When asked who has had the most influence in his career so far, Curtis replied, “I think that the biggest help that I have gotten is from my Junior Coach. I wasn’t expected to play my first year in juniors and everybody was asking him why he kept me here. He gave me a chance to play and he said just wait, he’ll prosper and be effective. He kept playing me and giving me that opportunity. He always helped by giving me extra things after practice. His name is Kevin Dickie and he is now coaching out in the Maritimes at Arcadia University. He’s probably been the biggest reason for my career going as far as it has actually. Coach Dickie helped me along the way to be a better person on and off the ice.”
Coach Dickie’s impression of Curtis: “I’ve coached some great kids over the last 13 years, but none greater than Curtis in terms of a pleasure to be around and an athlete. If there is one guy who’s got to where he is, both because he deserves it, and because he has scraped and clawed and worked so hard to be the player that he is, it is Curtis. He exemplifies a lot of the positive characteristics that you look for in a player. He’s a great kid and I’m real happy for him.”
Read more »
IHL TEAM STATISTICS
Kansas City Blades
Player Team Gp G A PTS Pim Pp SH Gw
David Ling Kan 67 31 38 69 183 7 1 5
Dave Chyzowski Kan 69 36 29 65 112 13 0 9
Sean Haggerty Kan 64 23 33 56 61 3 1 3
Michal Pivonka Kan 49 16 31 47 34 3 2 3
Nick Naumenko Kan 50 9 27 36 73 7 0 1
Jason Cirone Kan 59 14 20 34 106 1 1 0
Dody Wood Kan 67 12 22 34 335 1 1 1
Steve Lingren Kan 68 10 20 30 44 1 0 1
Brendan Yarema Kan 49 11 16 27 128 2 1 1
Pat Ferschweiler Kan 70 6 20 26 54 0 0 0
David Vallieres Kan 60 14 11 25 53 3 0 1
Jon Rohloff Kan 44 5 18 23 38 0 1 1
Aris Brimanis Kan 46 5 17 22 28 4 0 0
Eric Perrin Kan 21 3 15 18 16 0 0 0
Shane Kenny Kan 15 2 6 8 16 0 0 1
Lon 11 1 2 3 19 0 0 0
Total 50 4 9 13 73 0 0 1
Joe Blaznek Kan 38 4 8 12 2 3 0 0
Grant Richison Kan 47 3 8 11 77 1 0 0
Jan Vodrazka Kan 66 2 8 10 280 0 0 0
Jamie Ling Kan 8 3 6 9 4 0 0 0
Ray Schultz Kan 53 2 5 7 162 0 0 0
Greg Bullock Kan 15 1 6 7 6 0 0 0
Forest Gore Kan 27 1 3 4 16 0 0 0
Marty Standish Kan 9 2 1 3 8 0 0 0 Read more »
I recently had a chance to speak with future top draft choice Scott Hartnell of the Prince Albert Raiders. He’s a good kid with a smart head on his shoulders. You know this kid is going far in the league just by talking to him.
To watch this kid play is what it must have been like to watch Trevor Linden, Dale Hunter, or even Rod Brind’amour play at this age. He’s got the skills, desire, and the leadership to be just as dominating as those three. It is obvious that what ever team drafts him in Calgary, on June 24, is going to be in for a real treat. This is the interview with Scott Hartnell.
HF: How has the pressure of the upcoming entry draft affected your play?
Scott: I don’t really try to think about it when I’m on the ice. You just go out and play your game the way you’ve been playing it for the past 10-15 years. Don’t try to change anything, just go out and play your style of hockey and that’s all you can ask for.
HF: Some people say that you are a good potential power forward, but they say your offensive upside isn’t as good as some of the other top ranked prospects. How would you comment on that?
Scott: I don’t really try and think about it. I just try to block it out of my head and do the best I can out there. I’m not very offensive like some of the other draft prospects, that’s pretty obvious through my numbers. I just go out there and score if I can and just do what I can do out there.
HF: So would you say that’s an unfair statement?
Read more »
Defenseman Mike Van Ryn of the Sarnia Sting came to the OHL after playing 2
years with the Michigan Wolverines in the CCHA. Van Ryn has made a very
smooth transition from the NCAA to the OHL. I had the opportunity to sit down
with Mike and ask him a few questions.
HF: What were the differences between the OHL and the NCAA?
Van Ryn: “There are a lot of differences. Mostly it’s just how the game is
played. It’s tough to say anything about the talent or anything like that
because the game is played so differently. The college game is a quick game,
it’s more of a speed type or a finesse type game. In the OHL there’s quite a
bit of fighting and in college you don’t have to worry about that. I never
saw a fight in my two years there. Guys tend to play bigger than they are for
the most part. The fact that there is no red line it’s faster and you gotta
be aware of guys sneaking behind you. In the OHL game it’s more of a
pro-style game, with the number of games you play. In college, because I
played in the World Juniors I only played in the high 30′s in terms of games.
I’ve only played about 38 games a season. In two seasons there I played just
over 70 games there. This year alone, with playoffs, I’ll end up playing over
70 games I’m hoping. It’s more of a pro game with the number of games.
There’s always the intimidation factor and just the way the game is played. A Read more »
After each of the WHL’s 18 member teams have finished their grueling 72-game schedule, a league total of 648 contests to eliminate four teams
from playoff contention, the fourteen remaining teams start a playoff odyssey that will culminate in one of them making the trip to Halifax for the
Memorial Cup some ten weeks from now. That being said it is now time for all pucksters, pundits and fans alike to enjoy what has become an
annual event by the ‘Fan – Playoff Predictions.
Starting in the Western Conference where there’s an opinion that there is not only a noticeable drop off in the quality of teams seeded one
through six but also a sizeable discrepancy in caliber in comparison to the Eastern Conference clubs. In theory that should make predicting the
winners of the first round of series’ that much easy right? Yeah, just as easy as picking the ‘Lotto’ numbers every week.
Spokane vs. Tri-Cities. If you were looking for a first round upset in the West then this series won’t be it. Most of the season I have thought
that Spokane has been somewhat overrated (against the Eastern conference teams) but in the Wild West the WHL’s most improved team over
last season (53 point improvement) has settled in to become the favorite to the win the West. The Americans sold their soul at the trading
deadline last year and are paying for it now. Give the Americans one game. Chiefs in Five.
Read more »
IHL NEWS
Grand Rapids forward Kevin Miller was re-assigned to the Griffins by the Ottawa Senators last week and came back with a vengeance.
After arriving at the rink 90 minutes before his team’s game against Milwaukee Friday, Miller hit the ice and then hit the back of the net for a hat
trick in the 5-3 win.
He didn’t play for the Senators during his two-day trip up to the NHL, but he’ll get another chance.
Miller and forward Yves Sarault were recalled Sunday by Ottawa, which has been hit by injuries.
The loss will sting the Griffins, who are tied with Orlando for first in the Eastern Conference standings with 93 points.
Miller is the squad’s second-leading scorer, with 20 goals and 54 points, while Sarault is fourth with 16 goals and 25 assists.
IHL STATISTICS
Houston Aeros
Player Team Gp G A PTS Pim Pp SH Gw
Mark Lamb Hou 64 13 42 55 42 3 2 4
Mark Freer Hou 62 15 29 44 45 4 1 3
Brian Wiseman Hou 59 12 28 40 44 0 1 2
Greg Pankewicz Hou 57 21 17 38 128 11 0 3
Bobby Reynolds Hou 38 11 19 30 17 2 1 1
Lane Lambert Hou 64 16 12 28 80 4 0 2
David Oliver Hou 38 15 10 25 38 5 0 2
Terry Marchant Hou 61 11 12 23 37 2 0 1
Brian Felsner Hou 28 7 16 23 18 1 0 0
Sandy Moger Hou 44 13 9 22 43 0 0 3 Read more »
It has been a good year for the Brampton Battalion. After a frustrating, but promising inaugural season in 1998/1999, Brampton has improved significantly in their 2nd OHL campaign.
It hasn’t been easy … some would argue that the team’s success was not predictable by any means. In the off season, Brampton lost its leading scorer during the 1998/1999 season (rookie phenomenon Jason Spezza) to the Mississauga Ice Dogs in the OHL priority selection. Spezza was only 15 while playing for Brampton.
Lack of support at home games can have a negative impact on a team. This is also where Brampton has been suffering. Even though Brampton is a city with a population of well over 200,000 people, the Battalion are having trouble filling the stands, owning one of the worst attendance records in the league.
Still, the Battalion overcame the odds and have made the OHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The change in the team from its 1st to 2nd year is obvious. The players have matured, improving not only individually, but as a team as well. The rookies on the squad have also played a big part in the Battalions 2nd year success. Brampton’s turn around has not gone unnoticed. The Battalion have 8 players mid season ranked for the NHL entry draft in June, two of which are ranked in the top 10.
Here’s a look at Bramptons top 5 prospects for the 2000 NHL entry draft:
Rostislav Klesla
(mid season ranked 2nd / North America Defensemen and Forwards)
Position: Defense Read more »
As the NHL season draws near to the end, the Norwegian Ice Hockey
Associations Season begins it`s final phase tonite with Valerenga of Oslo
taking on Storhamar of Hamar for the National Title. Valerenga knocked off
upstart Frisk-Asker, coached by Serge Boisvert (Canada)… In the other
semi-final series, Storhamar knocked off Trondheim IHK to earn their shot at
the title. Valerenga is the favorite to win the title and repeat as
champions and are lead by former Swedish National Team goalkeeper Åke
Lillebjørn.
Furuset won the 1st division and will return to play in the Elite Series,
Lørenskog will remain in the Elite Series as well. Aker-Majorstua closed out
their season with a 6-7-1 in conference record much in thanks to Radek Vbor
who registered 25 points over the final 5 games. Aker rebounded from a
horrendous 1998-99 lead by their American coach E.Andriopoulos. Aker looks
to be a more physical North American side next season and those interested
please email this author.
In other action the Norwegian 18 year old National Team was announced for
the World Junior B tourney in Riga, Latvia. Norway will play Japan, Denmark
and Italy in the tourney and hopes to return to JR A`s for the 2001 tourney.
Standouts marked with *
GOAL
Per Marius Olsen Sparta Sarpsborg
Pål Tyrom NTG/Lillehammer
DEFENSE
Kim Brandvold NTG/Lillehammer Read more »
Have you read this before: “The Lightning are putting together an
impressive collection of talent that will get them out of the NHL basement.”
Well unfortunately those statements have gone without results from the
players themselves. However all the blame can’t be placed on the players
alone. Changes in ownership, front office, coach and staff have resulted in
a massive overhaul in the Lightning roster. Out is owner Art Williams, in is…
Davidson. Out is GM Phil Esposito, in is Rick Dudley. Out is coach
Jacques Demers, in is Steve Ludzik. To put it in a nut shell the Lightning
upgraded to a more hockey smart (and professional sports smart) owner, a GM
that won’t use aging veterans to band aid the roster, and a coach that
combines his ability to discipline while relate to his players. This new
staff has been given the challenge to rebuild the last rebuilding process of
the Bolt roster. And they are doing a good job of it. Out are big and slow
talent. Dudley has replaced that with big and fast, really fast, talent.
Most of this talent comes on the blueline. Dudley is developing a nucleus of
young defensemen comparable to the New York Islanders of a few seasons ago.
Below is more is a more in-depth look at the defensemen in the Lightning
system:
Defense:
This has quickly become the organizational strength as far as talent is
concerned. Following graduated prospects Andrei Zyuzin, Sergey Gusev, Pavel Read more »
Hello and welcome to the latest Capitals Prospect Update. In addition to all the news and
notes, I will give you up-to-date stats on all of the players on the top 50 list.
The Portland Pirates continued to slide after sitting atop the AHL for a couple of months.
Their record stands at 40-20-9 (90 pts.) and puts them 4 points behind Hartford (N.Y.R.) in the
divisional race and for the overall lead. The Pirates have clinched a playoff spot however, and
will start the post season in a couple of weeks. Leading scorer Glen Metropolit is back with
the Capitals, but may be back down to the AHL for the playoffs. The Pirates have six players
assigned to Hampton Roads (ECHL): Forwards Mike Omicioli and Mike Siklenka, Defensemen Gerad
Adams, Steve Shirreffs and Dean Sork, and Goaltender Curtis Cruickshank – who are all in their
first professional season.
The season is over for some of the Capitals’ North American prospects, as the College league
playoffs have finished. Princeton (Chris Corrinet) and Harvard (Kyle Clark) lost in the first
round of the ECAC playoffs. In the Hockey East playoffs, Providence (Michael Farrell) lost in
the first round and Boston College (Kevin Caulfield) made it to the finals but lost to Maine.
Finally, Minnesota (Erik Wendell) lost in the semi-finals of the WCHA tournament. In the OHL,
London (Krys Barch) missed the post-season, losing the last playoff berth to Guelph (Charlie Read more »
|
