U.S. Hockey Report
January News
1/31/02
LaLiberte to BU
6'1", 185 lb. New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL) forward John LaLiberte has committed to Boston University.
LaLiberte, a left shot playing the off wing, leads the EJHL in points per game with 2.20. In 20 games (he missed some early-season action because of torn cartilage in one of his knees), he has a 22-22-44 line. LaLiberte had a strong series for the Monarchs in this past weekend's road sweep of the New England Coyotes. This week, he decided on BU. Earlier, in the fall, it looked like he'd be going to Harvard, but the admissions department there didn't anoint him a Son of Crim, which is the Terriers' gain.
In the mid-'90s, LaLiberte was a stickboy for the Great Northern Snowdevils, a charter member of the EJHL. He played for St. John's Prep in Danvers, Mass. for a year before returning to the Snowdevils, where, under the tutelage of coach/GM Sean Tremblay, he's steadily progressed to the point where he's one of a handful of top players in the league. He does a lot of little things well. He protects the puck nicely, uses his size effectively, has a good head for the game, and, starting last season, has really developed a finishing touch.
In case you're wondering, the Great Northern Snowdevils franchise became the Exeter Snowdevils and then, this year, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs. Right now, they are the elite of the EJHL, with a 23-2-1 record to date.
LaLiberte is a 8/5/83 birthdate and is thus eligible for June's NHL draft without opting in.
Note: Another player eligible for this June's NHL draft is 6'2", 185 lb. New York Apple Core (EJHL) defenseman Jekabs Redlihs. BU was in the hunt for him, too, but will have to wait a year. Last weekend, Redlihs took his SATs in Saranac Lake while his team was up there playing in the Northwood Tournament. He's struggling with the language barrier -- hey, we'd hate to take the SATs in Latvia -- and will likely be playing for Apple Core again next season. Other schools in the hunt for Relihs included Cornell and UMass-Amherst.
1/31/02
Genovy a Golden Knight
6'3", 190 lb. Des Moines Buccaneers forward Jeff Genovy will be joining Clarkson University in the fall. Genovy, a big two-way forward, is the fourth-leading point scorer for Des Moines with a 15-17-32 line in 38 games.
Genovy was ranked in the fourth round of Central Scouting's ranking of North American skaters that came out earlier this month. Last year, he played for the Soo Indians (NAHL).
Other schools recruiting Genovy were Western Michigan, Northern Michigan, and UNH.
A native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Genovy, a 12/4/82 birthdate, is eligible for this June's NHL draft without opting in.
Genovy played for the late, lamented USHR.Dotcoms at the Prospects Tournament in both 1999 and 2000. Those weren't bad squads, featuring, in addition to Genovy, the likes of Noah Welch, Ryan Whitney, Bryan Miller, Ned Havern, Rob Flynn, Ryan Murphy, etc. We didn't get into the playoffs either year, though. Blame it on youth, or the coaches, but don't blame the GM!
1/30/02
Coaches Polled on Mason's Successor
On Sunday night we began a rather unscientific and informal poll, asking Div. I coaches and assistant coaches (as well as others in the loop) who they felt were the leading contenders to fill Ron Mason's shoes at Michigan State.
As everyone knows by know, Mason, after this, his 23rd year behind the Spartan bench, will be taking over as the school's AD on July 1. So he'll be hand-picking his successor. And if this poll is any indication, he'll be picking from a very small pool -- only six names were mentioned numerously.
THE HEAVYWEIGHTS:
We found a consensus top two in George Gwozdecky and Jeff Jackson.
Right now, Gwozdecky is in the catbird's seat. Not only are his Denver Pioneers sitting pretty with a 23-3-0 record, but first the Wisconsin job, where Gwoz won an NCAA title as a player in 1978, opens up, followed quickly by Michigan State, where Gwozdecky was an assistant under Mason from 1984-89, including the NCAA-title winning season of 1986. Gwozdecky, whose wife is from East Lansing, is the hot property right now, and, as one coach wrote, "he can leverage Denver, MSU, and Wisco against each other... a pretty good spot to be in." In case you were wondering, Mason is paid $173,215 to coach the Spartans.
Jackson has always said that the one college job that would interest him is Michigan State, his alma mater, where, as a goalie in the mid-70's he dressed but never actually got into a game. A native of Detroit, Jackson has known Mason since the late '70s, when the two worked at the Huron Hockey School in the summer. At the time, Jackson was coaching midget and junior hockey around Detroit. Before long, as coach of the Fraser Flags and the St. Clair Shore Falcons, Jackson would be sending top recruits on to the Spartans. Later, as head coach at Lake Superior State in the early '90s, Jackson put himself on the national map when he won two NCAA championships and took the Lakers to the title game in three consecutive seasons. Shortly afterward, Jackson moved on to Ann Arbor, where he won a silver medal as coach of the 1996 US World Junior Team and founded USA Hockey's National Team Development Program. Personal differences with USA Hockey's hierarchy led to his firing in May of 2000. That summer, the Guelph Storm (OHL) hired him to turn around a losing franchise, which Jackson did, bringing the team a second place finish. This year, things are looking even better -- Guelph is in first place, and will be hosting the Memorial Cup this spring, giving Jackson the chance to be the first coach in history to win both an NCAA title and a Memorial Cup.
As one Div. I assistant wrote, "The guy who should get it, if they want a national championship, is Jeff Jackson. He is an alum and he can get it done."
He already has -- twice -- and at a school notoriously hard to recruit to. Gwozdecky has yet to get past the NCAA quarterfinals.
EDGE: Jeff Jackson.
THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE:
Many -- particularly Div. I assistants -- are pulling for Tom Newton to get the job. And they should, for hiring Newton would serve as a validation of sorts for the work that every assistant does. The 45-year-old Newton is in his 12th year on Mason's staff (he also has put in eight years as an assistant at Western Michigan, and one year as head coach at Kent State) and is very, very deserving. His coaching resumé is far more extensive than, say, Mark Johnson at Wisconsin -- and we're not trying to take anything away from Johnson.
We can definitely see Newton, a former forward who played for Mason at Bowling Green in the '70s, being hired as head coach and Dave McAuliffe, a former Spartan defenseman who's in his 10th year with the program, being raised to the level of associate.
The only fly in the ointment here is the fact that big-time programs generally hire guys with significant head coaching experience at smaller schools. Mason himself coached for seven years at Lake State (before it became a Div. I program), and then followed that up with six years at Bowling Green. (If that job opens up -- and we hear the rumbling -- we can see Newton as a top candidate. BC's Scott Paluch, another Bowling Green alum, would be another excellent choice.)
We're going to go out on a limb and predict that Mason will make his final choice from between Jeff Jackson and Newton. And because Big 10 schools tend to hire head coaches with demonstrated records of success, we'd expect Jackson to get the call. The past, though, is not always prologue.
THE WILD CARDS:
Newell Brown received a large number of mentions. A 5'9" forward who played for Mason at Michigan State in the early '80s, Brown was an assistant in the mid '80s, working on Mason's staff with Gwozdecky and then Terry Christiansen. From Michigan State, Brown took the job at Michigan Tech, which he held for two years ('90-92). Since then, Brown has mostly been in the NHL, first as an assistant with Chicago, then Anaheim, and now Columbus. Generally speaking, most AD's don't put much value into anything other than college coaching -- they look askance at pro hockey, preferring to hire guys who've climbed the college ladder, much like a teaching position. Mason is likely to have his own ideas in this regard.
Kelly Miller, a top forward who played for Mason from 1981-85, got a good number of mentions. Miller, an All-America his senior year, went on to a 15-year pro career, mostly with the Washington Caps, then, in 1999-200, wound up his pro career as a player/assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL). Last year, Miller coached Lansing (NAHL) for a few months, then, when Guy Charron took over in Anaheim, went with him. This year, Miller, 38 years old and in his third season as a pro assistant, is on the New York Islanders staff. While the Miller name carries much the same clout in East Lansing as the Johnson name does in Wisconsin, we see Miller as the longest of long shots.
Mark Mazzoleni, the Michigan State goalie when Mason inherited the program in the fall of 1979 from Amo Bessone (who held the job for 28 seasons), has gotten some mentions. He'd certainly be an excellent pick. He has the credentials. He won three straight NCAA Div. III championships at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He was at Miami for five years, posting the best career winning percentage of any coach that school has ever had, Gwozdecky included. Right now, he's in his third season at Harvard, where he's lifted that program out of the doldrums and is setting his sights on returning it to national prominence. Ironically, Mazzoleni would probably would have gotten more mentions if he were still at Miami, which is seen more as a way station in the coaching fraternity.
Anyway, as soon as the Wisconsin or Michigan State job is filled, there will be the usual ripple effect throughout college hockey. And there is still a good possibility that one or more head jobs will open. However, despite the rumors, we don't think Michigan will be one of them, as 62-year-old Red Berenson (he's one month older than Mason) likely has a few years left in the tank.
1/29/02
Apple Core Takes Northwood
In Lake Placid, NY on Sunday, Apple Core (EJHL) topped the HoneyBaked Midgets to take the 2002 Northwood Tournament.
However, it wasn't easy, as 5'5" HoneyBaked goalie Jeff Lerg, an '86, was sensational in keeping his team in the game. Apple Core, older than their opponents, unloaded on HoneyBaked, outshooting them, 45-13.
For a while, it looked as if Lerg might actually steal one. Apple Core coach Henry Lazar later said the goalie was so unbeatable on direct shots that he instructed his charges to start running back-door plays. Eventually, Apple Core came back from a 2-0 deficit, then won it in a 4x4 OT when Andrew Dawe converted a Ryan Hodkinson pass for the game-winner.
Lerg, who's the son of former Ohio State forward Ken Lerg, was named tournament MVP.
Lerg is coached by his uncle, Dan Lerg, the former University of Michigan forward. Dan's son, Bryan, is also a member of the HoneyBaked midgets, and is the only other '86 on the team. He's a special one, too. Unlike his cousin, who lives across the street from him back home in Michigan, this Lerg is a forward, specifically, he's a quick, dynamic centerman who has everything but size, Still, even at 5'8", he's an elite-level talent.
You got all that? If not, here's a refresher. The goalie, Jeff, won the tournament MVP award and is the son of Ken. The forward, Bryan, is the son of Dan, who also happens to be his coach. Both are '86s, both are small, and both are very talented.
1/27/02
Deerfield Tops Prep Poll!!
Big Surprise, right? In case you are wondering, no other team has held the top spot this season.
1/24/02
Michigan State Looks to Tobe
With Ryan Miller likely to turn pro after the season, Michigan State needs to bring in a goalie. It's looking like their man will be Justin Tobe of the Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL).
Tobe, like NTDP goaltender and Michigan recruit Alvaro Montoya, is an 11th grader who is in the process of accelerating in order to be able to enter Michigan State come August. He's made an unofficial visit, but has yet to formally commit, mainly because of the acceleration process.
Tobe, 5'11", and 157 lbs., is a 12/27/84 birthdate, which will make him a 17-year-old freshman. The key to his success is his skating, which is excellent, as is his overall agility. He's a hybird -- neither a stand-up or a butterfly type -- who challenges shooters, is aggressive and keeps himself square to the puck. He closes holes quickly, and is an intense competitor who comes up with the big key saves in crucial situations.
On top of all that, Tobe, a Northville, Michigan native, is the best puckhandling goalie in Jr. A, someone who can jump-start the Spartans breakout. He's scored a goal for Compuware this year and has a couple of assists, too. Defensively, he's played in 20 games and has a 2.50 gaa and a .908 save percentage. He has a good club in front of him -- Compuware is 30-5-3 and has practically clinched its division already.
Tobe has a brother going to Michigan State, and both of his parents were graduated from there.
Notes: Jon Sitko, a hard-nosed defensive defenseman from the Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL) has committed to Bowling Green. Sitko is 5'11", 205 lbs. and from Kitchener, Ontario.
1/21/02
Spartans Get Another Blueliner from NTDP
6'2", 201 lb. LD Evan Shaw of the U.S. National Team Development Program has committed to Michigan State University.
Shaw, a native of Cumberland, RI who went to St. Sebastian's School before heading out to Ann Arbor, is in his second season with the NTDP. In 31 games with the Under-18 Team, he has a 2-5-7 line with 32 pims. Recently named assistant captain, Shaw is a big, physical pro-style d-man who competes hard, makes intelligent decisions, and has really blossomed this season. A 3/24/84 birthdate, Shaw was ranked #78 on Central Scouting's recent list of North American skaters.
Shaw, who made his official visit on Friday, will be joining NTDP teammate Corey Potter on the Spartan blue line. Potter committed in October. Shaw and Potter will be replacing seniors Andrew Hutchinson and Jon Insana, who were members of the NTDP in its inaugural season.
Shaw, who received a full scholarship, also visited Northeastern, Cornell, and UMass-Lowell. He had a visit all set up for Harvard for this coming weekend (the Under-18 Team is playing the Crimson Saturday night), but the Spartans, wanting an answer right away, cut that one off at the pass.
1/21/02
Brown Bears -- Past and Future
Danville Wings (NAHL) RD Chris Busby, who played his freshman year at Brown before leaving for a year of juniors, has committed to play for Miami in the fall. He'll enter as a sophomore. Busby, 6'0", 185, is an '82 birthdate from Kenilworth, Illinois. He leads Danville's defensemen in scoring with a 3-22-25 line in 33 games.
Coming to Brown will be LD Dami Amurawaiye of the Holderness School (N.H.). Amurawaiye went down to Providence on Friday night, watched the Bears upset #2-ranked St. Cloud State, 4-1, and accepted Brown's offer on the spot. A 6'1", 185 lb. native of Whitby, Ont, Amurawaiye, who's the captain at Holderness, is a take-charge guy on the ice, playing a highly-involved, rugged, physical game. He's a 1/31/83 birthdate.
Another commitment out of the prep ranks is 6'1", 200 lb. forward Jamie Carroll of the Berkshire School, who committed to Iona. In 18 games with Berkshire, Carroll has a 15-22-37 line and is a +26. Four of his goals were game-winners. Carroll, an '83 birthdate, is from Andover, Connecticut.
1/20/02
The More Things Change...
...the more they remain the same. With that in mind, here is the latest prep poll.
1/17/02
Poirier Scores! Many Times!
New Hampshire Junior Monarchs LW Jonathan Poirier scored five goals in a 6-4 Team North win in the 2002 EJHL All-Star game in Marlboro, Mass. last night.
Poirier, the Monarch's second-leading scorer and the 12th-leading scorer in the league, is a 5'10", 180 lb. Aug. '83 birthdate who's originally from Canada, played two years with the West River Wolves (IJHL), where he put up huge numbers, then, after his father was transferred south to Georgia for work, was sent to the Hun School in New Jersey, but mostly played Jr. B for Randy Walker's Titans, the Monarch's mid-Atlantic pipeline (see article on Pearce below). From there, he came to the Monarchs.
Last night, he put on a show. Playing with his regular linemates, Joe Dumais and John LaLiberte, Poirier got on board 43 seconds into the game, added his second goal 40 seconds into the second period, and then, before the period was over, added three more for a total of five. He was held scoreless in the third.
These were not all cheap goals, either. On his third, at 9:22 of the second, Poirier came flying down the left wing and uncorked a bullet of a shot that totally handcuffed South goalie Dominic Smart.
If Poirier keeps playing like this he could start getting some Div. I offers. He certainly opened some eyes, and will be watched closely the rest of the way.
Like most all-star games, this was a pretty wide-open affair, with a ton of shots, but enough hitting to lift it above the level of most all-star games. The kids were playing in front of a large contingent of pro scouts and college recruiters, and played hard. As an aside, it should be mentioned that, in terms of skill level, the EJHL has improved so much over the last five years. In the mid-90s, it was dominated by Gary Dineen's Pics/Whalers/Coyotes franchise -- and a serious Div. I prospect was seldom seen on the remaining teams. That's changed. There are prospects on a lot of teams now and at least half a dozen stable franchises. Still, there are too many teams in the league (12). Contraction wouldn't be a bad idea, but that's true of just about every sport at every level.
Up front, we were impressed, as usual, by the Coyotes' 6'0", 175 lb. '84 Mark McCutcheon, easily the top Div. I prospect among the forwards in the game. On defense, the same could be said about the Coyotes 6'3", 200 lb. late '83 Jay Pemberton, who made an impact every time he stepped on the ice. His feet are far better than a year ago, and he's ready to play for Providence next year. Other defensemen who stood out were 5'11", 185 lb. '81 Bobby McCabe (Monarchs), who had two assists, and is going to UMass-Lowell; 6'3", 180 lb. late '83 Bill West (Selects), easily the sleeper of the group; and 6'2", 185 lb. Jekabs Redlihs (Apple Core), who has the frame and overall athletic ability that intrigues scouts. The best goalie last night was not Joe Pearce, who allowed three first period goals before settling down, but rather the Junior Bruins 6'1" Nevin Hamilton, an '85 who gave up just one goal in his 30 minutes.
There were a number of other players who had strong games, with many jumping out at us in spots. The above were the ones we kept coming back to, though.
1/17/02
Rags to Riches
If you're a goalie and you're about to pack it in, you might want to read this.
In September, 6'5", 215 lb. goaltender Joe Pearce tried out for the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL), but was cut, and returned home to his native New Jersey.
Even if he hadn't been cut, playing for the Monarchs wouldn't have been a great situation for him, anyway, as he would have been the #2 guy behind UMass-Amherst recruit Gabe Winer, who was planning to leave Gov. Dummer and take his senior year in the EJHL. Pearce knew all about sitting on the bench: he done it all last season with the Bismarck Bobcats (AWHL), rarely getting into a game. He wasn't looking forward to repeating the experience. He just wanted to play -- anywhere, and Randy Walker, the coach/GM of the N.J. Jr. Titans (Met League), said he'd be glad to have him. So Pearce returned home, joined up with the Titans and was about to return to enroll in a local community college when Monarchs coach/GM Sean Tremblay called back. Winer, he said, had decided at the last moment to return to prep school. Would Pearce he be interested in coming back and competing for the job with the Monarchs?
He was.
Now, four months later, he's one of, if not the, hottest Div. I goalie prospect in the country. On Monday, he was at Boston College for an unofficial visit. He's made unofficial visits to UMass-Lowell, and BU. Michigan, and likely others, will be flying in when the Monarchs play at the New England Jr. Coyotes Jan 26-27. The Wolverines are bringing in Al Montoya from the National Program, but still need another goalie. Michigan State, likely to lose Ryan Miller after the season, has called. UVM has made him an offer. Union wants him.
In an interesting twist, UNH called Pearce Monday night and brought him in for a visit yesterday. The Wildcats, with senior Matt Carney out 4-6 weeks with a concussion suffered in the Providence game on Sunday, weren't looking forward forward to battling for an NCAA title with no one behind Michael Ayers. So they made Pearce a nice offer -- on the spot. Pearce mulled it over at length, but declined, ultimately deciding that heading to college in September was a better choice for him, particularly given the options he has.
NHL scouts are watching closely, too. On Friday night, four NHL scouts were on hand to watch him in a 5-1 win over the Valley Jr. Warriors. Columbus had its whole entourage there -- regional scout Scott Fitzgerald, assistant GM Jim Clark, and goalie coach Rick Wamsley.
On the season, in 39 games (league and non-league), Pearce has posted a .940 save percentage, a 1.67 gaa and a 31-4-3 record.
Monarchs coach/GM Tremblay first noticed Pearce two years ago (April '00) at the Chicago Showcase. Because of his size, the goalie was hard to miss, but Tremblay also noticed that Pearce, then a senior at Brick (NJ) High School, was athletic -- and very, very raw. He filed his name away for future reference.
The future arrived 16 months later, at the Monarchs training camp in late summer. Tremblay says he wasn't too crazy about Pearce's play there: "He was all over the place, and was just being lit up."
When Pearce got his second opportunity, he took every advantage of it. Tremblay got to work with him on his mechanics, and started with some basics. He pointed out to Pearce that, at 6'5", it's not necessary to come out past the top of the crease. He told him that, given his size and wingspan, it wasn't necessary for him to pop back up onto his feet every time there was a rebound right in front. He taught him to attack pucks. Pearce quickly gained confidence, and things began to snowball. One area Tremblay is now working on with Pearce is his puckhandling.
"He listens well," said Tremblay. "That's been key. So has his work ethic, which is great. His learning curve has been amazing. He's just foaming at the mouth to get better. He wants to play pro. He wants to be a leader."
As for going from an unknown to the center of attention in such a short period of time, Tremblay says Pearce is a "very laid back kid" and unfazed by it all. It's the way he plays goal, too, says Tremblay. He just doesn't get rattled.
Pearce will be starting for the North squad in tonight's EJHL All-Star game at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass.
1/15/02
EJHL All-Stars Named
The Eastern Junior Hockey League has selected its teams for the 2001-02 All-Star game. They are listed below.
The game is this Thursday, Jan. 17th, at the New England Sports Center in Marlboro, Mass. Starting time is 8:00 pm.
Northern Division
Goaltenders (2): Joe Pearce '82 (Monarchs); Nevin Hamilton '85 (Jr. Bruins).
Defensemen (8): Bret Tyler '85 (Jr. Bruins); Jason Ortolano '83 (Monarchs); Jarrett Sousa '85 (Jr. Bruins); ; Adam Stanieich '84 (Jr. Bruins); Bob McCabe '81 (Monarchs); Ben Brayden '83 (Glades); Michael Blais '81 (Harbor Wolves); Joe Garofalo '81 (Monarchs).
Forwards (12): Geno DeAngelis '82 (Harbor Wolves); Randy Campolini '81 (Warriors); Chad Pillsbury '81 (Jr. Bruins); John LaLiberte '83 (Monarchs); Joe Dumais '82 (Monarchs); Matt Byrnes '82 (Jr. Bruins); Jonathan Poirier '83 (Monarchs); Rashaun Ewing '81 (Lock Monsters); Drew Madeiros '82 (Warriors); Chris Connerty '82 (Warriors); Scott Trahan '81 (Lock Monsters); Bob Ryan '82 (Warriors).
Named to team, but replaced due to injury: Jesse Driscoll '82 D (Monarchs)
Coaches: Sean Tremblay (Snow Devils); Peter Masters (Jr. Bruins).
Southern Division
Goaltenders (2): Dominic Smart '82 (Selects); Brad Roberts '82 (Apple Core).
Defensemen (8): Kevin Schaeffer '84 (Apple Core); Bryan Cirullo '85 (Coyotes); Bill West '83 (Selects); Jekabs Redlihs '82 (Apple Core); J.R. Bria '82 (Selects); Dave Lawrence '81 (Breakers); Jay Pemberton '83 (Coyotes); Jonathan Koop '82 (Bandits).
Forwards (12): Matt Anderson '82 (Coyotes); Brian Donovan '81 (Stars); Valdis Sustko '82 (Stars); Garrett Summerfield '84 (Selects); Torry Gadja '83 (Coyotes); Casey Lewis '84 (Selects); Mark McCutcheon '84 (Coyotes); Matt Mendoza '81 (Breakers); Joe Santilli '82 (Stars); Pete Alden '82 (Selects); Paul Markarian '81 (Stars); Brandon Merkosky '83 (Selects).
Named to team, but replaced due to injury: Evgeny Kadatsky '84 F (Selects).
Coaches: Jim Salfi (Selects); Lincoln Flagg (Coyotes).
1/13/02
The Same as it Ever Was
Sitting alone at the top of this week's USHR Prep Poll is...
1/13/02
Top Underclassman Picks BC
Here's some good news for Boston College fans stung by this weekend's sweep at the hands of UMass-Lowell: 5'9", 165 St. Sebastian's LW Joe Rooney has made a verbal commitment to become an Eagle.
Rooney, now a sophomore, is a strong student and plans to accelerate, which, if all goes right, means he'll arrive at the Heights in the fall of 2003.
A 9/15/85 birthdate from Canton, Mass., Rooney is a high-skill, yet hard-working, gritty, fearless winger who's always moving to get open, is strong on his skates, protects the puck well, turns d-men with speed to the outside. He's sneaky, very dangerous 1-on-1, and wins most of the little battles for the puck. He's about as complete a player as you'll find at his age group.
Rooney was invited last March to join the U.S. National Team Development Program, but chose to stay at St. Sebastian's, which this year is attempting to defend its New England Prep title. Rooney made the big play that set up the game winning goal when St. Seb's knocked off Cushing 1-0 in the title game this past March.
Rooney joins fellow Bay Stater Adam Pineault, an '86 forward playing in the National Program, as underclassmen committed to Boston College.
Other schools Rooney was interested in were Notre Dame, where he took an unofficial visit but quickly realized he'd prefer to play college in his home state. That left Harvard, BU, and BC as his final three choices.
Rooney is the son of Steve Rooney, also a LW, who played at Providence College from 1981-85 and then went on to the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, and New Jersey Devils.
1/11/02
Pedrie Takes Over as NAHL Commish
Larry Pedrie is the new commissioner of the North American Hockey League.
Pedrie, who most recently founded the Chicago Chill Midget AAA program and brought it to the point where it's now the top such program in the Chicago area, is originally from Detroit. A defenseman, Pedrie played at Ferris State in the late '70s and then immediately went into coaching, first as an assistant at Ferris State, then at the University of Illinois-Chicago (CCHA) from '84-87. In 1987, Pedrie joined Red Berenson's staff at Michigan and spent three years there, a period during which the Wolverines, after some down years, enjoyed the first of what has now become 14 straight winning seasons. That success led to Pedrie's shot as a head coach at the Div. I level, and he returned to Illinois-Chicago in 1990, running that program for six years despite some serious lack of support from the athletic administration. Eventually, UIC decided to put their resources into basketball, and shut down the hockey program. At that point, Jeff Jackson was laying the groundwork for the U.S. National Team Development Program, and asked Pedrie to be his assistant. Pedrie, though, decided to stay in the Chicago area, where he worked as a Blackhawks advance scout, helped develop a 10,000 seat building that never came to fruition, started a hockey training program -- Complete Hockey -- that is still going today, and, in 1997, started the Chill program which now encompasses seven teams from the squirt through midget major level.
Now, he's taking over the NAHL, which he'll oversee from Chicago, though the day-to-day operations will be run out of the league office in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Pedrie, in our opinion, will be a real shot in the arm for the NAHL, which, over the past few years, has taken some serious hits. Some franchises, like Rochester, N.Y., have folded after a year. Others, like Grand Rapids, Michigan, went belly-up during the season. A couple more have been operating on a week-to-week basis. Coaches have come and gone with alarming rapidity.
The league, in our opinion, has suffered through the past few years mainly because its lacked strong leadership, as it has instead chosen marketing types to run the league. If Pedrie, who is very respected in the U.S. amateur hockey world and knows his way around the back corridors of power, can't right this ship, it's unlikely anyone can.
1/11/02
Whitney Top American on Central's Mid-Term Ranking
Central Scouting's 2002 Mid-Term Rankings are out and, just like in the fall's preliminary ranking, Boston University LD Ryan Whitney is the top American player, coming in at #4 on the list of North American skaters. The #1 ranking belongs to big Medicine Hat (WHL) LD Jay Bouwmeester.
Over half the players on the list are Americans -- or Canadians who are or will be playing at NCAA schools. To put it more simply, less than half the players come from the major junior ranks.
Any '84s on the list (excluding major junior players), as well as '83s born on or after Sept. 15 of that year will have to opt-in -- thus giving up their NCAA eligibility -- in order to be eligible for June's draft. We don't expect many will do so.
The final Central Scouting list comes out after the deadline for opting in, so those who haven't done so at the time will be removed from that list and automatically become draft eligible for 2003.
In the past, we would always convert these lists into Microsoft files, but most computers now come installed with Adobe Reader so it's best to just go to Central Scouting's Web Site, look for "Mid-Term Ranking" along the left-hand column and click on it. Everything will be there, including the European rankings.
If you do not have Adobe Reader and just want the raw list, without heights/weights, birthdates, etc., please click on the link below.
1/11/02
From Calgary to the Banks of the Charles
5'11", 175 lb. Calgary Royals (AJHL) LC Charlie Johnson will be going to Harvard University in the fall.
Johnson, a 1/30/84 birthdate, is a high-skill player who combines grittiness, skating skill, and strong playmaking ability. Other schools competing for his services were Michigan State and Cornell. Harvard had been onto him since seeing him last year with the Royals Midget AAA team in the Maac's Midget Tournament in Calgary.
Morrison, in 42 games this season, has an 18-22-40 line.
1/10/02
Ebbett a Wolverine
5'11", 175 lb. LC/LW Andrew Ebbett of the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, a BCHL expansion team, will be heading to Michigan in the fall. Ebbett, a Jan. '83 birthdate who played in the Viking Cup over the holidays, is described as a shifty, high-skill forward.
Last month, T.J. Hensick, a 5'8", 161 lb. RC from the U.S. NTDP, and his teammate, 5'10", 191 lb. LW Mike Brown committed to the Wolverines for the fall of 2003. With those three Michigan has a nice group of quick, skilled forwards for the future -- the rich get richer.
And let's not forget 5'11", 178 lb. LD Matt Hunwick, also of the NTDP, a steady, all-round D who can chip in offensively. He'll also be arriving in 2003.
1/10/02
Walsh Picks Irish
6'1", 205 lb. Compuware Ambassadors (NAHL) LW Mike Walsh has finally made up his mind -- he'll be attending Notre Dame in the fall.
Walsh had Harvard as his other top choice.
A rugged, strong two-way player with a powerful, accurate shot, Walsh has a 20-13-33 line in 31 games for Compuware (who, by the way, are running away with the NAHL with a 27-4-3 record).
A Jan. '83 birthdate, Walsh, who played in the recent Viking Cup, is the prototypical pro-type player, and, at least in this observer's eyes, is the only NAHL player with a good chance of getting selected in this June's NHL draft, perhaps in the mid to late rounds.
1/10/02
A Gopher for the Future
The University of Minnesota has received a commitment for the fall of 2003 from 6'4", 205 lb. RD Jake Taylor of the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL).
Taylor, currently a senior in high school, is a big, strong defensive defenseman who plays with a snarl and will add toughness to the Gopher blue line. However, he needs that extra year in the USHL to refine his game.
Taylor, who attended Rochester-Lourdes High School, is from Byron, Minn. He's an 8/1/83 birthdate, and a virtual lock to be selected in this June's NHL draft.
In 25 games with the Gamblers, he has one goal, two assists and 72 pims.
1/10/02
More Commitments
-- For an emerging program like Wayne State, getting a player like 6'0", 175 lb. LW Derek McKay of the Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL) is something to be pleased about -- and they are.
McKay, who played on the Ontario Under-17 Team in Nova Scotia last year, was a high OHL draft pick who opted for the college route. His strength is his heavy shot, which he loves to use. His weakness is his skating, which could use improvement. In 24 games, McKay, an '84 birthdate, has an 18-18-36 line, which places him among the league leaders.
-- 6'1", 178 lb. LW Mark Yurkewecz of Cushing Academy will be heading to RPI in the fall.
Yurkewecz, who has a 9-9-18 line in 15 games, is the seventh Cushing senior to be going Div. I in the fall.
Yurkewecz, a 10/15/83 birthdate, is a native of Troy, NY and played in the Capital District Selects program -- run by former RPI coach Jim Salfi -- before going to Cushing as an 11th grader.
1/9/02
Who's Next?
University of Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer will confirm his resignation today at a 2 pm news conference at the Kohl Center in Madison. Sauer, 58, is in his 31st season as a NCAA Div. I head coach, first at Colorado College, then for the last 20 years at the helm of the Badgers.
Wisconsin is one of the most coveted jobs in college hockey, and the list of hopefuls will be as long as Manute Bol's arms. However, we think the three guys Wisconsin AD Pat Richter will quickly zero in on are current Denver head coach George Gwozdecky, current Badger assistant Mark Johnson, and current U.S. National Team Development Program head coach Mike Eaves.
The common thread among them -- and it's no small thing -- is that all three played at Wisconsin in the late '70s, and were teammates on the '76-77 Bob Johnson-coached NCAA championship team. Call 'em Johnson's legacy (for the record, Anaheim Mighty Ducks assistant GM Dave McNab was also on that squad, as a backup goaltender).
Johnson, the coach's son, was a freshman center who would go on to become the Badgers' second all-time leading scorer, star on the 1980 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, and play in the NHL for 11 years.
Eaves, a junior center (and tri-captain), would be named a First Team All-American and go on to become the Badgers all-time leading scorer. He played eight years in the NHL before his career was curtailed by injury.
Gwozdecky was a senior LW, a role player, who, upon graduation, went straight into college coaching.
We'll be surprised if the chosen one comes from outside of this troika. It's hard to handicap the field, though.
Johnson, 44, is in his ninth year of coaching, the last six as an assistant with the Badgers. Depending how you look at it, that's a plus or a minus. It's a plus in that he's already in place, a part of the program, and college ADs, all other things being equal, tend to hire from within. And when it comes to Johnson, a former Badger star, a son of the most successful coach in Wisconsin history, plus a U.S. Olympian to boot, the tug will be strong. It's a minus because, in this case, all other things may not be equal: Unless the Badgers turn it around this season they will finish with their fourth losing season in six years. In addition, Johnson's coaching resumé is not dissimilar to numerous Div. I assistants, including fellow Badger assistant Pat Ford -- and you don't hear Ford's name being thrown around much.
Gwozdecky's strong suit is longevity. Unlike Johnson and Eaves, he never played pro -- he just went straight into coaching. He's into his 23rd season now, and his 13th as a Div, I head coach, first at Miami and now Denver, presently 18-2-0 and ranked #2 in the nation. So his value is high. If you throw out Gwozdecky's first two years at Miami, which were purely rebuilding years, he's had winning programs in eight of the last 10 years. Even better, he's reached the NCAA tournament in four of the last eight years, once with Miami and three times with Denver -- and both schools are far more difficult to recruit to than Wisconsin. This clear-cut success as an NCAA Div. I coach is the stuff that makes AD's eyes gleam. If Gwozdecky is tabbed, Richter won't face any second-guessing, and if he does all he needs to do is pull out the record book.
College ADs tend to give very little weight to coaching success outside of the college realm. This may, unless Richter has a specific vision, work against Eaves, who has followed a more varied path, one that has exposed him to a greater breadth of hockey coaching experience than the two candidates we covered above. Eaves has been an assistant with three NHL teams -- the Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, and, most recently, the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also was a head coach for the Hershey Bears (AHL), the Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep Team, and Helsinki in the Finnish Elite League. As for college coaching, he put in a couple of years as an assistant in the late '80s, first at Wisconsin Eau-Claire, then at St. Cloud State. Right now, Eaves, 45, is in his second year as head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Those who've closely followed the teams he's coached there have come away deeply impressed. Eaves demands a lot of his players, and of himself. He's energetic, open-minded, easily approachable, and very much a questing type -- he's always thinking, looking for better ways to do things. He also, in his time in Ann Arbor, has come to have a deep -- and first hand -- understanding of the U.S. talent base.
Who would you pick?
By the way, doesn't all this come at a rather strange time? It seems that this is the kind of thing that might be announced over the Christmas break, or as the season is winding down. Perhaps Sauer thought that the announcement would be less of a distraction and more of a motivation -- it's a big weekend, with the Golden Gophers coming into Madison for a pair -- and he may be right. We'll see.
1/6/02
Despite Loss, Deerfield Still #1
The latest USHR New England Prep Poll was released tonight and Deerfield, despite losing Saturday afternoon to Salisbury, still sits atop the pack. This poll, certainly one of the hardest to figure in years, should be impacted greatly this week, starting with this afternoon's Taft at Salisbury tilt.
1/4/02
U.S. Wins the Gold at World Under-17s
A Robbie Earl goal at 6:35 of OT gave the U.S. a 4-3 win over Pacific in the gold medal game of the 2002 World Under-17 Challenge before a crowd of 2,404 in Selkirk, Manitoba tonight.
The win gave the U.S. Under-17s its second straight gold medal in the tournament, both times against Pacific.
On the winning goal, U.S. defenseman Jeff Likens picked up a Pacific turnover in the neutral zone, and got it up to Earl, who split the Pacific D and fired it top shelf past Pacific goaltender Kevin Nastiuk.
Earlier, the U.S. got goals from Michael Bartlett, Jimmy Sharrow, and Adam Pineault.
Pineault, with a goal and an assist, was named the Player of the Game.
1/4/02
U.S. Edges Sweden in OT; Takes 5th at WJC
A Chris Higgins overtime goal gave the U.S. National Junior Team a 3-2 win over Sweden tonight and fifth place in the 2002 World Junior Championship in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
The game-winning goal, which came just over six minutes into OT, came when Higgins and Kris Vernarsky broke in 2-on-1. Vernarsky, of the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) fed Higgins on the left wing, and Higgins, a Yale freshman, buried it.
Earlier, Ryan Hollweg and R.J. Umberger scored for the U.S. Umberger, who was named player of the game, also added an assist on Hollweg's goal.
The U.S. returns from the World Junior Championship with a 4-1-2 record, its only loss coming to Russia, the eventual gold-medal winner. Higgins, Hollweg, and Ben Eaves were named the three top U.S. players at the tournament.
1/4/02
Rarer Than a Hen's Tooth
A game between a top Minnesota high school and a top New England high school is ultra rare, so this weekend's games between Holy Angels and Mount St. Charles (7:00 tonight at the Mount) and Catholic Memorial (4:00 pm tomorrow at BU), are a must-see.
Holy Angels, one of the top Minnesota high schools -- they should be around #5 in the next poll -- will be without Dan Kronick, the one guy college coaches would want to be looking at for next year. Kronick, a 6'2", 182 lb. senior forward, was 6-7-11 in his first four games this season, then broke his ankle. While he'll miss most of the regular season, he should be back for the playoffs.
In the absence of Kronick, coach Greg Trebil will be counting on 5'7" senior Tyler Howells, 5'11" junior Jim Kilpatrick, and 5'9" sophomore Matt Kaiser to lead the way offensively.
For a fine combination of skill and hockey smarts, check out freshman defenseman Nate Hagemo. A 5'10", 170 lb. late '86. Hagemo impressed this summer as a forward at the National Select 15 Festival. At Holy Angels, he's playing D, and really opening eyes.
1/4/02
Spang on the Mend After Car Collision
A number of NHL scouts showed up at Wednesday's Reading-Winchester game but left disappointed after learning that 6'0" Winchester High School LD -- and BU recruit -- Danny Spang was out of the lineup after suffering a concussion in a Dec. 31 traffic accident. Spang passed his Catscan and other tests, but has yet to go 48 hours without a headache. Doctors will check him again next week, but right now he's expected to be out another 10-14 days.
The accident happened midday on Dec. 31. After practice, Danny, who was driving, and younger brother, Jason, a junior D-man for Winchester who was in the front passenger seat, were reportedly turning into a local restaurant when they collided with another car. The airbags opened, hitting both Spang boys hard. Jason's face was cut up and required stitches. While he was able to play Wednesday, his older brother will have to sit and wait for awhile.
1/3/02
U.S. Under-17s Trounce Ontario; Face Pacific for Gold Medal
The U.S. National Under-17 Team defeated Team Ontario, 7-2, tonight in Selkirk, Manitoba.
Leading the attack for the U.S. were John Vigilante (2g,1a), T.J. Hensick (2g), Josh Sciba (1g,1a), and Robbie Earl (1g,1a). Shots were even 36-36, but U.S. goaltender Alvaro Montoya stopped 34, while Ontario's pair of goaltenders.... didn't. The U.S. shut down the OHL's trio of top pro prospects 6'2" Anthony Stewart (Kingston), 6'2 Nate Horton (Soo Greyhounds), and 6'4" Jeff Carter (Oshawa).
With the win, the U.S. advances to the gold medal game against Pacific, 3-1 winners over Quebec tonight. The game, to be held at 4 pm local time Friday, features the same teams -- different players, of course -- as last year's gold medal matchup. In that game, held in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, the U.S. skated off with a 5-4 win.
1/2/02
Hensick Saves the Day; U.S. Under-17s Clinch First
The U.S. National Under-17 Team, down 4-2 nearing the midpoint of the third period, rallied with two goals by T.J. Hensick to tie up Quebec, 4-4 tonight in Selkirk, Manitoba.
The tie clinched first place for the U.S. in Pool A competition. The U.S. (3-0-1) will meet Ontario, the second place finisher in Pool B, in semi-final action at 7:30 CST tomorrow (Thursday) night.
In today's game, the U.S. took a 2-1 lead on a Matt Hunwick powerplay goal at 10:54, but Quebec came back with three straight goals -- the last early in the third -- to go up 4-2.
Hensick's first goal came on an end-to-end rush which he capped off by firing a wrister past Quebec goalie Martin Houle. Defenseman Jimmy Sharrow picked up his fifth assist of the tournament on the goal.
The tying goal came when Robbie Earl skated the puck up ice, took a shot, and the rebound came out to Hensick, who put it past Houle to tie the game at 4-4 with 3:59 remaining.
1/2/02
Brown Goal Lifts U.S. Juniors Over Czech Republic, 4-3
A Dustin Brown goal with 3:51 remaining in the third gave the U.S. National Junior Team a 4-3 win over the Czech Republic in WJC action tonight at Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
Earlier, Rob Globke, Ryan Hollweg, and Dwight Helminen scored for the U.S., now 3-1-2 in the tournament. The U.S. has the day off on Thursday before playing Sweden on Friday. The winner of that game will claim fifth place.
1/1/02
U.S. Under-17s Rout Germany, 8-2
Eleven different players scored at least one point as the U.S. Under-17 Team routed Germany, 8-2, at the World Under-17 Challenge in Selkirk, Manitoba tonight.
Mike Brown (2g,1a), Josh Sciba (1g,2a) Jimmy Sharrow (3a), Robbie Earl (3a), Michael Bartlett (2g), Matt Hunwick (1g,1a), and Jeff Likens (1g,1a) each had a multi-point night for the U.S. John Vigilante scored the remaining U.S. goal.
The U.S. outshot Germany, 58-27.
The U.S., now 3-0-0, plays Quebec tomorrow (Wed.) in its last game of the round-robin portion of the tournament. Playoffs begin on Thursday.
1/1/02
U.S. Junior Team Loses to Russia, Falls Out of Medal Contention
The U.S. National Junior Team lost to Russia today, 6-1, in 2002 WJC quarterfinal action in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
With the loss, the highest the U.S. can finish is fifth. Tomorrow, they play the loser of today's Finland-Czech Republic game.
This afternoon, Russia broke it open in the second period with four goals, three of which were powerplay goals. For the game, four of Russia's goals came when the U.S. was a man down. The U.S. took 11 minor penalties (22 min.) while Russia took only four minors and one major (13 min.)
Six different players scored for Russia. Stanislav Tchistov led the Russian attack with a goal and two assists.
Ben Eaves scored the lone U.S. goal.
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