New Faces of the AAHL Working to Make a Change

Chris Ingellis

The Hockey Craze

With 20 games left to go, the league is staring at the finish line of a season no one on the outside thought would be completed. After all the adversity from team troubles (Detroit, and Madison) to front office problems the new faces of the AAHL are looking to change all that.

Ryan Harrison, the AAHL's League Administrator says the AAHL is strong. "All the owners in the league know what it takes to make this league successful and are all working together to make sure that happens."

This starts but does not end with new Commisioner Rod Davidson and the number of staff changes that have occurred. These changes don't only reflect in the league's front office but also stretches to teams themselves.

"The AAHL looks to make many new strides towards professionalism and credibility in the pro hockey relm with all the right people behind the scenes" stated Mr. Harrison.

According to him, this is the strongest time for the All American Hockey League and will only get stronger from here.

At the end of the season, look for many promising announcements. As of right now Mr. Harrison could not release any information on possible new teams but there is interest out there. There are arenas, cities and teams interested which has changed from months prior when it was reported to me, that parties looking to jump on board were quickly jumping ship. Expect to see at least two more teams for next season.

On the other end of the spectrum, the leagues front office is looking at more affiliations with not only other pro leagues but also national governing bodies. "We are looking into league wide sponsorship for many different aspects in the AAHL. I believe by sticking around for longer than two years as a single "A" league says a lot on it's own these days with leagues coming and going every year" said Mr. Harrison.

This is something the new faces of the league are not looking to have happen.

Ice Rays Help Raise Over $54,000 to Fight Cancer Pink in the Rink Night Donates to American Cancer Society

The Corpus Christi IceRays held their second annual Pink in the Rink Night, presented by Andrews Distributing and Radiology & Imaging in mid-February to help the fight against breast cancer, and raised more than $54,000 for the American Cancer Society in the event. The donations were raised as part of the IceRays 5-2 win over the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the American Bank Center on Saturday night (2/13/10). A season-high 5,958 fans attended the game, which helped raise nearly $20,000 more than last year.

In their second annual Pink in the Rink Night, the IceRays used pink sticks, wore pink jerseys, and auctioned them off to fans. The total amount raised on Saturday was $54,010 which will go to Corpus Christis local chapter of the American Cancer Society. IceRays General Manager, Pat Dunn said that he was overwhelmed and thrilled by the communitys response to Pink in the Rink Night.

It was absolutely incredible, said Dunn. This is a cause that is very personal to me, and so many people in the community. To see everyone rally together, to see a packed American Bank Center for something like this, and to be able to give that kind of money to the American Cancer Society is just incredible. I cant thank our fans and sponsors enough for what we were able to do on Saturday. Lindsey Johnson, Community Manager of Corpus Christis chapter of the American Cancer Society echoed Dunns sentiments.

Saturdays event was amazing to be a part of. It was such an inspirational night for anyone whos been touched by this disease, said Johnson. With the economy the way it is, and for people to be so generous, we were extremely floored and grateful. There arent enough words to express our gratitude to this community. On behalf of all the patients and survivors that his money will help, I wish I could thank everybody personally. Im not sure everybody realizes just how much a difference they can make.

The money raised from Saturday will help numerous cancer patients and survivors receive treatment, wigs and scarves, breast prosthesis, and transportation to and from medical centers all free of charge. For more information on the local fight against cancer and all the services that the American Cancer Society provides, please call them at 361.857.0136 or visit www.cancer.org.

Professional Hockey Not Leaving Muskegon

from aahlhockey.com

The West Michigan Blizzard intend to keep playing professional hockey in Muskegon for the 2010-2011 All American Hockey League Season

For the past two months rumors and articles have been released about how Muskegon will no longer have professional hockey after 50 consecutive years. The West Michigan Blizzard will continue the long tradition of professional hockey that extends back to the Muskegon Sailors from the 1930s and has continued this season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and starting on December 31, 2009, the West Michigan Blizzard. The owner felt like Muskegon was a perfect match for the team since Muskegon has over fifty years of a rich, vast history in professional hockey.

Sandra Hunnewell-Vitale bought the ailing Detroit Hitmen and moved the team to Muskegon during the middle of the season to complete its season. She hired players from two other failing teams, the Chicago Blaze and Madison Ice Muskies because we felt it necessary to keep these professional athletes on the ice. After a 3-3-0 start to the season she and the General Manager, Billy Vitale, shook up the ranks by replacing the coach with a well known Muskegon player and Olympic Gold Medal winner for the Soviet Union, Sergei Kharin. After losing the first 3 games as he transitioned the team to the new style, their record has improved to 11-8-1.

The West Michigan Blizzard is part of the All American Hockey League. The AAHL recently appointed Rod Davidson, who has a long history in minor league hockey, as their commissioner and he is working on some possible expansion teams for the upcoming season. With the planned expansion of the AAHL and the changes that have been implemented in the staff and team, This combined with the overall spirit of the coaching staff and our players, allows for us to push forward keeping the team together for next year and professional hockey in Muskegon according to the team owner.

# # #

For more information about this topic or to schedule an interview contact the West Michigan Blizzard at info@wmblizzard.com

Pink in the Rink, Umbrella Giveaway Highlight Weekend of Hockey

BILOXI, MS - With three home games approaching on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Mississippi Surge have two big events that highlight the weekends' games.

On Friday, when the Surge face off against the Fayetteville FireAntz at 7:30 p.m., the first 2,000 adults through the gate will receive umbrellas courtesy of Mississippi Blood Services and WLOX Weather.

The Surge's first-ever Pink In The Rink event will take place this weekend, with the players wearing special pink jerseys on Saturday when they battle the Huntsville Havoc on 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday when they face the Louisiana Ice Gators.

Sunday's game will feature a special 3:00 p.m. start time. The Memorial Hospital Foundation will be on hand, selling Surge Pink In The Rink t-shirts. The team will also recognize both survivors of breast cancer and other cancers, and Deanna Favre, wife of Minnesota Vikings quarterback and Kiln, Miss.-native Brett Favre, will drop the first puck.

Following the game, a special after-party will be held at Hard Rock Live at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi. Fans who buy a gold-level ticket for $15 will also receive a ticket to the party. The party will feature complimentary food and a cash bar. Approximately 90 minutes after the game, the players will arrive for the live auction of the Pink In The Rink jerseys, with the auction's proceeds benefitting the Favre 4 Hope Foundation and the Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Tickets for these and all Surge home games start at just $8 and can be purchased by calling (228) 287-PUCK

Ice Flyers Partner with Aerotek, Inc. to Rasie Support for the Boys and Girls Club

The Pensacola Ice Flyers and Aerotek took an opportunity to benefit the local community this coming Friday, February 26th. The team partnered with Staffing and Recruiting Firm, Aerotek to raise needed funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Escambia County. At this Friday's home game, a check of over $1,500 will be presented to the organization.

Chad Wegeman, Director of Business Operations for the local Aerotek office, along with his entire staff have been working with the kids at the Club for a few months now tutoring them in their studies twice a week. The idea for the fundraiser started with Aerotek and the Ice Flyers coming together with an idea to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club as well as give them the experience of a Flyers game. "When the Ice Flyers agreed to the 50 tickets for the kids, the plan worked out perfectly." The staff at Aerotek has been selling tickets to the game for a few weeks now to friends, family, and clients and the response has been overwhelming. Chad said that "Friends, family, and clients have reached deep into their pockets for a great cause! The Ice Flyers offered us this chance, and the ability to bring the kids to the game for free, and it has turned out to be a tremendous experience. Not only have we got to experience their growth and success academically, but we have had an opportunity to impact their life and give them chances to experience things that they may have never gotten to without some help." In addition to the local support, Chad was able to leverage support from the Aerotek home office in Baltimore, who has agreed to match funds raised by the program. Aaron Epstein, Marketing and Promotions Manager for the Ice Flyers assisted in putting this event together and said "It was a real chance for us to leverage the support and connections of a well established, well respected company in the area to combine with our venue to present this opportunity. It has turned out better than we could have ever imagined."

The Ice Flyers have made a conscientious effort to give back to the community this year and partnerships with local companies like Aerotek make it a reality. If you are looking for an excellent way to raise funds for your organization or to help a charitable cause, contact a member of the Ice Flyers Staff for more information.

Ice Flyers tickets are very affordable starting at just $10 for individuals, and as low as $8 for groups of ten or more. To take advantage of group pricing, call the Ice Flyers at (850) 466-3111. Individual tickets can be purchased online via ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Civic Center Box Office, located at 201 East Gregory Street in Pensacola.

Finalists for Major CHL Awards Announced

Central Hockey League Award Finalists Announced

The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced today the five finalists for each of the four significant CHL awards, selected by the CHL front office following nominations from member clubs. Balloting will take place among CHL Head Coaches, team Communications Departments and selected media members in CHL markets to determine the recipients of the CHLs Most Valuable Player, Most Outstanding Goaltender, Most Outstanding Defenseman and Rookie of the Year awards.

2009-2010 CHL Most Valuable Player candidates include the defending CHL Most Valuable Player, Odessas Sebastien Thinel, along with Allens Bruce Graham, Colorados Kevin Ulanski, Corpus Christis Chad Woollard and Rapid Citys Les Reaney.

The finalists for the Most Outstanding Goaltender include three rookies in Chris Whitley of Allen, Charlie Effinger of Missouri and Danny Battochio of Rapid City. They are joined by Joel Martin of Odessa and Brett Jaeger of Texas.

The selected finalists to receive Most Outstanding Defenseman consideration include the reigning winner of the award in Aaron Schneekloth of Colorado. The other candidates are Bossier-Shreveports Simon Mangos, Rapid Citys Jamie VanderVeeken, Odessas Alex Dunn and Tulsas Derek Eastman.

Rookie of the Year honors will be determined amongst Allens Chris Whitley, Corpus Christis Ryan Garbutt, Missouris Nick Sirota, Rapid Citys Danny Battochio and Texas Joe Palmer.

Additional awards to be determined include Coach of the Year, Equipment Manager of the Year and Athletic Trainer of the Year, as determined by their CHL peers, along with six member All-CHL and All-Rookie teams (voted on by CHL Head Coaches). The CHLs regular season point leader will receive the Joe Burton Scoring Champion award, while the CHL front office will determine the recipients of both the Man of the Year Award (for outstanding leadership and contributions to the community) and Rick Kozuback Award (perseverance, determination and commitment to hockey) based on nominations and supporting material from CHL member teams.

NHL Trade Deadline Coverage

The National Hockey League's trade deadline was 3:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 3, and many moves made at the NHL level are sure to be felt by American Hockey League clubs as they prepare for the stretch run towards the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Here's a look at the deals made leading up to this year's NHL trade deadline that will affect AHL rosters:

Mar. 3 - Flames pick up Delmore for Armstrong

The Calgary Flames (Abbotsford) announced the acquisition of D Andy Delmore from the Detroit Red Wings (Grand Rapids) in exchange for F Riley Armstrong.

Mar. 3 - Picard to Phoenix, Kolarik to Columbus

The Columbus Blue Jackets (Syracuse) have acquired F Chad Kolarik from the Phoenix Coyotes (San Antonio) in exchange for F Alexandre Picard.

Mar. 3 - Reed, McNicoll in Avs-Canes swap

The Colorado Avalanche (Lake Erie) have acquired F Stephane Yelle and F Harrison Reed from the Carolina Hurricanes (Albany) in exchange for F Cedric McNicoll and a sixth-round draft pick in 2010.

Mar. 3 - Coyotes acquire Wiikman, send Eriksson to Rangers

The New York Rangers (Hartford) have acquired D Anders Eriksson from the Phoenix Coyotes (San Antonio) in exchange for G Miika Wiikman and a 2011 seventh-round draft pick.

Mar. 3 - Panthers add defenseman Roy

The Florida Panthers (Rochester) have acquired D Mathieu Roy from the Columbus Blue Jackets (Syracuse) in exchange for the rights to F Matt Rust.

Mar. 3 - Hurricanes trade for Osala, Pothier, pick

The Carolina Hurricanes (Albany) have acquired F Oskar Osala, D Brian Pothier and a 2011 second-round draft pick from the Washington Capitals (Hershey) in exchange for D Joe Corvo.

Mar. 3 - Ducks acquire MacDonald from Toronto

The Anaheim Ducks have acquired G Joey MacDonald from the Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto) in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Mar. 3 - Canucks get Zimmerman for M. Schneider

The Vancouver Canucks (Manitoba) have acquired D Sean Zimmerman and a conditional draft pick from the Phoenix Coyotes (San Antonio) in exchange for D Mathieu Schneider.

Mar. 3 - Red Wings, Rangers exchange AHL'ers

The Detroit Red Wings (Grand Rapids) have acquired F Jordan Owens from the New York Rangers (Hartford) in exchange for F Kris Newbury.

Mar. 3 - Avalanche acquire young forwards

The Colorado Avalanche (Lake Erie) have acquired F Kevin Porter and F Peter Mueller from the Phoenix Coyotes (San Antonio) in exchange for F Wojtek Wolski.

Mar. 3 - Canucks, Blues swap prospects

The Vancouver Canucks (Manitoba) have acquired F Yan Stastny from the St. Louis Blues (Peoria) in exchange for F Pierre-Cedric Labrie.

Mar. 3 - Weller to Florida in Seidenberg deal

The Florida Panthers (Rochester) have acquired F Byron Bitz and F Craig Weller and a 2010 second-round pick from the Boston Bruins (Providence) in exchange for D Dennis Seidenberg and the rights to D Matt Bartkowski.

Mar. 3 - Hurricanes acquire Pogge from Ducks

The Carolina Hurricanes (Albany) have acquired G Justin Pogge and a fourth-round draft pick from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for D Aaron Ward.

Mar. 2 - Canadiens get Palushaj from Blues

The St. Louis Blues (Peoria) have acquired F Matt D'Agostini from the Montreal Canadiens (Hamilton) in exchange for F Aaron Palushaj.

Mar. 2 - Maple Leafs acquire Caputi from Penguins

The Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto) have obtained F Luca Caputi and D Martin Skoula from Pittsburgh (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) in exchange for forward Alexei Ponikarovsky.

Mar. 2 - IceHogs add Boynton after NHL trade

The Chicago Blackhawks (Rockford) have acquired D Nick Boynton from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for future considerations and have assigned him to the AHLs Rockford IceHogs.

Mar. 2 - Bruins get Providence native Wild

The Boston Bruins (Providence) have acquired D Cody Wild from the Edmonton Oilers (Springfield) in exchange for F Matt Marquardt.

Mar. 2 - San Jose adds B. Westgarth

The San Jose Sharks (Worcester) have acquired D Brett Westgarth from the New York Islanders (Bridgeport) in exchange for future considerations.

Mar. 2 - Sound Tigers pick up Radja

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have acquired F Mike Radja from the Syracuse Crunch.

Mar. 1 - Ducks acquire Oystrick

The Anaheim Ducks have acquired D Nathan Oystrick and a conditional selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft from the Atlanta Thrashers (Chicago) in exchange for RW Evgeny Artyukhin.

Mar. 1 - Blue Jackets, Islanders complete trade

The New York Islanders (Bridgeport) acquired D Dylan Reese from the Columbus Blue Jackets (Syracuse) in exchange for C Greg Moore.

Mar. 1 - Blackhawks, Blues announce trade

The St. Louis Blues (Peoria) acquired G Joe Fallon from the Chicago Blackhawks (Rockford) in exchange for G Hannu Toivonen and D Danny Richmond. In addition, Peoria has acquired D Daryl Boyle from Rockford for future considerations.

"Thunder's Easy Being Green"

from echl.com

STOCKTON, Calif. - The Stockton Thunder, a two-time recipient of the ECHL "Award of Excellence," announced the second annual "Easy Being Green" event is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Mar. 5-6 at Stockton Arena for both games against the Victoria Salmon Kings, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Thunder's "Easy Being Green" event is presented by California Water Service Company and co-sponsored by Port of Stockton California and The Surtec System. Last year's inaugural event drew over 14,000 fans to the annual event for two games (Mar. 6-7) and over $13,000 was raised in charitable efforts.

The event, for the second straight year, unites hockey and community involvement with an eco-friendly theme for both games.

The first 2,000 family households in attendance will receive complimentary Thunder eco-friendly tote bags, including environmental activity books to the first 1,000 kids (ages 12 and under) in attendance.

Before and during both games, the Stockton Arena's concourse will be transformed into a "Green Fair" beginning at 6:30 p.m. Fans are invited to visit booths hosted by local environmentally friendly organizations, ranging in categories including recycling, anti-pollution, clean air, water, renewable energy sources, eco-friendly agriculture and more.

An e-waste collection site outside Stockton Arena from 5-8:00 p.m., hosted by Onsite Electronics Recycling, is inviting all fans to ramp up the cleanliness of the Central Valley by bringing electronic items that will be recycled upon drop-off, helping prevent the creation of methane gas by recycling these items.

Among the acceptable used electronic items for fans to drop off, free of charge include:

* Television sets

* Computer monitors

* Laptops

* DVD players

* Printers

* VCR players

* Old stereos and radio walkman devices

* Household telephones

* Cell phones

* Video game consoles

* Microwaves

On the way out, each family household will take home: a choice of free tree sapling or plant, specially grown by San Joaquin Delta College Horticulture Program, a water conservation garden nozzle and shower head courtesy of California Water Service Company and a CFL "energy efficient" light bulb courtesy of PG&E.

Also during the game, local business, Premier Finishing will be presented as winner of this year's "Thunder's Easy Being Green" award and a check of event proceeds will be forwarded on behalf of Premier Finishing to benefit of Child Abuse Prevention Council of San Joaquin County and Way of Compassion.

Tickets for both Friday and Saturday's games are on sale beginning at $7 and can be purchased by calling (209) 373-1700 or by visiting www.StocktonTickets.com.

The proud ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League and Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, the Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com

Team launched at press conference at A`nowara`ko:wa Arena

Today at the A`nowara`ko:wa Arena in Akwesasne, Ontario, the Akwesasne Warriors officially launched their franchise with the official signing of league documents and their lease agreement.

Basem Awwad, the Warriors Team President announced that the club would be playing in the inaugural season for the Federal Hockey League (www.thefederalhockeyleague.com) which starts play in November of 2010.

At the press conference the team announced the name (Warriors), colors (red, black and white), and unveiled the team logo. In addition, also announced were the team Ownership Group and the Director of Hockey Operations Pat Post.

The team received community messages of support from the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, and the A`nowara`ko:wa Arena

Grand Chief Mike Mitchell said. "It's nice to hear some good news, and this is good news for (the community). I know that when we've had good lacrosse teams, the arena is full.''

Also announced was that fans who sign up with the team for season tickets before 4/31/10 will lock in their rate ($240) for the lifetime of their season tickets.

To take advantage of this and other promotions, fans can check out more news from the Warriors at www.akwesasnewarriors.com or call in at 613-851-7394

The Warriors will take part in the inaugural season of the Class A Professional Federal Hockey League which drops the puck in November of 2010. The team will play a 60 game schedule with opponents Danbury, Thousand Islands, and Rome, New York.

The A`nowara`ko:wa Arena is located on 36 arena rd, Akwesasne, Ontario.

For further information, contact Pat Post at 613-851-7394 or email ppost@akwesasnewarriors.com

Weekly Craze Mailbag: Sunday Edition 2/20

Q>Who do you pick to win the '10 Hockey Craze Logo Playoffs?

~Jacob NY

Jacob, I think there are a lot of good logos, some great ones and some pretty bad ones. I can't say who would win out of the 100+ that are set to go for this year, but I'll break down my favorite and least favorite per league

NHL: I like the classics, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Edmonton, Montreal, NY Rangers, Toronto. They have that vintage feel that has stood the test of time against other logos. Least favorite: Buffalo, Atlanta, Anaheim

AHL: There's only a couple in the A I like. Bridgeport, Hartford, Hershey, Lake Erie (weird), Peoria and Toronto. Least favorite: Milwaukee and Lowell

ECHL: I think this year the winner may come out of the ECHL. I like Alaska, Charlotte, Elimira, Gwinnett, Stockton and Toledo. Logos like Victoria and Trenton are my least favorite

CHL: There's only 2 in the CHL that I like; Allen and Odessa. Least favorite: Missouri!

IHL: I like the Quad City and Muskegon logos, Fort Wayne is a classic although I doubt it goes far. Least favorite: Dayton and Bloomington

SPHL: They have some good looking logos. Huntsville is good as well as Mississippi. Least favorite: Columbus and Pensacola

AAHL: Now I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these go a distance. BC and Chi-Town have very nice looking logos. Least favorite: WM Blizzard

So there you have it, I can't say who will win this year based on the many good logos but don't be surprised if it comes from the ECHL or AHL. However maybe we'll see the IHL, SPHL, or AAHL pull out a big one.

AAHL Announces the Rod Davidson Cup

From aahlhockey.com

Battle Creek, MI The All American Hockey League (AAHL) today announces the name for the new AAHL Championship Trophy is the Davidson Cup.

The name was selected to honour our new commissioner Rod Davidson. Rod has been an instrumental part of the All American Hockey League through coaching and management. Rod was the head coach of the Madison Ice Muskies before their demise and although the team was struggling off the ice Rod to time and effort to try and make the Ice Muskies a success not only on the ice but off. He made several attempts to find sponsorship and new owners when the teams owners couldnt meet the financial obligations to the city and players.

Not only does Rod have experience in the AAHL he also has experience in many other leagues in minor pro hockey. A well respected man in the pro hockey world that any league would be honoured to name their championship trophy after him.

Rod now in his new position will look to make great strides in bringing the AAHL to new heights in the minor professional hockey world and the AAHL owners believe he will do a great job.

The name was voted on by all the owners in the All American Hockey League and the league would like to congratulate Rod on this honour.

Steelheads Head Toward Playoffs with Third Kelly Cup Championship in Mind

from echl.com

With only five weeks remaining in the 2009-10 regular season, teams are starting their final push to the Kelly Cup Playoffs which begin in April.

While no team has officially earned a playoff berth just yet, a few of the teams are within striking distance, including the Idaho Steelheads.

Idaho is leading the National Conference with a 37-12-5 record and 79 points and could potentially become the first team to clinch a spot in the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs. They are only nine points away from a playoff berth and could clinch the first spot on March 12 by winning at least four of their five games between now and then and earning at least one more point in the fifth game.

The Steelheads have hoisted the Kelly Cup twice in its history. The team won the Cup during their inaugural season in the ECHL in 2004 and celebrated a second ECHL championship in 2007 after five games against the Dayton Bombers.

It took three years for Idaho to repeat as Kelly Cup Champions and it has been three years since they last won the Kelly Cup. The Steelheads are 7-1-2 in their last 10 games and are poised to make a strong push toward a third Kelly Cup championship run.

All-Star Richard Bachman and Rejean Beauchemin lead the Steelheads with their strong goaltending. Bachman is 15-5-3 with two shutouts, a goals-against average of 2.26 and a save percentage of .911 in 24 appearances for the Steelheads. He has also appeared in six games for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League going 3-3-0 with a shutout, a 2.07 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

Beauchemin has appeared in 31 games for the Steelheads posting a record of 21-7-2 with a shutout, a goals-against average of 2.72 and a save percentage of .890. He has also appeared in two games for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL

Offensively, the Steelheads are lead by Mark Derlago, whose 61 points (27g-34a) not only leads Idaho but ranks him fifth among league skaters. This season, Derlago has been named ECHL Player of the Week twice and was named ECHL Player of the Month for January.

Rookie All-Star forward Evan Barlow has been one of the Steelheads most productive players this season. Barlow is first among ECHL rookies 13 power-play goals, second with 22 power-play assists and third with 52 points (26g-26a).

Defenseman Aaron Dawson joined Idaho on Feb. 23 and has appeared in three games for the Steelheads while registering six penalty minutes. Dawson is the grandson of ECHL Hall of Famer, Bud Gingher, who was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame during the 2010 ECHL All-Star Weekend in Ontario, Calif.

The Steelheads are on a three-game win streak that started on Feb. 13 and they will look to continue that streak this week with three games against Bakersfield on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Eagles Clinch Playoff Berth

Despite Loss to Rush, Eagles Punch Ticket to Post-Season

The Colorado Eagles have made it to their seventh consecutive post-season despite Sunday's loss to Rapid City. The Eagles clinched their spot earlier in the day thanks to the Mudbugs victory in Tulsa. Colorado has made it to the Ray Miron President's Cup Finals in each of the last three seasons.

Big Crowds Take in Weekends Games

The action on the ice has been fast and furious as the teams of the CHL make their final pushes for the post-season and the fans in all CHL venues have responded. On Friday and Saturday night, the CHL welcomed 64,647 fans to its 14 games (an average of more than 4,600 people).

The venues combined were at 70% capacity with two sellouts in Missouri, one sellout in Texas, one sellout in Rio Grande Valley, one sellout in Colorado and a sellout in Rapid City. In all, six games were played in front of sold out crowds and Saturdays game in Odessa missed by just a few hundred.

There are still four games to be played on Saturday with Tulsa and Wichita expecting large turnouts and Colorado and Texas both expecting sellout or near-sellout crowds.

On the ice, there are competitive races for conference crowns as well as for positioning in the post-season.

Akwesasne Schedules Inaugural Press Conference

From thefederalhockeyleague.com

The 4th franchise unveiling of the newly formed Federal Hockey League will take place this Thursday March 4th when the league officially welcomes the Akwesasne entry into the FHL (www.thefederalhockeyleague.com). The Press Conference will take place at the A'Nowara'Ko:wa Arena. All members of the media, area politicians and future fans are invited to attend.

Anticipated presenters are Owner/President Basem Awwad, Akwesasne's Grand Chief and District Chiefs as well as FHL Commissioner Don Kirnan. Introductory material will be presented, including the franchise's Logo and identity, terms of rink agreement, information on ticket plans and corporate sponsorship opportunities. Various FHL Officials and the Franchise's owner will be on hand to answer any questions.

Akwesasne borders the countries of Canada and the United States of America; the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec; and the USA State of New York.

The A'Nowara'Ko:wa Arena is located on the Akwesasne Indian Reservation. From Hwy 401 Take exit 789 "Brookdale Avenue" and head toward Cornwall City Centre. Follow Brookdale Ave South to "Bridge to US" and cross the International Bridge. Go past the Toll Booth ($3) straight to Four Corners and take a left. Approximately 1/2 kilometer take left on "Phillip Hopps Memorial Rd" and follow signs to the arena.

For additional information contact Basem at basem_awwad@hotmail.com

Hope to see you at the rink.

IHL Weekly Honors for Week 19

ROCHESTER, MI--- The International Hockey League (IHL) announced Monday that Flint forward John Mori has been named the IHL Player of the Week, Port Huron forward Brandon Naurato has been named the IHL Rookie of the Week and Quad City goaltender Kyle Jones has been named the IHL Goaltender of the Week for the period ending Sunday, February 22nd, 2010.

Mori had a stellar week for the Generals, scoring four goals and dishing out three assists for a total of seven points over three games played. The rookie forward had his highest scoring night of the season Saturday in Flints 5-4 win over Muskegon. He netted his first pro hat trick, scoring one even-strength, one power play and one shorthanded tally. During that game, he scored the game-winner with 1:08 left in the game to propel the Generals to the win over the first-place Lumberjacks. The 23-year-old Westport, Connecticut native is currently second on the Generals roster in scoring with 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists). He also leads the IHL in shorthanded goals with five.

Other players nominated for the IHL Player of the Week include: Bloomington forward Zach Pearson, Dayton forward Tim Hartung, Fort Wayne center Colin Chaulk, Muskegon right wing Michel Beausoliel, Port Huron left wing Tab Lardner and Quad City left wing Juris Stals.

Naurato completed the week scoring two goals and one assist for three points and a plus-three rating in three games played. He scored both goals Saturday in the Icehawks 4-1 win in Bloomington, including the first and third goals for Port Huron. He recently had his three-game point streak snapped after he was held scoreless Sunday in the Icehawks 3-2 shootout win over Quad City. He had scored two goals and two assists during the streak. The 25-year-old Livonia, Michigan native currently is tied for fifth among IHL rookies in scoring with 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists). His 15 goals also rank him fourth among rookies in goals scored.

Other players nominated for the IHL Rookie of the Week include: Bloomington defenseman Nick Elligsen, Dayton forward Tim Hartung, Flint forward John Mori, Fort Wayne right wing Sean OConnor, Muskegon defenseman Nick Schneider and Quad City Brandon Marino.

Jones had another great week between the pipes for the Mallards, earning his team four points with a 1-0-0-2 record. He turned aside all 34 shots he faced from the first-place Lumberjacks Friday to earn his first shutout of his professional career. He finished the week with a 1.59 goals against average and a .949 save percentage. He made a total of 97 saves, only allowing five goals against in three games played. The 26-year-old North Delta, British Columbia native is currently tied for fifth among IHL goaltenders in minutes played (1630:45) and saves (769). He also leads in shootout wins with five.

Other goaltenders nominated for the IHL Goaltender of the Week include: Bloomingtons Sebastian Dahm, Dayton Derek MacIntyre, Flints Rob Nolan, Fort Wayne Tim Haun, Muskegon Matt Lundin and Port Hurons Adam Russo.

Canadian Businessman Brad Rowbotham Signs Asset Purchase Agreement of Stockton Thunder

STOCKTON, Calif. - SC Hockey Franchise Corporation, led by Brad Rowbotham, signed an asset purchase agreement of the ECHL's Stockton Thunder on Monday morning and was introduced at a Monday press conference at Stockton Arena.

The purchase agreement, from Stockton Hockey Franchise Group, Inc., led by Michael Reinsdorf, is subject to final approval by the ECHL Board of Governors and the City of Stockton.

"First and foremost, I want to thank Michael for providing the opportunity to take the lead of one of the model franchises in professional hockey - a dream come true for passionate hockey people in myself and family," said Rowbotham. "Making it clear, we're taking advantage of a long-term plan and build on a wildly successful five years in Stockton by making it even better by taking it to the next level."

Rowbotham continued, "When I first set foot in Stockton, I instantly grew a passion for this city, the fans and the hockey team. The aura and atmosphere that Thunder fans create each and every game is strikingly similar to our NHL affiliate in the Edmonton Oilers. What makes sense is that we take our business model and make no sweeping changes. I am committing a plan to our fanbase and community that continues the success we have here and gives it even more stability in this city for decades to come."

Rowbotham, a native of Red Deer, Alberta, currently has shareholding interest and is general manager of Roll'n Oilfield Industries, Ltd, a corporation founded by his father 33 years ago that spans operations globally in the United States, Canada and in the past, Russia, Africa and South America.

In the last decade, Roll'n Oilfield has been named recipient of the Canadian Association of Oil Well Drilling Contractors (CAODC) "Safest Service Rig Company" Award four times and was named "Business of the Year" by the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce in 2005.

Brad and his wife, Dawn, currently reside in Red Deer and have four children (Kelsey, Cole, Ben and Austin). A noted hockey enthusiast with his family, his sons Cole and Austin has been involved in youth hockey for eight years.

Reinsdorf who is the principal owner of Minor League Baseball's Harrisburg Senators, a class-AA affiliate of the Washington Nationals, continues to serve the NBA's Chicago Bulls as Alternate Governor and is with the Children's Memorial Hospital Foundation, serving on the Board of Directors.

He headed the Stockton Hockey Franchise Group, Inc. purchase in January, 2005 of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies from Atlantic City Hockey, LLC, has enjoyed numerous highlights during his tenure as Thunder owner/governor.

"I have nothing but a great feeling at how beneficial Brad's leadership and vision will be for the Stockton Thunder for years to come," said Reinsdorf. "It's a deal that makes the most sense and will be great for the city, fans and hockey club. I've thoroughly enjoyed the five years with the Thunder, and I'm confident that it's being left in great hands to build on the success in this budding hockey community. That was our goal through this whole process.

Under Reinsdorf's guidance and naming of Dan Chapman as Thunder president/alternate governor, the Thunder has been twice named recipient of the ECHL's "Award of Excellence" (2006-07 and 2008-09), has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons since beginning play in the league in 2005-06, has drawn 13 sellouts to the 9,737-seat Stockton Arena and has advanced to the Kelly Cup Playoffs in the last three straight seasons.

In 2007-08, the Thunder hosted the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game, where a crowd of 7,455 marked the fifth-highest attended contest in ECHL All-Star Game history with NHL Network television coverage and NHL Radio coverage provided spotlight to the game during the league's 20th Anniversary season.

During the 2006-07 campaign, the Thunder drew record crowds with a total attendance figure of 244,085 (ECHL's highest since 2001-02 - Florida) over 36 home games, an average of 6,780 fans per contest, including three capacity crowds.

The proud ECHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League and Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, the Thunder was voted "Best Local Sports Team" by readers of the San Joaquin Magazine, has led the ECHL in attendance for four consecutive seasons and drew 223,854 fans to Stockton Arena in 2008-09. Season tickets for 2009-10 are on sale now. For more information about tickets, merchandise, or other inquiries contact the Stockton Thunder offices at (209) 373-1500 or visit http://www.stocktonthunder.com/

2009-10 Top Prospects Card Set Unveiled

From theahl.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players Association today unveiled the 2009-10 AHL Top Prospects trading card set, featuring 50 of the outstanding young players in the AHL.

The set, manufactured by Choice SportsCards of Aston, Pa., features action photos and career statistics of rising stars from all 29 AHL teams. The cards are available for purchase online at ahlstore.com and in select AHL arenas. Included in the set are:

Mikael Backlund

Keith Seabrook

Andreas Nodl

Marc-Andre Bourdon

Drayson Bowman

Zach Boychuk

Derek Smith

Dustin Kohn

Arturs Kulda

Riley Holzapfel

Jakub Kindl

Cory Emmerton

Ben Maxwell

P.K. Subban

Bobby Sanguinetti

Evgeny Grachev

John Carlson

Michal Neuvirth

Colton Gillies

Ryan Stoa

Vladimir Zharkov

Matthew Corrente

Oscar Moller

Thomas Hickey

Sergei Shirokov

Cory Schneider

Jonathon Blum

Nick Spaling

Ty Wishart

Dustin Tokarski

Lars Eller

Tyler Ennis

Jhonas Enroth

Mikko Lehtonen

Zach Hamill

Keaton Ellerby

Alexander Salak

Akim Aliu

Simon Danis-Pepin

Kyle Turris

Mikkel Boedker

Alex Plante

Maksim Mayorov

Ivan Vishnevskiy

Raymond Sawada

Christian Hanson

Viktor Stalberg

Dustin Jeffrey

Logan Couture

Nick Petrecki

Norfolk's Johnson Promoted to Tampa Bay

From theahl.com

The Tampa Bay Lightning have named Jim Johnson to the position of assistant coach today, executive vice president and general manager Brian Lawton announced. Johnson joins the Lightning from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League where he had served as head coach.

Jim has done whatever the Lightning organization has asked of him and excelled in those roles, even as his responsibilities have increased, whether it be in player development, as an associate in Norfolk or in the head position for the Admirals, Lawton said. And now we are excited about adding him to an already strong coaching staff as an assistant coach for the Lightning.

A native of New Hope, Minn., Johnson was named head coach of the Admirals on Jan., 16, 2010, after beginning the season as the teams associate coach. Once taking the reins of the Admirals, Johnson gave the team a newfound fire and direction, leading them to a 13-2-1-1 record during his 17 games behind the bench. The Admirals improved from 17-23-2-0 and seventh in the AHLs East Division to 30-25-3-1 and third place in the East Division, firmly entrenched in the playoff race, with Johnson serving as head coach.

As associate coach, Johnson was responsible for working with the organizations defensive corps and for the teams penalty killing. This season the Admirals penalty killing unit is ranked first in the league on the road (88.7 percent) and third overall (87.1 percent).

In 2008-09, Johnson served as the Lightnings player development coach, working with the organizations most highly-touted prospects and draft picks, and he was instrumental in the planning of the teams conditioning, rookie and young guns camps.

Johnson had a lengthy NHL career as a defenseman, playing 829 games with 29 goals and 166 assists with stops in Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Dallas, Washington and Phoenix. He also represented the United States in international competition on seven occasions including the 1991 Canada Cup.

Following his retirement, Johnson spent four years with the Phoenix Coyotes as a consultant to the general manager, broadcast analyst and an assistant coach. He has also served as a U.S. National Junior Team Assistant Coach at the IIHF World Junior Championships on three occasions. Johnson has been involved with USA Hockey development programs at the state, regional and national levels as a coach, evaluator and presenter. He was named 2006 USA Hockey Volunteer Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year.

Can the FHL Pull it Off? / Taking A Step, A Good Step

Chris Ingellis

The Hockey Craze

Many of you ask, what is going on with the FHL? Where are the 4 teams? How about the other expansion teams we were to expect? Add those simple questions up with the more difficult ones Stephen Heisler attempted to have answered on American Pro Hockey (and was shot down) and we now have BIG questions on this league.

The only answer I can give you: The Danbury Whalers are rolling along.

The FHL had been involved in talks with Hyannis, now a change in Ottawa ( (not officialy announced by the league as of yet) to Cornwall, and ongoing talks with Jamestown and other cities not mentioned. However besides these recent negotiations fans would have no idea anything is happening unless your a Danbury Whaler fan. Or you can scoure the internet and find some stories.

The FHL is staring at a league-imposed March 15th deadline stated by Andy Richards in an article by MIKE MASTOVICH of "The Tribune Demoract" that is now 19 days away. When you read that article he states the league has 4 teams , with Cornwall noted. Yet the league website shows no mention of Cornwall as replacing Ottawa. Nor any mention made about the league-imposed deadline.

I was told announcements would be made in 30 days. That is now 45 days and counting. Now there are talks with Johnstown (see article above, will be losing the ECHL Chiefs) and other potential cities.

Here's a potentially big problem; well actually I have 2. One is the possible league map if say Johnstown joins the league with Cornwall and no other parties join in. The distances for Danbury and Johnstown trump the other 3 teams. Another big problem is the suppossed budget. The numbers do not add up. If the budget were to work, Rome and Thousand Islands are dead in their tracks. Danbury and Johnstown realistically could survive. I can't comment on Cornwall as I have not really looked into the potential scenario of the franchise. Again Stephen tried to have that answered but the league refused to go into any details; partically commissioner Don Kirnan.

Now why is the league saying nothing about teams in a relatively closer vicinity to Danbury? I cannot see this league lasting without teams closer to Danbury (even Poughkeepsie NY as a possibility) or possibily Johnstown (if they pull that off) in viable facilities. I do believe the league knows this and is working on this: hopefully working on this.

However, until March 15th, we probably will have no answers and maybe the league makes a splash by then. If not, I don't know how they expect to develop a strong fan-base; unless your Danbury who I think is doing a good job of that right now.

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Chris Ingellis

The Hockey Craze

Funny how this work in coincidence. Here I am saying the league is giving us nothing "publicly" towards progress on the state of the FHL and the next day a "weekly newsletter" comes out. I know the FHL has been working behind the scenes but it is nice to see something coming out for everyone to see.

You can read SLAPSHOTS! The Federal Hockey League Newsletter here

I was hoping to put my foot in my mouth. However,

the newsletter dosen't give much that is not already known. Don Kirnan does reiterate official announcements coming in the next few weeks. That would take us right to the self-imposed deadline of March 15th.

Now if someone from the league's front office can explain how Thousand Islands and Rome will fit into the FHL budget then I will give a thumps up. A clearing of the air that past members of the AAHL are going to be inloved would also be nice.

For now, at least we have something and it is a start.