“I just want to do what is asked of me. I hope to play an increased role and it sounds like a good opportunity to be a second-line center,” – Brandon Sutter on his new role in Vancouver.
While it’s hard to see a loved player go – in the case of the Pittsburgh Penguins – they just gave a lot of fans a reason to be excited for the upcoming season.
Trading forward Brandon Sutter to the Vancouver Canucks is actually a good thing for the Penguins. His $3.3 million cap hit was putting the Pens in a tough situation, and adding two completely capable players for nearly the price of one by also signing Eric Fehr.
This new opportunity for Brandon Sutter is not something that he takes lightly, even calling it a “perfect fit”. Sutter and the Canucks are focused on getting a potentially long-term contract figured out within the next few days.
“It’s a good feeling and hopefully over the next few days we’ll get something figured out,” Sutter said about signing with the Canucks. “If you would have asked me four years ago if I thought I would have been traded twice by now, I would have said no, but I didn’t want to go through the process of playing the whole year and not knowing each day what will happen and have to worry about the trade deadline.”
The Sedin twins are some of the most respected players in the league, and Sutter is just one of those many fans.
“It’s going to be fun in Vancouver,” Sutter said during his conference call. “The Sedins have been elite players in this League for a long time; there’s not many players who have played as many years and are still very much elite. It was fun to watch them, even as a kid growing up, so it’ll be fun playing with them.”
Sutter- who had 21-goals, and 33-points last season with the Penguins- has the potential to be one of Vancouver’s top centers. With so many young players coming up through Vancouver’s organization, adding Sutter could be a good way to help them mature in their game.
“There are also a lot of players between the ages of 19 and 22 that are making strides on the team and a few coming up too, and that was also exciting for me. You need certain things to win in this League, and they have good goaltending, a good defense. I just thought it almost the perfect fit for me.”
When asked about the prospect of becoming a second-line center, he said,”I hope so; I think with the Sedin’s and Bo Horvat, I’m not too concerned with my role.”
The three years that Sutter played with the Penguins -including three post-seasons- are not something that he is just going to move past.
“I really enjoyed it. You know, it was my first three years in the playoffs- three years in a row, I got that experience,”said Sutter on his time in Pittsburgh. ” There’s a good group there. I can’t really say anything bad about it. I thought we had a good team and unfortunately with the way the business is now, things change a lot now…It was a good experience for me and I definitely think that I’m a better player than I was when I first went there.”
The Philadelphia Flyers have agreed to a contract with center Sean Couturier. The deal is reportedly for six years, with a cap hit of $4.33 million per season.
The 22-year-old was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2015-16 season. He is currently in the final year of a two-year, $3.5 million bridge deal that was signed in 2013. The salary cap hit for this season will be $1.75 million. The new contract doesn’t start until the 2016-17 season. Couturier is set to be in Philadelphia to the end of the 2021-22 season barring a trade.
Couturier is best known for his play in the defensive zone. The center usually plays against the opposing team’s best players in a shutdown role. His two previous coaches (Peter Laviolette and Craig Berube) weren’t afraid to use him in any situation during the course of a game. He would be found on the ice for his even strength shifts, during the penalty kill, on the power play, during the last minute of play when the team had a one goal lead, and if the team needed a center to take a face off in the defensive zone. He logged a bulk of his special teams play on the penalty kill. Couturier is usually in good position in the defensive zone, which leads to takeaways and clearing the puck out of his own zone. The center has shown some offensive upside too.
The 15 goals that he scored last season were a career high. He also added 22 assists for a total of 37 points in 82 games played. Couturier has shown glimpses of his offensive zone ability over the past four seasons. He had two separate six game point streaks last season, where he had seven points. In the IIHF World Championships, he had three goals, four assists and seven points in 10 games played for Canada, who won the gold medal.
In his four seasons, Couturier has played in 287 out of a possible 294 games. The 287 games played are the most among all player in his 2011 draft class. He has also played in 198 consecutive games, which is the third most among active Flyers behind Jake Voracek (226) and Brayden Schenn (208).
After signing Couturier to a contract, the Flyers now have approximately $53 million invested in 14 players for the 2016-17 season, and not one of them is named Jake Voracek.
The 2015-16 season is almost upon us. The Canadian Women’s Hockey League full season schedule was unveiled on Tuesday and season tickets went on sale at 9 a.m. Friday. The season is almost upon us.
Opening weekend is set for Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18, with the Boston Blades travelling to Toronto for a two-game series against the Furies and the Brampton Thunder headed east to Montreal for a series against the Stars.
The Calgary Inferno will open their season at home Oct. 24, when they take on reigning Clarkson Cup champions the Boston Blades.
Early bird fans can get season tickets, good for the 12 home games of their favorite CWHL team, at last year’s price of $140 until July 31. Starting Aug. 1, season ticket packages will cost $150, a $30 savings over the single-game ticket price of $15. Season tickets are available online at www.CWHL.ca. Single-game tickets will go on sale in the fall.
You can get season tickets for all five CWHL teams here.
The league is also planning several new special events for the 2015-16 season and teams will again be promoting fan appreciation days that will feature giveaways and interaction with many of the top female players from across the continent, and around the globe.
The CWHL Entry Draft takes place Aug. 23 in Toronto, and promises to set the stage for exciting new talent joining the league.
“The 2014-15 season was perhaps the most competitive in the league’s eight-year history,” CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress said. “The regular season standings weren’t finalized until the last weekend of play; it was just that close. With talented young players like Marie-Philip Poulin and Brianne Jenner entering the draft, we are, without a doubt, going to see the same exceptional level of competition this coming season.”
Earlier this week, the league announced that five-time Olympic medallist Hayley Wickenheiser has entered the draft, with the intention of joining the Calgary Inferno.
“We couldn’t be happier about welcoming Wick’s return to professional hockey – her leadership, skill and experience simply cannot be quantified,” Andress said. “Her presence in a CWHL uniform will extend the reach of our game to a whole new group of fans.”
“I look forward to the competition and to playing with, and in some cases against, some of my national teammates,” Wickenheiser said. “It will be a fun and competitive league. It is a great show for the fans to see national players play more than every four years.”
Coyotes fans everywhere can finally rejoice as the fate of the team has become a little more clear. That’s right, the City of Glendale and the Arizona Coyotes have reached an agreement regarding their legal battle.
“Per terms of the deal, the Coyotes will collect all hockey-related revenue streams that previously went to the City of Glendale, including a portion of naming rights, ticket surcharges and parking revenue, while the city will pay $6.5 million a year to the Coyotes to manage the arena. The out-clause that was part of the original 15-year, $225 million agreement has been removed.”
“We have come up with a resolution that works for both sides and is best for the team, our fans, the city and most importantly the taxpayers,” said Coyotes Co-Owner, President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc in a statement released by the Coyotes. “Neither side benefits from a long, drawn out legal battle. What’s important is putting this dispute behind us and focusing on growing the Coyotes business and in turn, further growing revenues for the entire Westgate Entertainment District. This decision will bring much-needed certainty to our fans and sponsors about our near-term future and an end to the uncertainty brought about through this legal action. We know that hockey works in the Valley and we are committed to Arizona for the long-term. We thank Coyotes fans and sponsors for their incredible support throughout this process. They have proven that they are among the most loyal and ardent in the NHL.”
The City of Glendale nor the Coyotes will be commenting further until after the special voting meeting tomorrow.
The Minnesota Wild have many talented young players within their system, whether it is through free agent signings or draft picks. A lot of the prospects are either returning to college teams for the upcoming season, or are simply not NHL ready quite yet. Two of the biggest question marks for fans are Mike Reilly and Joel Eriksson Ek, as many are curious in regards to their development. The Wild have signed both Reilly–who is coming off of a season with his college team, the Minnesota Golden Gophers–and Eriksson Ek–their first round draft pick in 2015–to contracts. Both are young and promising, but will either of them be able to make their NHL debut this upcoming season?
Mike Reilly
A defenseman with a lot of offensive ability, Reilly chose to forego his final season of college eligibility with the Gophers in hopes of making an NHL debut. Reilly was originally picked in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but made a decision to embrace his free agency, signing with a different team. After interest from various teams from around the league, Reilly decided to sign a contract with his hometown team, the Minnesota Wild. The 6’1″ defenseman is not massive out on the ice, but he still finds a way to set his teammates up as well as score goals, illustrated by his 42 points (six goals, 36 assists) in his 39 games played this past season with the Gophers. Even though he is an offensive defenseman, he still is able to prevent his opponent from scoring, as shown by his +25 plus/minus during his junior season with the Gophers. He may start the 2015-16 season in the AHL, but it would not be surprising to see him make his NHL debut, and maybe even become a regular face on the ice for the Wild. If this is the case, he will probably be a last-string defenseman, but as his experience grows, he could eventually get Suter-like minutes in the next couple of years. He would bring more offense to the Wild’s picture, which they definitely need, while also playing excellent defense. He seems to be an all-around player that the Wild need, so it will not be surprising if he gets some NHL ice time this season.
Joel Eriksson Ek
Eriksson Ek, a native of Karlstad, Sweden, was drafted 20th overall by the Minnesota Wild in this year’s NHL Draft. The 18-year-old was signed to a three-year contract on July 13th, making him eligible to play in the NHL this upcoming season. Eriksson Ek displayed a lot of talent in the Minnesota Wild’s prospect scrimmages, giving many fans hope that he could be a star player for the team within the next few years. This past season, Eriksson Ek tallied six points (four goals, two assists) in 34 games with Farjestad of the Swedish Hockey League. Although six points may not seem like much, it was the most scored by any under-18 eligible player in the league. Even though he has shown to have a lot of talent, he will most likely not spend a ton of time in the NHL this year. He may make his NHL debut, depending on how well he plays, but it would be a little surprising to see him as a regular in the Wild’s lineup this year. Don’t get me wrong, he will most likely be a key player for the Wild in the upcoming years, but right now he is still an 18-year-old kid, who is not quite NHL ready. Once he adds more experience to his plate, it would not be surprising if he becomes an impact player on the Wild roster, and could be a piece necessary for a Stanley Cup run.
Haley Wickenheiser is a lot of things–five-time Olympic medalist, businesswoman, advocate–and, as of July 17, 2015, she’s also CWHL draft eligible.
“I look forward to the competition,” Wickenheiser said in a press release. “It will be a fun and competitive league. It is a great show for the fans to see national players play more than every four years.”
Wickenheiser is a big get for the CWHL, which will face potential competition with the newly-formed NWHL next season. A player of Wickenheiser’s caliber–and status–would garner excitement in a any league, and the CWHL is no exception.
“Getting a player like Wick is huge,” said Chantal Champagne, the General Manager of the Calgary Inferno. “For us it’s like Bobby Hull joining the WHA, or Wayne Gretzky being traded to L.A. It’s a game changer.”
Of course, Bobby Hull was paid $1 million up front to sign with the WHA. And while at a certain point reminding everyone that players don’t get paid in the CWHL is just beating a very dead horse, there’s no denying that the women’s hockey climate this summer has had an edge to it. Brittany Ott, former goaltender for the CWHL’s Boston Blades, left to sign with the Boston Pride, as did Blake Bolden and Jillian Dempsey (the CWHL’S 2014 Rookie of the Year).
So Wickenheiser going to the CWHL is huge, and not just because of her incredible skill as a player.
Said CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress: “Today’s announcement is a testament to the success of our league. For Hayley to choose the CWHL as the next step in her hockey career reflects the high caliber competition that defines us. This is an exciting opportunity for the league to showcase one of the greatest players this sport has seen.”
And she won’t be alone. Team Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin, unarguably one of the best hockey players in the game, also registered for the 2015 CWHL Draft, aiming to play for the Montreal Stars. Also hoping to play for Calgary is Brianne Jenner.
A press release from the league noted the potent potential combo of Jenner and Wickenheiser on the same team. The Inferno finished second in the league last season, and padding their roster with this kind of elite talent bodes well for their chances at a Clarkson Cup:
“The possible addition of Wickenheiser and her Team Canada teammate Brianne Jenner, who announced her draft plans last week, to a roster that includes last years leading scorer Rebecca Johnston would give the Inferno the potential for one of the most dynamic offensive teams in league history.”
Despite being the youngest team (along with the Columbus Blue Jackets) in the NHL, the Minnesota Wild have given their fans many moments to smile about. Here, in my opinion, are the top five Minnesota Wild moments.
5. The Minnesota Wild clinch their first division championship
On April 3, 2008, the Wild would beat the Calgary Flames by a score of 3-1, which would not only clinch their first ever division championship, but also Jacque Lemaire’s 500th win as the head coach. This would be one of the biggest wins in Wild history, and would set them up for their third playoff run.
4. The Minnesota Wild’s first-ever home goal
On October 11, 2000, Darby Hendrickson would score the Wild’s first-ever home goal, signifying hockey was finally back in Minnesota, after the North Stars had left seven years earlier. This would be an emotional moment for many of the fans in the state of hockey, as the game they loved was finally back.
3. Richard Park’s overtime goal to force game 7
The Minnesota Wild were able to make their first ever playoff appearance during the 2002-03 season. This was exciting for every fan, but the Wild would not have an easy debut, as they were set to play the highly skilled Colorado Avalanche. The Wild were easily considered the underdog in the series, and quickly fell three games to one; just one away from being eliminated. The Wild would not go out without a fight though, and they kept game six tight all throughout regulation, leading to overtime. Richard Park would find the puck a little less than five minutes into overtime, and would score, forcing a game seven in Colorado.
2. Nino Niederreiter scores in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche
During the 2014 NHL Playoffs, the Wild were set to play their division foes, the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche, a very young and talented team, took a 2-0 series lead, a very tough feat to overcome for the Wild. The Wild were not discouraged though, as they would win every home game that they played in the series, which would eventually lead to a game seven in Colorado, where they had not won yet. Game seven was just as intense as every game earlier in the series, and to many of the Wild fans’ dismay, Colorado struck first. The Wild would come back, but every time that they would score, the Avalanche would answer. It would be this way until late into the game, when Jared Spurgeon scored to tie it up, forcing overtime. Overtime was just as intense as the game, but about five minutes in, Nino Niederreiter was given a pass from Kyle Brodziak, and would snipe a shot past Semyon Varlamov. This would win the series for the Wild, and it would be the first time that they exited the first round since the 2002-03 season.
1. Andrew Brunette scores in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche
After the magical goal by Richard Park during game six of the 2003 playoffs, the Wild were forced to attempt to win the series against the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The Wild had already made a miraculous comeback in the series, so they knew it would be hard to seal the deal without the home ice advantage. The Avalanche were a confident and skilled team, so the Wild had their work cut out for them. Game seven of the series was extremely close, and would not be able to be decided in regulation. Early in overtime, Sergei Zholtok would come into possession of the puck, and skated it up center ice. Zholtok would fire a drop pass to Andrew Brunette, who took it to the net, and deked-out legendary goalie, Patrick Roy. This goal would not only lead the Wild to their first-ever first round exit, but would also end the hall of famer, Patrick Roy’s, career.
The Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Michael Del Zotto have avoided going to an arbitration hearing. The two parties agreed on a multi-year deal, reportedly worth $7.5 million with a cap hit of $3.875 million for the next two seasons.
Del Zotto signed with the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent last summer after the team received the news that defenseman Kimmo Timonen would miss most of the season due to blood clots. He signed a one year deal worth $1.3 million and proved that he could bounce back after a rough season. He started the 2013-14 season with the New York Rangers and was traded to the Nashville Predators. He only played in 67 total games during the 2013-14 season. The defenseman only registered three goals, 13 assists, 16 points and was a minus nine. He also wasn’t playing on special teams for the Predators.
Michael Del Zotto
In 64 games played last season, Del Zotto scored 10 goals, had 22 assists, 32 total points and was a minus five. The 10 goals led all Flyers defensemen and the 32 points came in second among Flyers defensemen behind Mark Streit’s 52. He played in all situations for the Flyers including the power play and penalty kill.
He set a career high in game-winning goals (4) and shots on goal (119). The 32 points were also the most Del Zotto had since the 2011-12 season when he was with the Rangers.
Del Zotto can skate and move the puck up the ice. He did a decent job of quarterbacking the second power play unit for the Flyers last season. He is especially good in the offensive zone and can put up some numbers. The defenseman scored a lot of his goals while joining the rush last season, which made him like a fourth forward on the ice. He isn’t afraid to block shots since he had 128 last season.
He was benched last season for a stretch because he was getting into trouble. Del Zotto was turning the puck over and trying to lead the rush, which would have him out of position in the defensive zone. He also needs to limit his mistakes in both the defensive and neutral zones. He tends to be out of position from time to time which can hurt his team. He is an offensive defenseman that at times can be caught out of position defensively.
Today marked the first day of the 2015 Boston Bruins Development Camp at which 36 of the 37 players attended. Unfortunately Joonas Kemppainen has had to sit out the start because of an injury to his hamstring. However, according to Development Coach Jay Pandolfo, there is hope that he will be able to make a showing during this week.
The remaining 36 players consisted of the 10 newest prospects, drafted at the end of June in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft; four from 2014; three from 2013, two from 2012, one from 2011; one from 2010; one via trade; six through free agent signings; and nine camp invites. That’s a lot of hockey players and, as often happens at this time of the year, they have been broken up into two groups, rotating who gets the early on-ice practice.
However, before they could lace up the skates and get out on that rink, they first had to go through the physical fitness tests—including the much dreaded shuttle runs. In his third blog installment, on the Bruins site, Jake DeBrusk compared the anxiety of the shuttle run to that of the Wingate or VO2 during the Combine.
The players are honest with themselves and with the media when asked about how they think things are going..
Jakub Zboril
“We had some off-ice testing so I think I didn’t do pretty good,” said the number 13 overall pick in June, Jakub Zboril. “I’m not in the best shape right now.”
He felt more confident about his work on-ice, but his comments speak to one of the many important reasons that the NHL teams hold the development camps every year. For some of the players it is an eye-opener to how they should be arriving at camp and what it means to practice and ultimately play at the NHL level.
While strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides was present for this morning’s tests, he apparently hasn’t yet had his heart-to-heart with the camp attendees. Zborik is expecting to be called out though.
“I think that will come,” Zborik said with a grin.
After having gone through the physical tests, the first group came out on the ice, and it was clear that there was an excitement that, for the newest attendees, was tinged with a little anxiety. They were greeted with loud applause, which undoubtedly reminded them that they were in the big leagues now. Many of the new players talked after practice about how special it was to pull on that Bruins jersey for the first time.
Tire Drill
However, even in their wildest dreams, it is unlikely that any of them could have foreseen the use of small tires instead of hockey sticks and pucks as they worked on their edges. For those who just enjoy watching hockey, overlooking the nuances of the skill required on those skates, it perhaps looked like it should have been a simple drill. However, the drill was anything but.
“It teaches you how to use your edges efficiently,” said camp invitee, and Yale Bulldog, Frank DiChiara.
DiChiara said that the drill helped him to see ways he “cheats” with this body posture.
“I went up to coach after that and he was saying to me not to lean,” he said. “I didn’t notice that I was doing it.”
He appreciates the time and attention that the staff pays to their style and those areas in which the players need to improve—which is different with each one.
“[The tire] kind of just makes you force yourself to keep your chest straight; to keep your arms in front of you and keeping balance without your chest going forward or backward,” said camp invite Zach Frye. “If you do go down, they can tell you because the tire dips.”
And while Frye and his teammates worked on edges, some clearly were struggling with working the edges of their less dominant foot.
“Everyone will say probably not, but inside they all know there’s a stronger foot, whether it’s the left of right one, you kind of favor the other one to try and learn better,” admitted Frye. “If you guys [the media] can see it then it’s pretty obvious and we know too.”
However, perhaps not everyone was as observant about this. It is one of the reasons I sit down at ice level watching the players closely. It is during the drills that a player’s strengths and weaknesses can be seen more clearly. It is also one of the reasons that camp can be so illuminating, not only to the coaches, but to those present in other capacities who look for the details of a player’s game.
As Chris Kelly said this past season, hockey is a game of mistakes. And while a player may have a hard shot, if he can be knocked off his edges, or he doesn’t work on strengthening that less dominant foot, then it becomes easier for the other team to force him to make a mistake.
To the fans present, the drills may seem tedious and uninspired. Many of the fans prefer the fast pace of the game. But since the game is played on the ice with large men rushing around on blades that are 2.9 mm in thickness (which is 0.115 inches), those drills ensure that each player can stay upright while skating and taking hits. And to those that take the time to truly watch a player going through such a drill, a better understanding can be had of strengths in their skating that the player can capitalize on, or weaknesses that the opponent can exploit.
The devil is in the details. And this is as true in hockey as it is in any project, experiment or recipe. And the details are fine-crafted for the players through these drills.
When asked if the tires would make another appearance on Wednesday, Pandolfo didn’t offer any absolutes.
“I don’t know if he’ll pull out more tires, who knows,” Pandolfo smiled. “He’s got some other tricks up his sleeve.”
Designed by Eero Saarinen in 1953 and built with monies donated primarily by the Ingall’s family, the David S. Ingalls Rink at Yale University is known as the world’s most beautiful hockey rink. The rink was named for David S. Ingalls, Yale Class of 1920 and his son, David S. Ingalls, Jr., Class of 1956, both of whom served as captains of the Yale Bulldogs men’s ice hockey team while attending the university. However, it is more affectionately known as the “Yale Whale” because it’s curved roof reminds people of a whale.
Upon its completion in 1958, the unique design, employing a tensile structure most seen in the “spines” along the ceiling of the arena, won awards. It has been said that the building had a personality. It still does! The Yale Whale stands out on the modern campus at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Home to the Yale Bulldogs–both their female and male varsity hockey teams–the arena also offers ice skating, public skating and more. The building underwent an extensive renovation in 2007, that saw a subterranean modern facility with locker rooms, a student-athlete lounge, practice facilities, weight-rooms and walls adorned with the history of hockey at Yale added. The building was also brought up to modern structural codes, but still retains it whale-like exterior. In 2010, the New York Times ran a two-part feature on the designs of Saarinen written by Benjamin Genocchio. In it, Genocchio said about The Whale, “It is unorthodox, to say the least, resembling a beached whale. But it is breathtaking to behold.”
This is not your every day college building. It is not square nor is it regular, Genocchio’s use of the word unorthodox is perhaps the most accurate. However, it was built to house an ice rink. Some people dislike the Whale, including U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who did not like the odd shape. He is said to have called the building a “nightmare.” No matter what you think of this out-of-water whale, it is awesome to see in person.
Seating 3,500 people, with a standing-room ramp which encircles the rink, every seat has an unobstructed view of the ice. Though the Whale was still 60 years from being a reality, Yale holds the distinction of not only being the oldest existing intercollegiate ice hockey program (begun in 1893), but is also said to have played the very first intercollegiate game when they took on Johns Hopkins in a game held February 1, 1896.
People–whether they be visitors, students, or faculty–all say that this odd shaped building in the middle of an up-dated campus takes you back in time. When you step though the doors you can feel the character of the place and the rich traditions that have been passed down from one team to the next. It has a charm that most places today don’t have and you can feel the uniqueness that runs from the ceiling to every seat. Sometimes you can spot history in the deep periphery of your vision; a sliver of a past player going after a puck or the shimmer of a coach’s smile. Don’t be afraid, these players will go on playing forever–proud to have played in The Yale Whale.
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