Friday, July 05, 2013

Updated: Free agent frenzy has begun…

DATENAMEPOSFROMTOTotalYearsAvg/Yr
Jul 5Weber, YannickDMontrealVancouver$650K1$650K
Jul 5Nystrom, EricLWDallasNashville$10M4$2.5M
Jul 5Khudobin, AntonGBostonCarolina$800K1$800K
Jul 5Filppula, ValtteriLWDetroitTampa Bay$25M5$5M
Jul 5Ellis, DanGCarolinaDallas$1.8M2$900K
Jul 5Hendricks, MattLWWashingtonNashville$7.4M4$1.85M
Jul 5Weiss, StephenCFloridaDetroit$24.5M5$4.9M
Jul 5Guenin, NateDAnaheimColorado$600K1$600K
Jul 5Cullen, MattCMinnesotaNashville$7M2$3.5M
Jul 5Stalberg, ViktorLWChicagoNashville$12M4$3M
Jul 5Clarkson, DavidRWNew JerseyToronto$36.75M7$5.25M
Jul 5Bozak, TylerCTorontoToronto$21M5$4.2M
Jul 5Rozsival, MichalDChicagoChicagon/a2n/a
Jul 5Aucoin, KeithCNY IslandersSt. Louis$625K1$625K
Jul 5Mottau, MikeDTorontoFloridan/a1n/a
Jul 5Danis, YannGEdmontonPhiladelphian/a1n/a
Jul 5Joensuu, JesseLWNY IslandersEdmontonn/a2n/a
Jul 5Hannan, ScottDSan JoseSan Jose$1M1$1M
Jul 5MacArthur, ClarkeLWTorontoOttawa$6.5M2$3.25M
Jul 5Scuderi, RobDLos AngelesPittsburgh$13.5M4$3.375M
Jul 5Clowe, RyaneLWNY RangersNew Jersey$24.25M5$4.85M
Jul 5Horton, NathanRWBostonColumbus$37.1M7$5.3M
Jul 5Bouchard, Pierre-MarcRWMinnesotaNY Islanders$2M1$2M
Jul 5Labarbera, JasonGPhoenixEdmonton$1M1$1M
Jul 5Ribeiro, MikeCWashingtonPhoenix$22M4$5.5M
Jul 5Benoit, AndreDOttawaColorado$900K1$900K
Jul 5Gordon, BoydCPhoenixEdmonton$9M3$3M
Jul 5Handzus, MichalCChicagoChicago$1M1$1M
Jul 5Komisarek, MikeDTorontoCarolina$700K1$700K
Jul 5Greiss, ThomasGSan JosePhoenixn/a1n/a

First off, in what world is Victor Stalberg worth 3 million dollars a year? Nice to see nothing has changed and teams are still over paying free agent players.

Tyler Bozak gets a pretty big deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The State of Hockey Loses Matt Cullen, not a big shock to Wild fans, but tough to see him go.

The Boston Bruins are going to be looking for a new back-up goalie.
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Thursday, July 04, 2013

High River’s Corban Knight counts flood losses as his family’s rebuild begins


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Ryan Gropp commits to North Dakota



Penticton Vees forward Ryan Gropp has committed to play hockey at the University of North Dakota. Gropp is the team mate of Vees captain Troy Stecher who's also committed to the University of North Dakota as well. Gropp is said to be one of the top forwards from the 1996 age group. Gropp is also a team mate of  in coming freshman Wade Murphy who's set to make his debut at UND this fall.


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Wednesday, July 03, 2013

List of NHL 2013 Compliance Buyouts so far

PlayerTeamLengthTotal AmountYearly Breakdown
Vincent LecavalierTampa Bay14$32,666,667$1,761,905*
Rick DiPietroNY Islanders16$24,000,000$1,500,000
Ilya BryzgalovPhiladelphia14$23,000,000$1,642,857
Keith BallardVancouver4$5,600,000$1,400,000
Danny BrierePhiladelphia4$3,333,333$833,333
Tomas KaberleMontreal2$3,000,000$1,500,000
Rostislav OleszChicago2$2,833,333$1,416,667
Steve MontadorChicago4$2,733,333$683,333
Jeff SchultzWashington2$2,000,000$1,000,000
Mike KomisarekToronto2$4,500,000$2,250,000
Tom GilbertMinnesota2$2,000,000$1,000,000
Carlo ColaiacovoDetroit2$1,900,000$950,000
Nathan GerbeBuffalo2$1,450,000$308,333
Here are the Compliance buyouts so far. s/t to TSN.CA. There are a few names on this list surprise me. Also, this is a perfect example of why NHL teams shouldn't over pay players or sign them to obnoxious contracts. The Minnesota Wild say bon achat to their over priced defenseman former Badger Tom Gilbert.
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UND Hockey: Hitting the links on Wednesday



First off, if you're not following @DanCorey8 on twitter, I highly recommend following him. Dan does some interesting stuff for WDAZ Channel eight.





Today, I am home with a stomach bug and a little bit under the weather, but no worries, thought I would catch you up on some of the latest news surrounding UND hockey.



It's hard to believe that Dillon Simpson is entering his senior season and the defenseman  is now only 20 years old.








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Wild to buyout Tom Gilbert

English: Tom Gilbert in 2009.
English: Tom Gilbert in 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
According to Michael Russo, the Minnesota Wild might have found their first candidate for one of the two compliance buyouts. I think it would be a great move. Gilbert was absolutely brutal last season on the blue line for the Minnesota Wild.
Michael Russo, Russo's Rants -- The Wild plans to place Tom Gilbert on unconditional waivers, sources say. That is the first necessary step to buy out the remaining one year of the veteran defenseman’s contract.

When Gilbert clears, the Wild plans to use one of its two allowable compliance buyouts on the 30-year-old native of Bloomington.

What's unclear, and we'll know soon, is whether Gilbert will go on unconditional waivers today or tomorrow. A correction to yesterday's blog: Teams have until tomorrow to put somebody on unconditional waivers for the purpose of using a compliance buyout by tomorrow's 4 p.m. CT deadline.

Gilbert will receive $1 million in each of the next two seasons (two-thirds of his $3 million salary), but it will free up an additional $4 million of salary cap space this summer for the Wild.

The move is designed to give Minnesota more flexibility this offseason. One can assume the Wild will need to add a defenseman or two this offseason. Gilbert would be free to sign with any team once free agency opens at 11 a.m. CT Friday.
Here was my grade season ending grade for Tom Gilbert that I submitted for the Hockey Wilderness. Incidentally, I look like I will be getting my wish as Justin Falk was traded this week to the New York Rangers.

Tom Gilbert: D

The former Wisconsin Badger Tom Gilbert is an utter disappointment in my opinion, that Wild are being cheated, he’s not worth the money he’s being paid. Gilbert is being paid a hefty four million a year to be a turnover factory and an unimpressive top-six defenseman. If I was a general manager for a day, he would be the first Wild player out of Minnesota; Justin Falk would be number two. The Wild should consider his four million dollar contract for an Amnesty buyout this summer as well. If they Wild could trade him for a bag of wood hockey sticks I would urge them to consider the deal. One positive is that he can’t play any worse than he did this season. Nowhere to go but up for Gilbert, I don’t think he can play any worse. Looking at the stats, in the plus/minus department, -11 is brutal.

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Tuesday, July 02, 2013

DU Logo possibilities, just say no...

According to the DU Clarion, this is the three final mascot selections what the DU Mascot Steering Committee has released in a survey to approximately 75,000 recipients. The DU Mascot Steering Committee is looking to receive feedback on three final potential mascots. Yeah, how about none of the above... If you're wondering what these three characters are, there is an elk, a jackalope and finally a mountaineer.

As an alumnus of a university that recently retired a popular nickname and logo, I am afraid a travesty such as this could happen at UND.  Incidentally, UND will begin selecting a new logo and nickname in 2015. I like many North Dakota alumni will be watching. Seriously, this could happen at UND as well, if we're not proactive.

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Former UND forward Danny Kristo traded to the to New York Rangers



Former UND forward Danny Kristo has been traded to the New York Rangers for forward winger Christian Thomas.









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Time for a National College Hockey pay per view television package

English: Logo for DirecTV
English: Logo for DirecTV (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As most of you know, as of right now, home UND Hockey games are not going to be on DirecTV anymore.  As of right now, there will be “no" UND Hockey games shown outside of the regional area unless the games are on CBSSN… So, going forward, you will have to use the webcasts if you want to watch the games live.

Now, here’s what we “could” do, I suggest that we flood the lines at DirecTV 1-800-531-5000 and tell them that we would like to have MidcoSportsnet.com from Midcontinent Communications on DirecTV. I would even suggest that you’re willing to pay extra so you can have those games on your DirecTV programming. 

Also, let's start a campaign to call MidcoSportsnet at (605)-274-7638 and flood their lines as well.

College hockey needs to have a hockey television packed like the NHL does. Recently, I touched on some of these issues at the Hockey Writers. 

Obviously, the Big Ten has the Big Ten Network, which is a financial gold mine. The NCHC has a new television deal with CBS Sports Network. In its current form, the WCHA has no current television deal.

Without a current television deal, the WCHA will get little exposure on the national level.

I am not sure, how a web deal is going to do much for national exposure. Hooking up a desktop computer or laptop to your home television can be a bit difficult, if you’re not very tech savvy.

During the 2012-13 NHL Lockout, college hockey played a major role in filling the gap left by the NHL lockout, especially in the USA. NBC Sports Network and CBS Sports Network allowed college hockey fans to see firsthand that Division I college hockey is a viable game and gave them an option to the NHL. Some hockey fans, decided to stick with the NCAA Hockey after the NHL lockout ended.

If you have DirecTV package – with the sports package – you can watch many regional broadcasts of college hockey. This season, thanks to DirecTV, I watched both Monday’s of the Beanpot Tournament, as well as both games of the 2013 Hockey City Classic.

Why not develop a college hockey television package like the NHL and the NBA have? I know many fans that would pay extra money to subscribe to a college hockey television package 



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Is the NHL closer to sending its players to 2014 Sochi Olympics?

100 px
100 px (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Let’s hope that they can get it done soon that will send the NHL players to the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi, Russia. It does sound like a deal is very close.
NEW YORK — NHL players are just a slap shot away from returning to the Olympics next year.

While a deal hasn't been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation, to send the league's players to Sochi, a long meeting Monday pushed the sides much closer to an agreement.

"Things are moving along," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

Bettman, union leader Donald Fehr and IIHF President Rene Fasel met for more than five hours Monday at league headquarters to work on a deal that would allow NHL players to compete at the 2014 games in Russia. This would be the fifth Olympics for the NHL.

Not everything has been agreed to and the various sides need to meet internally to sign off on any pact. Still, Bettman called Monday's session a "constructive meeting," adding there are still "some I's to dot and T's to cross."

"I think it's fair to say that we're not quite ready to announce it's done," Bettman said.
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Monday, July 01, 2013

Wild send Clutterbuck’s rights to the Islanders

English: Minnesota Wild forward Cal Clutterbuc...
English: Minnesota Wild forward Cal Clutterbuck during warm-up prior to a National Hockey League game against the Calgary Flames in Calgary. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This weekend, My buddy Redwing77 sent me a text to tell me that Cal Clutterbuck had been traded to the New York Islanders. The text caught me off guard. At least the Wild were smart enough to not send him to a conference opponent.
Mike Doyle, Minnesota Wild --- The Minnesota Wild has acquired right wing Nino Niederreiter from the New York Islanders in exchange for to the rights to Cal Clutterbuck and a third-round pick (70th overall) in today's NHL Entry Draft.

Niederreiter was the fifth-overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In 2012-13, the Chur, Switzerland native played in 74 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders' American Hockey League affiliate, scoring 28 goals and adding 22 assists. The 20-year-old was second on the team in scoring. He is the highest drafted Swiss player in NHL history.He also led Switzerland with five goals, and added three assists in the 2013 IIHF Men’s World Championship, as the Swiss earned a silver medal – its first World Championship medal in 60 years.
Needless to say, I am shocked that the Wild didn't try to re-sign their hit leader.
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Josh Fenton Named Commissioner Of NCHC

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Board of Directors announced today that longtime Miami University administrator Josh Fenton has been named conference commissioner. Fenton will begin his appointment as commissioner on July 15.

Fenton played an integral role in the formation and development of the NCHC, involved with athletics director meetings and assisting legal counsel in drafting documents creating the conference. Fenton also helped secure CBS Sports Network as the conference’s national broadcast partner, created the operating financial models, secured the Target Center in Minneapolis as the tournament championship site and served as the conference’s liaison on legal and financial matters.

“Josh brings solid administrative experience, an exceptional business mind, a real depth of knowledge of the workings of the NCHC and a passion for the game to the position of commissioner,” said North Dakota Athletics Director and NCHC Chair Brian Faison. “He has been heavily involved with the work of creating the conference since the very beginning. That background means the NCHC won't miss a beat in getting ready for our first season of competition.”

Fenton has a wealth of intercollegiate athletics experience, most recently serving as senior associate athletic director for finance and administration at Miami. He was responsible for assessment and management of the athletic department’s $21 million annual budget and was the sport administrator for men’s ice hockey, football, field hockey and men’s golf. Fenton served on the athletic director’s executive leadership team and was the athletic department’s liaison to the university president, vice-president for finance and university general counsel.

“I am excited, honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead eight great institutions and their hockey programs into the inaugural season,” said Fenton. “I am appreciative of the support of each institution’s president or chancellor, athletics director, hockey coach and faculty athletic representative as we develop the best conference in college hockey. I want to thank Jim Scherr for laying the foundation for the conference’s early development, and to Brian Faison for having the vision to lead the board of directors through the conference’s early evolution. We will work tirelessly to create a conference which will engage our passionate fans and provide our student-athletes with life enriching experiences. My wife, Lindsay, and our two sons are excited to immerse ourselves into the collegiate communities this great conference represents, including our new home in Colorado Springs.”

Fenton’s duties at Miami also included negotiation and management of department contracts, key prospect and donor relations, selling of naming rights, oversight of personnel management, and the supervising of strength & conditioning and equipment services areas. Specific to hockey, Fenton assisted in bringing the 2014 NCAA Ice Hockey Regional to Cincinnati, negotiated Miami’s participation in the Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field in Chicago, and led discussions to secure Bauer Hockey as the official team equipment supplier. He has also represented Miami at Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) and NCHC meetings, along with serving as a current member of the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee.

Fenton was appointed to his most recent role at Miami in 2012 after spending the previous two years as Miami’s associate athletic director for external relations. From 2010 to 2011, Miami saw a 20-percent increase in football season ticket sales and a 65-percent increase in overall football revenue. Additionally, Fenton was integral in developing the ticket sales strategies for the men’s hockey program, consistently selling out Steve Cady Arena since it opened in 2006. He was involved in donor strategies for numerous sports programs, resulting in over $3 million raised for scholarships, salaries and capital projects.

Fenton joined Miami in 2002 as a volunteer assistant hockey coach while completing his master’s degree. Upon completion of his degree, he was hired as the ice hockey program’s first director of hockey operations, while also doubling his time within the department’s sponsorship area as an assistant director of corporate relations. In 2006, Fenton was promoted to assistant athletic director where his focus was sport administration (ice hockey, men’s golf, baseball, volleyball, and field hockey) along with overseeing all department strategic planning.

Fenton is a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and most recently served on the CCHA Executive Committee in 2012 and 2013.

A native of Litchfield, Minn., Fenton received a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2001 from Iowa State University, where he was a member of the men’s golf team. He earned his master’s degree in sport studies from Miami in 2004. His family includes his wife, Lindsay, and sons Ryan (3) and Luke (1).

Fenton replaces Scherr, who resigned as NCHC Commissioner in May to accept the position of chief operating officer with the European Games.

The NCHC, which begins its inaugural season in 2013-14, includes member institutions Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota Duluth, Nebraska Omaha, North Dakota, St. Cloud State, and Western Michigan. 
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63 College hockey players drafted during 2013 NHL Draft

There were 63 players connected to college hockey that were selected during the 2013 NHL Entry Level Draft.

Rd. 5 Overall Team First Name Last Name 2012-13 Team College
1. 25 MTL Michael McCarron, US NTDP, Western Michigan
2. 31 FLA: Ian McCoshen, Waterloo (USHL), Boston College
2. 35 BUF J.T. Compher, US NTDP, Michigan
2. 38 BUF Connor Hurley, Edina HS, Notre Dame
2. 42 NJ Steven Santini, US NTDP, Boston College
2. 46 MIN Gustav Olofsson, Green Bay (USHL), Colorado College
2. 47 STL Thomas Vannelli, Minnetonka HS, Minnesota
2. 61 WSH Sanford Zach, Islanders (EJHL), Boston College
3. 65 NYR Adam Tambellini, Surrey (BCHL), North Dakota
3. 66 CAR Brett Pesce, New Hampshire, New Hampshire
3. 70 NYI Eamon McAdam, Waterloo (USHL), Penn State
3. 74 CHI John Hayden, US NTDP, Yale
3. 76 NYI Taylor Cammarata, Waterloo (USHL), Minnesota
3. 77 PIT Jake Guentzel, Sioux City (USHL), Nebraska-Omaha
3. 87 ANA Keaton Thompson, US NTDP, North Dakota
4. 92 FLA Evan Cowley, Wichita Falls, (NAHL) Denver
4. 97 FLA, Michael Downing, Dubuque, (USHL), Michigan
4. 98 FLA Matt Buckles, St. Michael's (OJHL), Cornell
4. 100 NJ Miles Wood, Noble's (PREP), Brown
4. 104 WPG Andrew Copp, Michigan, Michigan
4. 106 NYI Stephon Williams, Minnesota State, Minnesota State
4. 109 DET David Pope, West Kelowna (BCHL), Nebraska-Omaha
4. 113 EDM Aidan Muir, Victory Honda (MWEHL), Western Michigan
4. 118 LA Hudson Fasching, US NTDP, Minnesota
4. 119 PIT Ryan Segalla, Salisbury, Connecticut
4. 120 BOS Ryan Fitzgerald, Valley (EJHL), Boston College
4. 121 CHI Tyler Motte, US NTDP, Michigan
5. 123 COL Will Butcher, US NTDP, Denver
5. 127 WPG Tucker Poolman, Omaha (USHL), North Dakota
5. 128 EDM Evan Campbell, Langley (BCHL), UMass Lowell
5. 129 BUF Cal Petersen Waterloo, (USHL), Notre Dame
5. 132 PHI Terrance Amorosa, Holderness (PREP), Undecided
5. 133 PHX Connor Clifton US NTDP Quinnipiac
5. 134 CHI Luke Johnson, Lincoln (USHL), North Dakota
5. 137 MIN Carson Soucy, Spruce Grove (AJHL), Minnesota Duluth
5. 140 NSH Teemu Kivihalme, Burnsville HS, Colorado College
5. 141 SJ Michael Brodzinski, Muskegon (USHL), Minnesota
5. 143 BUF Anthony Florentino, South Kent (PREP), Providence
5. 144 WSH Blake Heinrich, Sioux City (USHL), Minnesota Duluth
5. 147 ANA Grant Besse, Benilde-St. Margaret's HS, Wisconsin
5. 148 LA Jonny Brodzinski, St. Cloud State St., Cloud State
5. 150 BOS Wiley Sherman, Hotchkiss (PREP), Harvard
5. 151 SJ Gage Ausmus, US NTDP, North Dakota
6. 153 COL Ben Storm, Muskegon (USHL), St. Cloud State
6. 157 CGY Tim Harrison, Dexter (PREP), Colgate
6. 159 BUF Sean Malone, US NTDP, Harvard
6. 161 OTT Chris Leblanc, South Shore (EJHL), Merrimack
6. 162 PHI Merrick Madsen, Proctor (PREP), Harvard
6. 164 PIT Dane Birks, Merritt (BCHL), Michigan Tech
6. 167 MIN Avery Peterson, Grand Rapids, HS Undecided
6. 168 OTT Quentin Shore, Denver, Denver
6. 174 WSH Brian Pinho, St. John's (PREP), Providence
6. 175 VAN Mike Williamson, Spruce Grove (AJHL), Penn State
6. 179 PIT Blaine Byron, Smiths Falls (CCHL), Maine
6. 181 CHI Anthony Louis, US NTDP, Miami
7. 185 NSH Wade Murphy, Penticton (BCHL), North Dakota
7. 192 PHI David Drake, Des Moines (USHL), Undecided
7. 193 PHX Jedd Soleway, Penticton (BCHL), Wisconsin
7. 195 CBJ Peter Quenneville, Dubuque (USHL), Quinnipiac
7. 197 MIN Nolan De Jong, Victoria (BCHL), Michigan
7. 198 CGY John Gilmour, Providence, Providence
7. 201 SJ Jacob Jackson, Tartan HS, Michigan Tech
7. 209 PIT Troy Josephs, St. Michael's (OJHL), Clarkson

s/t USCHO.COM and College Hockey Inc.
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Sunday, June 30, 2013

UND Hockey: 2013 NHL draftee tweets



Here are some of today's tweets from the future UND hockey players that were drafted in the 2013 NHL entry draft....



Today, was a good day for the UND hockey program as future forwards Adam Tambellini, Luke Johnson and Wade Murphy, in addition, defensemen Keaton Thompson, Tucker Poolman and Gage Ausmus, were all drafted in today’s 2013 NHL entry draft that held in Newark, New Jersey












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