Keep Voting for T.J. Oshie.

Here are the latest numbers for Goal of the Season.

1.) T.J. Oshie (vs. VAN): 53.56 %
2.) Blake Wheeler (vs. STL): 19.33 %
3.) Alex Ovechkin (vs. MTL): 13.67 %
4.) Niklas Hagman (vs. FLA): 7.75 %
5.) Johan Franzen (vs. MTL): 5.69 %

Keep voting on line, as they say in Chicago vote early and vote often. Also, a nice honor for the WCHA, two of their former players are in the top two right now for goals of the season.

Here is what is wrong with the new NHL. (Moron of the week)

I found this blog for the Columbus Blue Jackets and this post really kind of illustrates what is wrong with the NHL right now. There is this mind set if you hit your opponent with a legal hit an then someone on your team needs to go after the player that just hammered your teammate with a legal. I call shenanigans and say that is BUSH LEAGUE.

If you are hit with a good clean check you take that player's number and wait for the time you can line that player up. It may be later in the game or in another game. The end. If your on the ice and someone slashes your goaltender, another player or you that is ground for droppign the mits. That is different. All these prima Donna's today that think they can't be checked. Hockey is a contact sport.

Last night, after Rick Nash was steamrolled by T.J. Oshie, the smallest player on the ice was the first responder with his team trailing the Blues 3-1 early in the third period. Kris Russell, all 5-foot-10, 180 pounds of him, went after Oshie. The hit produced a wild scrum and landed Russell in the box for four minutes (double minor, roughing). Oshie went for two minutes.

The entire sequence seemed to wake up the Jackets who responded with two quick goals from Kristian Huselius and Nash to tie it. The Jackets eventually lost 4-3 in a shootout, but coach Ken Hitchcock was proud of the response on individual and collective levels.

It was a valuable point for the Jackets on a night it appeared they might be run out of the building. They maintained sixth place and remained five points clear of ninth. It also gives them a little momentum heading into today's game.
(read the whole article here)

Moron of the week

Here is this week's candidate for moron of the week. This person here should stop watching hockey because they don't have a clue what a legal hit is. Maybe some of northern boys need come down to Ohio and give some of the rubes in OHIO classes about the ins and outs of hockey. T.J. Oshie is not a chippy, dirty player.

Anonymous:
oshie's hit could have been legal, but it was cheap. maybe that is what oshie wants to be. he better be ready to pay. think what a shelley will do to him...fresh punk meat... Posted by Anonymous | March 29, 2009 10:53 AM

College Hockey players in the NHL.

Last night I was watching a game between the Boston Bruins and the Ottawa Senators and started doing a mental accounting of all the college hockey players that were on both teams. If you think about it, this is an impressive list. For the Senators: Mike Comrie F Michigan, Danny Heatley F Wisconsin, Brian Lee D North Dakota Ottawa, Ryan Shannon F Boston College, Jesse Winchester F Colgate. On the other bench for the Bruins you had Byron Bitz F Cornell, Matt Hunwick D Michigan, Phil Kessel F Minnesota, Chuck Kobasew F Boston College, Mark Stuart D Colorado College, Tim Thomas G Vermont, Aaron Ward D Michigan. Blake Wheeler F Minnesota Boston. You see a pattern here, there are more and more division one college hockey players playing in the NHL each.

This a press release that I recieved from the editor of Letsplayhockey.com

From college to the NHL

Nearly a third of all NHL players in 2008-09 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the pros

In the world of NCAA hockey, the vast majority of players on the 58 Division I and 78Division II/III men’s teams will not make the jump to the NHL, AHL, ECHL or any other of the various professional hockey leagues around the world. But for a growing number of players, college hockey is a steppingstone to the bright lights of the National Hockey League.

In fact, according to next week’s issue of Let’s Play Hockey (www.letsplayhockey.com), 279 players who saw at least one regular season NHL game in 2008-09 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the professional ranks. That number represents nearly a third of all NHL players from the current season. In 2008-09, 61 former collegiate hockey players made their NHL debut.

Leading the list of former college players now in the NHL are standouts such as New Jersey’s Zach Parise (North Dakota), Tampa Bay’s Martin St. Louis (Vermont), Calgary’s Mike Cammalleri (Michigan), Atlanta’s Todd White (Clarkson), Ottawa’s Dany Heatley (Wisconsin), Chicago’s Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) and Boston’s Tim Thomas (Vermont).

Former college players are also among the leading 2008-09 rookies. Eight players who competed in the college ranks are currently among the top 33 rookie scorers in the NHL. They are: Boston’s Blake Wheeler (Minnesota), N.Y. Islanders’ Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), St. Louis’ T.J. Oshie (North Dakota), Anaheim’s Andrew Ebbett (Michigan), Boston’s Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Phoenix’s Kyle Turris (Wisconsin), Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) and Nashville’s Ryan Jones (Miami).

Former college players are also among the leading 2008-09 rookies. Eight players who competed in the college ranks are currently among the top 33 rookie scorers in the NHL. They are: Boston’s Blake Wheeler (Minnesota), N.Y. Islanders’ Kyle Okposo (Minnesota), St. Louis’ T.J. Oshie (North Dakota), Anaheim’s Andrew Ebbett (Michigan), Boston’s Matt Hunwick (Michigan), Phoenix’s Kyle Turris (Wisconsin), Pittsburgh’s Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) and Nashville’s Ryan Jones (Miami).

Breaking down the list of 279 players by college sees the University of Michigan lead the way with 25 players, followed by Boston College (16), North Dakota (16), Wisconsin (16), Michigan State (15) and Minnesota (14).

And the numbers will only continue to grow. During the 2008-09 college hockey season, there were 197 players whose rights were owned by an NHL franchise. In addition, the NHL Central Scouting Service’s rankings for the 2009 Entry Draft list numerous prospects who will head to college hockey programs across the nation this fall.

Phil Housley was the rare hockey player to make the quantum leap from high school to the NHL. Countless Canadians take the Major Junior route before making the jump to the pros. European players compete in the numerous leagues throughout the continent in hopes of someday earning a spot on an NHL team. But for 279 NHL players, college was the path to take.

Colleges Represented in the NHL

Michigan 25
Boston College 16
North Dakota 16
Wisconsin 16
Michigan State 15
Minnesota 14
Boston University 13
St. Cloud State 13
Colorado College 10
Denver 10
Maine 9
Clarkson 8
Cornell 7
Dartmouth 6
Notre Dame 6
Ohio State 6
Vermont 6
Harvard 5
Michigan Tech 5
Minnesota Duluth 5
Minnesota State 5
Nebraska-Omaha 5
New Hampshire 5
Bowling Green 4
Princeton 4
Western Michigan 4
Alaska 3
Colgate 3
Miami 3
Providence 3
St. Lawrence 3
UMass-Lowell 3
Yale 3
Alaska Anchorage 2
Bemidji State 2
Lake Superior State 2
Massachusetts 2
Northern Michigan 2
Norwich 2
Alabama-Huntsville 1
Army 1
Brown 1
Ferris State 1
Holy Cross 1
Niagara 1
Northeastern 1
RPI 1

Vote for Oshie goal of the year.

Here is the link to the NHL web page to vote for T.J. Oshie who is a candidate for goal of the year. Currently Oshie is leading the vote with 45.60%, Alex Ovechkin 21.06%, Niklas Hagman 13.39%, Blake Wheeler 10.44%, Johan Franzen 9.51%. Ok Sioux fans and Blues fans vote for T.J. Oshie for goal of the year.

What's the Goal of the Season? You decide! Tuesday, 04.07.2009 / 11:20 AM / NHL Insider By Adam Schwartz and Brad Holland - NHL.com Staff Writers Below you'll find our five nominees for the Fan's Choice Goal of the Season.

Watch the videos, consider their merits, and record your choice by voting in the poll.

Vote as many times as you like.

The choice is personal, but some things to consider when voting are degree of difficulty, skill, and showmanship.

The voting ends this Friday at 10:00 a.m. ET, when the top goal, hit and save of the season is revealed.

Enjoy

Bemidji's new arena.

Check out the ins and outs of BSU's new arena that is going to be open for the 2010 season. This is going to be the new Beaver pond.

Beaver Linkorama.

Sean Leahy of Puck Daddy had an awesome write up on Matt Read one of the Stars for the Bemidji State Beavers. Having gone to Bemidji State University myself I know there is a lot of ice fishing to be had as well as an occasional party here and there. LOL, I can't believe he didn't mention the Beaver bashes, those were always fun when I attended BSU.

Matt Read, a sophomore forward on Bemidji State, was the CHA's Rookie of the Year and a member of the conference's All-Rookie team in 2007-08; as well as an all-CHA selection this season. For the second season in a row, Read is leading the team in scoring. It was his overtime goal in the CHA championship game against Robert Morris that put the Beavers into the NCAA tournament.

Read talked to Puck Daddy about making an immediate impact as a freshman, beating Notre Dame, and college life in Bemidji, Minnesota.

Q. Since you upset Notre Dame in the opening round of the tournament, how much more confidence is there now in the locker room?

READ: There's a lot more confidence now. You can tell within our practices now, a lot of us are all excited and having a good time now. We're starting to get a little bit stressed out now going to Washington next Tuesday, but right now our whole team is confident and it's fun to be around the guys and we're just having a great time.

How strong is the feeling around the locker room now that "Cinderella label be-damned, we can win this thing?"

I've never been in a locker room where there's such a good feeling going around and, all of us, we know what we have at stake and what we can do. It's an unbelievable experience right now and I don't know how to put it into words.

Having a chance, coming to Bemidji, you never think of even in a national tournament of coming to the Frozen Four and now you have the opportunity we've got to make the best out of it. It's just exciting right now.
--------------
Q. So, you're a 22-year-old college-athlete ... what the are the parties like in Bemidji? What does a college kid do up there?

READ: Um, ice fishing. [Laughs] There's not much here in Bemidji , but we have our fun. We like to play cards once in a while. Trying to think, we don't do much up here really, just do what we can. Spend a lot of time at the rink and just goofing around on campus.

Other great reads

Bemidji State Hockey Goes From 16th Seed to the Frozen Four.

Grand Forks Hearld: Men's hockey: Busy Beavers.

Bemidji State fitting itself for hockey's glass slipper

WCCO --- Bemidji State Hockey Looks To Erase Underdog Status.

Adam Wodon, CHN --- Bemidji State Playing For Something More.

Matthew Conyers, CHN --- Beaver Players Trying to Re-Focus.

Kessel, Thornton and Ward back in for the Bruins.

The three Bruins that were hurt this week are back in tonight's line up to play against Brian Lee's team the Ottawa Senators. Manny Fernandez in net.

Blake Wheeler---Marc Savard----Phil Kessel
Mark Recchi---Patrice Bergeron---Chuck Kobasew
Milan Lucic---David Krejci---Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton---Stephane Yelle--- Byron Bitz

Zdeno Chara --- Aaron Ward
Matt Hunwick --- Steve Montador
Mark Stuart --- Shane Hnidy

Manny Fernandez
Tim Thomas
(source Boston Globe)

Drew Stafford vs Jonathan Ericsson

Not a good season for the Sabres and this is not former Sioux Drew Staffords best effort as far as fighting goes but I have to give him credit he stood up for a team mate that was getting cheap shoted.

MSU-M Dragon's Hockey.

I think I am going to call shenanigans on this one. I just don't see this happening. While I think realignment is on the way I don't see how MSU-M thinks they can get a college hockey team together that would even be remotely competitive in the WCHA let alone one of the lesser conferences. Immediately we hear the pontifications about Dean Blais coaching the team. Come on now! Also, I think the WCHA is going to expand to twelve teams but it won't include a team from the Fargo Moorhead area. I would rather see an established team like UAH, UNO or NMU than Moorhead State.

MSUM considers D-I hockey
Urban Plains Center could be home to team. Minnesota State University Moorhead is considering launching an NCAA Division I hockey team and using the Urban Plains Center as a possible home, MSUM President Edna Szymanski said Monday.

Szymanski said no state money could be used to fund the proposal with the school and state facing a budget deficit.

“Not to explore it would be crazy,” Szymanski said. “This is a hockey community. It would help us increase our recognition in the region.”

MSUM athletic director Doug Peters said campus and community members began studying the idea after the Western Collegiate Hockey Association voted in January to lift a moratorium on adding teams.

“The time is right to take a look at it,” Peters said.

The WCHA is a 10-team league that includes the University of North Dakota and is widely regarded as one of the top ice hockey conferences in the country.

Brian Lee vs Maxim Lapierre

I thought this was a pretty good fight between former Fighting Sioux hockey player Brian Lee and Maxim Lapierre what ever it takes to stay in the line up. This was Brian Lee's first fight in the NHL. Brian Lee also had one fight against Pascal Morency when he was with the Binghamton Senators.

Sharks and Ducks brawl.

I watched the ending of this game last night and I must say that I would love to see the Sharks and the Ducks face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Checking the standings and IF the Ducks can finish eighth they could end up facing the Sharks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Holy Cow that would be a great series. The ending of the game was an old fashion donnybrook. You have to wonder if the NHL will take a look at this? I don't expect any suspensions to come out of this.

The Ducks had chances at the end, but could not convert and frustrated by the lack of calls in their favor, things boiled over on the ice. It wasn't a scrum, it was a brawl that primarily focused on Getzlaf and Marc-Edouard Vlasic going full tilt, Boucher coming out of his net to get involved. and Teemu Selanne yapping at the referee in either disgust, disbelief or both. The penalties handed out, including several misconducts, were 26 minutes for San Jose and 38 minutes for Anaheim.

The primary frustration was not the calls, but lack thereof that befuddled the Ducks.

"There were obviously some emotions, frustrations and what not," commented coach Randy Carlyle. "We're not saying we haven't committed fouls. We have. When we've played in the offensive zone for as many minutes as we have and watch what other teams do to defend our players, and if we do the same thing, it doesn't seem like there is an equal playing field at times. But that's perception."
(read the whole article here)

Ballard whoops Crosby.

I had to watch this video a few times and all I can say is good for Keith Ballard nice to see Cindy Crosby get what's coming to him. Crosby while a great player acts like a spoiled toddler that has had his pacifier taken away from him.

I am also sick and tired of seeing hockey players go after the opposition after they have recieved a legal body check or one of their teammates have been hit by a legal check. Grow the hell up and be a man, your part of the ice. This is unacceptable, If you don't like to get hit play tennis. There is no rule that you can't hit a teams star player.

Season over for the Wild. Note to Ownership Fire GM.

I was watching this game this afternoon on NBC and frankly the team put me to sleep, talk about boring, it almost looks as if the Wild accepted the fact that they aren't going to make the playoffs and just bagged the game. Gabby can say that Osgood was shakey but I didn't see a lot from him except for his goal. I almost wonder if Gaborik is hockey's version of Randy Moss I play when I want to.

I think the real truth is that the GM didn't give the coach a team that could have did much even if they would have had Gaborik for the whole season. Also when you have offensive defenseman like Marek Zidlicky they are prone to make big time mistakes that cost goals and if they Wild could have held on they would've at least gotten a point.

This team is pathetic and needs leadership at the top, there is nothing in the way of talent developing in Houston, General Manager Doug Risebrough is a joke and the one that should take all of the blame. I wish I could be the one to tell Risebrough he is fired. Gone, clean out your office because your toast. Take the train.

Teams that can’t put together a single real winning streak in a season shouldn’t have been in this position anyway. But that’s an indictment of the system.

Tonight’s loss was deserved, but it was heartbreaking nonetheless. The Wild was outshot 44-23, 34-11 at one point. Only Niklas Backstrom, a shaky Chris Osgood, and a couple posts, too (first period must have been sponsored by the Minnesota & Michigan Iron Range’s cuz Koivu, Hossa and Hudler hit iron), allowed the Wild to even be a minute from overtime.

And then, in one flawed, fatal last-minute shift, three players — Cal Clutterbuck, Eric Belanger and Marek Zidlicky, according to coach Jacques Lemaire — made mistakes.

Belanger fell. Clutterbuck joined Marian Gaborik on a forecheck when he shouldn’t have. But as often is the case, it was Mr. Zidlicky who caused the 2-on-1 by again carelessly stepping up in the neutral zone like he’s done so many times this season (most recent on Zach Parise in New Jersey, resulting in Brian Gionta’s nail in the coffin).

Zidlicky got lured into stepping up on Pavel Datsyuk. One pass later, 2-on-1 between Tomas Holmstrom and Marian Hossa.

Game over. Season over.

Lemaire roasted the players, but I point you to the game story for those quotes. The locker room was pretty glum after the game, obviously, because this week vacation plans will begin and native country’s will begin to phone about world championship availability. (read the whole article here)

Must seen interview with Tyler Bozak

I saw this Tyler Bozak interview over on DG's LetsGoDU hockey blog. Even if you're not a DU fan it's a must see.

A couple of the points that really hit home was how down to earth Bozak is but also how modest he is as a person. Folks, this was one of the best players in the WCHA this past season and barring injury would have run away with the scoring title in my opinion. Sounds like Bozak is a very good student and will go back and finish the rest of the year at Denver. The part that makes Bozak such an attractive prospect to the NHL is ability to play both ends of the ice. Toronto is going to be good again very soon they have picked up two top undrafted free agents and have been rumored to be going after Matt Gillroy from BU as well.

More of the Avery and Thomas incident.

This what Tim Thomas had to say about Sean "Sloppy Seconds" Avery smacking Tim Thomas to the back of his head with his Hockey stick as Thomas was stretching during a TV timeout. What part of that is socially unacceptable does Avery not understand?

"You look up and see who it is," recalled Thomas, "and you're like, 'You've got to be kidding me.' So it was just reflex."
---------snip-----------
Thomas decided to answer this one for himself. "There are some lines that can't be crossed," said Thomas, who graciously gave Avery credit for his gritty, and usually fair, play around the net during the times when there weren't TV timeouts. "He has a hard time figuring out what the lines are."

This is what the Rangers coach John Tortorella had to say about Tim Thomas after took matter into his own hands. Just for the record John I can't believe you think Thomas deserved an extra penalty, the reason he was the aggressor was that he was just whacked a goalie in a vulnerable position in the back of the head by one of your head cases Sean Avery.

Tortorella took issue after the game with the fact that the referees didn't come down harder on Thomas for jumping Avery. During the game's final TV timeout, Thomas had taken a knee between the circles when Avery skated by and raked the back of his head with his stick. Thomas chased after him, pushed him from behind and touched off a melee that ended up with matching minors for Avery (unsportsmanlike conduct) and Thomas (roughing).

"There has to be an extra one given to Thomas," Tortorella said, calling him "the aggressor" on the play, even though Avery - who dodged reporters after the game - could just as easily have put the Rangers shorthanded when they couldn't afford it.

Former Beaver Matt Climie gets first NHL start and win.

It's been a whirl wind week for the Bemidji State University Beaver hockey program first with the Beavers making the Frozen Four and now one of their former goalies Matt Clime got his first start in last night's game against the St Louis Blues. Clime also got a win in his first start with a 5-4 win in over-time against the Blues.

The big news of the morning was that 26-year-old Matt Climie will make his NHL debut tonight in goal for the Stars.

Climie, as you might expect, was excited about his chance in goal with the Stars. Climie was an emergency call-up Friday from Idaho, the Stars' East Coast Hockey League affiliate. Stars goalie Marty Turco suffered a lower-body injury Thursday against Calgary and is day-to-day. Climie said he received a call from the Stars late Thursday night saying he's going to be called up. He said he was told before this morning's skate that he would start tonight.

"My first start in the NHL, growing up in Canada, every kid dreams of playing in the NHL," Climie said. "I'm kind of overwhelmed."

Stars coach Dave Tippett said he's going with Climie tonight because he's the goalie that gives the Stars the best chance to win. I think you can read between the lines there for what that means for backup goalie Tobias Stephan and his future with the organization. Stephan will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and it's unlikely that the Stars will make him an offer. He's probably gone.
(Read the whole story here)

Thomas gives Sjostrom a waffle.

You had to wonder how long it would take before Sean "Sloppy Seconds" Avery would perform one of his bushleague acts. You have to know if you hit, whack, bump the oppositions goalie you're going to pay for it. Sjostrom got everything he deserves when he jumped Timmy Thomas. You have to love Jack Edwards from NESN he is my favorite homer.

Bruins clinch the top spot in the east.

So if you were a college hockey fan from the WCHA watching the Minnesota Gophers last year or the two seasons prior to that; would you've thought that Blake Wheeler would be a legitimate candidate for the Calder trophy. Would you have thought that Wheeler would score 20 goals and add 22 assist for 42 points in 76 games. Not in a million years. Today Wheeler scored the Bruins only goal as the Boston Bruins shut out the New Yorks Rangers and clinched the top spot in the East.

The State of the Wild.

Check out the latest zinger from Wild Blogger Michael Russo on the state of the Minnesota Wild. Russo really hit the bullseye with this article. The next step I would like to see is the Minneapolis media call for Wild owner Craig Leipold to sack Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough. It's time for Risebrough to go because he has been a miserable failure when it comes to running the Wild. This team is all his doing and he is the that the blame should be laid on. Russo is right as well as he should start looking at the Blues and Kings because that is who the Wild are going to be chasing next season.

The Wild Owner should have taken notice when Risebrough didn't want to trade James Sheppard for Olli Jokinen. Are you kidding me, Risebrough didn't want to trade young talent like James Sheppard, guys like James Sheppard are a dime a dozen in the NHL. There are hundreds of guys like him in the AHL and ECHL.

If the front office convinces owner Craig Leipold that this was a throw-away season solely because Gaborik was hurt, it's an injustice to everybody who paid a dime for tickets or merchandise.

If Leipold wants a reality check, just turn on the Center Ice package and watch St. Louis and Columbus and Chicago and Edmonton and even Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Think the Wild really has better young talent, a brighter future? Those teams are burgeoning with young, explosive talent, which is reason for real optimism there and pessimism here.

The Wild has James Sheppard, who's somehow untouchable like he's going to wake up tomorrow and become Jarome Iginla. Mikko Koivu and Brent Burns are good, cornerstone players.

But in the history of this organization, the Wild has developed one star, Gaborik -- and this week is likely his Minnesota swan song.

The Wild has sold out every game in franchise history, but it's not guaranteed to continue. Assistant GM Tommy Thompson knows this. He wasn't trying to critique the current state of affairs. But in an interview with me for the upcoming Hockey News Draft magazine, Thompson said the Wild must draft a "dynamic player ... with a little pizzazz" this June.

Another great read on T.J. Oshie.

Imagine the possibilities if former Fighting Sioux hockey and current St Louis Blue hockey player T.J. Oshie had not been hurt and played the whole season. I suspect he would have been one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the year. Check this article from the Sporting News on T.J. Oshie.

This, from a kid who is 5-11, 181 pounds -- not a thug, but a well-round skilled player who knows how to hit and hit hard.

After missing more than 20 games with a high ankle sprain earlier in the season, Oshie exploded onto the scene with highlight goals and hits. He's leveled opponents with big-time hits, like this one against Nash.

The Blue Jackets were angered about the hit. Blues fans went bonkers for it. Blues broadcaster Bernie Federko noted correctly Oshie did exactly what he should do.

"A player coming out of the penalty box is told to go directly to the puck," Federko said during last Saturday's telecast. "He caught Nash flatfooted."

Argue it all you want, but Oshie did glide into the hit. Had it been charging, he would have been called for a penalty.

A typical comment from cyberspace: "That homer announcer is dead wrong. Nash is on the ice and is fair game. There is no written law you can't check a team's superstar legally. I am also sick and tired of hockey players wanting to fight after someone who lays a legal hit on one of their teammates. It is part of the game," according to a post on Goon's World. By the title, take it with a grain of salt. But take it as a statement of fact as well.

"Paging Mr. Nash, Mr. Rick Nash. Please come pick up your pride at the customer service counter," wrote old friend Kevin Wheeler of KMOX Radio in St. Louis.
(Read the whole article right here)