The brand new AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, the Utica Comets, are starting to have their roster take shape.
The President of the team, former NHL goaltender Robert Esche, announced last week that they had signed right winger David Pacan. Pacan spent last season with the San Antonio Rampage and the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones. Pacan notched 52 points in 57 games with the Cyclones. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, and a CJHL alumni, I’m sure he’s glad to be a bit closer to home this season.
Another impressive signing saw 2011 Memorial Cup champion goaltender, Mathieu Corbeil climb aboard. As a member of the Saint John Sea Dogs, Corbeil lead the way to a QMJHL championship in 2012. Corbeil spent last year in the Central Hockey League with the Missouri Mavericks.
(John Negrin. wiki.)
On defence the Comets picked up John Negrin. Negrin spent last season between the Lake Erie Monsters and Chicago Wolves. Negrin has spent time with 4 AHL teams and has played in 3 NHL games with the Calgary Flames. He brings plenty of experience to this newly formed club. Another notable defenceman signed to the 2013-2014 is former London Knight, Sascha Guimond.
The Utica Comets franchise was formerly the affiliate for the St. Louis Blues in the form of the Peoria Rivermen. Former NHLer Travis Green is set to head man the team for the upcoming season. The Comets will be playing out of the North Division which feature Canadian teams, the Toronto Marlies and Hamilton Bulldogs. The Lake Erie Monsters and Rochester Americans round out the strong division.
The full American Hockey League schedule will be available sometime in August. Hockey season is just around the corner.
Team Canada blanked the Czech Republic at a score of 4-0 in their first official game at the 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament. The Canadians put on a show and dazzled the crowd with their hockey sense and ability. Team Canada is made up of the best junior players from the WHL, OHL and QMJHL.
Starting goaltender, and QMJHL Chicoutimi Sagueneens netminder. Julio Billia earned his first shutout of the tournament and picked up Player of the Game honors as well for Canada.
Newly appointed team captain, and Barrie Colts forward Aaron Ekblad added a pair of assists in the win along with a goal and an assist from sharpshooter Michael Dal Colle.
Dal Colle’s power play goal in the first period was the first of two as Hayden Fleury added his own. Kingston’s Spencer Watson added to the scorecard with his goal coming off of a penalty shot in the second period. The scoring stopped in the third period with Sherbrooke Phoenix’s forward Daniel Audette notching the final and Team Canada’s third power play goal.
Czech Republic seemed to spend an awful long of time in the penalty box as they took 7 over the course of the game.
The action at the 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament continues tomorrow. Team Canada will be back at the Alcapast Arena in Breclav, Czech Republic as they enter their second game of the tourney, taking on team Sweden.
Along with getting a player’s perspective on the game, it’s usually more interesting to get a fans point of view. The fan is the most integral part of hockey. It keeps the business of hockey thriving. Without the fans, you have no team or league. And without the league well, there’s no game.
This is the first of what I hope to be many features on fans of the game throughout the world. It intrigues me to know how they got hooked onto the game and if you haven’t figured out by now, how the game thrives in their area of the world.
My first installment is with Ben Thompson of England. Follow him on twitter, @BenThompson84
Ben Thompson. Twitter: @BenThompson84
March Hockey: Where are you located and how did you get interested in hockey?
Ben Thompson: I live in Doncaster, England, around 20 miles from Sheffield. My interest in hockey started in 1996 when we were taken to see the Sheffield Steelers on a school trip; totally hooked from there. (March’s note: Pretty kickass school. Never did that here in Canada!)
MH: What makes you a passionate fan of the EPIHL compared to the EIHL?
Jeff Legue. Sheffield Steelers.
BT:Well, as I said, my first team were the Steelers, possibly one of the top two biggest clubs in the UK. I saw them win titles & beat a team 18-1. In 2010 I saw them beat Cardiff 4-2 in a game where NOTHING happened in the 3rd. I needed a change. I went to see the Steeldogs in the division below; a hard working team packed with local players, only 3 imports…fights, high scores; cheaper tickets, cheaper beer, more passion, a family club…I was home. Although there are a few teams with big money in the EPIHL, it doesn’t effect the result of the league half as much as the EIHL, which makes the top division predictably boring.
MH: Who is your favourite EPIHL team and player? Why?
Greg Wood. Sheffield Steeldogs.
BT:Sheffield Steeldogs. Local team, home grown players, hard working ‘blue collar’ mentality. We’re hated for our physical tactics, which I love. Player wise, Greg Wood. Leader, Sheffield lad, skillful & brave. Reflects the club. (Quick mention for Andy Hirst; from my hometown, ever improving, without a doubt a future ‘A’ & ‘C’)
MH: Does the EPIHL or the teams of the league in general do enough to incorporate fan interaction or to keep fans interested?
BT: I feel like an integral part of my club; the owner knows me on first name terms. The club look after their fans & work hard to engage people in the brand, but have a tough job with the Steelers been 500 metres away. Other EPIHL have good websites & Twitter but the EPIHL must work harder to push the league by incorporating a relevant EPIHL website & push media through YouTube or maybe even TV.
MH: If you were to change one thing about the league, what would it be and why?
BT:Usher the Guildford Flames into the EIHL. Financially they make the league a bit disjointed.
MH: Let’s talk NHL. Who’s your favourite team and player and why?
Jarome Iginla. (Photo credit: Hockey Broad. flickr.)
BT: I have a soft spot for the Calgary Flames (Not covered in glory last season). It all goes back to NHL 94 on the Sega. I also have Canadian relatives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, so it has to be a Canadian team. Favourite player – Iginla (See career..Haha)
MH: How do you think the NHL could market itself better for fans over in Europe?
BT: More TV coverage – maybe Sky or BT Sport. Adopt an NFL style UK game, maybe at the MEN arena in front of 18,000.
Thanks so much Ben for giving your perspective on the game in England. If you are a passionate hockey fan, I want to hear from you! Send me a tweet on twitter @MarchHockey or a message on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/MarchHockey!
Fred Coutts is a Canadian born Aussie who’s currently playing over in the Australian Ice Hockey League with the Perth Thunder. He played some of his junior career with the Edmonton Mustangs of the CJHL. As a fellow Canadian, I was intrigued to ask him about his hockey adventures and how the Perth Thunder is thundering on with the loss of Mike Forney.
March Hockey:You played some Junior over in Canada, how does that compare to playing in a professional league such as the AIHL?
Fred Coutts:This winter I was lucky enough to play some Jr B hockey in Edmonton before returning to Australia to play for the Thunder. Playing junior was an awesome experience, and a real eye-opener to the speed and physicality of the North American game. The AIHL is a much different style of hockey; less crash-and-bang and more emphasis on skating with the puck. One of the coolest things about playing in the AIHL is the chance to compete with/against professional import players from leagues like the SPHL, ECHL, and even the AHL. Overall the two experience differ, but are both very enjoyable.
MH:How has Perth adapted to the loss of Mike Forney?
Mike Forney. Perth Thunder. (Photo: perththunder.com.au)
FC: It was tough for the first few games, and as a team we’ve had to lift offensively since his departure. But we’ve got great depth in our lineup, and the boys have stepped up to the task of filling that void. Michael Forney was a class-act on the ice and beyond, and will be dearly missed.
MH: How is the support for hockey in Australia? Are the fans just as passionate?
(Photo: Paul Kelly. Shutterspeed Designs.)
FC: We are blessed with fantastic, loyal fans in Perth, who have stuck by the team through the hard times and the good. In the country’s east, teams such as the Melbourne Ice and Canberra Knights sell out their arenas every weekend. The support for hockey grows stronger with each season, both locally and nationally.
MH: Where would you like to see your hockey career take you?
FC:Once my junior eligibility has expired, I’m hoping to play Senior AA in Canada. After that, my greatest dream would be to play in the Federal Hockey League (FHL). I definitely want to keep playing competitive hockey for as long as I possibly can.
MH: Growing up, player wise, who was your biggest influence on your style of play?
FC: I used to love watching Hal Gill play for the Leafs, and I’ve always tried to imitate his stick-checking, shot-blocking, body positioning, and strong work on the PK. Now if only I had his size…
MH: If you could play against any player, past or present, who would it be and why??
FC:Crosby for sure. Just to witness his mix of strength, speed and finesse. I think it would be very humbling.
If there are any other AIHL, NZIHL or other hockey players from around the world who would like to take part in a Q&A with March Hockey, get in contact with me! Send me a message or tweet at @MarchHockey or on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/marchhockey! I want to hear from you!
Team Canada has announced who will be donning the “C” and the “A” for the U18 Ivan Hlinka tournament taking place at this very moment in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Exhibition matches are already underway with Canada playing it’s next one against the Czech Republic on Monday.
(Photo: barriecolts.com)
Barrie Colts defenseman Aaron Ekblad will lead the team as he was chosen as Captain today. Kingston Frontenacs forward Sam Bennett and Victoria Royals defenseman Joe Hicketts will don the “A” as alternate captains. Bennett has already won gold this year back in April at the U18 Worlds in Sochi, Russia.
A native of Belle River, Ontario, Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League entry draft. He is one of three players who was granted “exceptional” player status (and the first defenseman) to allow him to play in the OHL before the respected age requirement at 15. John Tavares was the first in 2005. Spending the past two years with the Barrie Colts, he has notched up 63 points in 117 games.
Sam Bennett is one part of what I like to call the “Kingston Trio” in the form of the Frontenacs young killer threesome comprising of Bennett, Roland McKeown and Spencer Watson. Bennett played in his first OHL season during 2012/13 and notched a solid 40 points in 60 games.
Joe Hicketts also played in his first Western Hockey League season last year with the Victoria Royals. He scored 24 points in 67 games and was named captain of the Team Canada Pacific U17 squad.
The 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament gets underway on Friday, August 9th after a week of exhibition. Other nations in the tournament include the United States, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The 2013 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament opened up with exhibition games on Saturday in Piestany, Slovakia. The crowd was in for a treat at Zimny Stadion as Kingston Frontanacs forward Spencer Watson put on a dazzling display to help Team Canada secure its first exhibition win.
Watson opened the scoring eight minutes into the first period with help from Jake Virtanen and Ryan Pilon. The first period proved to be all Canada as 5 minutes later Oshawa Generals forward Michael Dal Colle added another. Up 2-0 heading into the second period, the Canadians were putting on a show.
The Slovakians however, had something to say about that. Four minutes into the second period, Ladislav Romancik cut the Canadians lead in half and it seemed that they were going to make a game of it. Team Canada seemed to not stay out of the penalty box as they took two early on.
Spencer Watson sealed the deal for Canada in the third period as he notched his second of the game. Dal Colle picked up another assist to the goal adding to both players impressive first game performance. Julio Billia and Mason MacDonald shared both goaltending duties stopping 17 shots. Slovakia was out shot as the Canadians threw 50 at their net minder.
Team Canada’s next exhibition game will take place this coming Monday, August 5th as the Czechs welcome into their city of Breclev. Czech Republic should give the Canadians a bit more trouble this time around.
Charlie Huber is a New Zealander who has recently made the jump from the NZIHL to the Australian Ice Hockey League. After growing up in West Germany, Huber found a home in New Zealand and suited up for the Botany Swarm, winning 4 championships and presiding as alternate captain. He has played numerous IIHF tournaments as a member of the New Zealand Ice Blacks who won silver in 2011.
March Hockey:You played several years with the Botany Swarm of the NZIHL, what was it like to make the jump to the AIHL with the Adelaide Adrenaline?
Charlie Huber:Changing from the NZIHL to AIHL was a step up. As seen by the Trans- Tasman (March’s note: an inter-league tournament) results last year, there is still a difference between the leagues. Also I find the AIHL is able to attract better import players because of better financial backing. This resulting in a faster pace game. But things can change as we know, the Adrenaline team however helped me to adjust quickly. They’re a good bunch.
MH: What was it like representing New Zealand at the World Championships and coming back with a medal?
CH: I was and am very proud every time I put on the NZ jersey. It’s an awesome country and when I think about all the history, people, nature and culture I get to represent, it certainly doesn’t require much further motivation to go into a game. Bringing a medal back, I think, we deserved as all the boys, management and the coaching staff put in the effort for it. Of course it was fantastic to get the recognition for all the effort we put in during the off- season.
(Photo: adelaideadrenaline.com.au)
MH: Growing up, what player influenced you the most?
CH: I think growing up I had a few influential players. There were at the beginning a few players from my local senior team at EC Pfaffenhofen. One example would be Roman Mucha, who was an incredible forward with an impressive skill set. Another person that really comes to mind is Bob Sullivan. He was on the ice a few times with my junior teams and displayed amazing skills. Of course being a former NHL player helped my admiration for him.
MH:If you could play with any player, past or present, who would it be and why?
CH: I would really like to play again with my junior team from EHC Klostersee. That group of players was great to be around. All mates from early age and fantastic understanding of other players on the ice. It was all about passing and everyone playing the same system and of course it was nice to have so much success.
MH: Where would you like to see your hockey career go from here?
CH: I had some trouble with injuries this year. So I would like to build up more consistency and get back 100% fit again. Also I hope I can stay away from big injuries in the future. Next year I am hoping to be able to represent NZ in Spain and hopefully we’ll be able to get away with a gold this time!
Another important set will take place this weekend for the Botany Swarm as they are in the hunt for first and second place. Along with the Canterbury Red Devils, Dunedin Thunder and the Southern Stampede, it’s a VERY tight race in the standings.
(Photo: nzihl.com)
The Swarm pulled off a stunning victory against the Canterbury Red Devils in the first game of their last weekend set. Hitting the double digits mark with 10 goals, the Swarm capitalize on the Red Devils early mistakes. The second game however, they were halted by the Red Devils by a tight score of 4-3. Botany and Canterbury have split their season series as well.
Over the course of the weekend, Brandon Contratto, Evan Mackintosh, and Mickey Rhodes combined for an astonishing 13 points. Look for them to break out even more this weekend.
It’s not all doom and gloom for the Admirals this season. Their last weekend set saw them pick up their first season win, a 6-2 final over the Southern Stampede. I don’t expect them to be standing down this weekend. They’re going to make the Swarm earn their spot in the standings as I can see at least one game heading into overtime.
Get down to Avondale this weekend to check out the Botany Swarm’s last 2 games of the regular season. Puck drops at 5pm local time.
For my Canadian friends that are nightowls, you can catch the action at NZIHL.tv starting at 1am Saturday morning!
In a historic moment for international hockey, Australian player Nathan Walker has been invited to the Washington Capitals rookie camp and could become the first Australian to play in the National Hockey League.
(Photo credit: USHL.com)
Walker is already over in North America suiting up for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. He began his career in Australia at the age of 6 and was dominating the compeition. As a result, he was scouted by a coach from Slovakia and was invited to play for HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga. During the offseason, he returned home and kept his form up by playing for the Sydney Ice Dogs of the Australian Ice Hockey League .
The majority of his career has been spent in the Czech Reupublic. However, at the age of 19, he has already participated in the Spengler Cup, won gold with Team Australia in 2011 at the IIHF World Championships (Division II) and played in the 2013 USHL/NHL Top Prospects game. If only the Canadian Hockey League could get his hands on him, he’d have all of North America covered!
For a second straight year, Walker was passed upon by all 30 NHL teams in the entry draft. They are definitely missing out on a top quality offensive forward. At 19 years old and a solid 5’10 frame, Walker is yet to fill himself out. He would be a welcome addition on any team, regardless of league stature. In his 29 games with Youngstown earlier this year, he notched an impressive 27 points. If it wasn’t for injuries, he was well on his way to notching 50. He has the tools to become a point a game player.
(Photo: ushl.com)
The dream is alive. Nathan Walker wants to become the first Australian to play in the National Hockey League. I have no doubt that he will.
Hockey Canada announced its final roster for the upcoming 2013 U18 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament and all three Kingston Frontenacs selections have made the final roster.
This year’s tournament, also known as the U18 World Cup, will take place at the beginning of August in Breclav, Czech Republic and Pietsany, Slovakia. Team Canada has been dominant coming home with gold the past 5 years. This year’s team is ready to make it 6. They open up the tournament with their first exhibition game August 3rd against host nation Slovakia.
Roland McKeown, Sam Bennett and Spencer Watson impressed the Team Canada brass at exhibition games over the past few days. The games showcased the best the Canadian Hockey League has to offer. Watson exploded in the 3rd period with 2 goals in Saturday night’s game and added 2 assists Monday afternoon. All three showcased there tremendous skills and hockey sense to help the big red machine as they head to the Czech Republic.
Upon returning to North America, all three will suit up into the black and gold of the Kingston Frontenacs as training camp opens up on August 29th. Pumped and still in hockey mode, the three will be eager to get back on Ontario Hockey League ice. The Frontenacs will be a strong team this year and will be looking to make a long trip into the post-season.
Team Canada’s roster also includes hard shooting Aaron Ekblad from the Barrie Colts and another strong forward Jared McCann from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. 2014 will shape up to exciting draft year.
The President of the team, former NHL goaltender Robert Esche, announced last week that they had signed right winger David Pacan. Pacan spent last season with the San Antonio Rampage and the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones. Pacan notched 52 points in 57 games with the Cyclones. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, and a CJHL alumni, I’m sure he’s glad to be a bit closer to home this season.
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