~ Tonight we'll find out from Seattle G.M. Russ Farwell why he made his coaching change today, and what the TBirds need to do in order to get back into the WHL post season.
We'll also speak with new Michigan State University head coach Tom Anastos about leaving his post as Commish of the CCHA to become a head coach, and what the new Big Ten Hockey Conference will do for College hockey.
The top ranked goaltender according to NHL Central Scouting is John Gibson of the U.S. National Development team. He'll try and lead the States to another gold medal at the U18 World Championship next month.
Guy and I will debate on who the best player in the WHL is right now...Ryan Johanssen of Portland or Brayden Schenn of Saskatoon, as well as what we think is the best story line in the WHL post season right now.
And our CHL insider Sam Cosentino will fill us in on what the big stories are in the OHL and QMJHL.
7-9 pm mst on the TEAM 1260 in Edmonton or online here.
~ I received a text today that suggests something pretty surprising. It said that Tom Anastos, Commissioner of the CCHA Conference, is leaving that post to become the new head coach at Michigan State. The Spartans position is currently vacant after the (forced?) retirement of Rick Comley.
~ Okotoks Oilers blueliner Rhett Holland is heading to Michigan State University for next season. Holland is a 6.01, 212 pound defenceman from Calgary, who's team is in the AJHL South Division final right now with the RBC host Camrose Kodiaks. However Holland isn't playing as he's been out since mid January with an upper body injury.
~ Last weekend Michigan State Head Coach Rick Comley coached his last game for the Spartans as Comley is leaving (or was asked to step down depending on who you talk to) after this season. Tonight word coming down that Tim Army is giving up his bench boss duties with the Providence Friars. The official release can be found here.
~ Last night the Michigan State Spartans played their final game of the year as they were bounced from the CCHA conference playoffs by the Alaska Nanooks. The game went to overtime for the second consecutive night and ended the same way it did Friday, with a goal from sophomore Nik Yaremchuk.
~ Halfway through our 'Game Day' edition of The Pipeline Show this morning we received word that there allegedly was a post game incident involving Michigan State Head Coach Rick Comley and some Alaska fans last night.
The Nanooks beat the Spartans in overtime to kick off the CCHA playoffs. Michigan had a goal disallowed which led to Alaska scoring the game winner. Here is the story as we have been told:
~ The 7th place Michigan Wolverines have swept the 2nd place Michigan State Spartans tonight in CCHA quarterfinal action. The Wolverines posted 5-1 and 5-3 wins to oust their biggest rival not only from CCHA playoff action but in all likelihood, bumping them out of contention for an at-large bid into the 16-team NCAA tournament as well.
That won't officially be decided just yet but with the CHA now definitely getting two entries (thanks to Niagara's upset of Bemidji State on Friday) things got a lot murkier. The fact that Northern Michigan and Ferris State have both advanced to the next round won't help MSU's cause either. Both schools were below MSU on the Pairwise rankings
I've been wrong before but at this point, I can't see how the Spartans can still possibly be alive for an at-large bid which means they are done for the year. If that's true, then a few Spartans will be making pro hockey decisions ASAP.
~ Over the weekend Dillon Simpson committed to the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. The 16 year old rookie defenceman with the Spruce Grove Saints has 8 goals and 34 points this year in 47 games with the number one ranked Junior A team in the country.
Simpson has heated up recently with 7 points in his past 4 games. He was an 8th round choice of the Kelowna Rockets in the 2008 WHL bantam draft, but would have gone much higher, possibly in the first round had he not been leaning towards the NCAA. Simpson is the son of former NHLer and current Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Craig Simpson and is following in his father's skate strides, albeit to a different school. Craig attended and played at Michigan State. Like his father, Dillon will graduate high school a year early and could play at UND as a 17 year old next year (he turns 17 on February 10th) but I've been told that that will be up to the Fighting Sioux.
A friend of mine who's a scout pointed something out to me tonight. What do the 3 biggest hits in the NHL this year have in common.
Dion Phanuef on Kyle Okposo Willie Mitchell on Jonathon Toews Mike Richards on David Booth
Give up yet?
All 3 victims played NCAA hockey. Okposo at Minnesota, Toews at North Dakota, and Booth at Michigan State.
I'm thinking my scouting friend is alluding that college players don't deal with the kind of contact that major junior players do, especially through the neutral zone.
I think it's just a coincidence. Sure Richards and Phaneuf were known in their junior days as some of the toughest guys in their leagues, but Mitchell played NCAA at Clarkson after going to Notre Dame, and I'm sure he dished out a few checks in the ECAC.
While I do think that major junior is a rougher brand of hockey, all 3 of those on the receiving end of these hits are in their 3rd or on Booth's case 4th year of pro hockey and I would assume don't think it's okay to cruise up ice with your head down or admiring the puck, but rather they just made crucial mistakes at the wrong times.
A little over a week ago Corey Tropp's NCAA future came into doubt after he and a teammate viciously attacked Steven Kampfer of the Michigan Wolverines. Tropp was handed a heavy suspension and decided to take a step down and joined the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede - and was immediately suspended by the league for his NCAA actions.
News has come out today that Tropp has reversed his decision and will head back to Michigan State where he will serve out his suspension and eventually rejoin the Spartans on the ice.
Originally described as being suspended for the rest of the year, Tropp is facing a 10-game NCAA ban. The Spartans have 8 games remaining in their regular season schedule prior to the Conference playoffs. Should Michigan bow out early in the playoffs it is feasible that Tropp will have a game left to serve next year. Michigan State has won just 3 of their last 22 games so an early playoff exit is definitely realistic.
Yesterday the NHL enjoyed another successful venture outside as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4 in front of 40,000 people at legendary Wrigley Field. It was the third time the NHL held a regular season game in a football/baseball stadium and by all acounts we should expect the trend to continue and become an annual event.
There are two other things I think we should expect to see every year, at least if history really means anything.
First - the home team will lose, or, at least not win. Edmonton, Buffalo and now Chicago have all hosted the big showcase game and all three came out on the short end of the score.
Back in October of 2001 the Michigan State Spartans hosted their arch-rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, in front of 74,000 but that affair ended in a 3-3 tie. It was billed as 'The Cold War' and it was the inspiration for what woould occur at the NHL level just two years later. It's also interesting to watch the highlights of that NCAA tilt as their are plenty of familiar NHL names to be heard like Mike Cammalleri, Adam Hall and Ryan Miller.
So if next year the Winter Classic is held at Fenway Park between the Bruins and say, the New York Rangers or the Philadelphia Flyers... expect Boston to lose!
The other thing I think we should expect to see is that Ty Conklin will be in net for one of the two teams. He was the keeper in goal for Edmonton when they lost 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium in the Alberta Capital back in 2003. There were just over 57,000 brave souls in the stands that day despite the -25 Celcius temperatures... myself included. (yes in the stands and not as working media that day).
Last year Conklin wore baby blue with the Pittsburgh Penguins as they stole a 2-1 shootout win from the Buffalo Sabres. Ralph Wilson Stadium housed just over 71,000 people on January 1st, 2008 and those fans didn't freeze their butts off like we did in Edmonton but they did have a steady snowfall during the game. To me, the photos from the game in Buffalo are fantastic because of the snowflakes...
Yesterday Conklin was back in the outdoor game, this time with the Detroit Red Wings. The 6-4 win gives 'Conks' a 2-1 lifetime record in the NHL showcase event, reason enough for the Bruins or their opponent to pick him up this off season???? (OK, maybe not).
Speaking of next year, I've thrown out Boston as the location of my choice but I would like to hear your thoughts as to the site and match up you would like to see. For me the Bruins taking on another original six team like the Rangers or a classic '70's retro match of tough teams with the Broadstreet Bullies get me interested.
Tonight we'll find out from Seattle G.M. Russ Farwell why he made his coaching change today, and what the TBirds need to do in order to get back into the WHL post season.
