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Steve Simoes: The Cornwall River Kings saga in his own words

The following is a complete unedited account from Cornwall River Kings captain, Steve Simoes.

Simoes has been with the team since it’s inception and has been the glue in keeping this team together from the inside. Without him, players would’ve upped and gone a long time ago. It’s a shame that it has come to this. Without further ado, your captain. – March Hockey
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So where do we go from here?

I have been around the game a few years and in this league since 2008. Never have I seen such drama and attempt for power as I have seen here in Cornwall. The problem with this team has always been people and their attempt of being “the main guy”. There were people who have been involved with this organization that only care about their own personal accolades and personal image of grandeur then the respect for the game.

In my years in this league, I have rarely seen my owner(s) and didn’t really want to see them. The person who usually owns the team is in the background running things and making sure things go well. However, here in Cornwall, we have had a nice exuberant owner who wore an Elvis costume once in a while and even spotted in as a mascot at times (although paid all his bills – was present, but was led down a few wrong paths by a few wrong people); a group of three owners that had their own interior turmoil because of a power struggle within the group; a new owner this season, who used this platform as a way to bolster publicity and be in the spotlight in order to gain a seat in council and then a more recent owner who would have liked the spotlight but never had the opportunity.

When it was time to be known as the “head honcho”, everyone wanted their name and face in the paper, but when things turned sour, well, “please don’t publish my face and name”. Instead of biting off more than you can chew, maybe it would’ve been better to let it die. But how do you let it die, when a good portion of the population enjoys the hockey and the show?

The issues of this team have always been about power struggles.

In the first season we had a few members of the staff that believed he could do everything, from equipment to GM to coaching to office duties and so on. The guy behind the desk didn’t just want that job, he wanted to be the GM; the guy who did the equipment wasn’t happy with just that and thought he could be GM too. Anyone with a JOB or DUTY, wasn’t happy with their situation and always wanted what the other person had.

For Christs sake, just do your JOB or DUTY. We are a team, from the big guy to the little guy.

There was rumours of potential investors, but all these potential investors came with a twist. They were either connected to one or the other guy who wanted to be GM or the “head honcho”.

SURPRISE…

Does that surprise any of you? Cornwall, please explain to me why people can’t just be proud of what their job is and can’t just do that job to the best of their ability, without always having the spotlight? For a town of hard working farmers, very humble blue collar workers and simple family oriented white collars, how can everything be so darn complicated?

I have unfortunately been privy to many conversations and situations since joining this team. Some conversations baffled me and made me scratch my head, but who am I to judge; it was not my money. A new owner comes in every year, with different ideas but the same issue arises. They’re trying to work IN THE BUSINESS INSTEAD OF ON THE BUSINESS. You should be upstairs and not standing behind the bench (which happened more often than it should have).

Lets be honest.

It takes money to run a team in any league, and you can’t expect to spend like the Buffalo Sabres and have a Pittsburgh Penguins situation.

The intent this year was obvious from the get-go.

This was all to provide a political stepping stone for someone and the rest didn’t matter. I have never seen an owner take the microphone so many times at center ice, before a game, in my whole hockey career. In my 11 years pro and junior hockey, it has maybe happened 3 times (totalling this years total).

Then the polls close and there is a supposed sale. To whom? For how much? I don’t know, and usually wouldn’t care. Until checks start bouncing and money goes missing. Who the hell is telling the truth? How does this even happen? Can’t point fingers yet until the truth comes out. But just another chapter in this ridiculous drama that continues to tar the reputation of the team, the league and the people involved.

Last year was no better.

I know people like to point the finger at one owner in particular, but there were three; and two were more-so present than others. I know that there was a power struggle last season between the owners. One owner wanted more spotlight and attention toward his business and was upset that it was always the other owner who was leading the charge. But when it came time to pay the piper, that owner bowed out and scurried off to another city, leaving the total bill with the other two. The reality is what it is.

In the end, they sold their other business at a lucrative profit and left unpaid players, staff and invoices. But I do recall, in a meeting around this time of the year last season, one owner did say “Money is not a problem, we have the money”. Oh, my friend, your handshake means nothing and you lied again. SURPRISE… And in the end, a person I consider a friend, got had.

But the fools in all this are the players. Yes the fans as well, but with all do respect, we are the ones out there taking a toll on our bodies and attemtping to provide some entertainment.

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

Yes we are paid, and yes, some nights we are better than others but we are asked to play and create a form of entertainment, and then get compensated for it. Like trained elephants at a circus, we are there to provide a fun experience for the family and every hockey lover. I love to put on a show and play the sport I love. I am passionate about it and try to play the game I respect in the same fashion. But even the bears and elephants expect a peanut or two, to keep them going and provide an incentive to perform.

When there is such instability, turmoil and power struggles, and the peanut doesn’t get to the elephant, you cant expect the elephant to dance and play and do back flips. I made that mistake last season, in asking the players to continue to play without their full ration of peanuts. They trusted me because I vouched for certain people (including the league – who really does want success here), but in the end, half the peanuts were there and the entertainment value took a hit. So what am I to do this time?

I have always said things the way I see them and sometimes filtered certain things out of respect.

But I will not lie, be a hypocrite, and deceive people.

If I ask my team to go out there and play hard and don’t do it myself, then what kind of person does that make me? I care about winning. I care about my team and what it represents. My role has always been a grinding power forward that just does his JOB and DUTY, and I love that job.

I respect that job.

I embody that job.

No power struggle in my head, or with our team. If we all accept our job and duty, and stop trying to do someone else’s, we may just win and succeed. Until then, the promise of entertainment, without the peanut is tough. And for those that know me well, know that I don’t do this for the money (although it is nice to get compensated for what you do); I do it cause I love the game and this is quite the way to retire – maybe sooner rather than later.

In the end, worthy of a scene in the movie Dumb and Dumber – we may end up being like Lloyd Christmas, with a black Samsonite suitcase, full of I.O.U’s. “That’s as good as money sir, those are IOUs. Go ahead and add it up every cents accounted for.”

Fool me once…

Steve Simoes

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Nicolas Corbeil: His reasoning behind the trade

This afternoon I was delighted to have an hour long phone call with one of the Cornwall River Kings most popular players. Only thing is, he’s not a River King anymore. You see, a couple of weeks ago Nicolas Corbeil demanded to be traded from the team he called home for the past three years.

It wasn’t because of his teammates.

It wasn’t because of the fans or the city of Cornwall.

No, it was because he was sick of the lies. The drama. Never getting a straight answer to his face. He saw the ship sinking and well, bailed himself out before it was too late. “From the beginning it felt like ownership this year never really cared about us.” Corbeil said with an exhausted sigh. “It was always a show. Every move was calculated and wasn’t in the best interest of the team.”

Corbeil was one of the very few players who stuck it out for the past three seasons amidst the troubles with ownership year in and year out. “I really liked it there,” he says with ease. “The fans are some of the best in the league, I love them! Cornwall is a definite hockey town but enough was enough.”

When the team was on the verge of folding last year, Corbeil stuck it out on the words from Rick Lalonde that things were going to turn around. “You know, those guys (ownership), their jobs were tough. How do you tell a guy like Francis Lessard that you’re not going to get paid?” he says with a chuckle. “But they were always honest when it came to the truth.”

“They came and told us straight to our face.”

One person that Corbeil really appreciates is Mitch Gagne. “Mitch is 100% in it for the love of the game.” He says. “He’s not in it for the money or has a hidden agenda. He really did a lot for me and I really thank him.”

Corbeil also holds the upmost respect for Rick Lalonde, Al Wagar, and Olivier Fillion. “Without those three guys, this team wouldn’t have lasted until now. They were the only ones who cared and I want to thank them so much.”

The drama of the team took its toll on Corbeil. He was finding it hard to enjoy coming to the rink and lace them up. It wasn’t because of the guys in the locker room. “I have a bunch of friends on the Kings; I had no problems with the guys.” No, it was sickening feeling of walking into the arena and asking question after question about whether or not he would be paid that night. “I told myself, if either came to the point where I no longer enjoyed coming to the rink, it was time to move on.” He wasn’t ready to pack it up and call it a career just yet. His love for the game still thrived.

So he got sent to Thetford Mines and the Isothermic.

“I like it here, it’s a great fit for me.” Corbeil says with a smile in his voice. “I found the joy in playing hockey again.”
Nicolas Corbeil might be in a different uniform now. However, what he did on the ice for this city will always be remembered. One of our best Kings that played with his heart night in and night out and hell, sometimes without a pay cheque. Onwards and upwards Corbs; win that championship with Thetford.

God Save The Kings: The Cornwall River Kings have flatlined

I have stayed quiet for too long.

The story of the Cornwall River Kings might be coming to an end and it’s not ending with a championship.

No, in fact it’s on the brink of ending with a city full of gullible residents and hockey fans who had dreams of having their pro hockey team compete for another season. I mean, really compete.

This was going to be a brand new start for the team that has been full of dysfunction since the very beginning. That being said, all the original owners up until now had been straight forward with the fans. From Bernie Villeneuve parading outside of city hall demanding a change to the advertising deal that has a strong hold on the team from making any money to David Small always being around to answer a fan’s question with an honest answer.

Funny word that, honesty.

Unfortunately the 2014-2015 chapter of the Cornwall River Kings has been nothing more than a political pawn. Used to sway votes, it worked and allowed owner (or former owner, who the hell knows anymore) Brock Frost to be voted in to city council. When he first became the Kings’ saviour, the team was purchased for very little money. I’ve heard that the price tag is still yet to be paid for.

A hockey team is not like any ordinary business and if you know nothing about the game well, you should probably steer clear. As the summer months progressed with various functions raising money for the team, it started to become clear to me that hey, there is absolutely no money floating around this team. That’s a big mistake.

As the season progressed and the election neared it seemed like things were on an even keel and would be okay. Well the minute the election was over, that notion was long gone.

Frost immediately turned his back on the community even though he was elected to council. He sold the team under the table to the team’s trainer, Darren Madden, without any input or even telling league officials. He went to the newspapers saying that it wasn’t true and was “business as usual”. Perfect politician.

Then people close to the team begin to drop off. Players with bounced cheques began to demand trades. Players who were on the end of the trade to come here refused to play in Cornwall. Players started even refusing to play home games. Facebook pages began being deleted. A silent chorus of what was once loud and boisterous has deafened the hockey fans.

Is the team dead? Yeah, it very well could be. What happens then? Do season ticket holders get refunded? Well, good luck trying to get money of a team that’s pretty much bankrupt aka zero moolah. If you don’t have enough money to ice a starting lineup, that’s not particularly a good thing.

There are people out there though who are waiting for the call to rally around and save the team once again just for the rest of the season. If this team can make to the end, there might be a new lease on life.

The advertising deal that the Cornwall Colts have with the city is up at the end of the season. It’s then up for re-negotiation and then the Kings could easily push for their rights, get them, and that would garner them an unbelievable back bone into next year. If they don’t get them, well pack it up and fold.

There is a lot more specifics that I’m sure will come out in the following days. Will there be games this weekend? Who knows? Hell, as a player, I wouldn’t want to play in this mess.

A few of us saw this coming and tried to warn people. No, we were fallen on deaf ears and hell, I even got Facebook messages riddled with hate streamed at me. All I’m going to say is this.

We told you so.

WHO OWNS THE CORNWALL RIVER KINGS

Update: It’s true. Pending league approval, Darren Madden, the team’s trainer, will own the team.

The people want to know!

It’s never a dull moment in the life of the Cornwall River Kings. Hundreds, if not thousands of rumors are swirled around social media this week concerning the livelihood of the team. The biggest question is who actually owns the team?

Newly elected city counselor Brock Frost came in last spring and was perceived as our all mighty saviour who bought the team and kept it in Cornwall.

Do you know how much money it takes to run a hockey team? A lot. And I mean, A LOT. Even in this Quebec senior semi-pro bush league.

There’s a lot of things one has to take care of to keep your team happy. Like brand new equipment. The players for your team should not be digging into their basement to use the stick they played with when they were in junior.

But importantly, you need to keep your players HAPPY. And what keeps the players happy? Well, money is a great start. Why are players not fighting? Especially at home? Here’s a little Cornwall River Kings joke I heard. What’s small and bounces? No, it’s not a hockey puck.

Anyway, the rumor mill has put forth that trainer Darren Madden is to add his name to the list of ever growing owners of this ill-fated Cornwall River Kings club. Another person who is going to cut corners to try and keep money flowing.

You can’t own a hockey club without a sizable investment and expect to be generating thousands of dollars in revenue off of cheaply made merchandise and programs. You can’t bank on the money from that, that’s crazy! This is still a fairly new club; you need to understand that you probably won’t make money or hell, break even for maybe five years!

You need somebody with BUSINESS SENSE that will actually understand that.

10712827_10152307033661227_6110577413949859511_n — Madden with Frost. (Photo: Jason Setnyk)

This team needs people who know what the business of hockey entails to lead it. They don’t necessarily have to have owned a team before but at least someone thoroughly who knows what goes on behind the scenes.

The owner (preferably with deep pockets), should be able to sit back and let people run it. Only be involved in major decisions. Have faith in the people you appoint to the front office, media, merchandising, ticket sales. Not rule with an iron fist.

One last note: when our video/photography team (who is beloved league wide and knows the ins and outs of it) quits because of the rumors of who might take over, you’ve got a problem.

I can’t believe I had to write something like this. What a gongshow.

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You’re either a hockey guy, or you’re not

Last week a couple of articles crossed my path that needless to say left me torn and a little bit speechless to say the least. Both well written articles were by former pro player and Hull Stingray, Kurtis Dulle on his newly tell-all blog. The first, entitled “What I miss about pro hockey” ran a list of things that are no brainers to people who have played some aspect of professional sport; not necessarily hockey. I enjoyed every minute of that piece as I missed most of the things he wrote but in relation to me with fastball. However the second article, ticked me right off.

Naturally his follow up article was “What I DON’T miss about pro hockey”. Fair enough, there’s always going to be things that pop up that you don’t like but the things he listed were not what I expected coming from a guy whose job is professional hockey. Without going into too much detail – actually, you know what? Go read it then come back. I’ll wait. “What I don’t miss about pro hockey” by Kurtis Dulle.

Okay, hold up.

Your full time job is being a professional hockey player. You can’t tell me that you didn’t know all of these were going to happen. Granted, I can see how sharing a bus with 15 or so others guys on an 18 hour drive could get monotonous but that’s part of the territory. This isn’t the NHL; pro hockey isn’t glamorous.

Don’t miss having to wear a suit to and from the rink; don’t miss the promotional sides of the job handing out flyers to fans or scheduled player appearances. Don’t miss having weekends off (even though most of the week is), don’t miss the smell of the gloves, don’t miss cooking pre-game meals – Jesus, doesn’t anybody have that old school passion anymore?

Actually, I know one guy who does.

Hughes in Scotland. (Photo: Derek Black.)

Current Brampton Beast head coach, Brent Hughes, had his hockey career cut short prematurely by the untimely passing of his father. After honouring his Dad’s wishes by playing a final game in Dundee, Scotland, Hughes dropped the contract he was under for next season and returned home to be closer to family. A bittersweet decision but one that had to be made. One that he didn’t see coming.

Hughes didn’t get to control the end of his career. He never got that last planned game; that final goal; that last wave to the crowd where he no doubt would have been named first star. No, he came back to Canada with uncertainty of where to turn and a sadness of his career being over. It might have been over but the passion never left.

Jumping into the coaching aspect, Hughes made his way behind the bench in the ECHL. That passion sees him leave for Brampton’s Powerade Centre at 5am, not just to beat the traffic, but to lace up his skates, get out onto the ice and shoot the puck around. By himself. Alone. “Everything that Dulle wrote that he doesn’t miss,” Hughes said. “Is exactly what I miss every single day.”

Hughes taking the time to help out at a hockey camp in Scotland.

Hughes eats, breathes and sleeps hockey. “I miss those 18 hour bus rides. I miss the aches and pains.” Not only that, he knows the benefits of professional hockey out weigh the cons of being away from family, friends and rearranging your life in a new country. “You may not break the bank playing hockey, but the connections the sport gives you is second to none.” He lays emphasis on those player appearances and the need to suit up that Dulle listed down as a “don’t miss”. “You have to realize this is your job. Both of those things are extremely important. What’s not to like about talking with fans?!”

In the end the game has obviously changed, even in the last ten years or so. I’m not sure if it’s a more “entitled” aspect that players seem to grasp but the old school vibe is starting to fade. Hughes may be another part of a dying breed in hockey, who knows. One thing’s for certain though.

You’re either a hockey guy, or you’re not.

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Hockey in wartime: Lest We Forget

Rangers_Nov11_DSC00144708 — (Kitchener Rangers, Remembrance Day jerseys 2013.)

As we get closer to Remembrance Day, all hockey teams around the world are donning camo jerseys and incorporating the military, navy and air force into pregame ceremonies to show a gracious tribute. This is a fantastic thing. Honouring our brave men and women that serve our country and strive to make the globe a peaceful place is awe-inspiring.

However, we very rarely think to remember the hockey players who have actively served during war time. The NHL played through both World Wars. During World War II, so many players joined the military either on their own accord or by conscription that that NHL actually thought about shutting down for the 1942-1943 season. To keep public morale high at home, they nixed that notion and played on.

At the very least, over 100 players served their countries during both wars and miraculously only two casualties were sacrificed.

Here’s part one of a brief history of hockey players in the military.

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Allan McLean “Scotty” Davidson was a right winger out of Kingston, Ontario. He and his junior team out of K-town won two Ontario Hockey Association championships before he moved to Calgary and led the senior team to a provincial championship. The year of 1912 saw him turn pro with the Toronto Blueshirts . His rookie year saw him notch 19 goals in 20 games and at the age of 22, he raised the Stanley Cup. With his skill, he was said to have skated faster backwards then anybody who could forwards.

Besides making the hockey history books with his skill, he made hockey history in a not so pleasant way either. With World War One looming, Davidson volunteered his services with the Canadian Expenditionary Force and served with the Eastern Ontario Regiment and attained the rank of lance-corporal. He was the first recorded professional hockey player to do so. Davidson was killed in action when he refused to retreat during a battle in Belguim. He name is etched in both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

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Another Kingston, Ontario native, George Richardson was a left winger for Queen’s University. Richardson won a total of four Intercollegiate championships with the Golden Gaels before suiting up for a series against the Ottawa Hockey Club for the Stanley Cup. At 6’1, he was a towering addition to a front line. In 1908, Richardson joined the Frontenacs in their front office.
Richardson also volunteered with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and reached the rank of Captain. 8 months after the death of Davidson, Richardson was killed in action while fighting in Belguim and is now buried in France. Kingston’s Richardson Stadium is named in his honour.

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A name that most people recognize is American hockey great Hobey Baker. The Princeton University grad played his last collegiate game in Ottawa for the Intercollegiate Hockey Championship of America. The University of Ottawa beat Princeton by a score of 3-2 but that was not the talk of the town. Baker was said to have scored over 120 goals and 100 assists in three years while only taking one penalty. This kid also had the brains to back up his skill as he majored in History, Politics and Economics.

Baker became a bank executive and turned down a $20,000 contract to suit up for the Montreal Canadiens in 1916. Baker join the US Air Force when the war was in full swing and became a fighter pilot. With three confirmed kills to his name, Baker was ordered back to America after being stationed in France. One last fateful tour over his squadron’s airfield in Toul, France, Baker crashed his plane nose first into the ground. He made it out but died minutes later in an ambulance. The NCAA hands out the “Hobey Baker Award” each year since 1981 to the best player in NCAA hockey.

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If you’re any kind of hockey fan, or if you consider yourself a Leafs fan, you’ll know Conn Smythe. Smythe has eight Stanley Cup titles, was owner of the Leafs for 34 years and helped build Maple Leaf Gardens. What most people don’t know or even realise is that he served in both World Wars and was a POW.

Reaching full lieutenant with the 40^th Battery of Hamilton, Smythe and his fellow soldiers headed overseas in 1916. As they faced heavy fire in Ypres, both commanders were killed leaving Smythe in charge. The Battery fought for two months straight near the Somme before reinforcements arrived. That’s nothing compared to what was next.

Conn Smythe is a god damn crazy Canadian war hero.

After getting into a battle with some Germans, the Germans managed to counter-attack their offensive with grenades. So what did Smythe do? Oh just what any other sane person would. HE RAN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIGHT AND SHANKED THREE GERMANS WHILE HELPING A FEW WOUNDED CANADIAN SOLDIERS BACK TO SAFETY. He earned himself a Military Cross.

You know what Smythe, you can have the Maple Leafs too when you come back.

He wouldn’t come back until the end of the war though. In 1917, Smythe had transferred himself to the air force and was shot down by the Germans and subsequently captured. The Germans threw him into solitary confinement a camp at Schweidnitz after he tried to escape not once, but TWICE. Fourteen long months as a prisoner of war and he was finally liberated.

After a few years of fun with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Smythe’s military didn’t stop. He joined up the 30^th Battery that was apart of the 7^th Toronto Regiment and took off in England in 1942. His bad luck in the military continued as the ammunition depot he stationed to in France was bombed by the Germans in 1944. Leaving him badly wounded, Smythe came back to Canada and would suffer lower body problems for the rest of his life.

But hey, he owned the Leafs.

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Glorifying the athlete: The Fame

I was watching a documentary the other day entitled “Miss-interpretation” and the premise was essentially about how the media warps the minds of girls and women into the need of achieving the absolute perfect body. Of course, this is nothing new; it’s been going on for years. Airbrushed supermodels, actresses on starving diets, scantily clad pop stars are seemingly the norm. It’s been like that since I was a kid anyway. However, a different thought crossed my mind. How does mass media affect our interpretation of the athlete?

To no one’s surprise it glorifies them.

But what makes them different from the average Joe from down the street other than the fact that they can shoot a puck or throw a ball a little better? When they first start out, there’s not much difference. It’s when they get thrown into the media masses and revelations of business where it changes. Sponsorship deals, becoming the face of a product, wealthy pay cheques, it all changes where you come from. Not just the player, but everyone around them including their inner circles of family.

However, that’s another thing. Most hockey players don’t come from the same background they used to. Not many sling bales of hay to earn their keep and stay lean and strong over the offseason. Little Dougy from a town of 500 in Eastern Ontario doesn’t hitchhike a million miles to suit up for a team in South Western Quebec. Ricky from Northern Alberta doesn’t have to tape telephone books to his shoulders for make-shift pads. No, most kids involved are already on the entitled track having grown up into a family who can afford to play the game at a competitive level in this day and age. In turn, that can create a bit of an ego. I’m getting a little off track as kids and hockey is an entirely different article for another day but in the same breath these kids look to and dream of being famous for being a professional athlete.

But it all comes back to why? Why do we put these athletes on a pedestal? Why is this hypothetic 8 time Stanley Cup winner better than, oh, let’s say someone who creates a vaccine for Ebola? Why is physical ability valued more by society then brains?

There's also the whole "hockey players are womanizers who are full of themselves" stigma but I'm not going to touch that. — There’s also the whole “hockey players are womanizers who are full of themselves” stigma but I’m not going to touch that.

Simple. Because we’ve let them. There’s no turning back the clocks now.

Everyone has the ability to play sports. A lot of people excel at them but only a select few make it. There is also the dangerous aspect of sport in how it affects the stress on one’s body. The ordinary person can relate more to how an athlete feels at the end of the day then to how a scientist or doctor or researcher does.

The physical aspect also crosses a fine line with looks and beauty. The media has already force-fed us what we should ultimately look like day in and day out. Look at the drama Phil Kessel caused in Toronto when he said he barely skated this summer and showed up to training camp a couple of pounds heavier. That’s nonsense.

The media will paint a picture of the quint-essential hockey player and basically it’s this: small-town Canadian boy with a humble upbringing, leads the way and builds his character through his time in junior, spends his summers working out that chiseled body and training; honing his craft, maybe attend college for a bit, turn pro.

That’s a wet dream for Pierre McGuire.

The only reason I’m bringing this up is it is being repeated day in and day out. Listen to any commentator today from any sport and they will throw out tidbits of information of how this player formed the perceived “character” they entitle today. Sometimes I feel like it’s not for the listening audience’s gain but for the commentator’s. A kind of “HA, I know more about this guy then you do.”

In reality, the media doesn’t get that there are millions of different ways these players get to the big time or get to the pro ranks. Their stories aren’t glamorous enough to see the light of day so we fall back on that quint-essential hockey player mentality.

In glorifying that, the need to stay atop of one’s game becomes greater. The anxiety of falling from grace and becoming a laughing-stock of the league or even worse, the nation, is at an all time high. The situation can turn ugly quick.

This isn’t a rant of how we should stop glorifying them, not by a long shot. It’s more of becoming aware of what this can do to one’s psyche whether you’re a player or spectator. Just think about how it can affect an athlete once it’s all taken away. It’s a part of sports psychology that I think should be looked at if it hasn’t already.

And hey, I’d sign an autograph and pose for pictures too if I made millions. Although, if I made millions, I’d already have PhD in sports psychology and wouldn’t be writing this.

Note to self: Don’t stay up until four or five in the morning while jacked on Red Bull. These words were burned in my brain until I spit them out.

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CCHL announces players for 4th annual Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Central Canada Hockey League is pleased to announce the participants selected for the 4^th Annual Central Canada Cup All-Star Challenge to be held at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, ON November 14-16, 2014.

Among the forty players selected are 18 who have committed to attend NCAA Division I programs and 3 players rated by NHL Central Scouting for the 2015 draft.

League leading Carleton Place Canadians also led the way with seven players selected, including Bowling Green bound captain Stephen Baylis, 2013-14 CCHL and CJHL MVP Penn State commit Andy Sturtz, veteran centres Jordan Larson and Craig Peffley (Ferris State) as well as defencemen David Eccles and Cornell bound Trent Shore. Goalie Guillaume Therrien who backstopped the Canadians to the RBC Final last season also was named.

Five members of the Pembroke Lumber Kings were selected including the high-flying line of Anthony Nellis, Alexandre Boivin and Canisius bound Felix Chamberland as well as Colgate recruit Adam Dauda. Goaltender Connor Hughes rounds out the Pembroke contingent.

Four members of the Fred Page Cup host Cornwall Colts will participate including Clarkson bound captain Marly Quince, linemate Kevin Hope and the dynamic defence pairing of Zac Tierney and Ross Craig who are headed to Ferris State and Cornell respectively join four Smiths Falls Bears including top scorer and Princeton commit Neil Doef as well as defenders Jared Henry and Chris MacMillan and goaltender Cole Skinner in Toronto.

Three members of the Yzerman Division leading Ottawa Jr Senators with Alexandre Savard in goal, and veteran rearguards Matt Cruickshank and Robert Michel join three Nepean Raiders in Josh Zizek, Broydon Stufko and Robert Morris commit Brandon Watt in the event.

Top scorer Ryan Kuffner (Princeton) and linemates Max Veronneau (Princeton) and Matt Foget (Merrimack) represent the Gloucester Rangers as a high flying unit with three Hawkesbury Hawks, forwards Jason Brochu, Hunter Racine (Colgate) and defenceman Damien Charette.and three Brockville Braves-Andrew Peski, RMU bound Eric Israel and Liam Folkes also selected.

A pair of Kemptville 73’s in Jason Tackett and Erik Brown and two Cumberland Grads, Max St. Pierre and Dartmouth defenceman Cameron Roth with Kanata’s Domenic Camastra round out the rosters.

The tournament begins on Friday November 14 and concludes on Sunday November 16.

Have the Coventry Blaze been extinguished?

Mark Lefebvre. (Photo: Scott Wiggins. www.scottwiggins.co.uk) — Mark Lefebvre. (Photo: Scott Wiggins. http://www.scottwiggins.co.uk)

The Coventry Blaze are running out of fire.

In a shutout loss to Cardiff Devils last Sunday and then a 7-2 beating at the hands of the Belfast Giants last night, fans are left wondering what is going wrong. Many are displeased and rightfully so but I feel their anger is being fired in the wrong direction.

Taking the brunt of the accusations and decline is head coach Mark Lefebvre. Some of the “problems” can be attributed to him but in all fairness folks, he’s not the one putting pucks in the net. Lefevbre’s job should be insanely easy with big leadership and take control guys like Steve Goertzen and Ryan O’Marra on the ice. It can also be fairly hard to coach a team of players that look like they don’t want to be there. This is exactly the impression the team is leaving. They just don’t look like they want it enough.

Coaching comes in two parts. Pick the right guys and you’re work is pretty much done as most players in this league are smart enough to provide their own leadership and ability. Pick the wrong guys who need the extra kick in the ass most of the time and you could end up screwed.

Of course, Lefebvre was the one who choose his squad and unfortunately, the chemistry he thought would synch up just isn’t there yet. If it was there, he could sit back and laugh his way to a winning season. Alas, hockey works in strange ways. What works on paper doesn’t necessarily work on the ice. It’s still relatively early in the season though and a fresh player signing or two could be just what the doctor ordered. Kudos to Lefevbre for having the balls to address the adversities on social media as well. Can’t commend him enough for letting the fans know he’s heard their cries.

The Blaze should thank their lucky stars for goaltender Brian Stewart as well. He’s third in the league with a 0.923 save percentage and has played the most minutes out of any other keeper but has a GA of 50. That’s 50 GOALS AGAINST IN 18 GAMES. That includes two shoutouts! Where the HELL is the defence. The signings of Rory Rawlyk, Craig Cescon and Kyle Bochek were supposed to mend this problem from last year.

(Photo: Scott Wiggins. www.scottwiggins.co.uk) — (Photo: Scott Wiggins. http://www.scottwiggins.co.uk)

Riding a three game losing streak into this weekend’s battle against the strong squad of the Belfast Giants isn’t going to do them any favours. The players aren’t stupid, they know they’re not playing well. However, I’ll say it again. This is hockey. Losing streaks are going to happen and fans go overboard in retaliation to it. This is what happens when things get too pumped up into the atmosphere during the summer. It’s a long way down when the boat starts to sink.

Blaze fans, relax a little. Have a couple pops (that’s Canadian for beer), sit back and let the team come into its own. A little slump never hurt anybody. Besides, look at the bright side. It’s not like they’re the Edinburgh Capitals!

…..or the Buffalo Sabres. Connor McDavid anyone?

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Jeff Legue: Two Cities and the sport of hockey

On the Ontario shores near the central part of the St. Lawrence River lies a city whose habitants ignite a passion for a cold and frosty game. As most Canadian cities do, this one has been breeding hockey players and fans for the better part of 100 years. The history of hockey runs deep in the hard working and blue collar city of Cornwall, Ontario. Many teams have come and gone; championship memories are few and far between but most residents can recall where they were when the Memorial Cup was raised on three separate occasions and which hometown boys have made names for themselves in the game.

After the demise of the major junior powerhouse Cornwall Royals in 1992, fans were left with a gaping hole in their hearts. Junior hockey had just started to become a major attraction across the country. Prayers were answered quickly however when across the river in nearby Massena, New York, the Junior A team of the Americans were sold over the Seaway International Bridge to Cornwall. Renamed the Colts, the new group quickly grew an intensive following even if it was step down in play from the Royals.

Small Canadian cities such as this always come with their own breed of hockey fan. This fan will not only know the life story of every player to ever step onto the hometown rinks, but every stat that comes flowing in. It was no different when hometown boy Jeff Legue laced up his skates night after night and stepped out onto the ice at the Si Miller Arena. He felt like a superstar as fans would stop and ask him for autographs and kids would chant his name as they filled the old barn. “Growing up in a small town that has a successful hockey team is any young players dream,” recalls Legue fondly. “When I got the chance to play in front of a sold out Si Miller Arena, I fulfilled that young hockey players dream.” It wasn’t just his dream. Family, friends and fans alike knew how special it was to have a homegrown superstar stay on the city’s squad. “Both my friends and family got to watch me grow and progress as a player and to this day I believe that’s what helped me the most throughout my junior career.”

In the late 1990’s, the Cornwall Colts were nothing short of a wrecking crew. Finishing a top of the Robinson Division in the Canadian Junior A Hockey League, Legue and the Colts captured two Art Bogart Cups which sent the squad to the Fred Page Cup championships. During his second season with the Colts, the dominance continued as they won the Fred Page tournament and headed off to Nationals in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Even though they went winless, Legue remains proud of the accomplishments. “That year stands out to me the most; we played as a team. We all had our own part in helping our team become successful.”

Successful they were. Legue lists off players who he recognises as the “unsung heroes” on the ice that year. Names like Lindsay Campbell, Ross McCain, Sylvain Moreau, Jarret Robertson and Tim Vokey are thrown about with smiles and fondness. The ultimate compliment however is reserved for someone who doesn’t need any introduction to Cornwall hockey circles, Coach Al Wagar. “Al believed in me,” says Legue with authority. “I was put in all situations at the beginning of my career which gave me lots of experience early.” Wagar coached the Colts for the better part of the decade and along with ownership played a pivotal role in the teams’ success. “He told me my job was to go out and create opportunities. He gave me freedom on the ice. Al Wagar was a great coach for me.”

Legue’s skills both on and off the ice started catching the eyes of NCAA recruiters. After looking over a few offers, the Bulldogs that belonged to Ferris State University became the perfect fit for Jeff to start his successful collegiate career. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, the Ferris State Bulldogs skate out of the Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena; an arena that seats just about 2,500. Along with former Colts teammates Tim Vokey and Matt Verdone, Legue skated alongside current NHLer and Pittsburgh Penguins’ Chris Kunitz; no doubt learning as much as he could from such talented leadership. After contributing a point in each of his 152 collegiate games, it was time to turn professional. After a stint on two different teams in the East Coast Hockey League, Europe came calling. It was time to make some hockey ‘Anarchy in the U.K.’.

In the middle of the United Kingdom lies a city of just over 500,000 people. A hard working and blue collar steel town, the passion for sport runs deep in the city’s inhabitants. Football was a main stay for many in the city of Sheffield and with it came its own special breed of sporting fan. Still reeling from the loss of 96 passionate football fans that were crushed to death in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster two years earlier, a new sport was about to take over in the fall of 1991. Sheffield Arena (now known as Motorpoint Arena) had been built with much precision and its main resident became the Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey Club. While hockey had been played in the UK for over a hundred years, it just never seemed to catch on. That was about to change.

Arguably the Sheffield Steelers had reached their peak in popularity during the mid-1990s. Partly due to the renaissance that the sport of ice hockey was having and partly due to the squad becoming the first real professional club of its kind in the UK; for all intents and purposes, money talked. You could watch most games from this era and you’d swear it was an NHL game just from the fans that filled the arena. The Steelers were crowned the last champions in 1996 of the Heineken sponsored British Hockey League before the premier of what was the British Ice Hockey Superleague.

By the time the modern day Elite Ice Hockey League came to fruition, the Steelers were one of the most decorated clubs in the United Kingdom; obviously a selling point for anyone willing to hop across the pond. Legue was offered a spot and made the trek to set up shop in Sheffield for the 2007-2008 season. Admittedly he didn’t know what he was getting himself into. “When I came to Sheffield I didn’t know what to expect because to be honest, I didn’t know there was hockey here in the UK.” The naivety was soon lost on Legue as he made his first strides on ice in front of the home crowd at Motorpoint Arena. “I soon realised that they are some of the most passionate fans imaginable.”

Legue spent his entire seven year Elite league career with the Sheffield Steelers; the city and the club made an important impression on him his first season. Half way through the campaign Legue got a phone call that no one wants to take while being the furthest away from his family. His father and ultimately one of his biggest fans had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. The organisation didn’t hesitate to send Legue back to Canada. “Sheffield became a big part of my life during that first year,” recalls Legue. “I will always be thankful for how they treated me at that time.”

“My father told me to go back and finish season.” What a finish they had. The Steelers ended up winning the playoffs that year. “Captain Jonathan Phillips made it a point to hand me the trophy first.” With no doubt his father smiling down at him, Legue knew he made the right decision. “That was my most memorable moment as a Steeler.”

Of course, the people he met throughout the city of Sheffield and the success on the ice made it easy for Legue to come back year after year. Meeting his beautiful wife nearby and having his adorable son to raise made it the perfect ending to an illustrious Elite league career.

The game of hockey and the city of Sheffield just couldn’t get rid of him though.

(Payette (7) instructs his Legue (11) and his Steeldog squad) — (Payette (7) instructs his Legue (11) and his Steeldog squad. Photo: Roger Williams)

With the EIHL schedule being so demanding with his new family, Legue dropped down a tier to the English Premier Ice Hockey League and is now suiting up for the Steeldogs. Head manned by another Cornwall, Ontario native Andre Payette, Legue is humbled by the fact that there’s another one with him who knows the trials and tribulations of the city he’s from. “It’s always nice to have someone to back up your stories of the beautiful St. Lawrence River.”

Back on the Canadian side, the hockey doesn’t stop in his family at any point. Legue’s brother in law, Brennan Barker, is suiting up for the Cornwall River Kings of the LNAH. Known for its no holds barred fighting, does Legue have any advice? “Other than keep your head up?” he says with a laugh. “Brennan is a tough cookie and he can take care of himself. I’ve seen his hands. I wish him and his team all the best and good luck for the rest of the season.”

As Jeff Legue suits up for the Steeldogs, we can only speculate what’s in his future. Who knows, maybe we’ll see his son continue the tradition and end up back in Canada. The saga continues. For now, this remains how a tale of two cities, with an ocean that separates them for miles, became closer to each other with the power of sport.

I leave you with a video from the Cornwall River Kings from last year that some of you in the UK made not have seen.