CMG Sports Having Record Year in Free Agent Market

 In its most impressive season so far, CMG Sports has found success in a market that barely existed five years ago:  “Draft Aged Free agent camp invites”.  In this 2010-11 pre-season alone, CMG Sports secured over 100 NHL camps for its clients, many of whom have already been signed to NHL contracts.  Close to 25% of those camp invitations were draft-aged players (18 to 20 years old) who were extended invitations as free agents.  An NHL Club that has passed on draft eligible players can still extend an Amateur tryout to such players, and are allowed to sign these same players, if they so wish.  Within the last month, CMG Sports has negotiated NHL contracts for Jace Coyle (WHL) with the Dallas Stars, Curt Gogol (WHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Trevor Parkes (QMJHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, and Colton Jobke (WHL) with the Minnesota Wild, all draft aged free agent invites. “We have seen a rise in interest from NHL teams toward securing Entry Level Players early on, if they have passed through the NHL draft”, says Allain Roy, President of CMG Sports.  “We always tell our clients that the draft is not the ”be all and end all” for their careers.  With these recent developments, it is proof that many players will have a chance to play in the NHL without being drafted.  For instance, we have negotiated three of these Entry Level type contracts for our clients in the past three years with the Detroit Red Wings.  Some NHL teams seem to gravitate toward these types of signings more than others”.

The Boston Bruins will have the summer to reflect on the 2011-12 season and their first-round exit to the Washington Capitals, which all followed after an arduous Stanley Cup championship run in 2011.

But for Boston Bruins forward Rich Peverley (and undoubtedly the rest of the team), he’d rather be playing.

Canada is rounding out its roster at the IIHF World Hockey Championship with defenceman Kris Russell. The 25-year-old is expected to arrive in Helsinki on Thursday.

Sharks Fans, SharksAHL.com will be checking in with Worcester Sharks players throughout the offseason! Our first victim is forward Curt Gogol! Curt skated in 53 games for the Sharks, scoring six goals, four assists, 167 penalty minutes, and led all AHL rookies with 19 fighting major penalties. #13 checks in with us from Calgary, Alberta.

Holzer scored once and set up another with a rocket drive that ricocheted off Abbotsford goalie Danny Taylor. Holzer along with partner Mark Fraser made the Marlies’ end failsafe as the locals evened their playoff series with Abbotsford with a  5-1 win.

Apologies to Nick Merkley’s teachers at Nickle School in Lake Bonavista. But as hard as the 14-year-old Grade 9 student attempts to concentrate on Thursday, his mind will be on the 2012 Western Hockey League bantam draft, which happens to begin about the same time he’ll be starting morning classes.

Tyler Bunz has won the 2011-12 Del Wilson Trophy as the Western Hockey League Goaltender of the Year.
The award caps off another brilliant season for the Tigers netminder, who set career best marks in games played, wins and save percentage.  Bunz went 39-17-2-3 with 3 shutouts and a 2.57 goals against average in leading the Tigers to yet-another playoff berth.

Impressionnant ! C'est le premier qualificatif qui vient en tête quand on pense au jeune gardien de 16 ans Zachary Fucale des Mooseheads de Halifax. Depuis la blessure et la maladie qui a frappé le gardien Américain Anthony Terenzio, Fucale est devenu l'homme de confiance de l'entraîneur-chef recrue Dominique Ducharme. Êtes-vous bien assis ? Le jeune gardien, qui aura 17 ans à la fin du mois de mai, a amorcé 67 des 70 derniers matchs des Mooseheads devant le filet, séquence qui remonte au 22 octobre. On parle de 3 matchs ratés en 6 mois! Fucale n'a que 16 ans ne l'oublions pas. En fait, les seules trois rencontres qu'il a raté dans la période des fêtes c'était parce que ses services avaient été prêtés à Équipe Québec des moins de 17 ans pour le Défi mondial. La fatigue il ne semble pas connaître ca…!

The Coyotes, playing in the post-season for the third straight year, disposed of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round in six games and now find themselves with a 2-0 series lead over the Nashville Predators in the conference semifinals. One of the working parts of the team that has made Dave Tippett’s bunch so formidable is former CHL defenseman and Presidents’ Cup champion David Schlemko.

Team Canada’s under-18 squad featured an excellent array of talent and many eyeballs were focused on 2012 draft prospects such as Matt Dumba, Brendan Gaunce and Matt Murray. But the 2013 kids on the roster were just as impressive and one name to remember is Prince Albert Raiders defenseman Josh Morrissey.

Dov Grumet-Morris has a degree in government from Harvard, a home in Milwaukee, a wife who is a surgeon doing a cancer research fellowship in Houston and a job as a goalie for the San Antonio Rampage, who open the American Hockey League playoffs at home Thursday night against the Wolves.

James Cameron should have produced something so epic as the night captain Critchlow and the Mooseheads had while completing their comeback with 5-4 Game 7 overtime win over the Quebec Remparts

On Saturday it was announced that the Calgary Flames defensemen, Chris Butler would be joining the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2012 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

Austin Smith was one of the three "Hobey Hat Trick" finalists this year after a sensational season in which he led the nation in goal scoring with 36 and finishing third with 57 points (36 goals, 21 assists) in 39 games with the Colgate Raiders. Smith's excellent senior campaign earned him numerous honors, including the ECAC Player of the Year and a selection to the All-America East First team.

It’s been too long. Fucale may be an underager, but his play has been so good as a rookie that it bears mention, especially since he’s still hot in the playoffs. The Mooseheads netminder set a record for wins by a 16-year-old (32) and so far he’s perfect in the playoffs too, rocking a league-best 1.97 goals-against average after sweeping Moncton. Draft eligible in 2013.

 The American Hockey League announced today the individual team winners of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year awards, selected by their respective clubs for their outstanding contributions to the local community and charitable organizations during the 2011-12 season.

All this time, coaches had been wrong about Matt Frattin. They saw that the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie was a right-handed shot and naturally assumed that he should play right wing. It was a simple mistake of not being able to look past the obvious.

First Star: Kyle Brodziak, C, Minnesota Wild – Brodziak tallied two goals and six points over the last week, which helped the seemingly hapless Wild to two straight wins over division foes on Monday and Thursday. In addition, Brodziak also fired seven shots on goal over the Wild’s last three games and has been a +2 during that time. Brodziak is now second on the Wild in scoring with 40 points, and has set career highs in both goals and points this season within the past week, all adding up to a number one star slot.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that goaltender Jussi Rynnas has been recalled from the American Hockey League on an emergency basis to replace James Reimer for Tuesday night’s game against Carolina.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender, Zachary Fucale was awarded the Raymond-Lagacé trophy in a pre-game ceremony on Friday night.

Belleville Bulls Head Coach and General Manager George Burnett announced Monday that Aaron Berisha, the team's fourth round pick in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection is heading to Belleville for the 2012-13 season. The Mississauga native has spent this season playing at Salisbury Prep School in Salisbury, Connecticut.

The Dallas Stars made it official this afternoon -- they've signed forward Austin Smith, the team's fifth round pick (128th overall) in 2007 to a two-year, to a two-year entry-level contract.

While preparing his Massachusetts-Lowell team for its first-round game in the N.C.A.A. men’s hockey tournament Friday, Norm Bazin will not preach about seizing the moment or feeling lucky to be alive. Bazin has never used his personal story as motivation this season, his first with the River Hawks, who ended a 16-year drought by making the tournament.

Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier announced today that forward Travis Turnbull has been recalled on an emergency basis from the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.

Peter Boyd of the Bakersfield Condors is the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for March 12-18. The 24-year-old left wing scored two goals and added six assists for eight points last week, helping the Condors go 3-1-0 for the week.

Boston Bruins forward Rich Peverley continued on the trail to returning to the lineup Monday when he joined his teammates for their morning skate at TD Garden.

Peverley suffered a third-degree sprain of the MCL in his right knee Feb. 15 against Montreal. At the time, his prognosis was for a return in 4-6 weeks.

CMG Clients Campbell Elynuik and Jessey Astles drop the gloves (Video).

Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers have agreed to terms with goaltender Tyler Bunz on a three-year entry level contract.

Bunz, 20, is currently playing with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and has finished his fourth full season appearing in 61 games this year with a 39-17-5 record, 2.57 GAA and .921 save percentage. He also recorded three shutouts.

Mark Letestu scored twice and Johnson had a goal against his former teammates to lead the Blue Jackets to their fourth straight win Thursday night, a 3-1 victory that ended the Kings' three-game winning streak.

At six-foot-seven Ben Bishop casts an imposing figure in the Ottawa Senators' goal, but his teammates are even more impressed with the rookie's poise and confidence.

Mike Connolly hardly could have picked a better place to make his NHL debut. The forward, who skated Sunday on a line with Peter Mueller and Matt Duchene, was called up from Lake Erie late Saturday and saw his first action with the Avalanche — at what has to be his favorite arena in the world.

Ben Bishop made 41 saves in his Binghamton Senators debut to help the club snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory against the St. John's IceCaps on Tuesday.

The Western Hockey League announced today that Tyler Bunz, of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has been named the VAUGHN WHL Goaltender of the Month for February.

ZACHARY FUCALE likes to say he’s "just riding the wave." The rookie goalie from Rosemere, Que., is enjoying a rookie season for the ages with the Halifax Mooseheads, setting records and overachieving like no other young netminder in QMJHL history.

The St. Louis Blues have traded rookie goaltender Ben Bishop to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2013 second round draft pick. Bishop was drafted by the Blues in 2005 (85th overall) and has been developing in their minor league system since 2008.

The Vancouver Canucks acquired right wing Andrew Gordon from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenceman Sebastian Erixon. Gordon, 26, registered five points (two goals, three assists) and six penalty minutes with the Anaheim Ducks this season. In 19 games with the American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch, he collected eight points (3-5-8) and 10 penalty minutes.

“Jerred is a responsible veteran who plays hard at both ends,” Tallon said. “He’s a very good penalty-killer who has consistently ranked among his team’s leaders in faceoff win percentage.”

In the plus-minus world of pro hockey, yesterday’s NHL deadline deals look like they left the Sharks in the red.

The Minnesota Wild have re-signed center Kyle Brodziak to a three-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.

Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller has been been named the NHL's First Star for the week ending Feb. 19.  Winnipeg Jets right wing Blake Wheeler and Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza were named the Second and Third Stars respectively.

Check out CMG Client Alexandre Grenier's big hit on Francis Beauvillier via Metro photographer. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated center Mark Letestu off injured reserve, club Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson announced February 14. Letestu missed the last 17 games due to a hand injury suffered at San Jose on January 5.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have summoned Korbinian Holzer three times from the American Hockey League this season and each time he has spent the game in the press box as a seventh defenceman. But Toronto Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins believes that when the time is right, Holzer will get his opportunity to play in the NHL.

CMG Client Christophe Lalancelette scores two goals against Halifax (VIDEO).

* - minimum 34 games, 29 for goaltenders
Player rankings are based on statistical production and are intended to value the impact a player has on the game.

South Carolina Stingrays goaltender Philipp Grubauer is the Reebok Hockey ECHL Rookie of the Month for January.  The 20-year-old went 7-1-0 with one shutout, a 1.66 goals-against average and a save percentage of .935 in nine appearances during the month, helping the Stingrays to an 11-2-0 mark in January.

Josh Morrissey is my choice for the best rookie in the Eastern Conference and possibly the WHL so far this season (Sam Reinhart might be the favourite right now).  He leads all Raider defensemen in scoring with 24 points and his +9 rating is also tops on the Raiders.

Bishop played the third period, stopped 10 of 11 shots, then shut down all four East challengers in the penalty-shot tiebreaker to play the hero’s role on an All-Star squad for which he initially was not chosen.

If anybody knows the South Buffalo community it is a tight-nit group. Everybody knows everybody in South Buffalo and if one of your own makes it big – everybody makes it. Tim Kennedy is a South Buffalo boy who has made it big. He plays hockey for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League and had a stint with his hometown Buffalo Sabres.

Playing their second home game in as many nights, the Ducks looked more like they were jet-lagged instead as the Colorado Avalanche spent much of Sunday night peppering Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller.It looked like the kind of night where a team needs its netminder to be the player that makes the difference. Hiller was just that, as he has been during the Ducks' current surge.

Rivermen goaltender Ben Bishop has been added to the AHL All-Star Classic, according to the player and St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong. Bishop will join the Western Conference squad in the Jan. 29 Skills Competition and Jan. 30 All-Star Game at Atlantic City.

When the Blues play Pittsburgh at 7 o'clock tonight at Scottrade Center, it will be a special night for Joe Vitale and his family. The Pittsburgh forward and St. Louis native will be making his first NHL appearance in his hometown.

Josh Morrissey's outstanding play on the blueline has been one of the few bright spots of the Prince Albert Raiders' disappointing season. The 16-year-old rookie has quickly climbed the Raiders' defensive depth chart. Morrissey now munches more than 20 minutes a game and quarterbacks P.A.'s power play, having racked up five goals and 24 points throughout 41 games. He's also a team-best +9.

A six-week old puppy is in need of some seriously pampering after being rescued from the bitter cold by three junior hockey players in Saskatchewan. Teammates from the Prince Albert Raiders saw a woman drop something into the bed of a parked truck earlier this week as temperatures dipped to -40 C.

The American Hockey League announced today that Peoria Rivermen goaltender Ben Bishop has been selected as the Reebok/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 15, 2012. Bishop went 2-0-0 while stopping 70 of 71 shots in two starts last week, good for a 0.50 goals-against average and a .986 save percentage.

The Portland Winterhawks have acquired forward Marcel Noebels, 19, from the Seattle Thunderbirds in exchange for first round picks in the 2012 and 2013 WHL Bantam Drafts, and forward Seth Swenson.

Add another Senators name to list of players taking part in 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend festivities at Scotiabank Place. Forward Colin Greening is among a list of 12 rookies named today by the National Hockey League to participate in the Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition, set for Jan. 28. The league also announced the 36 players who'll fill out the rosters for the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game, to be played Jan. 29 at Scotiabank Place.

"I'm not just a guy who goes out there and wants to fight every night," said Weise. "I think I can bring more and score some goals. My role is to be physical and bring some energy and I thought as a line we were pretty good and made some things happen tonight."

One of the best parts of Tuesday night’s 7-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Maple Leafs was the play of rookie winger Matt Frattin.

When his tenure with the Philadelphia Flyers organization ended abruptly in October of 2010, one thing was for sure – the future of Patrick Maroon’s career in pro hockey was completely unknown.

Even though Kris Russell was Columbus’ third round pick in 2005, by the time he reached the NHL two years later he was being marked as the elusive puck-moving defender the franchise had struggled to find in its infancy. Expectations were inflated from his strong stats in the Western League with Medicine Hat and promising back-to-back gold medal showings with Canada at the World Junior Championship.

Kyle Brodziak doesn't watch a lot of episodic television when the Minnesota Wild are traveling, but one show has hooked him: "Gold Rush Alaska" on the Discovery Channel.

Zack Smith might have to get used to the spotlight. The Ottawa centre was honoured as the team's player of the month for November prior to Monday's game with the Tampa Bay Lightning and promptly went out and scored twice in the Senators' 4-2 victory. Smith now has five goals in his last five games, but deflected the attention away from himself, choosing instead to credit the play of his linemates and his experience in the minors.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled defenseman Evan Oberg from the Norfolk Admirals today, Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced. He will wear No. 43.

Jonas Hiller made 19 saves, rookie Devante Smith-Pelly scored a power-play goal, and Niklas Hagman added an empty-netter for the Ducks, who killed seven penalties in just their third victory in 19 games since mid-October. Anaheim hadn't won since Nov. 11, the tension increasing with every loss.

The Minnesota Wild continue to be one of the surprise success stories of the season. Kyle Brodziak scored in regulation and added the winner in the sixth round of the shootout Wednesday as the Minnesota Wild moved into first place in the NHL's overall standings with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

For Zack Smith, it was an uncomfortable 104 seconds. The questionable high-sticking penalty he was given in the second-last minute of play — with his team clinging on to a 4-3 lead — could have been damaging. Especially so with the Senators’ best ‘killer’ in the box.

Shots can come from any angle. But a goaltender may not be thinking that when he’s sitting on the bench. For Medicine Hat Tigers goaltender and Edmonton Oilers draft pick Tyler Bunz, he took a shot from a strange angle last week in the Canada/Russia Super Series, while sitting on the bench during Game 5 of the Super Series in Regina.

The Peoria Rivermen lost AHL goalscoring leader Brett Sterling on Sunday morning to a call-up by the parent club St. Louis Blues. Sterling teamed with center T.J. Hensick and right wing Derek Nesbitt to form the most prolific scoring line in the AHL during the first 18 games of the season.

The Minnesota Wild announced Wednesday the signing of defenseman Kris Fredheim.
Fredheim (pronounced FRED-haym), signed a one-year, entry-level deal with Minnesota. In addition, the Wild announced Wednesday that it had placed forward Guillaume Latendresse on injured reserve.

Cinquième choix au total lors du dernier repêchage de la Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec, Matt Murphy est l’un des deux joueurs de 16 ans qui se sont taillé une place dans l’alignement des Foreurs de Val d’Or cette saison.

Yesterday the Columbus Jackets acquired center Mark Letestu from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 4th round pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft. It was announced by Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Scott Howson.

Winning a college hockey national championship is a special accomplishment that can be about many things. It’s about the glory instilled in the community, the alumni, family and friends. It’s about making a name for the school represented and knowing that no one can take that moment of high achievement away.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent defenceman Kris Russell to the St. Louis Blues for defenceman Nikita Nikitin. Russell has appeared in 12 games for the Blue Jackets this season, scoring twice and adding an assist. The Red Deer, Alberta native has spent his entire career with Columbus since being drafted in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The rookie forward was recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday afternoon and boarded a flight out of Oklahoma City a couple hours before his American Hockey League teammates experienced a 4.7-magnitude earthquake. They were quick to let him know what he missed out on. "I got a bunch of texts," Frattin said Tuesday before the Maple Leafs faced the Florida Panthers.

It’s almost downright bizarre that Jerred Smithson looks like one of the youngest players on the most youthful team in the NHL. He can barely grow a “Movember” mustache, and he keeps his full head of hair closely cropped. In reality, Smithson, 32, is the oldest forward on the Predators’ active roster. He’s had two shoulder surgeries, wears a knee brace when he skates, and paid his dues in the East Coast Hockey League and American Hockey League before finally sticking in the NHL at age 26.

The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending October 30 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .966

When pundits picked away at Zack Phillips’ skating ability leading into last year’s NHL Entry Draft, the Saint John Sea Dogs forward decided to use it as motivation. After the Minnesota Wild selected him 28^th overall, he reported to summer camp with the purpose of improving.“I worked on it a lot this summer,’’ Phillips said of his skating. “That was my knock last year going into the draft. When you hear about what you don’t do well over and over again, you want to work on it and I think I’ve improved.’’

With the fate of their coach and general manager potentially hanging in the balance, the Columbus Blue Jackets were fighting with their backs against the wall on Sunday night against the Anaheim Ducks. So after Bobby Ryan answered Rick Nash's goal to tie the game in the first period, feisty Derek Dorsett got his team and the crowd going with this spirited bout against Sheldon Brookbank.

The end of goalie Manny Legace's career has the look and feel of its beginning.
Maybe not in his worn-down body, which just a couple of weeks ago almost forced him into retirement for good. And maybe not in overall mental acuity. Or, as Legace himself puts it, "I'm still dumb as a box of rocks." Legace jokes a lot like that, punctuating most breaks in his conversation with the laugh of a mischievous school kid.

St. Lawrence’s first alum to win a Stanley Cup as a player, Rich Peverley, returns this weekend as the Saints face No. 13 Union College at home.Peverley is a 2004 graduate of St. Lawrence and recorded 117 points in his career with the Saints. He won the 2011 Stanley Cup as a member of the Boston Bruins.

Justin Shugg of the Florida Everblades is the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for Oct. 17-23. The 19-year-old scored three goals, added three assists and was a +1 for Florida during the Everblades three-game road trip.

The historic Steinberg Ice Rink will play host to the outdoor, 3 on 3 hockey tournament situated inside beautiful Forest Park in St. Louis, the largest city park in the United States. The fifty five year old outdoor ice rink is the largest in the midwest, and will accommodate three games simultaneously. The two-day tournament will be played outdoors, reminiscent of the games earliest days when it was played in the winter elements on frozen lakes and ponds.

Remember those cold winter days? Skates tied over your shoulder with stick in hand, you arrived with anticipation of a good pick up game between friends. No matter how cold it got or how much it snowed, you could always rely on a bon fire to keep you warm and a shovel to remove the fallen snow.

Last November, around 150 NHL players rocked a moustache in order to help Movember generate more awareness. But this year, the number of fuzzy dusters is expected to rise. It also helps when an elite goaltender like Hiller takes that unselfish act of raising awareness to a new level by promoting Movember on his newest mask. By doing this, you can’t help but admire and enjoy what is surely to come of it.

Trevor Murphy's offensive numbers in midget jump off the page, but it's the subtleties of his defensive game which are opening eyes at the OHL level. The Peterborough Petes 16-year-old blue-liner was the highest scoring defenceman available in the OHL draft in May with 39 goals and 92 points in 59 games. Yet, he was still available when the Petes chose him in the third-round, 53rd-overall from the Sun County Panthers.

Click below to view video tribute to Rick Rypien by the Vancouver Canucks.

Jonas Hiller made 31 saves in his 12th career shutout, Maxime Macenauer scored his first NHL goal, and Anaheim beat the San Jose Sharks 1-0 Friday night in the Ducks' home opener.

This week, QMJHL TV invites you to meet the Saint John Sea Dogs' #7 and first-round pick of the Minnesota Wild, Zack Phillips,  via an interactive video which includes for the very first time

In every sense of the word, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland has fought every step of the way to get to where he is now. The Edmonton native came onto the scene as a rugged blueliner in juniors, amassing three consecutive triple-digit penalty minute seasons with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors before beginning his pro career in 2003-04 with the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers and AHL's Lowell Lock Monsters.

Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed forward Rich Peverley to a three-year contract extension through the 2014-15 season. The 29-year-old Peverley was acquired by the Bruins with Boris Valabik from the Atlanta Thrashers on February 18, 2011 for Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler. In 23 games with the Bruins last season, he notched 4-3=7 totals in the regular season and went on to add 4-8=12 totals during the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup championship run. For the full year split between Atlanta and Boston, Peverley skated in 82 regular season games with 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points. He has not missed a game over the last two-plus seasons.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will have two rookies in their lineup when they open the regular season on Thursday. Forward Matt Frattin and defenceman Jake Gardiner made the club as the Leafs made their final cuts to their roster on Monday.

The Vancouver Canucks claimed forward Dale Weise off of waivers from the New York Rangers on Tuesday. Weise split last season between the Rangers and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Connecticut Whale. The 23-year-old had no points with the Rangers while collecting 18 goals and 20 assists in 47 games with the Whale.

Many hockey stories begin with the same recipe: take one kid from Canada (or Sweden, Russia or Michigan), add a lot of skating on an outdoor rink, a handful of two-hour car rides to attend tournaments in remote cities, and a dash of waking up early for 5 a.m. practices. Bake for 20 years (give or take) and enjoy your professional hockey player. Not many players have stories that involve spending childhoods at the beach, or wandering the same streets as Hollywood celebrities.

Hockey is full of ironic moments and Patrick Maroon reflected back on a recent one with a smiile. It was only two years ago when Maroon was trying to win a job with the Philadelphia Flyers while he skated alongside Simon Gagne, a Flyer for 10 seasons and as much a part of the City of Brotherly Love as a cheesesteak.

As the preseason marches on, the Penguins training camp roster continues to get thinner and thinner.

One player whose name is still listed with just two games left before the season opener is center Joe Vitale – and he’s very deserving of his opportunity.

 

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — When news spread that the Ottawa Senators were going to be participating in the 2011 Kraft Hockeyville event in Newfoundland, there's little doubt nobody was happier than Sens forward Colin Greening.

 

CALGARY - The only numbers that really matter for Calgary Flames newcomer Chris Butler are the ones he puts up for the team this NHL season.

 ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. -- When news spread that the Ottawa Senators were going to be participating in the 2011 Kraft Hockeyville event in Newfoundland, there's little doubt nobody was happier than Sens forward Colin Greening.

 

If the Ottawa Senators call up Mike McKenna this season, you will definitely read about it on his Twitter account. But the netminder will make sure that the organization has made the announcement first. McKenna was in the middle of a controversy last season when he was called up by the New Jersey Devils in November. Before the organization officially called him up, McKenna sent out a rather innocent tweet which read, "Hopefully I-87 doesn't have much traffic tonight...(!)".
His followers and a couple of reporters took that to mean that he was making the drive from Albany to New Jersey. When the Devils got wind of this tweet, McKenna's Twitter account mysteriously disappeared a few hours later. So what actually happened?

Tonight in Colorado, the Blues will turn the net over to goaltender Jake Allen, a second-round pick (34th overall) in the 2008 draft. During a camp in which the Blues are trying to give No. 1 netminder Jaroslav Halak sufficient work, and meanwhile allow Bryan Elliott and Ben Bishop ample crease time to duke out their battle for the backup job, tonight's game against the Avs will give the club a chance to see Allen in an NHL environment.

But the 23-year-old Maple Leafs freshman couldn’t have had a better send-off to training camp as he played in all situations and shone in a 4-3 Leafs loss to the Ottawa Senators in the rookie tournament closer at the General Motors Centre. “He clearly showed some of what he can do and I think he has more to give,” said Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who was behind the Leafs bench. “He didn’t fall away. And it looks like he is fairly fit as well, which is encouraging.”

When you’ve been cheering for a team since you were so young that your second-favourite team was the Teletubbies, wearing their sweater, even in a prospects tournament, never gets old. “It’s pretty special, I grew up watching these guys my whole life,” Tyler Bunz, Edmonton’s starting netminder Monday night against Winnipeg. “Being from St. Albert it was pretty cool to be drafted by these guys, putting on an Oilers jersey for the first time last year, I don’t think words can describe how I felt.

As much of a relief it was to the Anaheim Ducks to have Teemu Selanne return, another development earlier this summer was just as critical. Goalie Jonas Hiller pronounced himself healthy, and if he returns to the form he displayed early last season, it will have a huge impact on the Ducks and the standing in the Western Conference race. "Jonas is back 100 percent and obviously that hurt us a lot not to have him last year," Selanne said. "I think he was maybe the best goalie in the league going into the All-Star break."

Prospect Earned All-American Honors and Won a National Championship with UMD

Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues -- A season in the American Hockey League in 2010-11 changed everything for Allen, the 34th overall selection in 2008.
 

23-year-old winger Matt Frattin has a shot at making the Toronto Maple Leafs' roster out of training camp this year.

General Manager Brian Burke is high enough on the former fourth-round pick that he mentioned him along with Nazem Kadri and Joe Colborne when asked which prospect he thought had the best chance to claim the Leafs' open forward spot heading into training camp.

There are many different paths a prospect may journey to begin a career in the National Hockey League, but Radko Gudas, taken in the third round (No. 66) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 Entry Draft, is taking the road less travelled -- he plans to punch his way there.

The Winnipeg Jets will honour Rick Rypien throughout the 2011-12 season by wearing a special decal on their helmets. The double "R" initials in blue, the Jets main colour, inside a black circle first appeared on the team’s gear this week while players are skating informally at the MTS Iceplex. Rypien, 27, was found dead in his home in Coleman, Alta., on Aug. 14, just a little more than an month away from the Jets training camp.

Former Saint hockey captain Rich Peverley was joined by several teammates from his St. Lawrence playing days as he celebrated his day with the Stanley Cup in Guelph, ONT.

Dale Weise, a right wing who has spent the past three years as a regular in the American Hockey League and saw 10 games with the Rangers last season, just might be the hungriest player at the Blueshirts’ main training camp in September.

 

The Anaheim Ducks announced Thursday that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Matt Smaby to a one-year contract. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deal were disclosed.Smaby, 26 (10/14/84), appeared in 32 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010-11, going scoreless with a +2 rating and 17 penalty minutes (PIM). Selected by Tampa Bay in the second round (41st overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Smaby has earned 0-6=6 points with 106 PIM in 122 career NHL games.

Ron Francis, Director of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, announced Friday that the team has signed forward Chris Durno to a one-year contract. The deal will pay Durno $525,000 on the NHL level or $105,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level, with a guarantee of at least $140,000 for the season.

Guite, 32, served as captain of Springfield (AHL) and finished second in points (17-30-47) and tied for first in plus/minus (plus-12) in 72 games played. The right-handed forward has spent time with Boston, Colorado and Nashville, accumulating 19 goals and 45 points in 175 career regular season NHL games. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Montreal, Quebec was originally selected by the Canadiens in the seventh round of the 1997 Entry Draft.

The Blue Jackets acquired minor-league forward Ryan Russell - twin brother of Jackets defenseman Kris Russell - in a trade yesterday with Montreal. Columbus sent right winger Mike Blunden to the Canadiens.

he Ottawa Senators announced today the club has signed goaltender Mike McKenna to a one-year, two-way contract. McKenna, 28, spent his second consecutive season with the New Jersey Devils organization in 2010-11, appearing in 39 games with the American Hockey League’s Albany Devils and playing two games in the National Hockey League.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent defenseman Richard Petiot (PEH-tee-awt, RIH-chuhrd) to a one-year, two-way contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Blues Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced Monday the club has signed forward Brett Sterling to a one-year, two-way contract.

 

The Edmonton Oilers have agreed to terms with Free Agent forward Josh Green on a one year, two-way contract.

Nolan Baumgartner is staying with the Vancouver Canucks, but leaving the franchise that helped put the fun back in the game for him.

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League Club has signed forward Andrew Gordon to a two-year deal.

Loyal Foot Soldier Rypien Signs on.

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with forward Dale Weise on a contract extension. The 22-year-old Weise played in 47 games with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League last season, registering 18 goals and 20 assists. He also recorded 19 penalty minutes in 10 games with the Rangers last season.

The Calgary Flames announced today the signing of defenseman Chris Butler. “We are very pleased to have Chris signed for the next two years." said Flames general manager Jay Feaster. " This enables him to focus solely on preparing for the upcoming season and not have to worry about his contract status. We are confident that he is going to make a very solid contribution to our team, and we look forward to welcoming him to Camp in September.”

Mauldin had ten points in 29 games with the Avs last season, winning over fans with his 100% effort work ethic regardless of the game situation. Despite this, he didn’t manage to stay with the club, clearing waivers and spending the majority of the season with the Lake Erie Monsters

"I've always dreamed of becoming a part of EA SPORTS NHL since I've played the games as a child," said Hiller. "Ich freue mich natürlich insbesondere auf die neuen Goalie-Features und das NHL Winter Classic. Mit NHL 12 werde ich definitiv noch mehr Zeit auf dem virtuellen Eis verbringen." "I am of course especially on the new goalie and the NHL Winter Classic features. With NHL 12, I'll definitely spend more time on the virtual ice."

EDMONTON - Edmonton Oilers goalie prospect Tyler Bunz and Edmonton Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk have made the first audition for Canada’s world junior team as part of the 46-player summer development camp at Rexall Place in early August.

 The Carolina Hurricanes have signed veteran defenseman Jay Harrison and forward prospect Justin Shugg to contracts on Thursday.

Of course, former Nashville Predator Rich Peverley was right there in the mix, too. He only had one shot in 16:50 of ice time, but his speed and puck protection helped contribute to Boston's wearing down of the Vancouver defense. Overall, he chipped in 4 goals and 8 assists in 25 playoff games this spring.

Two weeks before the NHL entry draft, we take this opportunity to dampen the enthusiasm, if only slightly, of those who are counting on their teams to begin a big turnaround on a Minnesota podium.

Winning a Game Seven on home ice, one that punched your ticket to the Stanley Cup finals, was a moment Rich Peverley won’t soon forget. In fact, the Boston forward, just one day removed from the victory, is still on an emotional high.

Justin Shugg knows how the other half feels. And it hurts like hell. With Memorial Cup rings from the past two years with the Windsor Spitfires, Shugg was one win away from becoming the second player to raise the Cup in three consecutive years. But an initially nervous performance by the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, who then couldn’t beat Saint John Sea Dogs goalie Jacob DeSerres once they found their legs, amounted to a 3-1 loss at a packed Hershey Centre.

Zack Phillips wanted no part of Canadian junior hockey. So at 14 years old, the scrawny 5-foot-2 center left his Fredericton, N.B., home for Massachusetts.

Consider the auditions a roaring success. Ottawa Senators general manager Bryan Murray announced today the re-signing of two of the organization's top young forward prospects.

When Edmonton Oil Kings blueliner Keegan Lowe needs advice, he simply walks down the hall of his family home. As the son of Oilers dynasty defenseman and current president of hockey ops Kevin Lowe, Keegan has been doubly blessed by the fact he gets to play major junior in his hometown and also has the owner of six Stanley Cup rings around to help him with his game.

 Sun County minor midget Trevor Murphy could be a valuable commodity in Saturday's Ontario Hockey League Draft. It's a draft that's not very deep when it comes to highend defencemen.

The world under-18 championship in Germany was a coming-out party for Travis Ewanyk. The unheralded Edmonton Oil Kings' centre may have been a wallflower in many scouts' eyes before the tournament, but on the big international stage Ewanyk was one of Canada's best players, playing about 20 minutes a game. Everybody knows who he is now heading into the June 24-25 NHL draft in St. Paul, Minn.

It was a night of firsts for the Nashville Predators – first overtime playoff win, first Game 5 win and the first time the Preds have won as many as three games in a series. The two heroes are from opposite ends of the spectrum.

The New York Islanders announced Wednesday that they have agreed to terms with forward Tyler McNeely on a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract. McNeely, 24, appeared in the final 10 games of the 2010-11 season with the Sound Tigers on an amateur tryout contract, scoring five goals and six assists (11 points) and posting a plus-9 rating.

The New Jersey Devils today signed goaltender Keith Kinkaid to an entry-level contract.  The announcement was made by Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello.  As per club policy, no further terms were disclosed. Kinkaid, 21, joins the Devils’ organization after spending the past two seasons at Union College (ECAC).  He appeared in 38 games overall this past season, posting a 25-10-3 mark with three shutouts and a 1.99 goals-against average.

Rich Peverley added the all-important insurance goal, and it was a beauty. Peverley carried the puck out of his own end and into the Senators' zone. He snuck past defenseman Chris Phillips along the boards, calmly carried the puck through the slot and eventually slipped a backhand past Curtis McElhinney.

San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed unrestricted free agent forward Mike Connolly to an entry-level contract. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Friday that the hockey club has signed forward Matt Frattin to a two-year entry level contract.  The Leafs originally selected Frattin with their second choice, 99th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow night for the Maple Leafs when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Air Canada Centre.

Michael Ouzas of the Las Vegas Wranglers is the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for March 28-April 2. The 25 year old was 2-1-0 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in three appearances last week for the Wranglers.

 Marcel Noebels said he knew he would have to make certain sacrifices along the way if he wanted to live his dream of playing in the National Hockey League.

Step one of that quest was leaving his native Germany to play in the Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds. So far, the move has paid major dividends.

 

Facing pucks flying at him at more than 100 mph never seemed so easy, so mundane, so inconsequential to Connecticut Whale goalie Dov Grumet-Morris.

 

General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers have agreed to terms with right-winger Mark Arcobello on a two-year entry level contract.

 

General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the Edmonton Oilers have agreed to terms with free agent left-winger Hunter Tremblay on a one-year two-way contract. Tremblay, 25, finished his fourth year with the University of New Brunswick, appearing in 27 games collecting a team best 44 points (22G, 22A).

Le Trophée Michel Bergeron récompense chaque année, la meilleure recrue offensive de l’année. Cette année l’honneur est allé à l’ailier gauche des Saguenéens de Chicoutimi, Charles Hudon. Ce jeune de 16 ans a joué 63 parties durant lesquelles il a marqué 23 buts et récolté 60 points.

Logan Shaw picked the perfect year to have a breakout season with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The Glace Bay resident leads his team in scoring with 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points in 66 games – all career highs. And with his eligibility for the NHL draft this June, Shaw hopes his enhanced play will catch the eye of scouts.

The Kamloops Blazers have announced the signing of sixteen year old forward Dallas Calvin to a WHL contract. Calvin is a native of Trail, BC and was listed by the Blazers in September 2010. The hulking 6’3”, 205lb forward played this season in Jr. B with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). He had a strong year scoring 17 times, and adding 23 assists for 40 points in 40 games. Calvin was even better in the playoffs where he had 17 points in 12 games for the Nitehawks.

The Ottawa Senators are rebuilding and it's two projects that are playing a big part in the retooling right now. When the season began forwards Colin Greening and Erik Condra, a pair of seventh-round draft choices from 2005 and 2006, respectively, weren't expected to make the breakthrough to regulars in the Senators' lineup.

Anaheim Ducks All-Star goaltender Jonas Hiller isn't ready to return just yet, but he feels he's getting closer by the day. Hiller worked out on the ice Wednesday, taking shots from assistant coach Mike Foligno. He said he's no longer feeling the dizziness that doctors believe is a case of vertigo that has sidelined him since Feb. 13.

Despite having yet to face them this season, Mark Letestu knows the Edmonton Oilers very well. The Pittsburgh Penguins centre grew up watching the Oilers play and is looking forward to going up against them Sunday at the CONSOL Energy Center.

The Minnesota Wild's relationship with German goaltender Dennis Endras started last year, when the club signed him shortly before the team's prospects came together for a July development camp. Endras had caught the eye of Wild scouts earlier that spring when he dazzled at the World Championships in Germany, going 4-2 and leading all tournament goaltenders with a 1.15 goals against average and a .961 save percentage and was named the tournament's best goaltenders.

Tim Kennedy had been a member of the Florida Panthers for just over a day when he slipped on his game uniform and joined his teammates at center ice of the BankAtlantic Center on Wednesday afternoon for the annual team picture.

Cette semaine, LHJMQ TV vous suggère de rencontrer Alex Wall, des Remparts de Québec. Le #42 nous parle de sa progression ainsi que de ses expériences vécues au sein da la LHJMQ.

As the audition for future employment in Senators-land continues, Zack Smith is being looked at in different roles. He’s killing penalties. He’s playing the power play. And he’s emerging as a pretty decent faceoff man.

Newfoundland native Zach O’Brien has just established a new team record with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Just a rookie, he scored his 24th goal last weekend, eclipsing Patrice Bergeron’s 23 goal record in 2002-03. While he was on the road from February 23rd to the 26th, the 18 year-old right winger scored 6 goals, topping off his trip with three goals in Val-d'Or, his first hat trick at the major junior level.

Joshua Morrissey, D, Prince Albert Raiders

A top-scoring blueliner in bantam, Morrissey has already made his Dub debut with Prince Albert, but obviously next year will be the big reveal for the sixth overall selection. “I think he’s the most dynamic defenseman in the class,” said one scout. “Everyone will be talking about (Everett’s) Ryan Murray next year, but this kid will be next after that.”

This week, QMJHL TV presents Alex Wall via its Player Profile Video Series. #42 of the Quebec Remparts tells us what he's learned from his time in the league.

The American Hockey League announced today that Manchester Monarchs right wing Brandon Kozun has been named the Reebok/AHL Rookie of the Month for February. Kozun tallied eight goals and seven assists for 15 points in 13 games for the Atlantic Division leaders last month.

Florida Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the club has acquired D Evan Oberg and a Third Round Draft Pick in 2013 from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for F Chris Higgins. “We are pleased to have acquired a promising defensive prospect in Evan Oberg and another high draft pick for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft,” said Tallon.

 Like many young hockey players aspiring to play professional hockey, Zack Phillips had to make the decision of whether he wanted to play minor hockey in his hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick or attend a prep-school in the United States. At the age of 13, Phillips left home in pursuit of his lifelong goal of making the NHL to attend Eaglebrook Pre-prep School in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

Former Nanaimo Clipper forward Colin Greening made his NHL debut with the Ottawa Senators at the beginning of February and was recalled for the club's most recent two games against Boston and Toronto.

The busy Boston Bruins continue to bolster their roster for a run the Stanley Cup.
Boston acquired center Rich Peverley and defenseman Boris Valabik from the Atlanta Thrashers for forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Mark Stuart.

When the Montreal Canadiens drafted goaltender Carey Price fifth overall in 2005, the young Habs fan from Saint-Augustin, QC sat up and took notice.Lagacé had just started playing goal himself in Atom, deciding to give his father's old position a try.

Vitale, 25, has taken a somewhat unconventional journey to reach the NHL, overcoming the early kidney troubles and coming from an area that is not a hotbed for pro hockey talent.

Rookie Brandon Kozun notched the game-tying and game-winning goals as Atlantic Division-leading Manchester scored three times in the final 10 minutes of the third period to rally for a 5-3 win over visiting Springfield on Sunday at the Verizon Wireless Arena.

Despite an impressive performance from Mark Letestu through the first 10 days of training camp back in September, at the time he still didn’t feel completely safe in Pittsburgh’s lineup.
“I don’t think 10 games into the season that I feel comfortable,” he told PittsburghPenguins.com following the Penguins’ fourth preseason game, a 4-1 win over Chicago. “That’s
 just the way camp sets up and the way the contracts are. I just need to keep playing the way I have been and hopefully force somebody to keep me here.”

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed forward Jerred Smithson to a two-year, $1.6 million contract. He will make $800,000 during both the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

The 2010 Calder Cup Champion HERSHEY BEARS announced today in conjunction with the American Hockey League that right wing Andrew Gordon, defenseman Lawrence Nycholat and goaltender Braden Holtby have all been named to participate in the 2011 AHL All-Star Classic, presented by Capital Blue Cross.The announcement was made today by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst.

Allen, 20, has burst onto the professional scene to the tune of 15 wins in his first 18 games for Peoria (15-3-0) this season. A second-round draft pick (No. 34) by the St. Louis Blues in 2008, Allen earned four shutouts in eight appearances to begin the year and boasts a league-leading five shutouts overall. The Fredericton, N.B., native also paces the AHL in save percentage (.945) while ranking second in goals-against average (1.76) for the Western Conference-leading Rivermen.

Ducks winger Corey Perry and goaltender Jonas Hiller were among the additional 36 All-Stars who wil play in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game. Perry, Hiller and the rest of the 36 join fan-voted top six Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith, in Raleigh for the 2011 NHL All-Star Weekend festivities. 

The Kamloops Blazers Hockey Club is pleased to announce the signing of their 2010 2nd round WHL Bantam Draft pick, Cole Ully. Ully, who reigns from Calgary, was selected by the Blazers 30th overall in the draft. The high scoring forward is leading the Midget AAA Calgary Flames in scoring with 11 goals and 8 assists for 19 points in 20 games this season.

Emerson Etem  of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Mitch Callahan of the Kelowna Rockets will be amongst 29 players that have been invited to Team USA's pre-tournament camp beginning Dec. 17 in Troy, Rochester, Jamestown and Amherst, N.Y., that will make up the preliminary 2011 U.S. National Junior Team roster.

Dov Grumet-Morris of the Greenville Road Warriors is the Reebok Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for Nov. 29-Dec. 5. The 28 year old was 3-0-0 with one shutout, a goals against average of 0.67 and a save percentage of .976 in three games last week. He turned aside 21 of 22 shots on Thursday in a 7-1 victory against Gwinnett and stopped all 26 shots in a 2-0 shutout at South Carolina on Saturday. Grumet-Morris ended the week with 35 saves in a 5-1 victory at Gwinnett on Sunday.

La Ligue canadienne de hockey a annoncé aujourd’hui que l’attaquant recrue Charles Hudon des Saguenéens de Chicoutimi est le Joueur de la Semaine dans la LCH pour la semaine qui a pris fin le 5 décembre. Hudon a marqué un but et a amassé huit passes pour une récolte de neuf points en trois rencontres et un différentiel de plus-8.

Francis Lemieux of the Florida Everblades is the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for Nov. 29-Dec. 5. Lemieux scored six goals and added three assists as the Everblades went 3-0-0 last week extending their winning streak to six games and moving to within three points of first place in the South Division.

Jake Allen lives by himself in an apartment in a suburb of Peoria, Ill, a sleepy little midwestern city situated about halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. It's the home of the Rivermen, the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League's St. Louis Blues, and, for a while at least, the 20-year-old Fredericton native who is off to a startling start to his first professional season.

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that forward Zack Phillips of the Saint John Sea Dogs is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending November 28.  Phillips scored four goals and added two assists for six points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-3.

 

DENVER - The Colorado Avalanche leaned on newcomer Greg Mauldin in their best offensive performance of the season.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Jake Allen of the Peoria Rivermen has been named the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month for November.

 The WHL Player of the Week is forward Craig Cunningham of the Vancouver Giants. Cunningham picked up 9 points, scoring one goal and eight assists to go with a +6 rating, in three games over the past week, helping the Giants to a 3-0-0-0 record. 

 Par François-Olivier Dénommée - Les joueurs québécois n'ont pas obtenu beaucoup de succès au dernier repêchage de la Ligue nationale de hockey. Il en a été beaucoup question dans les médias, et pour cause. Le Québec est-il en perte de vitesse quant à son sport national? Mais le phénomène est cyclique et, cette année, la récolte s'annonce bien meilleure.Parmi les bons jeunes espoirs, on retrouve Gabriel Beaupré, défenseur des Foreurs de Val-d'Or. Beaupré en est à sa troisième saison dans la LHJMQ et il a passé les deux dernières campagnes aux côtés de Marco Scandella, avec lequel il dit avoir beaucoup appris.

“Deryk has made some strides off the ice and away from the rink the last two years,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “He still adds that grit and bite to playing defense. He’s playing physical. He’s hitting skilled guys in the corners. He’s playing hard on them. He still has the toughness element that you’ve seen the last couple of games.” Adding grit and toughness to the Penguins lineup is something that Engelland first offered in a cameo appearance with the team last November when injuries ravaged the blue line. Engelland was so impressive in his brief nine-game stint last year that he entered this season’s training camp as a frontrunner to capture one of the team’s two defensive openings.

 Mark Letestu came to Penguins training camp last month hoping to earn a spot on the National Hockey League roster. Not only did he accomplish that, he has since established himself as one of the better players on the team in the early part of the season. Through seven games, he has seven points, and his four goals are tied with Sidney Crosby for the team lead. 

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Philipp Grubauer to a three-year entry-level contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
 

Eight years after standing on the Mile One Centre blueline as a wide-eyed youngster among a host of American Hockey League all-stars, Colin Greening was back in that very same building Sunday afternoon, this time as a pro.

From time to time I'll post a little more quirky items on this blog, based on things I see at the rink. Today, a look at the mask of Leafs prospect Jussi Rynnas, the 6-foot-5 Finn who'll play his first season in North America this year with the Marlies.

Chris Butler had played through pain before.
For the 23-year-old defenseman, that wasn’t the issue. But after sustaining his first extensive injury as a professional athlete last season, Butler simply wasn’t prepared to deal with its lingering complications.
 

Jobke, 18, posted eight assists and 71 penalty minutes in 69 games with Kelowna of the WHL. The 6-foot, 170-pound blueliner played three of the four games in Traverse City. Both Caron and Jobke are expected to be sent to their respective junior clubs today.

The Red Wings announced today that the club has signed forward Trevor Parkes to a three-year entry level contract. In accordance with team policy, additional terms of the deal were not disclosed. Parkes, 19, was invited to training camp on an amateur tryout. The Fort Erie, Ontario native spent last season playing for the Montreal Juniors of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He finished the season with 47 points (27-20-47) and 34 penalty minutes in 66 games. He also notched seven points (6-1-7) in 14 postseason games for Montreal.

Two towering hockey players of German nationality share one thing when it comes to reaching their goal of mastering the English language: television. One watches re-runs of “One Tree Hill.” The other is immersed in hit television shows such as “Prison Break” and “Californication.”  It's merely a day in the life, respectively, of Konrad Abeltshauser and Dominik Bielke.

Finding more depth in goal became a key part of the off-season game plan for both Burke and Allaire, and the two teamed up to scout and recruit top talent. In April, Burke made his moves, signing two of the top prospects available in Finnish behemoth Jussi Rynnas and Cornell University star Ben Scrivens.

The Ducks have signed defenseman Sheldon Brookbank to a two-year contract extension. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deal were disclosed. Brookbank, 29 (10/3/80), appeared in 66 games for the Ducks in 2009-10, scoring 0-9=9 points with a +10 rating and 114 penalty minutes (PIM). Brookbank, who appeared in his 100th career NHL game on Nov. 16 at Pittsburgh, set career highs in points, assists, plus/minus, PIM and blocked shots (59). The 6-1, 200-pound blueliner also finished second on the Ducks in plus/minus and PIM.

Brandon, MB - The Canadian Hockey League today announced ten national award winners for the 2009-10 season including Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats as the CCM CHL Player of the Year. 

COLOGNE – The accredited media has voted the tournament All-Star Team in Cologne. Germany’s goalkeeper Dennis Endras took all available prizes as he was voted to media’s all-star team, and tournament Most Valuable Player, and elected Best Goalkeeper by the directorate.
 

The launch of the second phase of an Ottawa campaign to help cancer patients is getting a $1.8 million boost from a company headquartered in the area, Maplesoft Group president and CEO Jody Campeau announced Tuesday. The donation from the consulting and business solutions firm will go toward achieving the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation's $50-million target for its Courage Campaign, "It's important for us to know the money stays here locally," Campeau said after the announcement. "Giving back to the community is something that's ingrained in the fabric of our corporate culture at Maplesoft." Linda Eagen, president and CEO of the foundation, said the donation will help to achieve their campaign goals: shortening wait times at cancer facilities; developing research and new therapies; bringing care close to home and providing a better quality of life for cancer patients.

The Red Wings announced today that the club has signed forward Mitchell Callahan to a three-year entry level contract.  In accordance with team policy, additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Friday that the hockey club has agreed to terms with free agent goaltender Jussi Rynnas (pronounced YEW-see RIH-nuhs) on a two year NHL Entry Level contract. “The Leafs feel that the addition of Jussi Rynnas bolsters the organization’s depth at the goaltending position,” said Burke.

Calgary, AB - The Western Hockey League today announced the WHL Western Conference finalist for the 2009-10 WHL Player of the Year. The two finalists for WHL Player of the Year were determined through voting by General Managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives of all WHL Member Clubs.

The Los Angeles Kings have signed forward Brandon Kozun to a three-year entry level contract, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Saturday.
Kozun, who was born in Los Angeles, led the Western Hockey League (WHL) in points (107) and assists (75) this season in 65 regular season games while helping lead the Calgary Hitmen as a team captain to the second-round of the WHL playoffs, which are still on-going. During this postseason, Kozun’s 14 points and 10 assists currently lead that League with Calgary set to play Medicine Hat tomorrow, Sunday, in Game 1.

The American Hockey League announced today that Danny Groulx of the Worcester Sharks has been named the winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s outstanding defenseman for the 2009-10 season, as voted by AHL coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 29 cities.

Florida Panthers General Manager Randy Sexton announced today that the club has agreed to terms on an entry level contract with G Marc Cheverie. “We are very pleased to have reached a contract agreement with Marc,” said Sexton. “He is very talented prospect who we believe will have a bright future in our organization. He has gained tremendous experience while playing at the University of Denver and we look forward to his continued growth and development as a member of the Florida Panthers.”

A few years ago Dallas forward Fabian Brunnstrom was the big European free-agent, last season is was Toronto goaltender Jonas Gustavsson. This season we look to Finland to produce the big free-agent prize and his name is Jussi Rynnas. Rynnas is a big 6’5 goaltender who currently plays for his hometown team Assat Pori in the Finnish Elite League. His team has had a rough year but the 2010 version of the “Monster” has quietly turned some heads in his first year as a starting goaltender. At 23 years old

by Lindsay Kramer || NHL.com

Marco Rosa's new teammates in Manitoba this season greeted him with the proper degree of smugness. 

Ottawa, Canada - December 21st, 2010 – A partnership between full service, professional sports agency CMG Sports and Maplesoft Group™, a global leader in the technology and professional services space, has established CMG as a “new age” sports agency, further enhancing their reputation and ongoing commitment as a recognized leader in the arena of professional hockey representation. 

CMG Sports President, Al Roy (front left) and Maplesoft Group™ President and CEO, Jody Campeau (front right) celebrate their newly formed partnership with CMG Sports colleagues.

Allain Roy, President and founder of CMG Sports and Maplesoft President & CEO, Jody Campeau are both excited about the prospects of this partnership. “I am extremely energized about this relationship and the opportunity it represents for CMG and our valued player clientele,” declared Roy. “This move further solidifies CMG’s well established, eight (8) year track record by expanding our service offering through innovative technology, an expanded network of professionals and an increased geographical presence.”

Campeau, a former collegiate player, further laments, “This partnership brings about unprecedented synergies. The more we work together, the more excited we get about the possibilities.  By integrating our technology into CMG’s current service offering we further enhance the player experience through increased accessibility for a more visual and more interactive user experience. Today’s hockey players are becoming increasingly mobile and it’s important to leverage technology tools that connect players with our network of contacts while also providing full feature multimedia representations of their profiles and achievements. Leveraging unified communication and portal tools, CMG will be well positioned to provide real time updates, while also giving players access to their key, individual content online.”

“Both companies adhere to a ‘team first’ philosophy that permeates throughout each of our respective organizations,” says Roy. “This naturally places an unparalleled emphasis on a client-centric approach to service.  With a partnership like this in place, we truly feel we can be first-to-market with solutions that bring innovative change to the industry and the players it represents.  CMG Sports’ primary goal is to be the top Professional Hockey Agency in the World.  Through this partnership with Maplesoft, I unequivocally believe that CMG has positioned itself to quickly make that goal a reality.”

About Maplesoft Group

Maplesoft Group™ is a global systems integrator specializing in technology enabled solutions and services for today’s business World.  Since 1996, Maplesoft Group has been helping its customers successfully address some of their most complex business challenges through the strategic planning, development, implementation and integration of highly innovative, flexible and customizable solutions and services that integrate business processes and IT.  For more information, visit www.maplesoftgroup.com.

About CMG Sports
 
Founded in 2001, CMG Sports is a full service, professional sports agency that has experienced consistent, year-over-year growth since its inception.  With hundreds of negotiated contracts, and an extensive client list to its credit, CMG currently represents over sixty (60) contracted NHL players along with an additional one-hundred (100) NHL prospects. This summer, over ninety (90) CMG clients attended NHL camps. With a head office in St. Louis, Missouri and Canadian branch offices in Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa, CMG is well positioned to represent players within the North American professional hockey marketplace.  For more information, visit www.cmgsports.com.
 

The Ducks announced today they have signed goaltender Jonas Hiller to a four-year contract extension through the 2013-14 NHL season. Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed. 

Education has always been an important aspect of Milwaukee Admirals forward Ben Guite’s life. The Montreal native recently graduated from the University of Maine with a master's degree in business administration, a level of accomplishment rare among professional athletes.