Did you know hockey rinks actually used to be called barns? There is no concrete answer as to why, but there are a few theories. Some say it’s because people originally used barns as hockey rinks, while others say it’s simply because the old design of the arenas were very similar to that of a barn. Many barns have their own unique histories and great stories to tell. Up this week is Cambridge County War Memorial Arena!
Name: Cambria County War Memorial Arena
Team: Johnstown Tomahawks
Location: Johnstown, PA
Year Built: 1950
Capacity: 4,000
(Source: https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5225/5646762513_b84cda2845_z.jpg)
The Cambria County War Memorial Arena is the home of “Old Time Hockey.” This building is filled with many stories, many memories, and overall character. When you walk through the doors of this hockey barn, you will first find yourself walking through fairly narrow corridors made of old and aging bricks. If you continue into the stadium you will soon find an old style scoreboard hanging from the ceiling with only light up dots to tell you the score. Once the game begins you may notice the back-up goalie sitting in the aisle near the fans as the benches are too short to hold the entire team. You may even notice that the players have to step down from the bench a couple of feet just to get onto the ice.
Built in 1950 just after World War II, the site of the Cambria County War Memorial Arena actually used to be the Union Cemetery. The creation of this arena was originally put into motion when the Johnstown Lions Club was looking to build a memorial to honor both the men and women of Cambria County who have fought in the United States military. After much consideration as to what form the memorial should take, the group decided on an arena that could be used as an entertainment source for the community.
(Source: http://johnstownjets.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/aatradition-300×235.jpg)
The building itself has an interesting layout that lets fans get closer to the behind-the-scenes action than most stadiums. At the end of each period, the players actually have to cross the concourse to get to their locker rooms. The staff has to put up a barricades to separate the players from the fans who are roaming around the concourse. This gives fans the chance to get closer to the players and cheer them on between periods. Fans may also have the chance to stand right next to the Zamboni as the staff often parks it on the concourse when it is not in use.
(Source: http://www.roamingtherinks.com/photos/Cambria-County-War-Memorial/Johnstown%2009%20player%20cage%20fixed.jpg)
Any avid hockey movie fan would be excited to visit this hockey barn as it is famous for being the shooting location for one of the greatest hockey movies of all time, Slapshot. At the front of the building you can even find a small gallery with photos and memorabilia from the movie. Any Slapshot fan surely should have a visit to this arena on their hockey bucket list.
The Cambria County War Memorial was the home of the Johnstown Jets from 1950-1977 and in 1975 a writer by the name of Nancy Dowd decided to write a screenplay about what it is like for hockey players in the minor leagues. Dowd was the sister of one of the players and many of her characters are based on members of the Johnstown Jets team.
The Hanson Brother’s putting on the foil.
(Source: http://wpmedia.o.canada.com/2013/06/bluewings.jpg?w=617)
Just sitting in the seats you can see the door to Joe McGrath’s office, the press box that hangs from the ceiling and the perch on the end of the rink where the organ player sat. You can imagine the Hanson brothers putting on the foil and remember Dickie Dunn trying to “capture the spirit of the thing” writing about player coach Reggie Dunlop, Ned Braden and the Hanson Brothers.
As far as teams go, the Cambria County War Memorial Arena has been home to many teams across many leagues. Here is a chart showing the history of the teams in this hockey barn:
If you want the chance to see up and coming players at the junior A hockey level and visit a great old barn, take the chance now before it’s too late. I’ve recently read an article from Dickie Dunn that the team is going to be sold to a retirement community, and if Dickie Dunn wrote it, it must be true.
(photo: Jack Lima Photography)
“He’s been part of the organization for quite a while,” Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Rich Kromm said. “Garet’s obviously looking to his future and would like to eventually become a coach so it’s an opportunity for him to get involved here, learn this side of the business, and still be able to play and lead our team.”
Over the weekend, Stockton Thunder Captain Garet Hunt re-signed for his seventh season with the team. The 5’9”, 190 lbs. forward has served as team captain for the past two seasons. After he led his team to a berth in the Kelly Cup Finals in 2013, Hunt put up career highs with 14 goals, 22 assists and 36 points during the 2013-14 campaign. The 2014-15 season will mark a new chapter in Hunt’s career as he takes on an expanded role with the team; serving as assistant coach beside Head Coach Kromm while still maintaining his role as the gritty, tough-nosed player on the ice and the captaincy.
“My goal is to help the team anyway I can,” Hunt said. “I want to develop into more of a complete two-way player and be a good teammate and leader. Obviously I’m very competitive and want to win. I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to go deep into the playoffs and play for a Kelly Cup. Last year’s playoff exit in the second round left a sour taste in my mouth, so I can’t wait to get back to work and go after the Kelly Cup again.”
Hunt is a fan favorite both on and off the ice in Stockton. He is a part of the community and a backbone of the organization. He is currently the franchise’s all-time leader in games played with 383, in penalty minutes, 1,388 (no surprise there) and ranks second all time in points with 138, just 18 points behind Mike Lalonde.
“My long term goal is to play as long as I can but I’m very interested in coaching after my playing career is over, so working with Coach Kromm, who’s so down to earth and easy going, is a chance I don’t want to miss out on,” Hunt said. “I don’t want to waste an opportunity with someone so willing to teach both on and off the ice so I plan to take full advantage. Coach has played in the NHL and coached in many leagues. I want to learn from a guy like that, a guy who does and says the right thing. I look up to that.”
“We had talked about him getting into coaching last year and talked more about it during the course of the offseason,” Kromm said. “More than anything else, Garet’s going to be able to work with younger guys and help out more in practices. He’s going to be a little more involved there and certainly we’ll introduce him to the business side of things, be it working on immigration, preparing video or other things.”
Player/Assistant Coach/ Captain Garet Hunt Head Coach Rich Kromm photo: Stockton Thunder
PHOTO: http://www.fearthefin.com/2014/8/20/6050839/sharks-strip-joe-thornton-of-captaincy Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
We are nearing the end of another offseason. This one was particularly interesting after yet another letdown by the San Jose Sharks in the playoffs. They seem to be in disarray, most recently with the announcement last month that there would be no captain or alternates through training camp. Is this a statement to both the players and fans?
The news is troublesome and embarrassing for us Sharks fans by those watching in the entire league. I’ve already had Kings fans chuckle at this or be completely dumbfounded and silent. As one friend said, “Cassie, for the first time I have nothing to say.” For me, I was completely devastated at first. Joe Thornton is my favorite player. How dare he be stripped of his title!
OK, I get it. There needs to be a change. Some kind of change. Any change! Many teams in the past have gone without captains and have used 3 alternates instead. After my initial grieving period, I started to think about the qualities that a leader should have; more importantly, what qualities a professional ice hockey team captain should have.
The first thing that pops into my mind is presence. We always hear about how presence is so important both on and off the ice. Physically, Thornton is a big man, but he was not known to fight unless he absolutely had to. I think presence needs to go beyond the physical, though. Presence also entails reliability and smarts. Translated to hockey, this means that the captain is counted on and relied upon to make plays happen, especially in dire situations, and is smart on the ice, with or without the puck. Thornton has an amazing ability to make plays and because of that, he’s pretty darn smart with and without the puck. He sees space on the ice before the space even exists, many times resulting in an assist – he’s the Assist King! He’s just that smart. So when you combine reliability and smarts, your presence becomes that much more remembered and known. I think Thornton encapsulated those traits well.
Next up: communication that extends beyond the ice and onto the bench and into the locker room. We all know hockey players make calls and “chirp” at each other on the ice, but the captain needs to lead those conversations. Think of communication as like a team meeting at your job – when communication flourishes, things get accomplished. The same can be applied to hockey. I see Thornton talking, not sure what he’s saying, but he definitely needs to lead meaningful conversations on the ice and in the locker room.
Lastly, and maybe the most important quality, is the ability to inspire. Again, just like at your job, how hard are you going to work if your boss is not inspiring you? A team captain needs to inspire his teammates, his workforce. I am not sure if anyone has really inspired this team. I don’t know what goes on in the locker room, but on the ice, sometimes inspiration is non-existent. Lackluster performances seem to prevail in the postseason. This is a problem. Did Thornton inspire in his captaincy, especially in the most important time, the playoffs? I don’t think he did, unfortunately, and that might have been the key quality to have.
So what’s Joe’s end-of-season grade on his report card? Maybe a C. 50/50.
Management is trying to send a message and make a statement. Anyone can have the job. (Remember when Patrick Marleau was stripped of his “C” back in 2009?) So, it’s not anything new in the NHL or with the Sharks, it’s just an interesting, symbolic decision that impacts the team. Does management have a plan to the madness, or are they disorganized and barely treading shark-infested waters, putting on a façade and hoping this is the right thing to do?
Now, the highly anticipated training camp, beginning September 19, will be viewed with a watchful eye by not only coaches but fans. All eyes are on everyone, and leaves us wondering who is the best to don the “C”? Logan Couture? Joe Pavelski? Jumbo, again? How about Marleau?
At this point of confusion with what’s happening with my team, I don’t know who is best fit for the opportunity at hand. Just like the Sharks’ coaches though, I will come into the season with a fresh mind and new outlook. As summer comes to a close and the boys hit the ice this week, all we can do is wait in fierce anticipation!
Day 1 started with a bang for the Arizona Coyotes’ Rookies. A morning filled with physical tests, led up to the moment many fans have waited 4 months for…the first official (rookie) practice for the Arizona Coyotes.
Many talented men filled the ice, and made their presence known. They fought hard in day 1 for their spot in training camp, even after a morning of vigorous testing. Many have been in this position in prior years, and the hopes that this year would be their year were looming. Some men were more prominent than others, making their chances of making the roster much higher.
Brendan Perlini, the Coyotes first round pick was the talk in the crowd, #37. Everyone wanted to see the reputed skill the 18 year old supposedly had. He was among the best out on the ice, but that didn’t come as a surprise to many.
#51, Christian Dvorak was also a hot shot on the ice. From just one practice, fans could tell that he was a star. He knew how to control the puck, and he used that to his advantage in the drills that they performed.
Maxi Domi, is among some of the other top prospects. The 19-year-old, if he makes the team, is expected to be an asset to the offense; something the Coyotes have lacked in the past. #16 is someone who scores and he does it well. That is exactly what the team needs at this point.
Overall, the practice was smooth and there were many that showed that they had what it would take to be in the NHL. Now that was only day 1 and there is so much more to come.
Stay tuned for more rookie practice and even team scrimmages!
It has been a long warm summer but fall is in the air and that means, hockey season is near! Once again I put my lucky hockey puck on my desk (Toronto Maple Leafs) and I place my lucky beaded necklace on my wall, again a token of my love for the Toronto Maple Leafs. I don’t forget to wear my hockey jersey on the cold days and my Leaf t-shirt on the warmer winter days. I cannot go to sleep in the season without my Leaf t-shirt on to keep me in dreams of Toronto winning the cup! I made a promise to myself years ago that I cannot die till my team, the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. I know, I know, this promise might be broken but I am only 51 right now so it gives the team some time. I want to be in the crowds of thousands walking down Young Street in downtown Toronto when they win. I hope that the team can fulfil my dream and I don’t need to play with a hologram to be included in the celebrations! C’mon team!
Now to the news of the day: In August I read an article that read ‘expansion’ in the NHL. The write-up was written by Howard Bloom from Sports Business News and a writer from the Province newspaper in Vancouver, Tony Gallagher. The article read that there might be an NHL expansion of four new teams Vegas, Toronto, Quebec City and Seattle by 2017. I have not heard any more about this, have my readers? The expansion fees would bloat the league with $1.4 billion.
The reason I bought this up is: do we need more teams in the NHL and all by 2017?
Does Vegas need a hockey team to gamble on? I am not sure if their locals are ‘into’ hockey like some cold climate cities. I think it might just be another craze fad to the Vegas crowds. Toronto is another story. Let us face the music together on this, if the Leafs cannot win, what makes another team better? Maybe the city can put their money/power and grace into the Leafs instead of a new team? I would second that motion. Seattle is building an arena for the NBA. Hockey was not discussed at all in the plans for the city. Then there is Quebec City. I am not 100% sure what is happening there but it looks like a no go.
I am wondering if this is an anniversary myth or what? 2017 is the 100th anniversary of the league.
The United States’ most promising female hockey players showcased their skills for USA Hockey this weekend at National Development Camp.
In all, 36 players gathered at University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, for skills and drills, off-ice conditioning, and scrimmages. Those 36 include a number from the USA’s 2014 Olympic team, such as Hilary Knight, Gigi Marvin, Alexandra Carpenter, Kacey Bellamy, Kendall Coyne, Jocelyne Lameroux-Davidson, Michelle Picard and goaltender Molly Shaus.
The camp also featured a lot of young talent, including Boston College goaltender Corinne Boyles; her teammates, Emily Pfalzer, Lexi Bender, Emily Field and Andie Anastos; Paige Savage of Northeastern; Maddie Elia of Boston University; and Shiann Darkangelo of Quinnipiac.
The camp is used to evaluate player progression and provide training guidelines for future opportunities for the USA Women’s National Team.
On Monday, the National Hockey League announced that they had named Stéphane Quintal as Senior Vice President of Player Safety, a role he had assumed as interim since April 11, 2014, when Brendan Shanahan left the position to become the President of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The NHL went through what they described as “an extensive evaluation process” in which they interviewed a number of qualified candidates before they came to the conclusion that the “goals and objectives of the Department of Player Safety would be served best under Quintal’s continued leadership.”
The position of Senior Vice President of Player Safety is perhaps one of the most thankless jobs when it comes to comments from fans. Regardless of the decision made after an incident, there is always a vocal group to point out that the Senior Vice President got it wrong. However, Quintal has been involved in the Department of Player Safety since its inception during the opening of the 2011-12 season. And having served as the interim Senior Vice President during the most intense period of the entire season—the last week of the regular season and the entire postseason—Quintal is already very aware of the heat that he is likely to receive from the fans, and perhaps even a few of the more vocal coaches. Of course, he also understands the job and that his focus needs to be on the players and keeping them safe, regardless of what others may say about his decisions.
Stephane Quintal
“Stéphane Quintal has been dedicated to the mission of the Department of Player Safety since its creation for the opening of the 2011-12 season and has demonstrated over the last several months that he is uniquely suited to lead the department going forward,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “Brendan Shanahan established and built a highly-functioning and well-run departmetn in his three years at its helm. Among his most important decisions was hiring Stéphane Quintal to be part of his supervisory team.”
Quintal –like Shanahan before him—has extensive experience as a player, having spent 16 NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, St.Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. The Boucherville, Québec native was selected by the Bruins in the first round (14th overall) in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. During his NHL career, he appeared in 1,037 NHL games, scoring 63 goals and 180 assists, while accruing 1,320 penalty minutes.
Not an easy job to be sure, but clearly one that the NHL and Quintal feel he is right for. It is hoped that the explanations and videos will persist so that there continues to be some manner of transparency when it comes to the discipline of infractions.
The complete press release and a five minute interview with Quintal about his new position can be found here.
(photo: twincitiesmaze.com)
Fall is in the air, hockey season is just around the corner, and the “State of Hockey” is continuing to live up to its nickname.
The Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze, held annually at Brooklyn Park in Saint Paul, MN, will feature a corn maze in the shape of the Minnesota Wild logo this year. In addition to this massive tribute to the Wild organization, the festival will donate 50 cents from every ticket sold toward the Minnesota Wild Foundation; once attendance at the corn maze reaches 15,000 people, this donation will double. The Minnesota Wild Foundation works to support pediatric medical causes and provides fundraising opportunities for youth hockey organizations across the state.
The maze opens to the public on Saturday, September 20, and is located at 8001 109th Ave. N. in Saint Paul. General admission is $10/person ($12 onsite) and $9/person for groups of 20 or more. In addition to the corn maze, the site features a corn pit, petting zoo, hayride, and live music. Visit twincitiesmaze.com for more information and to order tickets for the festival and maze.
Veteran goaltender, Martin Brodeur, remains a free-agent after parting ways with the New Jersey Devils over the summer. On Tuesday, his agent told reporters that one of the reasons the 42-year-old has not retired is because he wants to get his 700th win.
Brodeur is 12 wins away from 700 and his agent Pat Brisson told Northjersey.com that a 700th win is something he is determined to accomplish before retirement. He also said that Brodeur is looking for a team that will have a strong chance to win the Stanley Cup.
Ideally he would like to win the starting job for whichever team he played for. However, last week he told reporters that he would be willing to play for the Montreal Canadiens as a backup for Carey Price.
“Both physically and mentally Marty is ready to have another season,” Brisson told Northjersey.com. He does believe that the 2014-2015 season will be Brodeur’s last, though.
Photo courtesy of www.nj.com
(photo:hockeycanada.ca)
Kamloops, B.C.: home to breweries, ghost trains, a whole lot of salmon, and, in April 2016, the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship.
Called “Canada’s Tournament Capital” (by its own tourism board, to be fair), Kamloops has previously hosted such prestigious tournaments as the the Western Canada Summer Games, the Memorial Cup, and the Canada Summer Games. After losing the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship bid in 2013, Kamloops pulled out all the stops for the 2016 bid to beat out the competition.
Kamloops’ mayor, Peter Milobar, expressed his excitement to see Kamloops shine as Canada’s tournament capital; he certainly should be, given that, according to Hockey Canada, the tournament is projected to have “an economic impact of $20 million, with a projected profit in excess of $300,000 to be invested in minor hockey programs across the country.”
Though it’s unclear whether those minor hockey programs will be aimed specifically at developing female talent, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada stressed the importance of tournaments like this in growing the women’s game.
“As a B.C. native, I could not be more excited to have the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship come to the province for the first time,” he said. “I know the passion the city has for hockey, and I am sure it will be a first-class event on and off the ice that will grow the sport and provide young aspiring female hockey players with a chance to watch the best in the world.”
All 22 games of the Championship will be played at the Interior Savings Center and McArthur Island Sports and Event Centre. This will be the second international women’s hockey tournament to find a home in Kamloops, which will also host the 2014 4 Nations Cup in November.
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