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Guelph Storm oozes NHL Talent

The Guelph Storm announced today that they had to cancel their exhibition game that was supposed to take place on September 6th against the Mississauga Steelheads. The reason may intrigue you.

The Storm can’t ice a team as they have 11 players reporting to various National Hockey League training camps. 8 of those players were draftees (between the 2012 and 2013 draft) and are returning to the squad this season along with 3 forwards who were invited to camps as free agents.

The 2012 draftee class included Matt Finn, who will report to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brock McGinn, who will report to the Carolina Hurricanes are spending some time with their AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers, Scott Kosmachuk, who will report to the Winnipeg Jets and Tanner Richard who will report to the Tampa Bay Lightning and unfortunately will not return to the Storm as he has signed on with the organization. The other three will return to Guelph for another season.

Tyler Bertuzzi. (Photo: Terry Wilson/OHL Images)

The 2013 draftee class included Jason Dickinson who will report to the Dallas Stars, Tyler Bertuzzi who will report to the Detroit Red Wings, Ben Harpur who will report to the Ottawa Senators, and Justin Auger and Zac Leslie who will both be headed to the west coast with the Los Angeles Kings. All five will be back on the Storm’s roster.

The final three who were invited to camps as free agents are Ryan Horvat who will report to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and Hunter Garlent and Zack Mitchell who both will join Soo Greyhound Sergey Tolchinsky with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Guelph Storm has a history of developing strong players over the years. Notable Storm alumni include Drew Doughty, Craig Anderson, Ryan Callahan, Todd Bertuzzi, Cam Janssen and Dustin Brown just to name a few.

With this kind of young talent calibre on hand, the rest of the Midwest division better get out their rain coats and be ready for a wild Storm this upcoming OHL season.

Fan Voice: Pete Lewis and the Chelmsford Chieftains

The Chelmsford Chieftains are a team located in Chelmsford, Essex and after a few seasons of play in the EPIHL, the decision was made to have them play in the English National League. Since that decision in 2008 they’ve been a dominating team.

March Hockey: Where are you located and how did you get into hockey?

Pete Lewis: I am based in Harlow, Essex and I follow the Chelmsford Chieftains. I originally watched the ISL’s London Knights, but when they folded I needed a new team to follow and having been to a Chieftains V Knights friendly, I naturally turned to follow the Chieftains. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs in the last 10years or so, but the recent seasons have seen things settle down and we’re regularly winning trophies now.

MH: What makes you a passionate fan of the Chelmsford Cheiftains?

PL: It’s such a great club to be a part of. The players are completely accessible to anyone, the club is passionate and dedicated to their fans and giving them all the news first before the media get the news. We’re out in the community as often as possible and we also work tirelessly with the local ice hockey Academy to bring on local youngsters into the senior side. This year I believe we have about 65% of the squad have come through the junior system in Chelmsford.

MH: Who’s one player on the team to look out for and why?

PL: It’s really hard to pick one player from the team as all of them stand out for one reason or another. If you did a straw poll of 100 fans of the club who their stand out players is/will be then you’d likely get the whole squad mentioned at least once! We lost arguably the best player to come out of the junior system in Chelmsford ice hockey history in Danny Hammond this summer, but his more than capable replacement is the return of Matt Turner from London Raiders. Matty is a fine two-way forward and is exciting to watch and should probably be one of, if not the, leading scorer this season for the club. Honourable mentions, on a personal level, also go to Alex Green, Michael Ranby, Ben Clements, Ross Brears and Alex Staples. Continue reading “Fan Voice: Pete Lewis and the Chelmsford Chieftains”

New Look River Kings: The Times They Are A-Changin’

The news just keeps on rolling out for the Cornwall River Kings. After making the coaching change and welcoming fearless Robert Desjardins as bench boss, the Cornwall River Kings have announced another big change. The logo.

Adopting this season as one of “change” the River Kings are looking at this more modern logo as one of pride. The crown represents the King, being that of the fans. The fans are their kings and the ones they value the most. That being said, here’s another thing fans will look forward too. Here’s a preliminary look at the roster of who’s signed and who has agreed verbally.

SIGNED: Ryan Jardine, Ryan Hand, Jonathan Jasper, Ian Boots, Mike Stacy, Chris Ayotte, Miguel Delisle, Brett Angel, Nick Romano, Anthony Pittarelli, Fred Piche, Casey Swamp, Ryan Sullivan

AGREED: Nicolas Sigouin, Samuel Drouin, Patrick Lapostolle, Sebastien Payette, Yvan Busque, Karl Wittner, Josh Tordjman, Mathieu Wathier, Loic Lacasse, Pierre Luc Faubert, Nicolas Corbeil, Olivier Proux, Brennan Barker

With training camps around the corner, here is a good look of who could be lacing up the skates for your Cornwall River Kings this season.

A big Thank You to the New Zealand Ice Hockey League

Another Grand Final has come and gone with the Canterbury Red Devils winning their second straight Birgel Cup.

Do I see a dynasty in the making? Hard to tell but it was nonetheless an exciting weekend of hockey being played down in Dunedin. Both teams were stellar and it was such an exciting game to watch. Only time will tell if they can make it a three peat and they may have a hard time of pulling that off.

With that being said, I’d like to give a big thank you to the NZIHL. I’d like to thank you for being a hard working and talented league. All the teams/players and everyone behind the scenes deserves every moment of thanks for making this season a memorable one. I started following the NZIHL half way through this season and I could not have come across a more exciting, fast paced, hockey league to cover.

Thank you to the many contacts I now call friends for being so friendly and allowing me into your hockey community. I will strive to broaden my coverage of the league for next year and it might even be possible that you will see me down there for a game or two! Going to try and make this happen.

The world should know about all the talented players coming from New Zealand and I will make it my duty to let it be known and try to give some more exposure to the league. To the Canterbury Red Devils, Dunedin Thunder, Southern Stampede, West Auckland Admirals, and Botany Swarm, keep playing hard hitting and fast paced hockey. You’ll never know who’s watching.

Let’s all gear up for a great Skate of Origin.

Oh Captain My Captain: Coventry Blaze and the case for Captaincy

By Ed Kimberley
Coventry, England

Coventry Blaze Captain Mike Egener will not return to the blaze due to illness.

Losing a player you thought you had signed weeks before the start of the season is always a nightmare for a coach and for the Blaze; losing their intended captain for the 2013-2014 campaign is going to provide a large headache.

Mike is suffering from Guillain–Barré syndrome. The syndrome affects the nervous system and can cause progressive paralysis. By all accounts Gullian-Barre syndrome is a nasty little affliction and I would like to wish Mike a speedy recovery while his family remain in my thoughts.

Without a doubt the loss of Egener is a big one, literally considering his 6ft4 215lbs frame. Eg was surprisingly mobile for a big guy and threw board shuddering hits night in night out, easily cleared his crease and could be relied upon to make a solid first pass. He was a guy who was an integral part of the locker room and his professionalism and tireless work ethic led to him being given the C in his second year. While also racked up 6 fighting majors including this doozie against Panthers tough-guy Kelsey Wilson he became somewhat of a fan favourite:

So what does this mean for the Blaze? Continue reading “Oh Captain My Captain: Coventry Blaze and the case for Captaincy”

Cornwall River Kings name Robert Desjardins as head coach

(For Immediate Release)

There’s a new King in town.

Wasting no time in finding a replacement for the surprising leave of Jean Francois Labbe, the Cornwall River Kings announced today that they hired Robert Desjardins as their new head coach. Labbe left the team following a job offer near his hometown in Quebec.

Robert Desjardins is no stranger to the hockey world and to Quebec hockey in general. When it comes to coaching, Robert “Bob” Desjardins will bring leadership, character and hard work to the team. He already brings coaching experience having been the bench boss for the Marquis de Jonquiere and the former Saint Hyacinthe Chiefs of the LNAH.

Desjardins is a hockey man who has been around rinks a long time. He knows the business inside and out and will be able to provide the players the leadership and spark to ignite the team on the ice. After the long summer months of controversy, this could just be the thing the River Kings need.

Even more big changes are in store for the Cornwall River Kings as they enter their second LNAH season this September. This season is proving to be one of change, speed, and aggression. Be ready to rock the Ed Lumley Arena fans because this wild ride is just starting.

Kingston Frontenacs acquire Corey Pawley from London Knights

The Kingston Frontenacs are not fooling around this season. General Manager Doug Gilmour announced today that the team has acquired intense forward Corey Pawley from the London Knights. In return the Knights will pick up the Frontenacs fourth round selection at the 2015 OHL Priority Selection draft.

The 18 year old Sarnia native suited up for 27 games with the Knights last season and earned himself 7 points with 3 goals and 4 assists. The low point score doesn’t phase Gilmour however. According to the Frontenacs media release, Gilmour is thrilled. “Corey plays with a lot of intensity in his game,” said Gilmour. “He’s competitive, with a lot of speed, and an offensively creative player. We’re excited to add him to our roster and can’t wait to see him at Training Camp.”

The Frontencs are bolstering their line up to help already famed players Roland McKeown, Spencer Watson and Sam Bennett. Other players to look out for is along with Pawley, is Finnish sensation Henri Ikonen. Ikonen was selected in the 6^th round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The upcoming exciting season for the Kingston Frontenacs will start next Thursday, August 29^th as training camps are set to open up. On-ice scrimmages will be open to the public on both Friday August 30^th and Saturday August 31^st.

Kingston open up their 2013-2014 OHL campaign on the road in Peterborough as they take on the Petes. That game is set on Thursday, September 19^th and puck drops at 7:30.

Undrafted Soo Greyhound Sergey Tolchinsky inks deal with Carolina Hurricanes

After going undrafted and not hearing his name be called in this year’s National Hockey League draft, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds superstar Sergey Tolchinsky has been locked up by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canes announced today that they agreed to terms with the star caliber forward for a three year entry level contract. Tolchinsky impressed the Canes brass so much that the terms of the deal are as follows. According to NHL.com, the deal will pay Tolchinsky $550,000 at the NHL level or $55,000 at the American Hockey League level in the first year, $550,000 in the NHL or $67,500 in the AHL in the second year, and $575,000 in the NHL or $67,500 in the AHL in the third year. He will also receive a signing bonus of $150,000.

The Hurricanes weren’t the only team on Tolchinsky’s radar. Tolchinsky attended both Carolina and the New York Rangers’ prospect development camp back in July. It was Jim Rutherford who saw the spark on the ice and cemented the deal.

Rod Brind'Amour lifts the Stanley Cup for Carolina's first win. — Rod Brind’Amour lifts the Stanley Cup for Carolina’s first win.

Last season the 5’8” Russia native notched 51 points in 62 games and was an integral part of the Greyhounds playoff run. Sault Ste. Marie will be sad to see such a powerhouse go but at the same time they should be proud of what they developed.

Whether Tolchinsky starts this season off with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL or with the big club of the NHL is yet to be seen but one thing is for certain: Tolchinsky is a storm brewing in Carolina.

Brampton Beast announce AHL and NHL affiliates

The Brampton Beast are the newest addition to the Central Hockey League and today was monumental in the team’s newly constructed history. The city of Brampton is now affiliated with an American Hockey League and National Hockey League team.

The Beast announced that they signed a one year contract and will be the feeder team to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman expressed his excitement in partnering with the Brampton Beast and knows the talent that will be developed will be extraordinary. A strong developmental system in place is the key to success.

The Central Hockey League is venturing into Canada for the first time this year. The city of Brampton is excited for the opportunity to showcase their hockey talent to one of the best leagues in North America. The Beast are now the fourth CHL team to be associated with an NHL team. The Allen American are affiliated with the Dallas Stars, the Arizona Sundogs are affiliated with the Phoenix Coyotes, and the Denver Cutthroats are with the Colorado Avalanche.

After Brampton’s OHL team, the Battalion took leave to North Bay earlier this year, the Powerade Centre was left empty. The Beast are looking to fill that arena with passionate fans across the GTA. This is another great opportunity for Canadian hockey fans to see the future of the NHL right in front of their very own eyes.

The Brampton Beast started off their inaugural CHL season October 18th where they host the Arizona Sundogs.

Red Devils lose coach to Kazakhstan days before Grand Final

(Photo: www.reddevils.co.nz) — (Photo: http://www.reddevils.co.nz)

In another piece of shocking news, the Cantebury Red Devils announced that this was will be coach Anatoly Khorozov’s last season with the team. Having already led the Red Devils to the Birgel Cup last year, Canterbury will be looking to send off Khorozov in style with a second Cup in the Grand Final this weekend.

Khorozov will be heading to HC Beibarys Atyrau of the Kazakhstan Hockey Championship league. The team was founded in 2009 and are winners of back to back championship titles in 2011 and 2012.

The Kazakhstan Hockey Championship is made up of 10 teams across the country not including the teams who play for the Koninental Hockey League. Although it is very similar to the KHL style of play in that it is very fast paced and highly skilled. This is a major step up from the NZIHL and I have no doubt

that Khorozov will flourish with his new team.

Although Khorozov will be coaching in Kazakhstan, his home base will still remain in New Zealand. He will attempt to act as a scout for the Red Devils and see if he can import some new talent for the team and NZIHL in general.

The New Zealand Ice Hockey League is a great league that should be given more credit. It houses many talented players that may not get the coverage they deserve. I urge every one of you to try and tune into the Grand Final this weekend. For those of us in the Eastern Time Zone, the puck will drop around 1:00am Saturday night on http://www.nzihl.tv