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Coming off the heels of its first-ever broadcast deal, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League announced yesterday it will hold its first annual All-Star Game on Dec. 13 in Toronto.

The game, which will be free, will be at the Air Canada Center (home of the Toronto Maple Leafs). It is another big step forward for women’s hockey and for a league that is working hard for fan engagement on a limited budget.

“The Inaugural CWHL ALL-Star Game presents an incredible opportunity for the league to showcase its top talent, both in person at the Air Canada and through our broadcast deal with Sportsnet,” said CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress. “As we grow the league and its fan base, it seems only natural to add an event like this to our annual calendar of exceptional sporting entertainment.”

The 40 CWHL All-Star players, including 19 Olympians and National Team members, have been pre-selected by the players themselves, coaches and CWHL team management. Fans will get a chance to vote for the captain of each All-Star team after players are announced on Nov. 20. Online voting will take place Nov. 29 to Dec. 10. After captains are decided, there will be a private draft on Dec. 12 when the captains will pick the first five players. The remaining players will be chosen at random.

The CWHL All-Star game will feature a skills competition and two full periods of hockey. The CWHL aims to provide an NHL-game experience feel at the event, only with professional women’s hockey.

The game will be broadcast on Sportsnet as part of the CWHL’s new broadcast deal.

Currently the CWHL consists of five teams: the Toronto Furies, Boston Blades, Brampton Thunder, Calgary Inferno and Montreal Stars. 

Fans can RSVP to the game at mapleleafs.com/cwhlallstar.

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I’m finally getting the chance to wear the outfit that I’ve been planning since the Coyotes game against the Blues. I’ve been dying to wear this cute tweed skirt for some time now! These over the knee boots are the perfect thing to make the look less “school uniform” and more “edgy professional”.

I always like to play with looks and this one was definitely a bit different. I think over-the-knee boots are that perfect piece to make anything look edgier. The zipper all the way up brings a whole different element to the outfit, and that’s probably my favorite part.

Playing with colors that people would normally not wear together is my favorite thing. Blacks and browns, and black and navy…I just love it! If executed correctly, you can challenge the norms and be a little different. In this specific case, if you wear a navy to go with the black that is an obviously different shade, then you are good. If you wear blue that almost looks black, then please go change your outfit NOW. The tones of color have to be noticeably different before it’s okay to throw them on.

When I found this skirt that had black AND blue, I couldn’t wait to wear it out. It’s a little Cher Horowitz from Clueless,, and so it makes it just that much better. Wearing tights under it makes it look more put together, considering it hits above the knee.

The bling-ed out shirt means there is no need for a necklace (aka I keep grabbing at my neck because I feel like I’m missing a limb). Adding a blazer on top of it pulls the whole look together, and makes it chic and professional. Perfect for game-night.

Press Level Tip: Get started on an article during the game. Start writing stats and if you see a certain thing you’re going to focus on, do a little research on it during an intermission. It’s hard sometimes to write all of the stats during the intermission, because the game is still going to change so much in the third. Getting a jump-start on your writing will save you from uber long nights, and you won’t have to brainstorm on where you want to take your article.

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Boots: Dolce Vita

Shirt: J. Crew

Blazer: H&M

Skirt: J. Crew

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(photo: Wikipedia)

When Zach Parise left the New Jersey Devils in the summer of 2012, the Devils lost skill, they lost youth, but most importantly, they lost their captain – the heart and soul of the team. Coach Peter DeBoer had to choose another man to wear the “C” and decided on a then-36 year old Bryce Salvador.

The Devils haven’t made the playoffs since that fateful decision – and yes, a lot of it can be attributed to the loss of key goal scorers (Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk), an aging group of veterans (Patrik Elias, Martin Brodeur) and the team’s hopes being put in the hands of streaky goal scorers (Michael Ryder, Ryane Clowe, Damien Brunner). But it’s worth considering how much the attitude of the team changed when the reigns were handed to Salvador – leading to the problems the team still faces today.

Look at the best teams in the NHL and they tend to have one thing in common: a captain who can change a game. And not necessarily with a highlight reel play – but with a hit, a block, or a moment when things aren’t going well and there is only one guy you want on the ice. You have your hot-shot captains in Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, and John Tavares; all guys who can change a score line by going coast to coast at any minute (although I would argue JT could be a lot more as the talent around him grows). You also have your Zdeno Chara, Shea Weber, and Henrik Zetterberg types who can contribute a key goal, play solid defense and – although they may be on the backside of their careers – have proven to be rocks within their organizations, still capable of making that game saving play. Finally, you have a crop of young, steady players who can do it all and, coincidentally, have all been Stanley Cup contenders or winners within the last couple years. Ryan Getzlaf, Jonathan Toews, Dustin Brown, and David Backes represent a group of players who rise to the occasion at the time of the game when their team needs it most.

Meanwhile, the Devils have dealt with an ever-slowing, turnover prone defenseman as their leader. The rare big hit is outweighed by failing to get the puck deep in the offensive zone, leaving himself out of position and unable to catch up (see last night’s goal for the Boston Bruins’ Seth Griffith). DeBoer has long been accused of giving veterans too long a leash, while the same mistakes made by Adam Larsson or Eric Gelinas result in healthy scratches or demotions to Albany. I have no doubt that Salvador is great in the locker room, but you have to wonder how much credibility he loses with each poor performance. Salvador is tied for a team-low -5 with his defense partner Marek Zidlicky – including two turnovers leading directly to Bruins goals last night. While Zidlicky is a known defensive liability, he has also contributed 8 pts, including 2 PP goals, through 15 games.

Salvador also lacks the presence on the ice to raise the emotion of his teammates. On a team without a true enforcer, Salvador has proven capable of dropping the gloves and creating a spark, but the decline in fighting means that spark often has to be generated elsewhere. During the 2012 run, Parise would be all over the ice, hustling, hitting, shooting, chirping and inspiring his teammates to match his energy. Lulls in energy, late period goals and incomplete efforts have plagued the Devils, especially this year, and Salvador has not stepped up to stop the bleeding. After missing the entire 2011 season with a concussion, Salvador rebounded in 2012, and supplied unexpected points during the Cup run which probably contributed to his selection as captain. However, that season has proven to be an outlier, and the Devils are stuck with a declining defenseman in a position to be a guaranteed starter for the remainder of his contract.

Now, it’s unfair to knock Salvador without providing a reasonable suggestion for the next Devils captain. Unfortunately, this roster isn’t overflowing with players who embody the soul the team is desperately missing – and who are also young enough to avoid the inevitable performance drop-off the team is dealing with now.

The Alternates:

  • Travis Zajac: Most likely a career Devil and while he’s consistent and reliable, he has never played with the energy or physicality needed to compensate for his lack of scoring.
  • Patrik Elias: Has worn the “C” before but usually reluctantly – plus his career is winding down and the Devils need to look long term.
  • Andy Greene: A popular choice among fans for who should have the “C”, he just signed a long term deal, is their top defenseman and adds a scoring touch. Although he’s a vocal leader and provides a good hip check now and then, he isn’t necessarily the driving force this team needs.

The Future:

  • Adam Henrique: Plays with the hustle and grit that Parise was known for. Though he doesn’t quite have the speed or offensive dominance to take over a game, he is certainly a viable candidate in the years to come.
  • Jacob Josefson: No doubt a surprising pick, but he has raised his game this year. His hustle has kept him in the lineup, moving up from the 4th line and now getting consistent ice time. He needs to prove he can stay healthy – but somewhere in there is a first round pick who can (hopefully) put the puck in the net.
  • Jon Merrill: While not being known for his physicality, Merrill can deliver a hit and has proven to be a top young defenseman with an offensive side. As he matures, he could turn into the rock that the Devils need on the blue line moving into the next generation.

Wildcards:

  • Mike Cammalleri: Has all of the characteristics of Zach Parise with his offensive threat, defensive commitment and peskiness. Being a first year Devil along with his age are the biggest knocks.
  • Ryane Clowe: Has worn the “A” and is a gritty veteran who will drop the gloves. His future is uncertain with all the concussions – not sure you want him feeling the extra physical burden that comes with the captaincy.
  • Jaromir Jagr: Hard not to consider #68. Clearly a vocal leader, hard worker and dominant on the ice. Logic tells you he can’t keep this pace up, but then again, he isn’t slowing down yet…

 

Salvador is on the last year of his deal and most certainly won’t be back next year. So who is your bet for next Devils captain? Someone listed above, or someone not on the roster? (Will DeBoer even be around to make that call?) Whoever it is, the Devils need a spark – and fast – as this season is quickly slipping away faster than you can say ‘pylon’.

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Sportsnet in Canada has agreed to a broadcast deal with the Canadian Women’s Hockey League.

The four-year deal, which starts this season, entails broadcasting three Clarkson Cup games – the CWHL’s playoff tournament – and special event games. The CWHL will also have a place on the Sportsnet website, which will include live scores.

Currently CWHL games are available for streaming for a one-time $10 fee on the CWHL website.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled that Sportsnet is on board to be our official Canadian playoff and special event broadcast partner,” said CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress. “This deal means unprecedented exposure for the female game, with more fans getting the chance to see our talented players in action, and more young girls getting inspired to lace up their skates and pick up a stick.”

Toronto Furies goaltender and CWHL co-founder Sami Jo Small told the Toronto Observer that the deal is a huge step in the right direction for professional women’s hockey.

“Showing more games on television will certainly expose our product to people right across the country which I think is really exciting,” she said. “People across the country have followed these players as they’ve grown up and played college hockey and now they can watch them play at the highest level.”

The Canadian Women’s Hockey League was founded in 2007. It is one of two major women’s ice hockey leagues in Canada. The CWHL currently has five hockey teams: two in Ontario (Brampton Thunder and Toronto Furies), One in Quebec (Montreal Stars), one in Albert (Calgary Inferno), and one in Boston, Massachusetts (Boston Blades).

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(photo: pucksnack.com)

Over the weekend, the U.S. National Under-18 participated in the round-robin style Four Nations Tournament, held in Sundsvall, Sweden. Team USA went up against Finland, Switzerland and Sweden, besting them all in 3 games of tournament play. The team was undefeated at 3-0-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L), enough to earn first-place and give the United States its seventh win in the last eight U-18 Four Nations Tournaments. The roster was made up entirely of members of the 2014-15 U.S. National Under-18 Team, part of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Friday vs. Finland

Team USA got its first tournament win in the form of an 8-1 thrashing over Finland. The United States out-shot Finland by a crushing 51-19, with Finnish goaltender Veini Vehvilainen making 43 saves in the loss. Jeremy Bracco earned a goal and four assists for an incredible five points, and was named the first star of the game. Grant Gabriele recorded the only goal of the first period with a slapshot from a blocked centering pass from Bracco.

Finland’s Juuso Valimaki and Arttu Ruotsalainen each took a penalty simultaneously to give the U.S. a 5-on-3 advantage. Brendan Warren, second star of the game, made them pay when he doubled the lead to 2-0 at 4:31 of the second period. Less than two minutes later, a Finnish turnover would lead to a U.S. goal scored by Troy Terry. Finland would not be shut-out however, and got on the board with a short-handed goal from Jonne Tammela. Charlie McAvoy would regain the 3 goal lead on the power play a minute and a half later. At 13:30 Luke Kunin would extend the U.S. lead to 5-1 with assists from Bracco, and third star of the game, Colin White.

Jeremy Bracco earned his fifth point when he scored at 7:04 of the third period. Auston Matthews scored on a feed from Jack Roslovic to make it 8-1 in favor of Team USA. Brendan Warren rounded out the scoring on the power play, with some help from Terry and Michael Floodstrand.

Michael Lackey was the starting goaltender and stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced.

Saturday vs. Switzerland

The following game, Team USA put up another incredible performance, defeating Switzerland 7-1. Luke Opilka got the start in net for the U.S. Saturday, stopping 26 of 27 pucks, and earning him the third star of the game. Matteo Ritz of Switzerland turned away 28 shots of the 35 he faced from Team USA. The Swiss had an ineffective power play in this game, going 0 for 5 on the man advantage, while the Americans scored on two of their six power plays.

Jack Roslovic and Auston Matthews had a great game, netting 3 goals and 3 assists, respectively. That pair opened scoring at 5:53 in the first period when Matthews found the open Roslovic in the slot for a goal. The two connected again less than two minutes later on the power play with Joseph Masonius also drawing an assist. One more time the duo would get on the board when Grant Gabriele set up Roslovic for a one-timer, earning him a hat trick and first star of the game. Matthews got the secondary assist, his third, good enough for second star honors. Christian Fischer put another on the board at 14:08 of the first with a wraparound stuff set up by Jordan Greenway. With only seven seconds left in the first frame, the U.S. would take a commanding 5-0 lead when Michael Floorstrand scored off a rebound from Troy Terry.

The second period was a lot more even. Colin White made it 6-0 USA on the power play, with help from Jeremy Bracco and Luke Kunin. Switzerland got on the board at 18:10 of the second, with a goal from Damien Riat. White put up the only goal of the third period, sealing the game at 7-1. Bracco and Steven Ruggiero drew assists.

Sunday vs. Sweden

The game against Sweden featured familiar heroes as Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic once again had incredible games, earning the first and second star, respectively. Michael Lackey returned to action between the U.S. pipes, stopping 21 pucks in the 6-4 win. Sweden’s Adam Werner blocked 38 of 44 shots. This was a much tighter game than the previous two for the U.S., with lots of back to back action.

Team USA trailed for the first time all tournament when Sweden opened the scoring on the power play with a goal from Oliver Erixon at 10:19 in the first. The U.S. would get right back, though, less than a minute later with a top shelf goal from Matthews. Not to be outdone, Sweden answered right back only 15 seconds later to regain the lead with a goal by Philip Magnusson. Team USA evened things up again on a power play goal scored by Grant Gabriele with assists from the dynamic duo of Matthews and Roslovic. The back and forth scoring nature of the first period culminated in Sweden’s second power play goal of the game, scored by Carl Grundstrom, which put them up 3-2 after one.

Christian Evers would knot the game up for Team USA for the third time at 7:43 of the second period. The goal swapping streak finally ended as Roslovic scored for the first U.S. lead of the game at 15:28, with Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk on the helpers. Tkachuk’s second assist on the go-ahead goal was good enough to earn him third star of the game.

The U.S. would extend its lead early in the third period when Bracco dropped the puck for White, who snapped it home. Sweden wouldn’t sit idly by, however, as Grundstrom scored again in the next 24 seconds. Matthews got his second goal of the game to give Team USA a 6-4 lead at 9:44 in the final frame. Leading by a respectable two goals, but still the smallest of margins they had seen all tournament, the U.S. would have to defend their lead from an extended 5-on-3 power play for Sweden as penalties were called on Caleb Jones and Nicholas Boka at 10:38 and 10:51. The U.S. maintained their lead, though, even in the dying seconds of the game when Sweden pulled Werner in favor of an extra attacker.

 

Team USA Recap – 2014 Under-18 Four Nations Tournament
Nov. 5-9 | Sundsvall, Sweden

Date Opponent Location Time / Result
Fri., Nov. 7 Finland Energi Arena W, 8-1
Sat., Nov. 8 Switzerland Energi Arena W, 7-1
Sun., Nov. 9 Sweden Energi Arena W, 6-4

For more information, contact Jake Wesolek (JakeW@usahockey.org)

Through the Four Nations Tournament, Team USA outscored their competition by 21-6, with Sweden putting up the biggest fight with 4 goals. Auston Matthews led all skaters with 3 goals and 6 assists for a total of 9 points. Jack Roslovic and Jeremy Bracco tied for third with 7 points each, with Roslovic earning a tournament best 4 goals. Grant Gabriele led all defensemen with 2 goals and an assist for a total of 3 points. Matthews, Roslovic, and Gabriele were highest in their plus-minus rating, with each of them earning a +6 through 3 games.

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(photo: Andre Ringuette / Freestyle Photography/OSHC)

The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs honored the memory of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, the soldier who was shot and killed a month ago while on guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Canada. The two teams gathered at the War Memorial on Sunday, November 9th hours before their scheduled match-up in Ottawa to pay their respects.

On October 22nd, the day of the attack and Cpl. Cirillo, the Senators had a scheduled game against the Maple Leafs, but it was postponed after news of the tragedy hit. In the days following the shooting, the hockey community came together to show their support for Canada by coordinating the singing of “O, Canada” and including moments of silence to honor his memory and heroism prior to the start of games. 

According to The Toronto Star, instead of having their usual morning skate, the players honored Cpl. Nathan Cirillo and all other armed forces with a moment of silence. The National War Memorial was closed off so that the Leafs and Senators could have a quiet, respectful ceremony without having to worry about being interrupted by fans. Dion Phaneuf, captain of the Leafs, and Senators’ captain, Erik Karlsson, laid wreaths around the monument in what Karlsson described on his Instagram page as an “emotional ceremony.” 

The wreaths were adorned with a purple band across the center which read, “Lest we forget,” and underneath it, “N’oublions pas,” French for “let us not forget.” These are fitting words to describe the role that the Leafs and Senators – along with the rest of the hockey community – have played in helping with the healing process, coming out to show their respect and their support just two days before Remembrance Day.

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Friday

This weekend the Reading Royals took on the Fort Wayne Komets in back-to-back games on home ice. After losing to Wheeling in their previous game, the Royals found themselves in last place of their division, and needed a win to get back on track. This is the first time the Royals and Komets have met since the Komets eliminated the Royals from the playoffs last year, and it will be the only two times they meet this season unless they meet again in the playoffs. So far this season, the Komets are in first place in their division. The Royals knew they were in for a tough two games.

1st
The first period started with the Komets dominating the Royals with a strong forecheck. This led to lots of turnovers in the neutral zone by the Royals and several good scoring chances for the Komets. With the sustained pressure, Fort Wayne’s Mitchell Heard scored at 15:28 to take the lead. The Royals came back quickly though as Cam Reid scored just seconds later with assists from Adam Hughesman and Olivier Labelle. Reid later commented, “With a turnover on the forecheck, I took the puck to the net; it kind of hit their goalie’s stick, and then their D-man’s shin pads, and then found its way to the back of the net. So it was a pretty lucky one, but a good goal at the time.” About a minute after that, Mike Marcou scored a goal to give the Royals a 2-1 lead that they were able to keep through the end of the 1st period.

2nd
The second period saw the Komets outplay the Royals again. At 7:47 the Royals got a chance on the powerplay as Komets’ Mitchell Heard picked up a minor penalty. The power play turned out unsuccessful for the Royals, and the Komets came back to tie the game at 12:34 after Thomas Frazee scored. Fort Wayne’s Mike Embach would give the Komets a 3-2 lead by the end of the 2nd with only 1:20 left. The Royals hit the locker rooms with some work to do.

3rd
The 3rd period started with another blown power play for the Royals and then a goal for Fort Wayne by Paul Crowder. Halfway through the 3rd the Royals got another chance to tie the game as Komets’ Kaleigh Schrock was put in the box for slashing, and a minute later Komets’ Joey Leach was called for crosschecking giving the Royals a two man advantage. Even with a two man advantage, the Royals were unable to pick up a goal to get back in the game. Shortly after the Komets came back to full strength, Sean Wiles scored to lessen Fort Wayne’s two point lead. With about three minutes left, Coach Courville called for a time out and pulled the goalie Connor Knapp in hopes of tying the game and going into overtime. Unfortunately, the game ended with a Fort Wayne 4-3 win.

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(Source: Erin Bradley)

Saturday

1st
Saturday night was the Royals chance at revenge against the Komets. The Royals took the lead at 6:21 when Reading Forward Adam Hughesman scored against Fort Wayne goalie Sami Aittokallio. A minute and a half later, the Royals took advantage of a power play after Komets’ Paul Crowder received a two-minute penalty for slashing. Forward David Marshall claimed an unassisted goal. The Komets could not let the Royals go into the 2nd period with a two goal lead though, and scored with ten seconds left leaving the score at 2-1.

2nd
As the 2nd period started, the Royals were happy with their lead, but the Komets weren’t going to let that last. At 3:22, the Komets’ James Martin scored with assists from Cody Sol and Christian Ouellet. Realizing they had lost their lead, the Royals learned they had to step it up. Halfway through the second, the Royals regained their lead when Ryan Cruthers scored his first goal of the season. In the second half of the period, Cruthers would get stuck in the penalty box for unsportsmanlike conduct. This led to Mitchell Heard’s goal which once again tied up the game, with a score of 3-3. By the end of the 2nd, the Royals would regain their lead due to a Fort Wayne penalty against Thomas Frazee for hooking. With only 34 seconds left, Pat Mullane scored his fourth goal of the season.

3rd
The 3rd period opened with Reading leading 4-3. At 6:59 they regained their two point lead when David Marshall scored his third goal of the season. Later, the Royals began to lose their lead again after Ian Watters got sent to the box for interference, allowing Fort Wayne’s Shawn Szydlowski to score. There was much back and forth, however, as Komets’ Joey Leach got two minutes for cross-checking leading to Adam Comrie scoring and regaining the Royals two point lead with a score of 6-4. Unfortunately, less than a minute later, Mitchell Heard scored a shorthanded goal which would later allow the Komets to close the gap once again. Fort Wayne’s Center Thomas Frazee tied up the score later at 15:19. From there the game only went downhill for the Royals as Ian Watters received a tripping minor leading to Cody Sol grabbing the game winning goal for the Komets. The final score was 7-6.

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(Source: Erin Bradley)

With their third straight loss, the Royals hit the locker room knowing they were going to have to work harder. Forward Sean Wiles stated, “I think the team needs to play a full 60-minute hockey game. We have these lulls where we get comfortable, and we kind of get away from our game plan a little bit. I think just putting together a good 60-minute solid game would be a step forward for us.”

If the Royals can get on the same page to make their systems work, stop getting too comfortable when they have the lead, and play a consistent 60-minute game, they should be able to turn things around and start winning some games. Forward Cam Reid stated, “I wouldn’t say so much that the chemistry is off, but our work ethic and certain parts of every game haven’t been consistent enough. We haven’t ridden out a whole game yet. We keep showing signs of it, which is good, but we keep having lapses where we get behind and can’t come back. We have to fix that pretty quick.”

What’s Next?

After this weekend’s events, the Komets lead the Eastern Conference in 1st place while the Royals sit in last place in both the Eastern Conference and the Eastern Division. Next weekend, the Royals play both the Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye on the Road. Kalamazoo currently holds 2nd place in the Northern Division while Toledo holds 3rd place. The Royals will come home on Saturday, November 22nd and 23rd to face-off against Indianapolis Fuel who are currently ranked last in the Northern Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference.

In other news, the Royals have signed defenseman Michael Caruso to the team. Caruso previously played for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL last season and even made it up to the NHL for two games with the Florida Panthers in the 2012-2013 season. Coach Courville says, “There is a possibility he will be on the lineup here, but I don’t know how much he has been on the ice. He’s a truly American guy. He’s a defensive guy and a physical guy. He played a little bit in the NHL, so we are hoping he’s a good defenseman for us.” The Royals have also traded defenseman Colby Cohen to the Missouri Mavericks, activated forward Justin Daniels from the ECHL Reserve List; and placed forward Matt Hatch on the ECHL Reserve List. The Royals are hoping these changes will be beneficial for the team and lead them to some more wins.

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When hockey players are discussed they are often saints or sinners. Somehow there is no in-between. And yet, as we know, nothing is black and white, in life or on the ice. Perhaps that is where Howard Shapiro came up with the title of his graphic novel about a professional hockey player who, in public ,appears to be a sinner, but in actuality is closer to a saint; though he struggles with some inner demons. He befriends a young hockey player who idolizes him and the story shows how both men grow through their relationship.

The story opens with young Tom Leonard, a college sophomore, dreaming about his deceased parents. He now lives with his grandmother. He’s a fourth liner for his college team and the coach offers him an incredible opportunity—a partial scholarship and an A for his jersey. Tom promises not to let the coach down. However, Tom is clearly struggling with the death of his parents—lost and looking for some guidance.

Enter Jeremiah Jacobson, a professional hockey player who has put up impressive points on the ice, but is accused, by one commentator, as having “zero character. He’s not a team guy and he has no heart.” Harsh words to say about anyone, and considering that most hockey players are the exact opposite of this, made for an interesting introduction to him.

Tom learns where he lives and goes there one night. While putting out the trash, Jacobson finds Tom sitting outside of his house. Jacobson is smoking, carrying a beer and wearing his bathrobe as he takes out the trash. Not the type of meeting one would expect, and certainly not the image that most conjure up when thinking about their idols—and we have all had idols. Perhaps a little unlikely, Jacobson invites Tom in to his house for a chat. I couldn’t help feeling that this would likely not happen in today’s world, but perhaps was the only way the author felt that the two could begin their interactions.

The rest of The Hockey Saint looks at the friendship that develops between Tom and Jacobson. And while we see Jacobson mentoring Tom in many ways and Tom trying to help Jacobson in return, it takes its toll on Tom’s hockey and studies at college. This was the one area that I felt seemed somewhat out of character with Tom as he was introduced to us. He seemed to be working hard at getting his life in order and then this was somehow abandoned as Tom spends time with Jacobson. However, I suppose that if given the opportunity to hang out with your idol or do school work, the idol would win out.

Jeremiah Jacobson and Tom become friends.

Jeremiah Jacobson and Tom become friends.

Like any good story there are some unexpected twists and turns and one thing that I was surprised to find was my own two worlds coming together in Shapiro’s graphic novel: genealogy (family history)—my profession—and hockey. In fact when Tom’s grandmother talks about genealogy she mentions having taken a course through Boston University. I almost dropped my iPad when I read that, as I was very familiar with the course and was surprised to see this in the story, though it made me smile. I had to ask the author about how he had come to include this in his book.

“I wish there was some great backstory here but the way I came up with the Boston University certificate program is that I simply googled ‘online genealogy degree program’ and Boston U’s program was one of the first hits,” Shapiro responded. “Just to expand a bit though, I did want his grandmother to play more than just a background role in the story or to be just a one dimensional character. That goes for all of the characters I write, but one thing I really wanted to do with The Hockey Saint was to have a few strong female characters.”

Going further into his discussion of the female characters in The Hockey Saint he did say that he named Tom’s grandmother, Sophie, after his own grandmother. Genealogy in use, you could say. And grandmother Sophie’s genealogical knowledge is put to good use in the story, though I won’t say how as it would reveal too much.

Overall this is a fun story and delves into the demons that both Tom and Jeremiah are trying to overcome. If I had anything that I wish hadn’t been so prevalent it would be the smoking that Jacobson does. Graphic novels appeal to young people and though I am not naïve enough to think that they aren’t smoking, every time it is made to look cool, it just helps encourage that attitude. Of course that could be the mother in me.

The graphics are good and the story shows that idols can fall off the pedestals on which we insist putting them, because no one is perfect. And in the end, perhaps not being perfect but instead being real is actually better.

The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro is published by Animal Media Group and can be ordered through their web site: www.animalmediagroup.com/shop/the-hockey-saint/ as well as through Amazon.com.

If you enjoy graphic novels, you will want to check this one out. You don’t have to know about hockey to enjoy it. And if you are trying to get your son or daughter to read more and they are into hockey then you may want to get this for them as they will identify with Tom’s idol worship and may learn how to accept the “real” person behind their hockey favorite.

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