Minnesota Wild Announce New ECHL Affiliate

There has been a lot of hockey news in the past day or so, and more coming from the Minnesota Wild camp today as well, and no it isn't anything about the Darcy Kuemper situation. The Wild have announced an affiliation with the ECHL's Alaska Aces.

The Aces have been very successful as a franchise in the past few seasons, winning three Kelly Cup Championships in the past nine seasons, including this past season.

Included in the agreement, according to wild.com, the Aces will serve as a resource for developmental efforts for both Iowa (AHL) and Minnesota.

UND fans may take notice at a familiar face on the Aces roster, and now in the Minnesota Wild system, Evan Trupp. Trupp played four years at UND and was a member of the Aces for their championship winning team last season.

AHL Hockey: Education, drug testing program implemented

I am actually surprised that they didn't have one already.

NEW YORK/SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ... An education and drug testing program will be implemented for American Hockey League players, effective for the 2014-15 season, the National Hockey League and American Hockey League announced today.
The details of the AHL program, which was the result of a collaborative effort between the two leagues (NHL and AHL), the National Hockey League Players’ Association and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (which represents AHL players in collective bargaining), substantially replicate the collectively bargained policies already in place for NHL players.

The AHL drug testing program will be administered by the doctors who supervise the NHL/NHLPA Performance-Enhancing Substances Program and the Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health Program.

Update on the 2012-13 UND hockey players in the AHL

Here’s an update on the four former UND hockey players, which signed after the 2012-13 season was over.

Andrew MacWilliam, Toronto Marlies, 2gp (0g-0a—0pts) 0 PIM

Derek Forbort, Manchester Monarchs, 6gp (0g-1a—1pts) 0 PIM

Danny Kristo, Hamilton Bulldogs, 9gp (0g-3a—3pts) 2 PIM

Carter Rowney, Abbotsford Head, 4gp (1g-0a—1pts) 0PIM

CBS Sports Network to air Calder Cup Finals

Since the Stanley Cup could be over in four quick games the CBS Sports Network has decided to pick up the AHL Calder Cup Finals.  The Norfolk Admirals lead the Toronto Marlies in the Calder Cup Finals two games to none.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has announced that CBS Sports Network will televise Games 3 through 7 of the 2012 Calder Cup Finals, bringing the AHL’s championship series to millions of homes across the United States in high definition.

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NHL wants to take a look at hybrid icing

Original NHL logo, used until 2005. A version of the logo features it in the shape of a hockey puck. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I think this is a great idea for the NHL to look at the hybrid icing rule that is currently in use in the NCAA and USHL. If used correctly could prevent unnecessary injuries that are caused by the touch- up- icing.

New York --- Hybrid icing is the standard at the NCAA level and in the United States Hockey League. For next season, the NHL is expected to ask the AHL to use hybrid icing, which involves a linesman determining the winner of a race to the closest faceoff circle instead of who touches the puck first on plays in which the puck is sent the length of the ice from the defending team's side of the center-ice red line.

"We like it. We want to make sure we're not moving too quick," Detroit GM Ken Holland said. "We'd like to move it to the American League. We'd like to get it to the best league in the world below the National Hockey League and evaluate it with those players. Obviously it's in college and some other players [use it], but those players aren't nearly as good as the ones we're dealing with. I think there was one player injured this year on an icing. Obviously, we'd like zero, but it is one -- it is not 10, it is not 20."

The GMs remain divided on the issue, so observing the results in the AHL could provide better clarity before making a final decision on it for NHL games.

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German goalie Named Patrick Fücker - No Really there is

This was a funny story that I found on line and I thought I would pass it along - can you imagine if this guy or someone with a funny name like this guy actually made the NHL or AHL.

I would love to see this happen, because it would be funny listening to the play-by-play folks have a good time with his last name. Can you imagine some of the story lines this guy's name would inspire... Well I guess we can only dream right?

Here is a link to Patrick Fücker's profile, you can see that he is an active player in Germany.

Glenn Davis, Sports Grind Daily --- We’re sure Patrick Fücker is a humble guy just trying to make his way. The 19-year-old has been a competitive hockey player in Germany for years now, working his way through the nation’s junior ranks and last month moving to the Rostock Piranhas, who play in Germany’s third-highest league. Just a guy who apparently loves the Rangers and trying to play the game he loves for a living.

But he’s more than that. He had to be more than that. Because his name is out on the internet. And his last name is Fücker. Someone was going to find it eventually, and they were going to love it, and they were going to send it to Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski, and he was going to love it. Who wouldn’t love a name like this, except Patrick Fücker himself, when he’s around English-speakers? We encounter names we love all the time, but this may be the best of them.

And that’s why we have to hope against hope that Fücker one day makes it to the NHL. Granted, the third-best league in Germany is a long, long way from there (and these last couple GAAs look pretty high), but can you imagine the clusterFück that would ensue each time Fücker’s name had to be mentioned? The stifled giggles? The uncomfortable announcers?

What about Manitoba Moose?

Image via WikipediaHere is the latest in the NHL to Winnipeg saga. I don't know, personally I have always like the Moose Logo, it's fitting for that area because there are lot moose running around the Canadian Prairies and Midwest. Moose are indigenous to that area.

James Mirtle, Globe and Mail Blog --- What if the long-awaited Return of the Jets really wasn't the return of the Jets at all?

Amid all of the talk of the NHL's return to Winnipeg this s pring, there's also long been the suggestion that True North Sports & Entertainment would not bring back the Jets but instead "promote" their AHL franchise, the Manitoba Moose, to the big leagues.

Which would mean keeping the Moose logo, colours and uniforms.

The latest to report on this was sportslogos.net, quoting "a reliable source" within True North.
“True North has spent considerable time and money promoting the Moose brand, switching away from that would be like essentially flushing money down the toilet,” the source said.

You have to imagine there'll be some resistance to this move, as there's a great deal of nostalgia still associated with the Winnipeg Jets brand, 15 years after they originally left Manitoba.

That trademark is apparently still owned by the NHL and would presumably be easy to acquire, but all indications are True North would go against public sentiment and stick with their brand.