Michigan Hockey - Feb. 13, 2012

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ONE YEAR IN PAGES 26-27

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V.22 : I.14 | February 13, 2012

FIRST CLASS

SCHOOLS & PROGRAMS OFFERED: Mini Mite Power Skating & Hockey Mite Power Skating & Hockey Squirt / Pee Wee / Bantam Power Skating & Hockey Squirt / Pee Wee / Bantam Power Skating Squirt / Pee Wee / Bantam Forward & Defense Girls 10U Girls 12U / Girls 14U Goalie Fundamental Goalie Advanced Adult Breakfast Club

SCHOOL LOCATIONS: SUBURBAN ICE - FARMINGTON HILLS ONYX - ROCHESTER ICE ARENA NOVI ICE ARENA SUBURBAN ICE - MACOMB BIRMINGHAM ICE ARENA ROYAL OAK ICE ARENA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MICHIGAN FEBRUARY 13, 2012 VOLUME 22: ISSUE 14 6 THE LOCKER ROOM Talking hockey on Facebook and Twitter

8 SLIDESHOW Hockey happenings from across the Mitten

12 SPEAKING OF HOCKEY

Who is the best goalie in the world right now?

14 GET BETTER

On-ice drills for goaltenders

16 YOU SHOULD KNOW Michigan State’s Greg Wolfe

20 HOMETOWN HERO Detroit native David Legwand

22 TOURNAMENT CALENDAR The latest tournament listings

24 YOUTH HOCKEY

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HIGH PERFORMANCE HOCKEY LEAGUE A successful first season for Michigan and Illinois’ new league

Ice Hawks win Silver Stick Bantam AA Championship

28 PLYMOUTH WHALERS Austin Levi is ready for another playoff campaign

29 NAHL Michigan players cover Top Prospects rosters for Troy event

30 SAGINAW SPIRIT Clint Windsor is growing his game in Saginaw

31 MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS Mark Yanis proves to be a force for the ‘Jacks

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34 JIMMY HOWARD

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Why the Red Wings goaltender is one of the best - if not the best - in the world

Assessing the Red Wings’ situation between the pipes these days

Michigan Hockey

RED WINGS INSIDER

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LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE LAST LINE

Do the Red Wings need to find a back-up goalie while howard is on the shelf?

MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

To advertise in Michigan Hockey please contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or lucia@mihockeynow.com or Michael Caples at (248) 479-1136 or mcaples@mihockeynow.com

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

FROM THE EDITOR MICHIGAN HOCKEY EDITOR Michael Caples

mcaples@mihockeynow.com

ADVERTISING Lucia Zuzga

lucia@mihockeynow.com

DESIGN Emily Huston Chuck Stevens MICHIGAN HOCKEY STAFF Brian Kalisher bkalisher@mihockeynow.com

DISTRIBUTION Lucia Zuzga ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Amy Jones DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & PROGRAMMING Darren Eliot

BY MICHAEL CAPLES EDITORIAL BOARD: Bob DeSpirt, Christine Knight, Derek Blair, James Jenkins, Julie Pardoski, Kirk Vickers, Linda Holland, Lisa Zarzycki, Mark Vansaw, Nyron Fauconier, Randy Paquette, Rob Mattina, Susan Bottrell, Tim Wilson, Todd Krygier LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: MICHIGAN HOCKEY® welcomes Letters to the Editor. E-mail mcaples@mihockeynow.com

MICHIGAN HOCKEY is published by SUBURBAN SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS, LLC 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 483352829.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MICHIGAN HOCKEY®, 23995 Freeway Park Drive, Suite 200, Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829. ©2011 by Suburban Sports Communications. All Rights Reserved. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of MICHIGAN HOCKEY or its advertisers. All editorial copy, photographs and advertising materials remain the property of MICHIGAN HOCKEY.

Another week, another issue of Michigan Hockey Magazine we couldn’t be more proud of. Somehow in the process of brainstorming and collecting articles from our writers, this issue somehow managed to morph into a bit of a goalie issue (I know Darren Eliot’s thrilled about the unofficial ‘theme’). I was able to check in with Livonia native Jeff Lerg, who happened to be in town – the former Spartan is playing in Italy this year, and he loves all the pizza and pasta. And, as I’m sure you realized from the cover, we’ve got a little bit of coverage on Jimmy Howard, whose finger is the talk of Hockeytown. We break down Howard’s game, and talk about what the Red Wings are going to do in his absence. On a personal note, I still think goaltenders are one strange, goofy group, and I’ll never truly be able to figure it out. Darren’s been trying to help me, but it’s not working out too well. As a guy who refuses to even playing defense in adult leagues, I’ll stick to forward, where scoring goals is much more enjoyable than trying to stop ‘em. I mean,

@michaelcaples you saw the Zdeno Chara 108.8 mph blast by now – why would you subject yourself to getting hit with frozen pieces of rubber moving at high speeds night in and night out? More power to Mr. Lerg and Mr. Howard – two guys I have had the pleasure of speaking with on different occasions, and two guys who carry the torch for goaltenders well. I just still don’t understand why they picked to be goalies growing up…but anyways… In this issue, I’ve also spent some time talking to some of the people in charge of the High Performance Hockey League, and give you an insight into the league’s first season and where they’re going next year on Pages 26-27. Enjoy this issue. We’ve got another one coming out next week, and I’m sure there will be some information in it that everyone enjoys. I’ll even guarantee it. See you at a rink soon,

MICHIGAN HOCKEY 23995 Freeway Park Drive • Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48335-2829 (248) 478-2500 • FAX: (248) 478-1601 E-MAIL: mcaples@mihockeynow.com WEBSITE: mihockeynow.com

Photos at left: (from L to R): Little Caesars player (Michael Caples/Michigan Hockey), Jimmy Howard (Andy Grossman/Michigan Hockey), Jimmy Howard (Tom Turrill/Michigan Hockey) Cover: Photos by Dave Reginek/DRW and Andy Grossman/Michigan Hockey, design by Chuck Stevens/Michigan Hockey

VISIT MIHOCKEYNOW.COM FOR DAILY COVERAGE OF HOCKEY IN MICHIGAN

Cover reprints available e-mail: mcaples@mihockeynow.com FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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Michigan Hockey

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THE LOCKER ROOM

THE

LOCKERROOM

ON THE FLY

In their third annual “UDM Outdoor Classic” the University of Detroit Mercy club team topped University of Michigan-Flint. UDM scored with one second remaining in overtime to break a 4-4 tie, causing the celebration pictured above. Photo by Krystle Holleman

TWO FOR TWEETING

TALES FROM THE RINK

Have you started H t t d following f ll i our ffriends i d ffrom H Hockey k D Day iin Mi Michigan hi on Twitter yet? You should.

In the last issue of the magazine, editor Michael Caples shared a story of how Pavel Datsyuk told him a joke during the Stanley Cup finals media day in 2008, completely catching him off guard. However, it wasn’t the only time he’s had a goofy interaction with Datsyuk. Here’s another story: “Last spring, I was interviewing Justin Abdelkader for a feature story on the Red Wings’ official website. Datsyuk, who sits near Abdelkader in the DRW locker room, got up to walk into one of the back rooms. On his way, he decided to tap me on the shoulder but not say anything, confusing both me and Abdelkader. Then, on the return to his locker stall a few moments later, Datsyuk approached me again, leaned in, and whispered in my ear, “secrets, secrets”. Laughing, Abdelkader asked me what he had done this time, and I wasn’t completely sure on how to respond. Needless to say, it was one confusing interview, and it had nothing to do with the player I was actually trying to speak with.”

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Michigan Hockey

horribly hockey this Ah ibll warm winter ib i t has h meantt a lack l k off pond dh k th hi year, causing i outdoor events to cancel, like the big tournament at Whitmore Lake.

Check your favorite hockey Ch k outt the th h latest l t t way to t follow f lll f it fformer college ll h k players at College Hockey Inc.’s website.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

:05 FRI 7 PM Trading Card Night

Whalers v. Owen Sound WYCD $5 Fridays return with the first 2,000 fans receiving a free team trading card set!

Feb 17

Hockey Across America SAT 7

:05 PM

Whalers v. Guelph

Celebrate hockey across the country with the Whalers! Kids, remember to wear your team's jersey to be eligible to win prizes!

#11 Stefan Noesen 2011 NHL 1st Round Pick Ottawa Senators

Feb 18

:05 Team Autograph Night FRI 7PM

Whalers v. Oshawa

Post-game autograph session from the entire team! Stay after to meet eight of our NHL draft picks, including thre NHL first rounders!

Feb 24

PM Brain Injury Awareness SAT 7:05

Whalers v. Sudbury

Join us for the 1st Annual Head Smart Game to promote maintaining a healthy and sound mind.

Feb 25

Purchase 4+ Tickets upgrade to a Pop, Hot Dog & Lineup Card for $1 per ticket! Offer valid at all regular season home games with the purchase of 4 or more tickets. Must be purchased at the same time of ticket purchase.

Two-Day Sessions, One Great Opportunity February 20-21 or February 23-24 includes clinic, sticks & pucks, CALL NOW TO REGISTER! 734-453-8400 $70 pizza party and game ticket.

On-Ice Clinic with Asst Coach Joe Stefan, Sticks & Pucks with the Whalers, pizza party and a ticket to a future Whalers game!

SLIDESHOW

MICHIGAN HOCKEY IN PICTURES: AROUND THE MITTEN 1

5

2

For this issue of the magazine, we let you, the readers, fill our photos page. Here’s some of the posts we got on our Facebook page, and there’s plenty more for next issue. Want to submit a photo? Visit our Facebook page at Facebook.com/ MiHockeyNow. 1. Troy Priebe shared this photo of an opening face-off between the Compuware and Livonia Knights girls 14U teams. 2. Richard Lane posted this photo, from the 2008 Great Lakes Invitational, because of his appreciation for one of the best traditions in sports – the post-game handshake. 3. Troy Priebe also posted this photo of Livonia Knights’ No. 23 Shelby Kirn, celebrating a goal in a game against Compuware on Jan. 24. 4. Vanessa Preiss shared this photo of the 2000 Redford Royals Pee Wee A team getting ready for a game.

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5. Trevor Larson posted a game photo of himself, playing for the Detroit Northstars of Mount Clemens.

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

TRY HOCKEY FOR FREE 12:30 - 1:30PM Must Pre-Register at www.usahockey.com/hwaa/

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Make Your Nominations NOW for the...

2012 SPRING TRYOUTS

AWARDS 2012 Hockey Person of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a person who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of hockey in Michigan as a FRDFK SDUHQW PDQDJHU DVVRFLDWLRQ YROXQWHHU RIĂ€FLDO RU OHDJXH administrator.â€? Coach of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a head coach from Michigan who is widely regarded as an excellent teacher, role model, and tactician and whose players are regarded to be well-disciplined and reach their full potential under the coach’s guidance.� Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a male student-athlete born in 1993 -1996 who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.� Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year

This award is presented annually “to a female student-athlete born in 1993 -1996 who has achieved a high level both in the classroom and on the ice during the past hockey season.�

HOW TO NOMINATE SOMEONE Make your nominations to editor Michael Caples at mcaples@mihockeynow.com Please include name of nominee, reason for nominating him/her, biographical information about your nominee, your name and your daytime and evening telephone numbers. Would you like to become a sponsor of this unique event? Please contact Lucia Zuzga at (248) 479-1134 or lucia@mihockeynow.com.

FOLLOW YOUTH HOCKEY ALL SEASON LONG WITH

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

Let the hockey world know when your tryouts are by joining Michigan’s top youth hockey publication. Reach more players and parents with our media outlets: Michigan Hockey Magazine distributed to over 100 locations Michigan Hockey Magazine digital issue sent to over 18,000 subscribers MiHockeyNow.com 60,000+ views per month All packages include a free online ad through duration of your tryout package - single issue ads are online until the next issue is posted.

TRYOUT TR OU ISSUES SS ES FEBRUARY 20 Tryout info due Feb. 7

MARCH 19 Tryout info due March 6

MARCH 5 Tryout info due Feb. 21

APRIL 9 Tryout info due March 27

MARCH 12 Tryout info due Feb. 28

APRIL 23 Tryout info due April 10

Call Lucia at 248-479-1134 or email her at lucia@mihockeynow.com to help spread the word about your team’s tryouts.

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Michigan Hockey

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SPEAKING OF HOCKEY

WHO IS THE BEST GOALIE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? For each issue of the magazine, we will post a question on Facebook, and one randomly selected answer will win a Warrior prize pack: hoodie, hat, and T-shirt. Good luck! That’s a difficult one. For pro, I’d have to say Howard. But I would also put both my daughters on that list - both play “with the boys”, one as a peewee, one as a midget. Got to give them props for playing a difficult position as the only girls on their teams. Sarah Verran

My son averages about 70 shots a game for a skill-challenged Squirt A team. Still gets his homework done and logs in lots of travel at 9 years old. i think he may get bored on team that gets only 40 shots a game. He probably would say Jimmy Howard is the best, but let’s see Howard make 65 saves a game. Barry Sokol

No offense to Jimmy Howard but Henrik Lundqvist is definitely the best goalie in the NHL. He has been with the NY Rangers the last few years. Look at this year, what’s happening when he actually has a team in front of him. David Telega

I would have to vote for my rec league goalie, Dave Telega. He faces numerous breakaways, prime scoring chances, bad clearing attempts, horrible line changes and he still comes back for more...btw, we are in 2nd place. Dan Foss

WINNER

Pekka Rinne on a roll. Wallace David Rankin

Ryan Miller, hands down :) Melissa Anspach

Visit our Facebook page to try and win our next Warrior prize pack, facebook.com/mihockeynow 12

Michigan Hockey

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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Michigan Hockey

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GET BETTER

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Michigan Hockey

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

Hockey Player Age Hometown Height Weight Team Position Coach School

Cameron Griep

12 Hudsonville 5' 4" 110 lbs. Michigan Nationals Goalie Todd Bell Hudsonville Baldwin Street Middle Grade 6th Favorite Team Detroit Red Wings Favorite Player Dominik Hasek

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Michigan Hockey

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YOU SHOULD KNOW

you should know FAVORITE BREAKFAST FOOD: Ham and cheese omelette FIRST CONCERT: Van Halen MUST-SEE TV: It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia FAVORITE MOVIE: Hot Rod WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE AN HOUR OF FREE TIME: Play video games or go on the computer IF YOU RECEIVED $1 MILLION, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH IT: Pay my parents back for youth hockey and put the rest in the bank PRE-GAME ROUTINE: Stretch and play soccer KIND OF CAR YOU DRIVE: ‘01 white Ford Explorer NICKNAME: Wolfey FAVORITE MEAL: Steak and mashed potatoes ONE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT: Cell phone

greg wolfe

Michigan State University forward Sophomore forward Greg Wolfe is having a breakout season for the Spartans. After posting only three goals as a freshman, the Canton native has nine leading up to the Spartans’ big weekend series with the Wolverines. He’s no stranger to winning games, either; Wolfe won state titles with Honeybaked at the Bantam, Midget Minor, and Midget Major levels before playing for the Chicago Steel and Omaha Lancers of the USHL.

WHO WAS MOST INFLUENTIAL ON YOUR HOCKEY CAREER: My parents

Photos courtesy of: metalmusicarchives.com (Van Halen), FX (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), IMDb.com (Hot Rod), gamingaccessories.com (video game controller), Sodahead.com (steak & potatoes)

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Michigan Hockey

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All games played at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube Upcoming home games Feb. 17 vs. Green Bay at 7:00 p.m. Feb. 19 vs. Youngstown at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 20 vs. Muskegon at 3:00 p.m.

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FUTURE PRO GOAL

DEVELOPING AN ACTIVE GLOVE BY DAVE DESANDER

FUTURE PRO CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR A few months ago, Future Pro Director Jeremy Kaleniecki wrote about ‘glove discipline’ versus ‘glove involvement.’ By definition, the use of a ‘discipline glove’ is holding it in position, out and open facing the puck, filling space in front of the goaltender’s body, and in a catching position. ‘Glove involvement’ is the use of an active glove, being able to catch pucks in front and around his or her body, pads, etc. While these two definitions are easily explained, the development and use of an active glove is an elite skill that must be mastered and incorporated to advance your game to the next level. If you look at many of today’s European NHL goalies (Miikka Kiprusoff, Pekka Rinne, and Sergei Bobrovsky) they have the physical ability to prevent rebounds with the use of an active catching glove. The purpose and usefulness behind catching these pucks versus using another type of save selection is the benefit of puck possession. Looking at a common game situation, a player shooting a puck from a distance outside the faceoff circles, or long-range shots on poor angles, any height, from 0-12 inches off the ice, can be looking to cause a rebound. Many of today’s North American-style goalies will use either stick involvement or their pads to control the puck, putting it into the corners. Goalies such as Rinne or Kiprusoff have the physical ability to prevent this type

of rebound by dropping their glove to the ice (or just slightly off it) and possess the puck for a whistle - a very advanced skill that takes an excessive amount of practice to perfect. Picture an MLB infielder - a third baseman that can routinely catch and field high velocity, one-hop grounders from less than 40 feet from them and you can understand the tracking and catching ability required to make this look routine. Many European goalies use their active gloves to

prevent rebounds. Using their superior tracking and catching skills, they lower their glove to the ice, and prevent a common shot from becoming a dangerous, weak-side or kill-zone rebound. To develop this elite skill, in your next practice have an accurate shooter fire pucks low (2-12 inches off the ice) glove side, from 20-40 feet away. Sitting in your butterfly first, track every puck into the pocket of your glove, trying to gain or maintain possession of the puck. Once this skill is mastered, try starting from your stance doing the same drill. You will find as your tracking and glove skills improve, so will your rebound prevention.

GOALIE SCHOOL

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Michigan Hockey

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FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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TOURNAMENT HOTLINE

OFF THE ICE BY SHANNON SHAVER

JUNIOR AT THE PLYMOUTH-CANTON EDUCATIONAL PARK

The Plymouth Canton Educational Park provides a rare experience for teenage athletes. Though there is one campus, referred to as “the Park,� each of the three high schools, Canton, Plymouth and Salem, has its own sports teams. Unlike most high school athletes, Park athletes from all three schools walk between classes together, sit at lunch with each other, and sometimes, they are classmates. Rivalry sparks among the three schools, including the hockey teams. Canton, Plymouth and Salem hockey players share the same feelings toward each other. On the ice their loyalty is to their team, but outside the rink the games don’t effect their friendships. “I spend two hours a day in a class with Plymouth’s Rich Guglielmi and Sean Smiatacz and us three are great friends,� Canton senior

Spencer Craig said. “But when we are playing each other, it’s all business, and everyone is doing what they can to earn the win. After that the friendship is still there, win or lose.� At the end of sixth grade, students receive their random assignment to attend one of the three schools. Hockey players who have played together since childhood are split up in this drawing. “It’s all random which school you end up with, and a lot of my rivals have played hockey with me ever since I started,� Plymouth senior Nate Stemberger said. Throughout the separation and animosity, Park hockey players have preserved their friendships with one another. “Most of the guys from the Park teams are friends,� Salem junior Jake Fedel said. “It’s just a different mentality when we play each other.�

At Study Hall, a brand-new feature from Michigan Hockey, we’re giving students the opportunity to cover their own high school teams. We take pride in our high school hockey players in this state, and it’s time that we recognize the students writing about the game just as much as the players on the ice.

Want to get involved? Know a standout high school student who is a great writer? Contact editor Michael Caples at mcaples@mihockeynow.com, or contact us via our Facebook/Twitter pages.

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(231) 591-2881 See website www.ferris.edu/icearena for application About 3-on-3 Hockey: 3-on-3 Hockey is a unique brand of ice hockey developed to enhance your LQGLYLGXDO KRFNH\ VNLOOV LQ D IXQ ÂżOOHG HQYLURQPHQW *DPHV DUH IRXU IRXU PLQXWH SHULRGV 7KUHH VHSDUDWH RQ ULQNV ZLOO EH VHW XS LQ WKH IDFLOLW\ 7KUHH ULQNV PHDVXULQJ DSSUR[LPDWHO\ IHHW ORQJ E\ IHHW ZLGH ZLWK IRRW KLJK ERDUGV DGG D QHZ DQG TXLFNHU ZD\ WR SOD\ WKH JDPH

Team entry form MUST be received 3 weeks before tournament date.

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HOMETOWN HEROES

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February 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

DAVID LEGWAND NASHVILLE PREDATORS NHL TOTALS (AS OF FEB. 6)

817 182 298 480 412 GAMES

GOALS

ASSISTS

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PLYMOUTH WHALERS OHL TOTALS (1997–99)

114 85 100 185 121 GAMES

February 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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GOALS

ASSISTS

POINTS

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Michigan Hockey

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MICHIGAN

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR POWERED BY MARRIOTT

COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE TOURNAMENT LISTINGS AT FEBRUARY 2012 Great Lakes Tournament Series Holland, MI February 17-19 Pee Wee B, Pee Wee A and Bantam B Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI February 17-20, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions Girls Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI February 17-20, 2012 8U-19U House, B, A, AA 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions K-Zoo Cup Tournament Series Kalamazoo, MI February 17-20, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Deep Freeze Tournament Mt. Pleasant, MI February 17-19, 2012 Pee Wee & Bantam House B 989-772-9623 info@mpicearena.org Lake Fenton Winter Classic (Pure Pond Hockey) Fenton, MI Feb 17-19, 2012 18+ 810-620-PUCK (7825) sean@ lakefentonwinterclassic.com lakefentonwinterclassic.com Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI February 24-26, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com

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Michigan Hockey

Hockey Time Productions Girls Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI February 24-26, 2012 8U-19U House, B, A, AA 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions K-Zoo Cup Tournament Series Kalamazoo, MI February 24-26, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Great Lakes Tournament Series Holland, MI February 24-26, 2012 Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree, Squirt B and Bantam A Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Muskegon Cup 500 & Under Muskegon, MI February 24-26, 2012 Squirt – Midget A & AA 231-747-7266 goldcoasttournaments.com Big Rapids Area Junior Hockey Association Big Rapids, MI February 24-26, 2012 Midget B/BB 231-591-2881 bigrapidshockey.org or ferris. edu/icearena Big Rapids Area Junior Hockey Association Big Rapids, MI February 24-26, 2012 Mini-Mite & IP ADM 231-591-2881 bigrapidshockey.org or ferris. edu/icearena Get Into the Cold Tournament Mt. Pleasant, MI February 25, 2012 ADM Jamboree 989-772-9623 info@mpicearena.org U.P. Youth Pond Hockey Championship St. Ignace, MI February 25-26, 2012 Mite Minors – Midget – House

& Travel 906-643-8676 lbe@cityofstignace.net littlebeararena.com MARCH 2012 Great Lakes Tournament Series Holland, MI March 2-4, 2012 Mite B, Pee Wee B and Midget B Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Get Into the Cold Tournament Mt. Pleasant, MI March 2-4, 2012 Squirt House B 989-772-9623 info@mpicearena.org Hockey Cares - House B Tournament Kalamazoo, MI March 2-4, 2012 Squirt House B through Midget House B Contact: Mike Stommen E-Mail mstommen@ arenamaps.com Phone 269-345-5369 tournaments.arenamaps.com/ series/ Big Bear - The Big Thaw Detroit, MI March 2 - 4, 2012 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget High School Varsity & J.V. B - A - AA Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Riverfront Tournament Wyandotte, MI March 2-4, 2012 I-program, 6U Mini-Mite, 8U Mite Full & Half ice, 10U Squirt 313-247-6391 tjmiello@aol.com Web: wyandottehockey.org Hockey Time Productions Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI March 9-11, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567

itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions Girls Motown Cup Tournament Series Detroit, MI March 9-11, 2012 8U-19U House, B, A, AA 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Great Lakes Tournaments Series Holland, MI March 9-11, 2012 Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree, Squirt B and Bantam A Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com

OUT OF STATE TOURNAMENTS FEBRUARY 2012 Hockey Time Productions Rock ‘n Roll Cup Tournament Series Cleveland, OH February 17-20, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions Three Rivers Cup Tournament Series Pittsburgh, PA February 17-20, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com

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898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Chicago Cup Tournament Series: Chicago Presidents’ Cup Chicago, IL February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Steel City Tournament Series: Pittsburgh Presidents’ Cup Pittsburgh, PA February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Music City Tournament Series: Nashville Presidents’ Cup Nashville, TN February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com

Hockey Time Productions Girls Three Rivers Cup Tournament Series Pittsburgh, PA February 17-20, 2012 8U-19U House, B, A, AA 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com

Empire State Tournament Series: Presidential Power Play Rochester, NY February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com

Congressional Cup Tournament Series: The Congressional Cup Washington, DC February 17-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855-

Buckeye State Tournament Series: Cincinnati Presidents’ Cup Cincinnati, OH February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments

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Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Carolina Cup Tournament Series: Charlotte Presidents’ Cup Charlotte, NC February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Liberty Cup Tournament Series: Philadelphia Presidential Power Play Hatfield, PA February 18-20, 2012 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Niagara Falls President’s Day Niagara Falls, NY February 18-20, 2012 Mites, Squirts, Peewees, Bantams and Midgets, A, B, AE, & AA Divisions available in most tournaments. niagaratournaments.com 716-791-4068 or 716-405-7154 Gcarella17@roadrunner.com Big Bear - Gasoline Alley Indianapolis, IN February 18 - 20, 2012 Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget High School Varsity & J.V. B A - AA plus Girls U12, U14, U16 & U19 Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Big Bear - The Gateway St. Louis, MO February 18 - 20, 2012 Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget High School Varsity & J.V. • B - A - AA Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

MARCH 2012 Big Bear - The Palms Tampa, FL February 18 - 20, 2012 Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget / HS/ A – AA Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Big Bear - The Ursa Minor Ann Arbor, MI February 18 - 20, 2012 Mite, Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget - High School Varsity & J.V. B – A – AA Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 Big Bear - The Rocky Mt. Showdown Denver, CO February 18 - 20, 2012 Peewee, Bantam, Midget / HS/A - AA Visit us on line at shootouthockey.com 248-399-1694 AMERICAN CUP Lake Placid, NY February 23-26, 2012 Peewee, Bantam A, B, House Select - Minor/ Major/Mixed divisions Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com Hockey Time Productions Rock ‘n Roll Cup Tournament Series Cleveland, OH February 24-26, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions Three Rivers Cup Tournament Series Pittsburgh, PA February 24-26, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com Hockey Time Productions Girls Three Rivers Cup Tournament Series Pittsburgh, PA February 24-26, 2012 8U-19U House, B, A, AA 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com MARCH 2012 Ironman Adult Tournament Blaine, MN March 9-11 Divisions- Men’s B, C, D 5 games in 3 days

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

Chicago Cup Tournament Series: Chicago Showdown Chicago, IL March 2-4 Mite through Midget; B, A, and AA, High School Varsity and JV, Mite Cross-Ice Jamboree Contact MYHockey Tournaments Toll Free US and Canada 855898-4040 myhockeytournaments.com Gene Harrington Invitational Niagara Falls, NY March 2-4, 2012 Contact: Bob Harrington 781710-6560 bh@nahockey.com Website: nahockey.com Hockey Time Productions Rock ‘n Roll Cup Tournament Series Cleveland, OH March 9-11, 2012 Mite-Midget House, B, A, AA High School Varsity and JV 216-325-0567 itshockeytime.com CANADA FEBRUARY 2012 Canadian Cup – Family Day Weekend Montreal, Quebec February 17-19, 2012 Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School Boys AA, A, B, House Select -Minor/ Major Mixed division Canadian Hockey Enterprises 1-800-461-2161 chehockey.com Weekend Hockey Tournaments Brampton, ON Feb 17 - 19, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com weekendhockey.com MARCH 2012 Weekend Hockey Tournaments Niagara Falls, ON March 9 - 11, 2012 19+, 25+, 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, 50+ A, B, C, D, E Levels Mens/ Womens/ Co Ed 1-877-702-5701 905-827-3541 james@weekendhockey.com weekendhockey.com

Hockey Cares - House B Tournament Kalamazoo, MI March 2-4, 2012 Squirt House B through Midget House B Contact: Mike Stommen E-Mail mstommen@ arenamaps.com Phone 269-345-5369 tournaments.arenamaps. com/series/ Rivertown Tournament Wyandotte, MI March 2-4, 2012 Mini-mite, Mites & Squirt 313-247-6391 tjmiello@aol.com www.wyandottehockey.org

OCTOBER 2012 Otsego County Sportsplex Gaylord, MI AAA Early Bird Tournament October 5 – 7, 2012 4 game guarantee Level: 2000 8 team limit Jim Driver 989-858-3400 jim@premierjd.com Otsego County Sportsplex Gaylord, MI AAA Early Bird Tournament October 12 - 14, 2012 4 game guarantee Level: 1999 8 team limit Jim Driver 989-858-3400 jim@premierjd.com

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2012 SCHEDULE North American Holiday Hockey Adult & Youth 1-800-322-NAHH nahhtours.com NAHHTOURS@ aol.com Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas Ice Center March 21 – 26, 2012 Fort Lauderdale, Florida Saveology.com Iceplex (Panthers’ Practice Facility) March 28 – April 2, 2012 Montreal, Quebec Complexe Sportif Bell (Canadiens’ Practice Facility) April 13 – 15, 2012 Toronto, Ontario Canlan Ice Sports April 20 – 22, 2012 Hartford, Connecticut International Skating Center of Connecticut April 27 – 29, 2012 Atlantic City, New Jersey Flyers’ Skate Zone (Flyers’ Facility) May 4 – 6, 2012

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 400 Renaissance Drive Detroit, MI 48243 313-568-8000 detroitmarriott.com

Courtyard Detroit Dearborn 5200 Mercury Drive Dearborn, MI 48126 313-271-1400 dearborncourtyard.com

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Detroit Marriott Troy 200 W Big Beaver Road Troy, MI 48084 248-680-9797 troymarriott.com

Courtyard Detroit Downtown 333 East Jefferson Ave Detroit, MI 48226 313-222-7700 detroitdowntowncourtyard.com

Courtyard Detroit Troy 1525 East Maple Road Troy, MI 48083 248-528-2800 detroittroycourtyard.com

The Dearborn Inn, A Marriott Hotel 20301 Oakwood Blvd Dearborn, MI 48124 313-271-2700 dearborninnmarriott.com

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Residence Inn Detroit Warren 30120 Civic Center Blvd Warren, MI 48093 586-558-8050 residenceinnwarren.com

Courtyard Detroit Airport Romulus 30653 Flynn Drive Romulus, MI 48174 734-721-3200 detroitairportcourtyard.com

Courtyard Detroit Livonia 17200 N Laurel Park Drive Livonia, MI 48152 734-462-2000 livoniacourtyard.com

SpringHill Suites Detroit Southfield 28555 Northwestern Highway Southfield, MI 48034 248-352-6100 marriott.com/dtwsd

Courtyard Detroit Auburn Hills 1296 Opdyke Road Auburn Hills, MI 48326 248-373-4100 auburnhillscourtyard.com

Courtyard Detroit Novi 42700 West 11 Mile Road Novi, MI 48375 248-380-1234 novicourtyard.com

TownePlace Suites Detroit Sterling Heights 14800 Lakeside Circle Sterling Heights, MI 48313 marriott.com/dtwtu

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Michigan Hockey

23

YOUTH HOCKEY

Ice Hawks win prestigious international tournament

The Grosse Pointe-based ’97 Michigan Ice Hawks continued their tournament success this season, winning the 50th Annual International Silver Stick Bantam AA Championship at McMorran Arena in Port Huron on Jan. 29, 2012. The Ice Hawks were the only U.S. team to walk away champions in Port Huron when they beat the Gloucester Rangers, 3-1 in the championship game. The Ice Hawks earlier won the Belle Tire Back-to-School Classic, the Regional Silver Stick tournament, and the Bauer Invitational AAA Championship. The tournament featured the best teams from all over North America. Twenty teams from California, Connecticut, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ontario, and Quebec qualified to participate in the round-robin tournament. The Ice Hawks started the tournament with a 4-0 win over North Toronto, but stumbled in their second game against the York Toros, losing 2-1. The Ice Hawks needed a win to advance to the quarterfinals, and accomplished the feat by topping the New Jersey Bandits 5-2. The draw was difficult for the top-ranked in the U.S., however, as the Ice Hawks’ first opponent would be the Mississauga Terriers, the No. 1 ranked team in Ontario, who

entered the tournament a heavy favorite to win it all with a 39-2-4 record. The Terriers jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the first and led 2-1 after two periods. But the Ice Hawks came out after the secondperiod intermission and scored three straight goals to win 4-2, much to delight of the large The Ice Hawks are pictured with the championship banner and trophy. They are (L-R): Brent Jones, Tyler crowd attending the game. Parsons and Nick Salliotte; kneeling L-R, Alexander Minanov, Alex Potter, Mitchell Visbara, Liam Walker, Next up for the Ice Hawks Jake Smith, Jason Sommerville and Austin Levering; standing L-R, Steven Fredrick, Austin Koleski, Ramone Kammo, Marco DerManulian, William Walker, Bobby Kaiser, Richie Filippelli, Antonio Tijerina, were last year’s defending Keenan Sabatini and Kyle Schulz. Coaches: left, Craig Furstenau and Mike Hamilton, right, head coach, champions, the Oakville Greg Cheesewright. Not pictured, coach Larry Knapp. (Photo credit: Joel C. Weston of AVP) Rangers, and the Ice Hawks prevailed 3-1. Ice Hawks goalie Tyler Parsons received the Bill Lalley The finals matched the Ice Hawks against the Gloucester Memorial Award as the MVP goalie in the championship Rangers, a familiar foe which had faced the Ice Hawks in game. Parsons and two other Ice Hawks, forward Austin Toronto tournaments the last few seasons. The Ice Hawks Levering and defensemen Alex Potter were named to the made quick work of this set of Rangers, jumping out to an Bantam AA Silver Stick All-Star team. early 2-0 lead, and finally securing the championship with a 3-1 win.

Mt. Clemens Wolves win Pittsburgh holiday tourney Congratulations to the Mt. Clemens Wolves 16U Girls, who won big at the 2011 Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Classic Girls Ice Hockey Tournament. This is the fourth year in a row that the 16U Wolves have attended this tournament, and their second time coming home champions. The Wolves had a 3-1-1 record. In pool play, the Wolves had a 7-1 win against the St. Catharines Chaos, a hard 0-1 loss against West Northumberland, and 1-1 tie against the North Halton Twisters. In the semifinals, the Wolves took advantage of their second chance with West Northumberland, winning 2-1. In the Finals, the Wolves played the North Halton Twisters again, getting a huge

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Michigan Hockey

Rams win Compuware tourney

4-0 victory to be crowned champions. The 2011 16U Wolves consist of: Jenay DeCraussin, Kayla Nowicki, Frankie Wojtylo, Karen Harper, Kelsey Weyland, Alyssa Genette, Alli Bianchini, Alex Brinkman, Katelyn Tomlian, Leigh Farquhar, Kristin Doxen, Devin Tomlinson, Emily Ellis, Jessica Wahby, Andrea Hutchinson, Olivia Lord, Tayler Losee and Mackenzie Dennis. Head coach is Cassandra Jaeckle, assistant coaches are Tim VanEckoute, Rick VanderHagen, Garret Dennis and Ken Lord and Team Manager Ann Tomlinson. The 2011 16U Wolves are looking forward to continuing their excellent season.

The Rams Hockey Squirt AA Travel team competed over the holiday break in the Tim Horton’s Compuware Holiday Classic tournament. The Rams headed into the tournament with an overall record of 14-53 and expected a challenging competition with Squirt AA teams from several levels of play in attendance. The Rams made it through the first rounds of hockey with hard-fought wins over Livonia, Honeybaked, and

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Compuware teams and headed into the championship game undefeated. The Rams would ultimately face the always-tough Honeybaked team for the championship. The Rams were victorious, as they topped Honeybaked 2-0. The Rams Squirt AA Travel team is part of the Rockford Hockey Association, a local Red Wings Premiere hockey association. Visit www.rockfordhockey.org for information on RAMS Hockey or find us on Facebook.

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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25

JUNIORS PREVIEW HPHL

The High Performance Hock ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CAPLES Sometimes, change is necessary. For the founding members of the High Performance Hockey League, the amount of travel required to participate in other Tier I leagues seemed unnecessary when considering that some of the best teams in the country play in the Great Lakes region. That, along with a similar mindset in how to develop young hockey players both on and off the ice, led to the formation of the HPHL prior to the 2011-12 season. “The time commitment and the financial commitment started to get pretty substantial,” said Lyle Phair, chairman of the board for the new league. “The three organizations in Michigan - Compuware, Little Caesars and Honeybaked - and three in Illinois – Chicago Young Americans, Team Illinois and Chicago Mission - got together and kind of wanted to, for lack of a better word, reset, kind of downsize. “Some of the underlying principles of the new league were to cut down on missed school days, because school is very important, cut down on some of the costs, and to try to have a very highly competitive league with all of the games being strong competition without having to travel

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Michigan Hockey

all over the country to do so.” With their inaugural season nearly complete, the evaluation process begins. Karen Cullen, director of the Little Caesars program, said she has been pleased with the feedback from parents, players and coaches. “We shared common objectives and I think we’ve held true here in our inaugural season to doing what we set out to do, and that’s where a lot of the positive feedback has come from, from coaches and parents and others who, by reducing some of the travel requirements and some things like that, has brought a lot of positives and it’s also helped to reduce some costs for folks and so I think it’s been successful.” Chicago Mission director Gino Cavallini said that cutting down on the travel has greatly benefitted the Chicago teams in the HPHL, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to play elite talent just down I-94. “I think the main goal was to give ourselves good competition and keep costs down, while keeping the cost down for the parents,” Cavallini said. “Without just playing ourselves like the Chicago teams playing each other and the Detroit teams playing each other, its good competition when we travel and that’s what we’re trying to do, get as good of competition we can and reduce the costs.” But how does one truly measure success? Is it national rankings? While national titles have not been decided

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just yet, HPHL teams cover the ranking boards for every prominent age group. According to MyHockeyRankings. com, there are at least two HPHL teams (of a six-team league) ranked in the Top-10 nationally in Midget 18U and 16U. There are also at least two Top-10 teams in both Bantam and Peewee age brackets. The HPHL also have three teams in the Top-10 of the girls 19U rankings, two in 16U, and three in 14U. Yet league officials take just as much pride, or more, in the fact that the majority of the players in the league are hitting the academic criteria put in place. The league launched an academic excellence program to celebrate the players who succeed in the classroom. “It’s being so well received,” said league secretary Jill Hare. “It’s really awesome to see the amount of our players who are hitting our criteria. It’s amazing. Our criteria are 3.5 and 3.8 so those are pretty lofty goals, and there are quite a few players on each team hitting those goals.” Hare also pointed out that many teams from across the country are calling her with a request to participate in HPHL showcases next year – another insight into the success of the league’s inaugural season. “We’ve just had what I think is an early interest in teams from all over the country, not just the great lakes region, that are looking to be a part of our guest team program next year,” Hare said. “I’m getting feedback that they like

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

WEIVERP SROHPHL INUJ

key League – A successful first season the format, they like the competition, and most of all, they like the way the travel works. “They can come in just for specific weekends and play the top teams. Sometimes to get that competition you have to go to several tournaments or spend much more on travel, and this way, they can get the top competition in one weekend. “It’s exciting that our teams are so highly recognized; it’s exciting that this format is appealing to everybody. It’s really exciting for the league, and being that it’s just our first year, we’re really looking for some new and improved things for next year. It’s great.” And while the HPHL has caught the attention of other prominent US teams, they are also catching the attention of scouts. “We really make an effort,” said Honeybaked director Joe Jones. “It’s part of what we do, and what we offer as a league is to bend over backward for that group and try to provide them with everything we can. We want them to come see our events, we want them to scout our players. They’re going to because we have some of the best teams and the best players in North America, so they’re going to come see the young players, but we want to try to make sure that we’re providing them with everything they need to help them do their job better. “A byproduct of having a good, successful league with a lot of quality organizations is you’re going to have very

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

successful, winning teams,” Jones continued. “I think that’s certainly something that you can look and you can say ‘yeah, these teams are all really good.’ They’re all high-quality teams, good coaching. We think we have the best coaching, the best competition, and it kind of proves itself out in not only how good these teams are, compared to everyone else around the country, but how many of these players are moving on to play at the next level.” The league has even joined forces with USA Hockey to feature an officiating program designed to give the kids the experience of playing with referees from higher leagues. “When we started the league, we were working with USA Hockey,” said Mike Henry, director of the Compuware program. “USA Hockey thought they could assist in having the best officiating in the area at our games. They appointed Dan Monacelli to our league. Dan schedules all the junior programs, which are not really related to us, but we have the same referees refereeing HPHL games at the junior level, so we’re preparing our kids for the next step with having high-quality officiating.” But no matter the amount of success they achieve on the ice, the main focus is still developing the character HPHL players will display off the ice for the rest of their lives. “Success for us is on and off the ice,” said Henry - for

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both the league and his own program. “The classroom is huge; we’re developing not only hockey players but role models and character. So the success is the program, winning is not everything. It’s nice to win but developing the kids, watching the kids develop and become young adults is how we would measure success here. And again, our coaches at all our levels have done a great job at doing that.” Phair said that as the league looks ahead to their second season, they will evaluate potentially adding more teams, but only if it makes sense for the founding organizations. “We work real hard as a board of directors to try to listen to the parents and listen to the coaches and try to improve upon the experience every year,” Phair said. “We look at the potential of adding new teams, maybe adding a couple of teams to the league. Is an eight-team league better than a six-team league? We’re not sure; we don’t have the answer to that right now. It depends upon the organizations.” “Our job is to provide a league and a program for these young athletes to compete and excel and to learn and develop,” Cullen said. “They don’t need to be caught up in the day to day stuff of making a league work, but behind the scenes I think there will definitely be a lot of things that will smooth out just knowing what we know going into the second year.”

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27

PLYMOUTH WHALERS “Every game means something,” said Levi. “It seems like it’s a different guy each night that steps up and does something to help the team win. We didn’t make any trades at the deadline and I think that’s because we didn’t have any holes to fill. “We know we have a great team and now it’s up to us to show just how special of a team we think we have.”

WILSON UPS DRAFT STOCK IN KELOWNA

Photos courtesy OHL Images

WHALERS’ DEFENSEMAN LEVI:

“Every game means something”

If ever there was a perfect time to show scouts that he is a serious NHL prospect, Tom Wilson did just that on Feb. 1 in Kelowna, B.C., at the annual Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Not only did he play a solid overall game, but Wilson dropped the gloves with Dalton Thrower of the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades in one of the game’s two fights. “First couple shifts I got a big hit,” Wilson told NHL.com. “Just good to get the boys going. Later in the game, I made a big hit (and then) Thrower hopped on the ice and called me out, so I had to go. We squared up and it was a good fight. “I just wanted to come in and play my game. That big hit at the beginning (on Sault Ste. Marie defenseman Gianluca Curcuruto) was to get the boys going and let the other team know it was going to be a hockey game. I just wanted to be a physical presence out there.” Team Orr defeated Wilson and Team Cherry, however, 2-1. Wilson was ranked 33rd among North American skaters in the mid-season rankings from NHL Central Scouting. With his strong outing in Kelowna, some feel he may squeak into the first round.

BY MATT MACKINDER

With just 17 games left in the Ontario Hockey League’s regular season, teams are jockeying for playoff positioning. Or in the Plymouth Whalers’ case, looking to keep winning and finish first overall, which would gain them home-ice advantage throughout the duration of their playoff run. Veteran Plymouth defenseman Austin Levi has been through three prior post-seasons with the Whalers and wants this next one to be the best yet. “This year has just seemed to be very exciting,” said Levi. “You always go into a season with the goal of winning a championship and this year, I think we have a very solid chance. We’re trying to win as much as we can to catch London for the top spot and we can’t expect London to go and lose 10 straight, so we have to keep getting the points and keep playing hard.” Last Saturday night at Compuware Arena, Windsor came to town, only to see the Whalers dominate on the way to a 5-1 win. “It was great to see the full house there at the rink and it made it feel like a playoff game,” said Levi, who forms the shutdown pair on defense with Colin MacDonald. “I think the game got out of hand, maybe too many fights, but I think that’s what we can expect from Windsor or any team this time of year. It’s getting down to crunch time and everyone wants the points. You can’t

28

Michigan Hockey

throw games away this time of year and everyone knows that.” Coming to town as an early-round OHL draft pick in 2008, Levi has seen players like Tyler Seguin, Stefan Noesen and Rickard Rakell get drafted in the NHL draft and even heard his own name called in the third round back in 2010 by Carolina. As an American (Levi is from Aurora, Colo.), he had to make the decision very early on if he wanted to play Major Junior or take the NCAA route. In all honesty, Levi said, he just wanted to get to the NHL the fastest way possible. “The OHL has delivered on everything it said it would,” boasted Levi. “I think after this season, I’ll hopefully be ready to make the jump to the pro game in Carolina’s system. I’m going to keep working hard this season and into the summer and then go to Carolina’s camp with open spirits. Playing in the OHL has helped so much with my development and it’s all been worth it.” And while he hasn’t signed with the Hurricanes as of yet, a solid season this year should make Carolina have no choice but to bring Levi on board. “I hope it’s only a matter of time before I sign,” Levi said. “I wish I could sign tomorrow.” Until then, however, Levi is focused on the OHL playoffs and finishing out the regular season on a positive note.

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NORTH AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE TOP PROSPECTS ROSTERS

FILLED WITH MICHIGAN-BORN PLAYERS BY MATT MACKINDER

F

Top Prospects Rosters

MICHIGAN REPS

rom Feb. 17-20, Michigan players will fill the six rosters of the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. With four teams in the league and a great many other teams listing Michigan natives on their rosters, it’s easy to see that Michigan is certainly one of the country’s top hockey hotbeds when it comes to producing top-level junior hockey talent on its way to playing college hockey. “From both a geographical and historical perspective, Michigan is such an integral part of our league,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “We pride ourselves on our unique events schedule with the sole purpose of elevating our players’ visibility in the college and professional scouting circles. That’s the mission set forth by every one of our owners and, given our successful track record, one we’re focused on strengthening even more. “We know what to expect when we come to Michigan and that’s hundreds of college and professional coaches and scouts who have a serious interest in our studentathletes. The event keeps getting bigger and better year after year, both in terms of exposure for our players and prestige throughout the entire hockey community.” At this year’s event, scheduled for the Troy Sports Center from Feb. 17-20, six teams (Central, Midwest, North, South, West and the NAHL 18U Selects) will each play three games. Each team consists of a 20-man roster from players nominated by the league’s 28 head coaches and then chosen by a selection committee. All NAHL players are eligible to participate in the Top Prospects Tournament, regardless if they’ve committed

WILL BADNER, Cadillac JOE BALLMER, Kalamazoo ADAM CHAPIE, Oxford BRETT D’ANDREA, Marysville JOSH DANGEL, Portage ZACK DORER, Holt JOEY FERRISS, Novi ANDREW GRAVES, Allen Park CHRIS LEIBINGER, Saginaw CHRIS LEONE, Dearborn BRET LEWANDOWSKI, Chesterfield

NAHL.COM FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

to an NCAA school. Each of the teams will consist of 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders. The number of players represented by each NAHL team was based on each team’s winning percentage within their division as of Jan. 16. The coaches were also decided based on the top two teams in each division. On a local note, Port Huron Fighting Falcons head coach Bill Warren is set to guide the North squad, assisted by Marc Fakler from the Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings. Layne Sedevie from the Bismarck Bobcats will coach the Central team and his assistant will be Doc DelCastillo from the Alexandria Blizzard. The head coach of the Midwest team will be Dane Litke from the Janesville Jets and the assistant will be Jeff Brown from the St. Louis Bandits. The head coach of the South team will be Dennis Williams from the Amarillo Bulls and the assistant will be Scott Langer from the Topeka RoadRunners, while Trevor Stewart (Fairbanks Ice Dogs) will lead the West along with Corey Millen (Alaska Avalanche). From a Michigan perspective, 21 players are set to showcase their talents at this year’s showcase.

3HL EAST SHOWCASE, A PART OF TROY EVENT The North American 3 Hockey League will also see some ice at the Top Prospects Tournament as eight of the league’s 16 teams (Battle Creek Jr. Revolution, Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks, Flint Jr. Generals, Metro Jets, Michigan Mountain Cats, Pittsburgh Jr. Penguins, Queen City Steam and Toledo Cherokee) will play four regular season games from Feb. 19-22 as part of the 3HL East Showcase. For Michigan head coach Chad Grills, he’s had those dates circled on his calendar since the event was first announced.

BRANDON LUBIN, Commerce Township FRANK MISURACA, Clinton Township MIKE MOROSO, Macomb NICK NEVILLE, Bloomfield Hills STEVE OBARZANEK, Macomb ROBBIE PAYNE, Gaylord BROCK RAFFAELE, Cadillac KYLE SCHEMPP, Saginaw NOLAN VALLEAU, Novi AJ WHITE, Dearborn

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AJ WHITE OF THE MICHIGAN WARRIORS (Photo courtesy of the NAHL)

“We are looking forward to the showcase so the kids can show their talents, as all kids are looking to move up or to move on to college,” said Grills. “It will be good for the kids to see a few games, to see where they stand and what they need to work on. I think it will be a great event for everyone involved.”

PHL CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE DECIDED IN TROY All North American Prospects Hockey League teams - Midget Major, Midget Minor and Bantam Major - will compete in the PHL Championship Tournament Series for the right to be crowned league champions. That event will run from Feb. 17-20. Last month, the NAPHL regular season came to a close with a four-day event held at the Troy Sports Center that saw the Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U), San Jose Jr. Sharks (16U) and the St. Louis Selects (14U) skate away with regular season championships. According to NAPHL commissioner Denny Scanlon, the league is on the rise in terms of visibility and exposure. “At the end of the day, this league is all about player advancement,” said Scanlon. “I think our track record from year to year shows that. Each year when we start the application process, we have so many top-level teams that want to play in this league and that makes for some tough decisions. We have a lot of positive momentum here and it’s exciting to me to see how far this league has come in just a short period of time. We’re here for the long haul – we’re not going anywhere.”

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29

Courtesy OHL Images

SAGINAW SPIRIT

CLINT WINDSOR PAYS QUICK DIVIDENDS BY CARL CHIMENTI

I

t certainly didn’t take long for Clint Windsor to get acclimated in Saginaw with the Spirit. The Hamilton, Ontario native has given the goaltending a shot in the arm since he was acquired in a trade from the Barrie Colts with forward Eric Locke for former team captain and defensemen Ryan O’Connor and left winger Anthony Camara just before the trade deadline in early January. Even Jake Paterson, the Spirit’s other goaltender, has looked a lot calmer in net without the worry of having to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders. “Since his arrival, Clint has given us the stability that we were lacking in net,” said head coach Greg Gilbert. “He is a good hard working kid who brings a lot of character that rubs off on the rest of his teammates.” In goal, Windsor is both quick and mobile and at 6-foot4 and 209 pounds, he is an imposing figure, which makes it difficult for opposing teams to score on him. Since coming over to Saginaw, he has already appeared in seven games, an increase in his workload from the Colts. The extra playing time is something that Windsor is looking forward to.

“Coming here gives me the opportunity to play more and that really excites me,” said Windsor, who played his Minor Midget with the Hamilton Reps of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. “I am very happy to be here and I look forward to making the most of my time here and helping the team during the stretch drive to make the playoffs.” Windsor said he was both surprised and not surprised by the trade. “Barrie was looking to upgrade their blue-line and Saginaw was looking for some help at the goaltending position,” Windsor said. “I enjoyed my time with the Colts and I think this is a trade that will help both teams as they move forward.” For the Spirit, a team that has struggled in net since the season began, the early results from Windsor have been nothing but encouraging. Windsor entered his first game in relief of Paterson after one period of play, and allowed a pair of goals. Since then, he has proceeded to win four games and points in five of seven games, posting a 3.26 goals-against average and a save percentage of .907. This is Windsor’s draft year, so it is important that he puts up good numbers. The NHL Central Scouting Service Midterm rankings came out a few weeks ago and both Spirit goaltenders were rated. Paterson was third-best

OHL prospect and fifth-best draft-eligible prospect, while Windsor was climbing up the rankings at 20th. The Barrie Colts drafted Windsor in the fourth round (68th overall), in 2009, following a very successful Minor Midget season with Hamilton. In his rookie season in the OHL (2010-11), he had the tough task of playing for a team that was a year removed from playing in the Ontario Hockey League finals. The team had a huge turnover in player personal, including a new coach. As a back-up, Windsor managed only five wins while losing 20, while battling through various injuries did not help his cause. It was obviously a hard situation, but to his credit, Windsor kept his confidence up and rebounded this year, setting a career-high of six wins in less then half a season, along with a 3.79 goals-against average, before the trade to Saginaw.

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JOHN JOHN LINDELL LIN INDE DELL DE LL ICE ICE ARENA ARE RENA NA - ROYAL ROY OYAL AL OAK OAK 1403 14 03 LEXINGTON LEX EXIN INGT GTON O RD., ON RD., ROYAL RO OYA YAL L OAK, O K, MI OA MI THURSDAY,, FEBRUARYY 16 9:00 - 10:30AM ...........Shoot to Score (6 and up) 10:30AM - 12:00PM....Quick & Fast FRIDAY AY, FEBRUARYY 17 9:00 - 10:30AM ...........Stickhandling & Puck Control (6 and up) 10:30AM - 12:00PM....Outside Edges (6 and up) ROCHESTER ARENA ONYX ON YX - R OCHE OC HEST HE STER ST ER IICE CE A RENA RE NA 5299 52 999 99 9 DEQUINDRE, DEQU DE QUIN QU INDR IN DRE DR E, ROCHESTER, ROC OCHE HEST HE STER ST ER, MI ER 52999 MONDAY,, FEBRUARYY 20 12:0 12 :000 - 1: 1:30 30PM PM ...........Sh Shoo oott to Sco core re (6 an andd up up)) 1:30 - 3:00PM .............Quick & Fast TUESDAY,, FEBRUARYY 21 12:0 12 :000 - 1: 1:30 30PM PM ...........St Sticickh khan andl dlin ingg & Pu Puck ck Con ontrtrol ol (6 an andd up up)) 1:30 - 3:00PM .............Backward Power Skating (9 and up)

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NOVI NOVI ICE ICE ARENA ARE RENA NA SUBURBAN SUBU SU BURB BU RBAN RB AN ICE ICE - FARMINGTON FAR ARMI MING MI NGTO NG TON TO N HILLS HILL HI LLS LL S 42400 42 240 00 NICK NICK C LIDSTROM LID IDST S RO ST OM DR., DR., NOVI, NOV O I, MI MI 2399 23 996 99 6 FREEWAY FREE FREE EEWA WAY Y PARK PARK DR., DR., FARMINGTON FARMIN FARM ING GTON GTON O HILLS, HIL LLS LS,, MI THURSDAY,, FEBRUARYY 23 23996 MONDAY,, FEBRUARYY 20 10:00 - 11:30AM .........Stickhandling & Puck Control (6 and up) 10:00 - 11:30AM....... Goalie Puckhandling 11:30AM - 1:00PM......Outside Edges 11:30AM - 1:00PM ...Shoot to Score FRIDAY AY, FEBRUARYY 24 1:00 - 2:30PM...........Backward Power Skating (9 and up) 10:00 - 11:30AM .........Shoot to Score (6 and up) TUESDAY AY, FEBRUARYY 21 11:30AM - 1:00PM......Quick & Fast (6 and up) 10:00 - 11:30AM.......Stickhandling & Puck Control (6 and up) SUBU SU BURB BU RBAN RB AN ICE ICE - MACOMB MAC ACOM OMB OM B SUBURBAN 11:30AM - 1:00PM ...Outside Edges 5 54 75 55 BROUGHTON BRO BR OUG OUG OU GH HTO ON RD., RD., MACOMB, MAC COM OMB, MI MI 54755 1:00 - 2:30PM........... Creative Scoring (9 and up) THURSDAY,, FEBRUARYY 23 WEDNESDAY AY, FEBRUARYY 22 10:00 - 11:30AM ......... Goalie Puckhandling 10:0 10 :000 - 11 11:3 :30A 0AM M.......Qu Quicickk & Fa Fastst 11:30A 30AM M - 1:00 00PM PM......Sh Shoott to Score (6 andd up)) 11:30AM - 1:00PM ...D-Skills 1:00 - 2:30PM .............Outside Edges 1:00 - 2:30PM........... Body Contact (9 and up) FRIDAY,, FEBRUARYY 24 11:30A 30AM M - 1:00 00PM PM......QQuiickk & Fast 1:00 - 2:30PM .............Stickhandling & Puck Control (6 and up)

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JUNIORS PREVIEW MUSKEGON LUMBERJACKS

A star in the making

BY MATT GAJTKA

in Muskegon

Courtesy Muskegon Lumberjacks

M

USKEGON, Mich. – In a season of transition for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, defenseman Mark Yanis has provided much-needed stability for the second-year USHL franchise. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound blueliner arrived in Muskegon in the summer of 2010 via a pre-draft tender agreement, a method the USHL employs to help expansion teams build. Considering the way Yanis has developed into a cornerstone, the Lumberjacks chose wisely. After playing 54 games as a 16-year-old in a league with players much older and more experienced, the native of Grosse Pointe Woods has missed only one contest out of Muskegon’s first 32 this season. He attributes his dependability to lessons learned early in his USHL career. “Last year I was the youngest kid on the team, but the older guys pushed me to get stronger,” Yanis said. “It’s all in your mindset. You have to stay healthy and you have to stay strong. From last year to this year, I’ve definitely got a lot stronger but you have to keep working to improve and battle through the season.” Yanis’ competitiveness and strength attracted the attention of numerous college hockey powers - including Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Notre Dame - before he committed to the challenge of helping Penn State kickstart its fledgling Division I program after a long history of club-level success. The strapping defender is also first-year eligible for the NHL Entry Draft. NHL Central Scouting has rated him as a potential mid- to late-round selection this summer, and as a result he was given the opportunity to compete in the inaugural USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Jan. 24, which

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

Muskegon hosted at L.C. Walker Arena. “When I first found out it was a big honor,” said Yanis about his selection to Team East along with three other Lumberjacks. “It was unbelievable meeting all the guys from other teams and seeing all the best players in the league in one game. The pace of the game was really fast, there was a lot of tape-to-tape passing and skill on display.” With over 200 NHL scouts in attendance at the showcase event, Yanis did his best to act naturally. “The first period I tried to focus on the game and not worry about all the guys in the stands with notepads, but it’s hard to totally ignore it,” he said. “I thought I was able to stick to my game and not worry too much about who was watching.” When a player accumulates 136 penalty minutes as Yanis did last season, it’s easy to get a reputation as a one-dimensional player. Of course, Yanis knows that other attributes besides his strength and feistiness will get him noticed at the next level. “I think my skating ability stands out, especially for a guy my size,” he said. “I also take pride in passing the puck well and overall being sound in my own end.” Yanis’ passion and talent for defensive play makes him an ideal fit for the way new Lumberjacks head coach Jim McKenzie has tried to shape the team since taking over Jan. 15. “Coach McKenzie has preached a lot about defense since he’s gotten here,” Yanis said of the veteran of 880 NHL games. “I try to be tough down low so it’s great to hear Jim focus on working from our end out. It’s been a

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great few weeks since he arrived.” While Yanis can obviously lean on McKenzie and his 15 years of NHL experience, he has another mentor with big-league bonafides, as he grew up playing baseball with Cam Gibson, the son of Major League Baseball great and longtime Detroit Tigers slugger Kirk Gibson. “I’ve been under Kirk’s wing for a while now and he’s almost been like a second father to me,” Yanis said of his relationship with the 1988 National League MVP and 2011 NL Manager of the Year with the Arizona Diamondbacks. “Whenever times are tough or I get frustrated with things I reach out to him for advice. He’s always encouraging.” In addition to Gibson, Yanis had another athletic role model while being raised in the Detroit area. “My favorite hockey player was Brendan Shanahan, which is where I got my number (14),” he said. “He was a guy who could score goals but also handle his business in the physical aspect of the game.” Speaking of scoring, Yanis has contributed four goals and three assists to the Lumberjacks’ cause this season, giving him two more points than he had in the entirety of his rookie year. But even considering Yanis’ offensive success, the Lumberjacks will have to depend upon his rugged and reliable defense if they are to make a second-half push for a second consecutive USHL postseason berth.

Matt Gajtka is the Communications Director and Broadcaster for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. You can reach him at mgajtka@muskegonlumberjacks.com.

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Catching up with

Jeff Lerg BY MICHAEL CAPLES

J

eff Lerg said he’s never eaten so much pizza and pasta. “That’s probably the best part,” Lerg said. “These Italians, they don’t get sick of pasta or pizza – it’s crazy. Every meal, I feel like it’s either one or the other. You might have a meat or something with the pasta, but they don’t get sick of it. It’s funny.” It’s a good thing that Lerg appreciates the cuisine in his new home. After all, it would be difficult for him to be a professional athlete if he was malnourished. After two seasons of professional hockey in North America, Lerg and his new wife, Laura, packed up their bags at the end of summer to head to Italy, after Lerg signed a contract with Asiago HC. Lerg said while he feels like he’s on an extended honeymoon, reality has also set in that he’s living thousands of miles away from his hometown of Livonia. “After a few weeks probably, almost a month, you start itching for something from home,” Lerg said. “You know, a nice North-American meal you’re used to. But you just have to adapt to it. “I knew I’d be there for a long time,

not expecting to come home now, figured I wouldn’t be home until the end of April. Just had to get used to it, and I don’t mind, I like that type of food. And then the hockey takes over, so you’re not worried about all that other stuff, you’re just worried about taking care of the next game.” Lerg was in East Lansing on Jan. 26 to have his groin examined, something the former Spartan said is not technically an injury, just something that is “nagging”. Before the aggravation, Lerg had played in 20 games, with a 2.75 goals-against and a 91.9 save percentage. “It took me a little bit of time to adapt, it’s a little bit of a different game than we’re used to,” Lerg said. “I was doing well, and up until when I got hurt, I was playing really well, had won four of five, and I was second in the league in save percentage, good goals-against, good save percentage, and then this came up. I tried to play two games last month when I wasn’t healthy, and wasn’t feeling that good, so that kind of put a damper on the numbers a little bit, but those will hopefully even out once I get back.” The former Spartan said while the hockey is different than in North America, it is most comparable to the collegiate game, due to a shortened schedule with primarily weekend games. “It’s like a college-paced game. It’s pretty fast, because you don’t play as many games as a professional team here, you play two on a weekend most of the time so you have time to get recharged for each game, and it’s a highpaced game. The attention to the defensive side of the game isn’t as strong as it is [back home], so it’s a little tougher for a goalie. “Skill level is good, a lot of north American players go over there, and then they have the core of Italian players, so it’s kind of a mix of two different types of players, to be honest with you. The Italians are fast but maybe not as strong physically; North American guys are used to a physical game and everything.” Communication between the North American-born players and the Italian natives isn’t a problem, according to Lerg. “The locker room is pretty joint, but the conversations and team meals are pretty [separate] - North American guys here, Italian guys here, more just for the conversations. Most of the Italian guys know English. You’ll put on the radio, and it’s a lot of the songs we have here on one of the stations. They learn English by listening to songs, watching TV, and I learned Italian vice-versa, or try to at least.” Lerg also said he has been impressed with the crowds at the Italian games. “Crowds are fun, like a college atmosphere,” said the 25-year-old goaltender. “First off, drinking is allowed in the game. And in a lot of these towns, they’re smaller cities, so we’re the big attraction. We probably have the biggest average crowds, and 3,000 people is the max we could get - that’s not even our average. They’re all like smaller, old rinks, but they fill it up. It’s not like one little student section; the whole rink is the student section, because everyone’s into it. It makes for a fun atmosphere. Not a lot of people, but the people there are all into it and singing and chanting and waving flags and everything. “They might not know the game that well, but they know how to react when good things happen.”

Photo by Mark Hicks/Michigan Hockey archives 32

Michigan Hockey

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Jimmy Howard BREAKDOWN

H

ockey fans in Michigan – and across the globe – have watched Jimmy Howard transform into one of the best goaltenders in the NHL over the last decade. He has come a long way from his time with the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, to three seasons at the University of Maine, to a four-year stay in Grand Rapids with the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate. People doubted his talent and his work ethic during his path to Detroit. But now, with an All-Star game under his belt, Howard has silenced the critics. And it all comes from the skill-set he displays on a nightly basis, manning the crease for the Red Wings at a level few can match.

Former NHL goaltender and TV analyst Darren Eliot breaks down Howard’s approach to goaltending, giving you an insight into how, and why, Howard is so hard to score on these days. (Photo by Andy Grossman/Michigan Hockey)

VERTICAL ANGLE: Another area of development, Howard uses his upper body very effectively in deke situations to deny access to the top of the net by lunging forward to get to the puck before the shooter can elevate the puck.

STICK: Effective use of goal stick in crease coverage, especially with shortpoke check in combination with forward push off the post.

BLOCKER: On the IR… anywhere from 2-6 weeks…

GLOVE: One of the best catching hands in the game. He flashes left-hand leather with conviction – daring shooters to try there and then denying with a flourish.

MOBILITY: Howard is much more patient in his movements and stronger and decisive in his lateral and forward pushes - totally under control in his initial setup and in secondchance sequences.

PADS: Excellent use of pads for rebound control. Has refined his save selection and improved in each of the post-load, long and short recovery sequences.

BLUE PAINT BATTLE: He is the most aggressive goalie in the game today, in terms of challenging the initial shot. He is athletic in his scrambling, but because experience has helped his reads, he doesn’t find himself in scramble mode too often. He is a ferocious competitor and is as strong as anyone in holding his position in goal mouth scrambles – an enviable and needed attribute in today’s congested, crease-crashing offensive game.

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Michigan Hockey

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JUNIORS PREVIEW RED WINGS INSIDER

GETTING A GRIP

on the Red Wings goaltending situation BY DAVE WADDELL

W

hile the rest of the nation may be focused on M.I.A.’s wayward middle finger during the Super Bowl halftime show, in Detroit the only digit that matters belongs to Jimmy Howard. The Detroit Red Wings’ goaltender broke his index finger Feb. 2 in a win at Vancouver and Howard’s absence threatens to trigger panic in Detroit - at least among the always fidgety Wings’ faithful, who would make an intriguing psychiatric case study for their fixation on and deep analysis of anyone who dares steps between the pipes wearing the winged wheel. The exact length of Howard’s absence remains unknown, though general manager Ken Holland said it’s more day-to-day than weeks. “I don’t really know what the time line is to be honest,” Howard told Booth Newspapers. “Hopefully, it’s only a couple of weeks. I was just throwing a number out there. “I haven’t been told two weeks, but when they said four-to-six weeks (to heal); I was like there’s no chance I’m going to be out for six. Two weeks sounded right.” Howard said he’s played with broken fingers before, but this injury makes it trickier. “This (broken index finger) makes it more difficult to control the stick,” Howard said. “I don’t know how it’s going to feel, the vibrations from the shots could be a problem.” Even if it turns out to be just two weeks without Howard, it might be the longest two weeks of the season for the Wings. There’s no doubt Howard has been the Wings most important player to this point this season. At the time of his injury, he’d backstopped to Detroit to the top of the NHL’s overall standings. He’s top-10 in every goaltending statistic and has emerged as an All-Star for the first time this year. As of Feb. 6, Howard ranked first in wins (32), fifth among NHL starters in goals-against average (2.03), ninth in save percentage (.924), tied for second in shutouts (5), and unbeaten in five games decided by shootout. “I always knew I was capable of producing these numbers,”

36

Michigan Hockey

Tom Turrill/Michigan Hockey

Howard said. “I just had to prove it.” Indeed, in a league which Wings’ coach Mike Babcock likes to call a ‘winning business” when it comes to measuring success, the number that really stands out on Howard’s resume is wins. Coming into this season, he was fourth in the NHL over the past two years with 74 wins. Add another 32 victories this season and Howard has an impressive 106-43-16 record over the last 2-1/2 campaigns. “Every single time you step out there you have something to prove,” Howard said. “I want to be an NHL starting goalie for a long time, so I have to prove myself every single night.” However, what the Wings may miss most in Howard’s absence is his battler’s mentality. Whether it’s never giving up on a shot or taking one at someone he feels has violated his personal space, Howard gives the Wings a sense of confidence no one else can provide them in the crease. Howard’s growing reputation for getting involved in the extracurricular activities around his net prompted St. Louis Blues’ color analyst and retired NHL enforcer Kelly Chase to remark that Howard was the toughest player the Wings could put on the ice after he popped several Blues at the end of their last visit to Detroit. “I’ve always been like that,” said Howard, who looks like a throwback to Islanders’ legend Billy Smith in the way he treats rude visitors to his crease. “I’m not going to let guys run me.” Replacing Howard is impossible for the long term this season. The Wings are merely looking to fill the breach for however long it may be. Detroit’s training staff, along with equipment guru Paul Boyer, is already hatching ways of getting Howard ready to play again as quickly as possible. They’re toying with modifications to Howard’s blocker to add protection and ease pressure on his blocker. They’ve also notched a groove in his goalie stick to make it easier to hold. Holland confirmed Howard will return as soon as his goaltender can overcome the discomfort he currently feels when a puck hits

MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

his stick, sending vibrations up the shaft. In the meantime, the torch in goal is being passed to back-up Ty Conklin and Grand Rapids recall Joey MacDonald. For Conklin, this stretch of games is being viewed as an opportunity to re-establish himself as a dependable back-up after a largely mediocre season. He was brought in because the Wings wanted the security of having MacDonald as the No. 3 netminder in the organization for just this circumstance. However, after getting yanked after one period on Feb. 4 in Edmonton for surrendering three goals in nine shots, Conklin’s grip on the back-up job is slipping. It was tenuous to start with. Coach Mike Babcock’s hesitancy in using Conklin speaks louder than words. He’s appeared in only 11 games. When he has started the numbers aren’t pretty. Conklin has a 3-5-0 record, avoiding getting tagged with the Feb. 4 loss in Edmonton when the Wings rallied to get a point, with 3.40 goals against average and a .878 save percentage. More ominous for Conklin were the unsympathetic words from Babcock about the battle for the back-up position being officially open. Though fans might be panicking in the short term, Holland refuses to. At this point, he sees no reason to expend assets on a back-up goalie with the Feb. 27 trading deadline looming. The Wings want to keep their powder dry in attempt to pry a top-six forward and/or a depth defenseman loose. With Howard expected back much earlier than the six weeks it’ll take for his finger to completely heal, the Wings are more likely to turn to MacDonald than try to make a move for a backup. Babcock is very familiar with MacDonald’s work, having played him 15 times from early January onward last season when last year’s back-up Chris Osgood went down with injury. MacDonald went 5-5-3 with 2.58 goals against average and a .917 save percentage last season in Detroit.

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

JUNIORS THE LASTPREVIEW LINE

D

etroit Red Wings’ GM Ken Holland says he likes his team and is comfortable sitting by idly as the trade deadline looms at the end of the month. Holland’s club has the most points in the NHL right now, validating his position. And there has been much to like about this Wings team thus far. Valtteri Filppula has already set a personal best in points and linemate Jiri Hudler has produced more consistently the past two months – both developments hoped for coming into the campaign. Further, the Red Wings have had solid depth scoring and have improved defensively overall – again, elements listed as needs coming into this season. Putting them over the top to date has been the MVP-quality season Pavel Datsyuk is turning in, the ridiculously consistent excellence of captain Nick Lidstrom and the All-Star caliber play of goaltender Jimmy Howard. Now, Howard is on the shelf for what he says will be two weeks, even though doctors pegged the recovery time to heal his injured finger at 4-6 weeks. With that, does Mr. Holland still stand pat? Can he afford to? That depends on the ability of veteran back-up Ty Conklin. Early in the year, Howard missed a couple of games when his wife delivered their first child. Conklin did not seize the moment and the team went on to endure a six-game skid. He wasn’t the goalie of record in all, but his shaky showing played a part. The team has played so well since then that it is easy to forget that dark stretch of games. Howard’s brilliance over the subsequent three months rendered Conklin’s role one of spot duty where he has fared better in random appearances. Feb. 4 in Edmonton, though, it was all about establishing a base for playing a block of games as the go-to guy in Howard’s absence. It couldn’t have gone much worse, as Conklin and the Wings yielded three goals, trailing 3-1 after one period – with the third goal coming just after the Wings had pulled to 2-1 and just before the final tick of the clock sent the teams to the intermission at that score. The timing in both senses – that late goal and Conklin’s tentative performance – couldn’t have been worse given the big picture. In the short-term, Joey MacDonald came in to begin the second, played with poise and confidence, allowing the Wings to come back and get a point after losing their first shootout of the season. He played exactly the way coach Mike Babcock was looking for from Conklin. Babcock’s quick hook of Conklin didn’t feel as if it was solely rooted in the moment. The body of work by his back-up hasn’t endeared the coach, thus the quick hook, with no thought of letting the veteran find his game by letting him start the second period on a short leash. If what I sense is true, can the Wings truly keep their standing in the ultra-competitive Central Division and Western Conference with Howard out? Can, then, Holland not look at goaltenders available? My feeling is that the club will monitor the goaltending situation closely. We’ll learn a lot on Monday night in Phoenix when Babcock names his starter. If he opts for MacDonald, we’ll know that he sees a need in the short-term beyond who is on the roster. Then it becomes Holland’s decision to weigh the short-term merits of adding a goaltender against the long-term cost of dealing prospects, picks and/or players.

38

Michigan Hockey

DO THE WINGS NEED A GOALIE? BY DARREN ELIOT

@Darren_Eliot

Ty Conklin didn’t impress Mike Babcock in his first appearance since Jimmy Howard’s injury. What will the Wings do to cope? (Renato Jamett/Michigan Hockey)

MIHOCKEYNOW.COM

FEBRUARY 13, 2012 V.22 : I.14

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