delays caused by encroaching centres and wingers, misbehaving centres will have to move back a foot, while another variation will allow the other team to pick the next man to take the draw. Faceoffs will be restricted to the five circles, erasing the neutral zone dots. One linesman will be designated for almost all faceoffs to create consistency.

Hand passes permitted

North Americans who played baseball will have an advantage here. Just don’t close your hand on the puck.

Trapezoid out, red line in

Two “roll-back” experiments. Goalies can once again roam to their heart’s content to play the puck, but be warned, they will be penalized for freezing a puck without at least one skate in the crease. They will likely be considered fair game for forecheckers if they get too adventurous when stick-handling.

With the red line active again, two-line passes will be restricted in the hope more players get touches in the neutral zone.

Bearhug rule

A Brian Burke initiative, this allows players to wrap up an opponent going into the boards to lessen impact and avoid a holding call.

Dean
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Ted Nolan to coach Latvia

James Mirtle Globe and Mail Blog Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Ted Nolan's long and winding coaching odyssey continues.

This time, the former NHL bench boss's next adventure will take him to Riga, Latvia, where he's signed on to coach the national team.

Latvia pursued several well-known coaches for the role, offering the job to both Mike Keenan and Clement Jodoin before turning their attention to Nolan, who won the Jack Adams as the NHL's top coach in 1997.

“We were looking for a neutral, authoritative coach with lots of experience and good hockey knowledge,” Latvian Hockey President Kirovs Lipmans said. “This is exactly what we found with Ted Nolan.”

According to the IIHF, "Nolan will be the first North American coach of the Latvian national team since fellow Canadian Larry Marsh in 1939." He will also work as a consultant for the country's world junior team that will play at the 2012 event in Calgary and Edmonton.

Once considered one of the top coaches in the game, Nolan has only spent 327 games behind an NHL bench between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders, in part due to the poor reputation he left Buffalo with.

The past two years, he's worked as the director of hockey operations with the AHL's Rochester Americans.

Hockey-mad Latvia, meanwhile, has struggled of late internationally, and a 13th place finish at the most recent world championships led to the team's former coach, Olegs Znaroks, being fired.

The country is currently ranked 12th in the world, tying its lowest ranking ever. The highest Latvia has gotten was ninth in 2005, although it has finished as high as seventh at the worlds three times in the last 15 years.

Only four Latvians played a game in the NHL last season: Karlis Skrastins, Oskars Bartulis, Arturs Kulda and Raitis Ivanans.

Dean
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Game Intelligence Training
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Jaden Schwartz finds refuge in hockey

EDMONTON— The Canadian Press – Donna Spencer Wednesday, Aug. 03, 2011

Jaden Schwartz views the world through a different lens than many other hockey players his age.

In conversation, Schwartz seems older than his 19 years. Watching his sister Mandi succumb to cancer earlier this year changed his perspective on his life.

Hockey is important to him, as it was to Mandi. Schwartz fractured his ankle in the second game of world junior hockey championship in Buffalo, N.Y., this year and watched from the sidelines as the Canadian team collapsed in the third period of the gold-medal game and lost to Russia.

That stung, but Mandi was fighting for her life at home in Wilcox, Sask., while he was at the tournament.

“Obviously me getting hurt, that's nothing compared to what she went through,” Schwartz said. “Obviously the loss is tough for everybody and it's a learning experience, but when you see Mandi go through that, it puts things in perspective and you know what's most important in life.

“It really changes you in a different way.”

Mandi, who played for the Yale Bulldogs women's hockey team, died April 3 of leukemia at the age of 23.

Schwartz, brother Rylan — a teammate at Colorado College — and parents Rick and Carol are working through their grief this summer.

“It's obviously been tough,” Schwartz said. “Without family and friends, I don't know if it's possible to get through something like that. I can't even start to explain how much it means to us.

“Mandi helped us a lot too, knowing how strong she was and how she supported us. I know she wouldn't want us to be sad all the time and down. She'd want us to keep on trucking. Her favourite motto was 'struggle and emerge' and that's what we're trying to do.”

Schwartz is one of 47 players, born in 1992 or 1993, attending the Canadian junior team's summer camp in Edmonton this week.

They're practising and scrimmaging at Rexall Place under the watchful eyes of head coach Don Hay and assistants George Burnett and Ryan Huska. The six-day camp ends with an intra-squad game Saturday in Edmonton and another Sunday in Fort McMurray.

Schwartz was the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues. He's one of seven veterans from the junior team eligible to play for Canada a second time at the 2012 tournament in Edmonton and Calgary starting Dec. 26.

The 5-foot-10, 184-pound forward was on Canada's top line in Buffalo before a Czech player collided with him in the first period. Schwartz kept playing and scored a power-play goal before the pain in his ankle forced him to the bench permanently.

His tournament cut short and a sister gravely ill, if Schwartz felt black clouds enveloping him, he didn't show it. Portland Winter Hawks forward Ryan Johansen was Schwartz's roommate during the tournament.

“Me and Jaden were probably the closest friends on the team and having to go through that with him, he really carried himself well through that tournament,” Johansen said. “He didn't talk about it too much and just kind of stayed positive. He was always trying to be happy.”

Schwartz is strong on the puck in all areas of the ice and his hockey instincts make him a constant scoring threat. He led all NCAA rookies in points per game last season at 1.57. Canada sorely missed his talents in the championship game in Buffalo.

His maturity and experience make Schwartz a solid candidate for captain or assistant captain should he represent his country again.

“I feel very lucky to get another shot,” Schwartz said. “I've been looking forward to this for a long time now, ever since last year's tournament ended.”

He continues to carry a chain that Mandi gave him as a Christmas present. Hockey is helping him heal in a myriad of ways, one of which is remembering how much his sister loved to play the game.

“Hockey is our family's life. It was everything to her,” Schwartz said. “Every time I step on the ice or go for a workout, it's just kind of a way to get things off your mind and do something you love to do. She was the same way.

“Any chance she got, she went for a workout and even skated when she could. It definitely helped a lot during the hard times.”

Dean
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Game Intelligence Training
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EKBLAD IMPRESSING AT ROBERTS-LED MENTORSHIP CAMP

TSN.CA STAFF Aug 3, 2011

At only 15-years-old, Aaron Ekblad is a name you're bound to hear plenty more of the in the future.

Ekblad is one of 42 bantam-aged hockey players taking part in this week's All-State All-Canadians Mentorship Camp led by 21-year NHL veteran Gary Roberts.

The camp focuses on skill development under the guidance of former and current NHL stars and includes advice on strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental preparation from some of the most renowned hockey experts.

Despite his young age, the 6-foot-3, 185 pound Ekblad is already drawing comparisons to some of the best defencemen in the game.

"He moves the puck well, skates well and he's a big guy so I can see why people would think he's like a Chris Pronger," said Roberts.

Ekblad was taken by the Barrie Colts with the first overall pick in this spring's OHL draft. He is only the second player, along with John Tavares, to be given exceptional players status allowing him to play in the league at such a young age.

He is a two-way defenceman with loads of offensive potential and scored 67 points in 62 games last season at the minor midget level.

But it's not his size or skills that have caught the eye of six-year NHL veteran Chris Campoli, who is instructing at the camp.

"The thing I was most impressed with when I met him was his work ethic," said Campoli. "It's his eagerness to learn and then listen to what we were telling him.

"You know he's a special player."

Roberts is equally impressed with the young man's approach to the game.

"He's got a great attitude," said Roberts. "You can already see the maturity."

A big fan of Red Wings' captain Nicklas Lidstrom, Ekblad has remained humble despite all of the expectations and attention.

"I just try to think of myself as the person I am," said Eklbad. "Just respect everyone and realize that everyone is equal."

You can watch Ekblad and the other top bantam prospects this Saturday in the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup, an inter-squad exhibition game that will be broadcast on TSN2 at 2pm et/11am pt.

Dean
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Colleges being forced to play shorthanded

By Fluto Shinzawa Boston,com August 7, 2011

This summer, the number is nine. It’s down from 13 the previous summer. In 2009, it was 17.

But when the number stands for kids who treat their NCAA letters of intent and verbal commitments with the importance of ATM receipts, nine remains too high.

“Maybe it’s the way I was raised,’’ said Paul Kelly, executive director of College Hockey, Inc. “I’m a believer that when you make a commitment, you stand by it and honor it. It is disappointing to me. It’s disappointing to coaches. When kids make a commitment, particularly when that commitment takes a more formal form in a letter of intent to attend that school, then you break that commitment, frankly, if I’m an NHL GM, it might cause me some concern – that a player I drafted can so easily walk away from a commitment he made.’’

Traditionally, and for the foreseeable future, major junior is the route most often taken to the NHL. Of the 20 Bruins who played in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, 16 starred in the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, or Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the three leagues that operate under the Canadian Hockey League umbrella. Three played juniors in Europe. Just one chose college.

That said, those four seasons at the University of Vermont served Tim Thomas well.

There is no right or wrong way to graduate to the NHL. Proponents of major junior and college have their respective arguments as to why their approaches are preferable.

An OHL player will have a game-heavy schedule that mimics what he’ll experience in the NHL. A Hockey East player will enjoy a well-rounded atmosphere – attending classes, meeting people outside of the rink, a rich social life – that will help him transition to adulthood.

So those on either side have nothing to carp about when a kid says yes to one and no to the other. But what’s irking Kelly, coaches, and the NCAA is when a player commits to college hockey, then pushes the reset button and bolts for a junior team.

While that player, his family, and his new club move on, his former college coach suddenly has a hole on his roster. Late in the game, at that.

“You have these kids continually lobbied, influenced, and romanced,’’ Kelly said. “Not only directly by the coaches and staff, but by the players under direction of coaches and staff. When they leave in late July, it leaves the college in an incredible bind. When Michigan loses a goaltender at the end of July, less than six weeks before the start of the school year, they either go with what they have, or they reach out for another goaltender. That’s usually a goalie off a USHL team. Now that leaves that team in a bind. There’s a trickle-down effect.’’

This summer, there have been three high-profile de-commitments. J.T. Miller, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Rangers, would have been a freshman at North Dakota this fall. Last month, Miller signed with Plymouth of the OHL.

Phoenix drafted Connor Murphy with the No. 20 pick in June. Murphy, a native of Dublin, Ohio, had committed to Miami University. Last month, Murphy opted for Sarnia of the OHL.

John Gibson, the second goalie picked in the draft (Anaheim), would have been a freshman at Michigan this fall. Late last month, Gibson signed with Kitchener of the OHL.

Gibson was the second goalie Michigan lost in the last two years. Jack Campbell would have been a freshman in 2010. Instead, Campbell signed with Windsor of the OHL.

There isn’t an overriding reason why future collegians are opting out of the classroom. It could be academics. It might be heat from NHL personnel who believe junior is the preferred route over college. Money could also be a factor.

“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 said. “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.’’

One solution might be a first-year grace period. For example, a collegian would be off limits from NHL or CHL contact for his freshman year. If he believes that college isn’t for him after one year, then he’d be free to consider other options.

The main issue, however, is age. For most 16-year-olds, the hardest decision they make is between M&Ms or Sour Patch Kids at the movie theater. When you have to make life-changing choices so early, there will certainly be ripple effects.

Kids change their minds all the time. But when you say no to a person when you’ve already said yes, there are significant consequences.

Dean
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Holy crow! When is it too young to be 'signing' players? How do you know what a 7-year old will become when they are 18? Crazy! I know this is soccer and it works differently, but still… (Hope this doesn't give hockey agents the idea to become 'advisers' at this age!)

Madrid signs 7-year-old Argentine prospect

Sympatica.ca Sports

MADRID – He has a contract with one of soccer's biggest clubs and the same long, floppy hair and nickname Leo of his idol, Lionel Messi.

It may take awhile, however, before Leonel Angel Coira can match the wondrous Messi: He is seven years old.

Real Madrid said Monday it signed the Argentine prodigy to its youth academy after seeing him in tryouts. He will start training with Madrid's youth team Sept 6.

Coira hopes to follow the path set by Messi, a countryman who joined Barcelona from the Argentine club Newell's Old Boys as a teenager and has gone on to win the World Player of the Year award two times.

"(My) dream is to meet Messi, play in the first division with Madrid and for Argentina in the World Cup," Coira told the Spanish newspaper ABC.

The signing underscores the tactics of top teams scooping up fresh talent as early as possible to avoid paying huge transfer fees when their potential blossoms. And the Spanish soccer power didn't have to look as far as Argentina to find this gem.

Coira's family moved to Madrid three years ago after his father, Miguel, was offered a job in the Spanish capital. Miguel Coira coaches a local youth club where Leonel played and first caught the eye of a Madrid scout.

The seven-year-old was then invited to a trial with Madrid and signed a one-year contract with the club's youngest team, the "Benjamin" squad, made up of mostly under-9 players.

Madrid reportedly made the push to sign Coira because Atletico Madrid was also pursuing the youngster.

"After tryouts with both clubs, he felt more comfortable with (Real) Madrid," Miguel Coira told ABC. "I trust the club a lot. I know they will take good care of him."

Club spokesman Juan Tapiador said Coira wasn't the youngest player ever to sign with Madrid, although he couldn't name anyone younger. He said players of any age can join Real Madrid, with one stipulation.

"They only have to be a standout," he said. "We look for something different, that quality or talent that makes them stand out from the rest."

Signing children is nothing new in soccer, where almost every professional club has an extensive youth academy – like Barcelona's famous "La Masia," where dozens of young players live and train from the age of 11. Coira even looks downright old compared to the 18-month-old toddler that Dutch club VVV Venlo signed to a largely symbolic 10-year contract this year after seeing his ability to kick a ball.

While many of the young talents never develop into professional players, clubs are constantly hoping to strike gold with the next Messi, who has already helped Barcelona win 15 trophies, including three Champions League titles and five Spanish league championships.

Miguel Coira said his family receives no financial compensation from Madrid, but the team does "pay for transport."

"The contract is for one year and if everything works out it can be renewed for another," he said. "When he is 16 years old, he can play in the first division and then the terms are different."

The Real Madrid youth squad will play in a league of seven-a-side teams in Madrid, which also includes Real's cross-city rival, Atletico. The youth squad usually has about 18 players split into two teams. Every year, the club reviews each player's development and a decision is made on whether he should continue.

Madrid has dozens of scouts on its payroll scouring the capital for the next great star, and many more across Spain and other countries.

"It is an important network for capturing talent," Tapiador said, adding that scouts draw up reports on possible targets and confer with youth coaches on which players to approach and possibly sign.

Goalkeeper and senior team captain Iker Casillas, for example, began training with Madrid's youth system when he was 9.

Last week, Coira told the Argentine sports daily Ole that his favourite move is the "cano" – a difficult dribbling manoeuvre in which the ball is passed between the legs of an opponent. He prefers to "provide the pass" rather than score.

Coira has a Facebook page featuring photos of his visit to Real Madrid. He also has an older brother who plays for the Spanish team Real Valladolid.

Juanjo Montaner, a spokesman for the Spanish professional players association, told The Associated Press that Coira is not a member of the group and there is no organization that represents the interests of youth players.

"Obviously, he is not affiliated," he said. "He must be in the top three divisions, and no child is."

___

AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis in Madrid and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed to this report.

Dean
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Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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What rules will the NHL test at its R&D camp?

James Mirtle – Toronto – Globe and Mail Blog – Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Led by Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's senior vice president of player safety and hockey operations, the league will be holding its second annual research and development camp next week in Toronto to test out a few tweaks on the game.

There's a great big long list of what they'll be looking at, but below I've listed a few of the more interesting items with thoughts on what these changes may mean.

First, here's what Shanahan had to say on the camp, which will run some of the top junior players through scrimmates using the different rules under the watchful eye of a lot of NHL GMs.

“Last year’s camp was immensely popular with the players who attended and we learned a lot of things,” he said. “We feel that some ideas don’t need to be tested again and others need more testing.

“From the outset, we conceived of the camp with the belief that our game has never been better. And we wanted to collect information and data and learn about our game at one of its highest moments, so that, if a trend we didn’t like started to develop, we already had years of information to better prepare us for making any adjustment we need.

"It’s staying on top of the game and, at the same time, preserving the integrity of hockey.”

Eight of the more interesting rule tweaks to be tested

1. Changes only permitted on-the-fly – This would eliminate all line changes after whistles save for the end of a period, after a goal is scored or a penalty is called. It's a pretty novel idea, one designed to limit line matching and have more tired players on the ice, but it would likely detract from the game given so many players would be taking faceoffs and immediately changing.

2. No line change for team committing an offside – Two rules make going offside a far bigger offence, with this one equating going offside to icing the puck in terms of the "no change" penalty that comes with it. This takes aim at cutting some of the whistles out of games and forcing players to enter the zone on-side more often.

3. After offside, face-off goes back to offending team's end – This tweak goes one step further, moving the play all the way back into a team's defensive zone if they go offside while trying to enter the offensive zone. There are some advanced statistics out there that suggest having more faceoffs in your own end can be a big disadvantage, so this would obviously add to that.

4. No icing permitted while shorthanded – This has been discussed at length in recent years as a way to make power plays more of an advantage. Players killing penalties would have to chip the puck out or skate out of the zone rather than simply hammer it the length of the ice.

5. Overtime variation (four minutes of 4-on-4 followed by three minutes of 3-on-3) – This would expand the extra frame by another two minutes with the goal of settling more games without a shootout. Some leagues, like the BCHL, already have 3-on-3 portions to their overtimes and almost every single game is decided before a tie because of it. For those that hate the shootout, here's one way to wipe most of them out of the game.

6. All penalties to be served in their entirety – Another tweak that would make power plays a far bigger advantage. The average power play was roughly 1:30 long last season, often ending when a goal was scored, but another 30 seconds on each man advantage could potentially increase the power play goals scored in the league by another 20 or 30 per cent. (Given what took place in the first year after the lockout with so many penalty calls, that isn't always a good thing.)

7. Verification line (additional line behind the goal line) – The yellow line shown here is what they're talking about and it'd be set exactly a puck length away from the goal line. If a puck touches the verification line, it would be ruled a goal, giving hockey ops another tool to evaluate whether or not pucks crossed the line.

8. In-net camera: a mounted camera with view focused on the goal line to help verify goals – Hard to believe they haven't added something like this already with all the new technology that's out there. There are still too many calls made where officials simply don't have enough camera angles.

Others new rules on the agenda

– No-touch icing
– Face-off variations (penalty line for center committing an infraction; all face-offs in circles; same linesman drops puck for all face-offs)
– Shootout variation (5-man shootout precedes sudden-death format)
– Shallow-back nets
– Face-off variations (both centers must come set on whistle; all face-offs in circles; same linesman drops puck for all face-offs)
– Delayed penalty variation (offending team must exit zone in possession of puck to stop play)
– Strict enforcement of goaltenders covering puck outside crease (Rule 63.2)
– Remove trapezoid
– Allow hand passes in all zones
– Overtime variation (switch ends)
– Shootout variation (5-man shootout with repeat players if tied after 5 shooters)
– Thin-netting nets
– ‘Hybrid’ icing
– Offside variation (offending team can’t change and face-off in its end zone)
– Face-off variations (player encroaching can’t replace thrown-out center, all face-offs in circles; same linesman drops puck for all face-offs)
– Bear-hug rule
– Overtime variation (switch ends for four minutes of 4-on-4, followed by three minutes of 3-on-3)
– Shootout variation (3-man shoot out with repeat shooters if tied after 3 shooters)

– All-Star Skills competition (fastest skater, breakaway challenge, accuracy shooting, skills relay challenge, hardest shot, elimination shootout)

– On-ice officials communication using ref-to-ref wireless
– Overhead camera to assist hockey operations reviews of various initiatives (verification line/goal netting/in-net camera)
– Robotic camera to test camera angles for coverage closer to ice
– Video replay application review
– Curved glass protection options at players bench areas

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Ohio State to play Michigan in hockey at Indians' Progressive Field

Tom Withers
CLEVELAND— The Associated Press
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011

The bitter Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is about to get really icy.

The two schools, sworn enemies in just about everything, will play the first outdoor college hockey game in Ohio at Progressive Field — home of the Cleveland Indians — on Sunday, Jan. 15. The matchup, dubbed “The Frozen Diamond Faceoff” will be the marquee event as part of the Indians' second “Snow Days” promotion at the ballpark, a two-month winter-themed experience that drew over 50,000 fans in its first year.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines will play on a regulation-sized rink situated on the Indians' infield, stretching from the area around home plate down the first-base line.

The AP first reported the event in June.

Indians president Mark Shapiro is hoping the 43,000-seat ballpark will be packed.

“We think it's going to be sold out,” Indians president Mark Shapiro said. “You have avid fans from Michigan and Ohio State, and you've got a rivalry that's meaningful. And, you also have a unique event — just coming into the ballpark and seeing something for the first time in the state of Ohio. You combine all those things, and it's our hope that there aren't any empty seats.”

The teams will meet in Columbus on Jan. 13 before travelling to Cleveland in what will be a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) home game for Ohio State.

The Wolverines have already played in a wildly successful outdoor game. Last December, they hosted cross-state rival Michigan State in “The Big Chill at the Big House,” a game that drew over 100,000 fans to Michigan's mammoth football stadium.

“It's a great way to promote college hockey,” said Josh Richelew, Michigan's director of hockey operations. “There's no better way than taking the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry and bringing it to a wonderful facility. This is one of the premier ballparks in the country. We're very excited about it.”

Both schools will sell tickets on campus, and they each get a share of the gate.

CCHA commissioner Fred Pletsch said the game made sense to all parties.

“Any time you can play in front of this many people potentially, it's a win for everyone,” he said. “The sight lines are unbelievable for fans and it's a great student-athlete experience. Who wouldn't want to play in front of nearly 50,000 fans? The coaches are into it. It's a conference game, three points are on the line, and the exposure for the sport and college hockey in general is just great.”

But there is already bad blood between the Buckeyes and Wolverines, and with so many fans in attendance, the atmosphere will be super charged.

Pletsch laughed when asked if he was worried the teams could set a conference record for penalty minutes.

“We've been pretty tame that way the past few years,” he said. “I'm hoping not.”

As for “Snow Days,” which will begin with “Snopening Day” on Nov. 25 and run through Jan. 16, the Indians decide to bring it back after getting a strong response from fans, who enjoyed the chance to ice skate and ride tubes down a 10-lane hill inside the downtown ballpark.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Report: New Coyotes ownership candidate could want an 'out clause'

James Mirtle Globe and Mail Blog Friday, August 12, 2011

There's a sliver of news out there on the Phoenix Coyotes' ownership front, and in mid-August, that's enough to cause a little bit of interest in NHL circles.

The Phoenix Business Journal reported yesterday afternoon that "there is a serious bid by a new Canadian-led ownership group to buy the hockey franchise."

Few details are available, other than the fact there is again talk that there "could be a seven-year out clause that would allow the new owners to sell and/or move the team out of Arizona if market conditions do not improve."

Given all that's gone on in Glendale the past two-plus years since the team went into bankruptcy in May, 2009, one would think some sort of "out" is a given.

The other tidbit of info in the report is that the new group would be willing to put up $100-million of the purchase price, which would seem to be a much better deal for the city than what Matthew Hulsizer had been offering before backing out to pursue the St. Louis Blues.

Optimism is in short supply when it comes to the Coyotes these days, as after losing $37-million last season and having Glendale put up another $25-million to keep the team there another year, mayor Elaine Scruggs has said publicly she doesn't "have a lot of confidence" the team will be staying beyond 2011-12.

"I have never supported having the team leave," Scruggs told NBC 12 News in July. "However now I believe that the only realistic thing to do, for all of us, is to take a look at what would like be like with no team in the arena.

"In many ways the city of Glendale has no control over our future. We have some but we don't have final control. The decision is with the NHL, the other, I think it is 29 other owners, who they want to be an owner of the team."

What's going to be interesting here over the coming weeks is if the identity of that Canadian bidder comes out, as if they want an out clause, presumably they have an idea of where they'd like to go. With Winnipeg getting its team back already, there are only two realistic options on that front, with Quebec City and Southern Ontario potential destinations in this country.

In the U.S.? Your guess is as good as mine, as there really don't seem to be any untapped markets that would guarantee success or where there are owners lining up to get a team.

Greg Wyshynski has a few more thoughts on the situation today. (BELOW)
—–

Fri Aug 12 11:16am EDT
Escaping the Phoenix Coyotes: New owners and the out clause

By Greg Wyshynski

On Aug. 12, 2008, Jerry Moyes was the owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, bleeding money and scheming behind the scenes for a way out. On Aug. 12, 2009, Jim Balsillie, Jerry Reinsdorf and Ice Edge Holdings were bidding for the Coyotes, now mired in bankruptcy court. On Aug. 12, 2010, the NHL owned the Coyotes, Ice Edge was moving on from the bidding and a "mystery buyer" was weeks away from revelation.

On Aug. 12, 2011, the NHL still owns the Coyotes. Last year's "mystery buyer," Matthew Hulsizer, threw up his arms at local politics and turned his attention to the St. Louis Blues. And now this year's "mystery buyers" are waiting for their turn in this three-year embarrassment for the National Hockey League.

According to the Phoenix Business Journal, a source told the "Roc and Manuch" sports radio show on KDUS-AM 1060 in Phoenix that there is a "serious bid" by a Canadian-led ownership group to buy the team. (More of that strong, local ownership Bettman always advocates.)

From the Journal:

The "Roc and Manuch" show reported today that the bid involves a minority owner involved with another National Hockey League franchise, and there could be a seven-year out clause that would allow the new owners to sell and/or move the team out of Arizona if market conditions do not improve.

The official familiar with the Coyotes situation said the unnamed Canadian group has plenty of cash to make the deal. That same source said the group could put up $100 million, with $40 million to $50 million coming from the city of Glendale via bonds. The NHL could give approval to the deal in the coming days, according to KDUS.

Operative phrase: Out Clause.

The out clause has been included in other bids for the Coyotes. (Besides Balsillie, who obviously would have backed up the U-Hauls the moment he purchased the team.)

Via the Associated Press, looking back at the Reinsdorf bid in 2009:

In the fifth year, Reinsdorf's group, known as Glendale Hockey, could give 180-days notice that it intends to sell the team. Glendale would have that 180 days to find a buyer who would keep the team in Arizona, with Reinsdorf guaranteed a minimum purchase price of US$103 million.

Ice Edge seeks no such "out clause" but would establish a ticket surcharge that could vary between Coyotes games and other events at Jobing.com Arena, a popular venue for major concerts such as the recent Paul McCartney appearance. The financial district would terminate after 10 years, with whatever money is left in it going to the city. Within five years, Ice Edge would enter into talks with Glendale to buy the arena.

Hulsizer also had what amounts to an "out clause" in his deal, but one that had less to do with market conditions and more with political turmoil. From Sports Business Daily in Dec. 2010, when the Glendale City Council approved $197 million in funding to keep the Coyotes in Glendale under Hulsizer:

Council member Joyce Clark cast one of the dissenting votes, and her main concern "centered on part of the agreement that would allow Hulsizer to terminate the arena lease before then if the city failed to meet its financial obligations to the team or faced a lawsuit that invalidated part or all of the deal."

Hulsizer in that case "would still be allowed to keep the money that the city provided through the deal." Hulsizer "told the council he was willing to allow 120 days for negotiation with the city if such a default or lawsuit judgment were to occur."

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs after the meeting added that the NHL "had told Glendale it would not allow the team to move, even if there was a lawsuit judgment, for seven years."

So with this new bid for the team, we're still looking at the seven-year itch. One bidder in three years was willing to commit to the region: Ice Edge. And that might have just been to differentiate their bid from Reinsdorf's cut-and-run clause. No one is bidding for the Phoenix Coyotes again without an escape hatch. Ain't gonna happen.

According to the NHL's actions, they shouldn't need one, of course, because the market can work under the right conditions.

The company line for the NHL when Moyes put the team in bankruptcy was that he had just subverted an ongoing process between the League and Glendale to create more favorable market conditions for the franchise. Part of that equation was finding new ownership; the other part was extracting more money from the city and from the revenue streams around the arena.

The process nearly played out with Hulsizer until it became apparent that entities like the Goldwater Institute weren't going to allow the city to throw taxpayer money at the Coyotes without a hell of a fight.

The new bid, according to the Business Journal, asks for significantly less from the city than Hulsizer's did. But the devil's in the details.

Witness the situation with the Nashville Predators from a few years back, via the Arizona Republic:

After 2010, if average paid attendance drops below 14,000 per game and cumulative losses reach $20 million, the team could opt out of its lease. The team would have to pay Nashville an early-termination fee that ranges between $10 million and $25 million, depending on the year.

So will the market get seven years to make this work, and then have specific triggers in the deal to allow for relocation? Could relocation happen sooner for the new owners?

The NHL has come this far, danced with so many partners and fought so many battles that it's inconceivable they're going to let the Coyotes move. Bettman doesn't like to lose, and any scenario in which the Coyotes leave is a defeat, plain and simple.

Meanwhile, all the fans are doing is increasing the season-ticket base dramatically while the wait for this nonsense to reach its conclusion.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Not exactly a seller’s market for NHL franchises

DAVID SHOALTS Globe and Mail Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011

This may be of little comfort to those of us too depressed to look at our RRSPs, but this week’s turmoil in the stock markets is also causing much heartburn for those trying to sell NHL franchises.

When the stock market craters, it plays havoc with the net worth of prospective buyers. This makes it hard for them to line up financing, since bankers need little reason to slam the cash drawer shut these days.

This is not without precedent in the NHL. Ten years ago, George Gillett’s purchase of the Montreal Canadiens was put on hold for months because the shares in a meat-packing company he planned to use to help finance the deal went into a free-fall. Gillett persevered and wound up making a huge profit on the Habs but the latest stock market uproar goes well beyond the health of a single stock.

Such is the situation Robert Caporale finds himself in this week. He is the chairman of Game Plan LLC, the investment bank in charge of selling the St. Louis Blues. He sent out letters to prospective buyers recently, asking for “non-binding” bids for the hockey team by Aug. 22, only to see the Dow Jones industrial average start its roller-coaster ride.

One of Caporale’s peers in the investment banking field says the NHL franchise market is “a mess.” He saluted Caporale’s efforts but said the Game Plan boss is just trying to goose a slow market.

Caporale agreed, sort of, and then asked wryly, “tell me when there’s a good time to do it?” He said he can’t do anything about the stock market: “I have to deal with reality.”

Reality, according to the anonymous investment banker, is that there are two serious bidders for the Blues at best and neither is willing to put up enough cash to even cover the $120-million (all currency U.S.) bank debt the current owners have on the team. Caporale declined to say who received requests for bids but multiple sources say the main suitors are two groups led by Blues minority owner Tom Stillman and Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer, who turned his attention to St. Louis when the political shenanigans around the Phoenix Coyotes grew tiresome.

Caporale’s fellow banker thinks another problem is that Blues chairman Dave Checketts is considered a smart operator by people in the sports business. But he was unable to turn the Blues into a steady source of profit since he took over the team in 2006. When buyers see that not even Checketts can make the Blues a going concern, their enthusiasm wanes.

“I think when people look at the financials over the last few years, they will see a positive performance and the team is on an upward trend,” Caporale said in response.

Checketts and the Blues have been dogged by bad luck on the ice. While there have been some management hiccups, the Blues can argue injuries are the single biggest reason why the team missed the playoffs for five of the last six seasons.

Caporale hopes his pitch will lead to a sale by late September and there is some pressure to get a deal done. Citibank extended the Blues’ $120-million loan but does not have unlimited patience.

There are hopes one or two of the alleged bidders on the Dallas Stars may take a look at the Blues if Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi winds up as the Stars’ new owner. But Caporale’s colleague, who is familiar with the Stars sale, is dubious.

At this point, Gaglardi has an exclusive negotiating window and hopes to have a bid before the bankruptcy court within two weeks. It will also serve as a stalking-horse bid, one used by the court to see if anyone else wants to top it.

But our banking source thinks the other groups who have looked at the Stars are not willing to pay as much as Gaglardi. Local oil men Billy Quinn, who seems to have Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban in his group, and Doug Miller, plus businessman Chuck Greenberg, who parted company with the Texas Rangers baseball team, have all looked at the Stars. They will have the right to bid against Gaglardi when his bid gets to the bankruptcy court but insiders are not expecting any surprises.

This sale, too, is taking much longer than expected. It will also wind up netting far, far less than the many creditors of current Stars owner Tom Hicks expected. That group of bankers, whose unhappiness is behind many of the delays, once hoped for as much as $450-million since the deal includes half of American Airlines Center but they will be fortunate to see even half of that.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Cubs hoping for some Gretzky magic

Postmedia News August 12, 2011

CHICAGO — His dad had more than his share of great games in Chicago.

And now Trevor Gretzky is hoping he’ll be able to do the same one day — only in a different sport.

The Trevor Gretzky era in professional baseball officially began on Friday, with the Chicago Cubs announcing they had signed the 18-year-old son of former hockey great Wayne Gretzky. The deal is reportedly worth $375,000 US.

The younger Gretzky, who can play the outfield and first base, was selected by the Cubs in the seventh round of the 2011 first-year player draft, after he hit .393 with 10 doubles, four triples and a home run in his senior year at Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California.

“The Cubs are thrilled to welcome Trevor Gretzky to the organization,” general manager Jim Hendry said. “It was a pleasure working with the Gretzky family on this contract and we are excited by Trevor’s decision to begin his pro baseball career with the Cubs.”

Gretzky could be assigned to one of Chicago’s minor-league teams or head to the team’s minor-league complex in Mesa, Arizona.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

NHL looking for ways to create more offence

By LANCE HORNBY, QMI Agency, Aug 15, 2011

Doug Armstrong won’t dismiss such radical concepts as shallow nets, liberal hand passes or panting penalty killers who defend for the full two minutes of a power play.

“In my experience in the NHL, it can be better to start with the end result and then work your way back,” Armstrong said Monday, prior to the league’s annual research and development camp. “This camp will at least create some dialogue.”

Armstrong, general manager of the St. Louis Blues, will join many colleagues in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday at the MasterCard Centre, where several experiments will get a trial run. More offensive opportunities is the end game of new league vice-president of hockey and business development Brendan Shanahan. This year, the hockey-operations boys are highlighting special teams and faceoffs.

Two teams of 2012 draft propects must skate through a penalty killing minefield. Getting puck possession on a delayed call won’t be enough to stop play, the penalized team must also exit the zone, possibly down six skaters to five. During the penalty, they’ll be charged with icing (sans substitutions) and the man in the box is stuck there the whole 120 seconds, no matter how many goals against.

“I’m not sure if it’s the bigger equipment or good (PK) strategy, but everyone’s blocking shots and filling up the middle of the ice,” Armstrong noted. “These ideas could put the advantage back in the power play’s hands or cut down on penalties.”

Armstrong is also keen on seeing consistency returned to the faceoff circle. The same linesman will be dropping the puck during camp, with the dots cut from nine to the five with defined outer circles and hashmarks. When a centre is waved out, the other team can pick the replacement on the draw and there’ll be another look at leaving the puck on the dot and whistling play in.

“It’s just looking for fairness,” Armstrong said. “There are a lot of ‘Ts’ and ‘Ls’ marked out there (where players are supposed to set up), but it could be tidier.”

Toronto general manager Brian Burke will get to see his pet project, the bear-hug rule, where a player can steer another into the boards while briefly wrapping him to lessen impact.

“I think it can reduce and/or eliminate the ‘billiard ball’ hits we see now five or six feet from the boards,” Burke said. “Especially in light of the widespread tactic used by forwards protecting the puck while exposing the numbers on their backs. And I believe our officials can handle this without the bear hug itself turning into a tactic.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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