As early as ever the NHL has unveiled a “who’s who” of who to watch for in next year’s draft. 20 players have been selected from the OHL including three from my beloved Kingston Frontenacs.
The QMJHL and WHL also have their fair share of players as well. Take a look at this VERY EARLY prediction. Just click on this year’s first overall pick, Nathan MacKinnon.
The 90’s were one of the best decades ever. Especially the early 90’s. You couldn’t go anywhere without hearing some kind of euro-dance music or Jock Jams and our faithful Grapes decided to dabble into the fad a bit.
The video was apart of one of Don Cherry’s Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em hockey tapes that he still releasing up to this every day. It usually features the best plays and hits in the season that had just past. This one featured Don Cherry attempting to rap.
“Listen listen, never turtle. If you do that, they’ll call you Myrtle!!”
You’ve been warned. LET’S GO!
The Dunedin Thunder will be looking to keep the ball rolling and remain in top spot as they visit the Botany Paradice and take on the Swarm.
In their last weekend set before the bye week, the Thunder earned two wins against the Canterbury Red Devils and reclaimed their top spot. Both games were tight until the end while the Sunday match was a close one as the game headed to overtime. It only took 18 seconds before Mathew Enright scored on an assist from Matt Canaday. (Check out more of Dunedin’s import talent.)
The Botany Swarm are currently in a three way tie for second place. That will all change this weekend however depending on the outcome of the games. The Swarm split their last weekend set to the Southern Stampede. League points leader Brandon Contratto will be in the lineup looking to add to more to his impressive stats.
The Swarm are eager to knock off the first place Dunedin Thunder. Will Contratto and the gang be enough to do it? Find out this weekend at the Botany ParadIce.
Growing up, the Cornwall Aces were a staple for me and many of my friends. Plenty of nights and Sunday afternoons were spent inside the Ed Lumley Arena cheering on such beloved names as Mike Hurlbut, Josef Marha, Jon Klemm and Aaron Miller just to name a few. A friend and I used to heckle the opposing teams but we learned our lesson when one player shot a puck into the crowd and hit a girl in front of us. We zipped our mouths after that.
Affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and later the Colorado Avalanche, the Aces were a powerhouse team capturing two division titles in their 3 year history. I’d also like to say they had a hand in molding future Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Champion Stephane Yelle as well.
There are quite a few former Aces who have gone on and thrived in the NHL. Jocelyn Thibault, Todd Warriner, Janne Laukkanen and current GM of the New York Islanders, Garth Snow just to name a few. Former goaltender Jean Francois Labbe has actually returned to Cornwall to head coach the Cornwall River Kings of the LNAH.
With mascots Wild Thing, and Half-A-Deck, the Aces provided a fun environment for families to take in a game and spend the night. Prizes and memorabilia were given out at every game and I wish I still had my Wild Thing T-shirt.
It’s sad when a team leaves town. The Aces became dormant after they left but were brought back to life in the form of the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. At least the two banners that hang from inside of the Ed Lumley Arena will keep them alive.
In a somewhat boring news week for the NHL, it was awoken from its slumber in the form of New Jersey Devils superstar Ilya Kovalchuk announcing his retirement from the NHL.
I first saw the announcement from New Jersey Devils beat writer Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice). When he followed up the announcement with “this is not a joke”, I knew it was for real. I then contacted my Devils source and sure enough, it was true.
Kovalchuk has indeed released a statement:
“This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia. Though I decided to return this past season, Lou was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me. The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for and our fans that have been great to me.”
Ilya Kovalchuk was drafted 1st overall in the 2001 entry draft (the first time for a Russian) to the Atlanta Trashers and remained a franchise player and superstar since the beginning of his NHL career. In his rookie season, he finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy, the NHL’s top prize for Rookie Of The Year. His second year saw him capture the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals after tying with Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash. He also was tied for second in points with Joe Sakic.
During the 2005 lockout, Kovalchuk went home to Russia and suited up for both Ak Bars Kazan and Khimik Moscow Oblast. After finishing his contract with the Trashers, Kovalchuk was traded to the New Jersey Devils on February 4th, 2010 where he shined. On March 20th of 2012, he became the 87th player in NHL history to score 400 goals. Despite signing with SKA St. Petersburg during this past lockout, Kovalchuk remained with the Devils to finish out his career.
In 816 NHL games played, Kovalchuk has amassed an ASTONISHING 816 points. That’s right folks, a point a game. The NHL is losing one of it’s best players and one of the best Russian players to ever play the game. Along with that shining statistic, he owns an Olympic bronze medal, numerous gold, silver and bronze medals from World Championships and a gold and silver from his U18 days.
As for what this does to the Devils’ salary cap? Fact is, not much. His contract is void whenever the ink on his retirement papers dries. The Devils do not have to pay him although they will be forced to pay $250,000 vs the cap as a cap recapture penalty.
Kovalchuk is reporting that he is going back home to Russia. Could he suit up for a KHL team? It’s possible and only time will tell what his real motives are but for now, it’s time to mourn the loss of a great player.
The Canterbury Red Devils are hoping to jump into second place as they face the West Auckland Admirals in a two game set at home in Christchurch.
The Alpine Ice rink will be lined in a sea of red of support as the Devils came off their last weekend set with losing both games to the now first place Dunedin Thunder. Scoring leader Chris Eaden will still be out with an upper body injury and there’s no word yet on strong defenceman Terry Watt’s return as he is still injured from a concussion. (EDIT: I have heard from the man himself, Watt will be in the lineup this weekend!)
The West Auckland Admirals are also coming off a 2 game loss to the Dunedin Thunder from their last weekend set on June 22. Jani Lehtinen scored twice to keep the Admirals close but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder rallied back and capped it off. (Check out some of the imported talent the Dunedin Thunder has on their roster)
Both teams are coming off of a bye week and should be well rested and ready to play. The Admirals however haven’t played since the weekend of June 23rd. Will they be top notch heading into Christchurch? They better be as the Red Devils are defending their Toa Kauhanga Riri Tio trophy on Sunday.
Only time will tell this weekend.
The class of 2013 has been unveiled and being inducted are some of hockey’s greatest players.
Currently the Executive Advisor to Wings GM Ken Holland, Chelios had an incredible storied career.
Chelios is a 3 time Stanley Cup champion and has made numerous All Star game and Team USA appearances. In his 1651 games split between the Wings, Blackhawks, Canadiens and Thrashers, Chelios amassed an astonishing 948 points. 763 of those were assists. His three Norris Trophy captures have put him among one of the greatest NHL defencemen of all time and personally, of my generation. It was a no brainer for his induction.
Even if you young kids never saw him play, you know the name. Brendan Shanahan is currently the Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and Director of Player Safety. The guy who hands down the suspensions.
Shanahan is a member of hockey’s “Triple Gold Club”. A winner of an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medeal and the Stanley Cup. Shanahan is also a 3 time Stanley Cup champion; all with Detroit.
In 1534 career NHL games, Shanahan has collected 1354 points ranking him as one of the elite of all time.
Niedermayer is currently an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks. Another member of the “Triple Gold Club”, Niedermayer is one of slickest defencemen to ever play the game.
Niedermayer has made 5 All Star game appearances and receiver both the Norris and Conn Smythe trophies in respective years. He was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 and with 740 in 1263 games, he joins the Hockey Hall of Fame in this year’s class.
Also being inducted is Geraldine Heaney, a defencemen for the Canadian National Team and one of the greatest female players of all time. She is the third female to enter the Hall. And last but certainly not least, the man who coached the Philadelphia Flyers to two back to back Stanley Cups, Fred Shero, is finally getting his due.
Once known as the Battalion from Brampton, the troop relocates this season to their new barracks in North Bay. I absolutely am in love with this logo and jersey. Mainly because I have a stupid obsession with war history but I digress.
The logo just screams like an army sergeant and hell, sometimes the players even skate out of an inflatable tank! The jersey itself is made to look like army gear with the stripes along the side. The only downfall to this is the terrible green colour but I guess you got to win some to lose some.
Cody Hodgson and Matt Duchense got their start with the Battalion and put up some pretty decent numbers. I’m glad they decided to keep the name and not start over with something brand new in North Bay. Hopefully the fans will take to them just as faithfully as the ones in Brampton did. I’ll be looking forward to the start of the OHL season to see if there will be any changes made to the logo or jersey.
Proud to announce that March Hockey has accepted a columnist spot with http://www.hometownhockey.ca!
Ourhometown.ca started in Cornwall, Ontario is 2011 and has since grown to serving Windsor and Edmonton. In 2012 they started a hockey section and are looking to expand from the NHL to the junior leagues.
March Hockey will be covering the eastern part of the Ontario Hockey League mainly the Ottawa 67’s and Kingston Frontenacs! Click on the banner to see the first article!
Take a look at this hockey history.
The Canberra Knights are one of the oldest teams in the league, forming before the AIHL was even founded. 1981 was their debut season playing against international and Australian squads in exhibition games. 13 years saw players come and ago until a 16 year old Canadian goalie by the name of Jason Elliot suited up in 1992. Elliot would go on to win the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002 as their third string goalie.
The Knights original league struggled through the pressure and eventually folded. So in the year 2000, Canberra, along with the Sydney Bears and Adelaide Avalanche (later renamed Adrenaline) formed what we see today as the 9 team Australian Ice Hockey League. The Canberra Knights are an essential part of Australian Hockey and Australian hockey history.
Canberra ices imports in the form of two Canadians, one Fin and one Frenchman along their countrymen for their current season.
The Canberra Knights next game is July 13th against the Adelaide Adrenaline! Puck drop is 4:30 local time.
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