Hot stove league: Phil the thrill Kessel highlights

I was on youtube tonight looking around and I didn't realize how many high light goals that Phil Kessel had in his short hockey career. It is amazing some of the goals this kid has scored and the impact he has had on the game of hockey. Love him or hate him he is an amazing talent. Now that he is a Boston Bruins I can dig his work. The first one is a goal where Phil picks the pocket of a Sabres defender and makes Ryan Miller look sick.

In this clip Kessel wins a shoot out earlier during last season ending three games on three chance in the shootout. Check it out

This one is a thing of beauty Kessel from behind the net against Ole the Goalie

The goal in question. I kind of wonder many hockey message avatars ended up with the picture of Phil Kessel cupping his ear after scoring a goal in madtown.

First NHL goal for Kessel against the Sabres

It's Official, Paukovich gone...

This had been rumored but I guess this makes it official, this is a press release from the Edmonton Oilers Web Page

OILERS SIGN THREE
BRODZIAK, ROY & PAUKOVICH INK CONTRACTS


The Edmonton Oilers have signed centre Kyle Brodziak and defenceman Mathieu Roy to two-year contracts and left winger Geoff Paukovich to a three-year entry level contract.

The 6’2”, 198-pound Brodziak split the 2006-07 season between the Oilers and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. Brodziak, 23, appeared in six games for the Oilers last season and scored one point, netting his first career Oilers/NHL point with a goal versus the St. Louis Blues on March 17th. With Wilkes-Barre, Brodziak scored 24-32-56 with 44 PIM in 62 games, tying for second on the Penguins’ scoring list. He was second in goals and fourth in assists. The Oilers 9th choice in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Brodziak has scored 1-0-1 with 6 PIM in 16 career games with Edmonton since making his NHL debut in 2005-06.

Roy appeared in 16 games with the Oilers in 2006-07, scoring his first two NHL goals and registering 30 penalty minutes. After beginning the season with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, the 6’2”, 214-pound blueliner was recalled to the Oilers on two occasions during the season and scored his first career Oilers/NHL goal at San Jose on January 10th. The 23-year-old (he turns 24 on August 10th) native of St-Martin De Beauce, Quebec scored his second goal on March 29th at St. Louis. With Hamilton, Roy scored 6-12-18 with 40 PIM in 31 games.

Paukovich begins his professional career with Edmonton following three seasons of collegiate hockey with the University of Denver Pioneers, where he was a teammate with fellow Oilers draft pick, Glenn Fisher. The 6’4”, 208-pound native of Englewood, Colorado played in 39 of the Pioneers’ 40 games in 2006-07, scoring 17 points on eight goals and nine assists. He was second on Denver with 65 penalty minutes and finished his career 11th on the Pioneers’ all-time penalty list with 257 minutes. Paukovich was a member of Denver’s NCAA national championship team as a freshman, scoring a career-high 12-10-22 in 41 games in 2004-05.

Significant WCHA Player Defections

Here is a break down of the significant WCHA players that have forgone their college elgibility to move to the professional/junior hockey ranks. For the most part all of the teams in the WCHA with the exception of MTU and Collerado College have had players forgo their college elgibiligy and move on to the professional ranks. This is not to say that other teams didn't lose players for various reasons. For instance MTU dismissed Phil Axtell from the team for undisclosed reasons, and according to the UAA fan blog Nate Lawson has left school.

Edmonton: Signed F Geoff Paukovich* (Denver)
Anaheim: Signed F Ryan Dingle* (Denver)
Calgary Hitman (WHL) Keith Seabrook* (Denver)
St. Louis: Signed D Erik Johnson* (Minnesota)
Pittsburgh: Signed D Alex Goligoski* (Minnesota)
Ottawa: Signed D Brian Lee* (North Dakota)
Chicago: Signed F Jonathan Toews* (North Dakota)
Los Angeles: Signed D Joe Piskula* (Wisconsin)
Chicago: Signed F Jack Skille* (Wisconsin)
Washington: Signed F Andrew Gordon* (St. Cloud State)
St. Louis: Signed D Steve Wagner* (Minnesota State)
Vancouver: Signed F Mason Raymond* (Minnesota Duluth)
Dallas: Signed D Matt Niskanen* (Minnesota Duluth)
Idaho: Signed F Jay Beagle* (Alaska Anchorage)

Are there any more players leaving early?

It kind of makes you wonder with roughly 60 days until the college hockey season begins if there are going to be any more player defections in the WCHA this summer. There is a rumor circulating around the blogsphere that Gopher underclassmen Jim O'Brienis thinking about leaving school and signing with the Senators. Some of these players I can see leaving but this one kind of puzzles me since O'Brien he is barely 18 years old. In case anyone forgot this kid he did leave an impression on the WCHA goalies and he did seem to be around the action that was in front of the net.

O'Brien to Sign?

Look for Ottawa's top 2007 draft pick, Jim O'Brien, to sign with the Senators and forego the balance of his college career. O'Brien, a 6-2 centre drafted 29th overall, was the youngest player in college hockey last season, as a 17-year-old with the University of Minnesota. A source says O'Brien, now 18, is leaning toward turning professional.

Former Gopher Phil Kessel wins the Masterton

Former Golden Gophers and Bruins Rookie Phil "the Thrill" Kessel picked up the Masterton throphy at the National Hockey League awards show. It was the first time that a rookie has been awarded the award.

A Posstive from a season of Negatives

In a season where not too many things went right for the Boston Bruins, it's good to see a Bruins player get reconized for something other than being on a losing team and missing the playoffs yet again.


The Story Link

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of hockey” by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The Trophy was first presented by the PHWA in 1968 to commemorate the late William Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars, who died on January 15, 1968 after sustaining an injury on the ice.

“I am honored to be named this year's recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy,” said Kessel. "The list of players who have received this award in the past is incredible, and I am a little shocked to be included in such a prestigious group.

"I am fortunate to be surrounded by many great people who all helped me through last season, especially my family, my friends and my teammates, as well as the entire Boston Bruins medical staff.

"To Bruins fans everywhere, I would like to say 'thanks' for all of your kind words and support. You were in my corner from game one, and I am very excited about being a member of the Bruins organization for years to come.”

Kessel, who was selected fifth overall by the Bruins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, played one season of college hockey at the University of Minnesota before joining Boston last fall.

The highly regarded 19-year old forward from Madison, Wisconsin was off to a productive start to his rookie campaign when he was diagnosed with embryonal testicular carcinoma, or testicular cancer, on December 9, 2006. On December 11, Kessel underwent surgery to remove the cancer, and on December 16, 2006 was announced cancer-free by Bruins team physician, Dr. David Judge.

Three weeks after surgery Kessel was back to practicing with the team, and returned to Bruins line-up on January 9, 2007 in Ottawa versus the Senators.

Hot Stove: Hextal and Chelios

Here is a blast from the Past and Chelios and Ron Hextal get after it during the 1989 Wales Conference Finals. Old time hockey. Incidental Ron's kid Brett Hextal will be playing at UND in the fall, I hope he plays with the same fire and determination.

Goon's Prediction Ducks in 6

Wrong Again:
First off I believe that this years Stanley Cup Playoffs have been kind of uneventfull, they are no where near as exciting as the last two Stanley Cup Finals. I also didn't do very well picking the games up to this point. First I jinxed the Buffalo Sabres by predicting they would win the Cup, as we all know that prediction came crashing down last week as the Sabres were closed out by the Senators. I also thought that the Devils were going to beat the Senators. In fact none of the teams that I wanted to win in this seasons Stanley Cup playoffs have made it as far as I thought. If I picked a team to win they lost. I picked Dallas over Vancover, the Wild over the Ducks and I predicted Buffalo over the Senators. I also predicted that there would be another UND fighting Sioux hockey player to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, wrong gong.

Ducks in 6 games

I believe the Ducks are going to win the series in 6 games. The Ducks have better goaltending Giguere is a much better goalie than Ray Emery. and I don't believe the Sens defensive pairs are as dynamic duo of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger. Also look for game one to be a slug feast as I expect Chris Neil and George Paros to face off at center ice.

College Flavor to this Series

As Sioux 7 had mentioned in another post, this series will feature many players that played in the WCHA and or college hockey. This really does prove how the NCAA has come a long way in producing top players in the NHL.

Danny Heatley (Ott)- Wisconsin
Ryan Getzlaf (Ana)- St. Cloud St.
Mark Hartigan (Ana)- St. Cloud St.
Tom Preissing (Ott)-Colorado Coll.
Ryan Carter (Ana)- Mankato State
Ben Eaves (Ott) - Dirty B.C. Eagles
Mike Comrie (Ott) - Michigan
Dustin Penner (Ana)- Maine and also played hockey at Bottineau, ND.

Chelios a Classless hack?

Apparently Chris Chelios failed to shake the ducks players hands after his team lost the game and the series to the Ducks.

Doug Stolhand Weighs in on the issueChris Chelios. He plays the game rough and is a warrior on the ice, no doubt about it. I've never liked him but then again he's never played for the Ducks so why would I? He's one of those guys that you love if he's on your team but can't stand if he's not.

In 2003 the Ducks swept the Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs and much was made around Orange County about Chris Chelios not going through the handshake line after the series was over. Well, I kept an eye on the man that has been playing in the NHL for longer than Corey Perry or Ryan Getzlaf have been alive and sure enough he did not go through the handshake line this year, either. I am not sure if this is something he always does regardless of opponent but it shows a lack of class. I asked some fellow media members if Chelios shakes hands after the Red Wings win a series and they said yes. That being the case I can officially say that Chris Chelios is like school in the summertime - no class.

Here is what Teemu Selanne had to say about it:

"It shows what kind of guy he is. When you have success it's easy to be the good guy but when (bad) things happen and you do that kind of stuff, like the Minnesota guys, that's...you can make your own opinion. I don't really care but I would like to say 'Have a good summer.'"

Looks like the Ducks players are still playing their first round match up against the Wild. Hey Teemu shut the hell up about the Wild Series.