Enough About the All Stars. What about the prospects at the Trade Deadline?

By Daniel A. Marley

         

             It has been a pain looking at all of these National Hockey League Trade Deadline rumors these past couple of weeks.  All I see online is “Rick Nash destined to go to this team” and” that backup will get a starting role with that other team.”  I am sick of it!

            However, I am guilty of contributing to these tiresome rumors, like what I am doing right now.

            Instead of talking about what top National Hockey League players will be on the move, I will go ahead and discuss the rookies or prospects that could be on the move and how they will fair elsewhere.

            One teams that is in no place to be trading away their farm system right now is the New York Rangers.

            During the fiasco of a victory back on February 19 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden, a plethora of die-hard Rangers fans continuously chanted “WE DON’T NEED YOU” and other variations of this phrase towards Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash.  As much as the fans would love to see a goal-scorer like him on the team, the asking price by Columbus General Manager Scott Howson is too erroneous.  The proposed offer by Howson for Nash is Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Kreider, and a first-round pick. 

            Dubinsky has had an odd year offensively, but his contributions on and off the ice are too good to pass up.  Krieder, according to most scouts, has a Nash-like complex and is eager to play for the Rangers club.  If the Rangers trade both of these players, unless they win a Stanley Cup this year, there will be a lot of dissatisfied fans.

            Also, his $7.8 million cap hit will make it impossible for the Rangers to resign players like Derek Stepan, Michael Del Zotto, and Ryan McDonagh, who have positively contributed to the team’s new nucleus.

            From the way that I see it, there will be three teams that will be eager to trade away their future or to go for it all this year, or for their own personal reasons.  Those teams are the Phoenix Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings.

            .  Currently, the Phoenix Coyotes are seventh in the Western Conference with a 29-21-9 record for 67 points, and have gone 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

            The NHL wants to keep the Coyotes in the desert; yet they are ranked last in attendance and there are eight other cities up north that are begging for a team.  The Blue Jackets have a better attendance than them, and they are last in the standings.

            Speaking about the Jackets and the Coyotes, NHL.com headlines “On the Prowl” back on the evening of February 19, as the Coyotes are looking to add players to build a more successful playoff run.  Above the headline is a member of the Coyotes organization and Nash, which is very peculiar and might hinder something unexpected.  The odds of Nash going to Phoenix are currently astronomical.

            The thing that makes Phoenix so unique to me is their collection of veterans.  Their team’s average age is 28 years old, and the majority of the team has been around the league for quite some time.  Michal Rozsival, Ray Whitney, Radim Vrbata, Derek Morris, and Adrian Aucoin have been with multiple clubs and are so far use to the different styles of play, despite what most hockey fans think.

            Phoenix would love to add a top goal scorer to their team, whether it is Nash or someone else.  They have over $10 million in cap space at the moment to make a risky move, but given the current circumstance that they are in, they will need to give up their young core to do so.

            Players whom the sellers would love to receive in return are defensemen Brandon Gormley and David Rundblad and goaltender Mark Visentin.

            Gormley has been considered one of the best defenseman coming out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.  He is a phenomenal two-way defenseman, a cornerstone piece for any team’s rebuild.  According to HockeysFuture.com, Gormley will make contact with the opponent, is solid in his zone, has a bullet of a slapshot, and is an excellent skater. 

            If moved, Gormley will be used like T.J. Brodie of the Calgary Flames.  The team will center their new defensive core around him.

Currently, he has 10 goals and 22 assists in 35 games this season between the Moncton Wildcats and the Shawinigan Cataractes.

            Rundblad was part of the mini-buster trade that sent forward Kyle Turris to the Ottawa Senators.  Like Mika Zibanjead, Ottawa fans would have loved to see how this defenseman will develop.

            He spent the last four years with Skelleftea HC of the Swedish Elite League, or Elitserien, posting good numbers on both ends of the ice.  This year, he is acclimating himself with the North American style of play at both the pro and minor league level. 

            Most scouts love Rundblad’s two-way style of play.  He has good vision on the ice, which allows him to set up plays, handle the puck well, and quarterback the man advantage.  On the defensive front, he does need to work on his aggressiveness.  With a team in need of a rebuild, they will work with Rundblad on this and help develop him into an elite two-way defenseman.

            At the NHL level this year, Rundblad has 26 hits and26 blocked shots with six penalty minutes in 26 games.  On the scoreboard, Rundblad has scored one goal and assisted on five during that same stretch.

            Visentin is a golatender that could be on a lot of team’s radars because of his size, rebound control, and willingness to improve his skills. 

After his sluggish first year in the Ontario Hockey League, where he had a 4.26 goals against average and 87.1 save percentage, Visentin rapidly improved and is being regarded as one of the best goaltenders in the Ontario Hockey League.

            This season, in 35 games with the Niagara Ice Dogs, Visentin is 25-7-2 with 69 goals allowed on 885 shots against.  I would not be surprised if the team he goes to next year, if traded, will give him a starting role.

            The Maple Leafs were once sellers.  Now, they are buyers.

            General Manager Brian Burke has done a splendid job ridding his club of good yet unwanted personnel and replacing them with younger talent.  After the Trade Deadline last year, in their last 15 games, the Leafs went 8-6-1 to end the season on a good note.  Currently, they are in a fight with the Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

            The Leafs are still fairly young and could be in need of more veteran leadership.  They have been rumored to acquire Rick Nash and have some great rebuilding pieces that the Blue Jackets could use; however, they could and should be in the hunt for a more solid defenseman. 

            They are eighth in the league in goals for with 178.  This is a clear indication that offense is not a problem.

Currently, they are 26^th in the league in goals allowed with 180. 

Defensemen with expiring contracts that would love to play for the Leafs are Shea Weber and Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators.  Since the Predators might have trouble financially retaining these two, the Leafs could make an outstanding offer to bring at least one of these stars to Toronto.  Toronto has not won a Cup since 1967, and with the current competitive nature that this club exhibits, a deal like this could be on the horizon.

The prospects that I could see being moved from the Leafs are forwards Nazem Kadri, Joe Colborne, and Jerry D’Amigo.

Kadri is about one to three years away from being NHL ready and is expected to be a consistent 20-plus goal scorer.  However, there are some concerns about his playmaking, which explains his low offensive production for the AHL Toronto Marlies.  The Leafs might not want to wait for him to develop, because if he does not reach his potential, he could see himself being a career minor leaguer. 

On a team looking to rebuild, the organization could help Kadri work on his playmaking skills.  Kadri could be a first or second line center if proper time is put into his game, but if coaches continue to overlook this issue, he could be a third or fourth liner at best if he ever does reach the NHL.

Colborne has been recently a favorite of mine ever since he came to the Toronto organization from the Boston Bruins as part of the Tomas Kaberle trade.  His numbers clearly show that he has adapted well to Toronto’s style of play.  In 63 games for the Marlies, Colborne has scored 24 goals and assisted on 27 with a plus-12 rating.  This offensive production was made possible by his good ice vision and his puck release. 

His size, however, brings about a psychological problem to his game.  He performs based on the size of his opponents and how he manages to offensively and defensively go around him.  Fortunately, this issue has been declining of late and Colborne has the potential to battle for a top-six spot next year for any team.    

The Binghamton, New York native D’Amigo has been viewed as a future two-way winger whose size can add a major presence at both ends of the ice.  He has a high scoring upside and has shown great improvement in the minors statistically, increasing from 15 points in 43 games to 32 points in 54 games.  A player of his caliber will definitely earn him a NHL roster spot for any club next season. 

The Los Angeles Kings made a major move to acquire Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers for Brayden Scheen and Wayne Simmonds.  Scheen and Simmons are prospering in the city of Brotherly Love with their new club succeeding, whereas Richards is doing poorly with 28 points in 51 games while the team struggles offensively.

They too are in the hunt for Rick Nash and other top goal scorers.  However, they need to move some big salary in the process.  They virtually have no cap space. 

Defensively, however, they are phenomenal.  Currently, they are third in the league with 126 goals against.

Richards, along with Jarret Stoll, Dustin Penner, and Simon Gagne, could be that salary on the move.  However, in order for teams to take their salary, they need to give up some of their top prospects.

These prospects include goaltender Jonathan Bernier, defensemen Slava Voyonov and Derek Forbort, and forward Andrei Loktionov.

At this point in his career, Bernier should be a starter.  He joins an elite club with Boston’s Tuuka Rask and Minnesota’s Josh Harding of backups who should be earning full-time roles somewhere else.  His hybrid style of play of stand-up and butterfly goaltending, along with his quickness from post to post and great puck handling, has him on every team’s radar.

Unfortunately in Los Angeles, Jonathan Quick beat him to the starting job.  Bernier needs to go somewhere else before his talent depreciates in value and consistency.

Voyonov is a defenseman that every team likes.  He plays a solid two-way game, has phenomenal speed, and contributes to the special teams well.  The only negative criticism that I have about this guy is that he rarely takes shots when he has an open lane in the offensive zone.  Besides that, he is a great asset to any rebuilding team.  Any organization would love to build a defensive core around him.

At the NHL level, Voyonov has four goals and seven assists, two of each coming from the power play, with a plus-four rating.  He has also blocked 29 shots and hit 48 people.

Before Voyonov, Forbort was seen as the best defensive prospect in the Kings organization.  A defenseman who has a phenomenal decision-making process on and off the ice, Forbort is a perfect example of a stay-at-home defenseman.  He will get the puck out of the zone and make sharp passes to his teammates to help generate offensive rushes.

Currently, Forbort is playing for the University of North Dakota.  According to HockeysFuture.com, he is projected to be a number-one defenseman.  The Kings have two defensemen who currently are in contention for that opening— Jack Johnson and Drew Doughty.

Center Loktionov is a two-way forward who can be perfectly utilized for any special teams unit.  He is projected to be on the second line at best for an NHL club, and utilized in important situations where his impressive face-off skills will come in handy.  He is adjusting well to the American hockey style from his Russian roots, but could use another year of development to further enhance his skills.  Once he reaches his prime, he will be an effective two-way force.

Everyone is focusing their attention on where the stars of the league will go.  I am one of several die-hard fans who care about the players that are on the move.  It is a common practice to see competing teams trade away the future of their franchise for some mercenary rental and succeed, and we have seen busts.  For Flyers fans, it was Eric Lindros.  For the first Winnipeg team, it was Teemu Selanne.  For the Florida Panthers, it was Roberto Louongo.  For the Islanders, they were Louongo, Zdeno Chara, and a first-round pick which led to Jason Spezza.  I like seeing trades like this, because what could have been or what will become of these young and talented players will transpire somewhere else.

Time to Rebuild the Calgary Flames: Who to Go After?

By Dan Marley

            Calgary fans are certain that the team is need of restructuring.

After losing in seven games to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, the Flames have failed to make their championship dreams a reality.  They have missed the playoffs their previous two seasons and have not made it passed the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the preceding four.

This year, they have very few pieces to make some kind of push, but not enough to make any kind of outstanding impact.

            With a weak farm system and a plethora of contracts ready to expire this upcoming season, the time is now to start from scratch.   If they want to compete, they need to emulate the moves and the meticulous patience that their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, are utilizing.

            The Flames are in need of younger talent that can create an unstoppable core offensively and defensively, especially in a division that is now hard to compete in: Edmonton’s player development is so far a success, Vancouver and Minnesota are firmly established with their rosters and line combinations, and Colorado’s peculiar institution of prospects and veterans are keeping their playoff hopes alive on a daily basis.

            Currently, the Flames are ranked in the bottom five of player development, according to HockeysFuture.com (26^th) and ESPN as reported by Yahoo! Sports (28^th).

            In their farm system, they have prospects who show a lot of grit and heart.  Their known prospects do well on the defensive front and can be utilized on the third and fourth lines.  They are forwards Mikael Backlund, Roman Horak, Greg Nemisz, and Ryan Howse, and defenseman T.J. Brodie. 

            Backlund is probably one of the best young play makers on the Flames roster. He is at best a third line forward; however, he cannot be depended on for goals.

            Horak was acquired by the Flames this past off season in a deal which sent defenseman Tim Erixon to the New York Rangers.  He is having a decent year so far in Calgary, adjusting at a good pace to the team’s style of play.  He too is a future third line center and regular to the special team units; however, he needs to be more physical on the fore check.

            After two years playing for the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League and four years prior for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, Nemisz is becoming more acclimated with professional styles of play.  A player who could use another year or two of development in the minors, Nemisz has been counted on by his clubs to make plays and contribute at both ends of the ice.

            Howse was a goal- scoring beast for the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League (now the Victoria Royals), averaging over 30 goals per season and a point per game.  After he left the league due to age and signed a minor league deal with the Flames, he has yet to show that he belongs on the big club.  As of January 8, Howse has yet to register a point in 17 contests.  It will take a lot of convincing and a mid-season personal comeback for the Flames to have him on the roster next year. 

            After Erixon was traded to the Rangers, Brodie became the number one defensive prospect for the Flames.  He has that all-around defensive quality that many teams yearn for: he has great puck-handling skills, can skate very well on the open ice and around his opponents, and cause havoc without being sent to the penalty box with how well he blocks shots and hits his opponents.  He will definitely be the perfect centerpiece for the new team’s defensive core.

            In net, the Flames also have a good prospect in Leland Irving, who is currently the backup at the pro level.  He is revered as the successor of Mikka Kiprusoff.

            According to scouts, he is one of the calmest goaltenders in the game.  His size and lack of aggressiveness may be an issue; however, he steps up and challenges any shooter that he faces with ease. Before he allowed six goals on 21 shots in a 9-0 loss to the Boston Bruins back on January 5, Irving was 1-0-2 with a 2.23 goals against average and a 94.2 save percentage. 

            Despite this upside, their downside is that they only have one prospect who is first and second-line worthy.  His name is Sven Baertschi, and he is still in juniors.

            The 2011 first- round pick Baertschi is a gritty player with an amazing offensive mind.  The Flames wanted him on their roster opening day; but because of full roster spots and his age, the organization felt that he would be better off improving his skills back at the junior level, which has so far proven to be effective.

            In 25 games with the Portland Winterhawks, Baertschi has scored 12 goals and assisted on 42 with 18 penalty minutes and a plus-9 rating.  Expect him on the team's roster at some point during the 2012/13 season.

            With no one else to look forward to, this upcoming National Hockey League Trade Deadline will provide an opportunity for the the Flames to seek the young talent that they need to develop a chemistry with the above prospects.

            To do this, they will need to part ways with fan favorites like Kiprusoff, forward Jarome Iginla, and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester.  All three have been in the organization for quite sometime, and they have collectively not been able to satisfy the playoff aspirations and expectations of the Flames' fandom.

            Kiprusoff is a good solid goaltender who deserves to be on a contending team that is in need of goaltending; Iginla has leadership that playoff hopefuls can use; Bouwmeester is a solid defenseman and special teams contributor that can help mature defensive cores that need that kind of veteran presence on the blue line.

            Potential and smart teams that should make a push for these three and give up a little extra for 2012 success are the Tampa Bay Lightning (Kiprusoff), Florida Panthers (Iginla), and Dallas Stars (Bouwmeester).

            Kiprusoff will be a perfect fit for the Lightning.

            Currently, their goalie situation is abysmal.  Starter Dwayne Roloson is not playing the style of net minding that the organization had anticipated in the beginning of the season and Mathieu Garon is not starter worthy come playoff time.  Tampa Bay might be able to turn their season around if they go out and get that solid net minder like Kiprusoff.

            Also, the Tampa Bay/ St. Petersburg market depends on winning.  Their consistent inconsistency of winning and losing seasons have created a fluctuation of attendance and popularity amongst their market and the NHL since they won the Stanley Cup back in 2004.  If this issue does not get resolved, long-term financial and player development issues are sure to arise.
            This bit of knowledge can make the negotiation process go in favor of Calgary.

            Two prospects that the Flames might target in a deal with Tampa Bay are forwards Brett Connolly and Vladislav Namestnikov.

            Connolly is a good goal scorer and a great play maker, someone that the Flames can use as part of their rebuilding process.  He is so far adjusting well to the professional level, registering eight points in 29 games for Tampa Bay.  He is projected to be a second line center.

              Namestnikov is a skilled forward who harnesses the power to shoot the puck accurately and create plays at both ends of the ice.  He is making the most of his development with the London Knights of the OHL.  He is a bonafide second liner, according to scouts, but has the potential to be an effective first- line center.

            For the first time in as many years, the Panthers have a chance to make a strong push for the Cup.  However, if they want this, they need to improve on their goal scoring.  The presence of Iginla on the Panthers can improve the team’s offensive output, as well as provide leadership for the younger players.

As of January 8, the Panthers are 24^th in the NHL in goals and have a goal differential of minus-8.  This is the worst in the league amongst division leaders.  In a first line that includes Iginla with Tomas Fleischman at center and Kris Versteeg on the wing, the Panthers can finally get the scoring touch that the future Hall of Famer can provide.

In exchange, the Panthers can offer the Flames their expendable prospects. Their desperation for goal scoring can too lead to a first round pick coming Calgary’s way.

Some expendable prospects in the Panthers organization that could fit well in the Flames farm system are prospects Quinton Howden, Rocco Grimaldi, and Alexander Petrovic.

Howden has been known for his speed and contributions to the special team units.  According to scouts, he has the potential to be an effective second-line forward with a chance of competing for a first line spot.  Currently with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL, Howden has registered 29 points in 22 games.

University of North Dakota forward Grimaldi has a lot of upside to his game.  He has an accurate shot and is one of the fastest players in the NCAA.  Because he is relying on college hockey to further his development, he is one of those perfect cases of “hit-or-miss” players.  This is a player that the Flames will be very careful with if they want to get the best out of him and his skill set.  

Petrovic is a solid defenseman and enforcer who is heavily relied on by his team to come up big in games.  Besides his physical strengths, Petrovic can too contribute offensively.  His shot at the blue line is one of the hardest in his league and can set up great passing plays to generate effective scoring chances.  With the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Petrovic has registered 26 assists and 59 penalty minutes in 36 games.

Dallas needs more help on the power play.  Their struggles on the man advantage hinder their chances of making it to the playoffs.
Also, with financial issues on the horizon with low attendances and desperation to sell tickets, something needs to be done.

Currently, they are 24^th in the league in this category at 14.4 percent.  Bouwmeester is a perfect candidate for Dallas’s power play woes.  The reason why is their absence of a player on their roster that can keep the puck into the offensive zone for the full two-plus minutes and feeding it to the open man cleanly and putting it on net.

With Calgary and Florida, Bouwmeester has been revered for his contributions to the special teams.  Since the 2002/03 season, Bouwmeester has registered 105 points with the man advantage, amongst the best for defensemen.
Not only can he be counted on during the power play, Bouwmeester can also be utilized on the penalty kill.  On the penalty kill, he can hit and block shots.

What also makes him a perfect fit in the Lone Star State is Dallas’ collection of veteran talent. 

After former captain Brad Richards left for the Big Apple, Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk dove into the free agent market and signed a collection of players who have playoff and leadership experience.  These players include forwards Radek Dvorak, Vernon Fiddler, and Michael Ryder and defenseman Sheldon Souray.  Each player contributed to the team's early season success. 

However, they are in need of a better defensive presence, given that their team's defense is filled with NHL journeymen and rookies.  Currently, four of their defensemen have a plus/minus rating of minus-1 or worse. 

Calgary, in exchange, can get those rookie defensemen and give them a chance to properly develop and not worry about rushing to become superstars.  

Two defensemen that the Flames should push for on the Stars roster are Philip Larsen and Mark Fistric. 

Larsen is a confident, solid defenseman who is not afraid to challenge his opponents and avoid the penalty box (2 penalty minutes in 19 games).  If the Flames do acquire him, he can see himself on the same pairing as Brodie.

Fistric is a physical player who plays well on the road.  A team like Calgary that has struggled on the road can use a guy like him.  As of January 9, Calgary is 8-14-3 on the road, and a player with great confidence away from his home venue like Fistric can help a team like the Flames regain lost ground in the standings.

Calgary has a lot of options to rebrand and fix this club for the future, but the time to do it is now.  If they continue to do what they are doing now, their chances of competing in the future will look bleak.

Victoria Royals look to instill WHL tradition back in the B.C. Capital

y Daniel Marley

*This article was retrieved from my previous blog.  It was written back on August 25, 2011.  Enjoy.

         A proud Western Hockey League era came to an end in 2011 with the Chilliwack Bruins relocating to the British Columbia capital of Victoria.

The sudden move of the Bruins came earlier this year with the expiration of the lease to Chilliwack’s Prospera Centre and the fear of a National Hockey League relocation of a team to Winnipeg, which would have resulted in a relocation of the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose to Victoria.

According to reporter Allan Maki of Globe and Mail, the relocation of the Bruins was done to preserve the popularity of the WHL in the league’s British Columbia Division and prevent an AHL team from relocating there and “hogging up” all of the media outlets in the province.  

Fortunately for all leagues involved, the Moose relocated to the Newfoundland and Labrador capital of St. John’s and the WHL market in the Western Canada province was not disrupted.

For the second time in WHL history, semi-professional hockey will have operations in Victoria.  Fans will be graced with the physical style of play that the Bruins fans have adored since their inaugural season in 2006, leading the league in penalty minutes last year with 1,553.

Last season, Chilliwack finished third in the B.C. Division and sixth in the Western Conference with a 33-31-8 record for 74 points.  They made the playoffs, only to lose to the Spokane Chiefs in the first round.

This year, the Royals look to generate their new fan base by preserving their physical game while incorporating a stronger offensive core and restructuring their goaltending for a better push towards their Ed Cynoweth and Memorial Cup dreams.

With the loss of key players like forwards Roman Horak and Ryan Howse and defensemen Brandon Manning and Jeff Einhorn to league age restrictions and regulations, the Royals have done almost everything to fill in these missing roster spots.

The Royals’ restructuring began at the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft and the WHL Bantam Draft early in the offseason with the selections of Czech Republic center Lukas Kralik and defenseman Joe Hicketts respectively.

The Royals were relieved to see Kralik still up for grabs by the time they made their selection.  He is highly revered for his offensive production and physical presence.  According to Hockey Scout and Analyst Dan Sallows, he is a “strong skater who has a good shot, nice hands, and displays good puck protection, reminding hockey fans of a young Ilya Kovalchuk.” Expect him to make a push for a spot on the top line and for his talents to be utilized on the special teams units.

The selection of Kamloops native Hicketts is the perfect compliment for the loss of Manning for his effective two-way defensive game.  Scouts view him as a dominant force that stands up for his team and puts points on the board.  With the Kamloops Jardines Blazers Bantam AAA in 2010/11, he registered 18 goals, 41 assists, 54 penalty minutes, a plus/minus rating of 98, 300 hits, and 33 blocked shots in 51 games.  He also showed great leadership with his Triple-A club, and if he proves himself this year, he will earn a captaincy down the road.

Other 2011 Victoria draft picks include defenseman Zach Peterson of the Edmonton SSAC Bantam AAA club and center Brendon Benson of the Lethbridge Bantam AAA club.

After the draft, the Royals continued their tweaking by trading for defenseman Hayden Rintoul of the 2011 Ed Chynoweth Cup Champion Kootenay Ice and goaltender Keith Hamilton of the Western Conference Champion Portland Winterhawks. 

Rintoul’s strength on the blue line was a key component to Kootenay’s championship run.  The perfect replacement for Einhorn, Rintoul will catch the interest of Victoria fans with his defensive zone concentration and leadership.  In 51 games last season, he registered 24 points with 51 penalty minutes and a plus-16 rating.

The loss of Chilliwack goaltender Lucas Gore made the Royals trade for a goaltender like Hamilton.  After serving as Marc Carruth’s backup in Portland, Hamilton has shown that he deserves the starting role with the Royals.  For three Bantam draft picks, the Royals got a player who is known for his positioning and eye for the puck.  In 28 games played, Hamilton recorded a 17-6-2 record with a 2.91 goals against average, a 91.4 save percentage, and one shutout.

There are two players from last year’s roster that will make a huge impact this year in their new home.  They are forwards Kevin Sundher and Robin Soudek.

Former 2007 first rounder Sundher now has the role as primary goal scorer with the departures of House and Horak.   He is well known amongst the Chilliwack fan base for his offensive mindset and consistency.  He can generate plays in the offensive zone and make accurate passes to his teammates on the ice. 

Last season, Sundher registered 52 assists and 76 points in 70 regular season contests and seven points in five playoff games.  He had a career best in the month of February when he shined offensively with 19 points in 12 games.

Soudek has seen his offensive production and his physicality increase since he left the Edmonton Oil Kings after the 2009-10 season.  His point totals doubled, as well as his time in the penalty box.  In 61 games in 2010, Soudek scored 25 goals and assisted on 32 with 70 penalty minutes.

 Other key players include forward Brandon Magee (12-17-29) and defensemen Mitch Topping (5-11-16) and Tyler Stahl (1-9-10).

The Victoria Royals open up their inaugural season with a home-and-home series on September 23 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and September 24 at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria against the Vancouver Giants.

Where to Next? The NHL Winter Classic, a Neutral Location, and Advantages

By Dan Marley

            This week, we watched two of hockey’s biggest rivals battle outdoors in the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The visiting New York Rangers came from behind to defeat the hosting Flyers three to two, a game that will live in resplendence and glory for Rangers fans, and infamy for Flyers fans.

Hockey fans across the United States are anxiously awaiting the news for next year’s contest, hoping that different teams for once can take the ice.

Next year, the National Hockey League should consider playing in locations that are not located where the previous participants are from; however, if they have to for reasons of marketing and profit, the teams should play at a neutral location.

The key word here is “neutral.”  Never has anyone in any professional sports league considered playing a game like this in a nonbiased setting unless certain circumstances arose.  If possible, what two teams that draw heavy volumes of interest across the country can play in the Winter Classic at a neutral location and where?

The answer: Penguins versus Flyers at Beaver Stadium in Penn State University.

Hockey fans are probably tired of seeing these two teams in another outdoor classic, but knowing Gary Bettman, Barry Melrose, and company, they might consider this option.

Currently, Penn State athletics are in a rough patch after the sex scandal involving former head coach Joe Paterno and defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.  An incident like this will take years for the university to recover.  However, for the athletic department, there is some good news on the horizon.

According to reports on ESPN.com, the Penn State Ice Hockey program will be upgrading to Division I.  A move like this will continue to increase the popularity of the school and calm the current dilemmas that are bothering the school’s athletic department.

In terms of marketing, “what better way to celebrate Penn State hockey’s newest achievement than a NHL Winter Classic?”.    

Penn State is a perfect neutral ground for the Flyers and the Penguins.  Both teams are within a three-hour radius of the campus and have been known to draw big crowds from all over.

This Winter Classic has the potential to last a week with various hockey events, leading up to and preceding the big game.  These include an American Hockey League Winter Classic, an ECHL Winter Classic, and Penn State DI outdoor hockey.

The battle of Pennsylvania will continue in the AHL, with the Scranton/WB Penguins taking on the Hersey Bears.  The Bears will be playing in the 2012 Winter Classic Festivities on January 6 in Philadelphia against the Adirondack Phantoms.

This particular situation with the Bears might mimic the one with both the Penguins and the Flyers; however, unlike the rest of the league, Hershey can get a good attendance.

The ECHL has never hosted an outdoor game, unless I am mistaken.  Currently, there is only one ECHL team that plays in Pennsylvania: the Reading Royals.  The Royals are the minor league affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. 

However, there are two teams that play within twenty miles of the eastern and western Pennsylvania borders and are the affiliates of both Pennsylvania teams: the Wheeling Nailers (Penguins) and the Trenton Titans (Flyers).  All three of these teams play in the same division in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals of Elmira, New York.

 Having two of the three Pennsylvania state-limit teams or even all four teams of the Atlantic Division in a day-night double header can help the ECHL gain more recognition across the country as the league continues to expand.

Finally, an outdoor college hockey game featuring Penn State University will close off an amazing week of hockey in Happy Valley.  Potential opponents include Ohio State, Boston College, Boston University, and UMass-Amherst.

The concern of hosting a game like this on neutral ground is which of the two teams will have the home advantage.  Having no home team for this particular Classic can open up opportunities for future NHL markets.

Since 2008, the National Hockey League has been playing games in Europe.  After the games, there is usually a one- week break in the season.  During that week off, the Penguins and the Flyers should play a regular season game in a venue of a new potential market.  This will test the new markets to see whether or not they deserve a team. 

Preseason games have been used to do this, but hockey fans in these areas are not fond of watching no name prospects play on teams with weak farm systems.  They would rather see Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux battle for scoring supremacy instead of Jason Akeson and Dominik Uher battle for roster spots.

The schedule for Flyers/Penguins matchups will go as follow: two at Wells Fargo, two at CONSOLE Energy Center, one at Penn State, and the other at the potential market location.  The markets that everyone has been obsessing over lately are Kansas City, Missouri; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Hartford, Connecticut; Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

A lot of people are getting sick of seeing the Penguins and the Flyers play in the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.  However, because of the popularity of these two teams, it is bound to happen again within the next five years.  By having a Winter Classic at a neutral location, especially Penn State University, everyone can benefit from this.  No one needs to have home field advantage.  Minor league hockey can get some much- needed recognition.  The tradition of college hockey can continue to grow as it introduces a new member to its more competitive ranks of Division I.  A new market can be tested properly.   

My Thoughts: Barclays Center in Brooklyn a Possible Spot for a Minor League Team

By Dan Marley


Over on the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, a new sports and entertainment complex is being built.

Named the Barclays Center, its expected completion date is in September of 2012.

With the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association relocating here, big-league professional sports will be back in Brooklyn for the first time since 1957.  With the Nets, more tenants might make the Barclays Center their new home.

According to sources, the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League will more than likely fill in one of the open spots.

In their first decade of operations, the Nets and Islanders played in the same venue in Long Island, bringing forth a nostalgic intention of reuniting the two teams under one roof.  This move would be great for the Islanders, however, skepticism and financial worries center on this potential move.

Since 1972, the Islanders have played at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where they won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983.  Their thirteen consecutive playoff appearances from the 1975 to 1988 seasons too brought in heavy volumes of fans and fan favorites like Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, Mike Bossy, and Clark Gilles.

After the 1989 season, however, two decades of missing the playoffs, poor trades, and early postseason exits led to a decline in attendance and popularity.  The 2004/05 NHL Lockout and 2008 United States economic recession were of no help to this team’s woes, as the rise of lacrosse and the poor economy in Nassau and Suffolk counties contributed to the franchise’s steady demise.

According to ESPN, the Islanders averaged 11,000 fans per game, the worst in the NHL.  Of these fans, a majority of them were fans of their Atlantic Division rivals and of the notorious Quebec-ians that migrated from Quebec City on several occasions who wish to bring the Nordiques back into the NHL.

To make matters worse, fans found other ways to use their tickets instead of going to the games or selling them online for a dime a dozen.

Greg “Opie” Hughes of The Opie and Anthony Show broadcasted his feelings about his favorite hockey club all over YouTube by dumping his tickets into the Hudson River after the Isles had lost its seventeenth in 18 games early in the 2010/11 regular season.

Also, when the vote this summer came for a new arena on the Island, no one showed up to the voting booths.  Those who were able to make some kind of effort to cast their ballot voted “NO”.

If the Islanders cannot make ends meet now, how would they be able to do so 30 miles west?

These reasons do not just affect the Islanders; they also affect the rest of the league.

Apart from the Islanders, the New York Rangers are playing at the newly renovated Madison Square Garden five miles north of the new site.  The Rangers have one of the biggest fan bases in the league, and a huge following across the globe.  Also, the New Jersey Devils play ten miles west in Newark, New Jersey, and have a steadily growing fandom.

It is because of this that NHL hockey will not be able to properly thrive in Brooklyn.  However, a minor league hockey team will be able to find a home here.

The Rangers are a perfect candidate for an affiliation here in Brooklyn.

Right now, the Rangers have an affiliation agreement with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League.  The Whale play 120 miles away from Madison Square Garden, and the travel between destinations on game day plays a heavy toll on the players being called up and sent down.

The traffic from the airports to the arena during rush hour too is critical, delaying the arrival of the players, giving them less preparation time for their upcoming contests.

Another dilemma with this affiliation is the poor attendance at the XL Center in the Hartford Metropolitan Area.  In an arena that seats 15,000-plus, the Whale average only 5,600 per game, as of the 2010/11 season.  Reasons being due to the poor conditions of the XL Center in Hartford and the emotional toll that took place in 1997 when the Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina.

A clear indication of dissatisfaction was seen during the Whale Bowl, the AHL’s “Winter Classic” that saw very little interest in the Hartford community.  The crowd attendance was equivalent to the maximum capacity of the men’s bathroom at the University of Connecticut football field.

A change in scenery would be best for the organization and for player development.

An affiliation in Brooklyn for the Rangers will preserve a New York hockey identity within the five boroughs and make call ups and send downs easier to regulate and conduct.

Instead of a plane or long car ride to and from Hartford, players will be taking a short subway ride between boroughs, cutting down travel time and making arrangements stress-free.

Because of the close proximity of the two teams, fans can meet and greet with future Rangers and help better promote player and team development in the upcoming seasons.  If fans want to see how the prospects are doing, they can go to the games at an affordable price and see them play, rather than look up highlights online or read biased articles that do not depict the real style of play that they witnessed.

As for media agreements, WKRB (90.3 FM) and Brooklyn Community Access Television Brooklyn can air the games.

WKRB currently broadcast the Brooklyn Cyclones (Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets) of the New York-Penn League and the addition of a sports team to a student-based network can lead to more advertising, scholastic programs, and financial interests to the Brooklyn Center for Media Education.

The biggest concern centering on this move would be the scheduling of games and transportation.

In regards to this, the AHL can make the Brooklyn team’s schedule non-conflicting with the NHL’s, having them play at home when they are on the road and vice versa or playing on the other’s off days.

Another concern is keeping the AHL and NHL 30 teams even.

Relocation would be required, and there are two perfect candidates for this: the Whale and the Abbotsford Heat.

In Hartford, there have been murmurs about building a new sports and entertainment complex in the surrounding area with the slightest hint of bringing back their beloved Whalers.  If construction does go underway, the Whale would need to relocate, and Brooklyn would be a perfect fit for the farm team.

When the Heat popped into the hockey picture in British Colombia as the farm team for the Calgary Flames, all major markets in that area focused their attention on the Heat, disrupting broadcasting agreements with the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League.  Chilliwack and Abbotsford are very close neighbors.

Media focus of the Heat led to a major decline in profits for Chilliwack and eventually to their relocation in the B.C. capital of Victoria.

“You don’t do what Calgary did here,” said Daryl Porter, former owner of the Chilliwack Bruins, on Chilliwack’s 89.5 The Hawk back in April, “… [There’s a code in minor sports, and especially in hockey]… the fundamental bad break at the end of the day [turned us into victims].”

Ironically, the WHL reigns more supreme than their AHL competitor in the Western Canadian province.  Despite the new complex that was built in Abbotsford, the team averaged less than 50 percent attendance, while the Chilliwack Bruins averaged over 60-percent at the 5,000-plus during their tenure at the Prospera Center.

By relocating the Heat to Brooklyn, not only would the Rangers have a closer minor league affiliate, the popularity and media rights to the B.C. Division of the WHL will be preserved and given more room to grow.

The last major concern of a professional or minor league team heading into the borough is the competition between both the new team and the Brooklyn Aviators of the Federal Hockey League.

The Aviators play at Aviator Sports and Events Center down the road on Flatbush Avenue.  The organization has developed a winning dynasty, with two league championship appearances and one title dating back to the time they were the New York Aviators of the North East Professional Hockey League.

The decision of moving the Aviators to a new location, the Brooklyn AHL team using Aviator Sports as a training facility, and naming the new AHL team after these Aviators are not the best of ideas.

However, the two can coexist where both can benefit from an affiliation agreement with the Rangers.

Currently, the Aviators are the “proud” affiliate of the Wheeling Nailers, who are the East Coast Hockey League affiliate for the Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  New York fans are not too fond of either of these teams.

To better promote hockey in Brooklyn and preserve a New York identity, the Aviators should consider signing an affiliation agreement with the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL, who are currently the AA farm team for the Rangers.

Also, when it comes to scheduling, since the FHL plays their games primarily on weekends, both leagues must make sure that if both teams play on the same day, they should not play at the same time.  Everyone gets a cool taste of the good old hockey game in Brooklyn at every level.

The National Hockey League must not consider allowing any team to occupy a space at the Barclays Center, especially one that has a decaying fan base and is in close proximity of popular and successful franchises like the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.  Instead, the American Hockey League is a perfect fit, as a center for player development and affordable family fun.  It may not happen right away, but proper delegation of the idea will work great and spread the word of hockey in a very positive way.