Now that we're almost through to the end of the regular season, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the guys the Express drafted last May in the Entry Draft. Which ones made the team?? How did they pan out this season?? Where they good picks in general??
In alphabetical order:
- Stephen Carew - Obviously this was a great pick. Captain of the team, and a veteran presence, has scored 48 points through the first 51 games.
- Dan Cecka - Another great pick by the Express. The only downside to this pick is we only had him for the last half of the season. Makes me wonder where the Express would be if he had been on the roster at the beginning of the season.
- Fredrik Csisar - 2nd round pick, never came to Owatonna as far as I know. Looks like he is playing this season back in his native Norway for Furuset Ishockey IF.
- Carson Curran - Made the initial Express roster out of training camp, and if I remember correctly, practiced with the team for the first couple of weeks before leaving town the week before the showcase. He was a guy I was really looking forward to watching this season.
- Marian Fiala - A nice pick. Is just a '90, so he could be a fixture on the blueline for the Express for a couple more years.
- Tom Glomski - Has scored 12 points in 47 games this season as a member of the Albert Lea Thunder.
- Anthony Hayes - The first of a handful of draft picks that played in the USHL this season. Not necessarily a bad pick as the Express have had much success in the past with USHL castoffs. Has scored 28 points in 44 games for the division leading Green bay Gamblers.
- Justin Lee - Played with the Texas Tornado last year, and decided to start his college hockey career this season instead of another year of juniors. Member of the Gustavus Adolphus men's hockey team.
- Tom McCarthy - Scored 7 points in 45 games for the Fargo Force in the USHL.
- Dylan Porter - Nice pick by the Express. Has played in 45 games this season, and has been a fixture on the unheralded but important grinder line.
- Adam Schmidt - Has scored 9 points in 39 games for the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL.
- Jake Sloat - Great pick of a USHL guy that paid off for the Express. 20 points in 44 games this season. He is only a '90, but has 2 full years of junior experience under his belt. Let's hope we see him back with the Express for next season.
- Tim Smith - Great pick. Has been a fixture on defense for the Express all season long. He is one of only 5 guys that have played in all 51 games for the Express this year. Has a nice shot, and is phenomenal on the powerplay.
- Cam Stowers - Made the initial roster out of training camp, but was not on the roster when the season started. Played 2 games with the Topeka Roadrunners in October. Last I heard he had decided to play another year with the AAA Russell Stover program.
- Zach Vierling - Yet another great pick by the Express. 34 points in 50 games this season, and he is only a '90
- Mac Williams - Attended tryout camp but did not make the team. I don't know where he ended up this season.
- Scott Winkler - This was a reach pick by the Express, but worth a chance if you ask me. He is a very talented and highly touted kid that would have been a superstar in the NAHL. He has scored 30 points in 45 games for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the USHL this season.
- While all the above guys listed were drafted by the Express, don't forget that the Express sent two draft picks to the Kenai River Brown Bears in exchange for the rights to Tony McDonald.
My take: A total of 18 guys the Express acquired through the draft. 8 of those became solid pieces of this year's team, 4 spent the season in the USHL, 1 is playing in Europe, 1 went straight to college, 1 is with another team in the NAHL, one went back to his AAA team, and 2 are MIA. No doubt this was a very successful draft, and set the table for this year's Express team. The encouraging part is that 6 of the draft picks that are currently on the roster have at least one more year of junior eligibility, so they should play a major role in next year's team as well.
Some of you folks might look at this breakdown and be wondering why less than half of the draft picks ended up on the roster. What that tells me is that Coaches Cullen and Fink are shooting high in the draft. Would you rather have them take a chance on some USHL guys with higher upside (Cecka/Sloat) or draft guys that might not even make the team?? I know what my answer is. Also, don't forget that there was an extremely short time frame for the Express to prepare for the draft. Imagine what Cullen and Fink will do in this year's draft, with a full year of scouting and preparation.
See you at the rink.
--BK
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Franchise Rumors
So if you believe the rumors, the makeup of the NAHL for the 2009-2010 season might include teams from:
- Lake Tahoe, California
- Jamestown, New York
- Janesville, Wisconsin
- Hibbing, Minnesota
- Thief River Falls, Minnesota
- Rochester Ice Hawks
- Texas Tornado
- A second California team
- None of the Michigan teams (Alpena, Marqutte, Traverse City, Motor City)
- Not Mahoning Valley
- Not North Iowa, Bismarck, or Alexandria
- Another Texas team (besides Texas Tornado and Wichita Falls)
- A second Wisconsin team
- Aberdeen, South Dakota
- Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- A team based in Canada
- The Jamaican Bobsled team
- The Harlem Globetrotters
The sad thing is that I was only kidding with the last two. A wise man once said, "Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see." At this point, I think that old saying pretty much sums up my opinion of all the crap floating around in regards to next season.
With the apparent/impending launch of USA Hockey's big "Superteam" concept, it seems that all 19 teams in this years NAHL are thinking of making the jump to the USHL. However, it just isn't feasible except for maybe the Mahoning Valley franchise. The truth is most of the home rinks in the NAHL are not big enough to fit into the USHL's plans. Most importantly, if teams can't make money in the NAHL why do they think they can make money in the USHL where expenses are even higher??
Now, as far as new teams entering the mix for next season, you can never rule anything out. Just in the last 2 seasons, the powers that be in the NAHL have allowed two ownership groups that shouldn't be allowed to operate a lemonade stand on the corner, to buy NAHL franchises. That being said, I just don't see the NAHL in California. Travel costs and lack of proper arenas are the two most prohibitive reasons. On the flip side, hockey is booming in California, and it would be still make more sense than having teams in Alaska.
The Jamestown, New York rumor is interesting, being that the closest team to the Atlantic Ocean is Mahoning Valley and they might be making the jump to the USHL. The other part of this rumor was that it would be a Barry Soskin owned team. Soskin currently owns and operates the Albert Lea Thunder. So are the Thunder moving to New York or would the league allow one guy to own two franchises??
The Janesville, Wisconsin team I can actually see happening. The city seems to be onboard, and it's within the current NAHL "footprint". Would they be playing in the Central Division, or the North Division??
The Hibbing and Thief River Falls, Minnesota rumors are interesting. We have heard for over a year that TRF wants a team, and I heard they have a nice rink. Could the former Fargo-Moorhead Jets franchise rise from the ashes in TRF??
The Rochester Ice Hawks to the NAHL is another interesting rumor. They have a good thing going in the MJHL, and get nice crowds at their games, but could they handle the huge increase in operating expenses?? It would be real nice for the Express if it did happen, but I just don't see it happening until the economy turns around.
What does it all boil down to?? If the NAHL expands their footprint even more than they have in the last few years, I think you'll see a shift to a more regionally based league. By that I mean that there won't be much for inter-division games, and the Robertson Cup would become more of a true "National Championship".
What do I think will happen?? I'm just making a somewhat educated guess here, but I think that Mahoning Valley makes the jump to the USHL. With the USNTDP already switching leagues, the USHL needs one more team to even out the divisions, and MV has the Chevy Center to play in. I think the North Division will still be the North Division. Traverse City doesn't draw well enough to jump to the USHL, and our friends in Motor City will last one more year. I think Janesville, Wisconsin will have a team, and they will probably end up in the Central Division. Although it would make more sense to put them in the North Division, especially if MV makes the jump. I think the Texas Tornado will be back in the NAHL for next season, and I could totally see an expansion team somewhere in Texas as well.
One thing is for sure: It will be an interesting spring and early summer, and the makeup of the NAHL will have a different look going into this fall's Showcase.
Changing topics here: Congratulations to Express goalie Freddy Bergman on being named Honorable Mention NAHL goalie of the month for February.
See you at the rink.
--Big Kahuna
- Lake Tahoe, California
- Jamestown, New York
- Janesville, Wisconsin
- Hibbing, Minnesota
- Thief River Falls, Minnesota
- Rochester Ice Hawks
- Texas Tornado
- A second California team
- None of the Michigan teams (Alpena, Marqutte, Traverse City, Motor City)
- Not Mahoning Valley
- Not North Iowa, Bismarck, or Alexandria
- Another Texas team (besides Texas Tornado and Wichita Falls)
- A second Wisconsin team
- Aberdeen, South Dakota
- Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- A team based in Canada
- The Jamaican Bobsled team
- The Harlem Globetrotters
The sad thing is that I was only kidding with the last two. A wise man once said, "Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see." At this point, I think that old saying pretty much sums up my opinion of all the crap floating around in regards to next season.
With the apparent/impending launch of USA Hockey's big "Superteam" concept, it seems that all 19 teams in this years NAHL are thinking of making the jump to the USHL. However, it just isn't feasible except for maybe the Mahoning Valley franchise. The truth is most of the home rinks in the NAHL are not big enough to fit into the USHL's plans. Most importantly, if teams can't make money in the NAHL why do they think they can make money in the USHL where expenses are even higher??
Now, as far as new teams entering the mix for next season, you can never rule anything out. Just in the last 2 seasons, the powers that be in the NAHL have allowed two ownership groups that shouldn't be allowed to operate a lemonade stand on the corner, to buy NAHL franchises. That being said, I just don't see the NAHL in California. Travel costs and lack of proper arenas are the two most prohibitive reasons. On the flip side, hockey is booming in California, and it would be still make more sense than having teams in Alaska.
The Jamestown, New York rumor is interesting, being that the closest team to the Atlantic Ocean is Mahoning Valley and they might be making the jump to the USHL. The other part of this rumor was that it would be a Barry Soskin owned team. Soskin currently owns and operates the Albert Lea Thunder. So are the Thunder moving to New York or would the league allow one guy to own two franchises??
The Janesville, Wisconsin team I can actually see happening. The city seems to be onboard, and it's within the current NAHL "footprint". Would they be playing in the Central Division, or the North Division??
The Hibbing and Thief River Falls, Minnesota rumors are interesting. We have heard for over a year that TRF wants a team, and I heard they have a nice rink. Could the former Fargo-Moorhead Jets franchise rise from the ashes in TRF??
The Rochester Ice Hawks to the NAHL is another interesting rumor. They have a good thing going in the MJHL, and get nice crowds at their games, but could they handle the huge increase in operating expenses?? It would be real nice for the Express if it did happen, but I just don't see it happening until the economy turns around.
What does it all boil down to?? If the NAHL expands their footprint even more than they have in the last few years, I think you'll see a shift to a more regionally based league. By that I mean that there won't be much for inter-division games, and the Robertson Cup would become more of a true "National Championship".
What do I think will happen?? I'm just making a somewhat educated guess here, but I think that Mahoning Valley makes the jump to the USHL. With the USNTDP already switching leagues, the USHL needs one more team to even out the divisions, and MV has the Chevy Center to play in. I think the North Division will still be the North Division. Traverse City doesn't draw well enough to jump to the USHL, and our friends in Motor City will last one more year. I think Janesville, Wisconsin will have a team, and they will probably end up in the Central Division. Although it would make more sense to put them in the North Division, especially if MV makes the jump. I think the Texas Tornado will be back in the NAHL for next season, and I could totally see an expansion team somewhere in Texas as well.
One thing is for sure: It will be an interesting spring and early summer, and the makeup of the NAHL will have a different look going into this fall's Showcase.
Changing topics here: Congratulations to Express goalie Freddy Bergman on being named Honorable Mention NAHL goalie of the month for February.
See you at the rink.
--Big Kahuna
Monday, March 2, 2009
Big Kahuna's Blabberings
- The Express Game-Worn Jersey Auction is currently happening on the official Express website (www.expressjrhockey.org).
- There are several different sources claiming that the Mahoning Valley Phantoms might jump to the USHL next season. The Express have played the Phantoms at least once every season since junior hockey came to Owatonna, including at the Robertson Cup championship in 2006 and 2007. They have been at or near the top of the North Division for the last 4 years, so it would open up that division if they do make the jump. Also, with the USNTDP joining the USHL, it would make sense to add a second team to even the numbers out.
- The Albert Lea Thunder finally got win #3 on the season Saturday night in Bismarck. That's 2 wins for the Thunder over the Central Division leading Bobcats this season. Any given night...
- Gustavus Adolphus with former Express forward Joe Welch and former Express draft pick Justin Lee, will play Hamline and former Express forward Brian Arrigoni, Wednesday night at 8pm for the MIAC championship and the automatic bid to the D-3 championship tournament. (thanks for the tip KL)
- I'm hearing some rumblings that there might be ice at the 4 Seasons Centre next spring which would facilitate home games in March and home playoff games (actually at "home"). It would apparently be the West rink, but at least it would be in Owatonna. Two nice crowds took in the two game series last weekend versus the Outlaws, and it would be interesting to see that ball keep rolling, instead of picking up shop and heading for Shattuck. Do the right thing Steele County!!
Coming up in the near future: A preview of next year's Express team (That's right, I'm not even going to wait for this season to end), a final look at the Express draft picks from last May, and how they panned out, updates on Express alumni, and much more.
See you at the rink.
--BK
- There are several different sources claiming that the Mahoning Valley Phantoms might jump to the USHL next season. The Express have played the Phantoms at least once every season since junior hockey came to Owatonna, including at the Robertson Cup championship in 2006 and 2007. They have been at or near the top of the North Division for the last 4 years, so it would open up that division if they do make the jump. Also, with the USNTDP joining the USHL, it would make sense to add a second team to even the numbers out.
- The Albert Lea Thunder finally got win #3 on the season Saturday night in Bismarck. That's 2 wins for the Thunder over the Central Division leading Bobcats this season. Any given night...
- Gustavus Adolphus with former Express forward Joe Welch and former Express draft pick Justin Lee, will play Hamline and former Express forward Brian Arrigoni, Wednesday night at 8pm for the MIAC championship and the automatic bid to the D-3 championship tournament. (thanks for the tip KL)
- I'm hearing some rumblings that there might be ice at the 4 Seasons Centre next spring which would facilitate home games in March and home playoff games (actually at "home"). It would apparently be the West rink, but at least it would be in Owatonna. Two nice crowds took in the two game series last weekend versus the Outlaws, and it would be interesting to see that ball keep rolling, instead of picking up shop and heading for Shattuck. Do the right thing Steele County!!
Coming up in the near future: A preview of next year's Express team (That's right, I'm not even going to wait for this season to end), a final look at the Express draft picks from last May, and how they panned out, updates on Express alumni, and much more.
See you at the rink.
--BK
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