Former Toronto Maple Leaf enforcer Wade Belak was found dead in his Toronto apartment today. He was 35 years old.
The London Free Press has the story here.
Belak is the older brother of former Ice tough-guy Graham Belak - who became an RCMP officer.
Belak's death is the third such occurrence of an NHL enforcer/fighter type in the past three months. Derek Boogard died after an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in May while Rick Rypien committed suicide a couple of weeks ago. Rypien suffered from depression.
I'm not going to delve into it too much at this time but if you're not thinking twice about the after effects of head shots and ultimately, fighting, in the game of hockey, you should be.
Gregg Drinnan over a Taking Note (On the left) has been talking about those very same affects from fighting for some time now and has a ton of stories on the subject.
This one's not going away.....
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Camp kicks off
As Kootenay Ice training camp 2011 kicks off today at the Rec Plex the club announced that 8 players from the 2010-11 WHL Champions are headed to NHL training camps.
The usual suspects will be at their respective drafted team camps:
Cody Eakin - Washington Capitals
Brayden McNabb - Buffalo Sabres
Nathan Lieuwen - Buffalo Sabres
Max Reinhart - Calgary Flames
Joey Leach - Calgary Flames
Drew Czerwonka - Edmonton Oilers
James Martin - Calgary Flames (Free-agent invite)
Joe Antilla - San Jose Sharks (Free-agent invite)
Eakin, McNabb and Reinhart are all signed by their respective clubs but only McNabb and Eakin are expected to turn pro. Reinhart can play either with the big club or must be returned to junior as a 19-year-old as per the CHL/NHL agreement.
Lieuwen was only drafted last June and the Sabres don't have to sign him until next June. If signed, Lieuwen could likely be gone and play within the Sabres system as 20-year-olds (as with Eakin and McNabb) can turn pro at any level.
The club also released the training camp schedule. The Annual Blue-White game goes Sunday at Noon. Cost is $5 with all proceeds going to the Cranbrook/Kimberley United Way.
Wednesday, August 31
Prospect Session 9:15 am – 10:30 am
Veterans Practice 10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Goalies Session 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Prospect Session 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Thursday, September 1
Team Blue Practice 9:15 am - 10:30 am
Team White vs. Team Black 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Team White Practice 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm
Team Blue vs. Team Black 6:45 pm – 8:45 pm
Friday, September 2
Team Black 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Team Blue vs. Team White 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Goaltenders Specialty Session 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Team Black vs. Team Blue 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Saturday, September 3
Team White vs. Team Black 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Team Blue vs. Team White 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Sunday, September 4 United Way Intrasquad Game 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
The usual suspects will be at their respective drafted team camps:
Cody Eakin - Washington Capitals
Brayden McNabb - Buffalo Sabres
Nathan Lieuwen - Buffalo Sabres
Max Reinhart - Calgary Flames
Joey Leach - Calgary Flames
Drew Czerwonka - Edmonton Oilers
James Martin - Calgary Flames (Free-agent invite)
Joe Antilla - San Jose Sharks (Free-agent invite)
Eakin, McNabb and Reinhart are all signed by their respective clubs but only McNabb and Eakin are expected to turn pro. Reinhart can play either with the big club or must be returned to junior as a 19-year-old as per the CHL/NHL agreement.
Lieuwen was only drafted last June and the Sabres don't have to sign him until next June. If signed, Lieuwen could likely be gone and play within the Sabres system as 20-year-olds (as with Eakin and McNabb) can turn pro at any level.
The club also released the training camp schedule. The Annual Blue-White game goes Sunday at Noon. Cost is $5 with all proceeds going to the Cranbrook/Kimberley United Way.
Wednesday, August 31
Prospect Session 9:15 am – 10:30 am
Veterans Practice 10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Goalies Session 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Prospect Session 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Thursday, September 1
Team Blue Practice 9:15 am - 10:30 am
Team White vs. Team Black 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Team White Practice 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm
Team Blue vs. Team Black 6:45 pm – 8:45 pm
Friday, September 2
Team Black 9:00 am - 10:15 am
Team Blue vs. Team White 10:45 am – 12:45 pm
Goaltenders Specialty Session 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Team Black vs. Team Blue 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Saturday, September 3
Team White vs. Team Black 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Team Blue vs. Team White 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Sunday, September 4 United Way Intrasquad Game 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Ams camp roster released, Benning not on it
The Tri-City Americans released their main camp roster Friday and newly acquired D Matt Benning wasn't on it. That would indicate that Tri-City GM Bob Tory hasn't been successful, at least not yet, in convincing the 1994-born defenseman to report to the Ams this season.
That will mean that the 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft acquired by the Ice will remain with the Americans, unless he reports before then.
Over at ICE PBP Jeff Hollick's blog (over there, on the right) there's some great pics of the club's 2011 WHL Championship rings that were given out at the club's golf tourney Friday.
Camp opens Wednesday.
That will mean that the 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft acquired by the Ice will remain with the Americans, unless he reports before then.
Over at ICE PBP Jeff Hollick's blog (over there, on the right) there's some great pics of the club's 2011 WHL Championship rings that were given out at the club's golf tourney Friday.
Camp opens Wednesday.
Friday, August 26, 2011
More Locals at WHL camps
Scalped from Gregg and Alan (Taking Note and Small Thoughts, respectively)here are a few more locals at WHL camps.
Cooper Holick, who is not necessarily a local any longer that his dad Mark is coaching in Syracuse, NY with the AHL's crunch but did play three years with Cranbrook Minor Hockey, is with the Kamloops Blazers for their rookie camp.
In Seattle goaltender Brad Rebagliati, 16, is at the T-Birds camp as is D Daniel Burgess, a blueliner with last season's Bantam AA team in Cranbrook.
Former Kimberley Dynamiter and Ice list goaltender Kevin Jacyna, 18, is in camp with the Spokane Chiefs.
D Ben Betker, 17 - (disclaimer - I play men's hockey with Ben's dad and remember Ben as a Peewee/Bantam coming out and skating circles around us) is with Portland with the Winterhawks. If Ben doesn't catch on somewhere in Junior A he could be with the Fernie Ghostriders of the KIJHL.
I'll update more if they come available.
Cooper Holick, who is not necessarily a local any longer that his dad Mark is coaching in Syracuse, NY with the AHL's crunch but did play three years with Cranbrook Minor Hockey, is with the Kamloops Blazers for their rookie camp.
In Seattle goaltender Brad Rebagliati, 16, is at the T-Birds camp as is D Daniel Burgess, a blueliner with last season's Bantam AA team in Cranbrook.
Former Kimberley Dynamiter and Ice list goaltender Kevin Jacyna, 18, is in camp with the Spokane Chiefs.
D Ben Betker, 17 - (disclaimer - I play men's hockey with Ben's dad and remember Ben as a Peewee/Bantam coming out and skating circles around us) is with Portland with the Winterhawks. If Ben doesn't catch on somewhere in Junior A he could be with the Fernie Ghostriders of the KIJHL.
I'll update more if they come available.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Coaching staff renewed
The Ice announced today that the coaching staff and head scout were all renewed and signed to two-year deals today.
After the rookie season the staff had, this isn't earth-shattering news. The release is here.
The club also announced the hiring of a new athletic therapist Cory Cameron who replaces Marty Palechuk who returned to Medicine Hat to pursue opportunities there.
Missed this but former Ice goaltender Taylor Dakers is now the goaltending coach for the Everett Silvertips. Dakers retired from pro hockey due to a recurring hip injury in 2009. Trevor Crawley, Matt Coxford's successor now that he has moved on to the RCMP Depot to pursue a career with them, has the story here.
The club's annual - save for last year - golf tournament to raise funds for the education fund goes Friday at the Cranbrook Golf Course.
On-ice sessions start a week from today.
After the rookie season the staff had, this isn't earth-shattering news. The release is here.
The club also announced the hiring of a new athletic therapist Cory Cameron who replaces Marty Palechuk who returned to Medicine Hat to pursue opportunities there.
Missed this but former Ice goaltender Taylor Dakers is now the goaltending coach for the Everett Silvertips. Dakers retired from pro hockey due to a recurring hip injury in 2009. Trevor Crawley, Matt Coxford's successor now that he has moved on to the RCMP Depot to pursue a career with them, has the story here.
The club's annual - save for last year - golf tournament to raise funds for the education fund goes Friday at the Cranbrook Golf Course.
On-ice sessions start a week from today.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Ice ready to defend title
As we slowly swing back into things for the start of hockey season I spoke to Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth this morning on the club starting it's WHL title defence in nine days with camp opening on the 31st. That story, for BC Hockey Now, is below.
I spoke to both GM's - Chynoweth today and Tory a couple of weeks back - on the trade of D Matt Benning. It's a bit of a tale of two philosophies as Chynoweth said, as quoted below, that the Ice aren't in the business of begging players to come to the program. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth on players headed to the NCAA or keeping their options open, as was thought with Benning. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”
With Tory, he said in an email that he hopes to be able to sit down with both Matt and his dad Brian over the next few weeks and sell them on the benefits of coming to the Ams.
"I think that I will have to meet with Brian and Matt and sell them on our program. I know Brian well as I am from Edmonton as well and watched his career. I know the family well but these things are never a slam dunk and take a lot of work. I am hoping that he comes to camp and then makes his decision at that time.
Tory said that the picks are conditional on him signing a WHL contract and playing.
On the possibility of heading to college, "He has NCAA options as most quality players playing Jr. A do. However these opportunities usually are when they are 19 or 20. This is Matt’s NHL draft year which I hope helps us."
On where he might fit with the Ams: "Matt could step in and play a good number of minutes based on his ability and our need. Our blueline has some openings as we graduated some quality players and probably only have room for one over-age defenseman."
The one thing that got my attention was a quote by Brian Benning to Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald after the trade:
"The good part of getting traded is that somebody wants you," said Brian Benning, who now owns an Interstate Battery franchise. "Kootenay was an opportunity we stayed patient with. We kept him home to make sure the schooling was there. I believe you have top be in the top third of your team, not the bottom third. We're not in a rush to get there."
Because he has never played a WHL game, Tory will need to sign Benning to a standard player's education contract for the deal to be complete.
"I had a good conversation with Bob (on Wednesday)," Brian Benning said. "We are keeping our options open."
The elder Benning alludes that the Ice didn't want Matt, which in my discussion's with Chynoweth both this year and last year about Benning, didn't seem to be the case.
You can read the full story here.
For the rest of the Ice list/draft players not reporting, the most intriguing is Riley Simpson, a forward who finished third in AJHL scoring last season as a 17-year-old and notched 35 goals for the Brooks Bandits. He is committed to Ohio State and was a 12th round pick (257th overall) in 2008.
Just for kicks put Simpson, F Brendan O'Donnell (Tampa Bay Draft pick in 2010) and D Micheal King in the Ice line-up and those holes Chynoweth talked about in the story fill up pretty fast.
WHL camps are opening with rookies reporting. Locals that are at camps: G Peyton Lee is with the Giants; F Sebastien Barrette is with the Blades; F Jake McLachlan is with
the Red Deer Rebels, all drafted by their respective clubs last May. Others off of the SCAHL Bantam AA Championship squad from Cranbrook: D Brandon Becker garnered a camp invite with the Kamloops Blazers and will likely play in Nelson with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice and F Jason Richter is at the Swift Current Broncos camp looking for a list spot. F Colby Livingston from that team is in camp with the Vancouver Giants.
And lastly for today, anybody who knows me is aware I'm almost as big a political junkie as a hockey one. Today the Canadian political landscape lost an icon in Opposition leader Jack Layton, who succumbed to cancer this morning. I had a chance to meet Jack on two occasions and found him to be as real a person as any politician
I've met and in my business (the lumber one), I've talked to many. One really felt the passion he held for this country when I talked to him in 06 in Ottawa.
He is one of the good ones that will be missed. RIP Mr. Layton.
For BC HockeyNow....
Ice ready to defend WHL title
by Jeff Bromley
Unlike the kids who don’t want summer to end and return to the halls of learning, returning members of the Kootenay Ice don’t mind at all and are a week away from opening training camp on the 2011-12 WHL season.
Coming off of the club’s shortest summer in a decade as WHL champions– a good thing in the junior hockey business – Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth said the club is eager to jump back into the fray. “If you could play until the end of May every year, you’d certainly take that short summer,” said Chynoweth as his club prepared to open its 14th season in Cranbrook. “There’s been a lot of things happen in the last couple of months and there were a lot of positives and now we’re getting ready for the start of the upcoming season and see how we can handle everything as defending WHL champions.”
On the ice the club will lose a good portion of the horses that pushed the club past the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL finals in five games before losing to Mississauga in the Memorial Cup semi-final last May. Graduated are forwards Matt Fraser, Kevin King and Steele Boomer while Cody Eakin is signed by the Washington Capitals and will play either with the big club or their AHL affiliate. The same applies to D Brayden McNabb who signed with the Buffalo Sabres in the spring and likely won’t be back. His blueline partner Hayden Rintoul was traded to the Victoria Royals in exchange for RW Dylen McKinlay in July. That coupled with the fact that the club has four, 20-year-old candidates for three spots – G Nathan Lieuwen, D James Martin, LW Jesse Ismond and LW Joe Antilla – and will lose another veteran by the October deadline doesn’t mean you’ll hear the rebuilding moniker in the Kootenays this season. “Absolutely not,” stressed Chynoweth. “There is no such word as rebuilding in Kootenay. We expect to compete for the two trophies they give out every year. We return 15 players from last season and a lot of those players are going to have an opportunity to step up and have an increased role with our hockey club. That’s a good thing. That’s Major Junior hockey and that’s what it’s all about.”
“Do we have some holes to fill? Absolutely, just like we do every year but we’re looking forward to camp and the start of the exhibition season and how things progress as we go along.”
Chynoweth expects over 60 attendees to the club’s training camp that opens with weigh-ins August 31. There will be some notable NCAA no-shows to the camp in D Micheal King, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Colorado College), F Brendan O’Donnell, 19, (Penticton BCHL – committed to North Dakota), F Stefan Nicholishen, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Nebraska-Omaha), F Riley Simpson, 18, (Brooks AJHL – committed to Ohio State), F Colten St. Clair (Fargo USHL – committed to North Dakota) but no real surprises as the aforementioned players long ago decided to go the NCAA route. It’s an unfortunate fact of life for the WHL club but not one Chynoweth is willing to dwell on. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”
Quick Hits – Off the ice and in the stands the club is reaping the benefits of a championship run in the season ticket tally with over 2100 so far. “We sold 328 new season tickets, by far the most in the last number of years,” said Chynoweth. “It’s a great base and it’s going to help get the average attendance up.”… F Brock Montgomery underwent surgery for a sports hernia in August and is expected to miss all of training camp and return to the ice in October. It’s the same injury that G Nathan Lieuwen suffered in the WHL playoffs last spring and underwent surgery for in the off-season. Lieuwen started skating this week and will attend the Ice camp and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres camp in September… F Kevin King signed an AHL deal with the Syracuse Crunch over the summer, reuniting him with his former coach Mark Holick, the current head coach of the Crunch. Joining King will be former Ice assistant Brad Lauer who was hired on as an assistant with the Crunch…. Former Ice head coach and Ottawa Senators bench boss Cory Clouston is now the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings…. Ice forward and Calgary Flames draft pick Max Reinhart was signed to a 3-year entry level contract over the summer. Reinhart should return to the Ice this season and play along side his 16-year-old brother Sam, who played four regular season and seven playoff games with the club as a 15-year-old last season… Also among the list of camp no-shows was D Matt Benning, son of former NHL’er Brian Benning. Benning was a second round draft pick from the 2009 Bantam Draft who didn’t report to the club. Thought to have NCAA aspirations, Benning’s rights were traded to the Tri-City Americans for a 3rd and 6th round Bantam Pick in 2012 where former Ice GM Bob Tory will attempt to convince the 17-year-old to join the club… For the second straight year the Kootenay Ice traded away their CHL Import Draft pick and will likely not employ any Europeans on their roster this season…. Kootenay opens the 2011 exhibition season against the Americans in the Tri-City preseason tournament September 8.
I spoke to both GM's - Chynoweth today and Tory a couple of weeks back - on the trade of D Matt Benning. It's a bit of a tale of two philosophies as Chynoweth said, as quoted below, that the Ice aren't in the business of begging players to come to the program. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth on players headed to the NCAA or keeping their options open, as was thought with Benning. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”
With Tory, he said in an email that he hopes to be able to sit down with both Matt and his dad Brian over the next few weeks and sell them on the benefits of coming to the Ams.
"I think that I will have to meet with Brian and Matt and sell them on our program. I know Brian well as I am from Edmonton as well and watched his career. I know the family well but these things are never a slam dunk and take a lot of work. I am hoping that he comes to camp and then makes his decision at that time.
Tory said that the picks are conditional on him signing a WHL contract and playing.
On the possibility of heading to college, "He has NCAA options as most quality players playing Jr. A do. However these opportunities usually are when they are 19 or 20. This is Matt’s NHL draft year which I hope helps us."
On where he might fit with the Ams: "Matt could step in and play a good number of minutes based on his ability and our need. Our blueline has some openings as we graduated some quality players and probably only have room for one over-age defenseman."
The one thing that got my attention was a quote by Brian Benning to Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald after the trade:
"The good part of getting traded is that somebody wants you," said Brian Benning, who now owns an Interstate Battery franchise. "Kootenay was an opportunity we stayed patient with. We kept him home to make sure the schooling was there. I believe you have top be in the top third of your team, not the bottom third. We're not in a rush to get there."
Because he has never played a WHL game, Tory will need to sign Benning to a standard player's education contract for the deal to be complete.
"I had a good conversation with Bob (on Wednesday)," Brian Benning said. "We are keeping our options open."
The elder Benning alludes that the Ice didn't want Matt, which in my discussion's with Chynoweth both this year and last year about Benning, didn't seem to be the case.
You can read the full story here.
For the rest of the Ice list/draft players not reporting, the most intriguing is Riley Simpson, a forward who finished third in AJHL scoring last season as a 17-year-old and notched 35 goals for the Brooks Bandits. He is committed to Ohio State and was a 12th round pick (257th overall) in 2008.
Just for kicks put Simpson, F Brendan O'Donnell (Tampa Bay Draft pick in 2010) and D Micheal King in the Ice line-up and those holes Chynoweth talked about in the story fill up pretty fast.
WHL camps are opening with rookies reporting. Locals that are at camps: G Peyton Lee is with the Giants; F Sebastien Barrette is with the Blades; F Jake McLachlan is with
the Red Deer Rebels, all drafted by their respective clubs last May. Others off of the SCAHL Bantam AA Championship squad from Cranbrook: D Brandon Becker garnered a camp invite with the Kamloops Blazers and will likely play in Nelson with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice and F Jason Richter is at the Swift Current Broncos camp looking for a list spot. F Colby Livingston from that team is in camp with the Vancouver Giants.
And lastly for today, anybody who knows me is aware I'm almost as big a political junkie as a hockey one. Today the Canadian political landscape lost an icon in Opposition leader Jack Layton, who succumbed to cancer this morning. I had a chance to meet Jack on two occasions and found him to be as real a person as any politician
I've met and in my business (the lumber one), I've talked to many. One really felt the passion he held for this country when I talked to him in 06 in Ottawa.
He is one of the good ones that will be missed. RIP Mr. Layton.
For BC HockeyNow....
Ice ready to defend WHL title
by Jeff Bromley
Unlike the kids who don’t want summer to end and return to the halls of learning, returning members of the Kootenay Ice don’t mind at all and are a week away from opening training camp on the 2011-12 WHL season.
Coming off of the club’s shortest summer in a decade as WHL champions– a good thing in the junior hockey business – Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth said the club is eager to jump back into the fray. “If you could play until the end of May every year, you’d certainly take that short summer,” said Chynoweth as his club prepared to open its 14th season in Cranbrook. “There’s been a lot of things happen in the last couple of months and there were a lot of positives and now we’re getting ready for the start of the upcoming season and see how we can handle everything as defending WHL champions.”
On the ice the club will lose a good portion of the horses that pushed the club past the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL finals in five games before losing to Mississauga in the Memorial Cup semi-final last May. Graduated are forwards Matt Fraser, Kevin King and Steele Boomer while Cody Eakin is signed by the Washington Capitals and will play either with the big club or their AHL affiliate. The same applies to D Brayden McNabb who signed with the Buffalo Sabres in the spring and likely won’t be back. His blueline partner Hayden Rintoul was traded to the Victoria Royals in exchange for RW Dylen McKinlay in July. That coupled with the fact that the club has four, 20-year-old candidates for three spots – G Nathan Lieuwen, D James Martin, LW Jesse Ismond and LW Joe Antilla – and will lose another veteran by the October deadline doesn’t mean you’ll hear the rebuilding moniker in the Kootenays this season. “Absolutely not,” stressed Chynoweth. “There is no such word as rebuilding in Kootenay. We expect to compete for the two trophies they give out every year. We return 15 players from last season and a lot of those players are going to have an opportunity to step up and have an increased role with our hockey club. That’s a good thing. That’s Major Junior hockey and that’s what it’s all about.”
“Do we have some holes to fill? Absolutely, just like we do every year but we’re looking forward to camp and the start of the exhibition season and how things progress as we go along.”
Chynoweth expects over 60 attendees to the club’s training camp that opens with weigh-ins August 31. There will be some notable NCAA no-shows to the camp in D Micheal King, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Colorado College), F Brendan O’Donnell, 19, (Penticton BCHL – committed to North Dakota), F Stefan Nicholishen, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Nebraska-Omaha), F Riley Simpson, 18, (Brooks AJHL – committed to Ohio State), F Colten St. Clair (Fargo USHL – committed to North Dakota) but no real surprises as the aforementioned players long ago decided to go the NCAA route. It’s an unfortunate fact of life for the WHL club but not one Chynoweth is willing to dwell on. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”
Quick Hits – Off the ice and in the stands the club is reaping the benefits of a championship run in the season ticket tally with over 2100 so far. “We sold 328 new season tickets, by far the most in the last number of years,” said Chynoweth. “It’s a great base and it’s going to help get the average attendance up.”… F Brock Montgomery underwent surgery for a sports hernia in August and is expected to miss all of training camp and return to the ice in October. It’s the same injury that G Nathan Lieuwen suffered in the WHL playoffs last spring and underwent surgery for in the off-season. Lieuwen started skating this week and will attend the Ice camp and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres camp in September… F Kevin King signed an AHL deal with the Syracuse Crunch over the summer, reuniting him with his former coach Mark Holick, the current head coach of the Crunch. Joining King will be former Ice assistant Brad Lauer who was hired on as an assistant with the Crunch…. Former Ice head coach and Ottawa Senators bench boss Cory Clouston is now the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings…. Ice forward and Calgary Flames draft pick Max Reinhart was signed to a 3-year entry level contract over the summer. Reinhart should return to the Ice this season and play along side his 16-year-old brother Sam, who played four regular season and seven playoff games with the club as a 15-year-old last season… Also among the list of camp no-shows was D Matt Benning, son of former NHL’er Brian Benning. Benning was a second round draft pick from the 2009 Bantam Draft who didn’t report to the club. Thought to have NCAA aspirations, Benning’s rights were traded to the Tri-City Americans for a 3rd and 6th round Bantam Pick in 2012 where former Ice GM Bob Tory will attempt to convince the 17-year-old to join the club… For the second straight year the Kootenay Ice traded away their CHL Import Draft pick and will likely not employ any Europeans on their roster this season…. Kootenay opens the 2011 exhibition season against the Americans in the Tri-City preseason tournament September 8.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Benning dealt to TCA
The Ice announced this morning that the club has traded D Matt Benning to the Tri-City Americans in exchange for conditional 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft.
Here's the release:
Cranbrook, BC – Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the club has traded 17-year-old Defense prospect Matt Benning (May 25, 1994) to the Tri-City Americans in exchange for a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.
“While we are disappointed Matt did not commit to our program. We felt it was best for both the player and the organization to have a fresh start,” added Chynoweth.
Matt Benning was drafted in the second round (35th overall) of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. He played last season with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL (43-0-7-7-65).
Regular priced Season Tickets are still available for the upcoming season at the Kootenay ICE Office or by calling 250-417-0322.
After Benning did not show for training camp last season it appears that the organization and the player chose to go their separate ways. Benning, a 6', 205lb rearguard who played with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL last season notching 7 assists in 43 games.
Falling behind other 17-year-old D-men on the club's prospect list, Mike Simpson and Jeff Hubic, both who have a shot at cracking the roster this season, Benning - the son of former NHL'er Brian Benning - was thought to be exploring the college route by not reporting to camp. AM's GM Bob Tory, who's been on a trading tear of late to reshape his roster, will attempt to entice the Edmonton product to the desert this season. The deal is based on a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick, with the 3rd rounder likely being the 'conditional' one if Benning reports to the Americans.
Over at Between the Lines Ice PBP Jeff Hollick has the season ticket tally at 2101.
Here's the release:
Cranbrook, BC – Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the club has traded 17-year-old Defense prospect Matt Benning (May 25, 1994) to the Tri-City Americans in exchange for a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.
“While we are disappointed Matt did not commit to our program. We felt it was best for both the player and the organization to have a fresh start,” added Chynoweth.
Matt Benning was drafted in the second round (35th overall) of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. He played last season with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL (43-0-7-7-65).
Regular priced Season Tickets are still available for the upcoming season at the Kootenay ICE Office or by calling 250-417-0322.
After Benning did not show for training camp last season it appears that the organization and the player chose to go their separate ways. Benning, a 6', 205lb rearguard who played with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL last season notching 7 assists in 43 games.
Falling behind other 17-year-old D-men on the club's prospect list, Mike Simpson and Jeff Hubic, both who have a shot at cracking the roster this season, Benning - the son of former NHL'er Brian Benning - was thought to be exploring the college route by not reporting to camp. AM's GM Bob Tory, who's been on a trading tear of late to reshape his roster, will attempt to entice the Edmonton product to the desert this season. The deal is based on a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick, with the 3rd rounder likely being the 'conditional' one if Benning reports to the Americans.
Over at Between the Lines Ice PBP Jeff Hollick has the season ticket tally at 2101.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Mentorship Cup
The Mentorship Cup, a week-long event put on by the Gary Roberts and the NHLPA in Missisauga, Ontario, wrapped up back East yesterday with an inter-squad game that involved the top 42 15-year-old players in the nation.
Team Spezza edged Team Schenn in a shootout to cap off the week of hockey training that included leadership development skills, nutrition etc.
Ice first round pick Colin Shirley was among the 42 players at the camp, as was Cranbrook product G Payton Lee, who played the first half of the game for Team Spezza yesterday.
Shirley is already pencilled in to play for the Saskatoon Blazers AAA Midget squad this season while Lee, who played last year for the Pursuit of Excellence school in the Okanagan after playing his formative years up until his first year in Bantam in Cranbrook would likely play Major Midget in BC.
Drafted by the Vancouver Giants in the 2011 Bantam Draft, residency rules for BC Minor Hockey dictate that he plays in Nelson with the Major Midget Ice if he were to go that route. He could play Midget with POE but the competition wouldn't be as good as most of the top 15-year-olds now play in BCMML. Evaluation camps for MML went this weekend so Lee likely got an exemption, as did the rest of the BC players at the Mentorship Cup; F Jake Virtanen (number one overall pick to the Hitmen), LW Ryan Gropp (Seattle, 6th overall), D Joe Hicketts (Victoria, 12th overall), D Josh Thrower (Hitmen, 2nd round, 23rd overall) along with Lee (28th overall).
There is a transfer rule within the BCMML that does allow goaltenders from other areas to play for other regions within the MML as the Major Midget Ice had goaltenders from Langley (Christian Pickles) and Kelowna (Jarod Schamerhorn) last season, so that might come into play.
I was also a bit brain dead the other day (ahh, summer) not to mention graduated forward Kevin King signing a one-year deal in Syracuse with Crunch for next season. He'll rejoin his former coach in Mark Holick and his former assistant Brad Lauer who'll be an assistant with the Crunch this season.
Team Spezza edged Team Schenn in a shootout to cap off the week of hockey training that included leadership development skills, nutrition etc.
Ice first round pick Colin Shirley was among the 42 players at the camp, as was Cranbrook product G Payton Lee, who played the first half of the game for Team Spezza yesterday.
Shirley is already pencilled in to play for the Saskatoon Blazers AAA Midget squad this season while Lee, who played last year for the Pursuit of Excellence school in the Okanagan after playing his formative years up until his first year in Bantam in Cranbrook would likely play Major Midget in BC.
Drafted by the Vancouver Giants in the 2011 Bantam Draft, residency rules for BC Minor Hockey dictate that he plays in Nelson with the Major Midget Ice if he were to go that route. He could play Midget with POE but the competition wouldn't be as good as most of the top 15-year-olds now play in BCMML. Evaluation camps for MML went this weekend so Lee likely got an exemption, as did the rest of the BC players at the Mentorship Cup; F Jake Virtanen (number one overall pick to the Hitmen), LW Ryan Gropp (Seattle, 6th overall), D Joe Hicketts (Victoria, 12th overall), D Josh Thrower (Hitmen, 2nd round, 23rd overall) along with Lee (28th overall).
There is a transfer rule within the BCMML that does allow goaltenders from other areas to play for other regions within the MML as the Major Midget Ice had goaltenders from Langley (Christian Pickles) and Kelowna (Jarod Schamerhorn) last season, so that might come into play.
I was also a bit brain dead the other day (ahh, summer) not to mention graduated forward Kevin King signing a one-year deal in Syracuse with Crunch for next season. He'll rejoin his former coach in Mark Holick and his former assistant Brad Lauer who'll be an assistant with the Crunch this season.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Dog Days of Summer roll on
As the hockey-less days of summer roll on there are some updates Ice-wise.
Camp opens August 31 with weigh-in's and whatnot, less than four weeks away. Some players will be filtering back into town over the next few weeks as many help out with the various hockey schools in Cranbrook and Kimberley. Eric Benoit will be instructing at Ice-alum Colin Sinclair's Hockey in the Rockies camp starting August 8 while Ice assistant coach Jerry Bancks will run his very successful school, the Alpine Hockey School (going on so long that I went to it for a few summers some 30 years ago), starting August 22 in Kimberley.
The biggest news for the Ice this week - at least a former member - was the Brandon Wheat Kings signing former Ice coach Cory Clouston to a two-year deal as owner/GM/President and now former coach Brad McCrimmon removed one of his hats and placed it on Clouston. This came out of left field for me as I consider Brandon one of the small-market franchises in the WHL and it was a big commitment to hire a former NHL coach that comes with a ton of success but also with a bigger contract, likely in the low six-figure range. Mr. Drinnan reported that the Wheat Kings season ticket sales for this season stand at 2320. Last season they had over 3100 and averaged 4300 for home dates. So there's no question McCrimmon is looking to demonstrate to the fan-base that the best product on the ice starts from behind the bench.
Quiet in Iceland over the last month after the club dropped import Alex Kuveav after he signed in his home country of Russia. There's a couple of candidates out there import-wise for the club to list but it isn't exactly bursting and the status quo of no imports for this upcoming season will probably stand. Does the club lack offence? Loosing the likes of Eakin, King, McNabb, Boomer and Fraser says yes but again, developing the Rossignol's and Pearce's of the roster - at least giving them enough of a shot - isn't a bad philosophy. Unless you're a lights-out import, why not develop a 16 or 17-yr-old that will pay-off better dividends down the road at 19 and 20.
One of those players for development, Sam Reinhart, played with Team Bruins at the Provincial U-17 camp in Salmon Arm last week. Though Reinhart will likely get top-six minutes this season if he can handle it and almost isn't a prospect anymore. Also at the camp, which is a 42 player invite camp to determine the BC half (Alberta is the other half) of Team Pacific that will compete at the World U-17 Challenge this Christmas in Windsor, Ont, was Cranbrook's Brad Rebagliati, a goaltender with Team Bruins, and former Kimberley product Dryden Hunt, who calls Nelson home and played with the Major Midget Ice last season.
The Alberta program had their camp earlier in July. Ice prospects there included forwards Jaedon Desheneau, Luke Philp and Jesse Wood-Schatz, along with goaltender Wyatt Hoflin. Ryan Chynoweth, Jeff's son who was drafted out of Lethbridge last year by Everett, was also at the camp. Ryan relocated to Lethbridge for his last year of Bantam after coming up through CMHA.
The Saskatchewan and Manitoba programs make up Team Western. D Tanner Faith (Sask) along with D Cole DePape and F Jonothan Martin make up the Ice prospects looking for a shot with Team Western.
Hoflin, 16, should make a push for a spot between the pipes next month. It presents an interesting challenge for a club that's deep at the position. No word on Lieuwen signing with Buffalo yet but if that happens it will likely come during their training camp, leaving Brett Teskey, 18, MacKenzie Skapski, 17, and Hoflin in a three-way scrap for what might be one position (if Lieuwen signs or is dealt as an overager) or two. If the latter happens, do the Ice go with a 17 and 16-year-old, 18 and 16-year-old or 18 and 17-year-old in the nets? Easily the most watch-able battle of camp.
Ice season ticket sales are just south of the 2100 (last check 2085) mark and should ensure some thicker crowds at the Plex this season.
Couple of locals made the BC U-16 short-list that will compete for a spot on the team that will play at the 2011 U-16 Western Challenge with provincial teams from BC, AB, SK and MB in October. G Payton Lee (Giants draft pick), F Jake McLachlan (Red Deer List) and Sebastien Barrette (Blades draft pick) are all former Cranbrook Minor hockey players. McLachlan is from Fernie but played in Cranbrook from age 11.
Former Ice coach Ryan McGill, who was in the running for the Regina Pats job that went to Pat Conacher still hasn't found work as of yet... A couple of former Ice captains have signed pro deals. Nigel Dawes signed in Russia with the KHL's Barys-Astana. Jason Jaffray signed with the Winnipeg Jets, as did Ben Maxwell.
Another Ice alum, former GM Bob Tory - the Ams GM and part-owner the last decade - traded both of his goaltenders from last season. Drew Owsley, 20, to the PG Cougars for goalie Ty Rimmer, 19, this week and a couple of weeks back sent 17-year-old Chris Driedger to the Calgary Hitmen for a 3rd round Bantam pick. That leaves highly-touted 16-year-old Eric Comrie, the Ams first round pick in last year's Bantam draft, as a possible starter along with Rimmer. Comrie is the younger half-brother of former Ice forward Mike and the moves are now drawing comparison's to the last time Tory had a 16-year-old starter, Dan Blackburn with the Ice in 1999.
Max Reinhart was signed by the Calgary Flames but will almost assuredly play another season here. He'll get a long look with the Flames but can only play in the NHL or Junior as a 19-year-old. It does mean that this will be his last year in Junior and he should turn pro next season.
Speaking of the Flames, is this the year former Ice D John Negrin stays healthy enough to push for a spot on the big club?
My opening day roster:
Ismond M. Reinhart Czerwonka
Antilla Pearce McKinlay
Benoit Rossignol Hurley
Montgomery S. Reinhart J. Iron
Descheneau L. Philp
Forwards who will compete for a spot: The last three are on that list; Montogomery's role this season will have to be defined. He could be in tough if the club wants to go young and develop... Levi Cable, 17, Jonathan Martin, 16, and Sam Johnson, 17 (list player) will all have something to say about those spots.
Martin Leach
Dirk Paulsen
Neibrandt Simpson
Faith
D-men who will compete: Jeff Hubic, 17, has a real shot... Dylan Schellenberg, 17, also could make some noise. Two bigger list names, Micheal King and Matt Benning aren't coming and if history shows, GM Jeff Chynoweth isn't going to beg them to either, though both could likely make the club. King has committed to Colorado College for the 2012-13 season, though he wasn't drafted out of the BCHL's Westside Warriors this season when many thought he would be. Wonder if that hasn't any bearing on his future... Benning played with Spruce Grove in the AJHL last season but didn't have the break-out season many thought he would have.
Lieuwen
Skapski
Teskey
Hoflin
How the goaltending situation plays out will be interesting. I still think Lieuwen returns and then depending on what the return is could be dealt to a team looking for a number one tender to make a cup run. When the season begins I think Lieuwen will be here. All things being equal, Lieuwen stays to mentor the younger goaltender but with the three 20-year-old maximum they aren't equal. I don't know how the club get's around not developing their goaltending ranks with him in the lineup. Would be better fan-wise if he makes the Sabres AHL team and moves into pro hockey life. Would be better team wise if the club can deal him for prospects or picks if he's return and set the rebuild in motion. Tough situation. Without Lieuwen, I think Skapski could really challenge Teskey for the number one role.
Camp opens August 31 with weigh-in's and whatnot, less than four weeks away. Some players will be filtering back into town over the next few weeks as many help out with the various hockey schools in Cranbrook and Kimberley. Eric Benoit will be instructing at Ice-alum Colin Sinclair's Hockey in the Rockies camp starting August 8 while Ice assistant coach Jerry Bancks will run his very successful school, the Alpine Hockey School (going on so long that I went to it for a few summers some 30 years ago), starting August 22 in Kimberley.
The biggest news for the Ice this week - at least a former member - was the Brandon Wheat Kings signing former Ice coach Cory Clouston to a two-year deal as owner/GM/President and now former coach Brad McCrimmon removed one of his hats and placed it on Clouston. This came out of left field for me as I consider Brandon one of the small-market franchises in the WHL and it was a big commitment to hire a former NHL coach that comes with a ton of success but also with a bigger contract, likely in the low six-figure range. Mr. Drinnan reported that the Wheat Kings season ticket sales for this season stand at 2320. Last season they had over 3100 and averaged 4300 for home dates. So there's no question McCrimmon is looking to demonstrate to the fan-base that the best product on the ice starts from behind the bench.
Quiet in Iceland over the last month after the club dropped import Alex Kuveav after he signed in his home country of Russia. There's a couple of candidates out there import-wise for the club to list but it isn't exactly bursting and the status quo of no imports for this upcoming season will probably stand. Does the club lack offence? Loosing the likes of Eakin, King, McNabb, Boomer and Fraser says yes but again, developing the Rossignol's and Pearce's of the roster - at least giving them enough of a shot - isn't a bad philosophy. Unless you're a lights-out import, why not develop a 16 or 17-yr-old that will pay-off better dividends down the road at 19 and 20.
One of those players for development, Sam Reinhart, played with Team Bruins at the Provincial U-17 camp in Salmon Arm last week. Though Reinhart will likely get top-six minutes this season if he can handle it and almost isn't a prospect anymore. Also at the camp, which is a 42 player invite camp to determine the BC half (Alberta is the other half) of Team Pacific that will compete at the World U-17 Challenge this Christmas in Windsor, Ont, was Cranbrook's Brad Rebagliati, a goaltender with Team Bruins, and former Kimberley product Dryden Hunt, who calls Nelson home and played with the Major Midget Ice last season.
The Alberta program had their camp earlier in July. Ice prospects there included forwards Jaedon Desheneau, Luke Philp and Jesse Wood-Schatz, along with goaltender Wyatt Hoflin. Ryan Chynoweth, Jeff's son who was drafted out of Lethbridge last year by Everett, was also at the camp. Ryan relocated to Lethbridge for his last year of Bantam after coming up through CMHA.
The Saskatchewan and Manitoba programs make up Team Western. D Tanner Faith (Sask) along with D Cole DePape and F Jonothan Martin make up the Ice prospects looking for a shot with Team Western.
Hoflin, 16, should make a push for a spot between the pipes next month. It presents an interesting challenge for a club that's deep at the position. No word on Lieuwen signing with Buffalo yet but if that happens it will likely come during their training camp, leaving Brett Teskey, 18, MacKenzie Skapski, 17, and Hoflin in a three-way scrap for what might be one position (if Lieuwen signs or is dealt as an overager) or two. If the latter happens, do the Ice go with a 17 and 16-year-old, 18 and 16-year-old or 18 and 17-year-old in the nets? Easily the most watch-able battle of camp.
Ice season ticket sales are just south of the 2100 (last check 2085) mark and should ensure some thicker crowds at the Plex this season.
Couple of locals made the BC U-16 short-list that will compete for a spot on the team that will play at the 2011 U-16 Western Challenge with provincial teams from BC, AB, SK and MB in October. G Payton Lee (Giants draft pick), F Jake McLachlan (Red Deer List) and Sebastien Barrette (Blades draft pick) are all former Cranbrook Minor hockey players. McLachlan is from Fernie but played in Cranbrook from age 11.
Former Ice coach Ryan McGill, who was in the running for the Regina Pats job that went to Pat Conacher still hasn't found work as of yet... A couple of former Ice captains have signed pro deals. Nigel Dawes signed in Russia with the KHL's Barys-Astana. Jason Jaffray signed with the Winnipeg Jets, as did Ben Maxwell.
Another Ice alum, former GM Bob Tory - the Ams GM and part-owner the last decade - traded both of his goaltenders from last season. Drew Owsley, 20, to the PG Cougars for goalie Ty Rimmer, 19, this week and a couple of weeks back sent 17-year-old Chris Driedger to the Calgary Hitmen for a 3rd round Bantam pick. That leaves highly-touted 16-year-old Eric Comrie, the Ams first round pick in last year's Bantam draft, as a possible starter along with Rimmer. Comrie is the younger half-brother of former Ice forward Mike and the moves are now drawing comparison's to the last time Tory had a 16-year-old starter, Dan Blackburn with the Ice in 1999.
Max Reinhart was signed by the Calgary Flames but will almost assuredly play another season here. He'll get a long look with the Flames but can only play in the NHL or Junior as a 19-year-old. It does mean that this will be his last year in Junior and he should turn pro next season.
Speaking of the Flames, is this the year former Ice D John Negrin stays healthy enough to push for a spot on the big club?
My opening day roster:
Ismond M. Reinhart Czerwonka
Antilla Pearce McKinlay
Benoit Rossignol Hurley
Montgomery S. Reinhart J. Iron
Descheneau L. Philp
Forwards who will compete for a spot: The last three are on that list; Montogomery's role this season will have to be defined. He could be in tough if the club wants to go young and develop... Levi Cable, 17, Jonathan Martin, 16, and Sam Johnson, 17 (list player) will all have something to say about those spots.
Martin Leach
Dirk Paulsen
Neibrandt Simpson
Faith
D-men who will compete: Jeff Hubic, 17, has a real shot... Dylan Schellenberg, 17, also could make some noise. Two bigger list names, Micheal King and Matt Benning aren't coming and if history shows, GM Jeff Chynoweth isn't going to beg them to either, though both could likely make the club. King has committed to Colorado College for the 2012-13 season, though he wasn't drafted out of the BCHL's Westside Warriors this season when many thought he would be. Wonder if that hasn't any bearing on his future... Benning played with Spruce Grove in the AJHL last season but didn't have the break-out season many thought he would have.
Lieuwen
Skapski
Teskey
Hoflin
How the goaltending situation plays out will be interesting. I still think Lieuwen returns and then depending on what the return is could be dealt to a team looking for a number one tender to make a cup run. When the season begins I think Lieuwen will be here. All things being equal, Lieuwen stays to mentor the younger goaltender but with the three 20-year-old maximum they aren't equal. I don't know how the club get's around not developing their goaltending ranks with him in the lineup. Would be better fan-wise if he makes the Sabres AHL team and moves into pro hockey life. Would be better team wise if the club can deal him for prospects or picks if he's return and set the rebuild in motion. Tough situation. Without Lieuwen, I think Skapski could really challenge Teskey for the number one role.
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