Okay, now that I have a full grasp of those Prairie trips in the Iron Lung WHL players make many times a season, we can catch up on the last few weeks.
The Early Bird Season Ticket drive of the Ice and the Kootenay Ice 'Green Bay Committee' that provides oodles of community support wrapped while I was gone with a total of 2030 season tickets, 318 of which are new. The committee is planning on kick-starting the Champions of the Ice Reach Out ticket drive coming up next which provides tickets to games for those who generally cannot afford to go. The target for that is 120. If they meet their goal (and with the tremendous support the business community demonstrates toward the team in Cranbrook and area, I expect they will), the final total will be a substantial increase from the 1830 season tickets the Ice had last season. 2300 isn't out of the realm of possibility. Based on those totals the average attendance, which last season was 2501, should jump to the 3000 mark based on average walk-up projections. Those are numbers not seen in five years.
The NHL Draft was in St.Paul (Xcel Energy Centre is in St.Paul, where the Minnesota Wild play) while I was there and on day two of the Draft Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen finally heard his name called - well, saw it on the Internet, as he wasn't on hand - and was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 6th round, 167th overall. At 19, Lieuwen was overlooked twice before his stellar play last season and backstopping the Ice to the WHL championship forced NHL teams to give him a shot. Ice teammate D Brayden McNabb was selected by the Sabres in the 3rd round in 09 and signed to a contract just prior to the Memorial Cup. Dan Kinvig of the Abbotsford News has a piece here as does Matt Coxford at the Townsman. In the first piece Lieuwen talks about the future and what it could hold next season. As a 20-year-old Lieuwen could be signed and play in the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester or the club's ECHL affiliate (they didn't have one last season) but he could also be returned to the Ice for his final year of junior. If that happens it would give the club a possible five overage players for three spots on top of clogging the goaltending pipeline (Skapski, Hoflin, Teskey) something fierce. However the Sabres aren't deep in goaltenders within the system and it's very possible Lieuwen will catch on in the AHL next season. It'll be interesting to see what develops.
Saw that the WHL Exhibition schedule was released last week. Kootenay will play five pre-season games but none of them will be at home. The first three will be in the Tri-City tournament against the Ams, the Silvertips and the Winterhawks and then the Ice will play two in the Crowsnest Pass against Lethbridge and Calgary, respectively.
The full regular season schedule comes out today and fittingly enough, the club will raise the 2011 WHL Championship banner (along with the Eastern Conference one) to the Rec Plex rafters on Saturday, September 24 against the Calgary Hitmen. Kootenay opens the season on the road against the Red Deer Rebels one night earlier. The full schedule is here.
The CHL Import Draft is on as I type. The Ice hold the 51st pick (out of 60 per round) and Ice GM told Jeff Hollick (Between the Lines, on the right) that if the club takes an import player this season it'll be a 92 or 93-born forward. Chynoweth still hadn't decided whether or not they'll take a player in the draft or look to see what's available via other clubs but it sounds like the club will have an import player at least at training camp to compete for a spot. If he takes the latter route two forwards - Russian forward Alex Kuvaev (11g, 13a in 2010-11) of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Prince Albert forward Michel Hlinka (Czech Republic - 5g, 5a last season with both Moose Jaw and PA) are some names that might be available. Chynoweth is looking to mitigate some of the scoring lost via graduation (Fraser, King and Boomer) and through NHL signed players who won't be back (Eakin, McNabb). Kootenay is scheduled to make their selection at 3:20PM Mountain time but the draft looks to be ahead of schedule today.
UPDATE: The Ice traded their pick in the CHL draft to the Everett Silvertips for a 8th round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft. Chynoweth said in a release, “We were looking to add a forward in the 1992 or 1993 age group that could come in and compete for a top six position with our Club and unfortunately we could not make that happen. Although we have passed on selecting a player in the CHL Import Draft for a second year in a row, it does not mean we will not have an Import player in our line-up at some point in the near future.”
In the coaching game, former Ice head coach Mark Holick took in the draft in St. Paul. He is the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate in Syracuse, NY.... Former Ice coaches Ryan McGill and Cory Clouston are still looking for work. McGill wasn't re-signed as an assistant in Calgary and Clouston didn't survive the purge in Ottawa. In St. Paul I was told McGill's name was mentioned for the head coaching position in Houston, the Wild's AHL affiliate. That job should be filled later this week. Former Ice assistant and Sens assistant under Cory Clouston, Brad Lauer's name was mentioned a finalist for the Milwaukee Admirals head coaching job this week that went to Kirk Muller. Lauer's name has also been thrown out there as one of the possible assistants in Detroit. In Cory Clouston's case I haven't heard his name bandied about for vacant positions at the pro level but I have heard his name with some WHL vacant positions. Everett is still searching as is Moose Jaw and Regina. Seattle hired former Avs assistant Steve Konowalchuk last week leaving three vacant positions. Moose Jaw's supposedly has former Guelph Storm head coach Dave Barr hired to coach if there's no NHL or AHL opportunities. Barr was an assistant with the Minnesota Wild last season. That would leave Everett and Regina with open spots and two franchises I believe have deep enough pockets to afford Clouston. Stepping down from the NHL (or being pushed, take your pick) to coach back at the junior level would take Marc Habscheid money and length of deal. Clouston would command likely a five year, six figure deal to come back to the Dub this season, easily north of the $125,000/season figure. Then again, maybe he'll just hang here with his young family and wait out his options.
The World Junior Summer Development Camp roster was named a few weeks ago. Most eligible among Ice forwards Max Reinhart, wasn't on it. He'll have another shot at the December selection camp later in the season. If he's ripping up the WHL scoring race an invite should be in the mail.
That'll be it for a bit as the summer news will be slow. Time for some lake time. Kids played great at the tournament in Wisconsin (just over state line from Minnesota). Learned that Japan as a hockey nation is still growing but the team they sent to the tournament could've been their U-14 team. They were pretty good. Team from St. Paul won the tourney, Johnson-Como. We finished 5-5 at the tourney and I learned that every team there saved their best for playing anyone from Canada. Who knew Australia (New South Wales, to be precise) could be such an intense rival for 12-year-olds? And the Kiwis (Auckland, NZ) could be so chippy and have a 5'11" goaltender who stopped everything we threw at her? Both were coached by Canadian ex-pats, go figure!
I think I can safely say that will be the last 24-hour bus ride I'll take, however.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Ice season ticket push and some other things
The big push is on for early bird season tickets for next season for the Kootenay Ice as the try to get their season ticket base up in the small-market world of the WHL. The deadline has been extended yet again to June 16.
Jeff Hollick has been providing updates on his blog and has the number at 1871 (Now 1929) so far, with 251 new season ticket holders. It's a good start as the club's biggest number was over 2400 in the first year of the Rec Plex in 2000.
Matt Coxford had an interesting story with WHL commissioner Ron Robison here about the viability of a WHL club in a small market, in particular, Cranbrook.
I've been getting updates from Bre Tironese and Allan Rella, both of which do great work with the Kootenay Ice 'Green Bay' Committee (a small-market NFL reference). It's an independent group headed up by local fans and businesses that see the importance of the WHL club to the city and doing everything in it's power to make sure they stay here and stay viable. Allan reported that the Early Bird deadline has been extended yet again to June 16 so call the Ice office for details.
The group is doing some great stuff including the 'Champions of the Ice' group that purchases tickets (by local businesses) and then donates them to the less-fortunate or groups that cannot afford games through the Reach Out program. They're also rejuvenating the school program that was successful two years back and brought the schools out to the game.
They do some great work and have more ideas and initiatives to kickstart attendance in small-market Cranbrook.
I did get to thinking though that it's a unique relationship that spurs this kind of support. It's something that usually only occurs with community-owned teams like those in Swift, Lethbridge or Moose Jaw or PA.
G Peyton Lee has been selected to an elite Hockey Canada camp in Missauga later this summer. It's been a good year for Lee, a Cranbrook minor hockey product who played his first year away from home with the POE in Kelowna this year and was drafted by the Vancouver Giants. Matt Coxford has the story here.
Learned that another Cranbrook product and CMHA grad G Brad Rebagliatti, 17, is listed by the Seattle Thunderbirds. He missed almost the entire season last year with a torn ACL. I'll update where he's playing this year as soon as I find out.
Another former CMHA product, Fernie native Jake MacLachlan, a forward who played with Notre Dame this season, got this invite to the Red Deer Rebel prospects camp last week.
And yet another former CMHA player, F Sebastien Barrette, who also played in Notre Dame this season and was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades in May, will play with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice in Nelson this September.
Mississauga Majors head coach Dave Cameron had a tough 2011. The national junior squad under his watch blew a 3-0 lead in the gold medal game against the Russians; blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the OHL Championship to the Owen Sound Attack, including losing in overtime in game 7 and then lost in the Memorial Cup final Sunday. Tough year.
Still on Cameron, every indication is that he will replace Cory Clouston as the Ottawa Senators head coach. The Senators are owned by Eugene Melnyk, who also owns the Majors. Just an observation here but it looks as though Cameron is every bit the old-school, hard-ass coach that was the complaint of Clouston at the NHL level. (eg. Dany Heatly and Clouston aren't going to be sending Christmas cards this year, or any year). So if that was a problem with Clouston, how are the NHL'ers going to react to Cameron? I've covered Ryan McGill, Clouston and Mark Holick, who were tough as nails on their players. Watching Cameron on the bench at the Memorial Cup and he looked way worse.
Had a younger co-worker get tickets for Game two of the Stanley Cup finals between Vancouver and Boston. He's a die-hard Nucks fan and got 'bleeders' as it was described to me. Meaning a pair of nose-bleed seats at Rogers Arena set him back a cool $1500. Lower Bowl were going for $3500 a pair. Hey, I'm as biggest Canuck fan as the next guy but I'm not parting with two weeks pay for couple of seats next to a guy in green spandex. Maybe I'm just getting cheap with age...
So are the 'Nucks going to choke as the noose tightens tonight or pull it out? Luongo or Schneider? Six of one, half dozen of the other. If Luongo falters tonight Schneider will be ask to bail them out in game six in his hometown, no doubt. Is it me or are you embarassed as a 'Nucks fan that the opposition's goaltender not only put your best player on his butt (Gm 3) but added insult to injury and got more shots in and initiated a goal-mouth scrap. Really, Thomas has been the difference in this series but do you have to let him beat you up too? Is Rick Rypien still around?
Whether or not the phyical push-back the Canucks need tonight is irrelevant (Hello, Mr. Torres?), Vancouver looks lost right now. Group therapy bills in this province are going to be needed in spades if they lose tonight.
Lastly, it'll be quiet around here for the next month or so. I'll provide updates and comments on all things Ice but I'm taking a Peewee team to coach Cranbrook's entry into the International Friendship Peewee tournament in Hudson, Wisconsin (just 30 KM east of Minneapolis) for the next two weeks. It's a tournament with teams from all over the world and should be a great experience for the kids. We were scheduled to leave on Amtrak Sunday but Mother Nature has other ideas and the flooding in North Dakota has the tracks underwater and us now on the mother of all bus rides. Now I'll know what the boys feel like headed to Brandon, twice.
And yes, Twins-Padres are in order at Target Field June 17 and coincidentally, the NHL Draft in is Minnesota at the home of the Wild at the Xcel Energy Centre on the 24and 25 so I hope to take in rounds 2-7 (first round is sold out) on the Saturday before we return. John Niebrandt and Jagger Dirk, as well as Nathan Lieuwen are Ice hopefuls.
Jeff Hollick has been providing updates on his blog and has the number at 1871 (Now 1929) so far, with 251 new season ticket holders. It's a good start as the club's biggest number was over 2400 in the first year of the Rec Plex in 2000.
Matt Coxford had an interesting story with WHL commissioner Ron Robison here about the viability of a WHL club in a small market, in particular, Cranbrook.
I've been getting updates from Bre Tironese and Allan Rella, both of which do great work with the Kootenay Ice 'Green Bay' Committee (a small-market NFL reference). It's an independent group headed up by local fans and businesses that see the importance of the WHL club to the city and doing everything in it's power to make sure they stay here and stay viable. Allan reported that the Early Bird deadline has been extended yet again to June 16 so call the Ice office for details.
The group is doing some great stuff including the 'Champions of the Ice' group that purchases tickets (by local businesses) and then donates them to the less-fortunate or groups that cannot afford games through the Reach Out program. They're also rejuvenating the school program that was successful two years back and brought the schools out to the game.
They do some great work and have more ideas and initiatives to kickstart attendance in small-market Cranbrook.
I did get to thinking though that it's a unique relationship that spurs this kind of support. It's something that usually only occurs with community-owned teams like those in Swift, Lethbridge or Moose Jaw or PA.
G Peyton Lee has been selected to an elite Hockey Canada camp in Missauga later this summer. It's been a good year for Lee, a Cranbrook minor hockey product who played his first year away from home with the POE in Kelowna this year and was drafted by the Vancouver Giants. Matt Coxford has the story here.
Learned that another Cranbrook product and CMHA grad G Brad Rebagliatti, 17, is listed by the Seattle Thunderbirds. He missed almost the entire season last year with a torn ACL. I'll update where he's playing this year as soon as I find out.
Another former CMHA product, Fernie native Jake MacLachlan, a forward who played with Notre Dame this season, got this invite to the Red Deer Rebel prospects camp last week.
And yet another former CMHA player, F Sebastien Barrette, who also played in Notre Dame this season and was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades in May, will play with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice in Nelson this September.
Mississauga Majors head coach Dave Cameron had a tough 2011. The national junior squad under his watch blew a 3-0 lead in the gold medal game against the Russians; blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the OHL Championship to the Owen Sound Attack, including losing in overtime in game 7 and then lost in the Memorial Cup final Sunday. Tough year.
Still on Cameron, every indication is that he will replace Cory Clouston as the Ottawa Senators head coach. The Senators are owned by Eugene Melnyk, who also owns the Majors. Just an observation here but it looks as though Cameron is every bit the old-school, hard-ass coach that was the complaint of Clouston at the NHL level. (eg. Dany Heatly and Clouston aren't going to be sending Christmas cards this year, or any year). So if that was a problem with Clouston, how are the NHL'ers going to react to Cameron? I've covered Ryan McGill, Clouston and Mark Holick, who were tough as nails on their players. Watching Cameron on the bench at the Memorial Cup and he looked way worse.
Had a younger co-worker get tickets for Game two of the Stanley Cup finals between Vancouver and Boston. He's a die-hard Nucks fan and got 'bleeders' as it was described to me. Meaning a pair of nose-bleed seats at Rogers Arena set him back a cool $1500. Lower Bowl were going for $3500 a pair. Hey, I'm as biggest Canuck fan as the next guy but I'm not parting with two weeks pay for couple of seats next to a guy in green spandex. Maybe I'm just getting cheap with age...
So are the 'Nucks going to choke as the noose tightens tonight or pull it out? Luongo or Schneider? Six of one, half dozen of the other. If Luongo falters tonight Schneider will be ask to bail them out in game six in his hometown, no doubt. Is it me or are you embarassed as a 'Nucks fan that the opposition's goaltender not only put your best player on his butt (Gm 3) but added insult to injury and got more shots in and initiated a goal-mouth scrap. Really, Thomas has been the difference in this series but do you have to let him beat you up too? Is Rick Rypien still around?
Whether or not the phyical push-back the Canucks need tonight is irrelevant (Hello, Mr. Torres?), Vancouver looks lost right now. Group therapy bills in this province are going to be needed in spades if they lose tonight.
Lastly, it'll be quiet around here for the next month or so. I'll provide updates and comments on all things Ice but I'm taking a Peewee team to coach Cranbrook's entry into the International Friendship Peewee tournament in Hudson, Wisconsin (just 30 KM east of Minneapolis) for the next two weeks. It's a tournament with teams from all over the world and should be a great experience for the kids. We were scheduled to leave on Amtrak Sunday but Mother Nature has other ideas and the flooding in North Dakota has the tracks underwater and us now on the mother of all bus rides. Now I'll know what the boys feel like headed to Brandon, twice.
And yes, Twins-Padres are in order at Target Field June 17 and coincidentally, the NHL Draft in is Minnesota at the home of the Wild at the Xcel Energy Centre on the 24and 25 so I hope to take in rounds 2-7 (first round is sold out) on the Saturday before we return. John Niebrandt and Jagger Dirk, as well as Nathan Lieuwen are Ice hopefuls.
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