NCAA Hockey Recruits

USHL News

2007-06-24T10:00:00.001-07:00

USHL News
Fresh off the completion of most summer try-out camps, the USHL teams have updated their protected lists down to the 30 man squads. Last week, USHR.com provided a list of the adds/drops from the USHL protected lists, and as is usual, this news then found its way a few days later to the Scouting News, albeit with The Scouting News' usual understated style:

USHL camps have been in full swing all month. As a result changes are being made throughout the league. ...The Scouting News got an anonymous off the record email yesterday telling us who has been added and dropped.

Alright, who's the wiseguy who emailed them the lists from the best USHL source, the USHL blog?

Steve Anthony Gives Up Promising Baseball Career

2007-06-19T15:30:00.001-07:00

This will come as a shock to many, but Steven Anthony has elected to foregoe his promising baseball career, and instead play hockey for his major junior team.

In some older news, it looks like Sault Ste.Marie's first round pick (3rd overall) will in fact report. Before the draft his father wrote the Greyhounds telling them that they should not draft him because he would not report because the long travel would impact his schooling. I guess only time will tell, but I don't like it when players give up education and put all their eggs in the pro basket. Let's hope this works out for him.

Going Where They Wanted

2007-06-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Quebec "draft" continued to reflect the trend wherein players choose teams, not vice versa. I guess there is nothing wrong with that process - after all, the alternative NCAA route is exactly the same process. And when we decry the problems with a 16 year old having to move away from his family to play major junior, this represents a step in the right direction. The importance of dictating a location is particularly acute in the Quebec league, with the language and schooling issues. It is more than understandable that anglophones should dictate staying in the English speaking Maritimes, even in their hometown, rather than ending up in Chicoutimi.

The byproduct of this is the wonderful pre-draft disinformation campaigns in which players exert their leverage. Some make little pretext about their leverage: Matt Brown said he wanted to play in the Q, but would do so only for a Maritime team, otherwise he was headed to Northwood Prep. He got his wish, and will play in the Q.

Others are more disingenuous about this, with Angelo Esposito being the poster child for this. They do not make overt conditions, they maintain a blanket pretext that they would not report to the Q. In fact, it seems apparent to all that they want to go to a particular "deep pocket" team, and therefore need to spread the NCAA myth to drive ALL of the remaining teams away. This means that before the draft, they need to make their NCAA certitude clear to all. This year, Steven Anthony falls into that camp. The Halifax, NS native has stated his intention to play for Lawrence Academy in Mass. A hint to their intentions usually comes in the form of silliness of their explanations. Last year, Esposito expounded upon his desire to become a doctor. This year, Steven Anthony has rediscovered his desire to play baseball. Ask yourself, how likely is it that kids destined for the NHL, will spend his March and Aprils getting ready for the baseball season?

Before the draft, Anthony had slipped up a bit, saying he wanted to be picked first overall by St.Johns (NS). Well, St.Johns didn't take him first overall, but traded up to the 10th pick, and then selected him. And as expected, Anthony has softened his stance:

"I'm still seriously leaning toward the NCAA, but I would not rule (the Sea Dogs) out," he said. "To see them make that trade for me shows they want me and I'm open to hear what they have to say."

Color me cynical, but expect him to discovery some previously unknown benefit to the Q within the next three weeks.

A separate case was Louis Leblanc, who is interested in academics, and before the draft was set to move on to Salisbury Prep with his teammate, Danny Biega. Then Dan Donato left Salisbury, and Leblanc indicated that he would still prefer the NCAA route, but would remain in Montreal playing another year of midget for Lac St.Louis. His selection late in the first round by Val d'Or (Valley of Gold) east of Montreal means they will push heavily on getting him to completely abandon the NCAA/prep route. By the way, with the Biega pipeline to Harvard, nobody selected Danny Biega in the first five rounds ('91s are eligible only in those rounds). Similarly, nobody selected '91 D Jessyko Bernard, a New Brunswick native playing for Cushing Academy.

A more curious case is Devon MacAusland. He fits the NCAA profile, and would seem to have valid reasons for preferring that route. Before the draft he not only spoke of the NCAA route, but also indicated a commitment to BC. While I would expect him to adhere to that plan, he was selected by his hometown Moncton team, albeit in the second round. Was his pre-draft disclosure of his BC commitment intentional? Time will tell - the second round was still below his talent level. But if there was any chance of him changing his mind, the selection by Moncton maximizes those chances.

On the flip side, Thayer Academy's Rich Greer went in the second round, usually an indication of an agreement, and Moncton selected Hartford's Jordan Samuels-Thomas, who is rumored to have stated his readiness to head north.

As a footnote, John Esposito, Angie's younger and shorter brother, only went in the fifth round, a reflection that he may be more sincere in his NCAA intentions.

Steven Anthony and Angie Esposito

2007-05-11T04:22:00.000-07:00

With the Quebec draft now approaching, the players are lining up to express their preference for the NCAA vs. major junior. As I noted in my earlier post, Steven Anthony is telling everyone he intends to go the NCAA route. Curiously, his father, has a hard time staying on message, admitting that his son does want to play in Quebec, but that the St.Johns team hasn't spoken with the family enough. Another interesting hint is that Anthony's "advisor" is Phil Lecavailier (a former Clarkson defenseman), and brother of Vincent Lecavalier, who also pulled the NCAA card in his draft year. Two years ago Phil Lecavalier also was the "advisor" to Angelo Esposito, but apparently did a poor job of advising Angelo. It was only two weeks after the draft that Angelo learned about the Quebec leage, and its opportunities. Perhaps Phil has learned more about the league, and might want to tell Anthony now.
---------------

One late note from the Ontario draft was the slippage of Riley Sheahan, a center from St.Catharines, Ontario. Predicted as a first round pick, he slipped to the fourth round because of his NCAA interest in Boston College, Michigan and Notre Dame.

OHL Draft, review

2007-05-06T06:52:00.001-07:00

Drafts, Lies, Etc.

Now that the Ontario Hockey League draft has taken place, we have some hints, but not truth, about whether the top 16 year olds will take the NCAA route or take the pro route of the OHL. I say hints, because teams sometimes do take legitimate risks on players with unknown intentions - witness Plymouth selecting Nick Petrecki in the first round two years ago, St.Mike's picking Brendan Smith in 2005, and Kingston selecting Wes O'Neil in 2002. This is rare, and so my natural inclination is to think that players chosen in the first two rounds will report to the major junior teams - even when they disavow that initially. Most often, you have players showing their NCAA cards, to ensure that they slide to their preferred team - generally the big-money London Knights, Plymouth Whalers, Kitchener Rangers. Step right up, Myles Appelbaum (soft Mich St commitment in 2005), or last year, where Cody Hodgins slid because of his NCAA threat, and Phil McRae fell to London because of his US National Development Team commitment.

(As an aside, it is interesting to see the Hunter's change of tune once they owned a franchise. Back in 1979, when Mark Hunter went first overall in the OHL draft, his dad took shots at Dave Simpson (brother of Craig Simpson) who told teams he would only report to the hometown London Knights. Brantford had to pass up Simpson, and selected Hunter. From the 1979 draft:

The elder Hunter also said he believes in the draft system in which 16- and 17- year olds are required to leave home to play in other cities. He lives with it because it's a 'hockey law. I know it's not (legally) right, but you have to go. I figure kids should be put on a [major junior] team and told what to do. No lawyer should be behind a 16- or 17- year old kid. I'd sure hate to be coaching a team and a 16- or 17- year old says 'see my lawyer'. That education thing by Simpson [the NCAA threat] is just a coverup. There comes a time in life when you've got to move. You can't protect kids forecover."

My, how times have changed.

Generally, players taken in the first round have deals or at least indications that they will make deals. Then there are first round talents taken in the third or fourth round, figuring the reward is worth it. London's Hunter clan does this, taking Sam Gagner in 2005, even though he had a legitimate interest in the NCAA. Fast forward a year, and a job for dad, and the players show up. Other times, it doesn't work out - witness St.Mike's taking Andrew Cogliano in the 3rd round in 2004, and BU's Corey Trivino in last year's draft.

Using that rule, there's bad news in store for Michigan State, Notre Dame and Ferris State. Each of their big name recruits were selected in the first round, and by teams known for having the resources to get their players. Matt Duchene, who would have been a top 2 pick, "slid" to fifth and the Brampton Battalion. He and Hodgins share the same family advisor, and are friends. So, things don't look great for Michigan State.

The only exception appears to be in Kingston, where the first pick, Ethan Werek, was fairly emphatic in rejecting Kingston's overtures. According to the article, he's headed to BU.

One other point of interest is Erie's selection of Lincoln USHL goalie Bryan Hogan in the fifth round. What makes it intersting is that he is an '88 in a '90 and '91 draft. Those picks mean the team has a special reason for taking the unique pick. Last year Matt Martello was a similar pick, and while he stuck out his commitment to LSSU, there was smoke, and later he ended up in Kitchener.

Drafts, Lies, and Videotape

2007-05-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

USHR.com has a good story in advance of the Quebec draft about top prospects who are inclined to take the NCAA route. As has become an open secret, these pre-draft ruminations about going the college route dates back to the 1970s and the Ontario draft, where stars like Dave Simpson dictated that they would report to only certain teams.

Turning to this year's Quebec draft, the early announcements of NCAA interest are coming fast and furious. Some are legitimate, such as Danny Biega, whose brothers already have shown the seriousness of their intention. Similarly, Louis Leblanc, Biega's teammate at Lac St.Louis, has made tours of top NCAA programs such as Princeton and Brown, as well as BC, BU, Clarkson and Vermont. I've also heard that Francis Drolet might be interested in the prep route. Unfortunately, having seen Angelo Esposito truly game the system, these claims must be taken with a grain of salt.

Finally, there are a couple of kids from the Maritimes expressing interest in heading south for prep school. Matt Brown and Steven Anthony are featured in the Halifax Chronicle Herald.

Both Brown and Anthony said they have not yet decided if they will play major junior hockey because they both have opportunities to go to an American prep school instead. Brown is being heavily recruited by Northwood School in Lake Placid, N.Y. and said he is "leaning that way right now" because it would put him on track for a possible scholarship to an NCAA university.

"Right now I’m considering Northwood School very intently. I’m looking at that pretty closely right now," said the well-spoken Grade 10 student. "I’m pretty focused on school. That’s important to me. But I don’t know how it’s going to go for sure right now."

Anthony said he is looking closely at going the American route because it would allow him to continue playing baseball. He is an outstanding pitcher and catcher and going that way would give him more time to decide which sport he likes most.

"I’m accepted to a prep school down in the States called Lawrence Academy and I’d still get to play baseball," Anthony said. "I’ve had some college offers … for hockey but they said I could probably play baseball as well. It’s still a really serious (option) for me."

But Anthony and Brown both emphasized that they are not expressing some phoney interest in going the NCAA route just to manipulate who drafts them.

NCAA vs. Junior Hockey

2007-03-16T05:13:00.000-07:00

With apology for the long gap between posts, I have a couple of stories that again focus on the relative competition for young Canadian players.

The first is a rather disjointed article by Steve Simmons in the Toronto Sun. He seems to have approached the story with a theory, regardless of what he learned in his interviews. Therefore, the article is couched as a story about the NCAA turning its back on Canadian players, citing the lower percentage of Canadian players in the NCAA, and then stating "While colleges won't admit it, there is inherent pressure, considering the relative strength of American hockey, to prefer Americans over Canadian."

The problem with his theory is that the people he quotes say just the opposite - they'd love to have more Canadians, but are unable to present their option to 15 year olds, thereby losing out to a system stacked in favor of Major Junior hockey. As Jeff Jackson notes:

"There's not much of a fight with the junior leagues because we can't compete on an even playing field. They draft a kid at 15. Kids are getting agents when they are 14. It's the agent's job to lock up the kid. So what do you do if you're the agent? Does he send him to junior hockey, where you now have a client's signature on the dotted line? Or does he advise him to go to college, where you can't represent him?
"The juniors are in business. The agents are in business. The decisions are being made at too young an age."

None of this seems to register with Mr. Simmons, who concludes with the alarmist view that "The next tier of Canadian players may not [have a scholarship option]."

From the comments of Coach Berenson and Jackson, it seems that they are frustrated with the lack of ability to meet with and educate the players at the necessary age. As I've written before, the NCAA rules, prohibiting teams from initiating contact with players before their senior year may make sense in sports where the competition is between schools, but makes little sense for players who have a third, non-NCAA option. I've never understood why the NCAA doesn't allow teams to make a pro-NCAA sell to these kids, when the other result is to provide pro leagues with the contact for these young kids.

Another interesting debate arises out of the USA's venue for developing players for the NCAA, the USHL. The USHL's Central Scouting Service continues to present the case for attracting players from Canada, showing the long odds of players getting to the NHL, and the advantages of securing an education. With the Candian Development Model pushing elite players into a choice at age 16 between major junior or a lesser level of play, the USHL is striving to present a third option. Each year the USHL continues to gain in depth, and becomes a stronger option, and is gearing its program at the younger talent pool (witness, the Future's draft). Whether this sways the decisions of 15 year olds remains to be seen.

News

2007-02-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

Mike Cichy leaves USNDPT

www.bostonjuniorbruins.com

Players leaving the USNDPT program are rare, as we saw when Colby Cohen left the U18 team earlier this year, and had his release held-up by the program. With less fanfare or issue, Mike Cichy has become one of the first players to leave the team and return to the EJHL and the Junior Bruins. During his short sting with the program, Cichy alternatively gave indications he might consider the Quebec League route (which led to him being taken in the 3rd round of the midget draft), then surprisingly committing to the University of North Dakota, rather than a team closer to home. Leaving the program this late in the year limited his options somewhat, because Canadian junior teams have a January 10th roster freeze, meaning the major junior route was not possible. Now, he's come full circle, back with the Bruins program. What the future holds? Who knows.

Dominos falling
The logjam of the late commits has begun to break, with Tyler Gron committing to Northern Michigan in late January, and now Jason Gregoire committing to Denver. His arrival is open, as either this Sepetember or next year. In part, this is due to his lost season, having cut and then suffered an infection on his ankle that required surgery. He's back now, and playing as if he never left. His arrival also might be impacted (my guess) with the decision of two other kids. Riley Nash seems to be down to two programs, North Dakota and Denver, with his preference for an 07 or 08 arrival also up in the air. Another late recruit is Mike Connolly from Camrose, who had focused on Wisconsin and Boston University, but now appears to have dropped Wisconsin and opened up to other programs.

NHL Central Scouting Mid-Year Rankings

2007-01-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

The NHL Central Scouting has released its first comprehensive rating of players for the 2007 draft. The final list will be released in May, after the season is completed. Below are the NCAA and NCAA-bound players included in the listing:

2 VAN RIEMSDYK, JAMES USDP USA U-18
5 TURRIS, KYLE BCHL BURNABY
10 CROSS, TOMMY HIGH-CT WESTMINSTER
12 MCDONAGH, RYAN HIGH-MN CRETIN-DERHAM
13 SHATTENKIRK, KEVIN USDP USA U-18
20 O'BRIEN, JAMES WCHA U OF MINNESOTA
23 PACIORETTY, MAX USHL SIOUX CITY
24 HOEFFEL, MIKE USDP USA U-18
25 WHITE, PATRICK HIGH-MN GRAND RAPIDS
27 COHEN, COLBY USHL LINCOLN

31 PETRECKI, NICHOLAS USHL OMAHA
33 GALIARDI, T.J. ECAC DARTMOUTH
34 RUTH, TED USDP USA U-18
39 MARSHALL, MATT HIGH-MA NOBLES
50 RYAN, BEN USHL DES MOINES
51 LARSON, NICK HIGH-MN HILL-MURRAY
53 LEE, JOHN HIGH-MN MOORHEAD

61 SACCHETTI, NICO HIGH-MN VIRGINIA
63 MALONE, BRAD USHL SIOUX FALLS
64 KILLORN, ALEXANDER HIGH-MA DEERFIELD
67 MACKENZIE, DREW HIGH-CT TAFT EAGLES
68 PALUSHAJ, AARON USHL DES MOINES
71 ERSTAD, TRAVIS HIGH-MN STEVENS POINT
76 KESSEL, BLAKE USHL WATERLOO
77 LEBLANC, DREW HIGH-MN HERMANTOWN
78 BLOOD, BEN HIGH-MN SHAT.ST.MARY'S
80 HANSEN, JAKE HIGH-MN WHITE BEAR LAKE H.S.
82 TROPP, COREY USHL SIOUX FALLS
87 PIERRO-ZABOTEL, CASEY BCHL MERRITT
88 ALBERT, JOHN USDP USA U-18
89 WINNETT, BEN BCHL SALMON ARM
90 LLEWELLYN, TRISTIN USHL TRI-CITY

93 SEVERYN, C.J. USDP USA U-18
94 CAREY, PAUL HIGH-CT SALISBURY
97 BERGMAN, ROBIN USHL CEDAR RAPIDS
99 NASH, RILEY BCHL SALMON ARM
103 JOHNSON, TYLER HIGH-MN CLOQUET
105 NASH, BRENDAN ECAC CORNELL
106 GIBBONS, BRIAN HIGH-CT SALISBURY
109 RIDDERWALL, CALLE USHL TRI-CITY
110 GLASS, ANDREW HIGH-MA NOBLES
113 COLE, IAN USDP USA U-18
117 BONINO, NICK HIGH-CT AVON OLD FARMS

122 CHRISTIAN, JORDY HIGH-MN MOORHEAD
123 THOMPSON, PAUL EJHL JR. MONARCHS
124 RUST, MATT USDP USA U-18
125 DIETER, BAYLOR USHL GREEN BAY
127 MATSON, TAYLOR HIGH-MN HOLY ANGELS
128 LAVIN, JOSEPH USDP USA U-18
131 FAIRCHILD, CADE USDP USA U-18
133 STEJSKAL, JOE HIGH-MN GRAND RAPIDS
138 LIDSTER, COLIN MWEHL VICTORY HONDA MIDGET
140 FREEMAN, SCOTT OPJRA BOWMANVILLE
141 HAAS, COLIN MIDGET AAA DALLAS STARS AAA
144 TURNBULL, JOSHUA USHL WATERLOO
145 ANDERSON, SPENCER OPJRA BRAMPTON
147 WINGELS, TOMMY USHL CEDAR RAPIDS
150 VARGAS, BRENNAN USDP USA U-18

151 FOSS, JEFF HIGH-MN MOORHEAD
152 CAPORUSSO, LOUIE OPJRA ST. MICHAELS
153 DORR, MICHAEL HIGH-MN ROSEVILLE H.S.
157 SMITH, BRENDAN OPJRA ST. MICHAELS
158 FRANKLIN, JOSH HIGH-MA NOBLES
160 LOVERDE, VINCENT USHL WATERLOO
164 HEFFERNAN, JOHN HIGH-MA B.C. HIGH
165 HOBBS, DANNY USHL OHIO
169 NYCHOLAT, DANIEL AJHL CANMORE
170 KIEFFER, TYLER HIGH-MN STILLWATER
171 BRUNETEAU, BRETT USHL OMAHA
172 BEAUDETTE, JOE HIGH-MN BLAINE
176 BENN, JAMIE BCHL VICTORIA
177 MADAY, BILLY USHL WATERLOO
178 ARCOBELLO, MARK ECAC YALE
179 GOULET, ALAIN OPJRA AURORA
180 BAHNEMANN, BRANDON HIGH-MN ROCHESTER LOURDES

182 BIEGA, MICHAEL HIGH-CT SALISBURY
183 LOISEL, DEREK HIGH-MN COON RAPIDS
184 MARTELL, BRANDON HIGH-MN ELK RIVER
186 HAMBURG, ANDREW MIDGET AAA DALLAS STARS
188 OLEKSUK, TRAVIS USHL SIOUX CITY
190 SCHACK, BRIAN WCHA U OF MINNESOTA
191 KENNEDY, PATRICK WJRB ST. THOMAS
192 BARTKOWSKI, MATT USHL LINCOLN
193 FARNHAM, BOBBY HIGH-MA ANDOVER
194 CAMPER, CARTER USHL LINCOLN
195 CAMPBELL, MAX WJRB STRATHROY
197 PITT, SCOTT CJHL ORLEANS
198 LAWSON, DANIEL USHL CHICAGO
200 NILL, TREVOR MWEHL COMPUWARE MIDGET
201 SMITH, CRAIG USHL WATERLOO
202 MICHAUD, PIER-OLIVER INDEP. JR PORTLAND JR PIRATES
203 REBER, MATT HIGH-MN EDINA HIGH
204 LEAVERTON, DOUG NAHL MAHONING VALLEY
206 LEVINE, JOSHUA HIGH-MN BLOOMINGTON-JEFF.
207 RUFENBACH, BRYAN OPJRA LINDSAY
208 MCCABE, BRAD NAHL ALASKA
210 SYNER, T.J. EJHL NEW ENGLAND

Stacey finds a home

2006-11-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

Wahs Satcey has committed to Vermont on Monday after visiting over the weekend of November 25th and seeing its 3-2 victory against Maine (which was another contender). Stacey also had considered Colorado College and St.Cloud State. Although Wahs took a detour out west to play bantam and midget hockey, he has returned home for college, as Vermont is just down the highway from Stacey's native Kanawahke, Quebec.

The Grass is Browner

2006-11-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

Catching up with Victor Oreskovich, who left Notre Dame for the Kitchener Rangers mid-year last year in an attempt to jump-start his pro career. A second round pick of the Avalanche, he failed to earn a contract this year, so returned to the Ontario Hockey League as an overage player. Now, he's persona non grata with Kitchener, following the footsteps of Alex Lalonde another former golden domer who jumped to the OHL.

It's about Victor Oreskovich.

Apparently, the overage winger is no longer with the team. Rangers coach and general manager Peter DeBoer refused to elaborate on what he called "an internal matter." Oreskovich disappeared after the first period.

"We don't really know what happened," Rangers captain Jean-Michel Rizk said minutes after scoring the winner with 55 seconds left in OT.

"We were sitting in the room. As we were going out, Vic didn't follow. We didn't get a chance to know what's going on there. I think we're going to have a team meeting (today)."

Good idea. Just before the Rangers hop on a bus for tonight's game in Erie, Pa., they can talk about how and why DeBoer sent Oreskovich packing during last night's game.

This had been building.

"It was a series of events," Oreskovich said when reached on his cellphone after the game.

"I don't fault Pete at all here. It's something I have to deal with. It's been my fault. I've been, not disruptive, but I haven't been a good teammate. Pete grew tired of me yelling at guys when they made mistakes. It came to a front tonight. He told me he's had enough, that was the last straw. To just pack up my things."

Oreskovich, a 20-year-old from Oakville who joined the Rangers a year ago next week after leaving U.S. college hockey at Notre Dame, admitted to yelling at a teammate after a Rangers power play last night.

"I can basically take responsibility," Oreskovich said. "Pete was trying to help me throughout the year with the mental side of my game. I have a tendency to get frustrated pretty easily. It's something I have to deal with."

Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the OHL trade that saw the Rangers acquire the rights to Oreskovich from the Windsor Spitfires.

Now, his future is uncertain.

Letters of Intent (trickling in)

2006-11-21T13:07:00.000-08:00

Ferris State Ferris State Hockey Announces Four Early Period Signees

Western Michigan Broncos sign three

Northern Michigan Three cats sign letters of intent

Minnesota Duluth Signs two

And an eastern team

Boston College Eagles sign four

Letters of Intent

2006-11-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

Canisius Canisius Signs 3

Alaska-FairbanksAlaska inks first recruit

Alaska hockey squad signs another brother

Alaska hockey team lands fifth recruit of season

Miami-Ohio Miami Hockey Signs Five For 2007-08 Season

Michigan Wolverines Sign Five Skaters in Early Signing Period

Wolverines Ink Four More Players for 2007-08

Michigan State Spartans Add Three to Incoming Class of Recruits

Notre Dame Irish Hockey Signs Seven To National Letters-Of-Intent

Ohio State Men's Hockey Adds Five Recruits to 2007-08 Roster

Mankato State Mavericks sign seven hockey recruits

Minnesota Gophers sign six to letters of intent

Michigan Tech MICHIGAN TECH HOCKEY TEAM ADDS SIX RECRUITS

NebraskaOmaha Mavs
Hockey Signs 3

North Dakota UND men’s hockey team signs five to national letters of intent

St.Cloud State St.Cloud Hockey Letters of Intent

Wisconsin Men’s Hockey Signs Six Elite Recruits

Bemidji State Trio of USHL veterans to join Beavers for 2007-08

Wow, you mean they don't dress 9 defensemen?

2006-11-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

I wonder when this thought first occurred to Nigel Williams. We know it occurred shortly after Wisconsin's 10th game, last Saturday, where, with another DNP, Williams had seen action in only one game. At that point, he decided that seeing playing time was important to his development, and that with Wisconsin's defensive depth, he might not see regular ice time as a freshman.

OK. He's an NHL prospect, having been ranked 13th overall by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau for last year's NHL draft. He went 51st overal to Colorado. If he got a good education promise from the OHL's Saginaw Spirit (they of the positive Stephen Colbert fame, and the negative Matthew Corrente fame), then hockey-wise this might work out.

But it doesn't answer many questions. Clearly, having gone the NCAA route, he preferred the NCAA route to the OHL. While the question may be "why back out now?", it seems to me the more pertinent question is "if freshman PT was essential to you, why did you choose a team with 8 regular defensemen?"

The context for Williams' choice of Wisconsin is as follows. He was the last memeber of the current defensive group to commit, meaning he was not blindsided by Mike Eaves bringing in too many defensemen. Wisconsin already returned 6 regular defensemen in 06-07 (Klubertanz, Likens, Piskula, Drewiske, Olinger and Engel), received an early commitment in October 2004 from Garret Suter, and another in February 2005 from Jamie McBain. So, with 8 guys lined-up for 2006-07, how exactly did Williams figure he was guaranteed playing time?

Guys, there's a correlation between playing time and scholarship guys already on the depth chart. If you want the prestige of a top program, and one that has an inordinate number of defensive recruits, what can you expect?

Let's hope he can make the best of it up in Saginaw.

Revisiting Stacey

2006-10-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

Since it's move to Tier I in 1987-88, the Notre Dame Hounds have used its pipeline from its famous midget program to produce top end talent out of the Saskatchewan league. The latest in the line is Wahs Stacey, a native american Mohawk from Quebec, who moved to the flatlands of Saskatchewan for bantam hockey. Drafted in the Quebec draft, he got 71 points in 44 midget games, and then bypassed the major junior route to move up to the Junior A Hounds. Last year, he earned the SJHL rookie of the year honors with 46 points in 49 games. Along the way, he visited Minnesota Duluth and made a commitment at the end of November. By April he had second thoughts, and withdrew his commitment, opening the process up again. This year he has narrowed his college choice down to a new group of schools: Maine, Vermont, St. Cloud or Colorado College.

North Dakota legacies

2006-10-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

The commitment of Brett Hextall to the Fighting Sioux effectively limited what they could offer Mario Lamoureux, brother of goalie Philippe Lamoureux and son of former Sioux goalie Pierre Lamoureux. Instead, Mario will be joining his brother Jacques with the Northern Michigan Wildcats. An older brother elected to go the WHL route with the Red Deer Rebels, and two younger sisters are highly regarded hockey players at Shattuck St.Mary's.

So, does that end the matriculation of Lamoureuxs to North Dakota? Not quite. Up in Drumheller Alberta, Cam Lamoureux is working through his first junior season. Cam is a '89 born power forward from Calgary. While not a progeny of Pierre, Cam's father Roger starred for the Sioux back in the mid-70s. No doubt the Sioux are keeping close tabs on the young winger.

Another Sioux target is Jason Gregoire, an '89 winger from Winnipeg. Last season's Manitoba Junior Hockey League Rookie of the Year has taken his game down to the USHL where he plays for former Sioux winger Steve Johnson. A fast start to his USHL season (5 points in 2 games) also has him on the radar of Denver and Wisconsin.

Western Canada Updates

2006-10-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

The recent story confirms that Tyler Gron will pursue the NCAA route, begining his flydowns this month.

Brett Hextall, son of former NHLer Ron Hextall, and nephew to former North Dakota great Dennis Hextall (1963-66) has committed to North Dakota. Hextall has bounced around quite a bit, growing up in southern New Jersey, moved to Milton Academy as a sophomore, then playing last year at Northwood Prep after being asked to leave Milton. The fiesty Hextall has piled up penalty minutes and points in his rookie BCHL season.

North Dakota picked up another top forward in Brad Malone. Although his family has lots of NHL roots (his uncle Greg was a 15 year NHLer and his father was an NHL first round pick), he grew up in small-town Miramichi New Brunswick. He had western connections, having attended Chuck Grillo's Minnesota summer camps and his cousin Ryan Malone attended St.Cloud State. Ultimately, his college decision came down to Wisconsin and North Dakota and Grand Forks reminded him of home.

Gron Long Gone?

2006-09-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

One of the top prospects out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League is Tyler Gron. Gron was a third round pick of the WHL Prince George Cougars, but didn't want to report to the remote city in British Columbia. Yesterday, the Cougars traded Gron's rights to the Medicine Hat Tigers, a team in Gron's home province of Alberta. The question is whether Gron will report to Medicine Hat. Prince George received a somewhat promising prospect in Jordie Deagle, and a conditional third round bantam pick. My take on the trade is that the 3rd round pick is equivalent to where Gron was picked by Prince George. Thus, if Gron doesn't report, Prince George receive the equivalent value. That the trade contains this condition suggests that Gron's reporting to the WHL is far from a done deal.

College Hockey Freshmen

2006-09-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

With the startup of the college season just on the horizon, I've taken the opportunity to put together my pre-season ratings for the incoming freshmen. In the coming week I'll also try and assemble a listing of my pre-season all-rookie teams and all-conference teams.

I assembled this listing blind, meaning I did not refer back to the order in which they appeared on my 06 listings. While there are a few differences in order, that can best be attributed to the fact that this is more of an "art" than a science. With this listing I also tried to focus more on initial college impact, rather than overall impact, meaning that players such as James O'Brien and Michael Forney, younger freshmen, may struggle initially, while others will impact sooner.

Forwards
1.Kyle Okposo, Minnesota
2.Billy Sweatt, Colorado College
3.Blake Gallagher, Cornell
4.Andreas Nodl, St.Cloud State
5.Ted Purcell, Maine
6.Michael Carman, Minnesota
7.Rhett Rahkshani, Denver
8.Ryan Flynn, Minnesota
9.Ryan Lasch, St.Cloud State
10.Matt Butcher, Northern Mich
11.Blake Geoffrion, Wisconsin
12.Michael Forney, North Dakota
13.Chris Auger, UM-Lowell
14.Doug Rogers, Harvard
15.Dion Knelsen, Alaska-Fairbanks
16.Mike Davies, Wisconsin
17.Josh Gillam, Dartmouth
18.David McIntyre, Colgate
19.Aaron Lewicki, Ferris State
20.James O'Brien, Minnesota

Defensemen
1.Erik Johnson, Minnesota
2.Kevin Montgomery, Ohio State
3.Jamie McBain, Wisconsin
4.Kris Fredheim, Colorado College
5.Brian Strait, BU
6.Alex Biega, Harvard
7.Chris Summers, Michigan
8.Nick Schaus, UM-Lowell
9.Keith Seabrook, Denver
10.Michael Ratchuk, Michigan State
11.Carl Sneep, BC
12.Ed Del Grosso, Nebraska-Omaha
13.David Fischer, Minnesota
14.Eric Gryba, Boston University
15.Jason Lepine, Ferris State

Goalies
1.Joe Palmer, Ohio State
2.Alex Stalock, Minnesota Duluth
3.Brett Bennett, BU
4.Brad Theissen, Northeastern
5.Ryan Simpson, Providence

Training Camps Open

2006-09-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

Sure, You're Good at 15, but...
The exceptional Western College Hockey Blog, a usual stopping point for me, contains an interesting analysis of the 2002 Select 15 Festival, and what that snapshot shows about player development.

Player Movement
With the major junior training camps now open and exhibition season in full gear, a few potential NCAA picks have made their decision about their future course. Two highly regarded Ontario '89 defenders, Steve Tarasuk and Kevin Mole each selected the OHL route, after having their rights traded from the Ottawa 67s. Mole, whose brother is at Yale, plays for the Kingston Frontenacs, and Tarasuk was traded to the Kitchener Rangers. Ottawa also had Scott Pitt ('88) leave the team after having earned a roster spot, choosing instead to take a scholarship with Mercyhurst. Lastly, Ohio State lost its first '90 commitment when Kelly Geoffrey, who had been picked in the 3rd round of the OHL draft, elected to play with the Erie Otters.

Early Returns
Getting out of the gate strong in the BCHL is Riley Nash, a highly regarded 89 with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. In Vernon, tiny '90 dynamo Kyle St.Denis, a top scorer in Jr.B and a member of this year's BC Under-17 team, recorded in 4 points in his first game of the year. In Alberta, highly regarded Tyler Gron has set an early pace that should make him one of the top recruits from the league.

Wisconsin State Journal Updates

2006-08-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Today's Wisconsin State Journal reports that Brad Malone, featured here back on February 25th ("you looking at me?") has narrowed his choices to 4 western schools, including Wisconsin, North Dakota, Denver and Michigan. Malone's narrowing of his choices to western teams seems a change of perspective, as the web page he created at Cushing while a sophmore reported that he wanted to attend school in the Boston area.

It also notes that Finnish forward Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, who I reported as having verbally committed to Nebraska-Omaha back in March, is still being recruited by Miami-Ohio, UNH and Wisconsin. At Omaha he'll play with Omaha native Brett Bruneteau, who also is in the middle of a recruiting battle between Wisconsin, hometown Nebraska-Omaha, Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota and Michigan.

Edit: Correction, Juutilainen will be playing for Waterloo, not Omaha.

Odds and Ends

2006-08-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Early Frost
Back on April 26, I noted the numerous allegations against agent and former Junior A operator Dave Frost, as they related to a TV report on misconduct by the Pembroke Lumber Kings. Last week Frost was arrested on charges of
sexual misconduct. While this is a positive step, one question that remains is how the Central Ontario Junior League has reacted to the news. Background on the relationship between Frost and Marty Abrams was in my earlier blog entry. And the earlier news related to misconduct by the Pembroke Lumber Kings, which was operated by Kevin Abrams. Well, the COJHL obviously realized that it had to do something, so it highlights its policy on its web page:

The CJHL is committed to ensuring that the teams within the league operate in a responsible manner. Any inappropriate conduct directed towards a player within the league will be dealt with firmly. The CJHL encourages anyone with concerns regarding conduct detrimental to the players to report their concerns to the team management or if necessary to the League Executive.

Laudable. So, what is my question? After the incident the COJHL had a major political battle, involving long-time Pembroke coach Mac MacLean(who was fired by new Pembroke owner and Frost protege Sheldon Keefe) who then became league Commissioner. As Commissioner, MacLean banned David Frost from involvement in the league. Well, that battle has been won by the Frost group, by which Pembroke owner Kevin Abrams became the COJHL commissioner. How will Abrams enforce his new zero-tolerance policy?

USHL notes
Some last minute shuffling always occurs heading into the season. Last year it was the exodus of goalies, leaving the USHL pretty weak at that position. This year, the USHL shapes up pretty well so far. Sioux Falls lost Jay Barriball, when he took Phil Kessel's spot at Minnesota. Filling that spot is Massachusetts native Robbie Vrolyk, a promising former member of the 2005 USA Under-17 team. 1990-born Californian Max Nicastro has earned a spot on Omaha's pre-season roster, which will again be a pretty young team, with another 1990 born player, goalie Jordan Tibbett. Chicago retained a good scorer in Brandon Coccimigio, who had looked to be headed to Mercyhurst, but who will instead put in another USHL season.

2006-08-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

USA Hockey has announced the composition of the two Select teams that will compete for at the Under 17 tourney this year. Unlike past years, in which USA sent one team to the Under 17 tourney in Priestany, Slovakia, this year USA will host a tourney August 12-18 in Rochester, NY, featuring teams from Switzerland and Germany. To fill the rosters, USA dipped into the 91 pool, with each team made up of 16 90s, and 4 91s.

Team White, coached by Carey Eades, and assisted by Brian Renfrew is as follows:

2006 United States Under-17 Select Team White

No. Name Ht. (cm) Wt. (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown 2005-06 Team
GOALTENDERS (2)
1 Jordan Tibbett 6-1 (185) 175 (79) 1/6/90 L Indianapolis, Ind. Honeybaked (Mich.) (midget)
30 Matthew Walsh 5-10 (178) 175 (79) 2/13/90 L Milton, Mass. Neponset Valley (Mass.) River Rats (midget)

DEFENSEMEN (6)
2 Cam Fowler 6-1 (185) 180 (82) 12/5/91 L Northville, Mich. Honeybaked (Mich.) (bantam)
3 Ryan Grimshaw 6-0 (183) 180 (82) 1/28/90 R Rochester, N.Y. Salisbury School (Conn.) (prep school)
4 Austin Handley 6-1 (185) 190 (86) 4/4/90 L Clarkston, Mich. Honeybaked (Mich.) (midget)
5 Brett Kostolansky 5-10 (178) 175 (79) 1/27/90 L Denver, Colo. Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.) (prep school)
6 Sam Lofquist 6-1 (185) 175 (79) 3/15/90 R Faribault, Minn. Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.) (prep school)
7 Drew Olson 5-11 (180) 195 (88) 4/4/90 L Brainerd, Minn. Brainerd (Minn.) (high school)

FORWARDS (12)
8 Chris Brown 6-2 (188) 180 (82) 2/3/91 R Flower Mound, Texas Dallas Alliance Bulldogs (bantam)
9 Zach Budish 6-2 (188) 200 (91) 5/9/91 R Edina, Minn. Edina (Minn.) (bantam)
10 Patrick Gaul 5-8 (173) 170 (77) 2/27/90 L Pittsburgh, Pa. Pittsburgh Hornets (midget)
11 Ben Hanowski 6-1 (185) 180 (82) 10/18/90 L Little Falls, Minn. Little Falls (Minn.) (high school)
12 Sean Logue 6-1 (185) 183 (83) 11/16/90 L Walpole, Mass. Boston Jr. Bruins (midget)
14 Kellen Michalak 5-11 (180) 185 (84) 6/20/90 R Caro, Mich. Midland (Mich.) Northstars (midget)
15 John O’Neill 6-0 (183) 160 (73) 4/4/90 L Ramsey, Minn. Anoka (Minn.) (high school)
16 Troy Power 5-11 (180) 172 (78) 3/29/90 R Camarillo, Calif. California Wave (midget)
17 Kenny Ryan 5-11 (180) 187 (85) 7/10/91 R Franklin, Mich. Honeybaked (Mich.) (bantam)
18 Shawn Szydlowski 6-1 (185) 210 (95) 8/5/90 R St. Clair Shores, Mich. Belle Tire (Mich.) (midget)
19 Alex Velischek 5-11 (180) 187 (85) 12/17/90 L Kinnelon, N.J. New Jersey Devils (midget)
20 Mitchell Wahl 5-11 (180) 170 (77) 1/22/90 R Seal Beach, Calif. LA Jr. Kings (midget)

Rick Bennett serves as the head coach for the Blue team, assisted by Kyle Wallack and Sean Tremblay.

No. Name Ht. (cm) Wt. (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown 2005-06 Team
GOALTENDERS (2)
1 Garrett Beckwith 6-0 (183) 165 (75) 1/4/90 L Parsippany, N.J. New Jersey Devils (midget)
30 Josh Watson 6-1 (185) 160 (73) 8/7/90 L Lititz, Pa. Central Pennsylvania Panthers (midget)

DEFENSEMEN (6)
2 Joe Gleason 5-9 (175) 170 (77) 3/30/90 R Edina, Minn. Edina (Minn.) (high school)
3 Aaron Ness 5-9 (175) 155 (70) 5/18/90 L Roseau, Minn. Roseau (Minn.) (high school)
4 Max Nicastro 6-2 (188) 175 (79) 3/2/90 R Thousand Oaks, Calif. California Wave (midget)
5 Steven Spinell 6-0 (183) 190 (86) 9/9/90 R Vernon Hills, Ill. Team Illinois (midget)
6 David Warsofsky 5-9 (175) 155 (70) 5/30/90 L North Marshfield, Mass. Cushing Academy (Mass.) (high school)
7 Chris Wideman 5-10 (178) 165 (75) 1/7/90 R St. Louis, Mo. St. Louis Amateur Blues (midget)

FORWARDS (12)
8 Mark Anthoine 5-11 (180) 182 (83) 9/6/90 L Lewiston, Maine Portland (Maine) Jr. Pirates (AJHL)
9 Brett Beebe 5-11 (180) 176 (80) 2/16/90 R Redondo Beach, Calif. California Wave (midget)
10 Max Cook 6-1 (185) 160 (73) 6/3/90 R Frankfort, Ill. Chicago Mission (midget)
11 Nate Dewhurst 5-9 (175) 155 (70) 4/1/90 R Johnston, Iowa Culver Academy (Ind.) (prep school)
12 Kyle Jean 6-2 (188) 180 (82) 3/1/90 L Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Soo Indians (Mich.) (midget)
14 Pat Mullane 5-11 (180) 185 (84) 7/31/90 L Wallingford, Conn. Avon Old Farms (Conn.) (prep school)
15 Zach Tatrn 6-2 (188) 210 (95) 2/14/91 R Lower Burrell, Pa. Buffalo (N.Y.) Regals (bantam)
16 David Valek 6-2 (188) 186 (84) 3/19/91 R Orem, Utah Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic) (Extra Liga)
17 Ryan Walters 5-10 (178) 167 (76) 7/30/91 L Rosemount, Minn. Rosemount (Minn.) (bantam)
18 Steven Whitney 5-6 (168) 155 (70) 2/18/91 R Reading, Mass. Lawrence Academy (Mass.) (prep school)
19 Jake Youso 6-0 (183) 173 (78) 6/8/90 L International Falls, Minn. International Falls (Minn.) (high school)
20 Matt Zarbo 6-1 (185) 185 (84) 5/7/90 L Grand Island, N.Y. Boston Jr. Bruins (EMJHL)

More on Mass hockey

2006-07-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

I've had a college coach chime in with his insight on the issues confronting the lack of player development in Massachusetts. Below was his input, followed by my response:

I think the decline has to do with the state of high school hockey in Massachusetts. I grew up in Massachusetts and played youth and high school hockey there. I was neither the best player ever to skate for my high school team nor the worst, however much like my friends and teammates, I bled the school colors. And the reason for this love is clear to me. There is a sense of belonging and identity in growing up playing youth hockey on successful town teams; its almost like you are in the farm system of the big club, and that hopefully you'll get called up for a chance at the apple. We all wanted to taste it, the crowd, the prestige, the win.

The state of professional hockey in Boston did not have much influence on the development of my friends and me, and although we dreamed of growing up and playing in the NHL our true heroes were on the high school team. If you ask any of us who graduated around 1990 about our fondest memories watching hockey, they will most likely take place in a packed home rink during high school games against our rivals, at The Garden or in State Championship games.

Our idols and heroes would be the alums at our high school who had successfully moved on to college. For some, the goal after high school was to play college hockey. The route to college hockey was clear as well. Massachusetts high school kids were not leaving for prep-schools and juniors until maybe after their senior year. There was pressure from both sides where high school coaches could promote their talent to colleges and your teammates growing up saw it as a betrayal for leaving the town team. I think that familiarity is gone, with it the desire, and players today might not know what it takes because the path is not clear and lay out in front of them. The goal isn't there every winter weekend for them to feel, hear and see. The passion in those high school games was electric and moving. A sense of pride and respect for the town, the high school players and coaches was created by the local climate you grew up in. The rivalries that exist between different towns stem deep throughout the entire youth hockey system and all school sports. You grow up despising talented kids from other towns and will do anything to beat them in a game. All the moves you make coming up have a major influence on the way the coaches and players view your talent and commitment level when you get to high school. Peter Masters comment as he "refers to the parents' role in creating ego driven players unwilling to work as hard. 'Back then, parents would yell at their own kid, skate harder, move,' now the parents are yelling at the other players or the coaches or the refs" in some ways reflects my opinion. If you were lazy or bad kid, the word spread throughout the whole system all the way to the top, which was the varsity coach. You learn to take what coaches dealt; to get tough, to skate all day, because you had to, there was nothing else. That's what made kids better. Now the kid will just go to another team, which isn't that big a deal because it works for others. Now the coach has no control.

Kids have so many avenues now, that the focus is sometimes gone. It used to be hard for a freshman to make our high school varsity team, almost all played junior varsity. It was a right of passage. God, there were seniors on the j.v.. Now you see tons of freshmen on their varsity teams, because the better developed older players have most likely left. Look at high school hockey in states like Minnesota, and combine it with your comment of "Well, Minnesota did not send its players to the Select 14 festival." Why? They have the protection of the high schools still being the big show (packing the State Tourney), they don't have all the prep schools to worry about, most of their early departures go to the USHL (without all the Junior A, B and C teams that exist out east), they have their own junior elite league which actually promotes the high school hockey culture, the player pool is more condensed and the competition is greater, and because they don't want to turn into Massachusetts. I think that in order for Massachusetts hockey to improve from the bottom up, it would have to change at the top first.

My response on this issue:

You're probably right that this is a factor for many kids, but I still question how much it plays into the issue for the elite kids. No doubt the average hockey player will be more motivated by the prospect of playing HS, but my question focuses more on the lack of elite kids in Mass/NE. As you know, those kids usually hit the radar as early as age 14, as freshmen in HS. But looking at the tourney results for that age bracket, the Mass kids already are behind the curve. There are few Carpenters, Ryan Whitneys, etc. out there, and this is before the impact of their high school coaching or junior hockey. Its not a case of Mass having elite 13 or 14 year olds, but their skills stagnating from 14-18. So the issue to me is whether (1) the kids in Mass no longer have the skills (in comparison to Minn, Mich, etc.), or (2) the Mass. kids with those athletic skills are going into other sports, because they play baskeball/baseball instead of stick hockey at ages 8-13. My sense is that kids in Mass no longer play pond hockey, as hockey in the metro area is all finding a rink, which restricts access to playing (in comparison to the Land of 10,000 lakes, where the culture still has them playing pond hockey). Without the social "pressure" of it being the thing to do (created to a large degree by whether Boston is a hockey town), kids or their parents are less inclined to plunk down hundreds of dollars for ice time during the formative years. Hence, the smaller talent pool manifesting itself as early as age 13.

Mass Development Issues, Redoux

2006-07-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

When the top '92 players gathered last week at Rochester, NY for the USA Select 14 festival, it represented further evidence of how far behind Massachusetts has fallen in developing talent. Charles Bando, who finished second in tourney scoring, was the only Massachusetts native to finish in the top 44 scoring. Of course, it would be wrong to read too much into the pure scoring statistics except that these results are consistent with the overall decline that we've seen among Massachusetts prospects.

So, where are the top scorers coming from? Well, Minnesota did not send its players to the Select 14 festival. Leaving aside Michigan and Illinois, which had their now usual strong showings, Pennsylvania had 6 players among the top 44 scorers, and California produced 3. Say, did the Penguins or LA Kings do something in the mid-90s to rejeuvinate the hockey community in the way Bobby Orr did to Massachusetts in the mid-70s? Texas also had 3 players (correlating to the arrival of the Dallas Stars). And, while we're at it, did Jeremy Jacobs do something to the Bruins in the mid-90s that correlates to the decline in interest among Massachusetts kids?

Here come the 91s

2006-07-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today brings word that the second '91 -- and perhaps the highest one out there -- has committed to the college route. Central Ontario (up north near Sudbury) center Matt Duchene gave his word to the Michigan State Spartans that he intends to enroll in the fall of 2009. The International Scouting Service rankings (ok, crystal ball) for the 2009 draft has him fourth for the draft, meaning that he's a top-end 91. Duchene is the second 91 to commit, after Ferris State's April commitment of Beau Schmitz, and the fourth commitment for 2009, as Nebraska-Omaha already had secured Norweigan center Fredrik Csisar and Wisconsin has Nick Pryor for that fall. Of course, Saskatchewan '91 defenseman Jared Cowen expressed unhappiness with being selected by the Spokane Chiefs first overall in the WHL bantam draft, and already has expressed an interest in college programs such as Michigan.

Bear in mind, that all such commitments from 15 year olds are tenuous as the kids grow and change their perspective - moreso when the OHL plans get more specific after the OHL draft. State needs look no further than over to Ann Arbor to see what happened to A.J. Jenks, one of the first 90s to commit.

---------------------------

USA HOOCKEY announced its' Select 18 team that will travel to the Czech Republic.

No Name Ht (cm) Wt (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown 2005-06 Team
GOALTENDERS (2)
1 Dayn Belfour 6-0 (183) 195 (88) 5/27/89 L Toronto, Ontario Victory Honda (Mich.) (midget)
30 Jeremy Smith 6-2 (188) 160 (73) 4/13/89 L Brownstown, Mich. Plymouth Whalers (OHL)

DEFENSEMEN (7)
2 Jonathon Blum 6-1 (185) 170 (77) 1/30/89 R Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. Vancouver Giants (WHL)
3 David Carle 5-11 (180) 170 (77) 11/9/89 L Anchorage, Alaska Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minn.) (prep school)
4 Tommy Cross 6-3 (191) 195 (88) 9/12/89 L Simsbury, Conn. Simsbury (Conn.) (high school)
5 Vincent LoVerde 6-0 (183) 205 (93) 4/14/89 R Chicago, Ill. Waterloo Blackhawks (USHL)
6 Ryan McDonagh 6-1 (185) 195 (88) 6/13/89 L Arden Hills, Minn. Cretin-Derham Hall (Minn.) (high school)
7 Nick Petrecki 6-3 (191) 215 (98) 7/11/89 L Clifton Park, N.Y. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
8 Matt Tomassoni 5-10 (178) 160 (73) 7/30/89 R Carol Stream, Ill. Chicago Mission (midget)

FORWARDS (13)
9 Cam Atkinson 5-7 (170) 155 (70) 6/5/89 R Riverside, Conn. Avon Old Farms (prep school)
10 David Brownschidle 6-1 (185) 185 (84) 5/23/89 R Lawrenceville, N.J. Tri-City Storm (USHL)
11 Brett Bruneteau 5-11 (180) 183 (83) 1/5/89 L Omaha, Neb. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
12 Joe Diamond 5-6 (168) 152 (69) 6/16/89 L Long Beach, N.Y. New York Apple Core (EJHL)
14 Shane Harper 5-10 (178) 178 (81) 2/1/89 R Valencia, Calif. Everett Silvertips (WHL)
15 Jimmy Hayes 6-5 (196) 210 (95) 11/21/89 R Dorchester, Mass. Noble & Greenough (prep school)
16 Mike Hoeffel 6-2 (188) 185 (84) 4/9/89 L North Oaks, Minn. Hill-Murray (Minn.) (high school)
17 Tyler Johnson 5-9 (175) 155 (70) 1/4/89 R Cloquet, Minn. Cloquet (Minn.) (high school)
18 Eddie Olczyk 5-11 (180) 172 (78) 6/17/89 R Long Grove, Ill. Pittsburgh Predators (midget)
19 Nico Sacchetti 5-11 (180) 185 (84) 8/21/89 R Virginia, Minn. Virginia (Minn.) (high school)
20 Thomas Serratore 6-0 (183) 170 (77) 7/16/89 L Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Thunderbirds (midget)
21 Matt Thurber 5-10 (178) 185 (84) 10/2/89 R Beaver Dam, Wis. Omaha Lancers (USHL)
22 Patrick White 6-1 (185) 190 (86) 1/20/89 R Grand Rapids, Minn. Grand Rapids (Minn.) (high school)

Quebec

2006-06-11T06:02:00.001-07:00

Yesterday's Quebec midget draft carried a bit less drama than last year's event, during which Angelo Esposito and Patrick Roy played the "NCAA card". This year, 2nd rated Patrick Cormier made a weak attempt at the game, holding out of pre-draft media events, but them emerging from the shadows to become the 5th overall pick.

One player who is serious about the NCAA route is Dartmouth NS defenseman Alexi Pianosi - who followed Blake Gallagher as the Nova Scotia midget league MVP - who is headed to Salisbury Prep.

Of the US players, the only high selection was Junior Bruin forward Mike Cichy, who has a spot with the US National Development program and lots of NCAA offers. He became a 3rd round pick of Halifax. As is par for the course, their local paper is bullish about Cichy's chances of reporting.

Cichy has not yet committed to the QMJHL, but he is a safe bet to report. He toured Moncton and Quebec City earlier this year and Mooseheads American scout/liaison Chris Hamel and Patenaude met with him and his family several times last year.
"The thing for me and Chris, but mostly Chris, is that we have a good relationship with his father," Patenaude said. "We went to see him often this winter and he likes what we do, likes our program. He’s very interested in Halifax so if he comes now or he comes later, that’s something we’ll have to wait and see. But we’ve got the feeling they like what we’re doing and they like the organization. We’ve got a good feeling from them."

U.Mass recruit Danny Hobbs appears to be less of a risk , although the article also is high on him:

One independent scout said 11th-round pick Danny Hobbs out of Stanstead College in Quebec was a major sleeper who has "top 10 ability."

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/509477.html

Ontario Goalies

2006-06-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

With North Dakota's Jordan Parise choosing the pro route, today brings confirmation (long rumored by the North Dakota fans) that Wellington Dukes goalie Anthony Grieco will be enrolling this August to back up Phil Lamoureux.

Another Ontario goalie who may soon get a college offer is '85 goalie David Wilson of Streetsville. One rumor has Wilson next in line at Maine, after USHL goalie Josh Murray gave up trying to gain admission and instead chose the OHL route.

Eastern Development Issues

2006-05-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the Boston Herald has provoked a fair amount of discussion concerning the decline of the Massachusetts talent pool.

“No question, no question at all,” said York. “Through the 80s and early-90s we were really producing some tremendous players. We still have some good players, but for some reason - and I really can’t put my finger on why - it’s not like it used to be. We see it at the college level and the pros see it at the next level.”

The article then identifies potential factors for a drop-off. However, the factors identified by those addressing the subject would seemingly apply everywhere in the U.S., and therefore not explain the decline in Massachusetts, but the rise in Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. For example, the Junior Bruins' Peter Masters refers to the parents' role in creating ego driven players unwilling to work as hard.

“Back then, parents would yell at their own kid, ‘Skate harder, move,’ ” he said. “Now the parents are yelling at the other players or the coaches or the refs. It’s everyone else’s fault. When you’re sending the wrong message for 10 years, that has to have an effect on players by the time they’re 16 or 17.”

NHL Scout Tom Songin focuses on hitting being allowed at a younger age:

“The contact is killing the development,” said Bruins New England amateur scout Tom Songin. “Massachusetts hockey is really in trouble. The last few years, I’ve seen the quality of play go way down. If they don’t fix this fast, in a few years there won’t be anyone around here for me to scout.

Finally, Bob Turow, the President of ProspectsTourney.com and the chief scout for the USHL, cites the starting talent pool:

For Turow, one simple fact is at the core of the apparent growing ability gap between the Mass. and Canadian youngsters:

“In Canada, our best athletes are playing hockey,” he said. “An awful lot of your best athletes down there typically are playing baseball or football or basketball. Those are the sports that are ingrained in the USA, and I don’t see it shifting to hockey in huge numbers.

Again, while the point may be valid, it applies equally to kids in Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois. Yet, those areas are cranking out the Phil Kessels and Eric Johnson's of the world, both of whom will be going in the top 3 of the 2006 NHL draft, or Kyle Okposo, Peter Mueller or Michael Fortney who should go in the top 15. The development lag does not seem to be prevailant outside of Massachusetts.

Ultimately, the article concludes with the one real factor unique to the Massachusetts system: its "midget" system.

A city like Chicago has just four so-called youth teams at the AAA level - denoting the highest-quality of play. Pittsburgh has only two. Immediately around Boston, there are at least two dozen teams purporting to AAA status - and not nearly enough legitimately talented players to stock them. But youth hockey has become big business, with a single AAA team typically earning a team owner more than $30,000 - with rink owners also raking in thousands in ice rental costs.

This undoubtedly is true, as the New England development system remains entrenched in the school model, rather than hockey-affiliated bantam/midget teams. This distinguishes the Mass system from the Illinois and Michigan systems dominated by midget teams, but Minnesota also follows the school system, and they have flourished.

Moreover, if the development gap is caused by the lack of premier play at the midget stage, one would suspect that the development gap would become apparent at ages 16 through 18. Yet, checking the USA Select festivals, the drop off in Mass talent viz. the rest of the US already is manifested at the Select 14 and 15 festivals. At the 2004 Select 15 Festival for 1989s, for example, none of the top 20 scorers, and none of the top rated defensemen were from Massachusetts. At the 2005 Select 15 Festival for 1990s, only Torin Snyderman was among the top 20 scorers, and none of the Mass players were ranked among the top 15 forwards or top 10 defensemen as rated by USHR. Bear in mind, these are all players prior to any potential development issues created by a midget vs. HS argument.

So then, what is it? I would defer to others closer to the situation, but it does not seeem coincidental that the rise and drop in Mass talent correlates with the rise and fall of the role-models Boston Bruins. Back in 1981 to 1983, when Mass produced Bobby Carpenter, Tom Barrasso and the like, and routed the Minnesota All-Star teams during their March head-to-head competitions, everyone noted that the players born in 1963 to 1965, started playing in early 1970s when Bobby Orr lead the Bruins to the cup. Today's picks, born in 1988, started playing in the mid-1990s, a time when Jeremy Jacobs and Harry Sinden killed the Bruins. I wonder how many kids were lost to other sports rather than being forced to emulate Hall Gill? Of course, Hockey East is glad for the NY Rangers' 1994 cup, which helped spawn the New Jersey development curve and 2006 and 2007 NHL first rounders Bobby Saguinetti, Nick Petrecki, Kevin Shattenkirk and James Van Riemsdyk.

Maine's Goalie Situation

2006-05-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Goalie John Murray, who had been attempting to gain admission to U.Maine for next season, has abandoned those efforts by signing with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers. It will be interesting to see who Maine brings in to back up Ben Bishop, with incumbent Matt Lundin leaving school to transfer elsewhere after a USHL season. One name floated about was Fairbanks (NAHL)'s Bryce Christiansen, who was a top pick of the USHL draft and figured to spend another season before entering college.

CHA extends deadlines on Junior A 16-year olds

2006-05-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Acknowledging the strong feedback and revolt (and, it in some cases, threats of secession) that it was hearing from the Junior A teams under its umbrella, the CHA (led by OHL guro David Branch) deferred the restrictions it was set to impose after this next season. Instead of barring all 16 year olds from playing junior A in 2007-08, as was first proposed, the CHA announced that it now will allow the same 2 per team through the 2007-08 season, and thereafter reevaluate the proposed rules.

OHL Draft update

2006-05-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

As suspected, the first round selection of Cushing defenseman Zach Bogosian in the OHL draft was a result of a pre-draft deal orchestrated by Bogosian's agent, Bobby Orr:

Bogosian was heavily courted by the U.S. national program, Cedar Rapids of the USHL, who drafted both bogosian and his older brother Aaron, or he could have stayed in Cushing for a third year. On Friday night, bogosian committed to the Petes, paving the way for GM Jeff Twohey to draft him.

"I really wasn't sure," bogosian, who turns 16 July 15, said. "I had an opportunity to play with my brother for two years who is going to play in the USHL. I had an offer to join the U.S. national team but I felt Peterborough would be the best place for me and that's really what I want to do."

He said Orr's agency, which represents the Staals and Petes' Steve Downie, Aaron Dawson and Jordan Morrison praised the Petes. He said he and his family were also comfortable with Twohey and the Petes' organization.

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/webapp/sitepages/search/results.asp?contentID=36606&catname=Local%20Sports&type=search&search1=bogosian

COLORADO COLLEGE LATE MOVES
The Colorado Gazette reports on two possible late Colorado recruits. The first, Addison DeBoer, has committed and will join the '06 class. The second, Troy Mattila, is deciding between an '06 offer from Colorado, and '07 offers from St.Cloud, UNH, Miami-Ohio and Mercyhurst. "I'm kind of gathering everything, so I can try to figure everything out," Mattila said. "I've been back and forth (over CC's offer) about 20 times. I just keep changing my mind."

OHL Draft Notes

2006-05-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

OHL DRAFT
Like the Quebec league draft, the OHL draft is becoming less of a "draft" and more of a recruitment process. A few of the top teams with ample resources are becoming confronted with more-aggressive players asserting their right to control their destination. While the fans of OHL teams picking early in the draft complain about the rigged process, and want OHL President David Branch to impose rules evening the playing field, it is clear that the OHL is not unhappy with this process. Any rules that would force players to declare for the OHL route -- and bar players who refused to declare for the OHL -- carries with it the risk that too many top players would opt out of the OHL. By allowing players to choose their ultimate destination, the OHL retains more top-end talent than they otherwise would. Hence, the OHL's inaction at curbing the rigged process.

Among the top-end players this year, Markham's Cody Hodgson rattled the NCAA sabre for the top teams, and rather than being a top-3 pick, dropped to a Toronto-area team, which is what he wanted. Look for him to sign with Brampton.

Steve Stamkos, another Markham center, also voiced some reluctance at the OHL, but Sarnia made a good financial deal with him prior to the draft, and he was selected first overall.

USA Under-17 Team center Philip McRae fell to the end of the first round, where he was picked by London. The Knights were thought to be the only potential OHL team to which he would report, because his father (former NHLer, Basil) is a part owner of the Knights. Again, it would seem to be a NCAA loss.

Another American, Zach Bogosian, had a spot on the USA Under-17 team, but his first round selection by the Peterborough Petes suggests he will go the OHL route.

Barrie took Brian Lashoff in the third round. His older brother, Matt, had made a college commitment to BU before his advisor, Bobby Orr, steered him to the Kitchener Rangers (and a first round selection by the Boston Bruins). I would guess that Brian, too, will go the OHL route, although as a tools player, he is less of a college prospect than his brother was.

Another American third rounder, Matt Zarbo, is a Rochester, NY native who spent part of the year with the Junior Bruins. A third round pick is more than a flier, and although Zarbo wasn't rated as a first rounder, Brampton must be pretty confident to have selected him at or before his real "value". (Zarbo's brother has committed to Sacred Heart).

Of the top rated Candian players, the only one who really fell to "flier" teritory was Toronto Marlie midget center Corey Trivino. Trivino reportedly is close to making an NCAA committment, and his later selection reinforces the notion that he will choose that route.

Kitchener took a surprise 6th round flier on Lake Superior State recruit Matt Martello. According to the Waterloo Record, Martello does not have a deal with the Rangers:

All the Rangers picks from Saturday were born in 1990, except for 1987-born Vaughan Vipers Jr. A centre Matt Martello. DeBoer said Martello, Kitchener's sixth-round pick, has a full U.S. college hockey scholarship to Lake Superior State, but will decide over the summer whether to go the NCAA route or come to Kitchener.

Kitchener has a history of taking NCAA-committed players, as a fall back should the college game not work out (Matt Auffrey, Victor Oreskovich being recent examples.)

Another OHL team known for taking college players is Owen Sound, and they selected Bowling Green bound Wayne Simmons in the sixth round. Simmonds really came on during his rookie Junior A season, and, having been undrafted in the 2004 and 2005 OHL drafts, was available for this draft.

Revisiting Frost

2006-04-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

Today's ROI newsletter, written by Paul Shaheen and available by request puckkeg@comcast.net, revisists more of the expanding web of allegations that surround not just the David Frost, but those who have a close allegiance to him. In this case, the story surrounds the Pembroke Lumber Kings, a storied franchise in the Central Ontario Junior Hockey League. As ROI writes:

Two weeks ago, a piece prepared and broadcast by The Fifth Estate, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's equivalent to 60 Minutes, linked the Lumbers Kings to not only a lack of control over its players...In The Fifth Estate piece, a former Lumber Kings billet family claimed the club was far too lenient with its players, and accused the Kings of allowing rampant drinking, partying, and wild initiation rights. It went on to suggest Frost's relationship with the club--he'd served as an occasional team advisor--had something to do with this alleged lack of institutional control.

Those allegations mirror many of the allegations for the 1997 Quinte Hawks, outlined in my earlier blog entry.

As I noted in my blog entry, the franchise is owned in part by, Sheldon Keefe, one of the "Brampton gang". The ties do not end there, however. The co-owners of the Quinte Hawks who brought Frost aboard were Marty Abrams, a former NHL pick, who now coaches the Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL, and his brother Kevin, who now coaches the Pembroke team. Marty Abrams also has his own legal issues as he was charged by the Candian authorities for misappropriating not-for-profit charitable funds for his own private use at his summer cottage. (It should be noted Marty Abrams has denied the allegations.)

The New CBA

2006-04-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Today's Minnesota Daily has a story about the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the impact it has on college underclassmen signing early. Unfortunately, the story is a bit off target, in that while it identifies the correct factors that influence the decision, it incorrectly analyzes their impact.

For example, the article's premise is:

Essentially, the agreement extends the amount of time teams have drafted players’ exclusive rights

While this is technically true in a limited number of cases, the CBA in fact shortens the amount of time for virtually all college players. The change that the article mentions is of small significance: designed to close the "Van Ryn loophole" by which players in college could leave college, play an "overage" season in the CHL, and then become free agents. The article correctly points out that teams drafting college players will keep exclusive rights “until the fourth June 1 following his selection in the Entry Draft,” thus precluding college players leaving early for the major junior route. However, the closing of the loophole is a positive development for the college game, even though it applied in only a handful of cases (Van Ryn, Mike Comrie, Anthony Aquino).

The broader impact of the CBA's language is that it shortens the period of exclusivity for college players. The prior CBA provided for exclusive rights for a year following the "conclusion of his playing of hockey in college." In its place, the new CBA provides exclusivity only "through August 15 following the graduation of his college class." Because the period of exclusivity extends principally during "non-playing" summer months following the senior year, a college senior finishing his college career will not miss any playing time before he becomes a free agent. Without "losing" anything by sitting out a year (as he would have had to under the prior CBA), he can gain unlimited leverage. The shortening of this exclusivity is the dynamic changing the relationship between the college game and the NHL.

All of which suggests that Minnesota Wild Assistant GM Tom Lynn's quote that:

“(The NHL and NHL Players’ Association) took care to make sure (the change to the agreement) didn’t hurt the college game by giving the teams four years after drafting a guy to sign him,” Lynn said. “The teams wouldn’t have to rush a guy out of college just in order to have his rights.

“(Before) they’d only have one year after he left school. So, if a player, after his freshman year, was thinking, ‘Huh, I’ll leave school for a year, then I’ll be free’. Now, the team gets him for four years, so the player will either stay in school or sign with his team.”

is correct for one or two kids who had left school (but not for the NHL) but is utterly incorrect for the vast majority of college players.

Additionally, the article correctly notes the rookie salary cap and signing bonus as an additional factor. However, this too works in favor of encouraging players to leave college before their senior year. If the maximum amount that a player can achieve is the rookie cap, and that amount is offered by an NHL team prior to the senior season, there is no incentive to "increase" leverage by potentially becoming a free agent during the summer after graduating. Again, Lynn's quote that “there’s less incentive to come out of college right now” seems to miss the point.

2006-04-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Today's Grand Forks Herald has a nice article on the NCAA vs. Major Junior choice facing top hockey prospects, such as North Dakota's Jonathan Toews, and how this year's NHL draft reveals that many top Americans and some Candian players have chosen the NCAA route.

Chucko Leaves Minnesota

2006-04-22T07:13:00.000-07:00

Minnesota's Kris Chucko has signed a pro contract, leaving after his sophomore year. Interestingly, Don Lucia took the opportunity to express his displeasure with the NHL's Calgary Flames in an interview with the Star Tribune.

Lucia is happy for Chucko, whom he called "a quality kid with a strong work ethic and a lot of character." He used less-glowing terms regarding the Calgary organization.

"They're an organization that is not big on college hockey," Lucia said. "They put Kris in a difficult situation by contacting him during the season and trying to get him to leave. That's not very professional on their part. I've never had that happen before."

Calgary's anti-NCAA views are not a surprise to anyone who knows the Sutter clan and their old-time hockey mentality. All six brothers worked their way through the Canadian major junior system, and Brent Sutter is a coach with the WHL's Red Deer team. To various degrees, many NHL teams still view the NCAA with skepticism, in part because they maintain less control over the players and the system. The NHL maintains a development agreement with the CHL, and provides development money for each player chosen in the draft from a major junior team (totalling more than $5.4 million in 2004). No such NHL monies go to college or junior A teams. Moreover, a player in the junior ranks has little control over his career, as items such as for what team he'll play, or when he can turn pro, are governed by major junior drafts and age restrictions. While the NHL likes the NCAA route for later-round picks (because they can develop for 4 or so years, rather than having to be offered a contract by age 20), many NHL teams still feel the CHL route is best for their top picks. Thus, many organizations pressure their players toward the major junior route, with Chucko (and Kobasew before him) being the latest example.

Sorting Through David Frost's Junior A Roots

2006-04-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Today's Ottawa Citizen has an incredible story about David Frost's rise with the now-infamous Quinte Hawks the old Metro Toronto (Ontario) Junior A League. By now most people know the NHL story of Mike Danton, formerly Mike Jefferson, and his conviction for attempting to have his "agent", Frost, killed.

Although others have written about it, the Ottawa Citizen story explores to how the "Brampton five" gang moved into junior hockey with Frost, and the eerie parallels of that relationship to that of Sheldon Kennedy and the other unnamed NHL players who were abused by Graham James out in Saskatchewan in the mid-80s. Although the story mentions some of the Frost players, it does not contain the full epilogue for the players. For example, Sheldon Keefe and Shawn Cation thereafter moved with Frost to the Caledon Candians in the final season for the Metro Junior league. Both Cation and Keefe then backed out of scholarships to Northern Michigan and moved on to the St.Mike's OHL team. By mid-year St.Mike's concern about the group resulted in a trade for Cation, Keefe and Barnes to the Barrie Colts. After a brief NHL career, Keefe left pro hockey in 2004, and now owns part of the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Junior A team.

College or Pro Hockey - The Battle Continues

2006-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Back in 1980, the NCAA decided that players participating in major junior hockey (the Ontario Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior League, or the Western Hockey League) no longer were amateurs, regardless of whether or not they were being paid for their participation. Since the erection of this steadfast wall demarking "amateurs" and "professionals", there has been a continual tug of war between NCAA programs and the junior leagues as to which side of the wall talented players would choose. During verious periods, the NCAA has had great success in taking top Canadian prospects from the CHL route, and at other times, the CHL has adjusted its rules so as to make its product more appealing, thereby retaining many of its talented players. (As an aside, I always get a good laugh about the various leagues citing statistics -- e.g. the number of NHL draft picks or NHL players from the league -- to support its claims that it does a better job in "developing" players. To players making a choice based on those numbers, here's a hint: if a league gets 80% of the talented 16 year olds, but produces only 60% of the NHLers, while another league gets 20% of the 16 year olds, but produces 30% of the NHLers, is the league with 60% of the NHLers doing a better job developing talent?)

The Battleground
Much of the battle between major junior teams and the NCAA pivots around timing, particularly the archaic NCAA rules that restrict how and when NCAA coaches can make contact with prospective athletes. The NCAA model originates with the pre-supposition that most of the prospective college athletes are American, and that they have few options but the NCAA game. Therefore, the waiting periods which restrict NCAA contact is beneficial in shielding kids from overanxious NCAA recruiters who otherwise might bombard High School Sophomore and Juniors.

However, in hockey, the vacuum created by this limitation on contact between NCAA hockey programs and potential hockey players when they are 16 and 17 allows the Major Junior programs a virtual monopoly in which to sell their programs. Thus, one of the primary advantages that the major junior leagues can exploit is the well-intentioned, but likely ultimately harmful, restrictions on having colleges sell their option to kids during this influential time. As discussed below, the OHL in particular has moved its rules in order to exploit that weakness.

The Draft and Affiliation Process
Back in 1999, the OHL began its reaction to the outflow of talented players to the NCAA. The reaction was in the form of lowering its draft age from 17 to 16, a move that the OHL scouts lamented because it made a risky evaluation process even more of a crapshoot. But the OHL went this route so as to place the 16 year old players under their control for a full year before the NCAA would allow teams to initiate in-person recruitment. Should these 16 year olds attend the OHL camp for 48 hours without paying their own expenses, their NCAA eligibility would be shot. Even if the players keep their eligibility by not signing right away, the OHL clubs maintain an affiliation with the players, and so can develop a relationship and sell the major junior route during this year without any interference by NCAA programs.

The Latest Salvo: The New Canadian Development Model
The most recent foray into the area is the Canadian Development Model created by the Canadian Hockey, driven principally by CHL presidents such as the OHL's David Branch. A pdf copy of those rules can be found here.

While sounding like a model to assist young hockey players and protect them from the pressures to play at levels above their abilities, that rationale falls away once the details of the new system are exposed. In fact, the model constitutes Hockey Canada's attempt to induce young players to choose the CHL route, by creating an unequal system in which 16 year olds chosing the major junior route are allowed to compete at higher levels, while forcing all 16 year olds to play midget hockey if they have not signed with a major junior club.

The new system works as follows: the Model phases out the ability of 16 year olds to play at the junior A, B or C level, unless they are sponsored by major junior clubs. In the past, junior A teams were able to play 16 year old players, so that players such as Andrew Cogliano, Brendan Smith or Cody Goloubef, having just been drafted by the OHL but not wanting to go that route, would be able to play at a semi-advanced Junior A level in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. Under the new Model, the number of 16 year olds allowed to play Junior A will be phased down, from last year's unlimited number, to the current 2 per team. However, by 2007-08, only 16 year olds reassigned by an OHL club will be able to play Junior A hockey. For talented players such as Cogliano, Smith and Goloubef, that means the choice becomes even more stark: Do you follow the pressure imposed by pro scouts to play at the "NHL development" league, or play a year of midget hockey? In the past this deferring playing at the "top level" took a lot of will power for players like Cogliano who have NHL ambitions. This makes the the choice even more difficult.

Why the double standard? The Model suggests that they want to allow 16 year old players to develop at lower levels where they can get more playing time and learn to dominate more. If this rationale is accepted, it is not explained in the Model why 16 year olds are allowed to move on to major junior where they get less playing time than in junior A. If it is deemed more harmful for the a Cogliano-type to play Junior A instead of midget hockey, is it less harmful when the Coglianos of the world signs with a major junior team? To me, it seems quite apparent that the Model is a heavy-handed way to create a tremendous dis-incentive for talented prospects to pass on the OHL route. All this takes place against the backdrop of NCAA prospects already being told that they are jeopardizing their development and pro prospects by playing two years of Junior A (including their NHL draft year), rather than playing in the OHL game. [As an aside, there doesn't seem to be evidence to support that fear that players such as Cogliano are punished in the draft for playing at a lower level during their draft year - something I'll blog on later.] Nevertheless, the new system now compels Ontario kids to face a prospect of playing below their level as a 16 year old in midget hockey, and as a 17 year old in Junior A.

The Model's Limiting Alternatives.
One obvious question: If Canada is limiting the options for non-professional players, how about moving to the US to play at a higher level? In the last few years the United States Hockey League has became a Tier I league, which is the hockey quivalent to the Canadian Major Junior ranking. However, players participating in the league maintain their amateur status. So, it would seem that the USHL would provide an amateur avenue by which 16 year olds could play at a very high level while maintaining their amateur status. As we saw, last season the USHL began to reach out to these displaced Canadians, starting a "Canadian Futures Draft" and also inviting a number of 16 year olds down for tryout camps. Well, the CHL took notice, and the Model, in conjunction with the USA Hockey officials, will put a stop to such migration to another Country or Candian Province. The stated motive is couched in protective terms, so that 16 year olds are not forced to move far from home at that age simply for hockey purposes. Once again, however, the Model creates a double standard between those playing major junior, and those choosing to maintain their options. 16 year olds playing major junior can move thousands of miles away from home (for example, Eric Gryba from Saskatchewan would have been permitted to move nearly 2,000 miles to Portland to play for the WinterHawks, but he was not permitted to play in the BCHL, and faced a challenge for leaving to play for Green Bay.)

USA hockey's rules honor the Model's rules, which is why Cody Goloubef, Brendan Smith and Tyler Oleksuk were prohibited from playing in the USHL this year, and why Sam Gagner was able to play only after moving his family to Minnesota.
That consideration is valid, but ultimately must be weighed against the reasons for players fleeing and seeking refuge in the USA. If the only reason is to play in the USHL rather than the Ontario Junior A leagues, that reason may not support the move. However, if the difference is being coerced into a professional league (with no junior alternative), perhaps the USA Hockey officials will need to modify their export rules. It is interesting that the Model is pleased to enforce such export restrictions, expressly prohibiting such moves:

Players Sixteen (16) years of age and younger(Hockey Canada to USA Hockey)
Players wishing to obtain a transfer to USA Hockey from Hockey Canada, and who are NOT moving with their parent(s), are not permitted to do so under the new Regulation K.6 (b). Should the player wish to challenge this regulation, the player is required to file an appeal with the Hockey Canada National Appeals Committee as per the procedure set forth in By-Law TWELVE. In this instance, the decision of the National Appeals Committee is final and binding.

The Hockey Canada rules, however, maintains no such reciprocal prohibitions. By Rule F.51, it will be up to the Major Junior teams to decide how many Americans they will allow into their leagues. Thus, while the outflow of talent is restricted, there presently is no restriction on the inflow of American talent. Would USA hockey consider imposing a reciprocity requirement, that if 16 year old US players can play in Canada, that Canada would have to release 16 year old Canadians who want to play in USA's premier "junior" league?

For example, would the NCAA allow coaches to contact 15 and 16 year olds once solely for the purpose of providing generic information about the NCAA option, and to at least indicate an interest in the player? Currently, that process takes place through the convoluted mechanism of an NCAA coach contacting the player's coach and letting him know they have interest, and that the coach should let the player know the school would be receptive to a call, and then waiting and hoping. That process leaves a lot to chance, and if it takes place too late, the player will already have deeper connections with the major junior teams that have drafted the player.

In the end, it will be interesting to see how this new system evolves, and whether it has the effect desired by Hockey Canada of driving younger players into the Canadian junior leagues. If so, then the ball goes back into the USA hockey court, to see what steps they will take to counter this challenge.

89s making the move

2006-04-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of quick commitments to report on, some of which I have been unable to post on my page.

Thunder Bay midget center Travis Oleksuk, first mentioned here in October based on his having rejected the OHL route, has decided to follow his dad's route through Duluth, Minnesota. This coming year you can expect to see Travis suited up for Thunder Bay native Dave Siciliano, the coach of the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL.

Another 89 already playing for Sioux City, although originally from a warmer climate than Thunder Bay, is Frank Grzezcszak. The Florida native is a small, mobile defenseman, who this week chose to play at Nebraska-Omaha in 07.

Sioux City went with a young squad this year, but the dues-paying will bear fruit next year if all of the eligible returnees come back. Both Sam Gagner and Dustin Gazley will be playing their second years, and team leading scorer Philip DeSimone is scheduled to return (although there is some thought that Dan Winnik's defection may alter his scheduled 07 arrival in Durham.) Also probable for a break-out year is Anthony Maiani, an 89 whose older brother already skates for Ohio State.

From Andover to the Ivies

2006-03-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

Joe Haggerty of the Woburn Daily Times Chronicle and USCHO.com writes that Phillips Andover '07 forward Joe Smith has committed to Harvard.

"I had a really good season personally, and I'm pretty excited about heading off to Harvard after next year," said Smith, who was the leading scorer for a senior-laden Andover squad this past season. "They were my top choice given how academically strong the school is; it's one of the Ivies and I've been in the stands for every Beanpot for as long as I can remember. I'm looking forward to playing in it in a couple of years.

"(Harvard coach) Ted Donato is a great coach, and he's somebody that I'm really looking forward to playing for," added Smith.

He was part of a strong Andover team that also featured defenseman Tom Dignard who is off to Yale, and forward J.P. Martignetti, who also has a Division 1 potential.

USA

2006-03-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

USA Hockey National Team Development Program Evaluation Camp Roster

BLUE TEAM

FORWARDS

NAME POS. S-C HT. WT. DOB HOMETOWN CURRENT TEAM
18 Michael Cichy LW L 6-0 170 07-08-90 New Hartford, CT Jr. Bruins Midget (Mass.)
10 Justin Florek LW L 6-4 190 05-18-90 Marquette, MI Marquette Midget Major
21 Tucker Hunter LW L 6-1 175 03-18-90 London, Ontario London Reps
15 Sean Logue LW L 6-0 170 11-16-90 Walpole, MA Xaverian H.S. (Mass.)
11 Jordy Murray C L 5-9 150 01-08-90 Faribault, MN Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep (Minn.)
19 Max Cook C R 6-0 150 06-03-90 Frankfort, IL Chicago Mission Midget Major
22 Kelen Corkum C R 6-0 175 07-17-90 Newbury Port, MA Portland Jr. B Pirates
16 Colin Reddin C L 6-0 170 06-23-90 Corona Del Mar, CA LA Jr. Kings Midget Major
12 Robbie Czarnik RW R 6-0 165 01-25-90 Washington, MI Honeybaked Midget Major
17 Keegan Flaherty RW R 6-0 165 03-25-90 Duluth, MN Duluth East H.S. (Minn.)
20 Kevin McCarey RW R 6-0 175 03-24-90 Baldwinsville, NY Syracuse Stars (EJHL)
24 Anthony Schooley RW R 5-11 170 08-01-89 Romulus, MI Honeybaked Midget Major
23 Jordan Schroeder RW R 5-8 155 09-29-90 Prior Lake, MN St. Thomas H.S. (Minn.)
DEFENSE
5 Zach Bogosian D R 6-0 170 07-15-90 Massena, NY Cushing Academy (Mass.)
3 Joe Gleason D R 5-9 165 03-30-90 Edina, MN Edina H.S. (Minn.)
9 Ryan Grimshaw D R 6-0 165 01-28-90 Rochester, NY Salisbury School (CT)
2 Ryan Hegarty D L 6-1 180 05-16-90 Arlington, MA Belmont Hill H.S. (Mass.)
4 Kevin O'Neil D L 6-2 200 01-26-90 Dix Hills, NY New York Apple Core (EJHL)
6 Nick Pryor D L 5-10 165 09-06-90 Woodbury, MN Hill Murray H.S. (Minn.)
8 Ian Ruel D R 6-1 170 01-31-90 Ann Arbor, MI Victory Honda Midget Major
7 Grant Scott D R 6-2 200 01-07-90 Scwickley, PA Shady Side Academy (PA)
GOALIES
Jack Hanna G L 6-0 170 04-30-90 Lino Lakes, MN Cenntennial H.S. (Minn.)
33 Nick Maricic G L 6-2 185 1-20-1990 Alta Loma, CA California Wave U-16
35 Jordan Tibbett G L 6-0 170 01-06-90 Indianapolis, IN Honeybaked Midget Minor

RED TEAM

FORWARDS
NAME POS. S-C HT. WT. DOB HOMETOWN CURRENT TEAM
10 A.J. Jenks LW L 6-3 185 06-27-90 Wolverine Lake, MI Honeybaked Midget Major
24 Greg Burke LW L 6-1 175 05-16-90 Lee, NH NH Jr. Monarchs Midget
18 Ben Hanowski LW L 6-1 170 10-18-90 Little Falls, MN Little Falls H.S. (Minn.)
15 Stephen Rogers LW L 5-11 165 07-23-90 Watertown, MA St. Sebastian's H.S. (Mass.)
21 Cory Thorson LW L 6-0 170 07-04-90 Crystal, MN Armstrong H.S. (Minn.)
22 Patrick Gaul C L 5-9 170 02-27-90 Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Major
16 Brock Montpetit C R 5-11 185 04-03-90 Somerset, WI Somerset H.S. (Wisc.)
19 David Wohlberg C L 6-0 170 07-18-90 South Lyon, MI Honeybaked Midget Minor
11 Jacob Youso C L 6-1 170 06-08-90 International Falls, MN International Falls H.S. (Minn.)
17 Vern Cooper RW L 5-8 160 12-30-90 Sudbury, Ontario Sudbury Midget Major
20 Colin Moore RW R 5-11 170 05-21-90 Medfield, MA Belmont Hill H.S. (Mass.)
23 Isak Quakenbush RW R 6-4 210 04-17-90 Fairbanks, AK Arctic Lions Midget
12 Vinny Saponari RW R 5-11 165 02-15-90 Powder Springs, GA Culver Prep. (Indiana)
DEFENSE
3 Danny Heath D R 5-11 165 03-20-90 Glendale, AZ VOSHA Phoenix Mustangs
9 Ross Henry D R 5-10 180 07-02-90 Franklin, WI Team Illinois Midget Major
8 Sean Lorenz D R 6-1 180 03-10-90 Littleton, CO Colorado T-Birds Midget Major
2 Joe Marciano D R 6-2 165 01-19-90 Faribault, MN Shattuck-St. Mary's U-16 (MN)
5 Andrew Panzarella D R 6-0 170 02-13-90 Columbia, MD Washington Jr. B Capitals
4 David Warsofsky D L 5-8 155 05-30-90 North Marshfield, MA Cushing Academy (Mass.)
7 Steven West D R 6-0 175 02-23-90 Milford, MI Honeybaked Midget Major
6 Micah Williams D R 6-1 175 03-09-90 Valrico, FL Lawrence Academy (Mass.)
GOALIES
30 Garrett Beckwith G L 6-1 170 01-04-90 Parsippany, NJ New Jersey Devils Midget Minor
31 Michael Clemente G L 6-2 185 01-09-90 Great Falls, VA Washington Jr. B Capitals
32 Joe Phillippi G L 5-8 160 06-06-90 Shoreview, MN Hill Murray H.S. (Minn.)

US National Invites Update

2006-03-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

Per today's Newburyport News, add Plum Island, MA (and Portland Jr.Pirate) winger Kelen Corkum to the list of players invited to try out for the 2006 US National Under 17 team.

USHL Goalies

2006-03-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

As we near the end of the USHL season, it has proven to be an odd year for USHL goalies, from start to end. Whereas past years have been marked with a fair amount of stability in the ranks, this year started with uncertainty, and for many teams, the task of finding the right goalies has been ongoing.

Coming out, Des Moines had a potent one-two combination in former Cornell goalie Troy Davenport and youngster Brian Foster, committed to UNH. Those two have performed as expected (save for a recent dip), and in the process, Davenport elected to return to Cornell next year to resume his college career.

An equal, but more unexpected, tandem also developed in Sioux Falls, where touted Minnesotan Alex Kangas came in to challenge incumbent John Murray. Behind a stingy defense, both put up spectacular numbers. Kangas's season earned him look from North Dakota before today selecting his homestate University of Minnesota. Murray got looks from several programs, including Northeastern, but to date has not made a college choice.

Cedar Rapids' Alex Stalock, already committed to Minnesota-Duluth, solidified his position atop the USHL goalie chart, carrying the load for the Roughriders, ahead of NHL draft pick Pat McGann, who likely will have to await the 2006-07 season to really showcase his skills.

Two teams were thrown into the lurch right at the end of the summer. Chicago had hoped to have Billy Sauer in net as the main man, but when the NY Rangers signed Michigan's Alvaro Montoya in August, Sauer was called upon by U.Michigan, leaving Shaun Williams as Chicago's lead goalie. Williams parlayed his opportunity into a scholarship at Union, even though his season came to an end with an injury in February.

Similarly thrown into chaos on the eve of the season was Tri-Cities, where the expected loan of U.Maine's Matt Lundin fell apart when Jimmy Howard signed with Detroit. Fortunately, it was able to secure Aaron Rock from the OHL, and while not college eligible, he's been strong.

The USHL also has featured a group of talented goalies who flashed potential, but did not find their niche with their original team. This includes Omaha's Eddie Neville, who has performed well during stints with Cedar Rapids (04) and Omaha (05), but then got traded mid-year to Green Bay, where he now mans the nets. Earlier today he committed to Bowling Green next year. He was traded to Green Bay for another college-bound goalie, Dan Rosen, who is headed to Brown. At Omaha he is backing up Mike Spillane, who established himself as Omaha's goalie and who will be at Vermont next year. Undoubtedly each aspires to become the next Dan Tormey, who had inconsistency in his games until his strong stretch run last year, which he parlayed into a starting assignment for Minnesota State.

Finally, there are some interesting stories of teams that thought they had solutions, only to find that the understudies won the jobs. Lincoln went into the season with Steve Jakiel, committed to Michigan, but little-known Bryan Hogan wrestled the position from him. Similarly, Sioux City selected former US National Teamer Billy Blase, but after he struggled early in the season, the Musketeers went with Jerry Kuhn, who has brought stability to the position. (Blase went on to Salmon Arm of the BCHL, where he secured an offer from Yale).

Piecing Together The US National Development Tryout Invites

2006-03-14T10:55:00.000-08:00

As a rite of spring, the US National Development Team hands out 40 invites to the top 16 year olds to participate in tryouts for next year's US National Under 17 team. The full list has not been released, but so far the following '90-born players appear to have been invited.

[4]
G-Michael Clemente, Washington
G-Joe Phillipi, Hill-Murray
G-Jack Hanna, Centennial
G-Jordan Tibbett, Detroit

[9]
D-Joe Gleason, Edina
D-Jack Hanna, Centennial
D-Drew Olson, Brainerd
D-Nick Pryor, Hill-Murray
D-Steve West, Detroit
D-Ian Ruel, Detroit
D-Sean Lorenz, Colorado
D-Joe Marciano, Shattuck
D-Kevin O'Neill, Capital District

[16]
F-Robbie Czarnik, Michigan
F-A.J. Jenks, Michigan
F-Sean Logue, Xaverian
F-Mike Cichy, Jr.Bruins
F-Greg Burke - NH Monarchs
F-Kevin McCarey, Syracuse
F-Ben Hanowski, Little Falls
F-Brock Montpetit, Wisconsin
F-Jordan Schroeder, St.Thomas
F-Cody Thorson, Armstrong
F-Vinnie Saponari, Culver
F-David Wohlberg, Michigan
F-Justin Florek, Marquette
F-Max Cook, Chicago
F-Keenan Flaherty, Duluth East
F-Jordy Murray, Shattuck
F-Colin Moore, Belmont Hill

Goloubef decision today

2006-03-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

According to Andy Baggot in today's Wisconsin State Journal, Cody Goloubef will be deciding today between offers from Wisconsin and BU (or the OHL's Sarnia Sting)

Recruiting update UW coaches will know Friday if their 2007-08 recruiting class will have another dynamic addition.

The father of Cody Goloubef, an elite 16-year-old defenseman with Milton of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, said Wednesday that a decision would be made that day.

Peter Goloubef said his son is deciding between UW, Boston University and Sarnia, the Canadian major junior club that owns Cody Goloubef's Ontario Hockey League draft rights.

"We had a meeting with Sarina (officials) on (Tuesday)," Peter Goloubef said. "They came back with some things that we're looking at."

Cody Goloubef is a 6-foot, 175-pounder who has 9 goals, 29 assists and 38 points in 42 games for Milton. He grew up with and played major midget hockey alongside Sam Gagner and Brendan Smith, two highly regarded recruits who have verbally committed to the Badgers for the 2007-08 season.

"It certainly is a factor," Peter Goloubef said of his son's friends heading for UW, "but Cody has to do what's right for him. He understands the magnitude of this decision."

The West, 07 style

2006-03-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

As a counterpart to my January look at some of the Eastern teams and where they are positioned for 2007, here is a look at some the Western teams. I've put potential flight risks in italics, and have put my best guesses as to what potential recruits the school might be targeting.

MINNESOTA
Forwards (15):
Sr.Mike Howe
Sr.Kris Chucko
Sr.Tom Pohl
Sr.Ben Gordon
Sr.Evan Kaufmann
Jr.Ryan Stoa
Jr.Blake Wheeler
Jr.Justin Bostrom
So.Michael Carmen
So.Randy Flynn
So.Kyle Okposo
So.James O’Brien
So.Tony Lucia
Fr.Mike Hoeffel
Fr.Jay Barribal

Potential recruits:
Nick Larson; Brett Bruneteau

Defense (8):
Sr.Derek Peltier
Sr.Alex Goligoski
Sr.Nate Hagemo
Jr.R.J. Anderson
So.Erik Johnson
So.David Fischer
Fr.Cade Fairchild
Fr.Kevin Wehrs

Potential recruit:
Derrick Lapoint

NORTH DAKOTA
Forwards (12):
Sr.Ratislav Spirko
Sr.Rylan Kaip
Jr.T.J. Oshie
Jr.Ryan Duncan
Jr.Andrew Kozek
Jr.Matt Watkins
Jr.Ryan Martens
Jr.Brad Miller
So.Mike Forney
So.Darcy Zajac
So.Chris Vandevelde
Fr.Evan Trupp

Potential recruits:
Mario Lamoureux; Aaron Marvin; Brad Malone

Defense (7):
Sr.Kyle Radke
Jr.Brian Lee
Jr.Joe Finley
Jr.Zach Jones
Jr.Taylor Chorney
So.Jake Marto
So.Colby Genoway

Potential Recruit:
Derrick Lapoint

WISCONSIN
Forwards (13):
Sr.Joe Pavelski
Sr.Matt Ford
Jr.Ben Street
Jr.Jack Skille
Jr.Tom Gorowsky
So.Blake Geoffrion
So.Mike Davies
So.Zach Bearson
So.Aaron Bendrickson
So.Ben Grotting
So.John Mitchell
Fr.Sam Gagner
Fr.Kyle Turris

Potential Recruits:
Brett Bruneteau; Colton Grant; Ryan Schnell; Nick Larson; Brennan Vargas; Patrick White

Defense (8):
Sr.Kyle Klubertanz
Sr.Joe Piskula
Sr.Davis Drewicki
Sr.Josh Engel
So.Jamie McBain
So.Nigel Williams
So.Garret Suter
Fr.Brendan Smith

Potential Recruit:
Cody Goloubef

DENVER
Forwards (12):
Sr.Paul Stastny
Sr.Tom May
Sr.Geoff Paukovich
Sr.Ryan Dingle
Jr.Brock Trotter
Jr.Patrick Mullen
So.Rhett Rakhshani
So.Matt Glasser
So.Brian Gifford
Fr.Jesse Martin
Fr.Kyle Ostrow
Fr.Tyler Rueggseger

Potential Recruits:
Tom Serratore; Brett Bruneteau; Patrick White; Andy Inderieden; Brad Malone

Defense (8):
Sr.Andrew Thomas
Sr.Zach Blom
Jr.Chris Butler
Jr.T.J. Fast
Jr.Julien Marcuzzi
Jr.J.P. Testwuide
So.Cody Brookwell
Fr.Keith Seabrook

COLORADO COLLEGE
Forwards (11):
Sr.Scott McCulloch
Sr.Jim Kilpatrick
Sr.Derek Patrosso
Sr.James Brannigan
Jr.Chad Rau
Jr.Andreas Vlassopoulos
So.Billy Sweatt
So.Mike Testwuide
So.Daniel Quilico
So.Matt Overmann
Fr.Tyler Johnson

Potential Recruits:
Tom Serratore; Brett Bruneteau; Adam Estoclet

Defense (6):
Sr.Jack Hillen
Jr.Cody Lampl
Jr.Jake Gannon
So.Nate Prosser
So.Kris Fredheim
So.Brian Connelly

You Looking At Me?

2006-02-25T16:58:00.000-08:00

Over the last week I've been trying to identify suitors for Cushing Prep rightwing Brad Malone. Malone is the cousin of NHLer Ryan Malone, and his dad Jim was a first round pick of the New York Rangers in 1980. Malone grew up in Miramichi, New Brunswick, and moved on to Cushing Academy as a sophomore last season. While Angelo Esposito drew much of the attention in the Quebec midget this past June, Malone was the 4th rated player, but because of his announced intention to go the NCAA route, he wasn't selected until the 4th round. At 6'3, he's a power winger with good puck skills, having potted 4 goals and an assist in 5 games for the Atlantic team during the recent World Under-17. He projects as a second round pick in the 2007 NHL draft. Malone is a junior, so will be a 2007 recruit. Last year he indicated an interest in going to school in the Boston area, but as I noted in my January 17th post, scholarship spots for the Boston schools are thin. Maine is reported to have interest, as do western schools Denver, North Dakota and Michigan.

More 07 Info

2006-02-23T04:31:00.000-08:00

Andy Baggot in the Wisconsin State Journal writes that Nick Larson, of Hill-Murray (Minn.) High School, has narrowed his choice of schools to Wisconsin, Boston College, Boston University and Minnesota.

Matt Read, a rightwing who really established himself in his first year with the Milton Merchants of the OPJHL, looks to be returning to juniors next year, at which point he has offers from Maine, UNH, St. Lawrence, Niagara & U.Mass.

USA National Development Team winger Ryan Schnell is featured in an article in the Algonquin Pioneer, in which he identifies Wisconsin, Brown and Miami-Ohio as teams interested in his services.

Commitments

2006-02-20T14:53:00.000-08:00

It looks like highly sought after defenseman Cody Goloubef will be making his college choice this week, selecting between BU and Wisconsin. As of now, it appears that Wisconsin has the inside track, meaning that there will be a former Marlie reunion in Madison in September 2007. As I featured at the start of the season, the Midget Marlies represented an amazing amalgamation of talented players, and because the group was particularly aware of the NCAA route, the top end group has bypassed the OHL. Sam Gagner chose Wisconsin, followed in late December by Brendan Smith. Now it appears Goloubef will follow, vaulting Wisconsin to the head of the 2007 listing. The other member of that class -- and first to commit -- Kyle Turris has scored more than 30 goals in his rookie BCHL campaign, were he will challenge Evan Trupp for the rookie of the year award.

The Omaha Herald has reported that Lancer rookie Brett Bruneteau has narrowed his college choices to six western teams: Colorado College, Denver, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and UNO.

The East, 07 Style

2006-01-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

With the 06 Recruiting Season pretty well filled at this point, I am taking a look at how the teams are positioned for the 07 season. What we see is that some of the shakeout for the 07 recruiting season already has occurred, with a lot of the HE teams already have secured commitments from all of the players they need. While some slots may open up through early departures or transfers, it appears that the early recruiting by BC, BU and UNH leave them with only a few spots to fill, even while many appealing recruits remain out there.

BOSTON COLLEGE
Jr.Nathan Gerbe
Jr.Brock Bradford
Sr.Dan Bertram
Fr.Joe Whitney
So.Matt Price
Fr.Ryan Hayes
Jr.Benn Ferriero
Fr.Brian Gibbons
So.Ben Smith
Jr.Kyle Kucharski
Sr.Matt Greene
Jr.Andrew Orpik
So.Matt Lombardi
Sr.Pat Gannon
Sr.Joe Adams

Potential Recruits: Brian Day; Barry Almeida; Brad Malone; Mike Cieslak; Brett Bruneteau; Joe Smith

Jr.Brett Motherwell
Jr.Tim Filangieri
Jr.Tim Kunes
Sr.Mike Brennan
Fr.Nick Petrecki
Jr.Anthony Aiello
So.Carl Sneep
Sr.Brian O'Hanley

BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Jr.Chris Higgins
Sr.Peter MacArthur
Jr.Jason Lawrence
So.Zach Cohen
Jr.Brandon Yip
Sr.Brian McGuirk
Sr.Boomer Ewing
Fr.Greg Squires
So.Luke Popko
Sr.Ryan Weston
Jr.John McCarthy
Jr.Steve Smolinsky
Sr.Ryan Monaghan

Potential Forwards: Pat Kane, Brian Day, Brett Bruneteau; Barry Almeida;

So.Brian Strait
Fr.Colby Cohen
Fr.Keith Shattenkirk
So.Eric Gryba
Sr.Dan McGoff
Sr.Kevin Kielt
Jr.Matt Gilroy

Potential Defendseman: Brendan Smith; Cody Goloubef

U.NEW HAMPSHIRE
Fr.James Van Riemsdyk
So.Peter Leblanc
Sr.Matt Fornataro
Jr.Jerry Pollastrone
Jr.Trevor Smith
Sr.Mike Radja
Jr.Greg Collins
Jr.Thomas Fortney
Fr.Phil DeSimone
Sr.Brian Pouliot
So.Bobby Butler
Jr.Alan Thompson
Fr.Mike Borisenok
Fr.Dan Rossman

Potential Forwards: Barry Almeida; Brett Bruneteau; Brian Day; Matt Read

Sr.Craig Switzer
Fr.David Kolomatis
Sr.Brad Flaishans
Jr.Joe Charlebois
So.Nick Krates
Jr.Kevin Kapstad
Jr.Jamie Fritsch

Potential defensemen: Joey Lavin; Cody Goloubef

I'll try and post more information about the remaining Hockey East teams, and their potential recruits, in the coming weeks.

Wisconsin D?

2006-01-08T16:51:00.000-08:00

Reportedly Wisconsin has secured another defenseman for 07. While Wisconsin has commitments from Nigel Williams and Garret Suter for this year, and are also seeking Brendan Smith from St.Mikes for 07, this commitment is from Ryan McDonagh, from Cretin-Denham Hall in Minnesota. He was a member of the USA Under 17 team that played overseas in August, and was supposedly headed for either St.Cloud or Michgan Tech. I'll try and follow up on this rumor for confirmation.

Update: Today's Wisconsin State Journal confirms that McDonagh did commit to Wisconsin, and that his commitment is for the 08 season, rather than after his graduation in 07.

Former Marlies Update

2005-12-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

Today's Wisconsin State Journal contains an update on Brendan Smith and Sam Gagner, two of the Marlies mentioned in my last post. It would seem that Smith has narrowed his college choices down to Wisconsin and Boston University. The story also mentions that Evan Trupp, from the BCHL Penticton Vees, is expected to make a college decision soon, choosing between Wisconsin for this year, or UNH or North Dakota in 2007.

Also having decided on a college route recently was Trent Palm from the US National Program, who chose to remain home at Minnesota Duluth rather than take offers from Cornell, Harvard and Providence. Carter Camper, from the Cleveland Barons, selected to attend Miami-Ohio when he graduates in 2007 over offers from Michigan State and Bowling Green.

Former Marlies Everywhere

2005-12-12T10:49:00.000-08:00

Last year's Toronto Marlies midget team featured a core group of stars, several of which chose to pursue the NCAA route, and today rate as the top of the NCAA market. Of course, the player who will become its most famous alum is John Tavares, the 15 year old for whom the OHL changed its draft age rules. He is today in the OHL on his way toward becoming the next Sidney Crosby. Leading that team in scoring was Sam Gagner, who since has moved down the USHL to play with the Sioux City Musketeers. He has broken into the league's top 10 in scoring - a testament to his skills as a 16 year old in the veteran league. Recently, his father told the Wisconsin State Journal that he currently favors the University of Wisconsin, although Minnesota, Boston College, Boston University, and Michigan remain on his radar.

The other winger on the team with NHL bloodlines, Justin Vaive, now plays for the US National Development Program. Although he also may pursue the NCAA route, he was drafted by the Sudbury Wolves in last summer's OHL draft. For those who may not know, the Wolves are coached by Mike Foligno, who teamed with Vaive's father with the Buffalo Sabres in the mid-80s, and who enticed his own son (Nick) to jump from the US National Program in favor of the OHL.

On the blueline, the Marlies were led Brendan Smith, who was mentioned in the October 18th entry. Teams have lined up to speak with Smith at St.Mike's, and it is reported that Wisconsin, BU, Miami-Ohio and Michigan are at the forefront of that bidding. He, like Gagner and Tavares, were named last week to the Ontario Under-17 team, representing the top talent from the province.

Hidden somewhat behind Brendan Smith's shadow is Cody Goloubef who stepped out of that shadow in a big way by also being named to the Ontario Under 17 team. He is being recruited by Maine, New Hampshire, Boston University, Ohio State, Miami of Ohio, Cornell and Notre Dame

Speaking of the Milton Icehawks, they have seen both ends of adversity during this season. On the positive, the team is a juggernaut, chugging along at a 26-1-1 clip. Matt Price committed to Boston College late last season, and Jason Fortino committed to RPI back in October. Recent addition Jason Bergeron from the Brampton Capitals has a deal lined up with U.Mass-Lowell. Uncommitted forward Matt Read has attracted serious NCAA interest from schools such as Maine, New Hampshire, St. Lawrence, Niagara, Canisius & Massachussetts, and Chase Langeraap and Kevin Morrison also merit attention. Rearguard Jeff Caister also has parlayed his strong final season into scholarship offers. Fellow rearguard Ryan Bernardi recently landed a scholarship with Wayne State. Goalie Zach Kleinman also has drawn interest from NCAA programs such as Northeastern.

A black cloud hangs over the team, however, in the wake of a challenge by the rival Streetsville Derby team over the compensation Milton paid for two former OHL players, Luke Dubbin (formerly of Western Michigan) and Dan Falbo. The investigation into those charges resulted in Milton being fined $12,000, and having coach George Dupont suspended for the balance of the season. Milton owner Mario Forgione has threatened to sue the OHA because of the sanction. The "paying" of players at the amateur level -- amounts paid in excess of reasonable expenses -- is something often whispered about, but rarely can it be proven. The NCAA has declared the Major Junior Leagues to be professional leagues because of similar stipends paid to its players, with the assumption being that the Amateur Junior A leagues were different. Whether that distinction is more than fiction is open to debate, but it serves the NCAA.

Notes: Another alum of the Toronto Midget league (this time, from the Red Wing program), Louie Caporusso, who played for the Toronto Red Wings midget team last season, also made his college choice last week. He had narrowed his college choice down to UNH and Michigan, and ultimately chose to follow the path to Michigan, which has been travelled by his neighborhood (Woodbridge, Ont) friends Mike Cammalari and Andrew Cogliano.

LOI Signings

2005-11-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

With the early signing period now completed, here are the announced official signings released by schools:

BC - Matt Price
Maine - Purcell, Dee, Sill
U.Mass - Marcou, Grasso & Keane
Providence - Fayne
Colgate - MacIntyre & Williams
Quinnipiac - Duncan, Wong & Beaudoin
Alaska Faibanks - Campos, Knelsen, Lee
Bowling Green - Perkin, Ceplis, McIlrath, Greer
Lake Superior - Perkovich, George, Gysbers, Baird
Miami-Ohio - Palmer, Steffes, Wingels
Michigan - Summers, Kampfer, Lebler
Michigan State - Sprague, Rowe & Ratchuk to go with previously signed Turek.
Nebraska-Omaha - Klimek, Agosta, Kemp, Del Rosso, Olimb, Dupont
Notre Dame - Minella to go with previously signed Deeth, Lawson & Thang
Ohio State - Montgomery & Palmer
Western Michigan - Ludwig, Stockdale, to go with previously signed Letestu, Clackson & Zamparo
Alaska-Anchorage - Selby, Clark, Olthuis, Felde, Lunden, Hunt, Crowder
Colorado College - Quirico, Fredheim, Sweatt
Denver - Cheverie, Ruegsegger, Ostrow, Martin, Glasser, Rakhshani, Brookwell to go with previously signed Gifford
Minnesota - Flynn, Okposo, Carman, Johnson, Whers, Fisher
Minnesota Duluth - Stalock, Ryan, Dahlberg
Minnesota State - Mouliaret, Stewart, Irwin, Gunderson
North Dakota - Genoway, Marto, VandeVelde, Forney
St.Cloud - Gale, Noedl, Roe, Lasch, Ammerman, Gaudet
Wisconsin - Mitchell, Williams, McBain, Bearson, Geoffrion, to go with previously signed Suter
Robert Morris - Freiday
Canisius - Kostuch, Weeks
Wayne State - Bernardi

And, the US National Program announced that all of their 16 verbal commitments also executed letters of intent.

More updates as they come.

Updates during the early signing period

2005-11-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

* Alaska-Fairbanks has secured a commitment from explosive Alberta forward Dion Knelsen, a move that was not unexpected following the verbal earlier this year from his older brother, Brandon.

* A surprise decision by Brian Lebler to commit to Michigan, who, it seemed as late as last week, was leaning toward Wisconsin.

* Vermont freshman Mike Atkinson has withdrawn from school after having been arrested for DWI, and will play for the Omaha Lancers this season. It will be interesting to see if that has any impact on the college choice of his younger brother, Chris, who has verballed to Vermont.

Playing catch up

2005-11-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

In my last post I mentioned Erik Felde wanted out of Chilliwack, and probably would return to the USHL. Well, it turns out Vernon was able to trade for his rights, and he'll finish out the season there.

The USHL page has a profile on Des Moines center Trevor Lewis, who is selecting among Boston College, Maine, Ohio State, Ferris State, Michigan and Alaska-Anchorage.

Goalie Marc Cheverie has chosen to attend Denver in 2007, joining a class of Jesse Martin, Tyler Ruegsegger and Kyle Ostrow.

Anchorage has secured commitments from shifty center/winger Kevin Clark from Manitoba, along with Ken Selby, a 6'2 winger from Dauphin, who recently was identified as a potential NHL player by the NHL Central Scouting bureau, as he has picked up his offensive production. The third commitment up front came from Chilliwack winger Josh Lundeen.

Coming "Home"

2005-11-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

Two committed defensemen are leaving the BCHL and returning back to the USHL. Garret Suter, who committed to Wisconsin last season while playing for the Green Bay Gamblers, has left the BCHL's Salmon Arm team and is expected to play for the USHL's Waterloo Blackhawks. He was nicked-up for part of this year, and scored only one goal and one assist in his 10 games, while compiling 31 penalty minutes.

Also returning to the USHL is defenseman Erik Felde. Last season, the former US National Development alum played forward for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders, but this off-season he elected to play defense for the Chilliwack Chiefs. There, he showcased his rushing skills on the backline, scoring 25 points in 20 games, and earning a scholarship to Alaska-Anchorage. However, he has left Chilliwack and looks to resurface back in the USHL.

Updates while FTP is down

2005-10-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Because of server issues, I can't update the Recruits page right now. But here are a bunch of new commitments:

Andrew Estey (Union/Alberni Valley-BCHL) - former Salisbury forward originally from New Brunswick. Good junior year, somewhat of a down senior year, now in top 10 BCHL scoring.

Brian Roloff (Vermont/Green Bay-USHL) - jumped to the USHL from the EJHL.

Pat Maroon (Ferris State/Texarcana-NAHL) - big rookie defenseman.

Matt Jones (Merrimack/Sioux City-USHL) - Follows Marty Quarters to Merrimack.

Kyle Friedlay (Robert Morris/Oakville-OPJHL)

More later.

Staying East, Staying West

2005-10-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Defenseman Kris Fredheim has made his decision, selecting Colorado College over Wisconsin and Maine (and a host of other offers). Also joining him at Colorado will be California native Dan Quilico, a speedy winger playing for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL (Peter Gerenazzo's old stomping grounds). The two visited Colorado this past weekend, along with Cushing goalie Rich Bachmeier, and committed shortly after the visit.

Deciding to stay out East was '07 defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, whose family hails from the New York City suburbs and whose older brother, Keith, plays for Princeton. Conventional wisdom, supported by recent indications, had Shattenkirk deciding to extend his stay in Ann Arbour and play for the Wolverines after his stint with the US National Program. However, that changed last week and Shattenkirk accepted BU's offer. Joining him on BU's '07 Blueline will be Philadelphia native, Colby Cohen, another US National player. The two represent two of USA's better 16 year old defensemen in the future.

The Buzz

2005-10-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

Up in Toronto, the St.Michael's Buzzers have restocked for another season in the Junior A circuit. The proud franchise has a long history as a feeder to the NCAA and to the OHL, going back to the 40s. The franchise operated in the old Metro Toronto Jr.B circuit back in the 70s and 80s, producing a host of college players such as Bryan Deasley, Ken Klee, Jason Muzatti, Mike Pikul, John Samanski, Jason Woolley, Wes Macauley, Andrew Will, Vince Bellisimo, Joe Cooper, Brian Ihanacek, Kevin Schmidt and Dan Pegoraro, and NHLers such as Tony Tanti, Eric Lindros, Sean Burke. The franchise took a year off in 1989 and again in 1997, but returned to the Ontario Junior A ranks. Since then NHL first rounders Wojtek Wolski and Andrew Cogliano have skated with the team.

This year's team carries on the strong tradition. The squad is led by winger Mike McKenzie, who already has secured a spot with St.Lawrence for next season. After skating in Cogliano's shadow last season, McKenzie has exploded out of the gate this year. In 15 games he has 32 points to lead the league in scoring. Among his 15 goals were a natural hattrick against Oshawa on the 12th. Making the feat even more remarkable -- indeed a record -- was that the goals were scored within 32 second, and two of the tallies were shorthanded.

Also on the forward lines is hulking 6'4 winger Brayden Irwin, who also has a scholarship tucked away for next year. The Vermont recruit has a good all-around game, and his developing his scoring touch.

Riding in the shadows this year is rookie Louie Caporusso, a 16 year old from Toronto. He ranks second on the team in scoring with 21 points, and his exciting play already has garned him a scholarship offer from, among others, UNH.

On defense two veterans lead the charge, with 6'4 Stephen Duffy and Western Michigan bound Julian Zamparo holding the fort. The young star is Brendon Smith. A first round OHL pick by the St.Mike's Major Junior team, Smith held true to his pre-draft statements that he wanted to explore the college route. After being turned away by the Sioux City USHL team because of his '89 age (his fellow Toronto Marlie midget teammate Sam Gagner was allowed to play because of his dual citizenship), Smith returned to Toronto to suit up for the Jr. A squad. With 10 points in his first 15 games, he has shown his offensive strength and skating abilities, and programs such as Michigan, BU, Wisconsin and Miami-Ohio have lined up to make their offers. Finally, Harry Taylor is another sturdy 6'3 defenseman who can move the puck up to the forwards.

The final line of defense is goalie Kain Tisi, who will accompany McKenzie to St.Lawrence next fall. Tisi holds all of the franchise goaltending records, and gets the majority of the playing time ahead of a capable backup Mike Binnington, who is himself an NCAA prospect.

Defensemen taking the plunge

2005-10-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Penticton's Deron Cousens, mentioned in last week's entry, has accepted an offer from Michigan Tech to play for them starting in '07.

In the USHL, Cedar Rapids' Kevin Wehrs elected to stay home and play for the Gophers in '07, rather than take offers from Duluth, St.Cloud, UNH or BU to play for them next season.

One top remaining defender is Notre Dame (SJHL)'s Kris Fredheim, an NHL pick this season, who has added offense to his game. Fredheim appears to have narrowed his college choices down to three schools - Maine, Colorado College and Wisconsin, and could make his decision before the November early signing period.

Over in the AJHL, Camrose Kodiak Chris Barton will visit Duluth, where Kodiak alumni Mason Raymond, Matt McKnight and Macgregor Sharp are playing.

Mismatch of the week comes from the USHL, where 5'5 Waterloo Blackhawk (and UMass recruit) James Marcou came out on the wrong end of a collision with 6'4 Cedar Rapids forward Ray Kaunisto.

Son of a Badger

2005-10-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Penticton Vees have begun their return to prominance. Starting in the late 90s when it produced NHL players such as Chuck Kobasew and Duncan Keith, the franchise suffered recruiting wise because of dissatisfaction with Coach Bryan Perrier's style. Last season brought new ownership, and with it a new Coach in alum Bruno Campese, and new local recruits. Today's Wisconsin State Journal mentions that forward Brian Lebler (Penticton-BCHL), son of Badger Ed Lebler, has a scholarship offer from Wisconsin, and will decide between Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State.

Defenseman T.J. Miller, a native Californian who played significant minutes last year with Surrey, recently accepted Northern Michigan's scholarship offer. The playmaking defenseman on the squad is Ontario import Deron Cousens, who earned Rookie of the Year honors last year in the OPJHL. Another rookie defenseman is Ryan Wagner, who won the Saskatchewan Midget League's top defenseman honors over Eric Gryba. He's a 5'10 powerplay quarterback, but probably will take another year of juniors.

Robert Skinner is the playmaking center who has originated most of the passes for Lebler's goals. An '88 skilled prospect, he has lots of skills and vision, but is a very slight build that probably would benefit with more time at the junior level. He also is unselfish to a fault, meaning he scores few goals. Another new recruit who is in a recruiting battle is Evan Trupp. Trupp's father also played with Penticton before moving up to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. A speedy dangerous forward, Trupp has an offer from his hometown Anchorage squad. Unfortunately, big winger Alex MacLeod's knee injury has put him on the shelf for the season.

Notes out West:

The paths of two promising Alberta rookies collided last weekend, when 16 year old Spruce Grove rookie scoring sensation Jesse Martin (13 points in his first 8 games) was hammered into the boards by 17 year old defender Ian Barteaux of Ft.Saskatchewan. Martin lay motionless on the ice for several minutes and appears to have suffered a significant head injury, and will miss substantial part of the year. Barteaux received a 10 minute match misconduct and has been suspended indefinitely by the league while it evaluates the appropriate penalty -- expected to be a lengthy suspension.

An intersting note on Notre Dame's Blake Gallagher, who is tearing up the Jr.A circuit with 10 goals in his first 10 games. Because of the new Canadian Hockey rules on out-of-province players under the age of 18, Gallagher technically is an "affiliated" player on the Jr.A squad, meaning he has to play at least half of the season with the Notre Dame midget Hounds. As a result, he'll have to suit up for 22 midget contests in addition to the 55-game Jr.A slate.

Rust never sleeps

2005-10-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

Michigan continues to pick up early commitments, the most recent being the commitment from US National Team player Matt Rust. A shifty 5'10 forward, Rust joins defensman Tristan Llewylyn in Michigan's 07 class that will be called upon to replace T.J. Hensick and defensemen Matt Hunwick, Jason Dest, and Tim Cook.

Small Man, Big Stick

2005-09-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Blake Gallagher, perhaps the purest goal scorer among the Canadian players this season, has committed to Cornell. Gallagher's pedigre is strong, having been named MVP of the Nova Scotia midget league for the Dartmouth Subways (Sidney Crosby's alma matter), and then moving on to the famed Notre Dame Hounds. There he has not missed a beat, scoring 5 points in his first exhibition game, and scoring once in his regular season debut. He also finished in the top five in scoring with seven goals and an assist in six games at the World Under-17 tourney last January.

Update:

Today's Halifax Daily News has additional information about Gallagher's commitment"

Gallagher, who fielded offers from 17 U.S. colleges, plans to study business at the Ivy League school. He said Cornell offers the perfect mix of academics and hockey. “To be able to get an Ivy League education and play for somebody who could contend for a national championship … I don’t think I could find that good of a mix of both anywhere else,” said Gallagher, whose father, Paul, is a National Hockey League scout for the St. Louis Blues. “That just kind of sold it for me.” Gallagher became interested in Cornell two years ago, when he attended a Big Red game. “I’ve never been to a game with that kind of atmosphere,” said the 17-year-old. “The students who go to the game all stand up and chant. It’s kind of an unwritten rule not to sit down. It’s just unbelievable.”

Josh Gillam

2005-09-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the comments section on the blog, I've located the following article on Ontario prospect Josh Gillam. Gillam was named his division's top rookie in the Ontario Provincial Junior League, and projects to be a very good scorer. As the article states, he is equally gifted in lacrosse, and therefore has drawn scholarship offers in that sport from Dartmouth, Yale, Johns Hopkins and Duke.

"Gillam, 17, has offers from Yale and Dartmouth universities for field lacrosse scholarships. There is a possibility he could play hockey at both schools, as well, but Gillam said the coaches want to see him play for the Stars this season.

In addition, Duke and Johns Hopkins universities have expressed interest in Gillam, an A student, for field lacrosse. Neither school has a hockey program.

'The schools haven’t had the opportunity, yet, to come up and watch me play hockey,' Gillam said. 'In all fairness to them, I should give them the opportunity to do that over the next two months. I want to still keep the door open for a hockey scholarship as well as lacrosse. All the schools coming up have shown interest in lacrosse and they need to see the hockey part now.' "

'07 prospect Travis Oleksuk also is a two-sport star: one as a playmaking centerman and one pitching and playing shortstop on a travelling team. Considered one of the more talented players in the OHL draft, he fell to the 6th round because of his interest in pursuing a college scholarship (he's already been recruited by WCHA teams.) This past week he was chosen by the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL's future's draft (he was one of several top Ontario players to attend their tryout camp this August.) He's since returned to play for his Thunder Bay midget team.

Kief Orsini, the top scorer at the Beantown Classic tourney (see August 31st entry) has accepted a scholarship to Union, where he follows former Tabor teammates Chris Potts and Matt Cook.

Dartmouth nabs two from Alberta

2005-09-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

88 center T.J. Galiardi from the Calgary Royals committed to Dartmouth over the weekend, followed a day later by 87 center Andrew Owsiak from the expansion Okotoks Oilers.
Galiardi is a top-end prospect who ranks with Nick Johnson as one of the best Alberta products to head down to Dartmouth. Even though he is one of the younger players in the league, Galiardi has not missed a step in his rookie campaign, scoring 4 goals in 3 pre-season games, and then netting one and assisting on another in the regular season opener. He looks to make an immediate impact once he steps onto campus next season.
Owsiak centered the top line for the famed Notre Dame (Sask) midget hounds, finishing second in the league scoring race with 80 points in 44 games. This season he moved on to the Alberta league, where he will be relied upon by the new franchise.

Update on Red Deer

2005-09-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

In yesterday's notes, I linked an article from the Red Deer Advocate in which Red Deer's coach, Brent Sutter, commented on the status of Tri-City (USHL) forward Mario Lamoureux. The main focus of the article, however, was on Coach Sutter's disdain for the new WHL rules (which mirror those being adopted by the NHL). To those who remember Coach Sutter's hard-nosed playing style, his views on permissible obstruction and physical play vs. wide-open play is not surprising. Apparently, however, Coach Sutter's comments did not sit well with the WHL hierarchy, and today he was fined $1,000 for the comments.

Returning to roots:
Yesterday's news brought word that defenseman Pat Cullity from the Berkshire School would be playing for the University of Vermont, not Boston University, as was originally thought. According to the Burlington Free Press, BU and Cullity came to an agreement over the summer to release him from his commitment. On the hockey end, Cullity decided to return to Bershire rather than trying out for a spot on the deep Omaha Lancers blueline.

Pre-Season All-Rookie Picks

2005-09-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

As the new freshmen step on campus last week, I thought I'd take a crack at predicting the league All-Rookie teams.

AHA
Rookie of Year: Chris Trafford, Mercyhurst

F-Trafford, Mercyhurst
F-Trapp, Sacred Heart
F-Robinson, Mercyhurst
D-McAdam, Holy Cross
D-Hostetler, RIT
G-Giffin, Canisius

CHA
Rookie of Year: Grabarek, Wayne State

F-Reaney, Niagara University
F-Grabarek, Wayne State
F-Jackman, Robert Morris
D-Bostock, Bemidji State
D-Kalinchuk, Alabama-Huntsville
G-Pagliero, Niagara Universtiy

CCHA
Rookie of Year: Andrew Cogliano, Mich

F-Cogliano, Mich
F-Abdelkader, Mich St.
F-Condra, Notre Dame
D-Johnson, Mich
D-Eckford, Fairbanks
G-Spratt, Bowling Green

ECAC
Rookie of Year: St.Pierre, Colgate

F-D'Alvise, Clarkson
F-Bellows, Dartmouth
F-Vokes, Brown
D-St.Pierre, Colgate
D-Fensel, St.Lawrence
G-Lange, RPI

HE
Rookie of Year: Gerbe, BC

F-Bradford, BC
F-Lawrence, BU
F-Gerbe, BC
D-Motherwell, BC
D-Wild, PC
G-Quick, U.Mass

WCHA
Rookie of Year: Phil Kessel, Minn

F-Kessel, Minn
F-Toews, N.Dakota
F-Gergen, Minn-Duluth
D-Lee, N.Dakota
D-Niskanen, Minn-Duluth
G-Nolan, Mich. Tech

Recruiting updates: Defenseman Barry Goers, who made the All-star team at the Beantown Classic, secured a scholarship from Lowell for the '06 season, where he will join his Green Mountain (EJHL) teammate, forward Paul Worthington. Lowell will be graduating its huge senior class, and already has put a big dent in replenishing the ranks by securing commitments from five forwards, two defensemen and goalie Neven Hamilton, who will become eligible in '06. Previously a member of the '06 class slated to play for Nanaimo (BCHL), Mark Roebothan has moved his commitment to this year to take the spot vacated when Ben Walter signed with the Bruins.

Red Deer Awaits: Red Deer Coach Brian Sutter continues to be vexed by Mario Lamoureux's indecision. As noted in the Red Deer Advocate Sutter still hopes the youngest Lamoureux will chose the WHL route, where his brother plays.

The 17-year-old American forward talked to Sutter on Sunday from his home in Grand Forks, N.D., and admitted he still hasn't decided whether he'll play a second season with Tri-Cities of the United States Hockey League or join the Rebels.
"He says he can't make up his mind, so how long do we go on like this as an organization?" said Sutter, who feels Lamoureux could play a regular shift with his team this season.
Lamoureux, who has dual American/Canadian citizenship, is hedging on committing to the Rebels because he has already been offered a hockey scholarship for the start of the 2007-08 season at the University of North Dakota.
"If he can't make up his mind we have to move in a different direction and he might over time find the one option is taking away from him," said Sutter.
"Here's a kid who as a 17-year-old would be one of our four centres, and yet he's chosen to stay and play at a lower level, which is junior A hockey. He does have a scholarship in place, but it won't take affect until he's 19 so for the next two years he'll play at a lower level. Is that what's good for him?

Ryan Flynn

2005-09-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

US National Team winger Ryan Flynn, is visiting Boston College campus today, according to the Minnesota Gopher Puck Live message board. This comes on the heels of Flynn's visit last week to Wisconsin, and several unofficial visits to the hometown U. As that board speculates, BC would seem to have the inside track on Flynn, and certainly can use his size (6'2 212) to supplement the existing '06 class of Matt Price (5'10) and Ben Smith (5'11) and the '07 class of Ryan Gibbons (5'6) and Joe Whitney (5'7). By my guess, BC looks to have two more forward spots available in '06, and a spot on D. They have had interst in Phillips Andover winger Chris Cahill, although it is more likely that they will go out of the region to fill the remaining forward spots.

Bobby Butler, who was mentioned in the August 31st entry, committed to UNH on Friday. Butler is an intersting prospect who is the subject of divergent views in the scouting community. Against top competition he has played very well, and Butler's strong play at the recent Beantown Classic solidified UNH's interest, and well as drawing offers from Northeastern, Merrimack and U.Mass-Lowell. Butler's ties to UNH freshmen Kevin Kapstad and Jerry Pollastrone ultimately swayed him to join UNH in '06.

Gryba to USHL

2005-09-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Nanaimo Daily News reports that Hockey Canada has denied the appeal of Saskatchewan-born Eric Gryba (see my August 25th entry), who was hoping to play in Nanaimo, BC this season. With the denial, Gryba is heading to the USHL to play with Green Bay. Gryba was named the top defensman at the Canadian national midget tourney, and is a good student, so will have many college options.


Year	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	PM	League
2003-04	Saskatoon Contacts	39	1	10	11	89	SMHL
2004-05	Saskatoon Contacts	32	11	29	40	83	SMHL
2004-05	Melfort Mustangs	2	0	0	0	4	SJHL

Quick hits

2005-08-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

Just a couple of notes from around major junior training camps.

Defenseman Andrew MacDonald, who Bemidji discovered last year in the lesser-scouted Maritime Junior league, played his way onto the roster of the Moncton Wildcats and has elected to give up his '06 scholarship to Bemidji.

Tabor center Kief Orsini, fresh off an all-star performance at the Beantown Classic tourney (http://www.pointstreak.com/players/players-division-leaders.html?divisionid=5937), had his major junior rights aquired by the Halifax Mooseheads. The Montreal, Quebec native has not yet made up his mind about which route to take, and had drawn interest from Colgate, Union and UNH. His linemate, Bobby Butler, was named tourney MVP, and he too continues to draw interest from UNH.

Out west, Mario Lamoureux has left the training camp of the Red Deer Rustlers in order to think over his options. His older brother, Philippe, is a goalie with North Dakota, and his other brother, Pierre-Paul, plays for Red Deer. Mario has an '07 offer to North Dakota on the table.

In Ontario, notables who have determined to keep their NCAA options open are St.Mike's first round OHL Bantam draft pick, defenseman Brendon Smith, who is suiting up for St.Mike's Junior A squad. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, he alread has made a summer tour of Wisconsin, along with BU, Michigan and Miami-Ohio.

Also on the plus side, Windsor's 2nd round pick, 6'2 defenseman Robert Bortuzzo from Thunder Bay, has rebuffed Windsor's offers, and did not attend training camp. His Thunder Bay teammate, center Travis Oleksuk, also looks to be headed the NCAA route, and therefore fell in the draft to the 6th round.

Finally, Waterloo defenseman Josh Duncan has committed to Quinnipiac.

That 90s Show

2005-08-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

Paul Shaheen's informative Research on Ice (available by email at puckkeg@comcast.net) reports that Michigan received its third commitment this month from a homestate 1990 player, when David Wohlberg joined Robbie Craznick and A.J. Jenks as part of Michigan's Class of 2008. Also committing this month -- to Northern Michigan -- was another 1990 Michigan native, Justin Florek. That means that all of the 2008 commitments are from Michigan natives. So, what gives? Well, the Michigan group of 1990s stood out during the Summer's Select 15 Festival, and their play there helped secure the scholarships. (Czarnik and Wohlberg also stood out at last year's Select 14 Festival.) Also a potential factor is that the 1990 group follows the 1989 Michigan group that has not distinguished itself as clearly, as Andrew Yarber, Matt Rust and Anthony Maiani -- although strong college prospects -- have not attained the same star status as the '90 group.

It's likely that other schools will wait some time to secure commitments from the remainder of the 1990 class. Phil McRae also stood out, and parlayed his performance at the Festival into an invite to play as an under-age player with the USA National Development Team, but being from Missouri, has less exposure to the college scene. Minnesota's top ranked players, Jordan Schroeder and defenseman Nick Pryor will only be freshmen, so would take spots on the 2009 class. Out east, Jr.Bruins player Michael Cichy repeated his strong performance in the 2004 Select 14 Festival, but no 1990 defenseman established himself as warranting an early commitment. While few eastern 1990 forwards have cemented their 2008 standing, power forward Jimmy Hayes heads the 2008 wish list for nearly every eastern program, and solidified his top 1989-forward ranking during the recent International Under-17 tourney in Switzerland. Conventional wisdom has Harvard and BU gaining Hayes's attention, although others have offered.

Big Men Not Yet On Campus

2005-08-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Two towering defensemen are sure to make big splashes on the NCAA recruiting scene when they announce their college choices. Eric Gryba, a 6'4 farm boy was a second round pick in the 2003 WHL Bantam draft by the Portland Winter Hawks. He spent the last two seasons playing midget hockey with the Saskatoon Contacts, leading them this past season to the Canadian Midget championships. Gryba rebuffed the advances of the Winter Hawks, and the plan was for Gryba to make the oft-travelled path from Saskatchewan midgets to the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL. However, new Hockey Canada rules prevent midget-aged players from moving out of their home province, and rejected Gryba's attempts to circumvent that rule by moving in with a relative living in British Columbia. As a result, it looks that the NCAA recruiters will have to drive to Melfort Saskatchewan, where he'll suit up for the Mustangs of the SJHL.

The second towering '88 defenseman is Simon Danis-Pepin, a 6'6 defenseman from Gatineau, Quebec. The two met up in the Canadian Midget tourney, and like Gryba, Danis-Pepin rejected overtures from the Quebec League, where he would have been a top-5 pick in the midget draft. Late this summer he was one of 40 players selected to try out for the Canadian Under-18 team. Although Danis-Pepin failed to make the cut, his selection as one of only five 5 amateur players in his age bracket, speaks well of his abilities. He will be playing this year in the EJHL for the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs in Manchester, NH, has narrowed his college choices to two, and should be committing to a Hockey East school before the early signing period. He'll become the second tallest college player, behind North Dakota's 6'7 Joe Finley and next to BU's 6'6 Tom Morrow.

Update: With Keith Yandle's decision to move to Moncton, Maine moved quickly and secured a commitment from Danis-Pepin for this coming season.

NOTES:
*Gryba won the Saskatchewan Midget League's top defenseman award this past season. The player who won the award the prior year, Kris Fredheim, moved on to the Notre Dame Hounds, and played well enough to become a 6th round pick of his home-town Vancouver Canucks. Fredheim is a well-rounded player, but with decent offensive upside, and also will commit to a college program in the next few weeks.

Welcome

2005-08-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the initial posting on my new web log. In the coming months I hope to add some notes, commentary and features on the potential recruits that are listed on my NCAA Recruiting listing (http://members.aol.com/cheisenber/Recruit06.htm).

Notes:
As major junior camps open, a lot of potential NCAA recruits have made the decision to forgoe the NCAA route and instead sign professional contracts. Among them are Todd Chinova, a 16 year old from Connecticut, who decided to join the Quebec Remparts rather than the offer by the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. Still up in the air is U.Mass recruit Vladimir Nikiforov, who is at the training camp of the OHL's Barrie Colts. St.Lawrence's Derek Keller also went east with his twin brother Jared so check out the Moncton Wildcats' training camp. As was expected, both left after 48 hours and will return to the Saskatchewan league. Moving on to the Moncton camp, however, is former UNH and Maine recruit, Keith Yandle. Moncton will be hosting the Memorial Cup this year, meaning it will have an automatic berth in the tourney. It's team, however, is far from formidable, and with Chris Bourque looking less likely to join the team, Moncton was a deep pocket team with few marquee players. Combine Yandle's academic struggles with Moncton's assets, and the offer was too good to pass up.

Some last minute shuffling by St.Cloud resulted in Craig Gaudet deferring his commitment for a season, and John Swanson leaving the Chicago Steel (USHL) a year earlier than expected to move up to St.Cloud. Chicago also suffered a late loss of goalie Greg Barrett, who moved on to Nebraska-Omaha when Chris Holt signed a pro contract with the NY Rangers. Combined with the late (although expected) loss of Billy Sauer to Michigan when Alvaro Montoya also signed with the Rangers, the Steel now have little experience in goal.

The Denver Pioneers scored a big coup for 2007 by netting fleet centerman Kyle Ostrow. Ostrow will play for Nanaimo of the BCHL, moving up from the Calgary Flames midget team of the Alberta Midget League. There he finished second overall in scoring, behind Chris Barton. Barton is the younger brother of Ohio State's David Barton, and will attempt to follow the scholarship route of Dan Bertram and Tyler Swystun, who blazed their path through the AJHL's Camrose Kodiaks. Barton's goal and assist per game average in midgets should make him a premier AJHL rookie this year, and a hot scholarship candidate.

OSTROW


Year	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	PM	League
2002-03	Calgary Flames	4	0	1	1	0	AMHL
2003-04	Calgary Flames	34	18	10	28	16	AMHL
2004-05	Calgary Flames	34	25	32	57	42	AMHL

BARTON


Year	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	PM	League
2003-04	Calgary Buffaloes	36	17	10	27	32	AMHL
2004-05	Calgary Buffaloes	36	34	35	69	46	AMHL