Sunday at the Links: Hockey is on my Mind

#IslesOTT #Isles starters (F) Nelson-Regin-Bouchard (D) Reinhart-Carkner & (G) Evgeni Nabokov
— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) September 29, 2013

Granlund, Coyle, Niño, Fontaine, Dumba all staying for #mnwild; Zucker, Dowell reassigned. Roster at 22
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) September 29, 2013

Looks like former UMD Bulldog forward Justin Fontaine has made the Minnesota Wild. Former DU Pioneer Jason Zucker has been sent to the Iowa Wild.  With the injury to Mike Rupp, it looks like Fontaine will be used as a fourth line forward for now.

Josh Harding’s toque goalie mask is the coolest mask of the season (Photo) - http://t.co/mTDdkA3kNx
— Sean Leahy (@Sean_Leahy) September 29, 2013

Puck Daddy Takes a look at Josh Harding's goalie mask, it's pretty sweet.

NCAA Hockey: Focus on Obstruction Calls http://t.co/7HlSFDNGGA
— Hockey Wilderness (@hockeywildernes) September 28, 2013

A few things that came out of the WCHA Media Teleconference this past Wednesday. The WCHA and the rest of the NCAA is going to focus on the obstruction and checking from behind calls. I know, I know, we have heard this all before right. We will soon see if they can execute it correctly.

WCHA Hockey: League Partners with American One to Showcase League Play http://t.co/lb7Atq6lud #hockey
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) September 26, 2013

The Calgary Flames have acquired former Boston Bruins and DU Pioneer forward Jumbo Joe Colborne. To be honest with you, Joe could have used a few more years in college instead of bolting early for the professional ranks.

If you missed it, the #Leafs traded Joe Colborne to the #Flames for a 4th Rd pick in 2014: http://t.co/j1i1fOKgc0 #NHL
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 29, 2013

I am the Amazing Carnac Does Justin Fontaine have a chance of making Wild Roster? http://t.co/nmz9z8CGEG @hockeywildernes @BReynoldsMN
— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) September 30, 2013

I guess the Minnesota Wild will be giving Justine Fontaine a look after all, I wrote this article earlier this summer and while I am not ready to be the Amazing Carnac, I do think that Fontaine is a good option. Last season during their brief playoff run, the Wild's fourth line looked very slow and now they have added some speed on that forth line. This is the Wild's current fourth line as of today. Mitchell-Konopka-Fontaine...

Related articles

• Joe Colborne Seeks Fresh Start After Leafs/Flames Trade (thehockeywriters.com)
• The Curious Case Of Leaf's Prospect Joe Colborne (thehockeywriters.com)

Frattin's goal against OKC

s/t to @BrittsLyfe for posting this on Twitter... Check out this goal by Toronto Marlies forward Matt Frattin. Frattin's team the Toronto Marlies ended up beating  former Fighting Sioux alumni Chris Vandevelde and Taylor Chorney's team the Oklahoma City Barons.

I am sure this goal by Frattin looks familiar to Fighting Sioux hockey fans who watched the power forward  score a bunch of goals that looked a lot like this one. Notice the goalie also didn't see the puck until it was past him and in the net.

College Hockey well represented

The more I looked around the Leafs official web sight, the more I realized college hockey's contribution to this game and the Toronto Marlies. If you look at the box score from this game you will see that college hockey was well represented - three former WCHA players scored three of the five goals for the Marlies in tonight's game, Jake Gardiner (UW), Matt Frattin (UND) and Joe Colborne (DU).

Also, former RPI forward Jerry D'Amigo leads the Marlies in points for the Calder Cup playoffs.

The starting goalie for the Marlies is former Cornell Star Ben Scrivens who has started every games for the Marlies during the playoffs and was up for a while with the Maple Leafs during the regular season.

 Related articles

• The DOMINANT Toronto Marlies

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• Kadri, Frattin lead Marlies to 2-1 series lead over Heat

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• Toronto Maple Leaf Playoff Action (In Marlie form)

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Matt Frattin assists on Joe Colborne's first NHL goal...

I had the opportunity to watch two of Toronto's games this past weekend and I have to admit it's fun seeing some of the former college players playing on the Toronto Maple Leafs. This assist by Frattin on the Colborne goal is a thing of beauty, Frattin had two assists on the night giving him four points for the year 1g-3a-4pts. I think the pass is harder than it looks. 

The Toronto Maple Leafs roster looks like an NCAA All-Star team; Phil Kessel (Minnesota), Matt Frattin (UND), Tyler Bozak (DU), Joey Crabb (C.C.), Joe Colborne (DU), Mike Brown (Mich), David Steckel (MSU), Ben Scrivens (Cornell), John-Michael Liles (MSU), Mike Komisarek (Mich), Jake Gardiner (WISC), Jay Rosehill (UMD). The Maple Leafs roster is a testimate of the kind of players that come out of NCAA Division I hockey. 

ESPN; Kaberle remains a puzzle in Boston

Getty Images

If I was part of the Boston Bruins front office staff; after the Stanley Cup Playoffs are finished, I would wish Tomas Kaberle good luck thank him for his time in Boston and tell him he is free to find a new team, because he isn’t coming back to Boston, three assists in twelve game is unacceptable. This guy is worth no where near the money that he is going to be asking for after the season is over. In my opinion I think that Kaberele is a waste of a uniform and maybe the Bruins should consider sitting him for a game to two to send a message.

BOSTON -- In every series, there seems to be one designated whipping boy. That one, lonely, unfortunate player whose underachieving, faux pas or foibles make him a lightning rod for criticism and derision.

There was Marian Gaborik in New York as the Rangers bowed out in the first round.

There was Nicklas Backstrom in Washington as the top-seeded Capitals were swept in the second round.

Tomas Kaberle has no goals and three assists in 12 postseason games for the Bruins.

There were the goaltenders in Philadelphia who imploded all spring.
And in Boston, there is Tomas Kaberle.

The Bruins, of course, remain a part of the playoff story, competing in their first conference finals since 1992. But Kaberle's tepid play remains one of the most perplexing stories of this postseason and makes the Bruins' attempts to advance to the Stanley Cup finals significantly more difficult.

Maybe it's the history -- the failed attempts by the Bruins to acquire the smooth-skating defenseman from Toronto over the past couple of seasons -- that has ramped up the disappointment meter this spring.

There had been much anticipation at Kaberle's arrival in Boston at the trade deadline. When GM Peter Chiarelli finally pulled the trigger on the long-awaited deal, sending a first-round draft pick, a conditional pick and prospect Joe Colborne to Toronto, there were some who thought Kaberle represented that elusive final piece to the puzzle in ending the Bruins' long Stanley Cup drought.

Now, he's just a puzzle.

No where but up for Tomas Kaberle...

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

EDIT: This blog post was lost in hyperspace and reappeared today. I have never really been a very big fan of Bruins defenseman Tomas Kaberle, he is an offensive defenseman that refuses to hit or play a physical game in a contact sports. In my opinion I don’t think Kaberle is a very good defensive player either and to top it off Kaberle’s price tag is way too high for a one dimensional hockey player, if anything I believe that he may have played himself out of Boston, especially with the emergence of Dennis Seidenberg.

The Hockey News --- Speaking of room for improvement, another burr in the sides of B’s fans has been blueliner Tomas Kaberle. Since coming over in a much-ballyhooed trade from Toronto, the stoic Czech has underwhelmed. That same Boston power play floundered under his influence, which is strange, since that was so much of his game with the Maple Leafs.

But don’t complain, Bruins faithful. Kaberle may not have been remarkable so far in the playoffs, but he too has room for improvement and his ceiling is higher than any of the other options. Think about it: you have a No. 1 defenseman playing the fifth-most minutes (18:06 per game) among Boston blueliners. If he can up his game, all of a sudden the pressure is alleviated from minute-munchers Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg, both of whom are dangerously close to playing 29 minutes per contest.

As for the price Kaberle came at - specifically big prospect center Joe Colborne and a first round draft pick, plus a conditional pick - it will all be worth it if Boston wins the Stanley Cup. Yes, Colborne is starting to round into form as a dangerous pivot in the Toronto organization, but the Bruins aren’t starved for young talent (Brad Marchand being the latest breakout star). Plus, that draft pick will be in the No. 27-30 range thanks to the Bruins’ march to the conference final and potentially beyond.

Ending nearly 40 years of Stanley Cup starvation is worth paying a high price for. Kaberle is an unrestricted free agent this summer, but if his presence in any way helps the Bruins lift the chalice, Boston can say “see ya” on July 1 with a clear conscience

DU's Joe Colborne and UND's Matt Frattin to make Leaf debuts

If you live in Grand Forks, ND or have Midco Net in this area you can watch Matt Frattin play on channel 16 CBC tonight, so Fighting Sioux fans if you don't want to watch/stomach the Frozen Four check out Fratts as he makes is professional debut versus the Montreal Canadiens or "Les Habitants". According to Pension Plan Puppets Matt Frattin, will play on a line with Tyler Bozak and Nazem Kadr. We might get a look into the Maple Leaf's future tonight's line up additions.

The Star ---- Joe Colborne — the 21-year-old prospect the Leafs got from Boston in the Tomas Kaberle trade — will make his NHL debut on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.

So will Matt Frattin, the 23-year-old NCAA forward who signed a two-year entry level contract Friday night. Frattin, a finalist for U.S.

college player of the year — losing to Miami (Ohio) forward Andy Miele, despite leading NCAA scorers with 36 goals — was picked 99th overall by the Leafs in 2007.

Joe Colborne's Versatility Could Be Biggest Asset in Reaching NHL

When I read this NESN article I get the feeling that former Denver Pioneer and Boston Bruins prospect Joe Colborne is just another Blake Wheeler type player, a big body player that isn't very physical. Oh goody.

Analysis
Colborne possesses an enticing blend of size and skill, especially now that he's begun to fill out his 6-foot-5 frame. He was a self-described "beanpole" when he was drafted in 2008 as a 190-pounder, but two years in the weight room at the University of Denver has helped him bulk up to 216 pounds. Now he just has to learn how to make the best use of that size.

He's not an overly physical or aggressive player, but he does use his body well to protect the puck. While he needs to improve on his consistency, Colborne has good hands, great vision and excellent hockey sense. That combination makes him a crafty playmaker, but he also possesses a strong shot and quick release, so he's also adept as a finisher.

A natural center, Colborne played most of last year on the wing, and with Boston's depth down the middle, a move out wide is probably his best bet to make the big club in the near future. That's not a problem for Colborne, who's willing to play any position to get a shot in the NHL. He's a left-handed shot but has played both wings, giving him even more versatility. He also showed great character and leadership at this summer's development camp. It was Colborne's third camp, and he took it upon himself to call the newcomers before camp to let them know what to expect, then served as a mentor to the younger campers during the week of drills and off-ice activities.