NAHL Entry Draft

The NAHL held their entry draft today, and there were plenty of USHL veterans selected, along with many draft picks and futures. I'll try to list them all. Results can be found here.


Alexandria Blizzard
Joe Knoepke, US, F, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Ben Nelson, US, F, Roseau High School

Alpena IceDiggers
Jordan Miller, US, F, Belle Tire Midget Major

Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Alan Armour, US, G, Selkirk Steelers (MJHL)
Loren Barron, US, D, Valley Jr. Warriors (EJHL)
Michael Juola, US, F, Westside Warriors (BCHL)
Brandon Martell, US, D, Tri-City Storm (USHL)

Mahoning Valley Phantoms
Nate Brown, US, D, Team NXI Major Midget

Marquette Rangers
Austin Accettura, US, D, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Kevin Albers, US, D, Belle Tire Midget Major

North Iowa Outlaws
Justin Cseter, US, F, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (USHL)
Dan Durham, US, F, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (USHL)
Ryan Peltoma, US, D, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Brendan Sheehan, US, F, Bay State Breakers (EJHL)

Owatonna
Stephen Carew, US, F, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
Dan Cecka, US, F, Hill Murray High School
Anthony Hayes, US, F, Green Bay Gambers (USHL)
Justin Lee, US, D, Texas Tornado (NAHL)
Thomas McCarthy, US, D, Benilde-St. Margret's High School
Adam Schmidt, US, F, Valley Forge Midget Major
Jake Sloat, US, D, Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Tim Smith, US, D, Superior High School
Cam Stowers, US, F, Russell Stover Midget Major
Zach Vierling, US, F, Coon Rapids High School
Scott Winkler, Norway/Canada, F, Russell Stover Midget Major

Springfield Jr. Blues
Justin Filzen, US, F, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
Jarrett Galbreath, US, D, Red River High School
Tom Janosz, US, D, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (USHL)
Andy Taranto, US, F, Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (USHL)

St. Louis Bandits
Nick Dowd, US, F, Culver Military Academy
Keith Kinkaid, US, G, Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Craig Kitto, US, F, Washington Jr. Nationals (AJHL)
Cullen Lundholm, US, D, Des Moines Bucanners (USHL)
Kris Reinthaler, Austria, D, Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Chris Saracino, US, D, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)

Traverse City North Stars
Mike Miller, US, D, Honeybaked Midget Major
Cody Walsh, US, D, Chicago Young Americans Midget Major

Wenatchee Wild
Brandon Burrell, US, D, North Metro High School
Chad Ruhwedel, US, D, LA Jr. Kings
Nick Schaefer, US, F, Red River High School
Berkley Scott, US, F, Anoka High School
Dalton Speelman, US, F, San Jose Jr. Sharks Midget Major

Wichita Falls Wildcats
Kyle Beattie, US, F, P.F. Chang's Midget Major

Lincoln Stars 2009 Preview

Fresh off a Division Finals appearance in Jimmy McGroarty's first season as a head coach, the Stars will need to replace a lot of firepower if they want to try and repeat last season's success.


Key Departures:
Jason Gregoire-One of the best players in the league.
Ryan Kretzer-Big offensive threat for the Stars.
Matt Bartkowski-Quality, physical defenseman.
David Reekie-Top goalie in the league.


Goalie (1):
Kevin Murdock (1990) - Played just 15 games, not overly impressive numbers.

Goalie Evaluation:
Murdock made the Stars as a free agent and quickly became the more reliable goalie to start the season. Lincoln eventually added David Reekie, and he played virtually every game. Murdock only saw action in five games, with just three starts. The biggest concern I see here is the lack of experience Murdock has in USHL game situations. In his starts since Reekie arrived, he went 1-1-1, so he can win and keep his team in it, but how will he handle more than 15 games in a season?

Defense (5):
Mike Dalhuisen (1989) - Greatly improved since his Chicago days.
Jake Newton (1988) - Quality defenseman with good offensive upside.
Taylor Kuypers (1990) - Played in very few games, so I won't comment.
Ross Henry (1990) - One of the league's best, but doesn't get much praise.
Michael Sdao (1989) - Probably one of the most improved players on Lincoln's roster.

Defense Evaluation:
This group of returners is, for the most part, large and physical. Dalhuisen stands out as one who could step up as a team leader as well. Newton loves to carry the puck up the ice and seems to do well with it most of the time. The way he goes up the ice reminds me of Dan Lawson, only a little slower. Kuypers was a standout in high school in Wisconsin, so he should be able to step in and be a dependable player after he gets a few more games under his belt. Henry rarely makes mistakes on his end of the ice, and that makes him extremely valuable to any team. He also likes to play physical, so if he were to become more offensive, he'd be the total package. For the sake of the Stars fans, let's just hope he can become more offensive, but not get Eli Vlaisavljevich syndrome. Sdao was drastically improved from the start of the season, and will continue to be a big physical presence on the ice.

Forwards (5):
Chris Forfar (1988) - Big power forward, best returning forward.
Travis Erstad (1988) - Could this finally be the year he breaks out?
Josh Myers (1990) - Early season addition, but spent most of his time on the 4th line.
Tyler Brickler (1991) - Highly regarded by Lincoln coaches, should have a bigger role.
Eric Meland (1989) - Hard working forward, played a big part in Lincoln's playoff run.

Forward Evaluation:
Lincoln has a LOT of offense to replace, but Forfar is a good guy to start with. He started off with Waterloo, but wasn't able to do a whole lot. He ended up in Lincoln, and quickly became a fan favorite, and now has the chance to be the main guy up front for the Stars. Erstad had a lot of promise coming out of high school, and even earned an NHL draft selection. However, he has not tapped into that potential, and Lincoln, Wisconsin, and St. Louis are all hoping this last season of juniors can be the year he breaks out. Myers played in 45 regular season games, but didn't factor in on the scoresheet too often. He spent most of the time of the 4th line, and that line didn't seem to get a whole lot of shifts during games. Brickler saw action in a limited amount of games, but has a lot of potential to breakout this season. Meland ventured south to Lincoln after his high school season was complete in North Dakota, and was only able to score one goal. Come playoff time, Meland was more of a force, putting up five points in eight games, so I feel he is ready to have an increased role for next season.

Futures Evaluation:
David Toews appears to be the gem of this group, though he will most likely be suiting up for North Dakota come next fall. Matt Bruneteau is a little small, but he is bulky and plays a physical game. I think his style will fit well into what Lincoln wants. Cory Hibbeler and David Gerths offer up a lot of potential, and both were teammates at Culver Academy with current Star, Michael Sdao. That could be enough reason for those two to give Lincoln a shot. Former Star, Carter Camper, has his little brother Jay looking forward to getting a shot to play in Lincoln. 1991 born goalie, Ryan Walsh, will likely be given a shot to earn the #1 spot out of camp, though I feel he may be too young and inexperienced for that job right now.


Overall Evaluation: C

Former Black Hawk Joins Coaching Ranks

This is from March, but I hadn't seen or heard about it anywhere before now. Former Waterloo Black Hawks player, Mike Dagenais, has been named the new head coach of the Marquette Electricians hockey club.

Mike Dagenais New Electricians Coach
Takes over for Scott Nevenhoven

The Marquette Electricians announced that Mike Dagenais would be replacing Scott Nevenhoven as Head Coach.

Dagenais, 24, a Marquette native, has been performing as Interim Head Coach for the Electricians since early December. This will be Dagenais’ first solo stint behind the bench. He was named Assistant Coach of the Electricians last summer, and prior to that, was Associate Head Coach of the American Legion Post #44 AA Bantam team in 2006-07, and has also been Assistant Coach of the ReMax Pee Wee AA team and the U.P. Sports Connection Squirt AA team.

As a player, Dagenais played two seasons for the Marquette Electricians under Head Coach Jon Nebel. He won the Gold Medal in the “Four Nations Tournament” for the United States U17 Select Team in the Czech Republic, defeating the host team, Germany, Canada and Sweden. Dagenais also played three seasons for the United States Hockey League Waterloo Blackhawks.

“To have the opportunity to step into this leadership role for a team that I played for is a great honor.” Dagenais said. “I look forward to building upon the proud tradition of Electricians hockey. My first duty is to build a competitive team around the strong returning base that we have from last season.”

Dagenais’ first duties will be running the Electricians Spring Evaluation Camp, which will take place at the Berry Events Center on May 2-4. Information on the Spring Camp along with information on the Electricians Summer Skate is available on the Electricians web site at www.mqtelectricians.com , or you can contact Coach Dagenais at 906-362-3406.

Dagenais is currently a senior at Northern Michigan University majoring in Nursing and will receive his R.N. Degree in December.

Regg Simon finds a home

Former Des Moines Buccaneers head coach has found a new home. There had been some talk of him ending up in Indiana, but that never happened. Next was Tri-City, but that never happened. Simon finally found a home, and it's a pretty good place. He takes over in St. Louis for Jon Cooper, who recently left for Green Bay.

Regg Simon has been named the new Head Coach and General Manager of the St. Louis Bandits’ NAHL franchise, announced V.P. of Hockey Operations and Bandits partner Kelly Chase.

“Regg Simon has the hockey experience and management skills necessary to continue the Bandits’ winning performance and advancement of players to NCAA Division I programs,” said Chase.

Simon begins his employment immediately and will be selecting the Bandits’ picks in the NAHL Entry Draft on Wednesday, May 21, said Chase.

Simon, a native of Elk River, Minn., brings a wealth of experience and success at the junior hockey level. He started his coaching career during the 2002-03 season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL as an assistant coach and later as an interim head coach. The next season, he joined the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In 2005, he was promoted to the head coach and general manager position for the Buccaneers.

In his first full season as the head coach in Des Moines, Simon led the Buccaneers to the USHL Cchampionship. A season later, the Buccaneers lost in the semifinals in their bid to repeat as champions.

Over 100 wins, a 15-4 playoff record, 12 NHL draft picks and over 60 players sent to Division I college hockey later, coach Simon is coming to St. Louis.

“I’m excited and honored to be a part of what I believe to be the premier organization in the North American Hockey League,” said Simon. “The opportunity to come to a team whose success of winning and putting players into college hockey wasn’t a difficult decision.”

The Bandits have won back-to-back Robertson Cup national championships in 2007 and 2008. The most recent was hosted in St. Louis in early May, seeing the hometown team capture its second title on home ice in front of a crowd of over 2,000 people.

“At the end of the day, I wanted to be in a place where the players are taken care of and the ownership group has the same principals that I do,” added Simon. “The professionalism and honesty that I’ve been treated with here has impressed me.”

At the NAHL draft, the Bandits will look to replace a key group of players who were a large part of the their championship team.

“I believe there is a core group of returning players here that we can build around,” said Simon. “We’re going to go after players who we feel can play our style of hockey and come with a winning attitude that is expected in this organization.”

Larson Commits

Waterloo Black Hawks forward Nick Larson has committed to the University of Notre Dame, most likely for 2009.

Larson had a lot of hype around him coming into the year, but didn't seem to dent the scoresheet too often. He did however, get red hot about mid-way through and finished out the season extremely hot, including a six point game along the way.

Chicago Steel 2009 Preview

Fresh off an award winning season, head coach Steve Poaspt will look to build on the success he and the Steel had last season. The Steel are no longer the joke of the league, and are going to be a team to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.


Key Departures:
Brian O'Neill-Top player, won Unofficial POY Award.
Rob Madore-Top notch goalie.
Will Weber-Team's best defenseman.

Goalie (1):
Nick Pisellini (1990) - Will have a larger role now that Madore is gone.

Goalie Evaluation:
Pisellini returns for his 3rd year, 2nd full, with the Steel. He will have a larger responsibility now that Madore has moved on, but I'm not sold he is ready to be Chicago's #1 just yet. Nick is continuing to get better though, and could surprise a lot of people this season.

Defense (4):
John Moore (1990) - Probably one of the most underrated defenseman for Chicago last season.
Mike Walsh (1989) - Physical in your face type player.
Max Nicastro (1990) - Had a solid campaign with 20 points and +7.
Barron Smith (1991) - Big and young, could jump to OHL.

Defense Evaluation:
Only 3 returning, but they are all very good in their own way. Walsh is a leader and a physical player. Moore is quick and like I said before, is very underrated. He's a quality player and should continue to get better. Nicastro was a nice surprise this season. He will be a top defenseman in the league come next season and he has size to go along with his offensive talents.

Forwards (11):
Robin Sjoren (1989) - Didn't notice him.
Luca Cunti (1989) - Dynamic player, not sure his intentions for next season.
Dominic Morrone (1989) - Quick player, should make a bigger impact with a year under his belt.
Mark Anthoine (1990) - Gritty forward that is tough and can score.
Jak Knelman (1988) - Seems more of a character guy and chips in when he can.
Ryan Schnell (1989) - Big and tough, Chicago's enforcer.
Eric Alexander (1989) - Big hitter and scored some big goals in the playoffs.
Andrew Miller (1988) - A nice surprise for the Steel. Should be near the top of the point chart this season.
Corey Chakeen (1989) - He's probably good for 13 goals next season :)
Alex Simonson (1990) - Don't remember seeing him play.
Simon Olsson (1989) - Small, but very gritty and quick. Could jump to OHL.

Forward Evaluation:
Chicago returns a lot of power up front, though it remains to be seen what Cunti and Olsson will be doing next season. Miller and Alexander should be the main scoring threats next season, though I'd keep an eye on Anthoine. Chakeen has kept a steady pace of goal scoring, as he has scored 13 goals in each of his first two season with the Steel. Schnell is the type of player you love to have. He's big and strong, and isn't afraid to muck it up as well as stand up for his teammates.

Futures Evaluation:
The Steel feature a couple top notch players in Mark Alt and Brett Kostolansky. I'm not real familiar with the others, though J.R. Lafferty could be a good one to watch, as the New Jersey Rockets tend to develop some top notch kids. Also, keep an eye on Josh Kesler. Yes, he's related to Vancouver's Ryan Kesler.


Overall Evaluation: B

Indiana Ice 2009 Preview

With a new face on the bench, the Ice will look to continue the success Charlie Skjodt had.

Note: I am going to continue with these without talking about draft picks or kids who were protected that weren't originally thought would be. So the rest of these will be as if the draft hadn't happened yet. This is simply because my intentions were to have these completed PRIOR to the draft. With all the other stuff taking place lately, these took a backseat to the coaching changes.


Key Departures:
John Kemp-One of the best players in the league.
Scott Darling-Team's top goalie.
John Carlson-Great player, soon to be 1st round NHL pick.
Paul Carey-30 goal scorer.
Brent Gwidt-One of the best two-way forwards in the league.
Gregory Squires-Top forward.

Goalie (0):

Goalie Evaluation:
The Ice lose both of their goalies to college, and will hope futures player Chris Paliafito can step up and fill that void. Paliafito played last season for the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars, so hopefully for the Ice's sake, that will help him in the long run. He did not have great numbers for the North Stars, but that team didn't appear to be that great anyhow.

Defense (3):
Ian Ruel (1990) - Big, tough defenseman.
Matt Smith (1988) - Not too flashy, but responsible in his own zone.
Corey Fienhage (1990) - Still raw, but has loads of potential.

Defense Evaluation:
The Ice return very few on the blue line, but there is a lot of potential there. Smith could be a leader for this group. Fienhage spent the last part of the season with the team after finishing with high school, so he should be ready for the long haul. Ruel missed a lot of games due to broken bones in his hand stemming from a fight at the Fall Classic. Indiana is usually very physical, and with the size of Ruel and Fienhage, that should be no different come next season.

Forwards (2):
Will MacDonald (1989) - Very fast and good with the puck, should have a lot of points.
Chris Darnell (1989) - Never saw him play.

Forward Evaluation:
The Ice lost a lot of power up front, and don't return much to compensate for that. MacDonald is very quick and should have added responsibilities now that there isn't so much fire power. Darnell played in just 11 games, so he's still very fresh to the USHL level of play.

Futures Evaluation:
Indiana's futures list is headed by Justin Jokinen, though it appears he is headed to Minnesota State. Kyle Bonis was released early last season, and turned into a goal scoring machine for the Traverse City North Stars. He notched 25 goals in 39 games, giving him a tie for the lead on the team in goals scored. Other players to keep an eye on are Ethan Werek and Mike Miller, both of whom are committed to college already.


Overall Evaluation: D

Hastings Steps Aside; Littler Takes Over

It's official. Mike Hastings has gone out on top and Bliss Littler will be the new head coach.

The Omaha Lancers announced today that Mike Hastings has relinquished his head coaching duties to assume the role of President/General Manager of the organization. The Lancers have hired Bliss Littler to take over as Head Coach of the Lancers.

"I am excited to be joining a Lancers organization that is rich in tradition. I am looking forward to working with the returning players as well as the new faces during the 2008-09 season," Littler said. "Mike has set the bar extremely high with his professionalism and his winning ways. It will be a challenge, but the seat is already warm and it is one that I am looking forward to. My wife and I are excited to put down our roots in Omaha."

"We are excited to have Bliss join the Lancers organization. He brings the integrity, work ethic and individual disciplines to continue the commitment to excellence that the Lancers are known for," Hastings commented. "His coaching record speaks for itself. In the past, he has shown an ability to develop athletes off the ice as well as on the ice. The 2008-09 Lancers are in great hands."

Littler has spent the last seven seasons as a Head Coach and General Manager in the United States Hockey League. He began his USHL career with the Topeka Scarecrows during the 2001-02 season before taking over the reigns with the Tri-City Storm in 2003-04. During his first season at Tri-City, Littler and the Storm earned the Anderson Cup as the USHL regular season champions. That same season Littler was named the USHL General Manager of the Year. Littler has compiled a USHL record of 209-150-37.

Prior to joining the USHL, Littler won three regular season championships, five playoff championships and earned four National Tournament appearances with the Billings Bulls of the AWHL/NAHL from 1993-94 to 1999-2000. He was selected to serve as an AWHL All-Star game coach five times and King of the Hill head coach three times during his tenure in Billings. Littler left Billings after amassing a record of 251-104-30.

Heavy involvement with USA Hockey and its programs has been a focus of Littler's during his coaching career. The Minot, N.D. native served once as the head coach and three times as the assistant coach for the National Junior Team that participated in the Viking Cup. He has coached at the USA Hockey Select 15 Player Development Camp (four times) and USA Hockey Select 17 Player Development Camp (two times). Littler was also selected to coach at the National Junior Camp, which is for players competing for spots on the United States National Junior Team roster.

Littler played hockey and attended college at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He will be joined in Omaha by his wife Gretchen and their two children Cade and Grace.

Hastings, who has served as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Omaha Lancers for the past 14 seasons, will continue as General Manager of the Lancers, but will be given added responsibilities as the organization's President. Lancers partner and former NHL-great Luc Robitaille, who has served as the team's President for the past two years, will relinquish his duties to Hastings immediately.

The Lancers' organization has experienced much success throughout the years under Hastings' guidance. The 2007-08 season proved to be one of the most successful yet. The Lancers earned the Anderson Cup and then the Clark Cup to cap off their season. Hastings also achieved personal records throughout this season. On November 30, 2007, Hastings joined only two other coaches in USHL history to reach the 500 wins plateau, but is the only one to claim all 500 victories with the same team. A 7-0 victory over Sioux Falls on February 16, 2008 set a new standard for USHL coaching success as Hastings became the USHL's all-time winningest coach by eclipsing Bob Ferguson's record of 517 wins.

While at the helm, Hastings has guided the Lancers to three Anderson Cups (2001-02, 2004-05, 2007-08) and three Clark Cup Championships (1997-98, 2000-01, 2007-08). Personal awards for Hastings include being named USHL Coach of the Year twice (1996-97, 2001-02) and USHL General Manager of the Year five times (1996-97, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08). His teams have never had a losing season and have continued the Lancers tradition by adding 14 years of consecutive playoff appearances for a USHL record of 19 seasons.

Hastings' USA Hockey involvement includes serving as an assistant coach for the United States National Junior Team in 2003 and 2005 that participated in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship. He also guided the 2000 USA Hockey Junior Select Team to its first-ever gold medal at the Viking Cup, after leading the team to a silver medal finish in 1996.

Hastings, a Crookston, Minn. native, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from St. Cloud State University. He resides in Omaha with his wife Jean Ann and their children Hannah and Hudson.

Hastings steps off the bench with a 529-210-56 record.

The USHL is America's only Tier I league and the premier path for developing players in America. The league has over 170 current players committed to Division I colleges and 19 players that have been selected in the NHL Draft. For more information on the USHL and its member teams, visit us on the web at www.ushl.com.

News and Notes

Former La Crescent hockey standout selected in USHL draft.

Fargo secures North Dakota talent.

Late Arrival. An article on Barry Almeida.

Gophers sign Patterson to National Letter of Intent.

Gamblers complete 2008 USHL draft.

Gamblers add pair of college veterans in draft.

Forney headed to USHL. (bugmenot.com to get around login)

RoughRiders pick up some grit in draft.

Stars pick quickly in USHL draft.

Lancers go for defense in Entry Draft.

Herd focus on defense in draft.

Hawks take forward with first pick in USHL draft.

Steel draft recap.

Donnellan picked eighth in USHL draft.

Jeff Blashill Appointed in Indy

Indiana has hired Miami of Ohio assistant, Jeff Blashill, to be their new head coach after Charlie Skjodt recently resigned.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN—The Indiana Ice is proud to announce the hiring of Jeff Blashill to the position of general manager and head coach through the 2010/2011 season.

Blashill comes to the Ice after holding the role of Assistant Coach with the Miami University (OH) Redhawks for the last five years and the four previous seasons with the Ferris State Bulldogs of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).

The Sault Ste. Marie, MI native leaves a Miami program which has made the NCAA tournament the last three seasons which also includes one CCHA Championship and an overall record of 83-31-9 during that span.

“During his tenure with the Redhawks, he was a major part of the rebuilding process that firmly established the Redhawks as one of the premier division one hockey programs in the nation,” said Ice CEO Paul Skjodt. “Miami has created a culture under the direction of Head Coach Enrico Blasi, Blashill and Assistant Coach Chris Bergeron where some of the most sought after recruits have indeed found a very comfortable nesting place.”

Four of his 07-08 players just signed NHL contracts in forwards Ryan Jones (Minnesota), Nathan Davis (Chicago), defenseman Alec Martinez (Los Angeles) and goaltender Jeff Zatkoff (Los Angeles) and he also worked with current Anaheim Might Ducks forward Chris Kunitz while at Ferris State.

At Miami University, the rebuilding process also saw the university procure and build one of the most beautiful college arenas in the nation, which opened for play in the 2006/07 season. Former Indiana defenseman Mike Findorff will be a senior in Oxford, OH next season, while 07-08 Ice blueliner Cameron Schilling begins his freshman campaign this fall.

“The first priority for me when I accepted the position as President of Hockey Operations was to continue to build a winning program for the Indiana Ice, its fans and partners in the community,” said Charlie Skjodt. “Your general manager and head coach is the most important hire for a hockey program at any level and we have kept a close eye on Jeff over the years. In order to be successful in this league, we need a person who can not only coach, but has the ability to recruit and who is well-respected in the hockey circles and Jeff is all of that.”

Blashill comes to Indy with wife, Erica and two children (Teddy and Josie). He arrived early this morning and took part in the team’s USHL Draft which began at 10 a.m.

Guentzel Commits

Thanks to Travis for bringing this to my attention.

Sioux Falls, SD—The Sioux Falls Stampede also announced today that defenseman Gabe Guentzel (Gen-zull) has committed to Colorado College for the upcoming 2008-09 season. A second round draft pick of the Stampede during the 2007 USHL Draft, Guentzel posted 24 points (6g, 22a) and was a plus-2 in 60 games with the Herd this past season. All four of Guentzel’s goal came on the powerplay.

Prior to joining the Stampede, the Woodbury, MN native recorded 30 points (6g, 24a) in 72 games with the Southern Minnesota Express of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

Guentzel becomes the 10th Stampede player to commit to a Division I program this season. While at Colorado College, Guentzel will join former Stampede players Nate Prosser, Matt Overman, and Cody Lampl.

The Tigers are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and are coming off a 28-12-1 season in which they claimed the WCHA regular season championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Colorado College is located in Colorado Springs, CO.

Littler Resigns

Let the Littler to Omaha rumors fly!

Storm Head Coach to Seek Other Position

KEARNEY – Nebraska’s Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League announced today that head coach Bliss Littler has resigned his position with the Storm. Littler leaves his post as head coach of the Storm to pursue other coaching opportunities. Leaving Kearney was not an easy decision for Littler, who has called Kearney, Nebraska home for five years.

“My family and I have enjoyed our five years here and have been treated great by the fans and media,” Littler said. “Everyone involved with the organization from the housing families, to the coaching staff, to the marketing team and ownership have been a pleasure to work with.”

Littler’s successful run with the Storm ends with a record of 164-112-28 for a winning percentage of 68%. He finished 17-17 in the playoffs with a post-season appearance in four out of five seasons. The Storm also won an Anderson Cup Championship in 2003-04 under Littler’s direction. He has helped numerous players move on to receive college scholarships and has coached three Storm players who went on to play in the NHL.
“Most of all I am very thankful for all the very good players I’ve had the opportunity to coach,” said Littler.

Working with the players is something Littler has always enjoyed. FirsTier Event Center general manager, Geof Cook, has seen Littler develop many young hockey players over the years and knows that coaches like Litter don’t come around every day.

“He knows how to win and he’s proven it throughout his coaching career. At this time Bliss is starting a new chapter in his career and we wish him the very best of luck. He will be missed by the fans, players, and staff,” noted Cook.

The search has begun to replace Littler in an off-season that has already seen three coaching changes in the league. Assistant coaches Tom Rudrud and Doug Johnson are ready and able to assume the responsibility of filling out the Storm roster for the 2008-09 season, and will handle the USHL draft taking place on May 14th.

Charlie Skjodt Resigns

Indiana head coach, Charlie Skjodt, has resigned as head coach of the Indiana Ice. I read a replacement is to be announced later today. Perhaps a Regg Simon would work here.

"I truly enjoyed every minute of my experience with the Indiana Ice during our Final Four run last year and again with the season we had this year," said Skjodt. "This was a very tough decision based on other business and family obligations, but I feel strongly that the team is in very good hands with the incoming coach and his staff. We are now excited and focused for the draft, training camp and preparing for another great year of hockey. In closing, I wanted to thank the loyal fans and corporate community for their support this year and look forward to seeing everyone at the rink this season."

Just what everyone wants, MORE on the Storm!

It is being reported on Kearney news stations that the management has decided to KEEP the Tri-City Storm name AND logo AND colors. The Nebraska Storm and color changes are no more.

KEARNEY – The Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League announced today that the proposed name and color change will not go into effect for the 2008-09 season. On May 2nd the Tri-City Storm announced plans to become the Nebraska Storm. Along with a name change, the organization revealed a new look replacing purple, black and silver with purple, red and gold. In the days following the announced changes, the Storm front office received numerous counts of feedback from its fans asking to keep the name Tri-City and keep the traditional colors.
“The fans have spoken loudly, and we listened,” said V.P. of Operations Kyle Means. “We have some of the most passionate fans in all of sports and their reaction to the proposed changes shows how connected people are to this team.”
Team ownership and management initially wanted to change the name to Nebraska Storm to include a wider fan base of people who support the team from outside the tri-city area. Additionally, they hoped the color changes would enhance a brand that had already been in place for eight years.
“After listening to the people of this community who support this team night in and night out, we decided that the best thing for this organization was to leave everything as it is,” said team owner Joel Wiens. “Storm hockey is very important to central Nebraska and central Nebraska is very important to the FirsTier Event Center. When all was said and done, I couldn’t see changing something that means so much to many people, and if that’s what the fans want, that’s what we will give them!”
Season ticket holders and fans alike responded in great numbers to the announced changes. In addition to the newspaper columns and TV coverage against the proposal, Means received numerous e-mails and many phone calls over the course of a week.
All inquiries were passed on to the corporate office, Storm and FirsTier Event Center management, and a collective decision was made to honor the fans’ request and not finalize any of the proposed changes.
This Nebraska team became the Tri-City Storm when Ted Baer purchased the Twin Cities Vulcans (formerly the St. Paul Vulcans) and moved the team to Kearney in 2000. Wiens, who also owns the FirsTier Event Center where the Storm plays its home games, took over ownership after purchasing the team in 2006, in order to realize the economic benefit of combining both organizations into one. For more information, call 308-338-8809 or visit www.stormhockey.com.

Protected Lists

The USHL has released them. I am in the process up updating my spreadsheet to reflect any players left off or any players re-added that were thought to be heading to college. I will list them when done. I believe 1990 born players on the futures list are to be protected as well.


Cedar Rapids:
Delete - Chris Wideman - College
Delete - Chris Bournazos - Futures
Delete - Kyle Singleton - Futures


Chicago:
Delete - Barron Smith
Delete - Luca Cunti
Delete - Robin Sjoren
Delete - T.J. Massie - Futures
Delete - Derek Pallis - Futures


Des Moines:
Delete - Keith Kinkaid
Delete - Neilsson Arcibal
Delete - Alexander Denezhkin
Delete - Cullen Lundholm
Delete - Rob Maloney - Futures
Delete - Kyle Jean - Futures


Fargo/Ohio:
Add - Greg Pateryn


Green Bay:
Add - Kyle Ensign
Delete - Neil Conway
Delete - Derek Loisel - Futures


Indiana:
Add - Brent Gwidt
Add - Stepan Novotny
Add - John Carlson
Add - Greg Squires
Delete - Angelo Vrachnas - Futures
Delete - Connor Knapp - Futures
Delete - Kyle Bonis - Futures


Lincoln:
Add - Jared Festler
Delete - Derek Stepan - Futures


Nebraska:
Add - Mike Cichy
Add - Anthony Schooley
Delete - Chris Hickey - College
Delete - Anthony DeCenzo
Delete - Diederick Hagemeijer
Delete - Jesse Brown - Futures


Omaha:
Add - Joe Diamond
Add - Jake Hauswirth
Add - Aaron Lewadniuk
Delete - Jake Sloat


Sioux City:
Delete - Adam Hout - Futures
Delete - Rob Dongara - Futures
Delete - Chris Preziosi - Futures


Sioux Falls:
Delete - Austin Accetura
Delete - Joe Knoepke
Delete - Gabe Guentzel
Delete - Kris Reinthaler
Delete - Michael Juola - Futures
Delete - Jason Silvia - Futures
Delete - Tom O'Donnell - Futures


Waterloo:
Delete - Siim Liivik
Delete - Eric Ringel - Futures
Delete - Tyler Pistone - Futures

Gamblers To Announce Cooper

The Green Bay Press Gazette today is saying the Gamblers will announce they have hired former St. Louis Bandits head coach, Jon Cooper, to take over as their GM and head coach.

Though Strand and Patrick — both former Gamblers assistants — had Wisconsin ties that made them attractive, Cooper won out with his extensive experience and success as a head coach, including back-to-back North American Hockey League championships with the Bandits.

The Gamblers were referred to Cooper early in the search. They decided it was worth waiting to negotiate with him until the Bandits wrapped up their second straight Robertson Cup on May 4 — the day after Cooper's wife, Jessie, gave birth to twin girls.

No terms were available, but it likely is a five-year contract. The Gamblers were believed to be looking to spend roughly the USHL average, which is in the neighborhood of $90,000 per year.

Edit: It appears there is a press conference in about an hour to announce the coach.

Ohio Ceases Operations

It is now official. There has been much talk of this, but the league has finally released a statement to make it as official as can be.

Junior Blue Jackets Cease Operations

The United States Hockey League announced today that the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets have ceased operations for the 2008-09 season, ending the team's two-year run in Ohio's capitol city.

"Many people, from Tom Goebel and his ownership to others around the USHL worked tirelessly to find a location where this franchise could be a success. But with the timing and the lack of an adequate facility in potential new centers, it was decided that it was in everyone's best interests that the franchise cease operations," said USHL president Gino Gasparini.

The USHL Board of Governors approved the franchise going dark and also voted to transfer the returning veteran players on Ohio's protected list to the expansion Fargo Force. As a result, the expansion draft scheduled for May 13 has been cancelled. It is expected that 10-12 players will be a part of the transfer. Also with this agreement, Fargo will relinquish their picks in the first three rounds of the USHL Entry Draft, scheduled for May 14.

All players on the Ohio affiliate list will become free agents.

"As a league, we certainly appreciate the time, effort and hard work that Tom Goebel and his people put into making this team and the Columbus market a success. Unfortunately, without the support of the Columbus Blue Jackets we could not continue to have the team operate the way it was," said USHL board chairman Jim Kronschnabel. "The organization did a good job and put together a pretty good roster of talented players and we're happy that the ones that are returning to the USHL will have a home with Fargo."

The Junior Blue Jackets spent two seasons in Columbus, compiling a record of 39-68-13 and finishing in fifth place in the East Division each year. Their only playoff appearance came after the 2006-07 season, when they were eliminated in a four-game sweep by Cedar Rapids. Prior to their time in Ohio, the franchise skated as the Thunder Bay Flyers from 1984 to 2000.

With the expansion team entering in Fargo and the departure of Ohio, the USHL will remain a 12-team circuit for the 2008-09 season. The West Division will consist of Fargo, Lincoln, Nebraska, Omaha, Sioux City and Sioux Falls. The East Division will feature Cedar Rapids, Chicago, Des Moines, Green Bay, Indiana and Waterloo.

The USHL is America's only Tier I league and the premier path for developing players in America. The league has over 170 current players committed to Division I colleges and 19 players that have been selected in the NHL Draft. For more information on the USHL and its member teams, visit us on the web at www.ushl.com.

"Barry-ing" His Chance

The Omaha Lancers have won the 2007-2008 USHL Clark Cup. In a back and forth game, Omaha finally got the job done in OT on Barry Almeida's second game winning goal in two games.

In the first period, Omaha played very well and kept Waterloo on their heels. The Hawks were unable to mount any sort of offense that period, while Omaha received a goal from Jake Hauswirth. Omaha led the game 1-0 following 1 period of play.

The 2nd period was all Waterloo, as Omaha seemed to be confused out on the ice. Brett Olson got on the board for the Hawks on the power play, knocking home a loose puck. Towards the end of the period, a Waterloo defenseman (MacKenzie I think) kept the puck in the zone and moved the puck around a Lancer. The puck ended up on Siim Liivik's stick, and he waited patiently before throwing it out front to fellow Fin, Jan-Mikael Juutilainen for the goal. Waterloo led after 2 by a score of 2-1.

The 3rd period saw Omaha and Waterloo go back and forth, with no one really having a clear advantage. Ben Arnt tallied early in the period to tie the game up at 2. A little later, Waterloo was getting called for a penalty, so Palmisano raced off for the extra attacker. Patrick Wiercioch got the puck at the point and blasted it by DiGirolamo. Wiercioch may have one of the best shots from the point I've seen this season. Omaha took the 3-2 lead. The Lancers were whistled for a penalty, and Waterloo took advantage of another scrum out in front of the net. This time, Chad Billins sneaked in from the point to knock in the loose puck. The game was tied at 3 apiece, and headed to OT.

In OT, Omaha had a few golden chances early, but DiGirolamo was up to the task. Waterloo was dominating this OT period and were putting lots of pressure on the Lancers defense. Waterloo even managed to get a 4-on-1 break, but failed to get off a quality shot. That shouldn't be happening in OT of a playoff game, but Waterloo should have capitalized on that opportunity. They waited too long, and Omaha was able to get back just in time to prevent any quality shot from getting to Palmisano. After some more Waterloo pressure, the Lancers were able to clear the puck and break out of the zone. Barry Almeida got the puck on his stick along the boards and carried it into the Waterloo zone. He stick handled through a couple defenders and found himself all alone out front. He went to his backhand and roofed the shot over DiGirolamo's left shoulder. Great game ended on a beautiful goal.

It was a great game and series. I don't think the league could have asked for anything more from these two great teams. As Gino said, this was probably one of the best series the league has ever seen.


More on Almeida:
Almeida was over a point per game player during the regular season, but seemed to disappear in the playoffs. He had 8 points in 14 games (60 points in 57 games during the season.) Almeida, though, was clutch when he needed to be. His first goal of the playoffs was the game winner in game 2 at Lincoln. In Game 4 with Waterloo, Almeida once again came up huge, scoring both Omaha goals. And last night, Almeida was fairly quiet until the Clark Cup Finals GWG. So in the end, Almeida wasn't putting up points like he did in the regular season, but he was clutch and came through when he was needed the most.


Hard Luck DiGirolamo:
Waterloo goalie, Matt DiGirolamo, is now 0-3 in games where Waterloo could have won the Cup. He was in net last season for the 3-0 loss to Sioux Falls.


Omaha becomes the first team to win the Anderson Cup and the Clark Cup since 04-05 when Cedar Rapids did the same, although they shared Andy with Omaha. Prior to that, Lincoln in 02-03 was the last time to win both Cups outright.


As for the reffing. I thought McCreary did a great job and just let the players play and decide the outcome. He let a LOT go for BOTH sides, so neither side should give him any grief.

Photo courtesy of Robert J. Meyer.

Sioux City Musketeers 2009 Preview

The Musketeers start fresh this season, as they will no longer have Dave Siciliano behind the bench. Instead, they will have a couple fresh faces in Todd Knott and Rick Comley, Jr. This will definitely be an interesting season in Sioux City, to say the least.


Key Departures:
Joey Miller-Team captain, one of the hardest workers in the league.
Steve Quailer-Top rookie.
Josh Robinson-Quality goalie.
Matt Crandell-Best defenseman for Sioux City.


Goalies (1):
Steve Thompson (1988) - Good goalie, but played behind Robinson for a lot of the season.

Goalie Evaluation:
Thompson played pretty well in the games he did get to start, but didn't play much down the stretch and into the playoffs. Steve has plenty of juniors experience, including being the number 1 netminder in the BCHL a couple years back. This season, Thompson will be relied on a lot more, not only to lead the team in goal, but to help mentor whoever is brought in as the 2nd goalie.

Defense (5):
Danny Wurden (1989) - Just learning how to play a physical game.
Alex Stuart (1988) - Got beat too many times, needs to improve speed.
Seth Helgeson (1990) - Tall and lanky, has matured quite nicely.
Mac Watts (1989) - Small, but very physical and good at his position.
Michael Keenan (1989) - Very tenacious and gritty, doesn't make many mistakes.

Defense Evaluation:
The Musketeers return a strong core of players on defense. They will need someone to turn into a leader on the power play, as I don't feel they have anyone right now. Helgeson has the potential to be, as he was an offensive threat in high school. Mac Watts and Michael Keenan flew well under the radar and were quietly some of Sioux City's best on the blue line. Wurden had just begun to play a more physical game towards the end of the season, so if he continues with that, he should be much better all around.

Forwards (7):
Mitch Bruijsten (1989) - Needs to play more physical and wear a clear visor :)
Tom Serratore (1989) - Plays a very physical game, brings lots of energy.
Jake Johnson (1989) - Very quick, could shoot more.
Donnie Hallmark (1988) - Physical player, was able to score a lot of goals.
Tommy Olczyk (1990) - Kept getting better as the season went on.
Jarrod Mermis (1990) - Started scoring towards the end of the year, should build on that.
Stephane Da Costa (1989) - Could be one of the best in the league.

Forward Evaluation:
The Musketeers return a few studs, with a few big energy guys. Stephane Da Costa leads the group and could possibly be atop the league in points when it's all said and done. Bruijsten is quick and isn't afraid to go to the dirty areas for the puck, which makes him very valuable. The 4th line last season was a high energy line, but they never could score much. I look for that line to be a big part of next season, and it consists of Olczyk, Mermis, and Serratore. Johnson made the jump to the USHL following his high school season, and should benefit from getting those games in. With Knott on the bench, Hallmark should get to play more physical and scrap a little more, as well as contribute offensively.

Futures Evaluation:
Sioux City has a few players who could turn into something special. Leading the way is Dan Ford and Dakota Collins. Both have juniors experience and should be able to handle what the USHL has to offer. Adam Hout was Sioux City's first round selection last season, but was placed on the affiliated list. He is small, but very physical and ended up in the BCHL. Former NHLer, Randy Velischek, has a son on the Muskies futures list. Alex Velischek has already committed to Providence College.


Overall Evaluation: C+

Three Star Selection

I have been giving My Three Stars for each night of games, and this years winner is Omaha Lancers goalie and Clark Cup Playoffs MVP, Drew Palmisano. Congrats to Drew on this award, we all know it means so much and might feel even better than winning the Clark Cup :)

Saturday Game Recap

Omaha slipped by Waterloo, earning their 7th Clark Cup.


My Three Stars:
1. Barry Almeida (OMA) - GWG.
2. Patrick Wiercioch (OMA) - goal, 2 assists.
3a. Drew Palmisano (OMA) - 31 saves for the win.
3b. Brett Olson (WAT) - goal, assist.

Friday Game Recap

Omaha blanked Waterloo.


My Three Stars:
1. Drew Palmisano (OMA) - 35 saves for the shutout win.
2. Barry Almeida (OMA) - Scored both Omaha goals.
3. Patrick Wiercioch (OMA) - Finished the night +1.

New Commits

Todd Milewski of The Capital Times reports that Green Bay's Chase Drake has committed to the University of Wisconsin.

Chris Heisenberg reports Des Moines forward Rocco Carzo has committed to the University of Massachusetts.

Even More on the Storm

Here is a letter from a fan to the Grand Island Independent.

A local Kearney news station had the Storm owner, Joel Wiens, on for an interview. Here is a link to the text from of the video. There is also a video link on this article.

And finally, Seth Blank of the Kearney Hub has a nice article, Storm fans experience identity theft.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders 2009 Preview

Coming off a disappointing playoff campaign, the Riders will look to avenge that performance. There had been rumors of Mark Carlson possibly leaving, but those seem to have died down. Cedar Rapids had two very talented goalies last season, but will not return either, putting them in a hole to start.


Key Departures
Doug Jones-Team leader and point getter.
Ian Slater-All around team guy.
Tyler Thompson-Scrappy forward with lots of ability.
Brady Hjelle-One of the premier goalies last season.
Kent Patterson-Top notch goalie.


Goalie (0):

Goalie Evaluation:
Losing Kent Patterson and Brady Hjelle makes things a bit tougher for the Riders next season. They should have Mike Johnson coming in, who is fresh off a Robertson Cup championship run in the NAHL. Johnson spent a couple games with Cedar Rapids previously this season, and performed quite well given the circumstances.

Defense (4):
Doug Leaverton (1989) - Tall and rangy, but didn't play a whole lot.
Chris Wideman (1990) - Responsible in his own zone, didn't seem overly offensive.
Paul Phillips (1991) - Quite young, but should have a larger role next season.
Matt Donovan (1990) - Probably the best all-around defenseman returning.

Defense Evaluation:
There has been speculation that Chris Wideman may jump to Miami of Ohio as soon as next season due to Alec Martinez, a former Rider, going pro. If that's the case, the Riders defense will definitely lack some veteran leadership. Leaverton didn't play a whole lot, but he should have a larger role this season. He's spent time in the NAHL, so he's a juniors veteran. Phillips played in a good chunk of games, but I don't remember much of him, so I don't know if he just didn't play much when he was suited or what. Matt Donovan had an impressive year and should be relied on more this coming season. He should be one of the top defensemen in the league.

Forwards (9):
Vince Mihalek (1990) - A young guy who didn't play much, should get in more games next saeson.
Dean Chelios (1989) - Had more points than Chris.
Ben Lynch (1989) - Had a slow start, but turned it on after Christmas break.
Nick Oddo (1990) - Takes advantage of what is given, 16% of his shots went in.
Zak Stone (1989) - Never saw him play.
Mike Seidel (1988) - One of the top forwards in the league. Not sure why he's not committed yet.
Garrett Vermeersch (1989) - Not too flashy, but was a great team guy.
Kyle Flanagan (1988) - Gritty forward, liked watching him play.
Robin Bergman (1988) - Great player, should be a top player next season when he can have a full year in CR.

Forward Evaluation:
Cedar Rapids returns a bunch of talent up front. Third year guys like Seidel and Bergman will lead the offense, and could very well be some of the best in the league. Guys like Lynch, Stone, Vermeersch, Oddo, and Mihalek should definitely be much better next season now that they have that valuable year of experience under their belt. Chelios had lots of hype associated with the name. Hopefully he can ease some critics next season after getting adjusted to the USHL. Flanagan is the wildcard for me. He spent some time in Canadian juniors prior to the USHL, so he has valuable juniors experience. I'd expect a lot from him next season.

Futures Evaluation:
As previously mentioned, Mike Johnson will be a huge key to Cedar Rapids' success next season. Cedar Rapids would greatly benefit if Johnson can convince his St. Louis teammate, Mike Merrifield, to go to Cedar Rapids as well. Merrifield was one of the best players in the NAHL, and did so as an 18 year old. Mac Bennett on the blue line sounds like a possible gem and is already committed to Michigan. Zach Lehrke, brother of former Indiana forward Tyler, should be a great addition to the Riders and the USHL. There is some big hype around this kid, so I'm excited to see him. Jeff Costello looks like he could be a great find as well. He was successful for his Catholic Memorial HS team.


Overall Evaluation: B

Wednesday Game Recap

Waterloo edged Omaha.


My Three Stars:
1. Brett Olson (WAT) - goal, assist.
2. Drew Palmisano (OMA) - 33 saves in a losing effort.
3. Eddie Olczyk (WAT) - goal.

Comments

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