Saginaw mini-camp on tap for this weekend

The Great Lakes Bay Region will welcome the return of several Saginaw Spirit veterans and the team’s top ranked prospects for the annual mini-camp to be held this weekend at TheDow Event Center, Bay County Civic Arena and Four Points by Sheraton.

The players arrive Saturday to participate in a brief orientation and meet-and- greet before heading to TheDow for physicals and off-ice testing. The players hit the ice later that night for the first of two Blue/White scrimmages to take place at the Bay County Civic Arena from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The first night of camp wraps up with the Spirit awards ceremony held in TheDow Event Center Unity Hall at 7:30 p.m.

The awards ceremony is a special event for the players, season ticket holders, corporate clients and media to revisit the past season and recognize the team for its on-ice and off-ice contributions.

The mini-camp concludes Sunday with off-ice exercises and exit meetings.

The team will also participate in the second Blue/White scrimmage at Bay County from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Spirit sign second-rounder Trocheck

The Saginaw Spirit have signed their 2009 second-round priority selection Vincent Trocheck.

The 1993-born center went 24th overall in the draft held May 2.

The Bingham Farms native played in the Little Caesars program last season, posting 17 goals and 14 assists in 36 games.

Saginaw head coach Todd Watson made getting Trocheck signed mandatory.

“We want to be aggressive as an organization both on and off the ice and getting players like Vince into the Spirit fold is a high priority,” stated Watson. "I feel that Vincent is a top-10 pick that could have very well gone in the first round of the draft. He sees the ice well, can score and provides a lot of ability up front. He is a highly skilled player that provides a major upgrade up the middle in the lineup.”

According to the Ontario Hockey League scouting eeport, Trocheck is a very smart, effective two-way center that was one of his team’s most effective forwards despite playing against older and stronger competition. He displays speed and quickness and reads the play exceptionally well. He always seems to be in the right place and he doesn’t seem to take any wasted strides when he is on the ice.

Trocheck has no problems staying with the play and having a positive influence on the game.

“I knew that coming to the OHL was what I wanted to do after visiting Saginaw and being exposed to it,” said Trocheck. “My parents support and Coach Watson’s confidence in me meant a great deal when it came time to make a decision. I look forward to contributing to this team in the upcoming season.”

Boucher, Grimaldi to join U.S. NTDP

Twelve players are committed to join USA Hockey's National Team Development Program starting in the 2009-10 season.

The players, all from the 1993 birth-year, will compete as members of the U.S. National Under-17 Team.

"We are extremely proud to announce the first group of players to commit to the National Team Development Program for next season," said Ryan Rezmierski, director of player personnel at the NTDP. "We will continue evaluating the top talent in the 1993 birth year and look forward to filling out our roster for 2009-2010."

Seven forwards have accepted the invitation to play at the NTDP including Cole Bardreau (Fairport, N.Y./Rochester Alliance Midget Minor), Tyler Biggs (Loveland, Ohio/Toronto Jr. Canadiens), Reid Boucher (Grand Ledge, Mich./Lansing Capitals Midget Major), Travis Boyd (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins H.S.), Rocco Grimaldi (Rossmor, Calif./Little Caesars Midget Major), Zac Larraza (Scottsdale, Ariz./P.F. Changs Midget Major) and J.T. Miller (Epalestine, Ohio/Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Major).

Five defensemen have also committed to suit up for Team USA next year including Barrett Kaib (Upper St. Clair, Pa./Culver Prep), Michael Paliotta (Westport, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall), Alexx Privitera (Old Tappan, N.J./New Jersey Avalanche Midget Minor), Robbie Russo (Westmont, Ill./Chicago Mission Midget Major) and Matthew Van Voorhis (Edina, Minn./Edina H.S.).

Both the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-17 Teams will begin play in the United States Hockey League in the 2009-10 season. The U.S. National Under-17 Team will also compete in three international competitions next year.

North Stars announce summer camp dates

Let the summer camping season begin.

The next generation of Traverse City North Stars will begin to take shape with the North American Hockey League Draft on May 20, with further refinements to come at the team’s off-season camp schedule released on Tuesday.

The club, entering its fifth season of NAHL competition in 2009-10, will host open tryout camps at Traverse City’s Centre ICE arena June 6-8, and at Suburban Ice in East Lansing from June 25-27 in advance of the invite-only training camp back in TC in late July.

“Last year at this time, we were really working on re-tooling our defensive unit,” said North Stars head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo. “This year we’re working with a bit more balance and depth, but we’re still looking for some impact players up front, and we have some holes to fill on defense and in net as well.”

In a sense, the Stars could be witting victims of their own success. Coming off a remarkable 34-17-7 campaign, playoff berth, and numerous postseason honors, several players are hearing the call of the USHL and NCAA. Palumbo says it’s a product of the organization’s overarching plan.

“Moving guys along to the next level has always been one of our top priorities,” he explained. “Yeah, you want to win, but we’re in the business of developing players for college hockey. We’ve been fortunate to put a great number of kids in schools over the years, and when you make that your number one goal, you’ll have good players and successful teams.”

The club has tendered five players – forwards Sean Keane (Honeybaked), Derek Bayagich (Honeybaked) and Alec Shields (Pittsburgh Predators), defenseman Matt Davis (Lake Forest Academy) and goalie Tyler Marble, who has already committed to Lake Superior State. These players, and those who will be selected in the May 20 draft, will battle it out for roster spots at the summer camps, with the final selections earning a TC sweater at training camp.

“We had a successful season and we have some good players coming back,” Palumbo surmised. “But these things are settled on the ice. We’re going to take the 24 or 25 guys into next season that we think can help us win an NAHL championship. We’re excited to get started on that process.”

CAMP SCHEDULE

Northern Tryout Camp: June 5-7
Centre ICE arena, Traverse City

Southern Tryout Camp: June 26-28
Suburban Ice, East Lansing

2009 Training Camp: Dates TBA
Centre ICE arena, Traverse City

Terry named Renaud Captain's Trophy winner

The Ontario Hockey League announced Monday that Plymouth Whalers captain Chris Terry has been named the inaugural recipient of the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy.

Terry received the award at a press conference held at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre.

The Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League member team captain that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice as well as hard work, passion and dedication to the game of hockey and their community.

Terry also received the OHL's Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as Humanitarian of the Year this season.

"There are a lot of other great captains and leaders in this league that are very deserving of this award," Terry said. "That's what makes this award a great honor and very special to me. Although this is an individual award, there's a lot of people I share this with. First, my teammates in Plymouth were great this year. I also share this award with (alternate captains) Joe Gaynor, Kaine Geldart, AJ Jenks and Michal Jordan. They were great captains in the locker room and they'll continue to be throughout their careers.

"I thank the Plymouth Whalers organization and in particular Mike Vellucci for giving me an opportunity at 16 to not only play in this league, but to have the opportunity to become a better person on and off the ice. Lastly, I'd like to thank my parents (John and Dianne) for their support, not only over the last four years in the OHL, but throughout my whole hockey career and instilling good leadership qualities.

"This award is a true honor to me because Mickey was a great player and a fierce competitor on the ice. Not only was he a good captain on the ice, but he was also a good captain within the city of Windsor. That's what makes this award special to me, to be the first recipient, and it's something I'll cherish the rest of my life."

A panel of OHL media members worked as a committee in examining the nominations of the 20 captains throughout the league this season.

"The spirit of this award is embodying what Mickey Renaud was all about - his presence, what he meant as a leader in the dressing room and in the community, and how he tried to live his life," said Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch. "It was interesting for me as a bystander to watch the process and see how quickly our committee came to a consensus on this year's winner. That's a tribute to Chris and what he means on and off the ice."

"I'm so proud of Chris," said Vellucci. "He's done so much for our community and our organization. I get a lot of credit for our turnaround (in 2008-09), but Chris had more to do with it than me. The captain is an extension of the coaching staff and when the change was made in coaching this season, Chris was remarkable. Not only did he make so many great plays on the ice, but he did so much off the ice as well - from curfew checks, to suggestions, to different things like leadership in the locker room. He was a leader in setting up school visits and hospital visits and all of those kinds of things. He's just a remarkable kid.

"When we talked about this award and the Humanitarian Award, his teammates wanted to speak up on his behalf. We did a video on him and all his teammates lined up to talk about what a great person Chris is."

"We are very pleased and honored that this award was created in Mickey's name," said Mark Renaud, Mickey's father. "Mickey was a quality person and we are grateful that so many of his attributes are captured in this award. We are also very pleased that Chris Terry is the first recipient since he is such a terrific hockey player and a very special person. He is certainly a fine leader and a great captain."

Terry will be formally presented with the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy and the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy at the OHL Awards Banquet on June 3.

OHL Press Release

Photo courtesy Dave Pickford/Windsor Spitfires

Whalers, Spirit both draft American-born

The Plymouth Whalers went distinctly American in their early selections of Saturday's Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection, held online through the 20 OHL cities.

After selecting dynamic Huron-Perth Lakers center Garrett Meurs with their first round selection at 13th overall, Plymouth took four straight Americans through the fifth round - Monroe goaltender Matt Mahalak in the second round, Compuware Under-16 center Stefan Noesen (Northville) in the fourth round and Pittsburgh Hornets center Jonathon Miller and New Jersey Avalanche defenseman Nick Malysa in the fifth round.

According to Plymouth head coach-GM Mike Vellucci, the American content wasn't planned, but an acknowledgment of talent.

Plymouth Whalers Draft Picks – 2009 Priority Selection
1st round – Garrett Meurs, F, Huron-Perth Lakers
2nd round – Matt Mahalak, G, Culver Academy
4th round – Stefan Noesen, F, Compuware U-16
5th round – Jonathon Miller, F, Pittsburgh Hornets
5th round – Nick Malysa, D, New Jersey Avalanche
6th round – Calvin Higley, F, York Simcoe Express
7th round – Dylan MacDonald, D, London Knights
8th round – Conner Burton, F, Ohio Blue Jackets U-16
8th round – Kevin Tansey, D, Eastern Ontario Wild
9th round – Adam Nanji, F, Mississauga Senators
10th round – Peter Hand, D, Compuware U-16
11th round – Adam Restoule, F, Thunder Bay Kings
12th round – Kenny Gillespie, F, Shattuck St. Mary’s Prep
13th round – Christian Elsborg, F, Vaughan Kings
14th round – Chris Albertini, D, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
15th round – Sean Kuraly, F, Ohio Blue Jackets U-16

Read the full draft coverage here.

*****************************************************************

The Saginaw Spirit wrapped up the 2009 OHL Priority Selection and started out by picking winger Anthony Camara 14th overall and Vincent Trocheck 24th overall with their first two picks.

Both 1993-born players are scheduled to attend the team's rookie mini-camp later this month.

Camara played the 2008-09 season with the GTHL Mississauga Senators. The forward tallied 31 goals and 25 assists in 31 regular season games last year and hails from Toronto.

"Probably the best way to describe Anthony is that he is a bigger Jordan Szwarz," stated Spirit head coach Todd Watson. "He is a big competitor that hits, works, and plays hard. He also has the skill to put up big numbers. We are very excited to have Anthony join our team."

From the OHL Scouting Report: Camara is an up and down, hard nosed winger who plays a very effective game. His strength is his highly competitive physical play and he shows the potential to be more productive offensively then your typical physical winger. He keeps his game pretty honest and competes on a consistent basis. He isn't flashy, but his play does play a big role in the success of his hockey club. He has the look of a player that you need to be successful.

Trocheck is a native of Bingham Farms and played in the Little Caesars program last season, posting 17 goals and 14 assists in 36 games.

"I feel that Vincent is a top-10 pick," stated Watson. "He could have very well gone in the first round of the draft and we are thrilled to have him as a part of our organization. He sees the ice well, can score and provides a lot of ability up front."

From the OHL Scouting Report: Trocheck is a very smart, effective two-way center that was one of his team's most effective forwards despite playing against older and stronger competition. He displays speed and quickness and reads the play exceptionally well. He always seems to be in the right place and he doesn't seem to take any wasted strides when he is on the ice. Trocheck has no problems staying with the play and having a positive influence on the game.

The Spirit Draft War Room 'Roster'
Todd Watson, Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach

Jim Paliafito, Director of Scouting

John Kisil, Associate Coach

Adam Mattson, Director of Hockey Administration and Assistant Coach

Randy Wilson, Goaltending Coach

Marc Cipparone, Scout

Frank Robinson, Scout

Saginaw Spirit Draft Picks - 2009 Priority Selection

1st round - Anthony Camara, F, Mississauga Senators

2nd round - Vincent Trocheck, F, Little Caesars

4th round - Alex Lepkowski, D, St. Francis High School

4th round - Jay Williams, G, TPH Thunder

4th round - Paxton Leroux, F, Peterborough Petes

7th round - Frank Schumacher, D, Victory Honda U-16

7th round - Mark Scheifele, F, Kitchener Rangers

9th round - Billy Ulrick, F, Quinte Red Devils

10th round - Dominick Shine, F, Compuware U-16

12th round - Keenan Hodgson, F, Mississauga Reps

12th round - Marc Bessey, D, Mississauga Senators

13th round - Carlton Richard, F, Kitchener Rangers

14th round - Joe Fiala, D, Verona High School

15th round - Peter Dudek, G, Buffalo Regals Select U-16

Paliafito and Patafie hired in Saginaw

The Saginaw Spirit has announce several key additions to its hockey operations staff with the hiring of James Paliafito in the position of director of scouting and Brian Patafie as the team’s athletic trainer and equipment manager.

The hirings represent a huge win for the organization as it continues to develop both its on-ice and off-ice product.

Paliafito brings nearly 30 years of sports business experience to the Spirit. Most recently, he served as the VP of player personnel for the USHL's Indiana Ice. While with the Ice, the Shelbyville, Ky., resident ran the team’s draft and conducted all player transactions. His efforts helped field the current Ice team that is currently competing in the USHL championship.

Prior to working with Indiana, Paliafito was a sports agent in the NFL for 20 years and represented several Heisman Trophy winners. His father was also a partner in a group that owned the Chicago Bulls in the late 1960s.

“I am very excited about joining the Spirit family and a great league,” stated Paliafito. “I look forward to the OHL draft and the opportunity to help build a championship team with head coach (Todd) Watson and the rest of the staff.”

"Jim's reputation throughout the world of junior hockey precedes him here in Saginaw,” stated Spirit president and partner Craig Goslin. “He has been a consistent champion as a major ingredient to the Indiana Ice in the USHL. He also has been regarded by many in the NHL as one of the top scouts in the amateur ranks. Jim is very familar with the Ontario-based draft-eligible talent, making him a great fit for the model that Todd Watson is building here in Saginaw."

Patafie is considered one of the premier and most respected trainers in the sport of hockey, having accumulated over 32 consecutive years of experience. He spent eight years with the OHL's Ottawa 67’s, including the last six seasons, and 15 years with the Calgary Flames organization. Patafie is also the author of the recently released book "ICE IT DOWN - A Look At Pro Hockey Through A Trainers Eyes!"

“My family and I are very excited about the opportunity that awaits us in Saginaw," Patafie said. "Coming into the Dow Events Center over the last six years as part of the Ottawa 67's staff, I have witnessed that it is an exciting and fun atmosphere for the fans, but it is a tough building for the visiting teams. (Former Ottawa head coach) Brian Kilrea used to say to us before the games in Saginaw, ‘We are already down a man, their fans are their extra man!’ We feel very blessed to be moving to Saginaw and joining such a fine organization.”

"Along with being a personal friend of mine for the past eight years, Brian Patafie is regarded by many as the premier athletic trainer/equipment manager in the entire business,” stated Goslin. “Brian's reputation of being a family man and a major support for the players that he works with are just a few of the reasons that we selected him to be a part of the Spirit organization. He has written a book and has been the focus on many positive stories that have been written about his life in the business of hockey.

"Brian's positive attitude and championship pedigree are elements that we welcome to the Saginaw Spirit."

Younger Mahalak, Jenner to be drafted

Saturday’s version of the annual OHL Priority Selection takes on a little more significance for Plymouth Whalers left wing RJ Mahalak than just adding a handful of new teammates for the upcoming season.

Mahalak’s brother, Matt, is one of the top-rated goaltenders in the draft and is considered by several pundits as a potential first round selection.

“It’s a different experience for him than it was for me,” said RJ of his brother’s approach to the OHL’s spring selection process.

RJ stayed at home in Michigan and played his preparatory midget hockey in the Belle Tire minor system, racking up a state and national championship in the year preceding his selection by the Whalers in the fourth round two springs ago in 2007.

Matt, however, decided to move to Indiana and play for Culver Military Academy as the next step in his hockey career.

“It’s a big opportunity for Matt,” said RJ. “I just wish him good luck. I don’t know if I’ll be playing against him or not. Right now, he has all his options open to him for next season.”

Listed as 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Matt “is long and lanky and moves well for a big goaltender” according to his older brother.

“He plays the puck very well,” noted RJ. Laughing, he added, “I think that’s from all the time he spent in the basement as a kid practicing his puck handling. He passed me up already, size-wise, and my parents think that’s pretty funny.”

Even though Matt may choose to spend next season, his senior year, at Culver, RJ thinks he’s ready to take the next step in his development.

“He’s ready to make a move up in competition,” said RJ. “He’s a level-headed, smart kid. He gets good grades in school. He can handle any of the challenges he’ll face.”

Look for another Whalers brother to be drafted early as defenseman Leo Jenner's youngest brother, Boone, is expected to be a first round draft pick.

The Whalers have the 13th overall selection at the 2009 OHL Priority Selection and complete coverage of all the Whalers draft picks can be found on plymouthwhalers.com. Don't miss any of the OHL selections as the league's website will have the draft picks up-to-date as they occur.

By: Bob Miller
Special for plymouthwhalers.com

Marquette's Partacz makes D-III choice

Former Marquette Rangers forward Dustin Partacz has committed to play college hockey next season at Concordia University in Mequon, Wis.

The Falcons are a member of the NCAA Division III Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association and are coached by former University of North Dakota forward and Hobey Baker Award winner Tony Hrkac.

“It’s been a great experience,” Patracz said of the recruiting process. “I have grown from it as a person and I’m excited to finally find a school where I can play hockey, hit the books and move on to the next chapter of my life. I really enjoyed my time in Marquette and I’m grateful to the organization for three great years.”

Partacz hopes to major in Radiology while at Concordia.

The Naperville, Ill., native played three seasons in Marquette and was a member of the original roster when the team was formed in 2006. He concluded his junior career second on the all-time list for games played as a Ranger with 162, while adding 18 goals and 23 assists during his career.

Rangers head coach Kenny Miller said that although Partacz’s numbers may not turn too many heads, he’s grateful to have had him and his leadership in the lineup during this past season.

“Dustin is the ultimate team player,” said Miller. “Every coach should consider themself lucky if they are able to coach a player like Dustin once in their career. Our entire organization is happy for him and his family. He’s very deserving of this opportunity. Dustin is a first-class kid and I enjoyed coaching him very much this past season and he’ll do well at Concordia and as a young man in society.”

Partacz becomes the seventh player from the 2008-09 Rangers roster to commit to play college hockey.

Metro staff pleased with weekend's camp

The Metro Jets started their efforts of putting this past season behind them with a two-day pre-CSHL draft camp last weekend at Lakeland Arena.

More than 30 players came to the camp with hopes of impressing the Jets' brass enough to make the team next fall and help Metro improve on their seven-win season of 2008-2009.

"I was pretty happy this weekend," Jets assistant coach Ryan Skop said. "We had a turnout of just about what we expected. We had a real good mix of veterans and prospects on each squad and it was fun to watch how well they worked together."

The camp consisted of up-tempo scrimmages and goalie changes on the fly. If nothing else, the camp provided optimism to a team that searched to find that last season.

"Certainly, we still have plenty of work to do," said Skop. "However, after this weekend, I'm confident we're headed in the right direction. After getting a chance to see our top prospects on the ice together, I'm really excited to get to the draft (May 23-24) and get to main camp (in mid-July)."

"The consensus was that the camp was successful," added Metro GM Butch Wolfe. "In my opinion, it did what it was supposed to do. It gave us a look at players we are considering taking in the draft in a bit more of a competitive environment."

Still, the camp did have one minor negative and that was players that had committed to coming to camp decided not to. In Skop's mind, that's not even an issue and he actually put a spin on it to be a positive in the long run.

"Anytime you hold any sort of camp or tryout, you're going to have letdowns and you're going to have some surprises," added Skop. "It's safe to say the surprises far outweigh the letdowns from the weekend. There were two or three guys who were further down our radar, or not on it at all, that jumped up and made a name for themselves. That's what we wanted."

"For now, though, it's back to the rinks and phones to continue talking to and recruiting players."

Greeley to play for CSHL at Toronto tourney

Goaltender Colin Greeley, who led the Metro Jets in wins last season, has been named to a team of Central States Hockey League All-Stars that will play at the Toronto Prospects Tournament this summer.

Greeley, a 16-year-old native of Howell, went 4-18-0 last year with a 6.56 goals-against average and a .839 save percentage.

Cleveland goalie Gregg Gruehl will be Greeley's counterpart at the tournament.

The rest of the roster is HERE.

Terry wins OHL's Snyder Humanitarian Award

The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Chris Terry of the Plymouth Whalers is the recipient of the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as the OHL’s Humanitarian of the Year for the 2008-09 season.

Terry, a 20-year-old from Brampton, Ontario, has consistently been a leader for the Whalers franchise at events in the Plymouth community and surrounding area throughout his career. This season, the fourth-year veteran and team captain averaged more than two official player appearances per week, always demonstrating a positive attitude and serving as a role model for many young fans.

“I love going out to schools to read and interact with the kids” said Terry. “I never felt obligated to do it, I just really enjoyed seeing their excitement when we would arrive, it was always a lot of fun” added Terry. “It has been exciting to see our fan base in Plymouth grow by reaching the community in the years I have been here and I have a lot of great memories, I always enjoyed what we did.”

Terry spent a great deal of time visiting schools and reading to kids. He was active in the Whalers Learn to Skate and Learn to Play programs and always heavily involved and enthusiastic in events with season ticket holders and their families. He is always the first to sign up for events and to volunteer his time on days off. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this past October, Terry was the first Whaler to volunteer to dye his hair pink which led to the entire team participating. Together they helped raise money for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

Terry’s professional conduct, leadership, and willingness to give back to the community certainly made impressions with his teammates who have learned from his actions, including Ryan Hayes. “Terry just takes over at these appearances and does all the work and I just follow his lead” said Hayes. “I need to give him credit; he just makes it look easy.”

“You can tell he genuinely cares when he is out in the community,” says Natalie Shaver of the Whalers. “He wants to have a positive affect on everyone and takes the extra step to ensure everyone is included. People request him because of the relationships he builds with the kids."

Last season, Terry developed a special relationship with one of his young fans, Bobby Suvoy, a 16-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with ALS which is commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He spent time visiting with Bobby and checking in with the family for updates on his health even when the team was on the road. When Bobby’s health took a turn for the worse, Terry visited the Suvoy home early in the morning following a team road-trip where they arrived in Plymouth around 5:00 am. Terry was able to spend a few hours with Bobby and sign a jersey in front of Suvoy’s relatives that had travelled from across the country to be there. When Bobby Suvoy passed away on May 6, 2008, many people thanked Terry for the positive influence and contributions he made towards Bobby’s life.

The Suvoy’s have said that Terry is “so selfless and caring to take time out of his exciting and busy schedule to stay in touch with our sick child. Chris remains a true friend even today.”

On the ice, Terry finished second in league scoring with 94 points including 39 goals and 55 assists in 53 games. He was named a Western Conference All-Star and the Kal Tire OHL Player of the Month for both December and February. Terry is a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick, selected in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Each year the OHL awards a player that has demonstrated outstanding qualities as a positive role model in the community with the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy. The Ontario Hockey League Board of Governors announced in 2004 that the OHL Humanitarian of the Year award would be renamed in recognition of the former Owen Sound Platers captain, who was twice named his team's humanitarian of the year in recognition of his tremendous efforts in supporting community activities.

Terry is the first member of the Plymouth Whalers hockey club to receive the Humanitarian of the Year Award. Andrew Gibbons received the award in 2006-07 with the Belleville Bulls, with the award presented to Peter Stevens of the Kingston Frontenacs last season.

Photo by Walt Dmoch/Plymouth Whalers

Whalers announce annual award winners

The Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers finished the 2008-09 season Monday night with an awards banquet held at CJ’s Brewing Company at Compuware Arena.

The following players received awards:

REGULAR SEASON MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, LEADING SCORER, ACADEMIC PLAYER and HUMANITARIAN of the YEAR: Captain Chris Terry, who led the Whalers with 39 goals and 55 assists for 94 points and was +25 during the regular season. Terry is third overall in franchise career scoring with 114 goals and 175 assists for 289 points in 253 games. Selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fifth round (132nd overall) in the 2007 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Terry must be signed by the Hurricanes by this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. Terry has been a leader in the Whalers’ community relations efforts over the past three seasons and is Plymouth’s nominee for the OHL’s Dan Snyder Award as Humanitarian of the Year.

ROOKIE of the YEAR: Center Tyler Seguin, who scored 21 goals with 46 assists for 67 points and was +14 in 61 games.

DEFENSEMAN of the YEAR: Defenseman Michal Jordan, who scored 12 goals with 30 assists for 42 points and was a team-leading +28 in 58 games. Jordan – a fourth-round pick (105th overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft – played for the Czech Republic in the 2008 and 2009 World Junior Championship.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER of the YEAR and PLAYOFF MVP: Goaltender Matt Hackett, who won the lead goaltender’s position with the Whalers in November and posted a career-best 3.04 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, two shutouts and a 34-13-3-0 record in 55 games for the Whalers this season. Hackett continued his fine work through the playoffs, posting a 3.01 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 11 playoff appearances. Hackett is rated by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau as top prospect among all North American goaltenders for this summer’s NHL Entry Draft.

UNSUNG HERO of the YEAR: Center Matt Caria, who came to the Whalers in December in a trade with Sault Ste. Marie and scored 34 goals with 58 assists for 92 points, which tied him for fourth in league scoring, and was +14 in 67 games this season. Currently a free agent, Caria is playing for a professional contract next season.

LABATT BLUE COLLAR PLAYER of the YEAR: Veteran center Joe Gaynor, who enjoyed career highs with 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points and was +7 in 68 games this season. Gaynor is one of the best defensive forwards in the OHL and could return to the Whalers next season as an overage player.

LEADING SCORER IN THE PLAYOFFS (tie): Terry, who scored seven goals with nine assists for 16 points and Seguin, who tallied five goals with 11 assists for 16 points.

WHALER BOOSTER CLUB AWARDS: Barb Mohrlock Award as Fan Favorite – Terry; Player of the Month for March - Caria; Academic Player of the Month - Tyler J. Brown; Grinder of the Year - Gaynor.

WHALER OFF-ICE OFFICIALS: Alice Iafrate Award – Brett Bellemore. Certificates and cash awards to Caria and Scott Fletcher.

Plymouth's Hackett top NHL goalie prospect

The National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Bureau has named Plymouth Whalers goaltender Matt Hackett as the top prospect among North American goaltenders for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, held June 26-27 in Montreal.

Hackett moved up the Central Scouting list from not being listed in the preliminary rankings to eighth in the mid-term rankings to No. 1 in Central Scouting final list released Tuesday.

"A huge improvement over last year," Central Scouting's Al Jensen, the group's goalie specialist, told NHL.com. "Great potential, got very good size (6-2, 170), very poised. His angles, his net positioning are very good. He's a very smart goaltender with excellent net coverage."

Hackett, who posted a 3.04 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, two shutouts and a 34-13-3-0 record in 55 games for the Whalers this season, started 2008-09 as a backup to Jeremy Smith. But when Plymouth struggled at the start of the season, Hackett won the lead goaltender’s position in November and was effective all year. Hackett continued his fine work through the playoffs, posting a 3.01 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 11 playoff appearances.

Hackett was named ADT Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week twice this season – for the weeks ending January 10 and March 31. In addition, Hackett started 29 consecutive regular season games from January 9-March 15 and continued with 11 straight playoff starts from March 21-April 11.

“You look at Matt, and he’s a pure goaltender,” said Whalers goaltending coach Stan Matwijiw. “He’s the type of goaltender that NHL teams are looking for. He’s big in stature and takes up a lot of net. He’s very fundamentally sound. The work that I’ve done with him is tweaking a thing here and there. He’s already had good instruction, with his uncle (former NHL goaltender Jeff Hackett) already a goaltending coach in the NHL (for Colorado).”

“He’s taken the ball and run it with,” said Plymouth general manager and head coach Mike Vellucci earlier this year. “He’s improved his reflexes and his rebound control is very good. One of the things I like about Matt is the fact that the players play really well for him. He’s a likeable guy, and our guys play great and want to play in front of him. They help him, they block shots and they clear the pucks away from in front of the net.”

While London’s John Tavares has been rated first or second in the Central Scouting’s rating all season long, Hackett has come a long way during his time with the Whalers. Hackett, acquired by the Whalers from Windsor on November 13, 2007, was Windsor’s third-string goaltender at the time he came to Plymouth.

Plymouth defenseman Beau Schmitz was also listed by Central Scouting at 195th overall.

VELLUCCI FINISHES THIRD IN MATT LEYDEN TROPHY VOTING: Although Vellucci didn’t start the season behind the Whalers bench, he still finished third in the voting for the Matt Leyden Trophy as the Ontario Hockey League’s Coach of the Year. Vellucci, who took over for Greg Stefan on November 10, finished third in the voting, behind Windsor’s Bob Boughner and Belleville’s George Burnett.

Boughner, who won the Matt Leyden Trophy for the second consecutive year, finished in the voting with 58 points, Burnett with 38 and Vellucci with 34.

Vellucci won the Matt Leyden Award in 2007.

Photo by Walt Dmoch/Plymouth Whalers

Trio of Spirit players ranked for NHL Draft

The National Hockey League's Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings of the top prospects for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft Tuesday and three Saginaw Spirit players made the cut.

Spirit goalie Edward Pasquale (pictured) was ranked the third North American goalie entering the draft, while forward Jordan Szwarz was ranked 68th and defenseman Cody Sol was ranked 192nd amongst North American skaters.

"These guys worked really hard to get to this point, and it's a great honor for both the players and the organization to have them ranked for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft," stated Spirit assistant coach and director of hockey administration Adam Mattson.

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft takes place in Montreal on June 26 and June 27.

Pasquale and forward Szwarz have also been invited to attend the NHL Scouting Combine taking place in Toronto from May 25-May 30. The two players will join approximately 100 other top prospects of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft for the combine and will be put through vigorous physical, medical and psychological tests that will help NHL teams rank the players in their draft boards.

Spirit prospect named NAHL's top rookie

The North American Hockey League announced today that Mahoning Valley Phantoms forward Brandon Saad has been named Rookie of the Year.

Saad, from Gibsonia, Pa., totaled 29 goals among 47 points in 47 regular-season games with the Phantoms. He was also a team-best plus-21.

“Brandon is the most well-rounded prospect I’ve coached, or even seen,” said Phantoms head coach Bob Mainhardt. “He pretty much can do it all. He’s very dominant physically, does a very good job defensively, wins battles, and, for a big man (6-foot-2, 195 pounds), has unbelievable agility.”

Saad, 16, was also a member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team that earned a bronze medal at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge held in Port Alberni, British Columbia, in December-January. He was named to the tournament’s all-star team after finishing tied for the team lead in scoring (four goals, five assists).

“He’s very mature for a young man,” Mainhardt added. “He’s really dealt with all the attention he’s gotten very well. He’s just a part of the team. He’s a funny, regular 16-year-old. He’s a little more mature, but you can see the kid in him sometimes. He just loves playing the game and he fits in well. His teammates love him.”

Saad, a three-time winner of the Sherwood/NAHL North Division Player of the Week Award, was also named to the NAHL All-Rookie Team.

“Because of his size and physical stature, we joke that we need to check his birth certificate because he’s so young,” said Mainhardt. “He’s the youngest player on our team, but he looks like one of the older guys and he carries himself that way, too.”

The Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit drafted Saad in the first round of last May's priority selection out of the Pittsburgh Hornets organization.

Jets seek new talent at pre-draft camp

Three weeks from now, the Metro Jets may get to see a glimpse of their future as 40 of their top-rated prospects will take part in a pre-CSHL Draft camp at Lakeland Arena.

For assistant coach Ryan Skop, it's something he and the rest of the coaching staff are definitely looking forward to.

"The pre-draft camp is something that's new to the Jets," Skop said. "Instead of doing a once a week 'drop-in skate' or something like that, we decided to make it more formal. What we're looking to do is get our top 40 prospects on the ice, together, prior to the draft."

Skop added that he hopes the players that come out can help the Jets improve on their seven-win season they suffered through this year.

"It's a camp designed more for the players than anything," said Skop. "We want to show them the quality players we have coming out and that we're trying to recruit to Metro. A lot of guys are apprehensive in coming to Metro because of our recent lack of success, but I'm hoping that if they can get on the ice together and see the talent that's there, they'll decide to see what we have to offer.

"On top of that, it allows guys who are going to North American Hockey League camps an opportunity to play a weekend of very competitive hockey and a chance to stay on the ice."

The camp will run April 25-26 for two hours each day with times to be determined shortly. Practice jerseys will be provided and cost is just $40 total for both days.

For more information, call Ryan Skop at (734) 771-3139.

Three Stars, one Ranger named All-North

The North American Hockey League announced today its All-North Division Team for the 2008-09 season, as selected by the league’s coaches and general managers.

Forward: Kyle Bonis, Traverse City North Stars
Forward: Chad Pietila, Marquette Rangers
Forward: Brandon Saad, Mahoning Valley Phantoms
Defenseman: Cullen Lundholm, Mahoning Valley Phantoms
Defenseman: Travis White, Traverse City North Stars
Goaltender: CJ Motte, Traverse City North Stars

The All-Central, All-West and All-South Teams are HERE.

North Stars get tough Phantoms in first round

Back on March 13, the Traverse City North Stars turned a 2-2 second period tie at Mahoning Valley into a 9-2 loss, with the host Phantoms rattling off the final seven scores of the contest.

Stars head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo and staff were rankled, to say the least.

Since that time, Traverse City has gone 6-0-1 – including a pair of subsequent victories at Mahoning – and will look to continue their elevated play well into the NAHL Playoffs. The North Stars will open their first postseason since 2006 on Friday at the same place where the club’s late-season resurgence kicked off: Mahoning Valley.

“We lost 9-2 and it wasn’t that close,” Palumbo recalled. “But since then, we’ve worked very hard to fix the things that put us in that position, and so far the results have been encouraging. Now we put it to the test with the season on the line.”

While TC actually won seven of the teams’ 13 meetings this season, Mahoning has the decided advantage in playoff experience. The Phantoms have advanced to the NAHL championship game in each of the past two seasons.

“It’s the playoffs, so the intensity is certainly up a notch,” continued Palumbo. “Over the course of a 58-game (regular season) schedule, you know you’ll probably drop a game here or there along the way. In the playoffs, there is no such room for error. They know that, and they’ve won some (playoff) series over the years. But we’re hoping we can match their energy. We’re very excited to go.”

The Phantoms, who led the NAHL North Division for most of the season, fell into second place on the final night of the regular season, with Team USA overtaking the two-time national runners-up for the top seed in the playoffs. Mahoning went 36-17-5, finishing a mere two points ahead of Traverse City for the final home-ice position.

“We never really focused on one team or the other,” Palumbo explained. “We knew that either way it fell, we were going to have to go up against one of the best teams in the league. We welcome the challenge no matter who we line up against.”

Stefan Salituro leads the Phantoms with 48 points, including a team-high 34 assists, while Brandon Saad (47 pts.) is the club’s top goal-scorer with 29. Jordy Trottier (46 pts.) and Nick Shkreli (44) are also among Mahoning’s top threats. Nick Kenney had seven goals in 13 outings against the North Stars this year. Goalie Jordan Tibbett is 5-3-1 versus TC, with a 2.08 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.

“They have some real game-changers that we can’t lose track of,” Palumbo said. “But they also have a lot of depth. They are a pretty solid team, front-to-back.”

The North Stars’ top scorers – Kyle Bonis and Kyle Jean – have been at their best against Mahoning this year. Each has seven goals in 13 contests, with Bonis assisting on nine other tallies. Bonis set a team record this year with 30 lamplighters, and leads the NAHL with eight game-winners. C.J. Motte had the finest statistical season in team history for a netkeeper, going 22-9-2 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .918 save percentage to go with his three shutout efforts.

“I’ve watched game films of five Traverse City-Mahoning Valley games so far, and the team that works the hardest has won every one of ‘em,” Palumbo said. “I think we’re fairly close in terms of talent and depth, but we’ll have to outwork them if we want to advance.”

The series opens at the opulent Chevrolet Centre in downtown Youngstown on Friday, followed by a Sunday matinee. The best-of-five series shifts to Traverse City next Thursday and Friday (Apr. 9 and 10), with a decisive Game 5 slated for Easter Sunday in Mahoning should it become necessary.

The b2 Network will provide the video feed of the series, while free audio play-by-play can be heard at http://www.wbbw.com/.

NAHL North Division semifinals (Best-of-5)
Game 1: Friday, April 3 at Mahoning Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, April 5 at Mahoning Valley, 3 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, April 9 at Traverse City, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4: Friday, April 10 at Traverse City, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 5: Sunday, April 12 at Mahoning Valley, 7 p.m.*

* = if necessary

Marquette goalie Jarboe picks Wentworth

Marquette Rangers goaltender Mike Jarboe has committed to play his college hockey next season in Boston at Division III Wentworth Institute of Technology, a member of the East Coast Athletic Conference Northeast Division.

The Grosse Pointe native came to Marquette from Wichita Falls at the trade deadline in February. He played in four games for Marquette and compiled a total record of 10-13-5 on the season between the Rangers and the Wildcats.

“This is the end of a long road for Mike,” said Rangers head coach Kenny Miller, who also coached Jarboe while the two were in Alpena in 2006-07. “Here’s a guy who had paid his dues and is ready to go on to the next level and contribute to their program. Everyone in our organization is happy for Mike and his family and we’re confident he’ll represent us and the league very well.”

Jarboe made his rounds the NAHL before ending his junior career in Marquette. He had previous stops in Bozeman, St. Louis, Alpena and Wichita Falls and becomes the sixth Rangers player from this year's roster to make a college commitment.