Why Danton's Visa Denial Is Good

Mike Danton has come a long way from his hitman-for-hire scheme. I'm actually proud to say that his acceptance into Saint Mary's University was probably the best thing that could have happened to him, and I'm happy he got to play CIS hockey with the Huskies. Nothing is more important than being accepted on a team where you're an outsider, and Danton was an outsider with a cargo plane of baggage. So when it was reported that he was considering a move to England to try to further his hockey career, I instinctively became worried as his location and plans for the future were now known to the world, especially the man that derailed his life in David Frost. His visa to play in England was denied today, and I think this might actually be a good thing for Danton despite it setting him back in his hockey aspirations.

There's no denying that Danton was a troubled man when he was arrested and sentenced in his conspiracy to commit murder. His time in jail saw former agent David Frost show up on occasion, and it's scary to think that Frost continued to try to impose himself upon Danton's life. It seems, though, that his time at Saint Mary's University saw him get some great support from coaches, teammates, and professors, and the young man was named as an academic all-Canadian because of his straight-A average.

While I can imagine some NHL teams are a little leery about signing the former Devils and Blues forward, Danton took the initiative by accepting an opportunity to play in the Elite Ice Hockey League in England with the Coventry Blaze. While the EIHL is not AHL-calibre hockey, it's still a step up from CIS hockey and would give Danton a new challenge where he wouldn't have to face the same scrutiny for his past choices.

It was the announcement of Danton's intentions, however, that worried me. After all, Frost was able to manipulate Danton all the way through junior hockey up to the NHL, and there was contact made by Frost wit Danton once he was behind bars. David Frost's reach, it seems, could follow Danton across the ocean if he wanted to contact Danton once more. Whether or not Danton responded would be totally up to him - and I hope he would not - but Frost could legitimately make things difficult for the Blaze and for Danton if he so desired.

I feel for Mike Danton in that his hockey dream won't continue in Europe. He reportedly will submit a secondary application, but there's no guarantee that this one will make any difference. The Blaze, however, certainly want to add Mike Danton to their roster, and are working to help Danton jump across the pond.

"We believe that Mike Danton will be a huge asset to both the Coventry Blaze and the Elite League as a whole. Mike is desperate to play for the Blaze this season and both he and the club are prepared to wait for the outcome of the secondary application, even if it means that we could be one player down for the opening few weeks of the season.

"Mike would be a huge asset both on and off the ice for the club. He is an outstanding example of an individual who has turned his life around in recent years. He maintained a near perfect grade point average at University. He has spoken to several thousand children about making good decisions in their lives and not giving up on second chances. He has won awards for his community involvement. He has started his own family. He wants to and would make a tremendous contribution to Coventry's community programmes (which include a focus on giving people second chances). As someone who has played at the highest level of the sport in the world, he would be a player that junior players could look up to and learn from. There are so many positive reasons why we believe Mike deserves to be granted his visa."

Pretty good endorsement of Danton's character, right? But again, you wonder if one David Frost is just biding his time to try to throw himself into Danton's life once more. I believe Mike Danton is a better man now, and I truly believe he would do everything humanly possible to prevent Frost from ruining his life and the lives of others if he were to reappear.

I think, regardless of the outcome of the secondary application, the media should leave Mike Danton alone so that he may continue to live his life as a normal man out of the spotlight. He needs less attention so that he can focus on his life with his family, his life in hockey, and being the upstanding individual that he has turned out to be.

Mike Danton is a changed man. He has changed for the better, and has proven that he will not waste his second chance. While he needs a second chance to try to suit up in England, let's leave the story of Mike Danton where it is now so that he can simply live life to the fullest without the attention. He deserves that much after all he's been through.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

Make It Five-Straight Wins

I dont usually talk much about the high-level competitions for the younger junior players, but Canada is really making a mark at the Ivan Hlinka annual tournament. This year's Canadian squad made it five-straight gold medals yesterday in the tournament as they took the championship over Finland in Piestany, Slovakia. And no, there were no punch-ups or bench-clearing brawls for the Canadian team in Piestany in this tournament like there was back in 1987.

If you needed any reason to tune in, it was to see Nathan MacKinnon play the game. MacKinnon looks like he could be a great player as he matures, and his performance at the Ivan Hlinka tournament did nothing to sway that opinion. He scored a hat trick in the championship game, and finished the tournament with five goals and six assists in five games. If he's not the consensus first-overall pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, he'll be in the top-five picks for sure.

Zachary Fucale recorded the shutout in the 4-0 win over Finland, but his play was solid all tournament. The Halifax Moosehead goaltender appears to be another solid player on the rise in the QMJHL, and he could be a candidate for a World Junior squad in the coming years if he continues to play as well as he did in this tournament.

Eric Comrie, the second Canadian goalie, also played well, and he looks like he'll be a quality stopper for the WHL's Tri-City Americans. Comrie was sharp in his games, and played especially well in a "mean-nothing" game against Slovakia late in the tournament in which the Canadians won 3-2. Comrie still needs some time to develop his game a little more, but the young goalie looks strong fundamentally.

Captain Sam Reinhart was a force all tournament long, and the WHL's Kootenay Ice will benefit from his exposure in this tournament. Reinhart isn't eligible until the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but his younger age didn't slow him down in this tournament. Reinhart had a goal and three assists in a 5-2 win over the Czech Republic in the semi-final, and really played well all tournament long. For teams that are building towards the future in the NHL, Sam Reinhart is a player to keep on the radar.

Overall, the tournament saw Canada win, but there were some solid performances from other teams. Finland played very well in its win over Sweden in the semi-final, and they look like they are developing some solid players. The final standings of the tournament were as follows:

1. Canada
2. Finland
3. Sweden
4. Czech Republic
5. Russia
6. Switzerland
7. USA
8. Slovakia

The Ivan Hlinka Tournament is always a great glimpse into the future to see which players may become impact players in junior hockey and/or professional hockey. While some players may fall off the radar in the long run, there are usually a handful of players that will be high draft picks in the coming years. That's an encouraging sign for all of the participating players.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

If There's No NHL, Catch The AHL

The NHL schedule was released yesterday, and I'm pretty certain that the CBA battle in the NHL will force a few of us to watch the AHL this season. I loved the AHL when the Manitoba Moose were around, and I actually miss the product that the AHL delivered. Make no mistake in that it's not the NHL, but know that the AHL still provides a pretty good hockey product for your entertainment dollars. And it's a much more affordable choice for those on a budget as well!

The 2012-13 AHL season will open on October 12, 2012 and consist of 1140 games for the 30 teams. If you've been paying close attention, you know that last season's Calder Cup champions, the Norfolk Admirals, will not be affiliated with the same team as they were during their championship run.

The Tampa Bay Lightning decided on June 14 to move their affiliation to the city of Syracuse, New York as the Crunch will be manned by Tampa Bay's AHL players. Along with the move to Syracuse, the Crunch changed their logo again to a superhero-based logo as they swap colors to reflect their new NHL affiliate. After five years and a Calder Cup in Norfolk, Virginia, the Lightning decided to move their affiliate to Syracuse.

The Anaheim Ducks, who previously held the affiliation with Syracuse, had indicated that they would sever ties with the Crunch, thus allowing Tampa Bay to make the move in affiliating with the Crunch. One month later, the Crunch announced an agreement with Onondaga County and SMG that will allow the Crunch to remain in the War Memorial Arena through 2024. If the Lightning were looking for a more stable affiliate, I'd say they found one.

In a rather unsurprising move, the Ducks picked up where the Lightning left as they entered an affiliation agreement with the Norfolk Admirals. The Admirals seem to be the "stopover affiliate" for NHL teams looking to make changes to their AHL system. Chicago and Tampa Bay have both been affiliated with the Admirals since 2000, and the Ducks will be the third team in 12 AHL seasons for the Admirals. While the majority of last season's championship team is gone to Syracuse, former head coach Mike Haviland will remain with the Admirals as an associate coach alongside head coach Trent Yawney.

With these changes in mind, the 77th AHL season is set. There are a few games that should be noted for this upcoming season:

• The St. John's IceCaps and Syracuse Crunch will play a three-game exhibition set throughout Newfoundland as the two teams compete for Mary Brown’s Cup. Corner Brook, Stephenville, and Clarenville will play host to the two teams as they battle through the preseason on October 4, 5, and 7.
• October 12 sees the season open, and the Norfolk Admirals will play as the defending Calder Cup champions and raise the championship banner at home against the Worcester Sharks that night. The defending Western Conference champion Toronto Marlies will play host to the Rochester Americans the very next night as the two finalists from last season open the new campaign.
• If you're in the Norfolk area and want to cheer on some of the players from last year's championship team, the Syracuse Crunch visit on January 4 and 5, and again on March 29 and 30. While the luster of last season's championship may have worn off by then, the heroes from the postseason run can still use a good cheer or two.
• December 30 sees the Grand Rapids Griffins and Toronto Marlies meet up in the crisp outdoor air as part of the NHL Winter Classic's festivities as the Hockeytown Winter Festival is taking place in Detroit.
• January 20 sees the Hershey Bears take to the outdoors for a game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as part of the team's 75th AHL season. The Bears-Penguins game will be played at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• The Bell Centre in Montreal will welcome the Hamilton Bulldogs as they play the Syracuse Crunch on November 9, and again on February 22 as the Bulldogs battle the Rochester Americans.
• Houston will play at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 18 against the Rockford IceHogs. 
• The Norfolk Admirals will be the home team at Washington's Verizon Center as they play the Hershey Bears on December 6.
• Hamilton and the Toronto Marlies will play on Boxing Day at the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
• Raleigh, North Carolina's PNC Arena will play host to the Charlotte Checkers and Norfolk Admirals on January 6.
• The Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia will see the Adirondack Phantoms play the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on February 22.
• Lewiston, Maine has a host of games being played at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee as the Portland Pirates move up the highway to Lewiston. October 19 has the Pirates playing the Worcester Sharks. October 27 sees the Binghamton Senators in town. Worcester returns again on November 14. Manchester visits on December 14. Adirondack is the visiting team on December 29. And St. John's makes a trip to Lewiston on February 17.
• The Albany Devils will call Atlantic City, New Jersey home for a few dates this season. They will play Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Atlantic City on November 25, Bridgeport on January 13, Adirondack on January 20, and Hershey on February 24.
• January 27 and 28 sees Providence, Rhode Island host the AHL All-Star Classic as the Providence Bruins play host to the league.
• March 23, April 19, and April 20 are the three dates where all 30 teams will be on the ice for games.

The Bruins have also decided to go more traditional with their logo this season as they changed to a more Bruins-esque look. The former spoked "P" that they had used since 1995 will be retired for now as the bolder, cleaner logo takes over as the primary logo of the Providence Bruins. Honestly, I like this logo as it just feels more Boston Bruins than the other logo did, and I think it fits nicely in the affiliation logo scheme. The bear logo will officially serve as the team's secondary logo.

There are your highlighted games and changes in the AHL for this upcoming season. Get yourself familiar with the teams and players as the AHL might be the best hockey North America has to offer this season if the NHL and NHLPA continue down the same path towards self-destruction.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!

One Year Later

Today is a quiet day on the hockey front, especially if you're a Vancouver Canucks fan, Winnipeg Jets fan, or just a fan of Rick Rypien in general. One year ago today, Rick Rypien took his life tragically, and the topic is still very present in terms of the battle that he faced every day within himself. Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak, and my own friend, Brad Drake, have all succumbed to a battle within themselves, making the problem with depression a very real one that should be talked about in very honest terms.

Tanner Glass, Darcy Hordichuk, Kris Versteeg, and Kevin Bieksa all took part in a charity hockey game this evening in Crowsnest Pass, Rypien's home, to help remember Rypien's battle. For Bieksa, it's a particularly hard day as both men shared a special bond in rising through the Manitoba Moose ranks before rooming together in Vancouver as members of the Canucks.

"Not a day goes by that I don't think of Rick, and I am thankful for the opportunity to join his family and friends in an evening celebrating his legacy," Bieksa said in a statement. "Coaching and visiting with these kids gave us a chance to remember what was important to Rick: giving back to kids through the sport of hockey."

New hockey equipment was donated to the Crowsnest Pass hockey community through the NHLPA's Goals & Dreams fund, and a memorial plaque and photo album in memory of Rypien were given to members of Rypien's family.

Former NHL goaltender Clint Malarchuk is one of the lucky ones who has battled through mental health issues and now leads a normal life. However, his battles included alcoholism and what was thought to be a suicide attempt. Malarchuk understood the battle that Rypien was going through and offered to help, but the young man never accepted the offer.

After having his neck sliced open by a skate in 1989, Malarchuk's battle with the onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder kept him awake at night replaying the incident over and over. The thought of the trauma drove Malarchuk into depression as his hockey career would never be the same.

"I had been a fan of the kid," the Alberta-born Malarchuk said about Rypien. "He made it on hard work and guts. I’d heard a lot of good things about him. he reminded me a lot of myself."

The leave of absence also sounded a lot like Malarchuk. Malarchuk knew that if Rypien wasn't reached out to, that the consequences may be tragic. When Malarchuk's wife read one year ago that a hockey player from Alberta had died, Malarchuk's worst fears had been confirmed.

"I said, 'I hope it's not Rick,' but I was right," Malarchuk said.

From personal experience, I know that those suffering do not want to speak about the troubles with which they are dealing. Brad Drake, a good friend and valued teammate, fell into the same trap where he was either unwilling or unable to speak about his battles. If you suspect someone is dealing with their own problems, please ask. Embarrassment is temporary, but things could be much, much worse.

And if you're reading this and you feel like you're struggling with your own battle, seek out help. No one has ever been ridiculed or turned away because they ask for help. Admitting you need help isn't weakness; it's a step on the path to being normal. Everyone needs help in this life, so don't be afraid or ashamed to ask for it if you feel your load in this life is being bigger than you can manage.

Rest in peace, Rick Rypien. You were a good man.

Until next time, raise your sticks high!

Going Down Under

If there's one thing I enjoy watching, it's hockey. I'm quite certain you know this, but I happen to love a good hockey documentary. To hear a story told from a perspective other than your own gives you a different point-of-view from your own, and that's an excellent way to see things often. I received an email from Jason M. today who wanted to know if I could help get the word out about the documentary he's currently involved with regarding the potential three-peat of the Melbourne Ice, one of Australia's professional ice hockey teams. I had never heard of the Melbourne Ice, but I know they do have hockey programs in Australia and this piqued my interest in the email.

Jason wrote,

Hi mate,

Not sure if you can help us out or not and not trying to get any shameless plug or free advertising, but....we have a doco series that we really would love our North American friends to get word of.

Its a series about Australian Ice Hockey called 'The Ice – Road to 3 peat' and follows a team, 'The Melbourne Ice' on their journey towards winning a third straight championship in the Australian Ice Hockey league. Inspired by the NHL's 24-7 series its an insight into Australian Hockey which is a third tier amateur sport with guys playing like pros. They don't get paid, they have massive road trips to cover and along the way we get to see it all including why guys from North America come here to play hockey!

We're starting to get some good exposure here in Aus but we would really like oversees fans to get a taste – especially with the NHL in off season, its an exciting elixir for hockey faithful.

Anyway mate, hope you can help by putting some info on your blog and of course happy to chat if you would like more info.

Cheers

Actually, Jason, I'd be happy to help. After all, the only advertising I do is shameless plugs, so it wouldn't be right for me to say no. But let's take a closer look at the phenomenon that the Melbourne Ice are putting together in aiming for their third-straight championship.

The Ice first hit the ice in the Australian Ice Hockey League in 2002, and have become one of Australia's best ice hockey teams. In 2011, they accepted sponsorship from MediBank, and were dubbed the MediBank Melbourne Ice. They also began a women's hockey team that season as the MediBank Melbourne Ice Women take to the ice.

Since 2007, the Ice have never finished lower than third overall in the standings, and have routinely advanced to the semi-finals of the AIHL Playoffs. In 2010, the Ice defeated the Adelaide Adrenaline to win their first Goodall Trophy, and then defeated the Newcastle North Stars in 2011 to defend their title. After finishing first overall in 2011, the Ice became the first team to win both the Newman Reid Cup and Goodall Trophy in the same year! And just to wrap everything up nicely last season, the Melbourne Ice Women captured the Joan McKowen Cup as the top team in the women's circuit! Well done, teams!

So what's the 24/7 thing that the Melbourne Ice are trying to do? Well, as they play into their 10th season, they are giving fans an uncensored look into life as a member of the Ice by following new players and veteran heroes around as the Ice play through this season with thoughts of a three-peat on their minds. You can watch the videos on the The Ice Road to 3Peat website, but I've posted the videos below with a synopsis! Check them out!

INTRODUCTION

This will set the stage for the upcoming videos.

EPISODE ONE PREVIEW: The Journey Begins

We join the Melbourne Ice at Training camp where the team for 2012 will chosen. We will meet previous heroes, introduce characters we will follow throughout the year and meet the imports who hope to secure a spot on the hottest team in Australia. We set the goals and aspirations for the year through interviews withkey members of the organisation.

We will also learn about the psyche of a player and what drives them to play the game. Setup interviews will tell us about injuries obtained and sacrifices made to play the fastest and toughest game in the world.

Framing of these interviews will be close so we can see the character in the players face.

Episode 1 will set a strong tone for the rest of the series. The action will be intense and intimate and will conclude with the selection of the team as we find out what imports have successfully made the team and who has not.

EPISODE TWO PREVIEW: The Enforcers

Games 1 through 7 will be the basis of this episode with a special focus on the enforcers that make up the Melbourne Ice. The players that have the physical presence on the ice and aren't afraid to let everyone know about it. They are tough, determined and have a specific tactical role within a game and sacrifice their body for it.

Through in depth interviews we will explore their role, their personalities on and off the ice and why they love hockey.

Other storylines around victories/losses for these first 5 games will also unfold to include coaches team speeches, strategies and how the team is tracking. These storylines will be weaved throughout each episode.

Episode 2 will instantly show the toughness of the game and prepare viewers for the fast paced action of that will follow in other episodes. We will look to close out this episode with the link to the guys that love the enforcers the most – the scorers.

EPISODE THREE PREVIEW: The Captain and the Scorers

Games 8 through 14 will be the basis of this episode with a special focus on the teams Captain – Vinnie Hughes, as well as the teams superstar scorers in Jason Baclig, Joey Hughes, Matt Armstrong and Tommy Powell.

Vinnie Hughes is an exciting, tough hockey player with personality and charm that will be the core of the episode. Intimate interviews with him and the other players will provide the insight into why they all do it, what they do outside of the game as well as what they want to achieve within the game. It will also be important to capture their opinions on the league, the Melbourne Ice organisation and the fans that follow them.

This episode will push the skill level in the game and capture it close enough that viewers will feel every shot, pass, hit and goal. It will provide the elation of scoring as well as the pressures of a slump and how each players deals with adversity in the game. The episode will conclude with the next scorers and the men they hope to beat every game – the goaltenders.

Not bad so far, right? I actually like this look at hockey from the other side of the planet! There have only been three previews posted thus far on Vimeo, but I anxiously await the next previews. This series looks like it could be a keeper!

Great job, Jason, and thanks for the heads-up on this story. Honestly, I have to say that I enjoyed the look at Australian ice hockey and the AIHL, and this blogger is behind the Melbourne Ice in their quest for a three-peat!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!