The First Of His Country's Kind

It was a pretty crazy hockey night tonight. From the scene in Montreal regarding Jean Béliveau's memory to the Jets dismantling the Dallas Stars to a scary hit which sent Keith Ballard to the hospital, the emotional roller coaster was in full effect tonight. I have to admit that I got a little misty-eyed when I watched Mrs. Béliveau break down as they played the memorial video about her husband. That was a moving moment in hockey if there ever was one. However, the image to the left is not some Malkin-to-Avalanche joke. It's actually a pretty big accomplishment for #71 as Borna Rendulic became the first Croatian-born player to play in an NHL regular season game tonight! The 22 year-old winger appeared tonight against the Nashville Predators, adding his name to the record books for being the first of his country's kind to play in The Show!

Rendulic wasn't very well-known outside the borders of Croatia when the Avalanche signed him over the summer. First, as an introduction, his name is pronounced "REN-duh-LITCH". He appeared in a number of IIHF tournaments for his country in both the junior and senior ranks. He is actually quite an accomplished scorer from his time in international junior tournaments. In 24 World Junior Championship games between 2008-12 in both Division-I and Division-II, Rendulic scored 18 goals, added 18 assists, and had 10 penalty minutes. Add in his Under-18 World Junior Division-II tournament numbers in 2008 and 2009 where he played 10 games total scoring 10 goals, adding eight assists, and sitting for four penalty minutes, and Redulic appears to be Croatia's best young player ever. The scary part? He was 16 in 2008, and recorded seven goals and three assists in the Division-II World Junior Championships!

Ok, so he's a pretty solid player from his statistics in international tournaments. You might be asking how Rendulic fared against professional players. At 15, he joined Croatian club Zagreb Medveščak in the Croatian Ice Hockey League. He played a couple of games, picking up two penalty minutes, but had no points. Would you expect a 15 year-old to score against men who are five-to-fifteen years older than him? Probably not.

He played two more seasons with Medveščak in the Slovenian Hockey League in 2008 and the Austrian Hockey League in 2010, appearing in 14 games and amassing two goals, one assist, and two penalty minutes. Again, Rendulic was only 16 and 18 years-old at this point, so it's not like he was even close to being a man yet. The fact that he notched a few points in a couple of professional European leagues at that age is still impressive when you consider that there hadn't been many Croatian-born players to make an impact in the game of hockey at that point.

2009 saw Rendulic play internationally for Croatia at three tournaments: the above-mentioned Division-II World Under-18 Championships, the Division-II World Junior Championships, and the Division-I World Championships! He played five games with the men in the World Championships, scoring a goal and adding two assists while sitting for two minutes in the sin bin. He didn't play professionally in 2009, but let's not forget that he either was in the process of graduating high school. There aren't many high school kids - or any kids, for that matter - who are ready to take a major step, but Rendulic wasn't done there.

In 2011, Rendulic junmped to the SM-Liiga of Finland, their top hockey league, as he suited up with Ässät for three games, posting clean scoresheets. He moved down to the Mestis, Division-I hockey in Finland, for the remainder of the season, suiting up with SaPKo for seven games. It was here that he found the scoresheet, posting two goals and three assists with 14 penalty minutes. SaPKo would miss the playoffs that season, but Rendulic was starting to get comfortable as a scoring threat.

Rendulic would return to the SM-Liiga with HPK in 2012, appearing in 37 games. He posted eight goals and four assists in his first full season in the Liiga, being shuffled down to Division-I for just five games mid-season to appear with Peliitat. With Peliitat, Rendulic scored two goals and two assists, prompting his promotion back to HPK as the team battled for a playoff spot. They would qualify for the playoffs, playing in five games that season. Rendulic would tally one assist in the playoffs that season, but he had made enough of an impact for HPK to bring him back the following season!

HPK was probably glad to have him back as Rendulic played 57 games for them, amassing 11 goals and 21 assists along with 34 sin bin minutes. He helped the squad to 10th-place in the Liiga and a wild card berth against Jokerit. HPK won two-straight games against the 7th-place Jokerit club by scores of 5-1 and 3-2 to advance to the best-of-seven quarterfinals against first-place Kärpät. The games against Kärpät were far closer than most imagined they would be, but Kärpät ended up sweeping HPK out of the playoffs. The scores in those games were 3-1, 1-0, 3-2 in overtime, and 4-0, so HPK did quite well despite finishing 22-26-9-3 (W-L-OTW-OTL) on the season, and some 44 points back of Kärpät. Rendulic scored three goals and added a couple of penalty minutes in the six games played.

His play prompted a few NHL teams to take notice, and he received two firm offers from NHL clubs: the Nashville Predators and the Colorado Avalanche. Rendulic obviously signed with the Avalanche from the photo at the top, but the reasons had a lot to do with Joe Sakic, who is of Croatian descent, and Avalanche Director of Player Development David Oliver. Described by former HPK teammate Jere Sallinen as a "good cook and a lousy EA Sports NHL player", Sallinen spoke fondly of his former teammate to Thomas Krauskopf of KHL.hr.

"He's amazing. He's an excellent skater, a funny guy off the ice. He's got a pretty good pass, and of course, he's scoring a lot when we were playing in the same team. He's a funny guy, I like him."

Pretty good endorsement, right? And on December 9, 2014, Rendulic became the first Croatian-born player to suit up as his Colorado Avalanche played host to the Nashville Predators.

So how did it go?

Well, on Rendulic's first shirt, just 2:23 into the game, a miscue on the Avalanche side gave Nashville rookie Filip Forsberg a breakaway which he converted to put the Predators up 1-0 and give Rendulic his first stat: a -1. He would play nine more shifts in the game for a total of 7:47 in ice-time with one shot-on-goal and the -1 rating to his name as the Predators shut out the Avalanche by a 3-0 score.

While he probably won't remain with the Avalanche this season, his time in the AHL with the Lake Erie Monsters has been fruitful. In 21 games, Rendulic has recorded four goals and three assists for the 10-8-4 Monsters thus far. He's signed for two years, so we could still see Rendulic become the first full-time Croatian-born player in the NHL, but only time will tell if he'll take that next step.

From the way his progression has been trending, he looks like he's on-track to be an NHL regular soon!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

HBIC's Official Mascot

It has been beyond crazy today, and the little critter to the left has been a big part of that. I was in class today, and then I decided to add the furball you see to the household. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce you to Meg, HBIC's official mascot! Meg has kept me on my toes all night as she explores every region of the house while being naturally inquisitive. Needless to say, she's going to fit in quite nicely around here as her and I get accustomed to one another.

In saying that, another mascot was officially decommissioned mere days after it was introduced.

The AHL's Adirondack Flames decided that they needed a mascot, and introduced a fireball - as opposed to a furball like HBIC - named "Scorch". According to his story, Scorch is "the lone surviving flame from the fire that destroyed much of Glens Falls in 1864". He was a smoldering ember in Bride and Gown which sits upon he site of Calvin Robbin's blacksmith shop, one of the few buildings in the Glens Falls business district to survive the fire in 1864. Scorch reportedly overpowered a firefighter, showing his strength, as he associated himself with the AHL franchise.

Anyone else see a problem with "overpowering a firefighter"? Yeah, so did a pile a of other people who called the Flames out for this idea. The Flames, realizing their idea might be in poor taste, released a statement of apology despite the association with the Glens Falls Fire Department.

"Earlier today we unveiled our new mascot Scorch. In an attempt to provide background material for the character who will be the face of our team, particularly with young fans, we crafted a story that Scorch was the remaining ember from the tragic fire that destroyed much of Glens Falls in 1864.

We also crafted a skit that helped to launch the new mascot – with the help of the Glens Falls Fire Department. While it seemed in good taste when it was on the drawing board, it is evident now that it was in poor taste.

On behalf of our entire organization we want to apologize for our thoughtlessness today. We have obviously turned something good, the launch of a mascot which we will use to entertain and encourage young fans, into something that is in poor taste. That was not our intention and again we apologize.

We would like to emphasize that we as an organization take seriously the dangers associated with fire, understand its potentially devastating effects and acknowledge that those in our nation who are called upon to face and fight fires on a daily basis are truly heroes.

We apologize." – Brian Petrovek, President, Adirondack Flames.

Yeah, it's probably not a great idea to have your brand-new mascot take down a firefighter, someone who is an actual hero to many kids and should be recognized as such. Thankfully, Scorch did not appear at the Flames' home opener at the Glens Falls Civic Center last Saturday, and the team is working on a better mascot already in order to appease the masses who want a mascot that isn't going to overpower those who actually save lives.

Scorch may officially be the shortest-lived mascot in sports history. I am proud to say that Meg's legacy here at HBIC will going for much, much longer!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

What Does The "E" Stand For?

Some may look at these boots and figure that the ice crew in Dallas will be wearing branded rubber boots this season. That is not the case. No, these boots belong to the newest member of the Dallas Stars family. The Stars held their annual fan festival today, and they unveiled their newest addition at the event. The reason there wasn't a major announcement is because this new addition will spend more time off the ice than on it, but he should bring smiles to kids faces if they don't turn and run in the opposite direction.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Victor E. Green.

You may be asking what Victor E. Green is, and I have to admit that I can't tell you. He's furry, he has hockey-stick shaped antennae, it appears he has some sort of bird's nest on his head, and he's a Dallas Stars fan.

In all seriousness, he's apparently some sort of alien - Stars? stars? get it? - based on his bio picture. His birthplace is "a galaxy far, far away", his roommate is the Zamboni, his relationship status is "alienated", and his favorite movies are "ET, Monsters Inc., and Wall-E". The Stars are really stretching on this mascot, but I appreciate them tying everything together - primary color, logo, and mascot - in one package, albeit a rather strange package. He looks less like an alien and more like a furry, bipedal, four-limbed insect.

That being said, kudos to the Dallas Stars for trying to reach out to the younger generation and for producing an immediately-recognizable marketing tool. Dallas has been playing to sections of empty green seats in the American Airlines Arena for far too long, so hopefully Victor E. Green can start getting some of the younger demographic to prompt their parents for tickets to the hockey game so they can spend time laughing and interacting with Dallas' newest teammate.

Fans of the Dallas Stars took to Twitter to voice their opinions. It seems that Victor E. Green is already polarizing fans to either love him or hate him.

Looks like a booger with legs... "@DallasStars: Meet the newest member of the #Stars family: Victor E. Green! pic.twitter.com/g0yh9ohhfG”

— Herschel Krustovsky (@BucketHeadTN) September 13, 2014

@Jones36 Phillie Phanatics bastard child...

— Herschel Krustovsky (@BucketHeadTN) September 13, 2014

@DallasStars As long as his name is the Grinch that stole the Stanley Cup.???

— Mark Graff (@markeiu) September 13, 2014

What exactly is this guy? Grass? “@DallasStars: Meet the newest member of the #Stars family: Victor E. Green! pic.twitter.com/3jW5dqBfDi”

— Amber Sersen (@AmberSersen) September 13, 2014

@DallasStars I thought I was looking at Southpaw, mascot of the Chicago White Sox.

— Desiree (@Music77violin) September 13, 2014

Look, there's nothing wrong with Victor E. Green on the surface. Sure, it might be hard to determine that he's an alien without that biography sheet, but there are lots of mascots out there that don't necessarily fit into their teams' overall marketing plan. The Winnipeg Jets have Mick E. Moose. The Toronto Maple Leafs have Carlton the bear. The Dallas Stars have Victor E. Green. Not so different, is it?

You can pile on the Stars for having a weird-looking alien as their mascot, but let's make one thing very clear: if you spend that much time worrying about the mascot and you're older than twelve years-old, you're going to miss a great season of Dallas Stars hockey.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Who Is Noora Raty?

It seems there are a lot of people asking who Noora Raty is after her performances against the Americans and Canadians at the Sochi Winter Olympics. This is kind of surprising to me considering that she played in the backyard of most Americans while going to school there. It's not like she is some undiscovered entity that had been toiling in the darkness of Finland for four months every year. No, Noora Raty has been one of the better goaltenders since she first pulled on a Finnish national team jersey at the age of 15. Now 24, Raty is ready to break out as one of the game's best netminders of all-time, and she's using the Sochi Olympic Games to prove she belongs amongst the greats.

The last team that the Americans lost to in any international, non-exhibition tournament? Finland. Noora Raty, pronounced ra-TOO, backstopped the Finns to a 3-1 victory, stopping 58 American shots in the process at the Four Nations Cup. Like so many upsets before in hockey, a hot goaltender can directly affect the outcome in a tournament, especially in a one-game elimination playoff. Raty is proving that again in these Olympics as she's stopped 103 of 112 shots she's faced in all three games the Finns have played. Only Switzerland has faced more shots as a team than Raty. So if the question needs to be asked, Raty is one heckuva goalie.

Ratu was born May 29, 1989 to Jarmo and Ulla Raty in Espoo, Finland. Raty grew up playing hockey at the age of five in Espoo against both boys and girls, but it was in high school where the youngster was discovered for her play. She was named as the best player at Haukilahti High School in both 2006 and 2008, and she was named to Team Finland for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy at the age of 16! Finland finished fourth, losing the bronze-medal game to the powerful American team by a 4-0 score. Not bad for a high school kid, right? Oh, and she was named as Finland's Best Women's Ice Hockey Player in 2007 and 2008, and the country's best goaltender in 2006 and 2007. Yeah, that's pretty good.

While she was honing her skills in high school, she began playing with the Espoo Vortex, aka EPS, in Finland in the third-division of Finnish hockey. This is the same team that developed Teemu Selanne and a number of highly-skilled Finnish Elite League players, and works as a feeder team to the Espoo Blues. With the women's version of the Espoo Blues, Raty helped the team capture three-straight Finnish championships in 2006, 2007, and 2008 to help push her legend further in Finland.

Well, she followed the 2006 Olympic Games by being named as the best goaltender at the 2007 Women's World Championship, but again missed out on a medal as Sweden dropped Finland 1-0 in the bronze-medal match at MTS Centre in Winnipeg. She led the Finns into Harbin, China for the 2008 Women's World Championship, and did the unthinkable in shutting out the Americans in a 1-0 overtime victory in the qualifying round. Thanks to a Switzerland upset of Sweden, Raty and the Finns would finally capture a medal as they downed the Swiss 4-1 in the bronze-medal match! And to add another set of accolades for Raty, she was named to the All-Star team, named as the tournament's best goaltender, and named as the tournament's MVP!

The 2009 Women's World Championship would see Raty make 27 saves against the Swedes in the bronze-medal game as Finland captured the bronze medal with a 4-1 victory over their Scandinavian rivals. Finland won their pool over Switzerland and Kazakhstan, outscoring their opponents 13-3 before being bombed by Canada and the US in the qualifying round by a combined 15-0 score. Raty adds another bronze medal to her trophy case with the win over Sweden to end her 2008-09 hockey calendar.

From Finland, Raty decided to pursue her education in the United States by enrolling at the hockey-powerhouse University of Minnesota in 2009. Finland's top goaltender on the women's side joined a blossoming group of women, and the Golden Gophers suddenly had themselves the stopper they needed to be one of the nation's best. And both Minnesota and Raty didn't disappoint. Her first year tending the nets for Minnesota went like this:

• First Team All-American.
• Patty Kazmaier Award finalist as the nation's best player.
• 1.33 GAA average - third-best in the nation.
• .948 save percentage - fourth-best in the nation.
• Conference-best 0.94 GAA against WCHA team.
• First Team All-WCHA Team.
• WCHA All-Rookie Team.
• 18-4-4 in conference play, including seven shutouts.
• Set the record for most assists in one season for a goalie (3).

And just to make things a little more exciting, Raty left at the beginning of Feburary to travel to Vancouver, BC for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Despite losing to the Canadians in the semi-final by a 5-0 score after making 45 saves, Raty and the Finns bounced back and beat the Swedes, who beat them for the bronze in 2006, by a 3-2 overtime score! Raty stopped 16 shots to help the Finns move into third-place in the world of women's hockey before returning to the University of Minnesota to finish NCAA play in the 2009-10 season. The Golden Gophers would advance to the NCAA Championship semi-final where they would fall to conference- and state-rival University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs by a 3-2 score. The Bulldogs would go on to win the NCAA Championship. So it's not quite the way that Raty would have liked to finish the season, but it certainly was an outstanding freshman season for the goaltender!

The 2010-11 NCAA season started with a bang as Raty opened her sophomore season with four-straight shutouts. The Gophers battled all season against conference-rivals Wisconsin and Minnesota-Duluth, eventually finishing as the third-ranked team in the nation with an 18-8-2 conference record. Raty posted an impressive 25-8-2 record in NCAA play, setting the University of Minnesota record for wins in a season. She also set a school record and tied for first in the country with nine shutouts on the season, and recorded the following honours:

• Patty Kazmaier Award top-ten finalist.
• Second Team All-American.
• First Team All-WCHA Team.
• WCHA All-Tournament Team.
• WCHA All-Academic Team.
• 1.77 GAA and a .941 save percentage.
• 1.70 GAA in conference play.

The Golden Gophers would meet up with Boston College in the regional matchups for the right to go to the Frozen Four tournament. The Eagles, led by goaltender Molly Schaus and forward Kellie Stack, would beat the Gophers 4-1, ending Minnesota's season. Stack had a pair of goals past Raty, and the Gophers' netminder would be denied college's greatest award once more in her sophomore year.

The 2011 Women's World Hockey Championship saw the same two teams battle for gold and silver, and the Finns would find themselves in the bronze-medal game once more. Finland defeated Sweden in the quarterfinal by a 5-1 score before Canada defeated Finland 4-1 in the semi-final to put Finland into the third-place game, and they would find themselves against a new opponent in this game as Russia arrived looking to medal. In an rather exciting game that went back-and-forth, Russia battled Finland to a 2-2 tie through sixty minutes, giving way to overtime where Finnish forward Karoliina Rantamaki scored the game-winner! Raty stopped 35 shots to help Finland to yet another bronze medal as Finland won 3-2 in overtime.

Raty would enter her junior year looking for redemption at the NCAA level. The Gophers opened the pre-season rankings as the fourth-ranked team in the nation, and they would battle all season against Wisconsin and Minnesota-Duluth once again. Minnesota would finish the season as the second-ranked team in the nation behind Wisconsin, and would finish second in the WCHA with a 21-5-2 record behind the Badgers as well.

Raty started 40 of 41 games for the Gophers, leading the nation in goals-against-average with 1.35 and shutouts with ten. Her stellar play helped the Gophers move to the top of the rankings by January 9, but Wisconsin would bump them back to second-place by February. Raty set the school record for wins in a season with 35, breaking her own mark of 25 that she set the year before. She also holds the career shutout mark for Minnesota goaltenders with 26. Amongst her accomplishments this season, Raty received:

• Tournament MVP in the WCHA Playoffs.
• Frozen Four MVP.
• Third-straight nomination for the Patty Kazmaier Award.
• Third Team All-WCHA Team.
• 1.35 GAA and a .942 save percentage.

The Frozen Four saw Minnesota down conference-rival North Dakota by a 5-1 score in the quarterfinals and then defeat third-ranked Cornell 3-1 in the semi-final, setting up the ultimate showdown in NCAA Women's Hockey as top-ranked Wisconsin emerged from the other side of the tournament's bracket. Alex Rigsby and Noora Raty would battle in the first period of this game, but Minnesota would emerge VICTORIOUS to win the NCAA Championship by a 4-2 score! Raty, seen to the right tossing her stick in celebration of the win helped the Gophers captured the school's third NCAA women's hockey title in its history! Now that's how you finish a season!

There were many who saw Finland as the odds-on favorite to be the third team to medal again at the Women's World Championship, and they certainly looked like a good possibility after downing Sweden by a 2-1 score in the quarterfinal. They met Canada in the semi-final once more, and, like previous tournaments, Canada dispatched the Finns by a 5-1 score once again.

This set up a bronze-medal matchup against Switzerland who had lost to Team USA 10-0 in their semi-final. Finland carried the play in the first period, but the two teams retired to their dressing rooms tied 2-2. In the second period, it was all Finns as they threw 24 shots on Swiss goalie Florence Schelling, but it was Switzerland who scored the only goal on Raty on one of their five shots. And Switzerland would pile on in third period, adding three more goals, to take the bronze medal by a 6-2 score. So while Raty captured an NCAA Championship, she fell short in capturing another medal on the world's stage.

The 2012-13 NCAA season was one for the record books for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Noora Raty played a large part in helping to make history during her senior year. Raty started 38 games and posted a 38-0-0 record, setting the NCAA and Minnesota records for wins in a season and the record for winning percentage at 1.000. She led the nation in save percentage at .956 and was second in goals-against-average at 0.96. She set the NCAA record for shutouts in a season with 17. She set the NCAA career records for wins at 114 and shutouts at 43. She had a five-game shutout streak. Raty set a career-high for saves in a game with 50 in a triple-overtime win over North Dakota on March 16, 2013. Amongst her many accolades in 2012-13, she also recorded the following honours:

• Patty Kazamier Award top-three finalist.
• First Team All-American.
• Capital One Academic All-American.
• USCHO.com Co-Player of the Year.
• First Team All-WCHA Team.
• WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award.
• 2013 WCHA Goaltending Champion.
• WCHA Academic Team.
• Big Ten Medal of Honor.
• WCHA All-Tournament Team.
• WCHA Tournament MVP.
• NCAA All-Tournament Team.
• Frozen Four MVP.

Raty and the undefeated Golden Gophers entered the Women's Frozen Four as the top-seed in women's collegiate hockey, and faced North Dakota in their opening round's game. North Dakota, being a conference rival, knew a lot about the Gophers, taking them to triple-overtime before Kelly Terry scored at the 18:51 mark of the sixth period! Raty made 50 saves in the game, including 19 in the three overtime periods!

With the win, Minnesota moved on to play the fourth-ranked Boston College Eagles. This game would again be knotted at 2-2 after sixty minutes, requiring overtime to decide who would play for the NCAA Championship. However, it only took 1:39 to find out who, and it would be Minnesota advancing thanks to Sarah Davis' goal. Raty made 26 of 28 saves in the game, including one in overtime, to give Minnesota a chance at defending the NCAA Championship and keep the undefeated streak alive!

In the NCAA Championship game, the Golden Gophers would meet the third-ranked Boston University Terriers and this one would start out close as Minnesota took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. However, with two goals in the second and another pair in the third period, the Gophers skated to a 6-3 victory and a second NCAA Championship! Raty stopped 21 of 24 shots in the victory in helping the Gophers capture their second-straight NCAA Championship!

Raty graduated from the University of Minnesota in the August of 2013 with a Bachelor's of Art degree in Journalism and Mass Communications and a minor in Sport Management. She's intelligent, she's an athlete, and she's on Twitter! In other words, she's a regular 24 year-old girl who simply is one of the best women to ever play the game of hockey. Oh, and as stated above, she recently helped Finland to a silver medal at the Four Nations Cup in November 2013.

So there's a history of why Noora Ratu should be a household name in North America when it comes to women's hockey. She's been a large part of why Finland has always been a threat at any tournament. If you don't know Noora Raty by now, I'm not sure there's anything else I can tell you. But I can tell you that I have been a fan of Noora Raty for a long time, and that she should have a spot reserved for her in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

She may only be 24, but she's already done a lot more than most hockey players have in terms of being at the top of her game, growing the game, and giving back to the game in Finland and across the world.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Enjoy It, Kid

The young man to the left is John Albert. He was a sixth-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2007 at 175th overall. He played for the Ohio State Buckeyes in the NCAA where he had 21 goals and 69 assists in his three years on the ice. He was also part of the US National Team Development Program prior to joining the Buckeyes, so he has a fairly solid hockey background. Tonight, the young man made it to the Big Show on the biggest stage at Madison Square Garden where the unthinkable happened. And he did it in front of his family at the world's most famous arena.

How about that goal? The kid from Cleveland scores an absolute BEAUTY for the Jets on his first NHL shot in his first NHL game at the age of 24. But what do we actually know about Mr. John Albert? This is the first time he's been recalled, so I went digging into the internet to see what we could find on this new sniper the Jets are employing while Evander Kane is out.

• The one superhero trait he would like to have is flight.
• Despite wearing #70 for the Jets, his lucky number is 15.
• His culinary skills top out at microwavable mac-and-cheese.
• His favorite player is Lightning forward Martin St. Louis.
• Favorite ice cream flavour is chocolate.
• Favorite holiday is Christmas.
• Favorite sport other than hockey is basketball.
• Favorite movie is Wedding Crashers.
• Favorite musician is Kenny Chesney.
• Has three older sisters: Tiffany, Heather and Sarah.
• Enjoys bowling, golfing, and hanging with friends when not on the ice.

Basketball? Alright, I can deal with that. Kenny Chesney? Not on my playlist. But the rest of these facts are pretty good. I like the choice of flight as the superhero ability, and good on calling Wedding Crashers as his favorite movie. That flick is pretty funny! All of these facts came from his OSU biography page, so they might be outdated. I work with what I can find.

So there's a little bit about the man behind the curtain, if you will, as we meet John Albert! Here's hoping that his next games in Florida are just as good as his debut! Hold onto that puck, Mr. Albert, because that's one for the mantle!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Selanne To Connelly

If you're looking at that photo, you probably recognize Mr. Teemu Selanne in the suit. Mr. Selanne is, of course, an NHL superstar, having suited up for the Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, and is currently a member of the Anaheim Ducks. What you might be asking, though, is who is this Ryan Connelly guy and why is Teemu holding a sign with his name on it? There's a good, albeit short, story that goes along with this, so it's time we get you introduced to the man better known as "RyCo".

Ryan, seen to the left with his beautiful fiancée Jocelyn, is the man who Selanne is greeting with his cardboard sign. Ryan is a die-hard Pittsburgh Penguins fan and a man I am proud to call a friend. He's a fantastic human being, a passionate sports fanatic, and has a man-crush on Teemu Selanne. Yes, you read that correctly. While we poke fun at him for this man-crush, Ryan has an immense amount of respect for the Finnish Flash and wears it proudly on a number of Selanne jerseys he owns. In other words, it's kind of his dream to speak to one of his hockey idols.

So how did Teemu Selanne end up holding a Ryan Connelly sign? According to Ryan, it's a case of a friend looking out for a friend!

"My brother Travis has a buddy Andy who is really good friend of the family. Andy works at the airport and has a coworker that's an autograph hound. He caught wind of the autograph guy going to try to get some Ducks autographs, so Andy held him up for a moment, long enough to rip off a piece of cardboard, write a funny message to me, and have Teemu hold it up for a picture.

Doug and I went to the Penguins-Ducks game and were having a few beers during the pre-game in the Captain Morgan club when I received a text from my brother. By that time, he had already printed it out on an 8x10, intending it to be a surprise. Travis was way too excited, though, and couldn't help but send the text.

Doug and I were beside ourselves! We just couldn't believe it! How cool, right?!? I always thought a pic with and athlete is the tops, but when you're not present an autograph seems like just a scribble on a paper. Well, this is one of the COOLEST ideas I've seen in a while! So much cooler than JUST an autograph, and the picture is already earmarked for my office wall!

Pretty darn awesome, I must agree! And I happen to be a little envious that Ryan has that picture posted on his wall. It will undoubtedly be quite the conversation piece!

Ryan also does some pretty cool stuff on his own just to show off his sports fanaticism. The image to the right is of Ryan's wall, and he put that logo there! Ryan also is working on a Pittsburgh Pirates logo to go along with that Penguins logo, but I am seriously impressed with Ryan's artistry. It takes real skill for a painter to get a logo right in a reproduction in paint and Ryan, unfortunately, is no painter. So how did he put this Penguins logo on his wall so accurately without spending hours in an art studio?

Here's Ryan to explain the process, and I have conveniently linked the pictures he sent me to make it easier to see what's he is explaining.

I measured the area, scaled up a logo to fit, and gridded it off in 11x17 sections. I printed those sections to PDFs, ran them down to Kinko's, and had them print me off the various PDF sheets needed. I then measured, taped, lightly traced, and then "colored" in the lines. Just as easy as that! I really like using Beher paint sample size portions. Cheap, but effective!

Very effective, I must agree! Fantastic work, Ryan! Again, you find me jealous in looking at your work, and I may have to commission you to fly to my place once I'm done with my man-cave setup!

All in all, Ryan is a great guy and I'm happy to see him get a fantastic gift from his brother. The Teemu Selanne picture will hang proudly in Ryan's office alongside his amazing Penguins and Pirates logos, making it an office that most sports fans will want to emulate!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

That Was Fun, No?

Rarely do we see playoff series where you're actually rooting for the next season to start for the losers so quickly. Brooks Orpik's overtime goal to end the series between the Penguins and Islanders kind of left me with an empty feeling because I actually enjoyed this series for its quick transitions, massive swings in momentum, and all-out offence shown by both teams. In the end, the Islanders will be going home, but you secretly wished this was a best-of-fifteen or so just to witness some more fantastic end-to-end action from both teams. Through it all, though, the Islanders are showing that they are on the verge of becoming a power in the NHL once more.

You look down the Islanders' lineup and you see a lot of promise with the likes of Granber, Okposo, Moulson, Tavares, Cizikas, Bailey, and Hamonic, but there were key contributions from veterans as well. Evgeni Nabokov showed some incredible play through the regular season and the playoffs, Mark Streit was invaluable over the season once more, Keith Aucoin was poised and professional all season, and Lubomir Visnovsky showed the world that the Islanders knew more than they let on when they traded for him. In short, there are still a few holes to be filled on the roster, but the Islanders have built themselves a very dangerous team that has now experienced the playoffs in living color.

Honestly, everyone knows that John Tavares is a great player, but he really showed his intelligence and skill in this series against the Penguins. This kid is going to be a fixture on the Islanders - and Team Canada when available - for a long, long time. I can't say enough good things about how he plays this game, and he really reminds me of a young Steve Yzerman in terms of how he can simply impose his will on a game when given the opportunity. He's not quite at the level where he can physically take over a game from start to finish, but he does have the ability to put the Islanders on his shoulders and take over for a period or so. He's scary-good, and he may become an even bigger star once the Islanders move to Brooklyn.

If there's one phrase that can describe Michael Grabner, it would be "speed demon". I had the pleasure of watching play for the Manitoba Moose, and it was clear that Grabner was going to be a difference-maker for a team if and when he was given the chance. While he was never properly used in Vancouver and written off way too early by the Florida Panthers, the New York Islanders gave him a chance and he exploded for 34 goals. It seemed he was everywhere on the ice in the Penguins-Islanders series, and he was constantly a disruption to the Penguins defenders with his speed and dogged determination in getting the puck. Grabner's the kind of player every coach loves to have on the bench.

While they had disappointing regular seasons, Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo really emerged in this series. Bailey was a solid two-way performer, playing strong particularly in his own zone. He set up a couple of nice goals, and was inches away from having a couple of deflections become goals. The thing for me was that Bailey looked like Jordan Staal when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup: strong, poised, confident, responsible. A coach can't ask for much more than that.

Okposo became the power forward that the Islanders have been needing for a while. He was physical, he scored goals, he caused disruptions, and he was in the middle of many scrums. In short, he was the second coming of Clark Gillies in some fans' eyes. Okposo really showed some excellent skill in his emergence in the postseason, but there's no denying that his physicality caused a lot of the Penguins to let up as they heard the footsteps coming. That intangible can't be quantified when looking at Okposo's stats, but his three goals tied his with Tavares for the team lead - an easily-quantifiable statistic in terms of his importance to the Islanders.

The last guy I was really impressed with Travis Hamonic. Hamonic's development has taken a little longer than perhaps the Islanders would have liked, but the results are turning into excellence. Hamonic routinely played against the Malkin line, and frequently was seen shutting Malkin down at every turn. Hamonic was excellent against Malkin in limiting his scoring chances to a mere two goals. Perhaps where that didn't show up, though, was due to the fact that Malkin set up nine other goals. That being said, the physical price that Malkin paid every time he was up against Hamonic had to affect the big Russian's play, and Hamonic looks like he's going to be a physical force for many years to come.

As a Penguins fan, I'm not complaining about the outcome of this series. I have, however, maintained that the Islanders play an exciting, up-tempo brand of hockey that really should be seen by more people. They forecheck like demons, they hustle and hit all over the ice, and they score some timely goals off turnovers they create. While I'm happy that Pittsburgh advanced, I actually am a little sad that the Islanders won't be playing hockey any longer this season.

They may not have gone as far as they liked in terms of advancing in the playoffs, but they came out of the six-game series a lot further ahead that where they were at this point last season. The New York Islanders appear to be a playoff fixture for a long time if they continue to develop as well as they have. And they'll be led by a lot of good young players.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Nothing More Than A Façade

The map to the left is a little off when it comes to hockey despite there being the occasional ball hockey game played by Canadian troops in Afghanistan. This part of the world shown in the image is better known for its abilities in soccer and cricket rather than in hockey. It's not like there haven't been success stories where hockey has caught on as niche entertainment, but the Middle East is better known for sweltering temperatures, deserts, and sand than it is for ice, skates, and bodychecking. It seems, however, that one country is getting into the fastest team game thanks to its ambitious leader.

I'm going to preface this entire article from here until further notice with this message: take it with a grain of salt. The information presented below this paragraph is what was found in most news articles thanks to The Associated Press' Alexander Vershinin. What is known is that some parts of this information are true. On the other side of the coin, there may be some very questionable "facts" presented.

According to Vershinin, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan has decided that state enterprises and departments should form a hockey league. Much like a number of the former Russian SuperLeague teams, the teams found in Turkmenistan will be sponsored by the industries and state departments found in that country. Reports state that the Turkmenistan police force are already in the process of setting up a team.

The entire idea of hockey rinks in a country that has 80% of its land covered by the Karakum Desert is made possible by the revenue generated through exports of natural gas which is abundant in Turkmenistan. There have been several arenas built for ice-related activities, and it appears that has spawned the idea that a hockey league will work in Turkmenistan.

President Berdymukhamedov has decided that his country should become a sporting power, and has shown off his athletic side by participating in sports such as volleyball, cycling, judo and taekwondo, and horseback riding. In a recent "Week of Health and Happiness" event, Berdymukhamedov donned the skates and pads and played in a game in a new arena constructed in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's capital city. He also took part in a time-trial car race during the day, and he emerged the winner in that event.

Ok, that's enough of the faux happy image of Turkmenistan. I had to block the area where the report was being outlined so that there was no confusion between what was reported and what is actually known about Turkmenistan. Remember what I said about a grain of salt? Here's a salt mine worth of information you should know about the country that wants to become a "sporting power". This information will probably get me banned from Turkmenistan, but, being a Westerner as it is, I probably already am.

Prior to Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov being "elected" president, Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov. Yes, that was his title - "President for Life". Niyazov ruled over the country from 1985 to 1991 as the First Secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party until the fall of the Soviet Union. After that, he was "elected" as President of Turkmenistan, and was granted "President for Life" status by the ruling party which was comprised of people hand-chosen by Niyazov. A heart attack in 2006 ended his life and his rule, and it allowed Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to be elected as president.

If you notice, I've been keeping the word "elected" in quotes. The reason for this is that 99% of voters "elected" Niyazov into office, and 89% "elected" Berdymukhamedov as their leader. And the political parties in Turkmenistan? There's one. So you know exactly how these two men were "elected" into office when their opposition was NO ONE. Oh, and all political meetings are prohibited by law unless government-sanctioned.

In terms of how these rinks and teams are subsidized, Turkmenistan natural gas is piped into Russia to a pretty large and well-known company called Gazprom - the largest sponsor of the KHL! While it's not entirely funding the new league, the KHL's largest sponsor is now technically supporting two leagues! The league will also receive funds generated by cotton production. Approximately half of Turkmenistan's irrigated land has cotton growing on it, making it the tenth-largest cotton producer on the planet.

While the idea of having a hockey league in Turkmenistan could be a one of those "happy feeling" stories, I'm inclined to believe that this move is more about the gratification of the president than it is about building a sporting culture. Approximately 60% of Turkmenistan's five million people are unemployed, and approximately 30% of the working class live below the poverty line. That means that there won't be many people buying tickets to see these hockey games. Then again, it probably doesn't matter for the vast majority of Turkmen since they barely have basic human rights, let alone the right to choose what entertainment they want to see.

If you're looking for information on the Internet about the Turkmenistan league, don't bother. The newspaper is state-owned and all articles are heavily-censored. Any articles found in the newspaper only work to glorify the state and its leader, so that grain of salt about I told you about should be chewed on while reading Alexander Vershinin's AP article above. Internet services are some of the worst in all of Asia, and the state controls the only internet service provider available, Turkmentelekom. Approximately 1.6% of Turkmen have access to the internet, and all of it is siphoned through the censoring ISP. There are fifteen internet cafés open in Ashgabat, but users must show their passports and proof of address and be registered in a special register in order to use the computers and internet at the cafés. According to Reporters Without Borders' 2011 World Press Freedom Index, Turkmenistan ranks as the third-worst country on the planet when it comes to press freedom conditions in the world. Only North Korea and Burma are worse than Turkmenistan. Again, don't bother even looking for information on the hockey league because it won't be found.

If anyone gets injured while playing, it could mean the end of any career. All hospitals outside Ashgabat were closed in 2005 by Niyazov because he believed that anyone sick or ill should come to the capital for treatment. Physicians are poorly-trained in any and all medical procedures, and all modern medicinal practices are virtually non-existent. Free public health care was abolished in 2004 as well, so these state department and industry-sponsored teams better have good health insurance for their players. I can hear you laughing now.

In short, I commend those Turkmen who want to play hockey. There is a great opportunity to enjoy a new sport that is quite foreign in that part of the world. The relief from the searing heat inside an arena will also be a luxury that few will enjoy, but it is available for those lucky enough to play the game. I wish the newest Turkmen hockey players nothing but the best as they embark on this new venture, and I hope they fall in love with the game as much as you and I have.

It's just a shame that the vast majority of the country won't be able to share in any of the accomplishments seen on the ice because they aren't able to attend, they can't access information on the internet, and they may not have the money to even get through the door.

Ain't it true that the road to hell is paved with good intentions?

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

The Goal Line Report

I received a great email from Patrick Hoffman, an excellent blogger who writes the Goal Line Report over on Kukla's Korner. I've been reading Patrick's work for a long time, and I really appreciate his insights and thoughts on the game. While he mainly covers the Eastern Conference in general, he has a solid grasp on the game, and has worked for a number of high-profile hockey websites and news feeds. In short, Patrick knows his stuff. In saying that, I was honoured when he asked me, Teebz of HBIC, to provide a little background information on how I got started in the world of hockey blogging, and I hope it provides a little information on me to you, the readers.

Here is the unedited interview that Patrick conducted. Thanks for this opportunity, Patrick!

PH: How did you get into hockey?
TA: Saturday nights were hockey night in my house growing up as Dad and I would routinely catch whatever game Hockey Night In Canada was broadcasting. I was obsessed with knowing every player on every team, how a team acquired a certain player, and important stats as a kid. From there, it simply grew as a sport that I loved, and one that I definitely have a passion for in my life.

PH: Growing up, who was your favorite team/player?
TA: My favorite team as far back as I can remember is the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the late-1980s saw some difficult times in Pittsburgh, I was drawn to their logo. I mean, who didn’t love the skating penguin? After the 1995 strike, I began to follow players more than teams. Mario Lemieux was and still is my favorite player, but I began to have a serious appreciation for those players who devote their time to charities to help others. Guys like Wayne Gretzky, Cam Neely, Ryan Miller, Luc Robitaille, and Vincent Lecavalier have great stories about their charities, and it’s nice to see those who can give back doing just that.

PH: When did you realize you wanted to get into hockey blogging?
TA: When Reebok stated that they were taking over the jersey manufacturing, it set off a light bulb in me. I had been a large contributor to Paul Lukas’ Uni Watch Blog, and a few people suggested that I should start putting my ideas in writing. January 2007 saw the very first Hockey Blog In Canada article written, and it’s been a blast ever since!

PH: How did you come up with Hockey Blog in Canada?
TA: It seemed fairly elementary: Hockey Night In Canada was a fairly popular television broadcast in Canada, so I decided to play off their popularity a little bit. They hadn’t started a hockey blog by that name, so I went with that. While I’m not affiliated with the CBC in any way, I’m not sure if their popularity has helped me in any way, shape, or form. Besides, it’s content that counts, right? After all, a rose by any other name....

PH: What are you trying to bring readers who visit your site?
TA: I try to bring a wide variety of stuff to my readers. I love hockey history, so I try to feature as much of that as possible. Hockey history has so many interesting characters and stories, and a lot of them get lost in the shuffle as time moves forward. I also want to give my readers some other food for thought, so I have some features that appear regularly like Teebz’s Book Club. TBC is kind of like Oprah’s Book Club, only I stick to hockey stories and writings.

Basically, if you love hockey, HBIC is the place to find all sorts of cool stories, interesting thoughts, awesome contests, and a whole lot of fun from the world of hockey.

PH: Any exciting new features planned for your blog?
TA: There are none planned at the moment, but that could change at any time. I did a major run on NHLPA charities a couple of years back over the summer months, outlining all the great charities with which the NHLPA is involved. I run a weekly Wednesday update on the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and their success as they progress through the season. If I can find something that interests me, I’ll certainly write about it. If it can be turned into a feature, that’s even more content for my readers. So while nothing is planned, I recommend stopping by regularly to see what HBIC has in-store!

PH: Now for some actual hockey talk, which NHL teams in Canada do you think will have success this season? Why?
TA: This seems like a no-brainer, but I think the Vancouver Canucks are having a great season thus far. There’s no telling how far they’ll go, but they seem to have some fairly balanced lines, and their blueline has been upgraded significantly. I’ve been surprised with the Montreal Canadiens thus far, mostly due to Carey Price’s insane goaltending this far into the season. Price has been the difference in a lot of games this season for the Habs, and I’m hoping they can sustain this run to get them into the playoffs. Of course, looking at last season’s Eastern Conference playoffs, anything can happen, so there could be a chance for an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final if these two teams continue to battle down the stretch.

The likelihood of that happening? Snowballs don’t last long in hell.

PH: Which NHL teams in Canada do you think will end up being disappointments this season? Why?
TA: I’d like to say that I’m shocked with the Maple Leafs, but I’m not. This team is built from spare parts and acquired talent. Burke needs to start developing a few players in his system to provide some continuity and cohesiveness between his players. The teams that draft well and develop well have been very successful in the NHL since the lock-out.

I’d like to say that I’m surprised the Calgary Flames aren’t higher in the standings, but I cannot. Olli Jokinen didn’t work out the first time he played in Cow-town, so why would he work a second time? Trading Ian White, you team’s best offensive defenceman (hear that, Jay Bouwmeester?), was a move that I can’t explain. While a lot of people have been screaming for Columbus to get Rick Nash a top-flight centerman, people in Calgary should be doing the same. Iginla hasn’t been the same player he once was when he played alongside Daymond Langkow. Find a centerman!

PH: Anything else you’d like to share with Kukla’s Korner readers?
TA: I just want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season as they make it through this special time of year. Thanks for reading, and thank you, Patrick, for sending this through to me! I hope to see a lot of you over on HBIC, and remember: keep your sticks on the ice!

My thanks go out to Patrick for this opportunity, and I really enjoyed answering the questions. I totally recommend heading over to Patrick's site at the Goal Line Report for some excellent Eastern Conference information. Thanks again, Patrick, and keep up the great work!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Equipment Changes: Hockey Skates Reviews

There are a lot of things that a player relies on when playing the game. One of the most important factors in a player's arsenal are his skates, and there is a new player in the skate manufacturing game that I'd like to introduce today. MLX Hockey is a new equipment company that has a few big-name NHL stars wearing their skates today, and they have asked me to test out a pair of their skates! Yes, you read that correctly: me, small-time hockey blogger! While I am honoured to have this opportunity to test out these new skates created by MLX Hockey, there is actually a fascinating story behind how this company got started, who is wearing their skates (besides me), and why MLX Hockey is breaking into the equipment industry. The man in the upper left, Sergei Gonchar, has been wearing them for a while now, so you already know of two people who are skating on a pair.

From the MLX Hockey website, they have a full rundown on how they got started:

"Our story started, in 2001, when my Olympic Speed Skating career ended, and I began training hockey players. Sprinting was my specialty, and when I crossed over to hockey I wanted to make hockey players faster by understanding the elements and concepts behind explosive speed on ice. I crossed over into the hockey world to not only teach players how to skate faster and more efficiently, but to train off-ice, specifically for skating. I quickly realized the equipment players were using was inferior and not allowing them to perform up to their potential.

"Also, as a skating coach, I couldn’t believe how many issues athletes were having with their feet, like lace bite and bumps, from improperly fitted skates. Speed skating boots have come a long way in the 25 years since using composites, so I thought, why not hockey? A more form-fitting boot would ensure better skating and keep a player’s foot from being destroyed; hence how MLX was born…

"The goal was to determine how to make a hockey skate that would deliver the performance features necessary for the game of hockey at the highest levels, but also deliver the speed attributes from speed skating." - Mr. David Cruickshank

So you know how and why they got started, so who is a part of MLX Hockey? The team features four men who are committed to making hockey skates better.

David Cruickshank is the CEO and founder of MLX. A former US Olympic speed skater, Mr. Cruickshank worked with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and AHL's Rockford IceHogs to improve their skating techniques.

Andy Gabel holds the record for the longest tenure of any speed skater on the US Olympic team as he skated for USA from 1979 to 1998, including earning a silver medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games as a member of the USA Short Track Speed Skating Team.

Curtis Brackenbury played 406 NHL and WHA games. He appeared with the Chicago Cougars, Minnesota Fighting Saints, and Quebec Nordiques in the WHA, while suiting up with the Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and St. Louis Blues in the NHL. He currently holds distinctions as a developmental coach in both the NHL and NCAA hockey.

Scott Van Horne was a competitive speed skater for 13 years before retiring from the sport. After he retired, he went on to earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field of biomechanics, specializing in speed skating biomechanics, at the University of Calgary. He now owns VH Speed Skating, a speed skating boot manufacturing company that produces boots for 90% of Canada's speed skating team.

Pretty impressive credentials on those four men, no? So how do speed skaters get into the hockey business? And why would they want to be part of the business in rivaling companies like Easton, Bauer, CCM, and Reebok? Simple: their custom ice hockey skates are different than all the others!

"The problem with typical ice hockey skates is that blade holders are not easily adjustable. They're riveted into a "one size fits all" position that is nowhere near optimal for the way you skate. Everybody has different techniques and body designs that require unique treatment for optimal performance. Whether you're bow-legged, push more forward, or lean backwards on your skates, you need to position your blade so that it matches your unique style of skating.

"You can't fully push on your skate if the blade isn't completely underneath you. When your blade isn’t centered underneath you, you have to compensate in your stride, which slows you down.

"So many people are so poorly set up think they're not good skaters. Most skaters don't make adjustments to their blade position because they’re either unaware of how important it is or because the process is long and inconvenient. Typically, adjusting a skate blade requires a special machine and about an hour of time. Enter MLX."

Ok, so you've heard all the rhetoric about how great these skates are. You can adjust them and make them fit your feet and ankles better. You can skate better and faster. Et cetera, et cetera. The question everyone wants to know is: DO THEY DO WHAT THEY PROMISE?

I can't tell you right now. I have yet to test them, but they are on their way to me from the MLX factory. There are a few hockey skates reviews out on these new skates, though, as Eyes On The Prize, Anaheim Calling, and Stanley Cup of Chowder have already had a spin on them. They give the skates pretty good reviews, so I'm hoping that I'll find them as good as they did. Time will tell, of course.

It also doesn't hurt to have one the game's legends endorse your product. Mario Lemieux is a fan of MLX skates, and the company has attracted the likes of Sergei Gonchar, Dustin Byfuglien, Evgeni Malkin, and Daniel Alfredsson amongst others. Pretty impressive list of men there, so I'm sure MLX Hockey has done their homework.

Once the skates arrive, they'll be strapped to my feet for an extensive workout and review. I'll have many things to say as I test them versus my current pair of CCM Tacks that I have grown to love, and we'll see what the results are. I plan on skating in them for three sessions, and I'll report back with the results from each session as the skates get broken in.

I'm really looking forward to this opportunity, and I have to thank Blaise from MLX Hockey for the opportunity to test out these skates! Thanks, Blaise!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Great Manitoban Story

There have been a great number of excellent hockey players that have come out of the province of Manitoba. Legends such as Terry Sawchuk, Bobby Clarke, Turk Broda, and Billy Mosienko are some of the men who have made the province proud with their long careers and many successes in the NHL. Others such as Jonathan Toews, Nigel Dawes, Eric Fehr, and Duncan Keith are still writing chapters into their own histories that will one day make Manitobans proud of their achievements. The stories that are rarely talked about, however, are those of the career minor-league players who have given their lives to various cities around the globe with little or no fanfare outside of those cities. Credit goes to Mr. Bob McKenzie of TSN.ca who wrote an excellent article about one of these men, and a native Manitoban.

It all started with the Chill in Columbus, but it wasn't long before he was a Riverfrog in Louisville and then an Icecap in Raleigh. Twice.

He was an Admiral in Milwaukee, a Riverman in Peoria. Twice. A Viper in Detroit, a Griffin in Grand Rapids. Twice, in two different leagues. A K-Wing in Kalamazoo. Four times, in four different leagues. A Giant in Belfast. Twice. A Bandit in Jackson, a Fury in Muskegon and a Jackalope in Odessa.

By our count, it's been 12 cities, six leagues (American, International, East Coast, United, Central and British), 904 regular-season minor pro games and counting and more bus miles than you could possibly imagine in the 16th pro season for 38-year old Kory Karlander, the oldest active player in the ECHL.

"The years kind of creep up on you and that's true for me," the Kalamazoo K-Wing centre from Melita, Man., says. "It's my 16th pro season and if anyone asks why I still do it, I guess the answer is pretty obvious...I love what I do. It's never stopped being fun for me."

If the name sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Kory's uncle, Al Karlander, played 212 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings in the early 1970s, after being drafted out of Michigan Tech by the Wings in the second round of the 1967 amateur draft and added another 269 games in the WHA with the New England Whalers and Indianapolis Racers.

Kory's dad Ken, along with Al, came from Lac La Hache in the Cariboo region of British Columbia though they attended and played hockey at the famed Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask.

"My dad and my uncle used to hitch-hike all the way (1,600 kilometres) from Lac La Hache to Wilcox at the beginning of every school year," Kory says of a story he likes to regale his younger teammates with each season. "When my Uncle Al went to Michigan Tech for his first year of college, he was hitch-hiking from Lac La Hache to Houghton, Mich., and he phoned then to say he was on his way and they told him he was already a week and a half late, that he should have been there already. I guess he was having a tough time getting a ride."

With bloodlines like that, we shouldn't be too surprised that Kory Karlander is still grinding it out in a minor pro hockey odyssey as he heads towards age 40.

The ECHL is no longer the dead-end loop it used to be. It's two rungs below the NHL, one below the well-respected American Hockey League and there's a fair bit of traffic between the AHL and ECHL. It's not unheard of for ECHL grads - Chad Larose and Alex Burrows come immediately to mind - to make it to the NHL. That said, there are three types of players in the ECHL. A limited number on the way up, many who think they still have a chance to be on the way up and those just marking time, collecting somewhere between the league minimum of $410 per week ($370 for rookies) and the $850 weekly that the veteran Karlander gets from the K-Wings, as well as a housing allowance that helps take care of Karlander's mortgage on his permanent residence in Grand Rapids, Mich., about an hour from the rink in Kalamazoo.

"I obviously haven't gotten rich playing hockey but I've done well enough to help support my family," Karlander says. "I've got a lot of memories. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything. I love playing the game."

Karlander is married. His wife Shelly is a registered nurse who works in Grand Rapids and that obviously helps the family's financial picture. Kory and Shelly have a three-year-old son, Karsten, and Shelly has two sons of her own, 15-year old Ethan and 23-year old D.J., who attends Ferris State University. Karlander admits it takes a very understanding wife to allow him to follow his hockey-playing dreams and he couldn't do it without Shelly's support.

It is not lost on Karlander that he has a 23-year-old stepson who is older than many of his K-Wing teammates.

"That's pretty funny when you think about it," Karlander says.

The average age in the ECHL this season is 24.4. There are 18 players age 30 or older in the league, so it's not as if Karlander is the only thirty-something still kicking around.

In fact, K-Wing teammate Sam Ftorek, the son of former NHL coach and WHA scoring star Robbie Ftorek, is 36 and the second oldest player in the league.

"It's nice to have some company my own age," Karlander says of Ftorek.

Mind you, age is a matter of perspective. Karlander played the last two seasons before this one in Odessa in the Central Hockey League and he was a veritable kid compared to the elder statesman in the CHL.

Jeff Christian, a former London Knight who was a second-rounder of the New Jersey Devils in 1988, is 40 and still playing in the CHL with the Mississippi River Kings, having logged 1,259 regular season games and counting as a pro, including 18 games in the NHL. Ex-Hull Olympique defenceman Guy Dupuis, a Detroit Red Wing third-rounder in the 1988 draft, is also 40 and a fixture with the CHL's Fort Wayne Komets, with 1,379 regular season games and still counting.

Small wonder then that Karlander still feels like a kid, who has no plans to hang 'em up just yet.

"As long as I've got a place to play, why not?" he says. "I've always thought to get to 1,000 (regular season) games would be special. If I stay healthy and I am able to play next season, I'll hit it. That's a goal, for sure."

He hasn't given any thought to playing into his 40s but he's not ruling it out either.

It's been years now since he's thought about playing a game in the NHL, the dream that keeps many in the minors going. It was probably about five years ago, while playing for Grand Rapids in the American League, that his hopes were raised to a realistic level only to come up short and realize that if it didn't happen then, it wasn't going to happen.

"It was my second tour of duty in Grand Rapids and, like it is now, that was Detroit's affiliate," Karlander recalls. "Detroit ran into a real rash of injuries and a lot of guys were getting called up. I was off to a real good start that year, a point a game, and I really thought there was a chance I might get up for a game but it never happened. That was the closest I ever got. Once that moment passed, I knew that was it for me (as far playing a game in the NHL). Having played more than 300 pro games, I had to get veteran status in the AHL and with no NHL experience, I knew the writing was on the wall for me (playing in the AHL regularly) and that's probably when the (NHL) dream died."

But he still enjoyed playing the game for the game's sake. He won a UHL, aka U-Haul, championship in 2006 with Kalamazoo, one of two championships (the other was in Belfast with the Giants) on his resume.

Karlander plays the game now the way you would expect a 38-year-old to play it. Wisely. He moves well for a senior hockey citizen but is usually on the right side of the puck and uses his guile and experience to read plays both offensively and defensively. I watched him in a pair of games recently against the Florida Everblades and he won just about every face-off he took. He's always been good on the draw and killing penalties.

"You know why he wins so many face-offs, don't you?" my (then injured ECHL player) son told me as we watched the game together. "Because he's probably taken more faceoffs than any man in all of professional hockey. Think about it, 16 pro seasons, playing mostly in leagues where they only have three lines. I bet you he has the unofficial world record for most face-offs taken by a still active player."

Karlander laughs at the recounting of that story and doesn't disagree.

"I have taken an awful lot of face-offs and if you talk to me, I'm not sure I'd ever admit to losing one," he says, laughing. "I actually became a lot more valuable player when they changed the rules to put all the face-offs in the offensive zone after a penalty. Face-offs have become a lot more important so I find myself on the ice taking them a lot more. It's been great."

Being around the kids has helped keep Karlander young, too.

He says he gets a hybrid of respect, reverence and ridicule for being 38 and still playing a young man's game.

"The kids are really great, for the most part," he says. "They'll ask me a lot of questions about the game or what it was like and they're genuinely interested. And they're really respectful when it comes to things like taking a seat in the bus. They're always saying, 'I'm not in your seat, am I?' But they also like to have some fun at my expense and that's fine and I kind of contribute to it. I should know better. They were talking about XBox 360 the other day and I mentioned that I was underprivileged as a kid because my parents wouldn't buy me an Atari or Nintendo, the best we had was a Commodore Vic 20 and they really had a good laugh at that. My idea of video games is Space Invaders and Asteroids.

"One guy said to me, 'Hey, you've been around so long you have the seen the entire evolution of the hockey stick.' Stuff like that is pretty funny."

One can only imagine the stories Karlander has from 16 years in the low minors.

"Yeah, you could say I'm like Reg Dunlop I (of Slap Shot fame)," he says. "Lots of stories, not many you can print."

He remembers playing for Raleigh in the old ECHL in a game in Las Vegas, which was the first arena he'd ever played at where they had a video scoreboard. As he was being introduced skating onto the ice as part of the starting lineup, he looked up to see himself on the scoreboard screen. He was so mesmerized by the technology and seeing his visage on the scoreboard that he took a header over the red carpet that was laid out for the anthem singer.

"Definitely the most embarrassing moment," he says.

Great memories, for sure. He no doubt knows where a lot of minor league bodies are buried, but also where to find a lost pay cheque or two, notably in the Kalamazoo dressing room he now calls home. He's played more games in Kalamazoo than any other city and knows every nook and cranny of the room.

"They have the benches in the dressing room bolted to the wall and the seats flip up to store your stuff underneath," Karlander says. "There's a space though between the wall and the bench and I can't tell you how many times I've dropped my pay cheque down that crack. Once it goes in, there's no getting it back, so you have to get another cheque issued. I played with Marty Turco in Kalamazoo way back when. I know exactly where Marty sat and I know he lost at least one of his pay cheques down there the same as I did. I've often thought about getting the benches unbolted from the wall and getting that Marty Turco pay cheque out of there. I could get him to sign it. They wouldn't cash it now but it would be pretty good hockey memorabilia."

Karlander has played with plenty of guys who gone on to play in 'The Show', including Turco. When Karlander was in Grand Rapids five years ago, he played with Jiri Hudler, Tomas Kopecky, Joey MacDonald and even Curtis Joseph for a couple of games. In Belfast, he had ex-NHLers Paul Kruse and Dennis Vial on his team.

He cites Mark Reeds (now with Owen Sound in the OHL), with whom he won a championship in Kalamazoo, as the best coach he ever played for, but has a special place in his heart for his first pro coach, Moe Mantha, with the Columbus Chill in 1995-96. It was Mantha who may have had the most profound impact on a young kid fresh out of Northern Michigan University.

"Moe inspired me and taught me what it was to be a pro hockey player," Karlander recalls. "Moe said just because you're getting a pay cheque to play hockey doesn't make you a pro hockey player. He said being a pro was about accountability and playing the game the right way. He gave us a motivational booklet to start the playoffs and there was a quote on one page that is something to the effect of, it's easy to work hard and do your job when you hear of the roar of the crowd but it's a lot more difficult to do the hard work when there's no one there to see you or cheer you on. That's always stuck with me. I had that page laminated and I hang it somewhere I can always see it. In the summer, it's on the squat rack when I'm working out.

"I guess, if anything, that's the message I try to pass along to the kids I play with now. Be a pro. Respect the game. Our captain (24 year old) Wes O'Neill noticed that (36 year old) Sam (Ftorek) was unloading the bus and Wes apologized to me and said he'll make sure that never happens again, but you know what, if Sam or me unloading the bus makes some kid think twice before he complains about getting stuck with the job next time, well, that's a good lesson for that guy to learn. For me, playing the game now is all about how you conduct yourself. Being the age I am, you're going to get a certain amount of unconditional respect just for being old, but I still want to earn it."

So Karlander will just keep on playing. And when no team in no league will have him any more, only then will he hang 'em up, hopeful that he'll be able to coach at the pro level and impart the wisdom of the ages on more young kids.

"I still like to compete," he says. "I still like to play. I just love this game."

I really appreciate a story like Mr. Karlander's being told. If playing was only about making it to the NHL, there would be a lot of unhappy hockey players across the globe right now. Instead, Mr. Karlander shows that he's happy, doing very well, and still playing the game he loves so dearly.

If there is one thing we can teach children today, it's that you don't have to be rich and famous to enjoy doing the things that you love. Lots of people would like to be rich and famous, but they really only make up about 5% of the world. If given the opportunity to live Mr. Karlander's life, I'd jump at it in a heartbeat because he sounds like he really loves what he does.

What really makes it great is that he is teaching kids and young hockey players about life lessons. One has to work hard, earn other people's respect, and never give up to be successful at anything one does. If one does that, one will be a rich person until the day he or she quits. Those are the lessons that all kids should be taught, and Mr. Karlander lives and breathes those lessons daily on top of doing something that he loves day in and day out.

Wouldn't it be great to find a job like that? It's a great story from a great Manitoban kid who is still living his dream. And that's the lesson that needs to be told to all hockey players regardless of age - never give up on the dream!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

A Little Fun With Music

A friend of mine emailed this to me today, and I had to watch it several times to catch a pile of awesome stuff in the video. Winnipegger Joey Gregorash, a semi-famous musician from Winnipeg, put together a little tune about his favorite NHL team, the Winnipeg Jets. The video was then put to highlights of the Jets, and the result was the video below. Take a look through and note all the interesting stuff: Benny the Jets' mascot, the goalie masks, the uniforms, Ron MacLean with hair.

Now Gregorash wasn't just some random Winnipegger with some American Idol-esque talent. He was a rock musician with a Winnipeg-based band called the Mongrels, and he became the first solo act from Manitoba to win a Juno Award in 1972 for Outstanding Performance by a Male. His win knocked Gordon Lightfoot off the top rung of Canadian music as Lightfoot had won the two previous solo awards.

He's still fairly well-known today thanks to a couple of major hits in the 1970s in "Jodie" and a cover of Neil Young's "Down by the River". Personally, I much prefer Gregorash's version of "Down by the River", but to each their own, right?

In 1987, he returned to the music scene with "Together (The New Wedding Song)", a must-have song at weddings around the world. He also hosted a show for kids called S'kiddle Bits that took him around to various places in Winnipeg as well as showcasing his musical talents.

I liked this little look back at the Jets, and it brought back some good memories: Selanne scoring his record-breaking goal against the Nordiques, Selanne playing on a line with countryman Jari Kurri at the All-Star Game, Zhamnov, Tkachuk, Housley, Essensa, Carlyle, and all the great moments in Jets history. And Gregorash's contributions cannot be forgotten!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

TBC: Leslie McFarlane's Hockey Stories

It has been a while since Teebz's Book Club made an appearance on here, but there will be a pile of books that will posted in the coming weeks thanks to my recent reading indulgence. Today, we look at a book written by a very well-known author of another name, but this author's name should be recognizable by hockey fans. Leslie McFarlane, the father of long-time hockey broadcaster Brian McFarlane, was an author around the time of the Great Depression, and he wrote a variety of stories for various publishers. Today, TBC is proud to review Leslie McFarlane's Hockey Stories, written by Leslie McFarlane and published by Key Porter Books Limited. The 138-page book was edited by Brian McFarlane.

Leslie McFarlane was a Canadian author, journalist, and film-maker. Born in 1902 in Haileybury, Ontario, the writer passed away September 6, 1977 just shy of his 75th birthday. McFarlane is probably better known by his pseudonyms that he wrote under, and the most famous of these would be Franklin W. Dixon. Dixon, of course, penned 21 of the Hardy Boys books in that literary series.

During the Depression, McFarlane began working for Stratemeyer Syndicate after answering a want-ad. Stratemeyer Syndicate published titles such as Nancy Drew, Tom Swift and the Bobbsey Twins, and McFarlane began work on the Hardy Boys as way to earn some cash during the tough economic times. He was reportedly paid $100 per story with no royalty rights, and only did so to support his growing family.

McFarlane began writing sports stories for a second magazine to supplement his income. While the editor of the magazine felt that hockey stories wouldn't be accepted because they were "too Canadian", McFarlane continued to wear down the editor until his first fictional hockey story was published. "Goalie, Keep Your Cool" received an enormous amount of good feedback, and McFarlane kept writing hockey stories about his cast of characters that he created.

Thanks to his son, Brian, the first volume of some of these stories has been published as Leslie McFarlane's Hockey Stories. The book is broken up into four separate stories, and each one is different from the others.

The first story, "Montville Makes Good", is about a young man from Montville, Quebec named Adelard Touchette who has been called up by the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. His entire town boards a train to Montreal to see the young man in action against the rival Boston Bruins. McFarlane's story is funny and enjoyable as we hear about the adventures that both Touchette and his townsfolk take to get to the game.

The second story, "Goalie Garrison's Goat", speaks of the first-hand account of a coach in junior hockey competing for the Memorial Cup, and the struggles his goaltender runs into during the Memorial Cup Final.

Written from Casey's perspective, we hear about Tub Garrison's amazing netminding that led the Indians to the Memorial Cup, but the Cubs and their rowdy fans have found a weakness in Garrison. Casey hears a story of a young goaltender in a lower league, the County League, named Temple who is nearly unflappable. Casey takes Garrison to the game, and both are amazed at how well the goaltender plays in front of what looks like a mob, and Garrison begins to believe in himself again. The conclusion to the story is rather humorous, and entirely unexpected!

The third story, "Too Slow To Count", looks at how one player's passion for the game of hockey helps him overcome a major injury. Tim Cordwell, a chatty and speedy centerman, is a fan favorite on the Tigers team. He's fast, scores goals, sets up his teammates, and chirps with anyone who will listen. That, however, comes to an end when a check leaves him with a torn knee ligament. His return is met with much fanfare, but it is clear that his knee isn't what it once was, and any speed he once showed was gone. The treatment he receives from teammates is less than admirable, but Cordwell persevered. The ending to this story is inspiring, and shows exactly how far hard work can take one on one's journey.

The final story, "They Didn't Know Hockey", is the perfect story for any up-and-coming player in terms of knowing how important one is to a team by filling a role. Dan Hawley is told by his girlfriend, Mary, that he needs to stop setting up goals and to start scoring them himself. After all, scouts only look at players that produce, right? Dan buys into this logic, and starts scoring in bunches. However, the team around him that was once dominant starts to show cracks in their armor. The conclusion of this story has a very good lesson in it, and definitely should be read by minor hockey players as an example of how good players working together make good teams.

Overall, the four stories were very enjoyable reads, and all four stories, despite them being written in language that may have been common in the 1930s, have lessons and humour that can be enjoyed today. Mr. McFarlane's tales are very well-written and show a comprehensive understanding of hockey, but the language is on a level that middle school children and older will have no problem absorbing. Leslie McFarlane's Hockey Stories are a fabulous read, and the book certainly deserves the Teebz's Book Club Seal of Approval!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!