Wednesday Headlines

I always like these quick hits from the hockey world to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening here and there. There seems to be a handful of smaller stories that need a little discussion, so today's headlines will do that as we look at a number of interesting stories that need a little breaking down. Let's get into it!

CCM Goes 3D

CCM introduced a new helmet design that has been approved for use by the NHL that sees CCM use 3D printing to make the helmet! Seen to the left, the helmet features a breathable lattice that fits the players head based on scans of that player's head via software used by CCM, and the helmet's interior is then crafted from these scans as the lattice structure you see! Once the lattice is constructed, the hard outer plastic shell we're used to seeing on helmets is put on over top, and the form-fitting, contact-absorbing helmet is ready for action! Technology is awesome!

While this helmet admittedly won't stop concussions, the lattice allows for better absorption of contact and dissipation of that contact throughout the lattice technology. Finding ways to reduce brain trauma is always a good thing, so count me in as a fan of CCM's exploration of this lattice concept.

Using an exclusive 3D printer from a company called Carbon, CCM built the first Tacks X helmet for Seth Jones of the Columbus Blue Jackets as he used it throughout the opening round of the playoffs against Tampa Bay including the five-overtime game. While I can't say the helmet was a factor for it, with Jones playing over 65 minutes of hockey it was likely helpful that the helmet was light and breathable while being highly protective.

We'll see who else adopts this helmet in the 2020-21 season, but I suspect a number of NHL players may make the switch with it being form-fitting, light, breathable, and somewhat safer than other helmets on the market today!

From Thunderbirds To Panthers?

Some news out of UBC today as another of their graduates has made the leap overseas to play pro hockey! Celine Tardif is already suiting up for Linkopings, Kelly Murray would be dressing for SDE, and we already knew Mathea Fischer was headed to Djurgarden after than news broke back in July. UBC can add another pro hockey player to its ranks as their leading scorer and leading goal scorer has found a home with a team that seriously can use her ability to find the back of the net as Hannah Clayton-Carroll will take her talents to Göteborg HC for the 2020-21 season, making it ten players from Canada West playing in the SDHL and fifteen in total who have played at least one season with a U SPORTS squad!

That's a pretty impressive total from the western side of the country as Manitoba, Regina, Saskatchewan, Alberta and UBC all have players in the SDHL with four former Thunderbirds leading the way! The other Canada West graduates are Erica Rieder (Manitoba) and Jaycee Magwood (Regina) playing with MODO; Danielle Stone (Saskatchewan) plays with HV71; and, Alex Anderson (Manitoba), Megan Eady and Lindsay Post (both from Alberta) play with SDE! Well done, CanWest!

As an aside, is Göteborg HC's logo a panther? A cougar? A female lion? I have no clue.

From Cougars To Lakers

The other big piece of Canada West news is that former Mount Royal Cougars forward Kennedy Bozek is on the move after she signed a professional hockey deal! She won't land in Sweden, however, as Bozek will suit up for the Lakers Kärnten of the EWHL in Austria! She'll be one of three foreigners on the Lakers' roster this season as per EWHL rules, joining fellow Canadian and defender Tash Scantlebury who played with SAIT in the ACAC and German defender and occasional forward Kelsey Soccio who played with EKU Mannheim of the Frauen-Bundesliga. The Lakers, who have been in existence since 2018, are "the only Carinthian women's hockey team that participates in the EWHL" - their claim to fame, it seems!

Kennedy will wear #24 this season for the Lakers, and she'll need to be ready to go shortly as the Lakers will play their first EWHL game on September 26 against an Italian club in the Bolzano Eagles. Bolzano was 9-6-0-3 last season for fourth-place in the EWHL standings, and they ended up losing the bronze-medal game to Aisulu Almaty. The Lakers will likely have their hands full after they finished in ninth-place of the ten-team circuit at 2-15-1-0.

It should also be noted that there are some rather impressive netminders playing in the EWHL. Valeria Lamenta, who Bisons fans will remember from the 2019 U SPORTS National Championship with the Guelph Gryphons, graduated after winning the National Championship, and she played with KMH Budapest, leading them to an EWHL Championship last season. Her tandem partner in Budapest last season was her old Guelph goaltending partner in Stephanie Nehring, so these two did an incredible job in helping Budapest bring home the hardware!

Along with them, Maude Lévesque-Ryan, formerly of the University of Ottawa, backstopped Almaty to the bronze medal, so there were some good Canadian netminders playing the EWHL last season! No word on where any of these players have signed yet, but it's likely we'll see them back somewhere in the EWHL!

Best of luck in Austria this season, Kennedy! We'll be watching your progress!

From Pronghorns To Lakers

It's hard to think that there are many spots for goaltenders at this point in the season for any U SPORTS team considering that most of the teams in U SPORTS had their recruiting done a while back, but I'm am ecstatic to report that former Lethbridge Pronghorns netminder Chloe Marshall will also be a Laker, just not in Austria! Chloe will head to North Bay, Ontario to give goaltending a shot in the OUA with the Nipissing Lakers who have three goalies on the roster, but none with the pedigree or experience that Chloe has! While this will be her fourth team in her fourth year of university - that has to be a modern day record, no? - it seems Chloe will be given a chance by head coach and former NHLer Darren Turcotte to win a roster spot based on her play in camp.

I'm guessing here, but I suspect that Turcotte may want to a goalie who has more than one year of university experience if he's going to challenge for an OUA championship, and Marshall brings that in spades after spending one season in an NCAA Division-III program, and two years in U SPORTS playing behind Jessica Vance and Alicia Anderson. Anderson, as we know from The Hockey Show, liked that Marshall pushed her to be better in practice, so it seems logical for Turcotte to give Marshall a look and possibly red-shirt his two rookie netminders for this season.

Whatever happens, I am now a Nipissing Lakers fan for the upcoming season after having gotten to know Chloe a little, and I'm hoping she can come in and lead that program to new heights and possibly an OUA championship and a trip to the U SPORTS National Championship! Congratulations, Chloe, on finding a place to play this season, and I'll be watching from the next province over as you dominate the OUA!

Bizarro Lanny

This has to be one of the most bizarre stories I've ever read about someone's memoirs, but it seems this will all be resolved one way or another on Friday. According to a CBC report, best-selling NHL author Kirstie McLellan Day is suing Hall of Famer and Calgary Flames legend Lanny McDonald for "refusing to release the manuscript to HarperCollins" that Day penned about McDonald. The reason for this lawsuit is that McDonald watched an episode of The Voice and took a long walk where he pondered over lyrics "about losing your money, but not losing your soul" and subsequently decided not to continue with the book, according to a letter sent to Day and her lawyer via McDonald's counsel.

nhl Something stinks with this whole situation on Lanny's side. Having read a handful of books that Day has penned about NHL stars and personalities, I can honestly say she does excellent work. Lanny, however, found it troubling "that his wife had been removed from the book at her request," and listed five bizarre claims about the manuscript that seem to hold little water at best.

Whatever is happening behind the scenes with Lanny, it may be put under the microscope on Friday when the parties gather in a courtroom to decide what to do about this loggerhead. Personally, I can't see Lanny winning this legal battle, but we'll see how the judge rules once both sides lay out their arguments. I have a feeling this manuscript will be sent to HarperCollins in the near future.

So there are your Wednesday headlines that I found intriguing and interesting. It's good to see the Canada West women getting a chance to move on and play professionally in Europe, and I suspect they'll find their legs and be productive as the season picks up steam. Here's hoping there's a ton of success each of them find in Sweden and Austria, and here's to Chloe Marshall finding her game in the OUA as well!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!