|
|
|
| 11/01/99 09:37 PM 10/29/99 Hollweg to Make Major Junior Debut Forward Ryan Hollweg, a native of Downey, California, a Los Angeles suburb, made a bit of history last spring when he became the first American ever picked #1 overall in the WHL bantam draft. Tonight, Hollweg makes his major junior debut as the Medicine Hat Tigers, the team that drafted him, plays at Red Deer in the first game of a weekend home-and-home series. Hollweg hadn't expected to join Medicine Hat this season. He'd made a commitment to return to the Langley Hornets (BCHL), where, last season, he was BCHL Coastal Division Rookie of the Year. Hollweg, a 4/23/83 birthdate, is a 5'11", 190 lb. C/LW. He's a high-skill player who's fiercely competitive and extremely physical. His season got off to a rough start last month when his role in an opening-night on-ice brawl led to his getting suspended for six games by the BCHL. With 15 seconds to go in a game against the South Surrey Eagles, and his team down by two after an empty-net goal, Hollweg, who felt he'd been high-sticked only to see his opponents go unpunished, lined up against opposing center Scott May and dropped the gloves. During the ensuing brawl, one of the officials claimed he was bumped by Hollweg. A six-game suspension followed. Langley Coach Rick Lanz reported that not being able to play his physical game had led to frustration on Hollweg's part. "His style of play is more suited to the WHL than the BCHL," Lanz said. "He was getting called for a lot of penalties, and it was getting to him. You could tell he wasn't having fun out there." Lanz supported Hollweg's decision to go major junior at this time. Hollweg played 11 games with Langley this season, posting a 2-6-8 scoring line with 60 penalty minutes. Last season, as a 15-year-old with Langley, Hollweg posted a 14-40-54 line, and was Langley's leader in penalty minutes with 173. 10/28/99 Bad Week in New Haven Five seniors on the Yale hockey team have been suspended by the NCAA for playing in local pickup games late last spring. All of the players -- forwards Jeff Hamilton, Paul Lawson, and Jeff Brow; defenseman Keith Fitzpatrick; and goaltender Trevor Hanger -- will miss the Elis Saturday night opener at the University of Michigan. Individually, Hamilton, the Yale captain, was hit the hardest. He'll miss the first five games of the season, a death blow to his chances of winning the Hobey Baker Award. Hanger and Lawson are suspended for two games; Brow and Fitzpatrick will each miss one game. According to the Yale Daily News, the five players said that they were not aware that playing in the league was a violation of the NCAA bylaw which prohibits players from playing in outside competition during the academic year. The length of the suspensions is tied to the number of illegal games each player played. Hamilton played five, while the others played in fewer. The university thought the NCAA punishment excessive and appealed the decision to an NCAA subcommittee, which ruled against Yale on October 11. Hamilton (20-28-48 in 30 games) and Brow (16-22-38 in 28 games) were Yale's top two scorers last season and together scored 42% of the team's goals. The Yale Daily News, in yesterday's edition, did an excellent job reporting this story. Check it out for additional details:
10/28/99 Hope, Lebda Take CCHA Route Two defensemen from the U.S. Under-18 Team in Ann Arbor, Michigan made their college commitments this week. -- Joey Hope, a 6'0", 174 lb. right-shot D from Anchorage, Alaska will be going to Michigan State. Hope, who's in his second year with the national program, played for the Alaska All-Stars Midget AAA team before coming to Ann Arbor. In 12 games against USHL competition this year, Hope is 2-3-5 with 22 penalty minutes. A 1/1/82 birthdate, Hope is a steady, mobile and physical defenseman. He also has a quick stick, and is comfortable both with the offensive game and defensive game. In his two years at Ann Arbor, he's frequently played at forward. Michigan, Lake Superior, and Alaska-Anchorage were among the other schools interested in Hope. -- Brett Lebda, a 5'10", 186 lb. left-shot D from Buffalo Grove, Illinois will be going to Notre Dame. Lebda, also in his second year with the national program, played Midget AAA hockey with Team Illinois before coming to Ann Arbor. He has a 3-3-6 line and 16 PIM in 13 USHL games. A 1/15/82 birthdate, Lebda is a smooth-skating defenseman and an excellent stickhandler who can go end-to-end, but won't do it at the expense of work in his own end. While playing for the U.S. Under-17 squad last year, Lebda was named to the NAHL All-Star team.
10/28/99 Eichelberger Commits, Too Green Bay Gamblers forward John Eichelberger, has committed to the University of Wisconsin. Eichelberger, a 6'1", 185 lb. left wing from of Glencoe, Illinois, has a 4-10-14 scoring line and 30 PIM in 8 games. He's currently second in the U.S.H.L in points per game with 1.75 (Peter Sejna of Des Moines leads with 1.80). Eichelberger, a PG and a 2/3/81 birthdate, played two years in the U.S. National Team Development Program before going to Green Bay this fall. Wisconsin was Eichelberger's #1 college choice, and the only school he visited. However, Denver, St. Cloud, and Northern Michigan all talked to him.
10/28/99 A Maine Man 6'0", 175 lb. forward Colin Shields of the Cleveland Barons (NAHL) has committed to the University of Maine. Shields, a pure goal scorer with a deadly shot, is also an excellent skater who moves the puck well. A right shot, he plays the off wing. He currently leads the North American Hockey League in scoring with a 9-11-20 line in 10 games. A 1/27/80 birthdate, Shields was recruited by five schools: Maine, Miami, Michigan State, Michigan, and Western Michigan. He visited the first three and then made his decision. Shields is from Glasgow, Scotland, where his father, Martin, coaches in the Scottish professional hockey league. His mother, Margaret, is a former Olympic figure skater. Shields came to Canada when he was 14 and played for the Notre Dame Hounds ( Wilcox, Saskatchewan) and the Kitchener Dutchmen of the Midwestern Ontario Junior B League. He is a two-time member of Great Britain's National Junior Team.
10/27/99 Big D, Little D A pair of defensemen from the Ontario Provincial League have committed to NCAA schools in the past couple of days. They are: -- 5'9", 180 lb. LD Mike Nagai of the Bramalea Blues, who'll be going to Clarkson. Other schools in the hunt for Nagai were Cornell, Miami, and Bowling Green (where his father, Rich, a LW, starred in the early/mid 70's.) In 13 games this season, Nagai has an 0-3-3 line with 36 penalty minutes. A 1/1/82 birthdate, he's from Mississauga, Ont., and is a dual citizen. -- 6'6", 230 lb. Jeff State of the Burlington Cougars has committed to Merrimack. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., State is a '79 birthdate. In 11 games played this season, he has a 4-1-5 line with 8 PIM. Speaking of Merrimack, Alex Sikachev, a small forward from St. Petersburg, Russia who played for the Valley Junior Warriors (EJHL) last season, has been studying at Merrimack's English Language Institute and looks to be academically eligible to join Chris Serino's squad in the second semester. Former Cushing Academy star LW Jayson Philbin is sitting out this year at Merrimack to get his academic life back in order. If he's successful, he'll rejoin the team next season. A junior last year, Philbin had a 2-13-15 line in 36 games.
10/26/99 Colts on a Roll The Cornwall Colts, ranked fourth nationally in the most recent Canadian Jr. A poll, rolled through the opposition at the 6th Annual Cornwall Junior Tournament last weekend. The Colts, loaded with college prospects, roll four lines and average better than five goals a game in league play. Over the weekend they averaged far more, helped in large part by a 20-2 pasting of the Bay State (Mass.) Breakers. As many as 14 members of the Colts could be in the DI ranks next season. Here's a look at them. Afterward, we'll take a brief look at the tournament results and the all-tournament team. Yann Danis, G, 5'10", 175 lbs., 6/21/81. Butterfly goalie with quick feet and good glove. Not pretty but extremely effective. Doesn't allow many rebounds. Named to All-Tournament team. Ranked #1 in country in both save percentage and GAA. Could commit to Brown by the end of the week. Clarkson, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton also interested. Maxime Gauvin, G, 1/28/79. Older goalie with experience. When he came to Cornwall last year the club was 0-7. With Gauvin in the net, the Colts turned it around, winning their next 17 straight games. On Jan 28, Gauvin turns 21 and his Jr. A eligibility runs out. He's getting interest from all over the ECAC. Sylvain Moreau, RD, 6'1", 205 lbs., 3/26/82. A tough, strong D who won't be ready academically for another year (he grew up in a French-speaking family). Pro potential but reportedly wants to go the NCAA route, preferably Hockey East or the CCHA. Windsor Spitfires took him in the third round of June's OHL draft and have welcome mat out for him. Among other things, the Spitfires like his fighting ability -- when Moreau drops 'em, he devastates opponents. Kacey MacDonnell, LD, 5'11", 190 lbs., 3/23/79. A Cornwall native who took a year off from hockey, saw everybody else getting college attention. and came back with renewed purpose. Was named MVP of the weekend's tournament. Good defensive D who is also the club's leading scorer. Gets the puck on net consistently. Very aggressive player. Has 110 penalty minutes in 12 games. Chris Mann, LD, 5'11", 190 lbs., 7/17/79. Relaxed, smooth defenseman who also plays aggressively. Team captain. Excellent outlet passer. Reportedly, his SAT's are close to Ivy level. Derek Wagar, RD, 6'2", 180 lbs., 4/4/81. Extremely skilled offensive defenseman. Can run power play. Needs to get a little more physically involved. Will visit Princeton in a couple of weeks. RPI, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Colgate all like him, too. Luc Paquin, RD, 6'2", 200 lbs., 3/11/81. Another extremely skilled offensive defenseman. Fast and mobile, particularly for his size. Very good hands. Needs to work on decision-making in his own end. Ivies are interested -- Princeton is a leading contender. Etienne Germain, F, 5'10", 185 lbs., 2/25/82. A talented, physical player who's a pure scorer. Could be an impact Div. I player. Has a tremendous shot. A first round QMJHL draft choice who chose to take the Jr. A route. Missed the first month of the season with a shoulder injury. Made his return over the weekend and picked up two goals and two assists in four games played. Showed no ill effects from the injury -- he was hitting hard. Strong on puck. Not a pretty skater, but is quick off the mark -- and gets there. Plays the off wing. On top of everything else, he's an Ivy-level student. Jean Desrochers, RC, 6'1", 195 lbs., 3/19/80. A Quebec native who was playing midget B hockey at this time last year. Desrochers has excellent hands, puck skills, and is strong on faceoffs. Excellent open ice skater. Scored nine goals in first six games this season, making him the league's top-scoring rookie by a wide margin. An excellent prospect. Joel Bergeron, RW, 6'2", 200 lbs., 3/31/80. A power forward with an excellent shot. Very good down low. Quick hands -- still learning how to use them. Yet another excellent prospect. Was a bit of a sleeper at the start of the season. Schools showing interest include Clarkson, St. Lawrence, RPI, BU, and Brown. Maxime Guimond, LC, 5'10", 180 lbs., 10/9/81. Excellent speed. Strong in all three zones. A pesky, provoking type of player. Not a big scorer. Just about every ECAC school has shown interest in him. Jarrett Robertson, LW, 5'11", 185 lbs., 1/9/81. A gritty player who can skate and fire it. Has a 'heavy' shot. Has seven goals in 12 games - and an offer from Clarkson. Miami is coming up to watch him this week. Jeff Legue, LC, 5'10", 170 lbs., 5/24/81. Pesky player in the Mike Peca mold. Fast and strong in all zones. Can score, too -- scored 36 lines as a fourth-line rookie last season. Brown, Colgate, Clarkson, and Union have all shown interest. Nick Brunet, LC, 5'10", 170 lbs., 3/1/80. Another scorer. Has 5-5-10 line in nine league games this season. Last year, was 36-28-64 in 46 league games. Clarkson, RPI, and St. Lawrence have all shown interest. Francois Cloutier, LW, 6'2", 200 lbs., 1/7/81. Leading scorer in the tournament. Could be the best pure pro prospect on the club. He's the nephew of NHL Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne, who came to Saturday's game and watched his nephew respond with an 8-point effort. Tim Vokey, RC, 5'9", 155 lbs., 6/29/81. Small, and has an awkward skating style -- but excellent puck skills. Played for Streetsville Derbys last season and was leading rookie scorer. RPI, St. Lawrence and Bowling Green have shown interest. Lindsay Campbell, RW, 5'11", 200 lbs., 1/18/80. Cornwall native who was going to give up hockey and become an electrician (He has his 'ticket', the Canadian equivalent of a union card). Decided to go the college route. Tough as nails, a hard-working player. Could be a good MAAC prospect. Ross McCain, F/D, 5'9",170 lbs., 4/3/81. Came to the Colts as a defenseman but is playing LW. A New Brunswick native. Strong for his size. A good MAAC prospect. Tournament Notes: In the championship game, Cornwall beat Levis-Lauzon (Que.) Jr. A, 2-1. In the semis, Cornwall came back from a 2-1 third period deficit to beat New York Apple Core (EJHL), 5-2 while Levis-Lauzon edged the Capital District (N.Y.) Selects, 4-3. Three players on the all-tournament team were from the Colts: Goaltender Yann Danis, defenseman Kacey MacDonnell, and forward Joel Bergeron. As mentioned above, MacDonnell was the tournament MVP. The other three slots on the all-tournament team went to center Michel Levielle of Levis-Lauzon, winger Jay LaTulippe of the Capital District Selects, and defenseman Patrick Roy of Levis-Lauzon.
10/25/99 A Coyote for the Terriers New England Jr. Coyotes forward Gregg Johnson has committed to Boston University. Johnson, a 5'10", 167 lb. left-shot center, is a skilled playmaker with a nose for the net. He's also a tenacious worker who's strong in all three zones. A native of Windsor, Conn., Johnson was one of the top players on the U.S. Under-18 Select squad that upset Canada and took home the silver medal at the Four Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic this August. In five EJHL games this season, Johnson, a 6/18/82 birthdate, leads the Junior Coyotes with a 5-5-10 scoring line. In addition to BU, Johnson visited Providence College and BC. Notes: BU is still in the hunt for super-skilled 5'9" center Jeremy Jackson, who played with the U.S. Under-18 team last year and is playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) this year. The other two schools BU is competing against for Jackson are Maine and Michigan State. Jackson, who's had two 4-goal games so far this season, has a 20-6-26 line in 14 games. Oh, and 49 penalty minutes, too. BU, Michigan, Michigan State, and Denver are the four schools in the hunt for 6'3" Vernon Vipers winger Kenny Magowan.
10/25/99 Prep Update Here's our latest update of incoming and outgoing prep players. We still have a way to go so, with that in mind, we're asking you -- coaches, players, parents, etc. -- to help us fill in the blanks. We'll be keeping a master list on the office wall here, adding every bit of info that's e-mailed to us, and making frequent updates. (There's only one thing we ask: please don't send us names of players who don't have at least an outside chance of cracking the varsity lineup this season.) This list, which will be moved to the Prep Page when we re-open it this week, will help us greatly in assessing the upcoming season, and putting together our season preview. It will also be an aid to college recruiters, so if any player's grade is missing or incorrect, please let us know. Our e-mail for prep school info is prephockey@ushr.com One other thing we need is schedules. And not just for the boys, either. This year, we'll be posting girls schedules as well. Please send them to the above address. We thank you in advance. Here's the list: Andover Academy: Newcomers: Gone: Halsey Coughlin, F, Dartmouth College Avon Old Farms: Newcomers: Eric Pedersen, D, PG, Saugus HS (Mass.); Scott Trahan, F, PG, Chelmsford HS (Mass.); Tim Warner, G, 10th Grade, Arlington Catholic HS (Mass); Mike Warner, F, PG, Arlington Catholic HS (Mass) Gone: Todd Marr, G, Northeastern University; Dominic Torretti, D, Des Moines (USHL) (and Providence College, Fall 2000); Chris Gateman, F, Bridgewater Bandits (EJHL) Belmont Hill: Newcomers: Gone: Tristan Lush, F, Green Bay (USHL) Berkshire: Newcomers: Bostian Kolarik (Mich.); Francois LeBlanc (New Brunswick) Gone: Josh Ciocco (Durham Huskies, Provincial Junior A); Gabe Gauthier, (Chilliwack Chiefs, BCHL); Matt Morgan (New Jersey Devils Jr. ); Scott Kantor, (Lafayette College); Todd Ballaban, (Amherst College); Dustin Corbett, (Soo Indians, NAHL); Trapper Clark, (University of Maine) Canterbury: Newcomers: Gone: Matt Deschamps, D, Omaha (USHL); Tony Johnson, D, Valley Jr. Warriors (EJHL); Tom Egan, G, Boston College Choate: Newcomers: John Dawson, F, 12th Grade, New Canaan HS (Conn.); John "J.R." Bria, D, 11th Grade, Notre Dame- Fairfield HS (Conn.); John Speer, G, 10th Grade; Vail, Colorado; Dana Quinn, F, PG, Wisconsin Gone: Dan Wienrieb, G, UMass-Lowell; Sam Paolini, F, Cornell; Matt Bedwell, F, UConn; Ben Krantz, D, University of Pennsylvania; Justin Pitrack, F, Amherst College; Craig Wadman, F, Williams College; Rob Harvey, F, Connecticut Wolves (MJHL) Cushing Academy: Newcomers: Ryan Lannon, D, 10th Grade, USA National Team Development Program; Kevin Coughlin, F, 9th Grade, South Shore Kings; James Solon, F, 10th Grade, Acton-Boxboro HS Gone: Brad Nizwantowski, F, UMass-Amherst; Jeremy Wilson, F, Boston College; Brian Teixeira, F, Boston Jr. Bulldogs Deerfield Academy: Newcomers: Matt Hanson, G, 10th Grade, St. Paul's School; Ben Lovejoy, D, 9th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Bill Moss, G, PG, North Reading HS (Mass.); Pat Walsh, D, 11th Grade, LaSalle Academy (R.I.); Eric Thomassian, F, 11th Gr., Rye (N.Y.) HS.; Dennis Kim, F, Chicago Young Americans Bantam Gone: Mike Aroesty, G, Williams College; Trevor Byrne, D, Dartmouth College; Wes Fox, F, Williams College; Bill Gilchrist, D, Williams College; Aaron Kim, D/F, Harvard University; Keith Kirley, F, Brown University; Tye Korbl, F, Brown University; Bobby Pate, D, Air Force Academy, Sean Starke, F, Bowdoin; Adam Mantin, F, Bowdoin Exeter Academy: Newcomers: Jon Boyle, F, PG, Holderness; Nick Vealitzek, PG, Minnetonka HS (Minn.); Chris Norquall, D, PG, Blake School (Minn.); Chris Mansfield, F, PG, Arlington HS (Mass.); Justin Macklin, F, PG, Acton-Boxboro HS (Mass.); Jacob Jackson, F, PG, Washington Capitals Jr. B; Colin Fitzrandolph, F, 11th Gr., Canton HS (NY). Gone: Josh Prudden, F, UNH; Greg Boucher, D, Yale; Mike Engert, F, Hamilton; Allie Skelley, D, St. Lawrence; Neil Higgins, D, Middlebury; Craig Robinson, D, Colby; JD Hadiaris, G, Colby Governor Dummer Academy: Newcomers: Barry McLaughlin, F, 9th Grade, New York Bobcats Bantam; Marc Borden, F, 9th grade, Chicago Young Americans Bantam AAA, Brian McGuirk, F, 9th Grade, Mass. Dev. Team-14's Gone: Paul Morrissey, G, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) Gunnery: Newcomers: Shawn Fehr, F, PG, Clinton HS (NY) Gone: Bryan Stoothoff, G, Suffolk PAL Jr. B Hill School: Newcomers: Glenn Crane, F, Cranbrook School (Mich.); Kevin Dmochowsky, F, University School (Milwaukee, WI); Scott Rissmiller, F, Williston-Northampton; Joe Ori, F, Chicago Chill; Adam Zaccaria, F, Washington, NJ; Mark Swenson, D, North Yarmouth Academy; Jon Schnepf, D, American Eagles (NJ); Pat McGarry, D, 10th Grade, Upland School (PA) Gone: Steve Calderara, Fairfield University; David DePalama, Connecticut College: Sean Keane Manhattanville College; Kevin Paranteau, St. Anselm's Holderness: Newcomers: Joey Mormina, D, 11th Grade, Gatineau Midget AAA (Montreal); Nick Payeur, F, Cardigan Mt. School Hotchkiss School: Newcomers: Nick Carroll, D, Kimball Union Academy; Mike Gershon, D, N.J. Junior Devils; Kyle Morin, F, 10th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Sam Bowles, F, Washington Jr. Capitals Gone: Brett Nowak, F, Harvard University; Jesse Minneman, D, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL), Jason Bremiller, F, St. Olaf College; Jay Goebel, D Kent School: Newcomers: Gone: Joe Weber, D, N.Y. Apple Core (EJHL); Mike Duffy, F, RPI Kimball Union Academy: Newcomers: John Czaplinski, G, 11th Grade, Buffalo Saints Gone: Nick Carroll, D, Transferred to Hotchkiss; Joe Ciocco, D, Durham (OPJHL); Matt Dunn, G, Salem State College; Josh Izzi, D, Fairfield University; James Whitacre, F, Princeton Lawrence Academy: Newcomers: John Gevard, F, Valley Forge Minutemen; Cam Finch, F, 10th Grade, Acton-Boxboro HS; Andrew Narog, F, 10th Grade, Valley Forge Minutemen; Ed Tudrick, F, 10th Grade, Acton Boxboro HS Gone: Brett Naugle, F/D, Wesleyan College; Brian Tudrick, F, Northeastern University; Chris Vail, F, Vernon Vipers (BCHL); Jared Dixon, D, Cornwall Colts (OPJHL); Matt Potts, F, Tufts University Lawrenceville: Newcomers: Chas Boynton, G, PG, St. Sebastians; Tim Roth, G, 10th Grade, NJ Devils Bantam; Colin Torok, F, PG, Pittsburgh, PA; Wes Fetchet, F, PG, New Canaan, Conn.; Jordan Sax, D, PG, Middlebury, VT; Chris Bilec, F, 10th Grade, Moorestown, NJ; Max Levine, F, 11th Grade, NY; Peter Gerbron, F, 10th Grade, Kennett Square, PA; Casey Deak, F, 10th Grade, Bloomingdale, NJ; Cale Spaulding, 10th Grade, St. Johnsbury, VT Gone: Sean Knaub, G, St. Lawrence; Ewing Lloyd, Williams College Loomis-Chaffe Newcomer: Colin Foote, C/RW, PG, New Jersey Devils Jr. B Gone: Sean Kotary, F, transferred to the Northwood School. Milton Academy: Newcomers: Eric Molander, D, 11th Gr., North Yarmouth Academy (Maine) Gone: Scott Brien, D, Boston Jr. Bulldogs National Sports Academy: Gone: Jason Fortin, D, Sioux Falls (USHL) Noble & Greenough School: Newcomers: Craig MacDonald, F, 11th Grade, Catholic Memorial HS; Tom McCarthy, D, Bishop Hendricken HS (RI) Gone: John Cronin, D, Boston University; Justin Dziama, F, Walpole Stars (EJHL); Mike Murray, F, Dartmouth College; Wally Siggins, F, RPI Northfield-Mt. Hermon School: Newcomers: Marty Paepelow, F, PG, BFA St Albans (Vt.); Hunter Greely, F, PG, Falmouth HS; Brendan Clark, F, PG, Reading HS (Mass.); Brendan Roache, F, PG, Washington Capitals Jr B; Erik Roos, F, 11th Grade, Notre Dame- Fairfield HS (Conn.); Sammy Vatrano, F, 11th Grade, Springfield Cathedral HS (Mass.); Gabriel Beachamp, F, 11th Grade, Brossard, Quebec; Brian Bova, F, 10th Grade, St Johns Prep (Mass.); Mark Lucier, D, 11th Grade, Ithaca HS (NY); Coleman Bello, D, 11th Grade , Sandwich HS (Mass.); Ben Daniels, G, 11th Grade, Rice Memorial HS (VT); Rob Radomski, G, Jr. Catholic East (CT) Gone: Paul Kelly, F, Boston College St. Paul's School: Newcomers: Kevin Child, F, 10th Gr., Champlain Valley HS (Vt.); Devin Clifford, G, 10th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Matt Gosselin, D, 9th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Brad Shirley, G, 9th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Michael Hutchins, D/F. 10th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Colin Koch, F, 10th Gr., Rice Memorial HS (Vt.); Adam Dann, F, 10th Gr., Rice Memorial HS (Vt.) Gone: Ryan Murphy, F, Named to U.S. National Team Development Program; Matt Hanson, G, Transferred to Deerfield Academy, J.F. Auffrey, D, Colby College St. Sebastian's School: Newcomers: David Cacciola, G, 11th Grade, Burlington HS (Mass.) Gone: Tim Kelleher, G, Boston College; Nick Cammarata, D, Merrimack College; Gil Schipani, F, Hamilton College; Bill Clifford, F, Walpole Jr. Stars (EJHL); Rich Wunder, F, St. Michael's College Salisbury School: Newcomers: Michael Jayne, D, 10th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School; Joe Versino, F, 11th Grade, Chicago Chill Midget AAA; J.R. Pakan, F, 10th Grade, Cardigan Mt. School Tabor Academy: Newcomers: Derek Kilduff, F, Thayer Academy; Brian Swiniarski, F, Broks School; Chuck Tomes, D, Brooks School; Jeff Vickers, D, 10th Gr., Thayer Academy Gone: Craig Falite, F, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL); Tim Polley, F, Bridgewater Bandits (EJHL) Taft School: Newcomers: Ben Driver, 10th Grade, BFA-St. Albans HS (Vt.); Ryan Ahearn, 10th Grade, Ridgefield HS (Conn.); Peter Cecil, PG, New Trier HS (Ill.); John McNicholas, PG, Lake Forest HS (Ill.); Colby Griffith, 10th Grade, BB&N (Mass.); Chris Klauder, 10th Grade, Delaware Selects; Conner McNally, 10th Grade, Seton Hall Prep; Jaime Sifers, D, 10th Grade, Fairfield Prep; Dan Welch, F, 11th Grade, Rochester Jr. Americans; Kevin Nee, F, 11th Grade, Canton HS (NY) Gone: Trevor Beaney, D, Princeton University; Brad D'Arco, Colgate University; John Longo, F, University of Vermont; Denis Nam, F, Yale University; Evan Nielsen, D, Notre Dame University; Ryan Priem, D, Boston University Thayer Academy: Newcomers: Gone: David King, F, Dubuque (USHL); Mikel Beacham, G, Omaha (USHL); Brian McConnell, F, Named to USA National Team Development Program; Luke Smith, F, Merrimack College; Brian Sullivan, D, Northeastern University Trinity-Pawling: Newcomers: Gone: Michael Ayers, G, Dubuque (USHL) Westminster School: Newcomers: Jim Hakewill, D, 11th Grade, Team Illinois Midget AAA; Matthew Kovacich, F, 11th Grade, Milwaukee Pettit Selects Midget AAA; Jay Waclawski, F/D, 11th Grade, Milwaukee Pettit Selects Midget AAA; Gharrity McNett, F, 11th Grade, Milwaukee Pettit Selects Midget AAA; Jesse Larusso, D, PG, Greenwich HS (Conn.); Mark Szematowicz, D, 11th Grade, Buffalo Selects (NY); Christopher Roeder, D, 11th Grade, Dusseldorf, Germany; Spencer Morton, F, 11th Grade, Stowe HS (Vt.); Matthew Orzulak, F, PG, Cathedral HS (Mass.); Craig Grenier, G, 10th Grade, Lewiston HS (Maine); Steven Climie, G, PG, Cheshire HS (Conn.) Gone: Rob Miller, G, Dubuque (USHL); Matt Silverio, Hamilton College; Ken Allyger, Colby; Nick Berno, St. Michael's College Winchendon: Newcomers: Jason Rogato, F, 11th Gr., Malden Catholic HS (Mass.) Gone: Mark Concannon, F, UMass-Lowell; Greg LeColst, F, UNH Bridgton Academy (Div. II): Newcomers: Marco Cedrone, D, 12th Grade, previously at Hotchkiss Brooks School (Div.II): Newcomers: Brian Donaldson, F, 11th Grade, West Bloomfield (MI), Shattuck-St. Mary's; Hadley Sosnoff, F, 11th Grade, Chappaqua (NY), Snapple Express; Thomas Lavin, D, 11th Grade, East Falmouth (MA), Portsmouth Abbey; Michael Reed, G, 10th Grade, Andover, Mass.; Andrew Hirschy, G, 10th Grade, Vandoeuvres, Switzerland; James Brooks, F, 10th Grade, Chatham (NJ), Seton Hall Prep; Tucker Toppan, D, 9th Grade, Exeter, NH; Townsend Hall, F, 9th Grade, Manchester, Mass. Gone: Brian Swiniarski, F, Tabor Academy; Chuck Tomes, D, Tabor Academy; Jeff Harnois, F, Lawrence Academy Williston (Div. II): Newcomer: Craig Badger, D, PG, Clinton HS (NY)
Random Notes Well, they're not totally random. They all deal with players on the above list. Deerfield forward Eric Thomassian, playing for the New York District at the 1998 Select 15 Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan, went into the boards awkwardly, suffering what looked at the time like a possible career-ending neck injury. But he's overcome it and will be playing at Deerfield this season.....Chris Vail, the 6'2" winger who graduated from Lawrence Academy this June, is begining to make his presence felt with the Vernon Vipers, scoring two goals in a 5-3 win over the Quesnel Millionaires on Saturday night. He has a 9-6-15 line thus far this season....Jon Boyle, who played at Holderness last season and was all set to go to Holy Cross this season, has opted for a PG year at Exeter instead. He, like Josh Prudden last year, could put up some big numbers there..... Tim Warner, who was the top goalie at the US Select 16 Festival in St. Cloud over the summer, will be a big factor in helping to keep Avon Old Farms a prep contender for the next three years. Warner played at Arlington Catholic High School last year.....Brendan Clark, who played for Reading (Mass.) HS last season and will be a PG forward at Northfield-Mt.Hermon this season, is the son of New York Islanders scouting director (and former UNH star) Gordie Clark ......St. Paul's forward Colin Koch, a Vermonter, is the son of former UVM forward Randy Koch. He's also the cousin of University of Michigan forward Geoff Koch.
10/23/99 Gionta Paces Jr. Amerks to First Win The Rochester (N.Y.) Jr. Americans, an expansion team in the NAHL, broke into the win column last night with a 5-3 win over the U.S. Under-17 Team. Rochester, which had started the season 0-9, looked like they were heading for their 10th straight loss when, halfway through the first, they trailed the U.S. team (which came into the game with an 8-4-1 record) by a 3-1 margin. However, Rochester came to life and reeled off four unanswered goals, the last an empty-netter, to take the first game of the two-game series. The youngsters, particularly '83-born center Stephen Gionta, led the way for Rochester. Gionta, the younger brother of BC's Brian, scored two goals to tie the game at 3-3 and was the top player on the ice for either team last night. Gionta also assisted on his team's first goal, scored by his linemate, '84-born LW Thomas Vanek of Gratz, Austria. Gionta's other winger, Mark Langdon, an '83, chipped in with a couple of assists. The trio combined for three goals, had four or five breakaways, and as many as 15 shots on goal. Gionta, who came into the game with a 1-4-5 line in seven games, was not selected for the U.S. Under-17 Team when the squad was chosen over the spring and summer. But last night his play made a clear statement. Defenseman David Hughes, an '81 from Long Island, scored the game-winning goal for the Americans. Hughes, who played for the Chicago Chill last season, is the son of of former Cornell Big Red star John Hughes (1967-70), and has a sister who's a top candidate for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating team. He also has a younger brother, Matthew, an '83-born smooth-skating RC playing for the Long Island Gulls who could turn out be a solid player. Playing well for Rochester, though not getting on the board, was 6'2" winger Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, the team's second-leading scorer. Fouladgar- Mercer, who's 6'2", has a quick, accurate shot, a nose for the net, and is being courted by the Ivy schools. He's visited Princeton and Cornell already and will be heading up to Dartmouth for a visit next. In net for Rochester was Corey LaTulippe who, until a couple of days ago, was at the University of Vermont. LaTulippe, a Vermont native who played the last three season for coach Jim Ward at Northfield-Mt.Hermon School, realized that with the return of Tim Peters, he was going to be doing a lot of sitting. So he decided to leave college and get another year of goaltending under his belt. LaTulippe, added to the Rochester protected list two days ago, was shaky early, but acclimated himself, turning in a solid performance the rest of way, shutting out the U.S. over the last 50 minutes.
10/23/99 Eichelberger Steps Up 6'1", 185 lb. Green Bay Gamblers forward John Eichelberger, who leads the U.S.H.L in points per game (1.83), is drawing Div. I interest from Wisconsin, Denver, and St. Cloud. Eichelberger, who played in the U.S. Natiaonl Team Development Program the past two years, could always skate. Now he's found his scoring touch. He also has 30 penalty minutes -- in six games!...... Tyler Palmiscno, a skilled 5'9" left-shot forward with the Sioux City Musketeers, is getting a lot of attention from Minnesota-Duluth. Palmiscno is from East Grand Forks, Minn. and played his high school hockey at East Grand Forks High School.....Recently, we mentioned that defenseman Ken Scuderi of the Dubuque Fighting Saints was leaning toward Clarkson. Well, it ain't happening. Scuderi, who's 6'3", the younger brother of BC defenseman Rob Scuderi, and Dubuque's top prospect on the blue line, isn't leaning toward anyone right now. He's wide open and uncommitted...Big defenseman Jeff Dwyer of the Choate School has applied early decision to Yale University. Harvard is reportedly interested in Dwyer, too.
10/21/99 Trevesani a Buckeye Left-shot D Carter Trevesani of the Kitchener Dutchmen (Mid-Western Ontario Jr. B) has committed to Ohio State University. Trevesani made his final choice from between the Buckeyes -- he visited the Columbus, Ohio campus in late September -- and Notre Dame, which he visited Oct. 8-9. Trevesani also had interest, particularly early in the recruiting process (and reportedly again in recent weeks), from Michigan. Trevesani, who's 6'1", added muscle over the summer and now weighs 195 lbs. The key to his game is his skating, which is outstanding. He's smooth, fast, has quick feet, and great mobility. An excellent stickhandler who's quick with the puck, he'll sooner or later be running the Buckeyes power play. Trevesani, a 6/15/82 birthdate, made it clear he was going the college route, so was taken late in June's OHL draft, being selected by the Ottawa 67's in the 9th round.
10/19/99 Eaves Commits to BC Ben Eaves, a heavily-recruited forward out of the Shattuck-St.Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota, has made a verbal commitment to attend Boston College. In the end, the two schools being considered by Eaves were BC and Notre Dame. Yesterday, Eaves notified Irish coach Dave Poulin of his decision to play for Boston College, which he had visited over the weekend. The other three schools Eaves was considering were Harvard, Maine, and Boston University. However, after Eaves visited Notre Dame, he cancelled visits to Maine and Harvard, and moved up the date of his visit to the Heights. Eaves is a huge catch for BC, as he's a player who will make an impact as a freshman. A dynamic player, he'll carry the puck at high speed, cut in and out of traffic, drop nifty passes, and rip off hard, accurate shots on the fly. In short, he's a game-breaker who could produce 35-40 points as a freshman. As a point of comparison, the two most recent freshmen in Hockey East to accomplish that were Darren Haydar last year, and Brian Gionta the year before that. Eaves, who's 5'9" and 165 lbs., is a RW/C with a 3/17/82 birthdate. Last year he scored over a hundred points in leading Shattuck-St. Mary's, then coached by current L.A. Kings coach Andy Murray, to the National Midget Championship in Washington, D.C. Current B.C. freshman A.J. Walker was a teammate of Eaves' on that team. A couple of notes: At one time, the University of Wisconsin was also in the hunt for Eaves, but never made the final cut. Eaves' father, Mike Eaves, a center, played for Wisconsin from '74-78 before going on to an eight-year NHL career with the Minnesota North Stars and Calgary Flames, retiring in 1986. He's now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Eaves has a younger brother playing with him on the Shattuck prep team this season who also projects to be a top NCAA recruit. Patrick Eaves, an '84 centerman and a 10th grader, is a couple of inches bigger than his older brother, and plays a slightly more deliberate and cerebral game. To use a Boston comparison (and risk dating myself a bit), Ben Eaves is in the Rick Middleton mold while younger brother Patrick is more similar to Jean Ratelle. This season, under coach Tom Ward, the younger Eaves has been playing defense. But he's actually not playing anywhere right now -- he's out for a month or more with a separated shoulder.
10/13/99 Shields Powers Cleveland Today, LW Colin Shields of the Cleveland Barons (NAHL) is visiting Michigan State. Over the weekend, Shields led the Cleveland Barons to the championship of the Compuware Tournament, scoring four goals and three assists in his team's five games, including the game winner on Monday, when Cleveland, down 2-0 to the host Compuware Ambassadors midway through the game, came back and scored three unanswered goals for the win, the last coming with 4:05 remaining. Shields, who's also visited Miami (Ohio), is from Glasgow, Scotland, where his father Martin, coaches in the Scottish professional hockey league. His mother, Margaret, is a former professional figure skater. When the younger Shields was growing up, his mother worked with him on his skating until he was 10, then handed him off to his dad to learn hockey. Shields came to Canada when he was 14 and played for the Notre Dame Hounds of Wilcox, Saskatchewan and the Kitchener Dutchmen of the Midwestern Ontario Junior B League. Shields, who's 6-0, 175 lbs. and an '80 birthdate, is a sniper with a deadly shot. Last year, he beat Soo Indians netminder Ryan Miller, who's a freshman at Michigan State now, with a shot from his own blue line. Another time, he beat Compuware's Craig Kowalski from the red line. Shields, a right shot, plays the off wing on a line with center Jimmy Slater and RW Craig Bushey. Also coming up big for Cleveland was goaltender Beau Fritz, a Boulder, Colorado native who's been around, having played for Shattuck-St. Mary's, Little Caesar's, and the Soo Hawks. Fritz is a butterfly goalie who, at 6'2", takes up a lot of net. Fritz, a 2/26/81 birthdate, is in his second year with Cleveland after coming over from Compuware. He was drafted by London in the 1998 OHL draft. A Div. I prospect for the fall of 2001 is forward Matt Davis, a 5'11", 175 lb. late '82 birthdate. Davis, a right shot, centered a line that had former Culver player Trent Flory, who has excellent hands, on the the left side, and converted defenseman Matt Field on the right.
10/13/99 He Shoots, He Scores USA Today, in yesterday's edition, noted that 56% of the players on NHL opening night rosters were Canadian, the first time the rate of Canadians in the league has dropped below the 60% mark. The article also noted that the figures came out the day after 19-year old Carolina Hurricanes defenseman David Tanabe became the first graduate of the U.S. National Team Development Program to score a goal in the NHL. Tanabe, a freshman last year for the University of Wisconsin, was one of a talented group of 1980-born defensemen in the NTDP's first season. Other '80-born defensemen on that team were Jordan Leopold, Doug Janik, and Andrew Hutchinson. All, of course, along with Michigan's Jeff Jillson, who finished out his high school career at Mt. St. Charles that season, are top candidates for the U.S. National Junior Team. Hopefully, Carolina will allow Tanabe to play in the World Juniors. The Under-17 team in Ann Arbor, playing in the North American Hockey League, has won seven of its first 11 games this season. Contrast that to last year, when it took the Under-17 team 31 games to gain victory #7. In the program's first year, the team won its seventh in its 22nd game. Note: There is a special link to the U.S. Under-17 and Under-18 Team Reports from this site's front page. You'll find results and box scores, often within an hour or two of the conclusion of a game. You'll also find complete statistics, updated weekly. Please check it out.
10/13/99 Edwardson to Miami Derek Edwardson, a 5'9" right-shot center with the Danville Wings (NAHL), has committed to Miami University. Edwardson, who has a 3-5-8 line in six NAHL games so far this season, is a 8/26/81 birthdate from Morton Grove, Illinois. Before going to Danville last season, Edwardson played for Team Illinois.
10/12/99 Inside Providence Providence College has received a commitment from John Luszcz, a LW with the New England Junior Coyotes (EJHL). Luszcz, who's 5'11" and 175 lbs., has good hands and can finish. As he adds strength, he'll be a solid contributor to the Friars. A Ludlow, Mass native, Luszcz was a member of the U.S. Select 17 Team that won the Silver Medal in the Four Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic in August. While we're on the subject, center Gregg Johnson, Luszcz's teammate with the Coyotes (and in the Czech Republic, too), has narrowed his college choice down to two schools -- BC and BU. Ex-Coyote defenseman Michael Komisarek, who played for Gary Dineen's club before heading out to the National Program this fall, will be visiting Providence and Maine shortly. They are the only two eastern schools on his docket. If he chooses Providence, the 6'4", 230 lb. Komisarek will be reunited with two of his former Coyotes teammates -- Luszcz, and current Friar freshman RW Jon DiSalvatore. Komisarek, who's a Long Island native, lived with the DiSalvatore family during his year with the Coyotes. In the Friars' exhibition game against Queen's College on Saturday, Di Salvatore skated on the top line with senior center Jerry Keefe and senior LW Fernando Pisani. He looked right at home, too, playing all situations and putting points on the board. We were a little surprised to see Aaron Fransen playing LD for Queen's College (though we didn't see a lot of him because he spent nearly half the game in the penalty box.) Fransen, an Ottawa native who was at Phillips Exeter Academy a few years back, left prep school just before his senior year to play major junior with the Kingston Frontenacs. Last year, he played for Owen Sound, which led to an invite to an NHL training camp. Fransen, who's 6'2", was a little heavy-footed in his Exeter days, but his skating and mobility have come a long way. By far the best prospect on Queen's College, Fransen, who plays a nasty pro-style game, could be playing minor pro now, but it looks like he's hedging his bets and putting that Exeter education to use. Another former New England prep player in the Queens lineup is freshman Phil Lindsay, who played for Deerfield Academy last season. Lindsay, an Ottawa native, is a nephew of Deerfield coach Jim Lindsay.
10/12/99 Gauthier Gets a Reprieve 15 year-old forward Gabe Gauthier of Buena Park, California, whose eligibility problems were imperiling his season with the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL), had his appeal to the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association (BCAHA) granted late last week and was allowed to play on his club's four-game road trip to Langley, Nanaimo, Powell River, and Cowichan Valley. Gauthier's reinstatement is only good until the end of the current season. After that, if he wishes to stay in the BCHL, he'll have to reapply to play in the league as an import. In a related BCHL note, Langley Hornets center Ryan Hollweg, the 16-year-old center from Los Angeles who was picked #1 overall in the WHL's bantam draft last spring by Medicine Hat, will be coming off a six-game suspension this week. Hollweg shoved a referee in a recent brawl.
10/08/99 Top Div. I Prospects: Ontario The bottom line: it's a below-average recruiting year in Ontario. Our ranking of the top college prospects in the province features a few sure things, but it's also laced with players who -- at least right now -- are question marks. Note that centerman Mike Kompon, the Miami of Ohio recruit who played for the Stratford Cullitons last year, is back in his native Thunder Bay. He's playing for the Thunder Bay Flyers, which, while an Ontario-based team, plays in the USHL, hence he's not on our list. Where would he be if he was? Right at the top. Here's our list: 1. Mike Knoepfli, LW, Georgetown Raiders Jr. A, 6'1"/185, 4/9/82 -- Good skater with size and quickness. Sees the ice very well. Skilled puckhandler -- protects it well. An unselfish player. Will take a hit to make a play. Great shot with quick release. Excellent student. 4th round OHL draft pick (Windsor). 2. Mike Jarmuth, LD, Stratford Cullitons Jr. B, 5'11"/165, 2/13/82 -- A smart, skilled D who can run the power play and bring an offensive dimension to a team. Skates very well, and can go with the puck. Anticipates very well. Good 1-on-1 defender. Needs to add strength. St. Lawrence is very interested in him. 4th round OHL draft pick (Oshawa). 3. Carter Trevesani, LD, Kitchener Jr. B, 6'1"/ 175, 6/15/82 -- The key to Trevesani's game is his skating, which is outstanding. He's smooth, fast, has quick feet, and great mobility. Excellent stickhandler who QB's the power play. With the puck, he'll sometimes do things quicker than necessary, leading to poor decisions. Notre Dame, Ohio State, Michigan are all in the picture. 9th round OHL draft pick (Ottawa). 4. Ryan Stewart, LW/LC, Thornhill Rattlers Jr. A, 6'1"/175, 2/17/82 -- Very skilled left-shot forward with good speed and quickness for his size. Carries and moves the puck well. Excellent checker and penalty killer. Played for Milton last season. One college recruiter says he reported out of shape. 7th round OHL draft pick (Plymouth). 5. Ryan Robert, RW/RC, North York Rangers Jr. A, 6'1"/180, 2/15/82 -- Has skating ability and good size. Plays with intensity and grit. Forces play and finishes checks. Goes to net hard. Strong in all zones. Not as quick with puck as he could be. 7th round OHL draft pick (St. Mike's). 6. Mark Wires, LC, Wexford Raiders Jr. A, 6'0"/180, 3/20/82-- Has speed. Reads play well. Smart penalty killer. A very good faceoff man and stickhandler. Doesn't slow down when he's carrying puck. Has committed to Bowling Green. 6th round OHL draft pick (Sarnia). 7. Richard Peverley, RW, Milton Merchants Jr. A, 5'11"/175, 7/8/82 -- Good speed. "A poor man's Troy Riddle," as one Div. I recruiter put it. Committed to St. Lawrence University. Played for Kitchener Dutchmen Jr. B last season. 6th round OHL draft pick (Mississauga). 8. Marco Rosa, LC/LW, Wexford Jr. A, 5'11"/170, 1/15/82 -- Outstanding skater. Extremely elusive. Gifted puckhandler. Has very quick hands and plays well in tight quarters. Committed to Merrimack. 14th round OHL draft pick (Belleville). 9. Greg Hogeboom, RW, Wexford Raiders Jr. A., 6'0"/175, 9/26/82 -- Has speed, skill, and decent size. Michigan State is interested. Hogeboom, who played for the North York Canadians Midget last year, was a 5th round OHL draft pick (North Bay). 10. Paul Davies, LC, Cambridge Jr. B., 5'9"/170, 8/9/81 -- Uptempo, high-skill centerman. Has committed to Western Michigan. 11. Jeff Campbell, LC, Strathroy Rockets Jr. B, 5'10"/155, 5/9/81 -- Lighting up Western Ontario Jr. B with 23 points (18g,5a) in 10 games. 7th round OHL draft pick (Sudbury) 12. Jan Pajerski, LD, 6'2"/180, 9/2/82 -- Excellent student. Steady D who moves puck well. Played for Burlington Midgets last year. 8th round OHL draft pick (Plymouth). 13. Ben Wallace, LD, London Jr. B, 6'2"/175, 6/6/82 -- Very steady in his own zone. A chippy, in-your-face type of D who stays with his man well. Has quick feet. Shows awareness. A lanky kid who needs to improve his strength. Playing a little more confidently -- and offensively -- this year. Good upside. 15th round OHL draft pick (London). 14. Ryan Carrigan, RD, Milton Merchants Jr. A., 6'1"/180, '81 -- Mobile. Moves puck well. A team leader. St. Lawrence and Miami are both interested. 15. Scott MacDonald, LW, Georgetown Raiders Jr. A, 5'9"/165, 1/21/82 -- Excellent from hashmarks in. Great 1-on-1 player. Poor open-ice skater. 6th round OHL draft pick (Barrie). 16. Richard Hodgkinson, LD, Bramalea Blues Jr. A, 6'2"/215, 7/1/82 -- Has size, skates well, and can move the puck. Played for Cambridge. Jr. B last year. 6th round OHL draft pick (Belleville). 17. A.J. Howe, LC, Brockville Braves, Jr. A, 6'0"/180, 3/1/82 -- 5th round OHL draft pick (Peterborough). 18. Paul Varteressian, Thornhill Rattlers, LW/LC, 6'2"/190, 2/19/82 -- He's strong and he puts his strength to good use. Hits hard and works hard. Good skater for his size. Good along boards and will take a hit to make a play. Excellent checker. Average offensive skills. Played for Mississauga last season. 6th round OHL draft pick (Sudbury). 19. Brandon Martinuzzi, RW, Cumberland Grads Jr. A, 5'11"/175, 7/28/82 -- Finesse player. Good numbers. 5th round OHL draft pick (Oshawa). 20. Sylvain Moreau, RD, Cornwall Colts Jr. A, 6'0"/190, 3/26/82 -- Big-time shot. Skating needs work. Some toughness. 3rd round OHL draft pick (Windsor). 21. Mike Nagai, LD, Bramalea Blues Jr. A, 5'10"/180, 1/1/82 -- Small, but extremely quick. Bowling Green is interested (his father played there). So is Clarkson, Michigan State, and the Ivies. 22. John Ostapyk, LD, Ottawa Senators Jr. A, 5'11"/175, 4/18/82 -- RPI is interested. 6th round OHL draft pick (Ottawa). There are some players we haven't seen, so we can't rank them. The two most interesting are Etienne Germain, LW, Cornwall Colts, 5'10"/182, 2/25/82 -- Played Quebec AAA Midgets last year and was a first round pick in QMJHL draft. Small and not a particularly good skater, but he's a high-profile player because of his scoring ability. Injured and hasn't played yet this season. and Nick Kuiper, RD, Hawkesbury Hawks, 6'2/180 -- Injured while power lifting. Has size, skill, and skating ability. NHL scouts like him. Has committed to Ohio State. Among others we haven't yet seen are Jeff Street, a '79-born 6'1", 202 lb. forward with the Brampton Capitals; Rob Kapusinski, an '81-born 6'1", 192 lb. forward with the Oakville Blades; Matt McNeely, a 5'11", 175 lb. '82 defenseman with the Cumberland Grads; and Kevin Bieksa, a 5'11"/160 lb. defenseman with the Burlington Cougars.
10/07/99 Lubesnick to UNH Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) right-shot D Mike Lubesnick has committed to the University of New Hampshire. Lubesnick, who's 5'11", 190 lbs., played for the Springfield Blues (NAHL) last season and for Team Illinois Midgets the year before that. Lubesnick is a hard-working defenseman who keeps it simple, logs a ton of ice time, and is solid in all areas. He's a late '80 birthdate. Bemidji State was also a contender for Lubesnick's services.
10/06/99 Top Div. I Prospects: Western Canada Who are the top Division I college prospects in Canada and what schools are in the hunt for them? Let's start with the BCHL. We have nine names. Kenny Magowan, a 6'2" LW with the Vernon Vipers is being pursued by North Dakota, Denver, BU, Michigan, and Michigan State. Magowan has size, strength, skill, and can skate. Pro scouts like him for next June's draft. Jeremy Jackson, a 5'9", 160 lb. RC with the Chilliwack Chiefs is coming off a big weekend, with five goals in two games. The best pure skill player in the league right now. BU, Maine, Michigan State, and Minnesota are the four schools in the hunt for him. Jackson, an '82 birthdate from Los Angeles, played in the U.S. National Team Development Program last season. Another '82 is Tyler Liebel of the Burnaby Bulldogs. Liebel, a 5'10", 155 lb. highly-skilled left-shot center, had narrowed his choices to three schools -- UNH, Colorado College, and Denver. Now we hear BU is making a pitch for Liebel, too. 5'9", 180 lb. RW Kyle Amyotte of the Langley Hornets, who's committed to Maine, is reportedly a non-qualifier, so there's a bit of a hurdle here. An older kid -- he's a '79 -- Amyotte was the MVP of the Royal Bank Cup last spring when he played with runner-up Bramalea Blues. Amyotte is a great goal scorer with a tremendous shot. His weakness is his skating, and he's a bit on the chunky side. Another top prospect in the BCHL is 5'10", 165 lb. C/RW Chuck Kobesew of the Penticton Panthers. Boston College, Michigan, Denver, Ohio State, and Bowling Green are all in the hunt for him. Those five - Magowan, Jackson, Amyotte, Liebel, and Kobesew are the big five in the BCHL right now. Right behind them are these four: 5'8", 160 lb. RC Scott Krahn of Vernon. Krahn, small, speedy and highly skilled, is an '81 birthdate. He's getting attention from Harvard, Cornell, Brown, Ohio State, Western Michigan, RPI, and others. Ryan Toovey a LW/C from the Nanaimo Clippers is another speed/skill guy. Toovey, who's 5'11", 178 lbs. and an '80 birthdate, is drawing interest from a handful of WCHA and CCHA schools, notably Northern Michigan and Colorado College. Scott May, a 5'9", 167 lb. LW with the South Surrey Eagles has made his college choice already. May, an '82, will be headed to Ohio State next. Nathan Martz of Chilliwack, a left-shot center and '81 birthdate, is getting attention from CC, Denver, Notre Dame, and Michigan State. Martz has size, is good with the puck, and is a strong two-way player. His skating is just average, however. Other players getting a close look include Burnaby center Milan Gagic, Nanaimo RW Greg Hornby, Chillwack center Travis Banga, Penticton winger Steve Sigaty, and Powell River RW Cole Roberts. As of now, that appears to be the cream of the crop in the BCHL. Did you notice that there wasn't a defenseman among them? On the Canadian Prairie, the pickings are slim this year. NCAA schools took a beating when Ben Knopp and Adrian Foster, who could go in the top half of the first round of next June's NHL draft, chose to go major junior rather than return to the AJHL and take the college route. With those guys gone, there are no impact players everyone's flocking up there to see. That's not to say there's no Division I prospects, though. The Lloydminster Blazers have a good one in 5'9", 180 lb. RW Joel Becker, a late '81 who's moved to the AJHL from the Sask League (he played for North Battleford last season). Becker, who was on the Saskatchewan Under-17 Team that beat the U.S. in Swift Current, is a small, skilled winger who can fly -- and finish, too. RPI and Brown are among the schools in the hunt. Yale already has a commitment from 5'11" Calgary Canucks defenseman Rheal Guenette. The Canucks also have a couple of talented '82's coming out of midgets -- 5'10" RW David Mitchell, and 5'7" C Jon Pittis -- who will be watched closely by Div. I recruiters. The Fort McMurray Oil Barons will be hosting the Royal Bank Cup next May so they're pretty loaded. The best prospect on the team is '82 born center Jeff Drummond, who lit it up last year in Midgets. Also being watched closely will be 5'10"., 183 lb. LW Nathan Rosychuk and 5'10", 160 lb. RW Colin Murphy. Both are '80 birthdates. In Manitoba, big winger Miles Kuharski of the Portage Terriers is drawing interest from Northern Michigan and Bemidji State. Coming up on Friday: A look at Ontario and Quebec Div. I prospects.
10/05/99 Gauthier Appeal Denied The Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) has reviewed the appeal of 15-year-old Chillwack Chiefs forward Gabe Gauthier and turned thumbs down on it. Gauthier, who continues to practice with the Chiefs, has missed two games and will miss a third when Chilliwack plays Langley on Thursday night. CHA spokesman Rob Litwinski notified Gauthier's parents that the association which, when dealing with matters of player eligibility, entrusts decisions to an unnamed three-man board, would uphold the BCAHA's rule that forbids any 15-year-old from outside British Columbia to play in the BCHL. Any appeal -- of the appeal, that is -- would have to be resubmitted to the board. Exemptions have been granted in the past, but the BCAHA, reportedly responding to another team's coach making an issue of Gauthier's presence on the Chiefs, refused to let this one go through. Yesterday morning, before the board announced its ruling, the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) added Gauthier to their protected list. Gerry and Pamela Gauthier, reached at their home in Southern California, said that they're reluctant to uproot their son, but time is an issue. Over the next few days, the family, the Chiefs, and others will look further into ways to get Gauthier reinstated. However, if Gauthier's not back playing by next week, there's a good chance he'll return stateside and, most likely, join Des Moines.
10/04/99 Stack 'Em Like Cordwood RPI has gotten a commitment from 6'5" goaltender Kevin Kurk of the Buffalo Lightning (formerly the Niagara Scenic). Kurk, a native of Buffalo, NY, is the second goaltender -- the second big goaltender -- to be heading to RPI in the fall of 2000. The other is 6'4 Nate Marsters, who committed to the Engineers earlier in the season. Marsters plays for Bramalea, which means both incoming goaltenders will be arriving from the same league -- the Ontario Provincial Jr. A League. Four years ago, the last time RPI was in the market for goaltenders, they took a pair from the Sask League, Scott Prekaski and Joel Laing. A newly announced recruit coming to RPI from the Sask League is 6'2", 205 lb. left-shot D Scott Basiuk of the Kindersely Klippers. Basiuk, a big, strong, yet mobile D, is an '80 birthdate. He's from Prince Albert, Sask.
10/04/99 Riddle on the Road Troy Riddle, the Des Moines Buccaneers talented 5'10", 180 lb. forward, is on the road today, making an official visit to the University of Michigan. Worth noting is the fact that Riddle's younger brother, Jake, is with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, just a mile or two down the road from the University of Michigan's campus. The two brothers helped lead Benilde-St. Margaret's HS in Minneapolis to the Div. A title in the Minnesota State High School Tournament last March. Other schools in the hunt for Riddle are Boston College, Maine, Minnesota, and Colorado College. By the way, on Friday night in Des Moines, goaltender Mike Mantua of Northville, Michigan, Riddle's teammate, scored a goal, catching a shot from the right point, stepping out to the hash marks and snapping off a shot that went the length of the ice and directly into the center of the empty net, sealing Des Moines 6-3 win over Sioux City. It's believed to be the first goal scored by a goaltender in the franchise's history.
10/03/99 Gauthier in Limbo Gabe Gauthier, the dominant player at this past summer's USA Hockey Select 15 Festival, is currently in limbo in the BCHL. Gauthier, a 5'7", 175 lb. forward from Buena Park, California (that's near Anaheim), and one of the top scorers with the Chilliwack Chiefs, showed up Friday for his team's home game against the Nanaimo Clippers only to be told he was ineligible to play. Gauthier has fallen victim to a ruling of the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association that forbids 15-year-old imports from playing in the BCHL. The rule is not a new one, but, in the past, appeals were granted fairly routinely. For example, Ryan Hollweg, like Gauthier a Southern Californian, played in the BCHL as a 15-year-old last year. According to Harvey Smyl, Chilliwack's coach, the BCAHA met over the summer and decided to enforce the rule more strictly. Gauthier, then, appears to be a victim of the new direction the organization is taking. The U.S. Hockey Report tried but failed to get in touch with Don Freer, the executive director of the BCAHA. Gauthier, who also sat out last night's game versus the Powell River Kings, has had an appeal submitted on his behalf by the Chiefs. The appeal goes to the Canadian Hockey Association, the governing body of amateur hockey in Canada. They are scheduled to make their decision Tuesday or Wednesday. It's not a hearing -- the decision will be made solely from the paperwork submitted. Gerry Gauthier, Gabe's father, reached at his office in California, said, "Five games into the season, they (the BCAHA) are dropping this bomb on us. If they had said no before the start of the season, it would have been one thing, but waiting five games into the season? It's wrong. Gabe's happy in school, happy with the team -- it's a perfect situation." Despite the setback, the elder Gauthier added, his son remains upbeat. Smyl said both he and Gauthier's parents were aware of the import rules before the season began. "We thought it was going to be an easier situation," he said. "As a group we were gambling on it." Now, Smyl said, "We'll do our damndest to make it work." Note: Despite his age, Gauthier has quickly adapted to BCHL play. He's shown himself to be strong enough to deal with the physical part, and offensively, the numbers speak for themselves. In five games, Gauthier has a 3-5-8 line with two penalty minutes, tying him with fellow American Jeremy Jackson as the third-leading scorer on the team.
10/01/99 Escobedo to Bowling Green 6'0", 180 lb. left-shot D Brian Escobedo of New York Apple Core (EJHL) has committed to Bowling Green. Escobedo, a native of Queens, NY, is an '82 birthdate who scored five goals and added twenty-five assists for Henry Lazar's team last season. Escobedo, who also drew a lot of attention from Notre Dame and Providence College, is the first former Apple Core player to choose the CCHA since Mark Eaton, now with the Philadelphia Flyers, chose Notre Dame. Apple Core's 5'8" scoring whiz Ryan Vesce is rumoured to be heading to Cornell. Left wing Vincent Hellemeyer could end up at Yale.
10/01/99
The big star at last weekend's Compuware Ambassadors Midget Classic was Pittsburgh Hornets goaltender Dwight Labrosse, who led his team to the championship with a 4-3 shootout win over Little Caesar's. The 5'11" Labrosse, a 10/83 birthdate from McMurray, Penn., faced two penalty shots in the game, stopping them both. Michigan has another good midget tournament this weekend. Even as we write this, way up on the Upper Peninsula Tim McIntosh and the Marquette Electricians are hosting their annual tournament on the shores of Lake Superior. Follow the action from the link below. *** Copyright © 1999 U.S. Hockey Report
|
