Stoll, who spent seven seasons with the Kings in a trade that brought him, along with defenseman Matt Greene to L.A. from Edmonton, signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Rangers. It was a foregone conclusion in this tight salary cap era that the Kings would lose several key players who became unrestricted free agents at the 2014-15 season’s end and Stoll was among those mentioned in the discussions, along with fan favorite, Justin Williams, aka “Mr. Game 7” who was picked up earlier this summer by the Washington Capitals.
But to make matters dicier, Stoll was arrested back in mid-April in Las Vegas for possession of cocaine, so while it was already presumed he wouldn’t re-sign with the Kings, it was unknown whether he’d find a team to call home at all. New York came calling and Stoll will suit up as a Ranger, the team the Kings defeated in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final to win the Cup.
While the book is closed on Stoll and Williams, other matters still loom large for the Kings and must be resolved before their future is certain. While they made a notable acquisition, gaining Milan Lucic from the Boston Bruins to shore up their top line, the Kings ability to resign franchise player and top two-way centerman, Anze Kopitar whose contract is up in 2016, still hinges on two critical financial issues:
1) The Kings surprisingly terminated the contract of Mike Richards on June 29th and as of August 10th, as expected, the NHL Player’s Association (NHLPA) has filed a grievance with the team. To date, no information is available from the Kings beyond their initial explanation that Richards was terminated due to a “material breach of the requirements of his Standard Player’s Contract.” The termination seems to be related to an investigation by the Canadian Mounted Police of an incident that took place at the Canadian-U.S. border earlier this year. Richards was purportedly found to be in possession of Oxycontin, but again, no charges have been filed at this time. Regardless, the Kings are in for a long and arduous legal battle and it’s still unclear how much of the original $5.75 million cap hit Richards would have carried into this season they’ll have to deal with.
2) The ongoing saga of Slava Voynov still hangs over the Kings like an albatross. Voynov pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of corporal injury to spouse and looks to serve up to 90 days in jail, undergo three years of probation and 52 weeks of domestic-violence counseling, and serve eight hours of community service. The big question still remains: will the NHL lift his suspension and, if they do, will the Kings take him back?
At this juncture, it appears the Kings are planning for a reunion on the ice with Voynov at some point this season, assuming the NHL determines that the courts have spoken and lift his suspension. But to complicate matters, it is still unknown how the misdemeanor will affect his immigration status or ability to travel to Canada with the team. And finally, on top of this, Voynov remains suspended by the Kings due to a torn achilles suffered during non-hockey activities.
Suffice to say that many questions remain for the Kings before they can head down the road to reclaim their crown. Rumors still abound that Dustin Brown is in danger of being traded, that the fact that the Kings haven’t yet locked down Kopitar means the process may be more difficult than originally thought, and that the off-ice issues and potential return of Voynov – who in pleading no contest, admits some degree of guilt – will keep some fans from the rink. Let’s hope these rumors remain exactly that and that the Kings quickly find their way back to success both on and off the ice.
On Tuesday September 1, 2015, the Mike Yeo Classic will take place on Lake Minnetonka. The Mike Yeo Classic is a Pro-am bass fishing tournament sponsored by Gander Mountain. As the name implies, it will be hosted by Minnesota Wild head coach, Mike Yeo, as he is an avid fisherman in the NHL offseason. The event will benefit the Pinky Swear Foundation and the Angel Foundation, both dedicated to giving families affected by cancer financial assistance.
The boats will depart from Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge in Spring Park, Minn. at 8:30 a.m. CT. Each team is given six hours to attempt to catch the largest bass, which will earn them the tournament trophy. Lord Fletcher’s will host a weigh-in afterward at 2 p.m., where members of the tournament will be able to bid on signed Wild gear during a silent auction. Since spacing is limited, only registered members will be able to attend the auction and weigh-in.
For additional information or to register, please click here.
To learn more about each of the organizations, please click on the links below.
Coming to you soon if Thomas Smith has his way, a 40 inch orange painted stripe on the ice around the boards. The name of this orange line is the “Look-Up” line. It reminds players to look up and re-focus where they are in retrospect to the boards of the rink and to be aware of the other players around. So far 100 rinks in 17 states across America and some rinks in Canada have these lines. The estimate is by October 2015, 225 rinks in 27 states will have incorporated the Look-Up Line.
The player behind the idea is Thomas Smith. Back in 2008, he was around 19 years old with a bright hockey future before him. Thomas’s first head/spine injury was that year. It was a miracle that he learned to walk again. The experienced a second spinal injury in 2009. He now walks with two canes. Thomas’s goal is to prevent others from succumbing to the same injuries he received and to remind players about slamming others into the boards, especially their heads. The idea of the painted line came to him as he watched a game of baseball. In baseball the players know when they are near the boards because the ground has markings. He thought “why not hockey?” Paint a line around the boards so players have a visual reminder of where they and the other players are.
When a player is in the zone with the puck on his stick, nothing else is on his mind. His location and that of the other players is overshadowed as the player focuses on the three-inch disc at the end of his twig. The orange line will help the player to pull his focus back to the bigger picture in regard to his location on the ice and how close the other players may be. Smith’s aim is to eliminate all head and spine injuries in hockey. The next arena to embrace this addition to the ice will be painted at an arena in his native state of Massachusetts at the Iceoplex at Southpointe.
Why the color orange instead of any other color? Studies revealed that yellow faded during the game, and the use of red is already used for the center line and the face off circles. Do you know that the Yellow Cab Company’s vehicles are actually painted orange? Orange stands out in a snow storm while yellow fades into it. A tidbit of information to impress friends. Back to hockey, orange is associated with safety so it became a natural color choice for the stripe. In addition, orange causes no problems when viewing a game on television. Likewise fans at a game and the players themselves can still see the puck as it enters the orange zone. When it comes to hockey, change is never quick. This is true whether it is the NHL or USA Hockey. USA Hockey plans to do a study on the line project before making a decision concerning its endorsement.
I am not sure if it will work or not. I mean will the NHL allow a new and different color line on the ice? What will the teams say about it? Knowing that the Junior’s are using this line might help it get into the major league but it won’t happen this season.
After long talks, the Minnesota Wild have re-signed Erik Haula, avoiding arbitration. The Finland native inked a two-year contract, which starts during the 2015-16 season.
Haula was taken in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL ENtry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. Before he made his NHL debut, he skated with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, where he recorded 124 points during 114 games. In his time with the Wild, he has played a total of 118 games, racking up 29 points.
The quick centerman could be an impact player for the Wild in the near future. Although his point totals may seem low, he is still only 24 years old, and is developing as a player. He showed his value in the 2014 playoffs, when he tallied seven points during the 13 games in which he played with the Wild. During that time, he was notable for scoring goals when the Wild needed them, and was someone they could completely trust with the puck. If he can make his performance in the 2014 playoffs a regular occurrence, he will be a player that his teammates and coaches look to in order to get things done on the ice. He has spent a lot of time on the Wild’s fourth line, but it would not be surprising to see him move up as he grows older, since he has proved that he has the ability to play, not only with his performance in the 2014 playoffs, but also when he played a star role with the Minnesota Gophers.
Fans should keep their eyes out for Haula on the ice, as the “Finnesotan” will most likely be making a difference on the Wild’s roster within the next couple of years.
Stoll, 33, has spent the past seven seasons with the LA Kings and is a three-time Stanley Cup finalist (2006, 2012, 2014) and two-time Stanley Cup champion (2012, 2014). He was a second-round draft pick for the Edmonton Oilers in 2002 and spent six seasons between the Oilers and their affiliates before being traded to LA in 2008. He tallied 6 goals and 11 assists in 73 games for the Kings last season.
The 6’1, 215-lb Saskatchewan native is strong in the faceoff circle and boasts a career 55.3% winning percentage. He won 592 of 1161 faceoffs in the 2014-15 season (51.0%). As faceoffs have been an Achilles’ heel for the Rangers, Stoll could be a valuable asset as a third- or fourth-line center.
“As far as the faceoff circle goes, I take a lot of pride in that, and I want to be out there in all situations,” Stoll told the media this morning. “It’s just one thing I’ve been working on over the course of my career, and I’ve gotten better and better. Nowadays faceoffs have gotten pretty important in the league with all the rule changes.”
Rangers GM JeffGorton added, “He’s a guy that can play all three forward positions, he can PK, can win faceoffs, can move up and down the lineup…We believe as an organization it’s important to have people who have won…This is a player who has done it a few times.”
Stoll was arrested and charged for felony cocaine possession in Las Vegas in April. He then pled guilty to two reduced misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to 32 hours of community service in Las Vegas. Because of his plea deal, Stoll did not serve any jail time. He will return to court at the end of the month and will be ready for training camp.
If you were to ask me to think of the worst thing that could happen to my favorite team or players, it wouldn’t have to do with losses. That 2014 Alec Martinez Western Conference Finals Game Seven overtime goal was nothing compared to today’s news.
According to The Buffalo News, Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks’ 26-year-old star winger, may be under investigation following allegations of a sexual assault last weekend. Anonymous sources said Hamburg police are joined by another department as well as Erie County District Attorney’s Special Victims Bureau Chief Roseanne Johnson in the investigation.
A Buffalo-area woman went to police and accused Kane of sexual assault after meeting him at a Buffalo bar and then going to his lakefront mansion late Saturday night/Sunday morning–she then went to the hospital where a rape kit examination was conducted, sources told The Buffalo News.
This information comes from anonymous law enforcement sources, though they’re under a strict gag order, the News said.
Friday morning, Hamburg Police Chief Gregory G. Wickett released a brief statement:
“The Town of Hamburg Police Department is investigating an incident that allegedly occurred at the residence of NHL player Patrick Kane last weekend.
At this time, we are gathering information and awaiting forensic testing results. We will have no further comment on the investigation at this time.”
Wickett would not confirm that sexual assault was part of the investigation, nor did the report specify Kane as the suspect–just that the alleged incident under investigation occurred at his home.
He took no questions, but did note that reporters staying the weekend awaiting news would likely be wasting their time, which aligns with a comment made Thursday.
“If and when an arrest is made, we will provide the information,” he said.
The NHL said Thursday they were aware of the investigation and following the matter.
“We are aware of the matter and are in the process of gathering information. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” The Blackhawks said in a statement.
Neighbors told media plain-clothes detectives visited Kane’s large Hamburg home over the weekend with cameras and flashlights.
To be 100 percent clear, Kane hasn’t even been charged yet, let alone convicted. But that doesn’t make the victim’s accusations any less significant.
For me, the most painful thing as a fan is to see even the possibility that one of “my players” has been involved in a horrific crime. We get emotionally involved in these people, however irrationally, as we cheer for them night after night, year after year.
Though Kane’s far from my favorite Blackhawk, he’s certainly contributed to the team’s success over the last several years with three Stanley Cups and an MVP. But the idea of losing that is not what’s troubled me most as I’ve read and re-read the news today.
It’s that rather than seeing “Showtime!” Kane and “Comeback/Clutch Kane,” I see “Community Kane” crumbling.
I don’t think about Cup runs and “dynasties.” I don’t think about cap hits. I think about the guy who pulled over and rolled down his window on Madison Street when he saw people in Hawks jerseys so he could sign autographs. I think about the hospital visits. I think about all of the kids wearing number 88.
How do I tell this two year old today isn’t the day to wear your Patrick Kane jersey? #PatrickKane
I think of all of the positive influences he could have had as a high-profile athlete and role model (voluntary or otherwise). I could lament what all he could be giving up in his career if he committed this horrendous crime, but should that be the case, it certainly isn’t him I’d feel sorry for.
I think about his mom and dad who made sacrifices to make his career possible. And, I think of his three younger sisters–because as a sister to three brothers, I simply cannot comprehend how they must be feeling right now.
I’m sad and disappointed that he could put himself in a position to even be involved in something so awful. Kane has a rocky past that involves disorderly conduct after a physical altercation with a cab driver in 2009 and some rowdy, drunken displays in Wisconsin and Vancouver. But in recent years he’s been relatively well-behaved, and he credited his family and the Blackhawks organization for the improvement.
“My parents were huge during that. And I’m sure they’re disappointed when their kid goes through something like that. My sisters are the greatest, nicest kids in the world and then something like that happens to me, it was tough to let them down,” Kane told CSN’s Chris Boden in 2013, with tears in his eyes. “Then the Blackhawks were great for sticking with me through those tough times was huge. After we won the Cup, talking to those guys and seeing the faith they had in me it makes you emotional. It’s unbelievable.”
And, he talked about his past again in February.
“Everyone has a different path, that’s for sure. I was lucky enough when I was going through my bumps that the Blackhawks stuck with me and gave me another chance. “I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else, so I’m very fortunate for that.”
So I wonder why, on earth, with all of these opportunities, would he veer off that path? And, very importantly, I think about this woman who was brave enough to go to the police and to the hospital for the very invasive rape kit process.
Because, just as there are no charges against Kane yet, there’s absolutely nothing to say this woman isn’t telling the truth. There’s nothing to show she wasn’t a victim to a scary, humiliating, dehumanizing crime–and, unfortunately, someone I’ve loudly praised and cheered for on the ice may be involved. That thought makes me physically ill.
These are extremely complex cases. And the one tiny bit of comfort I can find in this is that the police at least appear to be thoroughly investigating the woman’s claims–and seem to have started doing so promptly with two police departments and a special victims unit prosecutor all involved.
Buffalo News reporter Tim Graham tweeted that his sources revealed Kane’s apparent cooperation with police–with a willingness to “turn himself in,” though, to be clear, that does not imply charges or a warrant.
As for what’s next–no one knows.
Patrick Kane has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Women have the right to be presumed honest until proven otherwise.
I know I hope this woman is getting the care she needs right now.
And I’m certain that, for me, none of his previous accolades and none of his future on-ice potential matters if he sexually assaulted a woman. While I agree to try to reserve judgment as this case plays out, I know that if he is indeed guilty of sexual assault, I don’t want to see that red sweater on him when the banner is raised this year.
It’s been a big summer for the Boston Blades and their new GM, Krista Patronick. Since she was brought on in June, Patronick has had her hands full with pre-season team maintenance that includes inking a deal with the New England Sports Center and hiring Brian McCloskey as the new Head Coach.
“Brian’s knowledge of the game is incredible,” Patronick said of the hiring. “He runs active practices, he doesn’t stand at the board a lot but rather keeps the players moving through drills and focusing on their development as players.”
Patronick acknowledged the controversy in McCloskey’s past, saying, “It was something we had to consider. What happened left a mark on his career and we can’t ignore that. But at the same time, there is a lot of power in the idea of a second chance for him…he’s coaching the Blades because he truly wants to work with the best female athletes in North America.” Patronick maintained that the CWHL has a zero tolerance policy, but iterated that McClonskey had learned from his mistake.
“The players have responded really well to Brian,” she said. “They respect him.”
That sentiment was echoed by defenseman Kacey Bellamy in the Blades’ press release about McCloskey’s hiring:
“The Boston Blades just won the lottery getting Coach McCloskey,” [Bellamy] said. “He is the most knowledgeable on ice coach I have ever had. He has been my mentor since I stepped on the campus of UNH my freshman year and without him I would not be where I am today. His experience and accolades speak volumes, but it is who he is as a person that separates him from his peers.”
Though the Blades have historically been one of the CWHL’s most successful teams, Patronick and McCloskey see no reason to rest on their laurels. No matter what the roster ultimately looks like, it will be a very different Boston Blades on the ice this CWHL season.
“Any time there is a new coach there are new styles and systems in place. What’s important to me is implementing a culture where players buy into a system of accountability and a vision for the team,” Patronick said. “One where they’re playing for the girl sitting next to her as well as her own development as an athlete. I have every faith that Brian will implement that culture.”
But locker room culture and coaching staff aren’t the only changes for Boston’s foremost female hockey team. The Blades have moved home ice as well, in a change that Patronick says is “huge” for the team. Despite the accessibility of UMass Boston’s rink, underlying issues–including expensive parking for players–made the Blades’ stay there ultimately untenable.
And the facilities at NESC offer more than just free parking: “There is a commitment to getting us a permanent locker room,” Patronick revealed. “The footprint [there] is huge with so many youth teams, and especially girls teams, who play out of there.”
The youth outreach is in line with Patronick’s own goal: she wants her Blades to be a part of Boston not just in name, but community involvement as well. The NHL has been lauded for its youth outreach in particular, growing the game by integrating teams into their local communities. It’s a strategy that the CWHL has been open about following as well, offering free youth tickets to Clarkson Cup games and establishing relationships with young teams.
“There are so many things to be excited about,” Patronick mused, upon being asked to name the upcoming season’s biggest draw. “Our home opener, with the Clarkson Cup present; our Military Appreciation night in which the girls will be wearing camo jerseys; our teddy bear toss; the possibility of outdoor hockey; the idea of working with other professional teams…”
‘Other professional teams’?
“I can say that there will be pre-season games in the United States with an NHL partner to help kick off the season, and Boston will be involved.”
All of that, and the CWHL has increased the $500 award for individual and team awards to $1000. “We want to show our commitment to the players and to getting them paid within the next season or two,” Patronick declared. “We all want this sooner rather than later but we want to do it in the right way and in a sustainable way.”
New digs, new leadership, new monetary incentives. It’s been a big summer for the Boston Blades, but if the offseason is anything to go by, it’ll be an even bigger winter.
The Philadelphia Flyers and winger Jake Voracek have agreed to a new contract reportedly worth eight years, $66 million.
The new deal has a cap hit of $8.25 million per season. The contract doesn’t go in to effect until the 2016-17 season. Voracek is in the final year of a four-year, $17 million deal with a cap hit of $4.25 million for the 2015-16 season. The forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but will be in Philadelphia until the end of the 2023-24 season barring a trade.
In 82 games played last season, Voracek has 22 goals, 59 assists, 81 points, was a plus one and was in the penalty box for 78 minutes. He led the team in points (81), assists(59) with this 22 goals ranking third on the team. Voracek set career highs in points, assists, game-winning goals (3) and penalty minutes (78). In 531 career games played, he has registered 124 goals, 248 assists, 372 points, is a plus 17 and has 14 game-winning goals. In 22 playoff games, he has four goals, 11 assists, 15 points, is a minus one and averaged 15:34 of ice time per game.
Voracek has been a consistent point producer in his four season with the Flyers. He has registered 45-plus points in every season since being acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. There has been no significant drop in his point production from one season to the next. Sonce the start of the 2012-13 season, Voracek leads all NHL wingers with 122 assists, and is third among wingers in points (189).
The winger has also proven to be durable in his career. He has appeared in 226 consecutive games, and has played in every game for the past three seasons. Voracek has played in 290 games out of a possible 294 since joining the Flyers for the 2011-12 season. The winger has only missed nine games in his seven NHL seasons.
Voracek plays really well along the boards and in tight around the net. He will rarely give up on a play. Voracek has sound hockey sense and is responsible in his own end of the ice. He will pass up a good shot to pass the puck to a teammate, even if he had the better scoring chance. He will also turn the puck over, but he does have the puck on his stick a lot.
Voracek has a ton of offensive ability as shown by his point production. He plays both at even strength and on the power play. Voracek registered a career high 11 power play goals to go with his 33 power play points. He averaged 3:15 of ice time while on the power play.
The Flyers have approximately $61 million invested in only 15 players for the 2016-17 season.
You may have heard that this summer for the New Jersey Devils has been the strangest and most busy since that summer the team got a guy named Ilya, who isn’t in the new The Man From U.N.C.L.E remake. It’s exciting and interesting and a little bit frightening, especially for a team whose former 28-Years-As-GM‘s typical response to any Devils question was to respond, “(everything is) status quo.”
For the last two years I was, what I deemed a half-half season ticket holder (13 games, really 12 games + 1 free). However, they have gotten rid of that for something called Flex Membership and the language used is completely different. But, as people with a better knowledge of math & finance have said in much better way than I, I’m not entirely sure how viable it will be for most low & middle income brackets (if you don’t click on the Forbes link, the most important thing from that article is “Devils fans can create a type of bank account with the team, with a minimum $2,500 deposit”) to continue to enjoy the splurge of seeing hockey live.
My seats, for both years, were pretty close to the middle of the arena, behind the benches (so, as a weirdo goalie-lover, I got to see Nabokov, Rinne and Lindback riding the bench for their respective teams). Before the game, I’d be there when the arena opened their doors, either out in the cold of the corner of Lafayette in the beginning of the season because I am Elsa, and the cold never bothered me anyway. Or inside at the corner of Edison because those security guards know what they are doing and you’d get in way faster (Devils Fan Secret #1). Towards the middle of last season, they finally realized that this game might’ve been the first time people my parents age have been in Newark since the 70s, so they had volunteers telling people where to go on the Lafayette corner.
Once inside, I would head straight for the Devils program lady (you can hear her from almost everywhere in the arena screaming “Let’s Go Devils!” and hi-fiving everyone) and depending on who was on the program, spend the $3 on yet another Jagr program that I am planning on selling to Czech relatives. In some other arenas, the programs are free and in some other ones it’s just a slip of paper that tells you what the matchups are for the week. I do enjoy that every Devils program tends to be more book-like with a few long form articles on the players usually written either by award-winning hockey (as well as NYC subway) historian Stan Fischler or one of his seasonal interns.
Now that I’ve got my program and it’s still an hour to go until pre-skate, I’ll walk around. Even though 8 years ago, I bemoaned the fact that I was losing my precious Devils arena in the Meadowlands that brought us 3 Stanley Cups and a million of memories — even Rangers & Islanders fans talk about how great the Prudential Center is. This year, there were some new food items that were hits (why was I the only one eating the Piri Piri chicken?!) and some were misses (a pulled pork sub was …. soggy. Pulled pork should never be soggy). And on the second floor, there is a “down the shore” vibe going on, where you could get cotton candy, taffy, fried shrimp, fried oreos (my favorite forever) or zeppoles so that in the middle of one of the worst winters in a long, long time, for a brief second you could pretend you were on the beach in Seaside or LBI or (pick your favorite New Jersey beach here). And Newark Beers are also upstairs somewhere, but I don’t drink so I’m not entirely sure if it’s upstairs near the fake beach or on the main floor.
The games themselves, unless they went to dreaded shootout, were pretty ok. Especially since for the most part, I’d usually have a row all to myself, both years. I enjoyed being able to watch Adam Larsson’s transformation from a tiny man-child-deer who looked scared to skate or to hit back (or even hip-check!) into a pretty decent defenseman. I’m never having children, so Larsson is as close to getting to be a hockey mom as I’ll ever get. Some of the reason for the delay was because of Peter DeBoer’s coaching style and some of it was also that when he first started, he was a very shy 18-year-old playing in the NHL.
I also got to experience my favorite player, Patrik Elias, play with his “Czech twin” Petr Sykora and his Czech best friend Marty Havlat. This year, he might be playing with the rookies Vojtech Mozik (D) and Pavel Zacha (C) if they get called up some time this season. I was also there for Elias’ 1,000th point and 601 assists against the Oilers (thanks to a fluke and I was actually able to get to a Monday night game). I also screamed “HAIL HYDRA” at being at the first game where my wonderful and glorious team was coached by three coaches at once — Lou Lamoriello, Scott Stevens & Adam Oates.
I’ve had some magical memories in these last two years and I’m hoping that the Devils will be making some more this season for the fans.
Many consider the Minnesota Golden Gophers women’s hockey team a dynasty, something very rare in the sport today. The Gophers have a total of six national championships in their 18 seasons of existence, and have set many records along the way; including a 62 game winning streak that lasted from February 17, 2012 to November 17, 2013. To have such a rich and successful history, they have had some great players. Here, in my opinion, are the top five players that spent their college career with the Gopher women’s hockey team.
Hannah Brandt started her career with the Gophers after being recruited from Hill-Murray High School, where she helped create a top-notch program. Brandt has played extremely well with the Gophers, clinching two national championships, and winning many individual awards along the way. Brandt has 221 career points in 122 games, and still has one season left with the Gophers. Outside of Gopher hockey, she was selected in the inaugural NWHL draft by the Connecticut Whale, and won the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Championships. Her senior season should be exciting for all fans to watch, as she has talent that not many players have, and could help the Gophers potentially win their third national championship in four years.
Many consider Amanda Kessel the best women’s hockey player in the world. Kessel, who began her career with the Gophers in the 2010-11 season, did nothing but impress fans while she was out on the ice. Although she only played three seasons with the Gophers due to injury, Kessel managed to total 231 points in just 114 games. This performance earned her the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2013, which is given to the best women’s player in college hockey. Kessel also proved her excellence with Team USA at the 2014 Olympics, when she helped capture the silver medal with her six points within the five games she played.
Noora Räty could be considered one of the best goaltenders of all-time in women’s hockey. The Finland native started her career with the Gophers in the 2009-10 season, and would rise to greatness immediately. She played excellent in her freshman and sophomore seasons, but would become even better during her junior and senior years. During her senior season, she posted an incredible feat, winning every game in which she played. Räty holds the career records of goaltender wins, shutouts, saves, and save percentage for the Gophers, and this excellent performance also earned her two national championships. Räty now plays professional hockey for Kiekko-Vantaa, and has also participated in the 2006 and 2010 Olympics for Finland.
Natalie Darwitz played three seasons with the Gophers, starting in 2002-03. During her time with the Gophers, she totaled 246 points, which still holds the program record today. Darwitz could not only score, but she was also gifted in her ability to set teammates up, as she holds the assist record with a total of 144 throughout her career. Her superior play helped the Gophers win back-to-back national championships in 2004 and 2005. Outside of the Gophers, she played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic games with Team USA, where they medaled each time.
Krissy Wendell played for the Gophers from 2002-05, and set many records while on the team. During her time with the Gophers, she recorded 237 points, falling second behind Natalie Darwitz on the program’s record list. Wendell won back-to-back national championships with the Gophers, alongside Natalie Darwitz. Her great performance during her years with the Gophers earned her the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2005, becoming the first player in program history to win this honor. Wendell also competed alongside Darwitz at the 2002 and 2006 Olympic games, where she medaled both times.
This week, the Los Angeles Kings lost yet another core member of their two-time Stanley Cup-winning team, as center Jarret Stoll was acquired by the New York Rangers.
2) The ongoing saga of Slava Voynov still hangs over the Kings like an albatross. Voynov pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of corporal injury to spouse and looks to serve up to 90 days in jail, undergo three years of probation and 52 weeks of domestic-violence counseling, and serve eight hours of community service. The big question still remains: will the NHL lift his suspension and, if they do, will the Kings take him back?
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