Plenty of hype follows Oshie to St. Louis ...

Here is a nice article on former Sioux Star T.J. Oshie. T.J. Oshie is right there will be a lot of us Fighting Sioux fans tuning in to see how he does in the NHL. I will be renewing my NHL center Ice again, but this year I will be watching the St. Louis Blue a little more than I did in the past. T.J. Oshie is a hard working hockey player and he will expect nothing to be handed to him, Oshie will work for everything that comes his way.

Plenty of hype follows Oshie to St. Louis
No one in the St. Louis Blues organization has told T.J. Oshie that he must be on the team's NHL roster next season. No one really has to, either.

"I can sense it a little bit just from being around town," Oshie, the Blues' first-round pick in 2005, told NHL.com. "People are talking. There are expectations, but I'm not really too worried about them. I'm not letting it get to my head too much."

Oshie plans on living up to those expectations soon enough, but the hype began May 13 when he signed his first professional contract. Oshie followed that up the next day with a press conference, where he sat between Blues President John Davidson and Lars Eller, another former first-rounder who also signed his entry-level deal.

With the welcome mat rolled up now, Oshie has to show Davidson, Larry Pleau and the Blues' team of executives why he's worth all the fuss.

"He's a dogged hockey player and a smart hockey player," Davidson told NHL.com. "He can make plays at top speed. He can play the wing or center ice. There is nothing not to like about him. He'll be given every opportunity."

Oshie could have signed his first pro contract last summer, but felt another year of maturing at the University of North Dakota was warranted. He finished the season with 45 points, capping a remarkable collegiate career that included 142 points in 128 games, three trips to the Frozen Four and consideration for the Hobey Baker Award.

"Everybody comes to camp to compete for a job and he'll have to do the same thing, then we'll see where he's at," Jarmo Kekalainen, the Blues' assistant general manager and chief amateur scout, told NHL.com. "He's been one of the best college hockey players in the country. He has taken his team to the Frozen Four twice in a row as one of the best players on that team. Those are the things that build the expectation and I think he has those expectations for himself. We definitely have them, but it does come down to how he does in September."

Oshie Number: #7
Position: Center
Born: 12/23/1986
Birthplace: Mt. Vernon, WA
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Shoots: Right


Even with much to prove, Oshie said his friends and family are already thinking of booking trips to see him in St. Louis.

"The boys in North Dakota, they keep telling me I'm going to do fine and they're going to all be watching me," Oshie said. "All my family wants to make it to every game, so they're looking for tickets. It's overwhelming. I think they're ahead of themselves, but it's great. I don't think it's really going to hit me until I get to camp and see where I am."

"The boys in North Dakota, they keep telling me I'm going to do fine and they're going to all be watching me," Oshie said. "All my family wants to make it to every game, so they're looking for tickets. It's overwhelming. I think they're ahead of themselves, but it's great. I don't think it's really going to hit me until I get to camp and see where I am."

Where he is right now is at the top of the Blues' growing list of prospects, along with fellow center Patrik Berglund and Eller. Davidson and Kekalainen say Oshie and Berglund have the best shots to make the team out of training camp; but Oshie feels he'll probably make it as a winger instead of a center only because of maturity.

"I would probably guess winger right away, being a rookie," he said, "but I would like to move to the center position in the future."

Oshie admits he's nervous about coming to camp. It has nothing to do with his talent and everything to do with him not being familiar with the NHL game.

"I feel good, but I haven't skated with the big guns yet," Oshie said. "They told me to expect a faster game. The game is a lot different than it is in college. Once I adapt I should be OK. I think I'm just wondering if I will be able to keep up and be able to contribute."
(Read the rest of the article here)

Robbie Bina gets a professional deal

Former Fighting Sioux defenseman Robbie Bina has signed a deal to play professional hockey in either the AHL or the ECHL. This is story has a happy ending as most of us know, in 2005 during the WCHA Final Five Robbie Bina was hit from behind by Geoff Paukovich causing Bina to suffer from a broken neck, putting his hockey career in jeopardy. After taking the next season off Robbie Bina returned gloriously to the Fighting Sioux line up to play a major force in UND getting back to the Frozen Four two more times. Incidentally Bina and Paukovich could now be teammates but don't expect anything to come out of this, the incident has been settled.

Bina signs pro deal.
Brad Elliott Schlossman Grand Forks Herald
Tuesday, July 22, 2008

In about three years, Robbie Bina has made the incredible journey from a broken neck to a professional hockey contract.

Strangely enough, the guy responsible for the serious injury may be there when Bina arrives.

Bina, an all-Western Collegiate Hockey Association defenseman at UND, recently signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Edmonton Oilers organization, which also holds the rights to Geoff Paukovich

Bina’s contract is with Springfield (Mass.) Falcons of the American Hockey League and the Stockton (Calif.) Thunder of the East Coast Hockey League.

Paukovich, who caused Bina’s injury with an illegal hit in March 2005 as a member of the Denver Pioneers, played with Stockton last season.

“I’ve put everything behind me,” Bina said. “I’m just going to go there and play and hopefully have a good season.”

The injury happened during the playoffs of Bina’s sophomore season. He took a year off to recover and became a strong two-way force upon his return.

Bina had 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points in 43 games as a junior and two goals, 23 assists in 43 games as a senior. He earned third-team all-WCHA honors last season.

“I’m hoping to play up in the AHL,” Bina said. “I’d like to go there and have a good season. Maybe I’ll see some power-play time.”

No matter where he ends up, he may see familiar faces.

Bina’s defensive partner, Taylor Chorney, signed with the Oilers three weeks ago. Chorney will either play in Edmonton or Springfield.

If Bina lands in Stockton, he will be playing under former Sioux defenseman Tim O’Connell, who will be a first-year assistant there.

Bina is the fifth Sioux player from last season’s team to sign a pro deal. Chorney and T.J. Oshie gave up their final years of eligibility by signing with the Oilers and St. Louis Blues.

Outgoing seniors Rylan Kaip (Atlanta Thrashers, NHL) and Kyle Radke (Idaho, ECHL) also have signed.

Check out this story over on Coming Down the Pike.

Parise to the EC Red Bull Salzburg

Former Fighting Sioux goalie Jordan Parise is taking his show over seas this winter to play for the EC Red Bull Salzburg. Goon's World would like to wish him good luck and will be following his season closely. Good thing this site also has English because my Deutsch is a little rusty. Also if you look at the roster of the team you will see that they had a couple of former ex-NHLers on their team last season. Josh Green who played on the Red Bulls just recently signed a contract to play for the Anaheim Ducks this season, so it is possible to move from the Austrian Hockey League to the NHL even though a few nay says have said it isn't possible. The Salzburg Red Bulls are also coached by former North Stars coach Pierre Page`

Red Bulls sign new goalie
EC Red Bull Salzburg has announced the signing of Jordan Parise. The 25-year-old goaltender from Faribault, Minnesota (USA), has dual US/Canadian nationality and will play in goal for the Red Bulls this season. Besides his Canadian father Jean-Paul Parise, who enjoyed several seasons in the NHL playing for, among others, the Minnesota North Stars and New York Islanders, his brother Zach Parise is also an NHL player, having spent the last three seasons with the New Jersey Devils.

Pierre Pagé is convinced that Jordan will be an important member of the Red Bulls' squad: "He has an impressive college and professional career to show for himself and after two successful years in the American Hockey League (AHL) he intends to use our programme as a springboard to a place in the NHL next year."

Jordan Parise will join the team in time for training at the beginning of August

Video to the Jonathan Toews being name captain of Blackhawks

Here is the link to the interview with Jonathan Toews.

Puck daddy on Jonathan Toews

Here is an interesting story on Jonathan Toews being selected captain for the Chicago Blackhawks. While I think the Blackhawks are going to be improved from last season I still think they are like 3rd or 4th in the western conference.

The Jonathan Toews Blackhawks’ captaincy backlash begins
By Greg Wyshynski
Is 64 regular season games a large enough sample to determine if Jonathan Toews, the 20-year-old center for the Chicago Blackhawks, has what it takes to be an NHL captain?

The Blackhawks obviously believe so, making Toews the third-youngest captain in League history last week. And I also believe so, because there's not exactly a Mark Messier on that roster and because his beyond-his-years leadership had been evident since last December, earning praise from a guy like Martin Lapointe -- who knows a thing or two about leaders wearing No. 19.

That there's a backlash against Toews's captaincy isn't so much about Toews as it is about hockey ageism. Do "infant captains" like Toews and Sidney Crosby actually have the ability to repel veteran free agents?
----Snip---------
Otherwise, it's a fair point: Giving Toews the captaincy makes him the Yzerman to Patrick Kane's more flashy Fedorov; the face of the franchise and its most dynamic offensive player. You can't beat establishing those franchise pillars this early in the team's maturation.

But even I'm not cynical enough to believe this is about selling jerseys. Toews was born with a 'C' on his chest, so there's no denying the inevitable.

As for other young superstars getting the captaincy, I think both teams and these players have been very careful about it. Sidney Crosby waited. Alexander Ovechkin said he laughed when a teenage Crosby was named an alternate captain for the Penguins, but both stars have carefully approached the captaincy. (In Ovechkin's case, the matter was complicated by the fact that the real captain of the Capitals was a goalie who couldn't wear the 'C'. He may still wear the 'C' one day soon, if he wants it.)

I don't think a veteran player would be dissuaded from playing with a team if its captain is a newbie. But the way a team handles its captaincy can speak volumes about its direction.

In Columbus, I think it's been handled poorly: It's a young franchise that desperately needed a captain symbolic of its slow maturation as a franchise, and the Blue Jackets had a parade of mercenary veterans until Rick Nash got the gig. What, exactly, does naming Luke Richardson captain say about your franchise in 2003?

In Chicago, it's been handled perfectly. The Blackhawks are ready to climb out of the doldrums and contend in the West with their young guns and new identity. Toews is a critical part of that; there's no reason why he shouldn't also be its public face.
<-Read the whole story here->

Nice story on Former Sioux hockey player Jason Blake

Here is a nice story I found on former Sioux hockey player Jason Blake. Jason Blake had what some might call a tough season; Blake was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of cancer but was still able to play all 82 games. For his efforts Blake was awarded the Masterton Memorial Trophy for this efforts this season. Blake was also the second consecutive former WCHA to win the Masteron Memorial Trophy.

With the supporting cast that Toronto has on it's roster going to be tough for Blake to get points, especially if Matts Sundin ends up in Vancouver like it has been suggested.

NHL Fantasy Focus: Jason Blake

Jason Blake is a player I have a lot of respect for and one that I enjoy watching. The dude plays like a border collie, bouncing around the ice with boundless energy. It's hard not to like a player that works so hard and seems to enjoy the game as much as he does.

Blake is also a very adept 2-way player, and is the type of guy a coach can feel comfortable about playing in any situation. Blake's hustle makes him a great penalty killer as well as a team picker-upper. Just look at the way he battled back from his cancer!

What Blake is NOT, however, is a big offensive producer. Yes, he once scored 40 goals for the lowly New York Islanders, but one need only look at his career history to see what an outlier that was

The people who got suckered in the most were, obviously, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who inked the diminutive winger to an expensive, long-term 5-year $20M contract.

Blake will be 35 years of age (yes, older than you thought!) when next season starts, and despite getting loads of shots on net, is only going to decline from here on out. Losing Mats Sundin will also be a blow to his offensive chances.

Prediction: 50 points. Age and a lack of support will make times tough for Blake, but he should be able to come close to his average numbers. Just don't take the bait thinking that Blake is going to get 40 goals again, or even 30. It's just not going to happen.

Check out Zack Parise on NHL Network online and Draft rankings

I found this this clip on the NHL channel while I was looking at some draft information. I really miss this kid's days of playing for Sioux. Forner Sioux start Zach Parise was always a good interview so this is clip is no different some good stuff. On a final note, Zach is right goalies are head cases.

North American Top-30 Ranked Skaters - FINAL
10 Wilson, Colin Boston University C 34 12 22 34 20 Read
23 Gardiner, Jake Minnetonka D 25 16 27 43 18
27 Ness, Aaron Roseau High D 25 23 37 60 12
28 Colborne, Joe Camrose C 55 33 57 90 48

Jason Blake wants to stay with Leafs.

It had been speculated last week that former Fighting Sioux Jason Blake might want out of Toronto and would welcome a trade to another club. Apparently that rumor isn't true.

The agent for Maple Leafs winger Jason Blake disputed a published report last week that his client is unhappy and wouldn't object to a trade.

"Jason called me after that story came out and assured he wants to win in Toronto," Minneapolis-based Neil Sheehy said. "He didn't say anything in the story that (general manager) Cliff Fletcher hasn't said before, that the Leafs could be looking to make changes and I've spoken to Cliff to (underline) that."

But Blake was a disappointment in the first of a five-year, $20-million US contract, scoring just 15 times. That deal makes it almost impossible to move him (the Leafs tried unsuccessfully last season) or buy him out.

Former Sioux Jason Blake finalist for the Masterton Trophy

Former WCHA stars Chris Chelios (Badgers) and Jason Blake (Fighting Sioux)along with Fernando Pisani were named as finalists for the Masterton Trophy. Last year Phil Kessel (Gophers) won the award. Phil Kessel was diagnosed with testicular cancer mid season and missed 12 games.

NEW YORK (May 9, 2008) -- Left wing Jason Blake of the Toronto Maple Leafs, defenseman Chris Chelios of the Detroit Red Wings and right wing Fernando Pisani of the Edmonton Oilers are the finalists for the 2008 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA) announced today.

The award, under the trusteeship of the PHWA, is presented annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

In October, Blake was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of cancer. Nonetheless, the Hibbing, Minn. native completed the season as one of only three players to appear in all 82 Maple Leafs games. Blake hosted a leukemia awareness night at Air Canada Centre in January and donated $1,000 per goal and $500 per assist during the month to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

Commodore glad to be a Senator.

Mike Commodore talks about the trade to the Ottawa Senators. I guess I am going to have to watch the Senators more often this spring with this trade the Sens got a lot tougher and Stillman will add experience and scoring touch.

(Read the rest of the story)

After getting over the initial shock of being traded Monday, newly acquired Ottawa Senators defenseman Mike Commodore began to rationalize.

”I remember playing against this team (Ottawa) in Carolina the last three seasons and how tough it was to slow them down,’’ Commodore told NHL.com. “It’s an offense capable of moving the puck and creating opportunities very quickly. As a defenseman, I never had any fun trying to keep up with this group. So I began to think how exciting it would be to become a part of it all. It’s always fun playing with a team that is this dynamic. I understand my role, which is to get the puck to our forwards as quickly as possible and allow them the freedom to do the rest. I’m looking forward to helping this team get on a little run moving forward into the playoffs.’’

Of course, Commodore is referring to Ottawa’s triple threat of Daniel Alfredsson (34 goals, 39 assists), Jason Spezza (23, 49) and Dany Heatley (28, 35), who sit snugly among the League’s scoring leaders.

Commodore and Cory Stillman were acquired by Ottawa in exchange for defenseman Joe Corvo and forward Patrick Eaves. Stillman, 34, who is only the sixth player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup in two consecutive seasons with two different teams (Tampa Bay and Carolina) and Commodore, 28, each bring a wealth of playoff experience to Ottawa.

”The two guys we lost were big parts of our team, so it’s always kind of a different mix-up when you have a trade at this time in the season,’’ Ottawa goalie Ray Emery said. “But we’re pretty familiar with the guys (Commodore and Stillman) we were getting and realize that in a playoff run and, short term, they have experience and are more than likely going to be a big part of any success we have down the stretch.’