Mavs' WCHA move looks even better now

The Mavericks hockey blogger has a really good point, the Mavericks move to the WCHA is looking much better now. In case there is a Big Ten Hockey Conference, it's pretty obvious that the WCHA is a much better conference minus Big Ten teams Wisconsin and Minnesota, than the CCHA is minus Ohio State University, Michigan State University and Michigan.

Mavericks Today -- Penn State announced on Friday that it would be joining the Division I hockey ranks in 2012-13. Many people now believe it's just a matter of time before the Big Ten forms its own hockey conference, snagging Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State from the CCHA; Minnesota and Wisconsin from the WCHA; and combining those five programs with the Nittany Lions. Big Ten hockey -- long the stuff of rumors -- appears to be an inevitable reality, and it might come into existence by 2014.

But UNO can take comfort in the fact that it still will be aligned with schools such as North Dakota, St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, Colorado College and Denver. A 10-team WCHA, minus Minnesota and Wisconsin, would still be a viable, vital conference. Not as good as the 12-team monster UNO fans will enjoy watching for the next couple of years, but good nonetheless.

The introduction of Big Ten hockey, however, potentially could destroy the CCHA. So it's a good thing that UNO got out when it did.

I'm of the opinion that college hockey would have a much brighter future, at least for the next two decades, if Penn State simply joined the CCHA and stayed there for awhile. This sport is a unique beast in the realm of NCAA athletics, and those at the highest levels need to think about the greater good before they act in the interest of six brand-name schools. This is not a situation equivalent to the conference craziness involving college football, because hockey is only played in select pockets of the country, and it isn't a strong enough entity on the national radar that it can make such seismic changes without considering the plight of smaller schools. Let Penn State build its foundation as a Division I program. Let a decade pass, and see what the ripple effects will be of the Nittany Lions' decision.

Bruce McLeod - the WCHA wont be diminish at all

I am going to ask my fellow WCHA fans, am I the only one that is not impressed with Bruce McLeod and his failed leadership? In reading McClown's statements leading up to and following the Penn State announcement, I find McLeod to be unimpressive and his comments to be some what puzzling. The WCHA wouldn't be diminished, are you kidding me? I think the WCHA might want to consider moving the Final Five to another location, of course I would recommend Grand Forks, ND.

Star Tribune --"If, in fact, [a Big Ten hockey conference] does happen, we would be different, but we would not be diminished at all," WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod said.

"We are adding two new teams [Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha]. We will open two new buildings [in Bemidji and Duluth] that are going to be first class. We will be here after they leave."

The Final Five would stay in St. Paul, too, McLeod said. He said the Xcel is centrally located for the WCHA, and there have been years when the Gophers and Wisconsin have not qualified for it.

Perhaps the person most pleased outside Happy Valley with Penn State's announcement was Paul Kelly, executive director of College Hockey Inc., the education and marketing arm of Division I hockey.

"This is terrific," he said. "We've worked very closely with the folks at Penn State to help assist them. We've strongly encouraged this. And the rumblings Penn State was exploring hockey triggered other inquiries to us."

Kelly said he has discussed starting hockey programs with two other Big Ten schools that he would not identify.

Kessel says he's ready

Here is story about former Bruins and Gopher forward Phil Kessel. Looks like he has taken it up a notch during his off season conditioning. It will be interesting to see how the Leafs fans respond to Kessel if Tyler Seguin starts lighting it up for the Boston Bruins and Kessel stumbles.

Toronto Sun -- If Phil Kessel has a goal for goals this season, he’s not sharing.

But could being fit mean 40 for the lone, proven sniper on the Maple Leafs roster as training camp begins?

Kessel arrived for team physicals Friday at the Mastercard Centre looking noticeably trimmer, the product of an intense summer that saw him shed 10 pounds. Speedy already, his teammates say that in informal workouts the past few weeks, Kessel has had a jump on everyone on the ice.

“Just look at him, he looks really good, really fit,” Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf said of Kessel. “When scrimmaging, you could see how fast he was then and we haven’t even started training camp.”

Whether a fitter Phil will lead to dramatically more production remains to be seen, but just having the chance to come to camp healthy is a huge boost for the 23-year-old Wisconsin native.

A year ago Kessel wasn’t yet a Leaf, still weeks away from the controversial trade that brought him here. While much of the off-season focus on that deal was Boston’s acquisition of Tyler Seguin with the No. 2 pick in the NHL draft, Kessel was apparently working hard to help hold up his end of the bargain.

After missing the first 12 games last year while recovering from off-season surgery, Kessel was thrust into the lineup of a Leafs team that had staggered out of the gate without the benefit of either an off-season workout regimen or a pre-season schedule to get in shape.

He still responded with 30 goals in 70 games, the last half dozen or more while nursing another injury.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Kessel said when asked if he’s prepared to be the Leafs’ go-to goal guy. “Hopefully I can play a full season this year.

Penn State Joins College Hockey - Links

Today was a historic day in the college hockey world as Penn State University announced that they are going to start a Division I hockey program for the 2012-2013 season.

Penn State to play Division I hockey [Read article]

That could create a domino effect for college hockey throughout the Midwest.

Both the CCHA and WCHA have expressed interest in adding Penn State.

"They are a very attractive choice -- very attractive," CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos said earlier this month, according to the Detroit News. "They're in a different market than we're in, more and more U.S. players are on college rosters, and there's tremendous growth of the sport in Pennsylvania."

The addition of men's and women's ice hockey will increase the number of sports at Penn State to 31, one of the largest athletic programs in the country among BCS schools.

Curley said the new hockey facility is scheduled to be built by spring 2014, just west of the Jordan Center, home to the university's basketball teams. The arena will include two ice sheets, and university leaders hope to attract NHL and minor-league exhibition hockey games.

I guess I didn’t realize that the WCHA was interested in adding Penn State to the mix?

It’s Officially Official: Penn State Hockey Goes D-1 [Read article]

The new, state of the art. $75 million arena, is expected to be completed by 2013 and funded exclusively by private donations.

It will include two ice sheets and other features that will allow it to be used for a broad range of campus and community activities, from commencement ceremonies to kinesiology classes to public skating sessions and camps for youth. The facility will provide new training and performance opportunities for Penn State’s popular and successful figure skating club and for the University’s women’s ice hockey team. It also will offer ice time to recreational and high school hockey programs, as well as intramural and local speed skating and broomball clubs. The state-of-the-art arena will be able to host events such as professional ice shows and National Hockey League and American Hockey League exhibition games, generating tourism and other economic impacts in the region.

Penn State starting NCAA hockey program[Read article]

Penn State hockey fans can thank Terry and Kim Pegula, who donated US$88 million — the largest private gift in Penn State history — to fund a new multi-purpose arena and help upgrade the men's program. The athletic department will fund, or seek other private donations, for the women's program.

"So maybe someday in these hills of Pennsylvania, we're going to find a Pennsylvania (Sidney) Crosby," Terry Pegula said at a trustees meeting Friday morning, referring to the Pittsburgh Penguins' star. "Hopefully, he'll play hockey for Penn State, and I think that's awesome."

Players like Sidney Crosby don't grow on trees and the Penn State University will have to establish a recruiting a niche and it’s going to be harder than it looks. There are some good programs already pounding the turf to compete for top recruits.

Penn State's addition leads to Big Ten hockey speculation [Read article]

CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos issued a statement on behalf of his membership, welcoming Penn State into "the college hockey family" and saying the league will support the Nittany Lions' transition to Division I over the next few seasons.

Anastos did not mention speculation about what league Penn State might join but did say the CCHA will continue to exist for a long time.

"The CCHA's formation 40 years ago was based on the development of emerging programs and, as we set our sights on our next 40 years, we look forward to working with programs such as Penn State and, hopefully, others, in providing leadership that will increase the profile of college hockey and foster continued growth."

College hockey: Penn State to add Division I team [Read Article]

Five other Big Ten schools play Division I hockey, but there is no Big Ten hockey league.

Minnesota and Wisconsin play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, and Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State are in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

"We're all well aware of the ramifications ... of having a sixth Big Ten hockey school, and what that means for a lot of us," WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod told insidecollegehockey.com, which reported Penn State's plans.

Leave it to the WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod to offer steady leadership with his inspiring and witty comments. I am not so sure McLeod is the best person to lead the WCHA through this transition (if there is one).

Penn State University will add varsity men's and women's hockey starting in 2012 [Read Article]

The Straight Edge: Penn State Div I program strengthens NCAA landscape [Read Article]

The nuts and bolts are still being worked out, but the Nittany Lions will likely begin their Division I life as an independent before joining up with a power conference. Geographically, the CCHA makes the most sense, but the major rumblings involved in this story is how a Big Ten Conference – featuring Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Minnesota – could now be formed. The Big Ten cable TV network is a huge cash cow and Big Ten hockey would bolster the schedule.

“The biggest thing any network wants is inventory,” said one insider. “College basketball usually runs Thursday and Saturday, so Friday nights are open. And Penn State comes in with half a million living alumni.”

That’s a lot of potential hockey fans tuning in, especially when the fans already have a hate-on for the Ohio States and Michigans thanks to football and basketball rivalries.

There has, of course, been worry about what taking the five best teams from the CCHA and WCHA would do to the college hockey landscape, but I think adding a conference will help. As it is now, Alabama-Huntsville is looking for a home and Bemidji State jumped through hoops to get into the WCHA. And with RIT’s miracle run to the Frozen Four (with Bemidji State preceding them the year prior), it’s obvious smaller schools can have an impact when given the chance. Kelly agrees with that sentiment.

“I think they’ll come together,” he said. “College coaches don’t want to see the loss of programs.”

Wherever the Nittany Lions end up, they’ll likely get knocked around the first year or so, but progress won’t take long.

“They’re going to have a natural flow of highly-skilled players into their program,” Kelly said. “Penn State will have an immediate crop of kids who want to play there.

Penn State To Add Division 1 Hockey [Read Article]

Penn State to add varsity hockey – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Penn State To Add Men's, Women's Hockey - [Read Article]

Penn State's hockey program jumps to Division 1-A, could lead to Big Ten hockey conference [Read Article]

Michigan coach Red Berenson said Friday afternoon that although Penn State's financial commitment to hockey is a "huge step in the right direction for any more future growth in college hockey" having the Nittany Lions join one conference over another doesn't make a difference to him.

Berenson expects a lot of speculation to take place over the next four years, but he doesn't think the answer is breaking up existing leagues with long-standing traditions.

"I don't think teams are anxious to leave their own conference and abandon them and start a new conference," Berenson said. "I don't think anyone wants to see a league take a hit.

A voice of calm from the Michigan head coach. I have to say Red that I agree.

One Super University

If you haven't seen this, there is the new fringe element/movement to get the other school Moo U and UND to merge into one super university. When I first read about it I thought it was a joke. I guess they aren't kidding. This idea seems like it was dreamed up in the back room of a bar somewhere between Fargo and Grand Forks. [Click to read the article]

The D-1 hockey at UND compares impressively with any collegiate hockey program in North America.

1. We (the Great State of North Dakota) can’t afford or need another one.
2. We don’t need duplication of other sports on a D-1 level either.
3. The Great State of North Dakota has ample resources to do this D-1 thing right once.
4. An athletic arms race will not be accepted by rank and file, hard working, common sense approach North Dakotans.
5. The University of North Dakota State Fighting Bison or the State University of North Dakota Fighting Bison, take-your-pick.
6. Two world class campuses, one super university.
7. Being a shark patrolling the National Beach or two walleye swimming in Devils Lake that is really our choice here.
8. This ultimately becomes a merger of two athletic departments and the consolidation of two offices of the presidency, cost savings immediately.
9. For openers; Hockey remains in Grand Forks, Football in Fargo, their historical championships would warrant that. Exhibition games or certain specialty games could be played in Grand Forks or Fargo. Any expansion or remodeling of the FargoDome would allow games to be played in Grand Forks during the transmission. State High School Football Finals could be scheduled annually in Grand Forks.
10. The next given would be wrestling in Fargo, swimming and diving in Grand Forks, both no-brainers as the other school doesn’t have the respective sport.
11. Men’s and Women’s Basketball could ultimately play in multiple home locations, precedent for that would be UCONN they play in both Hartford and their home campus facilities.
12. Baseball and softball play most of their games elsewhere because of the weather, but Fargo has baseball’s answer to the Ralph.
13. Track & Field and soccer could play in both, volleyball in both, tennis could play in both and golf could play in both, I hope you get the point.
14. Add an Equestrian team to deal with issues of Title IX when we go to 85 scholarship football. The equestrian approach would open vast new fundraising opportunities currently not being tapped.
15. The Fighting Bison solves the logo flap.

Big Ten Statement on Penn State's Plans to Establish NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Programs

Here is the official statement. I can't believe they are going to wait two season before they start their hockey team.

Sept. 17, 2010

The Big Ten Conference released the following statement today regarding Penn State’s plans to establish NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs.

The Big Ten Conference is excited about Penn State’s recent announcement regarding the establishment of NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs set to begin competition in the 2012-13 academic year. Our institutions have longstanding relationships with Division I, Division II, and Division III college hockey programs that have benefitted both our institutions and the entire national hockey community.

For many years, we have had five institutions sponsoring Division I men’s ice hockey programs – Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. Big Ten rules allow for a championship whenever there are six institutions sponsoring a program in any given sport. This leads to the presumption that there will be a Big Ten Men’s Ice Hockey Championship at some point in the future. A decision of that nature, however, cannot be made without a significant amount of discussion both internally with conference chancellors, presidents, administrators and coaches, and externally with the hockey community as a whole. Whatever we do, we will communicate in a respectful and responsible way as we endeavor to balance all of the unique interests in play.

We congratulate Penn State and wish them well as they continue to provide the most broad-based opportunities possible for their student-athletes.

Penn State entry paves way for Big Ten hockey conference

My only comment is that Barry Alvarez should stick to football because he is a hockey illiterate. This is what happens when you let football guys run NCAA Division I Hockey.

Madison.COM --- When news of Penn State’s initiative broke earlier this month, CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos made it known that his Midwest-based league would love to accommodate the Nittany Lions. Instead, the CCHA figures to soon lose three of its most well-known programs.

During WCHA meetings held last week in Minneapolis, UW men’s coach Mike Eaves said there was “some angst” among his peers regarding the topic of a Big Ten presence in college hockey.

Eaves declined to get into specifics of what WCHA officials discussed about future developments. League commissioner Bruce McLeod said he’s aware of the situation at Penn State, but is waiting to hear more details Friday before offering his thoughts.

“There are a whole bunch of possibilities,” Eaves said. “I think we’re going to find out together what’s going to happen.”

With Penn State soon to be on board as the 59th Division I program, Alvarez was asked what road blocks stood in the way of the Big Ten creating a new college hockey brand.

“I don’t know,” he said. “You need six teams in the league. We will have six. They do govern us, the Big Ten. I don’t anticipate much of a hurdle other than getting out of your respective conferences.”

Alvarez said Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has spoken in the past of making men’s hockey a programming staple on the Big Ten Network. That notion will take a huge step forward Friday.

“We’ve talked about a Big Ten Conference for hockey,” Alvarez said. “I think that would be very appealing.”

Follow Ben Youds!

Ben Youds, a senior defenseman for the Mavericks, will be blogging all hockey season long. Be sure to check out his blog and see what he has to say all season! It can be found at: http://benyouds5blog.blogspot.com/

It'll be interesting to see what he writes about and if he keeps it up. Blogging seems nice and simple...and fun....AT FIRST. After that it really becomes a chore and quite annoying. Well, to me anyways. That's why I only occasionally post here and closed my own blog.

So, be sure to check out Ben's blog. Hopefully it's good!

Another dynasty in the making?

In case you haven’t seen this blog post about UND fan's favorite opposition coach George aka "the Dasher Troll" Gwozdecky, it does make for an interesting read. This blog post also drips with arrogance, smugness and is condescending to say the least. My first question to Mike Chambers would be; do you always soil yourself every time you write an article about George Gwozdecky? Sure we all know that Gwoz is a reputable coach but he is also just one of many qualified coaches in college hockey. Since he is a Big Ten guy maybe he can apply for the Gophers position after Lucia is shown the door.

Denver Post -- Please excuse my reach while I connect the dots.

Gwozdecky, who is seeking a new deal at DU, is/was a Big Ten guy, and you know Penn State is going to hire a veteran college coach with big-league roots and NCAA championship plaques on his walls. Gwozdecky, 57, could be that man. He won NCAA championships as a player at Wisconsin and an assistant coach at Michigan State.

His resume at DU includes two NCAA titles (2004, 2005), three WCHA regular-season titles (2002, 2005, 2010) and four WCHA playoff crowns (1999, 2002, 2005, 2008). He is a two-time national coach of the year (1993, 2005) and the reigning WCHA coach of the year, his fourth overall.

See the connection here? This is beyond speculation. For Gwozdecky, it’s leverage.

If Penn State adds hockey, six-team Big Ten could arise

Adam Wodon from the College Hockey News has confirmed that Penn State University is going to form a Division I Hockey team and that the announcement will be made this Friday.

Pioneer Press -- WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod said he is waiting to hear from Penn State, and subsequently the Big Ten, before making any detailed comments.

"Having said that," he added, "we're well aware of developing circumstances at Penn State, and we've definitely done our homework regarding several scenarios that could play out."

Creating a Big Ten men's hockey conference would give the fledgling Big Ten Network some live programming on Friday nights, when men's basketball teams typically don't play.

"That's some major programming on Friday nights," Lucia said.

The WCHA is getting ready to play its first season with 12 teams, having just added Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha to a roster that includes the Gophers, Badgers, Minnesota-Duluth, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State Mankato, North Dakota, Colorado College, Denver, Alaska Anchorage and Michigan Tech.

The conference boasted more than 1.5 million in attendance last season, and had the top three home attendance marks in the nation — Wisconsin (15,048 per game), North Dakota (11,654) and Minnesota (10,107).

Minnesota, with enrollment of 51,659, and Wisconsin (42,099) are the league's largest schools and have 11 national titles between them, but Denver (7), North Dakota (7), Michigan Tech (3) and Colorado College (2) also have won NCAA championships.

"The WCHA brand is very strong. People in hockey know we're a strong league," UMD athletics director Bob Nielson said. "At the same time, you never want to lose a rivalry because of the interest it generates."

Don Lucia’s comment about the television programming for Friday nights is a bit of a head scratcher. Seriously! What is stopping the Big Ten now? All the BTN has to do is start showing hockey on Friday’s, what is preventing them from showing hockey now? Why do they need a league to show BTHC hockey on Friday night?

Are we over analyzing this - impending PSU addition

B.C. Interrupted has an interesting perspective on PSU getting into the college hockey mix and what it would do to Hockey East.

If the Big Ten hockey schools were to break away from the WCHA and the CCHA, they would be creating a power Big Ten conference that I don't think Hockey East could compete with in terms of being the premiere college hockey conference. Over time, we might see a geographic shift in NCAA Tournament locations where more regionals are played in Big Ten markets. Currently, the Eastern hockey teams typically benefit from two of the four Regionals being played in their backyard (typically, Worcester, Manchester, Providence and locations in Connecticut). A Big Ten hockey league would also garner more revenue (through a BTN television agreement) and exposure than leagues like Hockey East and the remnants of the CCHA and WCHA ever could.

The programs in a six-team Big Ten hockey league would also be looking for quite a few non-conference opponents to fill the schedule. BC, however, is afforded just a handful of non-conference scheduling slots after Hockey East play and the Beanpot. The Eagles could miss out on the exposure and revenue potential of scheduling non-conference opponents from a Big Ten hockey conference.

In the end, while any sort of college hockey expansion is good for the sport, Penn State adding Division I men's ice hockey could set in motion a complete re-write of the college hockey conference landscape. If the CCHA doesn't pick up Penn State as the league's twelfth member and the Big Ten creates their own six-team conference, there may be significant changes to college hockey that won't be in the best interest of the Boston College program.

First off; I don’t agree with the premise that there would be more regional’s in Big Ten Country than there already is. For instance, Minnesota seems to be the recent golden boys by getting the last two West Regionals in a row, however, the Gophers missed both regionals anyways because of poor play on the ice causing them to be sitting at home watching two other teams dance around Mariucci Arena and the Xcel Energy Center with the regional championship trophy. There is the already perceived built in advantage, of course the Gophers haven’t made the most of the gift that was handed them.

If my research is right; the University of Michigan hasn’t had a regional in Yost Arena since the 2002 - 2003 season, causing Michigan fans to call foul. Wisconsin last had a regional game at the Kohl Center in 2008, it was well attended and stuff full of WCHA teams. In case you forgot, that was the year that the Badgers qualified for the NCAA tourney with a losing record, hence, causing the new rule to be made that basically reads you will not qualify for an at large bid for the NCAA tourney unless you had a winning record.

Last season a regional was held in Fort Wayne Indiana, which is pretty close to Big Ten territory (96 miles from South Bend, Indiana) that was sparsely attended, 3204 fans watched the University of Michigan and Miami and from all the reports that I got from people that were there said the ice was horrible. The Arena was dingy and run down and Fort Wayne was a horrible place for a regional.

What I am trying to say is that I am not sure how PSU and or the BTHC would affect B.C. and or Hockey East in its present form because Hockey East is pretty darn successful already and will probably remain successful no matter what the BTHC, CCHA or WCHA do. There is this mindset by some that think there is going to be this BTHC utopia that is going to dominate college hockey and somehow put 4 of 6 teams in the NCAA hockey tourney every year beating the heck out of each other. I believe that mindset is arrogant and ill conceived. If that was the case the NCAA tourney would be won by Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and or Wisconsin every year regardless. That is just not the reality, there are many other good teams that are playing hockey that are not members of the Big Ten. In fact Hockey East has won the last two NCAA Championships.

Bettman wants arena deal for Coyotes by Dec. 31 or else.

There comes a time when you have to cut your losses and move on, the NHL needs to move on in Phoenix, because it's apparent that this is a losing situation and it’s not getting any better. While I am not an economics major the Phoenix Coyotes aren’t going to make it selling only 4,000 regular season tickets. Finally; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is starting to get it, albeit he is late to the party but he is realizing that it's time to move on. Now, let’s move the team to Winnipeg.

OTTAWA — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged Wednesday there is a limit to the league’s patience in propping up the troubled Phoenix Coyotes franchise.


“We’ve been at this now for a year and a half,” Bettman told The Citizen when asked about the league’s attempts to find a new owner for the Coyotes.

“At some point, just like if you think back to Quebec and Winnipeg (relocating to Denver and Phoenix, respectively), you run out of options and you don’t have a choice. We fight as hard as we can to avoid being in that situation, but at some point, you deal with the realities.”


If the city of Glendale, Arizona — the Coyotes' home — can’t work out a lease agreement with a buyer willing to keep the franchise in Phoenix by Dec. 31, the NHL will accept an existing offer from a purchaser aiming to move the franchise. The Winnipeg Free Press has reported that group as being Winnipeg-based Truth North Sports and Entertainment.


Few details have emerged from Phoenix in the past two weeks, ever since ESPN.com reported that Matt Hulsizer could be a potential new owner of the franchise, perhaps working in partnership with Ice Edge Holdings.


The latest reports suggest the club has sold 4,000 season tickets and only one-quarter of its luxury suites have been booked for the 2010-11 season.

The franchise, which has lost between $200 million and $300 million since leaving Winnipeg, has been bankrolled by the NHL since January 2009.



Read more:

College was great experience for Vande Velde

Here is an article that someone had posted on their twitter feed. Lets hope that Vande Velde can make the Oilers roster before the end of the season.

PENTICTON, B.C. -- Though later to the party than most other prospects here, Vande Velde is proving he belongs as a pro.

"I definitely think I' m ready to take the next step after a full college career," Vande Velde said. "I think UND got me prepared really well, and obviously that's a great program and I'm excited to get in here and maybe crack the big team."

Oilers center Chris Vande Velde scored a second-period power-play goal to give the Oilers a 3-2 lead.

-- Ryan PinderEdmonton Director of Player Development Mike Sillinger played more than 1,000 NHL games and watched Vande Velde last season with the Fighting Sioux and followed him when Vande Velde moved to AHL Springfield when the NCAA season ended.

"He's definitely ready for the American Hockey League," Sillinger said. "He played a couple of games at the end of last year with the farm system, he finished four years (of college). He's a big guy, strong guy, protects the puck really well, plays his position really well. He's not overly flashy, but he's very noticeable in doing the little things well. Decent on the faceoffs and, with his size (6-foot-2, 190 pounds), he's just so big and strong in front of the net."

Vande Velde's description doesn't seem to overlap very much with the skill set of Edmonton's "Big Three" prospects -- Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi -- which may be a good thing for Vande Velde as he tries to crack the Edmonton roster this season.

A few links

Here are a couple of links relating to the PSU hockey announcement.

Penn State Receives a 88 million dollar donation to jump start Division I hockey program. [Click to read the article]

Penn State to Launch Division I Hockey Program [Click to read the article]

Coming Soon: The Big Ten Hockey Conference [click to read the article]

Persistently battling with the Canadian Hockey League for the top developing prospects, the area landscape of NCAA hockey is soon to change. Beginning with the 2014-15 season, Penn State plans to ice a full-fledged hockey program and will join the newly-formed Big Ten Hockey Conference.

“Like a lot of things, it’s money driven,” said Wisconsin Badgers coach and former Riverside resident and Assumption high school student Mike Eaves. “You’ve got the Big 10 Network that needs programming (beyond football and basketball). They need more stuff on the air to make it work. The next income sport is hockey, so if we had our own league, that’s going to be something that’s going to draw people to the network, and that’s going to drive the dollars in terms of advertising. That’s something the athletic directors and the (university) presidents realize needs to happen.”

Hockey became a viable program for the Nittany Lions thanks to a very generous benefactor, a Pennsylvania businessman named Terry Pegula, who recently sold his natural gas company for US $4.7 billion. An avid hockey fan, Pegula made a reported US $80 million gift to the school, which is expected to fund the construction of a 6,000-8,000-seat arena.

A formal announcement of Penn State’s plans could come as early as Friday. “Penn State has been knocking on the door since the mid-90s,” Eaves said. “But now, this donor has been able to sell his company and do what he wanted to do to get it going. It’s going to happen in the relatively near future.”

Some of these comments by Wisconsin Badgers Head hockey coach Eaves are kind of puzzling to me. The Big Ten Network could show more hockey games than it does right now, however, the BTN fails to do so. All you have to do is look at their programming over the last few years; hockey takes a back seat to Division I Basketball. Last season the BTN didn't even show the hockey show case games.

Fans react to D-I move [Click to read the article]

Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley declined to comment on these reports when reached by phone Monday.

Currently, the Icers play as an ACHA Division I club team, but are not recognized as a Division I program by the NCAA.

Penn State would instantly become the second-largest university, in terms of enrollment, in the country to offer men's hockey, trailing only Ohio State. The Lions would become the 59th Division I men's hockey program.

Last month, The Altoona Mirror reported Penn State is planning on building a new rink that would replace its current home -- the Penn State Ice Pavilion. The Pavilion holds 1,350 fans while the new arena would accommodate 6,000 to 8,000 people.

Brad Schlossman has a pretty good articles of the pros and cons of the Big Ten Hockey Conference. I have to agree scheduling is going to be a major headache for the BTHC teams.

2. Scheduling is the major issue. The more teams, the easier it is for scheduling. The sixth team means you can make 20 league games (playing everyone twice) instead of 16. That’s big, but is it big enough? With a six-team BTHC, those teams will get 20 league games and 14-16 nonconference. Your schedule is almost just as heavy with nonconference games and it won’t be a piece of cake filling them out.

3. The schedule isn’t going to be any more attractive. Take Minnesota or Wisconsin for example. You think you are getting a sexy schedule with the “name” schools on it by joining BTHC. But how are you going to fill out the 14-16 nonconference games? Schools like St. Cloud State, Minnesota-Duluth, UND and Denver? Well, then you’re schedule really doesn’t look any different than it does now, does it?

Chiarelli 'happy' to have Marc Savard

There was some talk this past summer that the Boston Bruins were trying to trade Marc Savard after signing him to a cap friendly contract. I can imagine that there are a lot of Bruins fans relieved that Marc Savard is staying put.

ESPNBoston.com ---Chiarelli acknowledged Friday that he did indeed have trade discussions regarding Savard, but apparently they weren't enough to entice the GM to pull the trigger on a deal. Chiarelli also acknowledged that teams have inquired about other Bruins players, as well.

"There is all these things that happen and there are always things that swirl around about moving guys, and I cannot respond to anything in kind because I don't directly comment on trade rumors," Chiarelli said. "I can tell you, though, that there was discussion and inquiries on Marc and they became public.

"There has been a number of inquires on a lot of the players, some become public and some don't for obvious reasons, but as we told Marc, that's part of the business and he understood that. I made sure he knows what we think of him: He is a Boston Bruin and an elite offensive player we're happy to have on this team."

Since the NHL entry draft back in late June, Savard's name has been constantly bandied about in trade rumors. Due to the Bruins' salary-cap woes and the anticipated addition of another talented center in Tyler Seguin to an already deep center corps, Chiarelli reportedly was open to trading his star pivot, who led the team in scoring in three of the past four seasons.

WCHA could lose Gophers and Badgers

Here is an interesting story written by Kevin Pates that was in today's Duluth New Tribune.

Duluth New Tribune --- WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod addressed the possible changes last weekend at league coaches meetings in Bloomington, Minn., said Minnesota coach Don Lucia on Monday. The WCHA will start 2010-11 with 12 teams with the addition of Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha.

“The strength of the WCHA has been the commitment of member schools, and if Minnesota and Wisconsin were to leave, the league will still be a good, strong league. It will not be a drastic change,” Lucia said. “But right now this is all speculation. Will Penn State add hockey? Will the Big Ten schools want to form their own league? Will they be interested in adding affiliate members?”

Penn State of University Park, Pa., has plans to build a rink that seats 6,000 to 8,000 and costs $60 million to $80 million, according to a report last month in the Altoona (Pa.) Mirror. The school has men’s and women’s club teams that play in the 1,350-seat Penn State Ice Rink.

Inside College Hockey is reporting that Penn State could announce the addition of varsity hockey as soon as Friday.

“I can’t imagine Penn State going to the effort of adding hockey without the understanding it will be playing other Big Ten schools,” Lucia said.

For starters, a Big Ten hockey league would include WCHA members Minnesota and Wisconsin, and Central Collegiate Hockey Association members Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State, for a total of six schools. That’s the number the NCAA requires for an automatic entry into the Division I playoffs.

“We’ve all heard the talk of a Big Ten Conference in hockey for the last four or five years, and it picked up more steam in the last year,” said UMD coach Scott Sandelin. “If Penn State starts hockey, then the league looks like a good possibility.

“If that happens, the WCHA will survive. Bruce McLeod was already proactive, in a sense, by adding two teams this season.”

Will Penn State Add Division I Hockey?

According to Mike Eidelbes and Jess Myers Penn State is going to announce possibly this week that Penn State’s plans to launch a men’s Division I hockey program. The first word out of my mouth is yawn! Seriously, I am sick and tired about hearing about the potential of having a Big Ten Hockey Conference and how it's going to ruin the rest of college hockey but become a six team utopia in the same breath.

We heard for years from chest thumping Big Ten fans that if there ever was a Big Ten Hockey Conference the Big Ten is going to dominate the at-large bids for the NCAA tourney and dominate the college hockey world. Don’t forget this is the same league that has this awesome television channel but didn’t take the time to even broadcast the pretty match ups on the BTN. So before you get your knickers in a bunch, WCHA self proclaimed powerhouse Minnesota has had a hard time even qualifying for home ice for the WCHA playoffs let alone making the NCAA tourney, they have missed it the last two season.

In a move that will significantly alter the college hockey landscape, the formal announcement of Penn State’s plans to launch of a men’s hockey program is imminent, sources tell Inside College Hockey.

Multiple sources in college and junior hockey, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the plan; one source told INCH that the university will make a formal announcement this Friday. A Penn State spokesperson late last week declined to comment on the matter.

With an enrollment of approximately 45,000 students at its State College campus, including nearly 39,000 undergraduates, Penn State would become the second-largest institution in the United States to offer Division I men’s college hockey—only Ohio State, with more than 52,000 students at its Columbus campus, is bigger. The Nittany Lions would become the 59th Division I men’s hockey program.

“It is great for the sport,” WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod said, while stopping short of confirming the plans. “A program of that stature to potentially add a Division I men’s hockey program is an exciting thing for the sport.”

While a university with the name recognition of Penn State adding a varsity program can only help the profile of college hockey, the impact on current conference configurations, especially the CCHA and WCHA, could be significant. Penn State would join Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Wisconsin as the sixth Big Ten Conference institution to sponsor varsity hockey. That’s the minimum number of schools required by the NCAA for a conference to award automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and the Big Ten covets hockey for its wildly successful television network.

If for some reason there is a Big Ten Hockey Conference I think you will see a realignment of college hockey. If that happens I would like to see more of a super conference with the WCHA and the CCHA schools. Then we could find a place for UAH to go as well. Contrary to the self absorbed elites there would still be some nice schools left in spite of the Big Ten. Maybe you could re-align the WCHA to include Northern and Fairbanks.

NHL and officials get serious in labor talks

Oh boy! Just what we need another labor dispute in professional sports especially with there being the potential for all three major sports to be locked out in the future (NBA 2011, NHL 2012, and NFL 2011), why not the refs eh? I propose that we could loan the NHL a few of the WCHA's buffoons finest on ice officials incase there is a shortage due to a potential walkout/strike.

LONDON, Ont. - Amid a report that minor league officials have been contacted to work in the event of a labour disruption by NHL referees and linesmen, the league insists that a new collective bargaining agreement will be reached before opening night.

The Hockey News says American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League officials who do not already work part time for the NHL have been approached about possible employment, as CBA talks continue with the NHL Officials Association. The officials and the league have been without a deal since Aug. 31.

“We don’t anticipate any game disruptions and I don’t believe the officials do either,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Toronto Sun via e-mail. “We are continuing in the process of getting a new deal and have every expectation we will get one done in due course.”

The unnamed official contacted by THN.com said he would not become a scab but added “there are a lot of my colleagues that are surprisingly jumping at the chance.”

Fargo Force hire former fighting Sioux Jason Herter as next head coach

Jason Herter will be the third head coach in three seasons for the Fargo Force. Herter will also is the third head coach to have connections to the Fighting Sioux hockey program (Dean Blais – Head Coach UND 1994-2004, Steve Johnson – Player 1984-1988, Jason Herter – Player 1988-1991). The last two head coaches have used their Fargo force coaching position to spring board to a coaching position in the college hockey ranks. It's nice to see UND alum doing well in their hockey careers. Here is the official press release.

Fargo Forum ---Former Force assistant Jason Herter was hired this morning by the Force to take over the team days before training camp starts Monday. The 39-year-old Saskatchewan native replaces Steve Johnson, who resigned Monday to become an assistant coach at St. Cloud State.

"Hockey is in my blood and I've always been looking for a good opportunity," said Herter, who was an assistant during the Force's first season. "I am established in the community and in the world of hockey, if a good opportunity comes up, you take advantage of it."

Herter takes over a team that returns nine players from last year's squad that advanced to the Clark Cup Finals for a consecutive season.

He becomes the team's third coach in as many years.

Herter was an assistant under Dean Blais in the team's first season.

NCAA approves of UND plan to retire nickname, logo

I am sure that UND President Robert Kelley and Athletic Director Brian Faison are ecstatic that the NCAA has approved the North Dakota Board of Higher Education's surrender.

Grand Forks Herald ----- The NCAA said Friday it was satisfied with UND’s plan to retire its Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, an important step officials say will help the university as it schedules athletic contests and works to get accepted into the Summit League.

In a Friday statement, the NCAA cited an April 8 decision by the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education to direct UND President Robert Kelley to officially retire the nickname and logo.

“Therefore, UND has been removed from the list of schools subject to the policy regarding Native American nicknames and imagery at NCAA championship events,” the statement said.

Athletic Director Brian Faison said Friday it was “the next step” for the NCAA after the state board’s decision earlier this year.

“We’ll be communicating that to our head coaches and be moving forward,” he said.
‘A matter of when’

Faison said the announcement resolves scheduling issues with several institutions across the country, including the University of Minnesota and University of Iowa, which would not arrange anything except hockey games (Minnesota) against UND until the university was taken off the list of schools that violated the NCAA policy.

“This will open up the opportunities to schedule, and will be a big help for some of our programs,” he said.

The NCAA statement says no member institutions “should use the policy and its prior application to UND as a factor in scheduling.”

UND and 17 other schools were added to the list of institutions subject to new policies in 2005 after the NCAA banned the use of American Indian nicknames and imagery it considered to be “hostile or abusive.”

Darby gives up microphone for a coaching gig

Hum! Very interesting. I am sure that there will be a few people that are unhappy about Darby no longer being on the FSN broadcast team. Now the Minnesota Wild have two former Golden Gophers and a Fighting Sioux on their coaching staff.

Minneapolis Star and Tribune ---- Head coach Todd Richards has hired Hendrickson, who scored the first home goal in Wild history, on Oct. 11, 2000 in a 3-3 tie vs. Philadelphia --, to be his third assistant. It is a full-time gig, which means Hendrickson will have to give up his job as a divisional representative with the NHL Players Association and his gig with Fox Sports North as part of the Wild broadcasts.

"You walk into it new," Hendrickson said of the transition from being on-ice to being a part of the coaching staff. It hasn't been that long since Hendrickson finished playing; he played his last NHL game with Colorado during the 2003-04 season and played professionally in Austria during the 2006-07 season.

"We feel he is a young guy, energetic," Richards said. "He's a guy who is recently retired from the game. He knows a lot about the game, about the players. We feel there is a lot he can add to our staff."

WCHA official's numbers

Here is the list of the WCHA hockey officials that we will be swearing at again this this season. Do you seen any names not on the list?

REFEREES:

3-Derek Shepherd; 4-Todd Anderson; 5-Justin Brown; 7-Don Adam; 8-Tom Sterns; 9-C.J. Beaurline; 10-Peter Friesema; 11-Tim Walsh; 12-Butch Mousseaux (R-L); 14- Brian Thul; 15-Marco Hunt; 17-Craig Welker; 18-Max Battimo; 20-Brad Albers; 22-Bill Mason; 23-Matt Ulwelling (R-L); 24-Jon Campion; 25-Mike McCreary; 27-Jonathan Morrison; 29-Scott Bokal; 31-Brett Klosowski; 33-Brad Shepherd.

LINESMEN:

at UAA: 36-Kent Asplund; 73-Scott Sivulich; 74-Steve Glines; 75-Travis Jackson.

at CC & DU: 52-Scott Staudte; 57-Bob Keltie; 67-Greg Rockenback; 80-Butch Mousseaux; 82-Stephen Stankevich; 86-Gary Pedigo; 88-Tim Swiader.

at MTU: 35-Dan Juopper; 85- Sean Jacques; 98-Damon Beirling.

at UM, UMD, MSU, SCSU: 38-Joe Harris; 44-Chris Olson; 45-Jerome Krieger; 50-Tony Lancette, Jr.; 53-Rick Nelson; 55-Jeff Schultz; 61-Luke Huggett; 62-Jarod Moen; 68-Chris Perrrault; 80-Tony Czech; 90-Matt Anderson; 91-Sterling Egan; 96-Eric Whisler.

at UND: 37-Tom Lund; 71-Brian Novlesky; 76-Brandon Schmitt; 77-Mike Eslinger; 78-Nathan Freeman; 79-Matt Ulwelling; 83-Justin Hills; 84-Phil Stodgell; 92-Andy Carton.

at UW: 34-Ed Moberg; 38-Dan Carey; 42-Dan Dineen; 51-Mike Gulenchyn; 65-Matt Gerlach; 87-Brad Roethlisberger.

Missing - Scott Zelkin

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.

WCHA Preview Part II

Here's the second installment of the Preview. Sorry it's been so long. Today we will be previewing UNO, BSU, and CC.

University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks

2009 - 2010 Overall Record: 20-16-6 Conference Record (CCHA): 13-12-3 (7-4-3 NC record)

Key Losses: Nick Fanto, Jeric Agosta, Eddie Del Grosso
Key Returners: Matt Ambroz, Terry Broadhurst, John Faulkner, John Kemp, Joey Martin, Eric Olimb, Rich Purslow
Key Recruits: Matt White, Tony Turgeon, Brock Montpetit

A newcomer to the WCHA, one might claim that a team would go down before it goes up. To be sure, UNO will not be competing for the McNaughton it is inaugural year in the WCHA, but it won't be playing the McNaughton winner in the WCHA Play In game either. They come to the WCHA after finishing in the middle of the CCHA. However, I feel that they could probably have finished higher if it weren't for some bad luck and inconsistency in net.

They join the WCHA with one of the, if not THE, best coaching trios in the WCHA in Dean Blais, Mike Hastings, and Mike Guentzel. So, if they do finish in the bottom half of the WCHA this year, and history repeats itself with Blais, UNO won't stay there long. They also boast a very nice arena, despite it not being a truly hockey dedicated facility in the Qwest Center.

Problem is, Omaha isn't exactly a hockey hotbed despite boasting a nice hockey history (Hockey legend Gordy Howe began his pro career in Omaha) and a quality USHL team that has produced UND players Brett Bruneteau and Danny Kristo (among others).

However, they do have some quality players coming in to play with USHL Player of the Year Matt White on campus right now. John Faulkner can be a great netminder provided he can find consistency. He'll need it with a lot of untested players behind him in Bengstrom and Taffe. This is a team of lunch pail type players. They're not going to be flashy. They will be playing vintage Dean Blais hockey. That means they won't be a cakewalk. And I think they have a possibility of surprising quite a few.

Predicted Finish: Hard to say, but without any clear cut power and inconsistent goaltending, I'm putting them 9th. However, they could finish as high as 6th (ahead of BSU, CC, and even UMN).

Bemidji State University Beavers

Overall Record: 23-10-4 CHA Conference Record: 14-3-1 (9-7-3 NC Record)

Key Losses: Tyler Lehrke, Kyle Hardwick, Chris McKelvie
Key Returners: Matt Read, Brad Hunt, Dan Bakala, Mathieu Dugas, Jordan George
Key Recruits: Radislav Illo, Drew Fisher

The biggest news about BSU is that they come to the WCHA with having two NCAA Tourney visits in the last 2 years, including one trip to the Frozen Four under their belts. They've only put 2 goaltenders in the NHL in the last 3 years as well (Matt Climie and Matt Dalton). Funny you don't hear that much about a team coming from a "throw away" league such as the CHA. They also come to the WCHA with a Hobey Candidate in Matt Read.

Bemidji isn't top heavy, but they are kings at strategy and experience. They were dominant in the CHA and was decent in non conference play. However, the 9-7-3 record gives a good indicator of where to expect BSU this season, as they don't lose a whole lot in talent due to the pros or graduation. They have a real dynamic recruit coming into Bemidji in Radislav Illo. They also have experience coming into a depth/grinder position in Drew Fisher. Couple that with a couple of Swedish defensemen and some wingers from the NAHL (Ladd and Jubinville) and possibly USHL forward Matt Cain.

I expect that they'll more than likely be right in the mix in the middle of the WCHA pack. Tom Serratore is an excellent coach. If Chay Genoway doesn't get the Hobey, I'd love to see Matt Read get it. Like UNO, BSU's playing style is very complimentary to the WCHA and they should fit right in. However, whether they have a big future or not is up in the air. They did briefly get a big time recruit in Franko but he bolted for a career in the WHL.

Time will tell.

Predicted Finish: 8th (could be as high as 6th and as low as 9th)

Colorado College Tigers

Overall Record: 19-17-3 WCHA Record: 12-13-3 (7-4-0 NC Record)

Key Losses: Nate Prosser, Mike Testuide, Addison DeBoer, Brian McMillin, Bill Sweatt
Key Returners: Joe Howe, Rylan Schwartz, Andrew Hamberg
Key Recruits: Jaden Schwartz, Dakota Eveland, Eamon McDermott

This team lives and dies by Joe Howe. So when the freshman goaltender started out on fire, life was good. However, Joe Howe succumbed to the biggest problem freshmen goaltenders face: they're freshmen. He cooled off and so did the Tigers.

The Tigers bring in Eveland and Schwartz hoping to bring scoring to the team, but this team will need everyone to step up. There was even message board scuttlebutt (which means it's hardly worth mentioning) that Scotty Owens could be on the hot seat if things don't improve.

Unfortunately, the WCHA is again deep this year and there's not much room for CC to go up unless Joe Howe can pull a Marc Cheverie or Peter Mannino and simply be unbeatable for the majority of the season. I don't see them having enough of a team depth in scoring to be able to crack the top 5.

Predicted Finish: 7th

Next: UMN, UW, and DU

N.C.A.A. Penalizes Princeton for a Major Rule Violation

Here is my candidate for knucklehead(s) of the week. Think about this, Princeton University, an Ivy League school was caught cheating in men tennis. Wow!

New York Times --- Princeton University committed a major rule violation when a booster paid $33,000 toward the educational expenses of a tennis player, the N.C.A.A. announced Wednesday. It was the first time in 36 years that the N.C.A.A. found an Ivy League institution guilty of committing a major infraction.

The case involved a Princeton alumnus and former member of the men’s tennis team who helped pay a female tennis player’s tuition in the 2007-8 academic year and the fall of 2008. The alumnus and the student were not named. In addition to being publicly reprimanded, Princeton is required to vacate all tennis matches that the student won, in either singles or doubles, during the 2007-8 academic year and through part of the 2008 fall semester, when the violation was discovered.

Kaip signed by the Houston Aeros

s/t Hockey Wilderness. Former Fighting Sioux hockey player Rylan Kaip has signed a contract with the Minnesota Wild's farm team the Houston Aeros.

Just a quick note. The Aeros have announced today the signing of former San Antonio Rampage goalie Josh Tordjman to a one-year contract. Along with Tordjman, the team also signed center Rylan Kaip to a one-year deal. Kaip spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Wolves.[The Third Intermission]

ATV accident knocks out Wild's Sheppard

Actually, I want to give props to Fire Helmet Guy 26 for bringing up this little news nugget on my facebook page today. As many of you know I am not a fan of Wild forward James Sheppard and I believe that he is a first round bust and a waste of a uniform and a roster space and that the Wild have held on to him way too long and have given him way too many chances and should have cut their ties with him after last season. It’s like someone in the Wild management believes one day Sheppard is going to wake up and become a star player in the NHL. Sheppard has scored an unimpressive 11 goals - 38 assists for 49 points in 224 career games. If I was the Wild GM for even one day I would trade his worthless ass for a bag of pucks and a dozen Christian Brothers hockey sticks.

To me Sheppard is a brutal reminder of the previous general manager and uber buffoon Doug Risebrough, who was a complete and utter failure as a general manager for the Minnesota Wild. Because of Risebrough’s incompetence he has single handedly ruined the Minnesota Wild and it will take years for Fletcher to dig out of the mess that Risebrough has created.

Star Tribune ---- Less than two weeks before the most pivotal training camp of his NHL career, Wild center James Sheppard was in an all-terrain vehicle accident Saturday and could miss up to four months.

Sheppard, in Vail, Colo., to train at high altitude in preparation for the Sept. 17 opening of training camp, broke his left kneecap and underwent surgery Saturday night.

The circumstances of the incident were being investigated by the Wild on Tuesday, as well as the next course of action. An exact timetable won't be known for a few weeks.

Sheppard's agent Mark Guy said that during a "guided tour" with other NHL players after training, he swerved to avoid a truck on the path and hit his knee.

"Personally, we're really disappointed in what happened," coach Todd Richards said. "I met him before he went out. It looked like he was in great shape. It looked like he had done everything physically to get himself ready for this camp, and then something like this happens.

Johnson to leave Force for St. Cloud State

Wow! This rumor had surfaced last week and now is finally coming to fruition. That means that the Force will have their third coach in their three year existence. That also means that the Huskies will have a much better coaching staff this season. While I have never been impressed with Motzko's finesse style of hockey, Johnson ads credibility and a great coach to the Huskies coaching staff. Here is the link to the official press release.

Fargo Forum---- A St. Cloud State spokesperson said this morning an announcement regarding Fargo Force head coach Steve Johnson should be coming in the next few days.

Johnson is expected to leave the Force, a little more than a year after being hired by the team. He was hired in July 2009 to replace Dean Blais, who resigned to become the head coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Should Johnson leave, the Force would have to find a third coach in its three-year existance.

Tale of Two Goaltenders: One stops Goals, the other Stops Dreams

Recently, three things happened in the NHL:

1. Kovalchuk finally signed with the Devils. Yawn.

2. Antti Niemi signs with the San Jose Sharks

3. Carey Price Gouged the Canadiens.

#1: Who cares. At least it is finally over. Now the Devils can start dismantling other key assets to try to make cap space. Probably Salvador, Rolston, and who cares. The only weird rumors revolve around Travis Zajac and Zach Parise. One rumor is that the Devils will try to trade or waive Zajac. That's ridiculous because he's much better than Rolston and younger to boot. The other is more plausible. Kovalchuk's signing may mean the end of the Parise era in NJ once Zach's contract is up.

#2: You can just hear Antero Niiitttiiimaaaakiiiii collapse in somewhat sad state. On one hand, Antero's gonna make some $$$ sitting on the bench. On the other hand, he comes skipping into Southern California singing "Zippadedoo dah!! Zippedi-AY! I finally get the #1 job hoo-ray!" only to have Niemi rain on his parade. So, oh well. At least most fans won't have to guess how many double vowels Antero's last name has. It's obvious I'm beyond caring. The only thing I don't understand is this: Niemi signs for 1 year, $2 million. If he offered that kind of a contract to Chicago, do you think they would have walked away? Admittedly, it's only $750K less than the arbitrator awarded him but it could have made a difference.

#3: Carey Price signed a 2 year, $5.5 million contract with the Canadiens. Wow. Hopefully that's $5.5 million in Canadian currency otherwise, the Habs seriously overpaid. Price is only Right when it amounts to about $1.5 million a year. The only positive Price brings to the table is his age. He's young. He could turn into a good goaltender someday... but he has to mature yet. Something he's shown time and time again that it's not possible. The good news for the Habs is that they didn't pull a Huet and signed Price long term. There is NO WAY IN HELL Price is worth as much as Halak is getting in St. Louis or what Niemi would have gotten in Chicago had Chicago not walked away. NO WAY.

It's a sad day when all Niemi can get is $2 million over 1 year and the most overrated goaltender in the NHL gets $2.75 million each year for 2 years.

CHN Preseason Top 10

College Hockey News has released a preseason poll. No surprise that B.C. is number one and UND is number two. I don't think that Yale is the number 5 ranked team in the country. I know we are going to hear; but, but, Goon Yale beat UND in last season’s playoff game, I think that fact is irrelevant because Yale is going to have to score a ton of goals to make up for their very bad goaltending and they got lucky in one game. What's also interesting is traditional powers Wisconsin, DU and or Minnesota are no where to be found in the preseason top ten. I am not surprised that more WCHA teams aren't in the top ten. As the season gets closer the NCAA round up will look at the preseason top ten.


1. Boston College
2. North Dakota --- “I feel like I let my teammates down a little bit last year, not having the opportunity to be out there with them,” senior Chay Genoway said when he announced his return to the team May 6. “I have a lot of high expectations for myself and for the team, and I'm pretty excited about this team, and there's a lot of motivation for this team.”

This is virtually the same team that won the WCHA postseason in 2010, minus seniors Chris VandeVelde and Darcy Zajac — and the lone early departure, 4-goal scorer David Toews. Those losses should be offset by the re-addition of Genoway (whom North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol called one of the top-5 players in college hockey last season — and that was before the exodus of talent across the NCAA this summer), who recieved a medical waiver after dealing with a concussion last season, as well as the continued development of Danny Kristo and Jason Gregoire, the second- and third-leading scorers from 2009-10. Junior Brad Eidsness will continue to be a force in net, and the D-corps — last year’s third-best squad (2.12 goals/game) in the country — should continue to be strong.

3. Miami
4. Michigan
5. Yale
6. St. Cloud State
7. Maine
8. Alaska
9. Minnesota-Duluth
10. New Hampshire

Kovalchuk deal OK'd by NHL, NHLPA

While the holiday weekend was taking place the NHL finally approved Ilya Kovalchuk's contract. Yippy Skippy. Now the Devils have to figure out how they are going to fit Kovalchuk's salary in under the 59 million dollar cap. I can see a few players from New Jersey getting traded soon.

CBC Sports --- Ilya Kovalchuk's contract ordeal is over.

The NHL and NHLPA have reached an agreement to revise the rules that regulate long-term contracts as part of a global settlement on Friday, allowing Kovalchuk's contract with the New Jersey Devils to pass.

Jay Grossman, Kovalchuk's agent, confirmed the news in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Both parties agreed to extend the 5 p.m. ET deadline in order to complete the formal paperwork, which was finished in the early Saturday morning hours according to a report on NHL.com.

The agreement means Kovalchuk's revised 15-year, $100-million US contract with the New Jersey Devils will be approved by the league.

The agreement comes after more than a month of disputes between all parties. Kovalchuk agreed to a monstrous 17-year, $102-million deal with the Devils on July 19.

The NHL quickly moved to reject the contract, claiming it circumvented the league's salary cap. An arbitrator upheld that decision on Aug. 9 after the union filed a grievance on July 26 in response to the league's rejection.

The new deal will put a $6.67-million annual hit on the Devils' salary cap and put the team roughly $3 million over the league limit ($59.4 million) with only 21 players under contract, two under the league limit.
[Read the whole article]

You have to be kidding me...

Does anyone see a problem with this paragraph or this news story? I would if the comments were being made by a Fighting Sioux hockey coach or came from a Fighting Sioux beat writer.

Seriously! I don't get this entitlement mindset. Good teams beat who ever they are scheduled to play and they don’t care where their scheduled takes them to play. I am surprised that Lucia would allow these types of comments to be printed in a newspaper blog post. Not to blow UND’s horn but they start the season by playing in the Kendall Hockey Classic in Anchorage Alaska then travel to Maine to play the Black Bears. So UND will play half of their non-conference games on the road.

On favorable schedule:

* The Gophers only play four series this season outside the state of Minnesota. They play at CC Oct. 29-30, at Michigan Tech Nov. 19-20, at North Dakota Jan. 14-15 and at Wisconsin Feb. 18-19.

All six non-conference games are at Mariucci Arena as well as an exhibition game on Jan. 7 against the under-18 U.S. national development team.

Lucia joking around: "We go to Grand Forks, that's in another country. ... We don't have a real heavy travel schedule. All of our non-conference games are at home. So we have a real good schedule this year. It's hard to believe that basically in a month and a day or two we will be starting hockey season."

The Gophers' first official practice is Saturday, Oct. 2.

Of Minnesota's 34 regular-season games, 20 are at home. The Gophers also play two exhibition games at home, the first on Oct. 3 against British Columbia. [Goal Gophers]

To top it off the Gophers are loading up on cup cakes to play in the Dodge Holiday Cup Cake classic as well, when they play Union College and Ferris State University. To their credit the Gophers do play Michigan and Michigan State, albeit at home. I know the University of Minnesota doesn’t like to travel from the friendly confines of “the John” but playing non conference games in hostile arenas build character.

Teaser - Preliminary prediction of the final WCHA standing.

Here is my preliminary prediction...

1 UND - Return the most players and Genoway, pre-season favorites
2 SCSU - Lost Ryan Lasch, David Eddy ineligible first 1/2 of season. Good Recruting class.
3 UMD - Return dynamic forwards Connollys (x2) no they aren't related.
4 DU - Lost All American goalie, Goaltending a question mark.
5 WISC - Lost a ton of talent from the 2009-2010 team but great defense remains.
6 UMN - Only have to finish 6th to get home ice.
7 UNO - Blais returns to the WCHA, Dark horse team.
7 BSU - Will fight for home ice in the WCHA.
7 C.C. - Could finish higher, too many question marks.
10 MSU-M - Nope!
11 UAA - 19 underclassmen and lost both experienced goalies.
12 TECH - They won 4 games last season

Repost - A new way to make comments

Lets Go Mavs of Goon's World was complaining about my new commenting system here on Goon's World. So I thought would re-post this message. Just for the record the post she made had 27+ comments.

I have gotten a few messages from folks that said, 'Hey you killed the comments section of your blog.' I said, "what you can still comment on Goon's World." Actually; I have made a few changes to the blog and I have changed the system for making comments on Goon's World. Starting last week, we are no longer accepting comments under blogger. For now; I have decided to use the Intense Debate system; which in my opinion is a better system for accepting comments on my blog. You can get an account by logging on to this web link.

Intense Debate is a commenting system which is designed to inspire conversation. Including such features as threaded comments (allowing readers to reply to each other in comment threads), avatars and a voting system, many Blogger users are now choosing this as an alternative to the default Blogger commenting system.

From time to time I have had a few internet trolls post questionable and disgusting comments on this blog, they were deleted. Now I have the ability of blocking said IP addresses of the people that act like moron/trolls. While you can post anonymous messages, I still have the option of deleting them and or blocking the IP address of the person making the comment.

BSU hockey prospect Franko backs out of commitment

This isn't even funny anymore this is actually getting really silly. Another day, another defection of an NCAA hockey player/recruit to the CHL.

Bemidji Pioneer---- Zach Franko backed out of his commitment to play at Bemidji State and has opted to play major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League according to a report Tuesday from the radio broadcaster covering the Kelowna Rockets

h/t to the College Hockey Blog and Western College Hockey.

Sioux football against Idaho on Channel 27 in Grand Forks, ND...

This is good news.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota athletics department is pleased to announce that Thursday's football game between UND and Idaho will be televised live on the Midco Sports Network.

The game will be available on channel 27 in Grand Forks and on Midco Sports Network stations throughout North Dakota.

Thursday's broadcast is a production of the WAC Sports Network and features Doug Anderson on play-by-play and Brant Boyer providing color analysis.

Sources: Hulsizer to bid on Coyotes

Here is the latest in the Coyotes debacle. It appears that a buyer has stepped up that will keep the Coyotes in Phoenix.

ESPN.COM ---- Matthew Hulsizer, CEO of PEAK6 Investments is in the final stages of negotiating a new arena lease agreement with the City of Glendale after which Hulsizer is expected to make an offer to purchase the Coyotes from the NHL, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPN.com.

The emergence of the Chicago-based financier and former collegiate hockey player comes at a time when negotiations between Ice Edge Holdings, a group of Canadian and American investors who have been pursuing the team for more than a year, and Glendale officials have stalled.

Although Hulsizer could not be reached for comment, sources familiar with the businessman and situation in Phoenix believe he may be the answer to the NHL's search for a viable owner.

In fact a number of sources said he represents the last, best chance to keep this team in Arizona.

"He has an unbelievable financial mind," one source that has known Hulsizer for years told ESPN.com.

"He's exactly the kind of guy that the league needs. He's a legitimate hockey guy with a lot of money."

Favorite 3 players of UND fans/players to lead the Huskies

While I am a Maverick fan, I just couldn't help to come out of hiding to write a blog post about the SCSU Huskies choices in captains. It's been announced that three of the most LOVED players by UND fans and players will lead the Huskies. The Huskies have announced that Aaron Marvin is the captain and that the alternates will be Chris Hepp and Garrett Roe. SQUEEEEEELLLLL!!! I'm not going to lie, it makes me giggle at the rage all three spew from UND fans. I can't wait for the rants and nasty comments to come from the UND community about the leaders of the SCSU hockey team. It'll be great entertainment.

I think everyone knew going into this season that Marvin would get the "C". I'm going to be honest here. I think it's a GREAT choice. While UND fans/players hate the kid he is a strong leader, a good player, and (gasp!!!) a good guy. Yes, I know many of you would disagree with me but I've had several chances to talk to Aaron Marvin in person and he was very polite and nice. Heck, the one time I was wearing a Maverick jersy and had a pack of Maverick fans with me and he sat across from us and was nothing but respectful. I'll go on the record and say that I like the kid and that he got a raw deal last season. Yes, his hit on Genoway was brutal but it is time to put that to rest. He's apologized numerous times and has taken responsibility. When Lammy wanted to fight him he practiced hockey etiquette and dropped his gloves to fight. It's not HIS fault that the refs jumped on both of them right away. Perhaps the crappy refs should have just let them duke it out (like they let Bruess and Kaip duke it out) so it could all be over. I could go on and on about this all but I'll just leave it at the fact that I think Marvin is a solid choice to wear the "C" and that I can't wait to see the outrage from UND fans:)

As for the alternate choices? Well, those really surprised me. I do like the style of hockey that Hepp plays (he's gritty, just like a Maverick) and he totally won me over last year when he was doing what I call the "running man" to get into the fight at the UND/SCSU game. It was priceless to watch him being held back by his arms by teammates and his feet going a mile a minute. That makes for good times people!

As for Hepp, I guess time will tell on wearing the "A" since he has such a temper in my opinion. Generally a team chooses a more calm player to deal with the officials, so that could be interesting.

Speaking of tempers and dealing with the officials, that would lead to my concern on Roe. I think he'll run into the same issues. Let's be honest, it's not easy to deal with the officials or talk sense into them so I think Roe's frustrations will really build with that added responsibility. He's a passionate player who'll need to reign it in to wear the "A". Again, I'll go on record saying I like the kid. I always refer to him as "Little Kalinski" because his jawjacking reminds me of my favorite Maverick player ever, Jon Kalinski. Granted, Roe has tamed down the jawjacking in the past year. That's really too bad though because I miss it! I love the instigators that jawjack to no end and annoy the opponents and their fans.

So....there you have the Husky leaders for the year. I think it'll prove to be interesting and will really stir up the UND fans! Let the spewing begin!! :)

That's all I have for now folks. Nothing new to report on the Mavericks really. Pretty sad when I have to post about a team other than my own!

To Comment or respont to Lets Go Mavs on the article click on the [link to the article]

Khabibulin going to the crowbar hotel.

Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin is going jail for thirty days for being found guilty of driving under the influence. I think this is the right decision. I am glad that the Bulin wall was wasn't able to use his celebrity status to weasel out of the DUI charge.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was sentenced to a month in jail on Tuesday for driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding.

He must also complete an alcohol program and pay fines and surcharges of $1,507.60.

His lawyer says an appeal of the conviction has been filed so Khabibulin's sentence is put on hold and he is free to go.

On Aug. 27, Khabibulin was found guilty of three charges: driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol count of .08 or more, excessive speeding and extreme driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content of .15 or more.

A minimun 30-day sentence is standard for extreme DUI.

Khabibulin was arrested at 12:35 a.m. on Feb. 8, 2010 near his home in Paradise Valley, a town in the Phoenix metropolitan area, after he was tagged for speeding in a black Ferrari. Khabibulin's speed peaked at 70 miles per hour (112 kilometres an hour) in a 45-mph (64 km/h) zone, court heard.

The arresting police officer noticed Khabibulin's eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his speech was slow. Khabibulin agreed to perform field sobriety tests and eventually consented to a blood test, which revealed his blood alcohol content to be .164 — more than twice the legal limit.

Bemidji State announces hockey ticket plan; no single-game seats available for opening series

The ticket situation for the opener between the BSU Beavers and the UND Fighting Sioux is going to be really tight, in other words tickets are non-existent. In other words if you don't have a ticket for the game you're going to have either listen to the game on the radio, watch it on T.V. (if you live in the area that gets the BSU hockey on T.V.) or watch the game at a Bar in Bemidji,MN.

Bemidji Pioneer ---- Bemidji State University men’s hockey fans will not be able to purchase single-game tickets for the first two games Oct. 15-16 at the new Bemidji Regional Event Center.

Bemidji State Athletic Director Rick Goeb announced ticket information Monday for the Beavers’ inaugural season in the Robert H. Peters Rink at the BREC.

Single-game tickets for the upcoming hockey season will go on sale to the general public beginning Oct. 18 at the BREC ticket office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

In addition to the BSU men’s team moving to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) in 2010-11, the teams are set to officially open the state-of-the-art Bemidji Regional Event Center Oct. 15-16.

The men will play North Dakota in night games and the women will face Mercyhurst in afternoon contests.

Fans can get an early look at the new facility during two events Oct. 5 and 7.

Bemidji State, in conjunction with VenuWorks and the Bemidji Regional Event Center, is planning two opportunities for hockey fans in the area to get a look at the 2010-11 edition of the Beavers and a sneak peek at the new facility.

Bad boy Birkholz feeling at home with the Silver Tips

I guess you could say that this is an interesting spin to this story. I guess this is one person's opinion.

LYNNWOOD -- Josh Birkholz has only been skating with the Everett Silvertips for two days, but already he's feeling reassured about his change in paths.

Birkholz left the University of Minnesota in July to join the Tips, a decision he wrestled with for months. But after just two days of training camp Birkholz is already feeling more comfortable, both with his new setting and his decision.

"It's everything I expected and more," Birkholz said following Friday's veterans practice at Lynnwood Ice Center. "The guys have all been really good at making me feel a part of the team and helping me get into the swing of things right away. Being far away from home, it makes it easier."

Birkholz, a 19-year-old right wing, is Everett's latest recruit. The 6-foot-1, 182-pound native of Maple Grove, Minn., was a third-round pick in the NHL draft by the Florida Panthers, and he's expected to have an immediate impact with the Tips.

But his route to Everett was circituitous.

Birkholz's first encounter with Everett came roughly a year-and-a-half ago when Tips director of player development Scott Scoville spotted Birkholz playing in the USHL for the Fargo Force. Scoville was impressed with Birkholz's abilities, and the Tips added him to their 50-player protected list.

And that's where Birkholz remained. He and the Tips had little contact after that as Birkholz realized the childhood dream of every hockey player growing up in Minnesota, receiving a scholarship to play for the Golden Gophers.

However, the dream didn't exactly play out the way Birkholz pictured it in his head. As a freshman, he found himself buried on Minnesota's depth chart, receiving just a handful of shifts each game and finishing with just five goals and one assist in 36 games.

When I see stories like this one on this kid it kind of illustrates the difference between generations. When I was in high school and college and sports if you were unhappy with your playing time and you felt that you weren’t getting enough playing time you might sit down with the coach and discuss what you needed to do to get more playing time. It was a simple conversation; your coach might tell you that it's simple play better in practice, work hard and you'll earn a spot in the lineup or get more playing time.

Fast forward to today; now players just go find another team to play for. Heck even if you’re facing disciplinary action and a possible suspension, instead of taking your medicine that you deserve, now that player just finds another team. I do not like this entitlement mentality.

Personally, I think it's a character flaw and speaks volumes to the type of people these players are. I would also bet money that this kid never ends up playing in the NHL.

Paul Kelly wants NCAA to relax stance on CHL

H/T Junior Hockey Paul Kelly wants the NCAA to relax the rule that says once you play major junior you can't play in college. I think it's a good idea. I would shoot for more than 10 games though.

Boston.com --- Education is just one tool Kelly and other college hockey proponents have to promote the game. One change the NCAA could consider is its hard-and-fast eligibility rule. Currently, once a player signs with a major junior team or even appears in one game, he is not eligible for college hockey. Like other college advocates, Kelly supports a grace period. If a player appears in 10 or fewer junior games and decides it’s not the right fit, he could still play NCAA hockey.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing the NCAA move in that direction,’’ Kelly said. “You hear a lot of horror stories about a kid who played eight games, left his CHL team, and now he’s lost. He can’t go to college, but he’s still a talented kid. But right now, I don’t think there’s a big appetite for that. The overwhelming majority of college coaches agree with the current NCAA rule that all major junior hockey is like a pro league.’’

I think the NCAA’s stance on the CHL is misguided and wrong and I think the NCAA should reconsider its stance against the CHL because frankly I think It’s hurting NCAA hockey. Let's think of it this way. What if a kid played in the WHL while he was 16 up until say his 18 birthday and then decided that he wanted to go to college and play US college hockey. Why not let that kid play division I hockey. I think that kids should be able to play in the NCAA if he wants to. Just my humble opinion.

World Cup ready to pick up hockey mantle

With the NHL not being very excited about the 2014 Olympics the World Cup of Hockey could fill the Olympic hockey void nicely. Also, I would like to see more world championship type hockey on a more frequent basis. Personally, I am a big fan of the World Cup of Hockey and excited for it's return. In 2004 the last time the World Cup of Hockey took place it was the only hockey we had from the NHL hockey players during the 2004-2005 season. The World Cup of Hockey will return during the 2011 season or during the off season leading up to 2011-2012 season. You can bet there will be a couple of ex-Sioux hockey players on team USA and Canada as well.

Calgary Sun --- Bettman isn’t keen on Sochi given its remoteness, time of the games and the fact the NHL has absolutely no say or control of the event. The NHL and its owners stand to gain nothing financially with the five-ring circus despite taking all the risks by shutting down mid-season and providing the talent.

It makes far more sense for all stakeholders — including the fans — for the best players on the planet to focus on the World Cup of Hockey, formerly the Canada Cup.

The owners will get their piece of the action, the players will get theirs, North American fans can see every game in primetime, and all the host cities will generate tremendous buzz and money for every game. People will watch.

An even bigger bonus will be the timing of the event. While the players and the owners are at odds over when the event should run, common sense suggests the owners will win and it will once again be staged in the fall, when every player is healthy and available.

Could there be a better way to grab the sports world’s attention than by opening your season with a marquee event?

Ideally, the world’s best players would face off against one another every two years — at the Olympics and at the World Cup. The reality is it’s likely only going to happen every four years, and while the obvious sentimental choice for many Canadians is the Olympics, the World Cup serves the game and its fans better.

Besides, the Olympics will be fine on its own, without hockey.

Now more notes, quotes and anecdotes from a sports world that must finally be ready to ignore the Calgary Stampeders’ light schedule and finally believe they’re for real.

This is not good for Winnipeg

This is not good for the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This also clarifies the rumor that a professional hockey team is coming to Thunder Bay, Ontario soon. It's time to get a deal in place in Phoenix or move on. Personally, I still think there will eventually be another NHL team in Winnipeg in 2-5 years.

Phoenix Business Journal ---
A mystery buyer has stepped to the forefront in efforts by the National Hockey League and city of Glendale to sell the Phoenix Coyotes to a new owner who will keep the team in Arizona.

An undisclosed wealthy buyer is leading a new ownership group that is interested in buying the Coyotes from the NHL. The league has owned the team since October when it bought the Coyotes via Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Details of the new ownership group are very limited, though Glendale and the NHL could announce details and developments soon, according to sources familiar with the situation. The ownership group has asked for the city and league to keep negotiations private. The new buyer would keep the Coyotes in Glendale and is not a household name. In addition, sources say progress on the purchase is serious and substantial.

As the new group has moved forward, another group, Ice Edge Holdings LLC, is taking a backseat in the Coyotes ownership saga.

Ice Edge announced Monday it was focused on bringing an ECHL minor league hockey team to Thunder Bay, Ontario. Ice Edge CEO Keith McCullough said in a statement Monday his investment group could have some involvement with the new Coyotes ownership group...

Sioux pick up Jack Rowe...

In case you haven't seen it yet, the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux hockey team got a commitment from a big time recruit. Forward Jack Rowe will play at UND beginning in 2012 or 2013. Here is a link to some stats on Jack Rowe. Rowe recently played in the under 17's Five Nations Tournament.

Grand Forks Herald --- As one of the top 16-year-old hockey recruits in the country, Cary, Ill., resident Jack Rowe visited several college campuses.

His 12-year-old sister was having none of it, though.

“She loves UND. She wears UND clothes all around,” Rowe said. “When I visited any other schools, she would never come along.”

Much to the pleasure of his sister — and the rest of his family — Rowe has decided that he’ll play hockey for the Fighting Sioux in a couple of years. The 1994-born forward recently chose UND over Michigan State and Michigan.

Although he was born in Denver and has lived in suburban Chicago for almost all of his life, Rowe has strong ties to North Dakota.

His grandparents, Cleo and Neil, both live in Grand Forks. Neil attended UND. His father, Jack Sr., went to Grand Forks Red River.

When he notified his grandparents that he would be attending UND, they were thrilled.

“They were crying,” Rowe said. “I’m just really excited to play for the coaches and be part of the program, because it’s the best program in the country in a lot of people’s opinion.”

UND will be getting a talented forward who plays midget major hockey with Team Illinois. Rowe recently showcased his skills to the world.

He led the gold-medal U.S. team in scoring at the Five Nations tournament earlier this month. Team USA featured the best 1994-born forwards who do not play for the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.