Metal Jackets announce AAA affiliate

The Motor City Metal Jackets have announced their affiliation with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, a AAA organization based out of Troy.

Grizzlies' club president Terry Bishop, Metal Jackets owner Kenji Yamada and all related organization personnel have worked hard to building a successful affiliate program within the Metro Detroit area and look forward to great mutual success this 2010-11 season and beyond.

Bishop offered the following statement:

I am pleased to officially announce the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies formal affiliation with the Motor City Metal Jackets of the NAHL. The Grizzlies will be the only youth program in the Detroit area to have official ties with a Jr team. With this partnership with the Metal Jackets we are also expanding into AAA hockey at the Bantam Major, Midget Minor and Midget Major levels.

The new teams will be called the Motor City Metal Jacket Grizzlies and will compete in the NAPHL. The AAA organization will be run by the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies Director of Hockey Terry Christensen.

The expansion into AAA and the affiliation with the NAHL will give a growth path for our boys that no other organization in youth hockey can give. The three new AAA teams will skate out of the Troy Sports Center, which will be a major plus for our A/AA teams. We plan on several joint "skill" sessions monthly where our A/AA and AAA teams will share ice and coaching staffs.

Alpena franchise sold, heading south

The North American Hockey League has announced that its Board of Governors has approved the transfer of ownership of the Alpena IceDiggers membership and its relocation to Corpus Christi, Tex., for the 2010-11 season.

The team will play its home games out of the 7,400-seat American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.

“Not only is Corpus Christi an ideal fit for our league, geographically, but it’s also home to a first-class facility and passionate hockey fans,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “What’s more, it’s backed by a local ownership group and management team that are committed to both the players’ and community’s success.”

Pat Dunn, who boasts varied experiences in hockey both as a player and in the front office, is excited that hockey will remain in Corpus Christi.

“We couldn’t be happier to be a part of the North American Hockey League and everything it has to offer its fans, players and respective communities,” said Dunn. “Corpus Christi is a great hockey town and we’re excited to showcase some of the best young players in the world as they work their way to the collegiate and professional ranks.”

Corpus Christi is the fourth NAHL team to call Texas home, joining the yet-to-be named Amarillo club, which was introduced to the league last week, the Texas Tornado and Wichita Falls Wildcats.

“The addition of Amarillo and now Corpus Christi bolsters our already strong presence in the South and creates even more exciting rivalries for our fans and our players,” said Frankenfeld. “All four of these markets are supported by tremendous ownership groups that are committed to seeing hockey flourish in the Lone Star State.”

The IceDiggers, who were owned by Stephen Marks of the Alpena IceDiggers Corporation, played five seasons in Alpena after relocating from Toledo, Ohio, after the 2004-05 season.

In Alpena, the IceDiggers qualified for the playoffs three times - their best season came in 2006-07 when they fashioned a 37-20-5 record, good for 79 points and a second-place finish in the NAHL’s North Division - and moved over 30 players onto NCAA programs.

Four NAHL teams draft for the future

The North American Hockey League conducted its annual draft yesterday and all four Michigan-based teams took part.

ALPENA ICEDIGGERS
1st round, 11th overall – Joey Sanchez, F, Chicago Mission
2nd round, 34th overall – Marc Biggs, F, Dallas Stars
2nd round, 36th overall – Robbie Hall, D, Chicago Mission
4th round, 81st overall – Alex Rosado, F, Alliance
4th round, 82nd overall – Cody Bisbing, F, P.F. Chang’s
5th round, 102nd overall – Greg Johnson, D, Dallas Stars
6th round, 118th overall – Joey Parizek, F, Ohio Blue Jackets
7th round, 131st overall – Tyler Lovejoy, D, Pittsburgh Hornets
8th round, 144th overall – Tyler Perpich, F, Novi High School
9th round, 156th overall – Daniel Swink, F, Lansing Capitals
10th round, 166th overall – Alex Grupe, D, Pikes Peak Miners
11th round, 175th overall – Forest Mudgett, F, Alliance
12th round, 184th overall – Scott Relf, D, P.F. Chang’s
13th round, 190th overall – Jonathan Drago, G, Ohio Blue Jackets

MICHIGAN WARRIORS
1st round, 21st overall – Joey Suleskey, D, Rochester High School
4th round, 90th overall – Ian Miller, F, Compuware
5th round, 108th overall – Nolan Valleau, D, Novi High School
6th round, 123rd overall – A.J. White, F, Compuware
7th round, 136th overall – Joseph Ferriss, F, Novi High School
8th round, 148th overall – Ryan Trenz, D, St. Louis Jr. Blues
9th round, 159th overall – Patrick Gregory, F, St. Louis Jr. Blues
10th round, 169th overall – Travis Carto, F, Davison High School
11th round, 178th overall – Robert Mantha, F, Little Caesars

MOTOR CITY METAL JACKETS
1st round, 14th overall – Brennan Knoblock, G, Pickering Panthers
3rd round, 61st overall – Michael Marconi, F, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers
5th round, 104th overall – Colt Smelstor, D, Green Mountain Glades
6th round, 120th overall – Aaron Scheppelman, D, Victory Honda
7th round, 133rd overall – Conor Clancy, F, P.F. Chang’s
8th round, 146th overall – Colin Greeley, G, Victory Honda
9th round, 157th overall – Ross Kovacs, D, Russell Stover
10th round, 167th overall – Michael Lant II, D, Dallas Stars
11th round, 176th overall – Joey Ballmer, G, Kalamazoo Eagles

TRAVERSE CITY NORTH STARS
1st round, 20th overall – Ken Babinski, F, Midland High School
2nd round, 45th overall – Tyler Marble, G, Traverse City North Stars
3rd round, 67th overall – Zachary Dorer, D, Lansing Capitals
4th round, 89th overall – Eric Fragoso, F, Detroit Catholic Central
5th round, 107th overall – Drew Mayer, F, Honeybaked
6th round, 122nd overall – Matt Zaremba, F, Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
7th round, 135th overall – Robert Wiener, D, Lansing Capitals

NAHL Entry Draft today at 2:00 pm EST

Jets gearing up for CSHL Draft Saturday

Lately, the annual Central States Hockey League Draft has been hit or miss for the Metro Jets.

In the 2007 draft, the team had nine draft picks make the team the following year, but then in 2008, just three were on the opening night roster.

Last year, 10 players made the cut, including starting goaltender Ian Mercer and forward Jon Wickersham, with the latter being named one of the team’s captains early last season.

When the 2010 draft takes place this Saturday in suburban Chicago, Jets officials are banking on finding players that can step right in next fall and make an impact at Lakeland Arena.

“Like last year, we are out to find guys that are primed and ready for the junior level,” stated Jets GM Butch Wolfe. “We saw several of these types of players at our pre-draft camp two weeks ago and I hope some of those players are still available when we pick. We think if we can get the right pieces in place that we should have a successful season.”

This will also be the first Metro draft for new coach Jeff Bond, who was hired earlier this spring.

The draft goes 20 total rounds with the first eight rounds being devoted to each team picking from their local region (75 miles from home rink). The Jets share regional space with the Flint Jr. Generals and Michigan Mountain Cats (new to the CSHL next season after acquiring the Motor City Chiefs franchise) and even a little with the Toledo Cherokee.

“It all comes down to us doing our homework and knowing what players are out there and willing to come play for us,” added Wolfe. “I believe our head scout, Tim Ross, has done a tremendous job for us and after this weekend, we’ll have more work to do in filling out our roster.

“It’s a challenge, for sure, but it’s one we can definitely handle. We’re optimistic we’ll get some solid hockey players in the draft.”

Mercer photo by Andy Grossman

Seguin, Hayes win CHL awards

The Canadian Hockey League announced Saturday ten national award winners for the 2009-10 season including two players from the Plymouth Whalers in forwards Tyler Seguin and Ryan Hayes.

Winners were presented with their awards at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium on Saturday afternoon, as part of the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup festivities.

Seguin was named the Jack Link's Top Prospect of the Year. He is the number one ranked player for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft as determined by NHL Central Scouting. He finished the OHL regular season tied for first overall in league scoring with 106 points including 48 goals and 58 assists in 63 games for the Whalers, with a plus-minus rating of plus-17 and 54 penalty minutes.

An 18-year-old from Brampton, Ont., he recorded 29 multi-point games and tallied five hat-tricks, captained Team Orr at the 2010 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and was named the OHL's Most Outstanding Player.

Hayes followed up winning the Dan Snyder Memorial Trophy as the OHL's Humanitarian of the Year by being named the Home Hardward Humanitarian of the Year for the CHL. He led the Whalers organization in his third OHL season with 54 official community appearances representing participation in nearly a quarter of the team’s total community events. This season Hayes took on a leadership role for the Whalers in the “Friends of Jaclyn” program that supports the non-profit charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors. He also showed extensive participation with Special Olympics Michigan at their annual hockey tournament cheering on the participants, passing out the medals, and staying afterwards to pose for pictures and sign autographs.

Seguin and Hayes are the first Whalers to win a Canadian Hockey League Award since James Wisniewski was named the CHL's Defenseman of the Year in 2003-04.

Other Whalers who have won CHL awards include David Legwand (1997-98) and Bryan Berard (1994-95), who both won the CHL Rookie of the Year Award, while Berard also was named Best Defenseman in 1995-96. Pete DeBoer was named CHL's Coach of the Year in 1999-00, while Rob Zepp was named the CHL's Scholastic Player of the Year in 1998-99. Pat Peake captured the franchise's first CHL award when he was named the CHL's Player of the Year in 1992-93.

Saginaw's Pasquale inks with Thrashers

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed goaltender Edward Pasquale, the team’s fourth round selection (117th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the team announced yesterday.

Pasquale, 19, appeared in 51 games last season with the Saginaw Spirit, posting a 27-17-5 record with one shutout, a 3.17 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. He was tied for fourth in the OHL in save percentage and shared sixth in wins. The 6-2, 220-pound goaltender also posted a 2-3-1 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage in six post-season games.

The Toronto native has posted a 75-48-13 record with two shutouts, a 3.11 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage in 142 career OHL games with Belleville and Saginaw from 2006-2010. Pasquale has added a 6-8-1 record with a 3.22 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 16 OHL playoff games, all with Saginaw.

Muskegon forward-heavy at USHL Draft

The Muskegon Lumberjacks used 11 of their 15 picks in yesterday's USHL Entry Draft to draft forwards.

Of the remaining four, three were defensemen and one was a goalie.

Four of the players drafted were Michigan natives, while the rest are from all over North America.

Muskegon's top pick (sixth overall), left wing Casey Thrush from Team Maryland, has a chance to get drafted next month at the NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles. He's already committed to the University of New Hampshire for 2011.

The complete list can be found HERE.

USHL Entry Draft - Michigan ties

1st Round
2nd overall, Youngstown - John Fritsche, F, Alpena IceDiggers
4th overall, Chicago - Joel Benson, LD, Alpena IceDiggers (Marquette)
13th overall, Fargo - Tanner Kero, C, Marquette Rangers (Hancock)
14th overall, Omaha - Reid Sturos, F, Brighton High (South Lyon)

2nd Round
21st overall, Muskegon - Matt DeBlouw, C, Little Caesars (Chesterfield)
26th overall, Sioux Falls - Jordan Oesterle, LD, Belle Tire (Dearborn Heights)
28th overall, Fargo - Dan McNamara, LW, Chicago Young Americans (Caledonia)

3rd Round
38th overall, Tri-City - Brad Schierhorn, LW, Belle Tire
39th overall, Lincoln - Austin Hervey, LW, Detroit Catholic Central (Brighton)
40th overall, Tri-City - Dominic Panetta, LW, Bismarck Bobcats (Baldwin)

4th Round
60th overall, Chicago - Zach Saar, C, Little Caesars

5th Round
64th overall, Indiana - Dan Cesarz, C/LW, Honeybaked (Redford)
70th overall, Indiana - Ryan Obuchowski, LD, Detroit Catholic Central
71st overall, Sioux Falls - Alex Wiese, LD, Honeybaked (White Lake)
73rd overall, Fargo - Dajon Mingo, C, Wenatchee Wild (Canton)

6th Round
81st overall, Muskegon - Doug Lindensmith, LW, La Ronge Ice Wolves (Sterling Heights)
86th overall, Sioux Falls - Tyler Vanscourt, RD, Marquette Rangers
89th overall, Omaha - Ken Babinski, F, Midland High (Midland)

7th Round
91st overall, Lincoln - Lucas Hafner, G, Marquette Rangers
93rd overall, Des Moines - Dan Milan, LD, Orchard Lake St. Mary's (White Lake)
104th overall, Omaha - Chris Waterstreet, C/LW, Detroit Catholic Central (Northville)

8th Round
107th overall, Youngstown - Nilan Nagy, RD, Traverse City North Stars
116th overall, Sioux Falls - Doug Clifford, C, Traverse City North Stars (Woodhaven)

9th Round
127th overall, Dubuque - Chris Sitler, LW, Belle Tire (Canton)
134th overall, Omaha - Joe Ballmer, G, Kalamazoo

10th Round
145th overall, Indiana - Kevin Killian, LD, Orchard Lake St. Mary's (Orchard Lake)

12th Round
171st overall, Muskegon - Jon Farkas, C, Compuware (Brighton)

15th Round
211th overall, Lincoln - Brad Wilhelm, F, Detroit Catholic Central (Plymouth)
215th overall, Sioux City - Kevin Gibson, LW, Marquette Rangers (Grosse Pointe)
218th overall, Tri-City - Davey Middleton, F, Detroit Catholic Central (Novi)
220th overall, Indiana - Drew Mayer, RW, Honeybaked (Troy)
221st overall, Sioux Falls - Jason Torf, G, Motor City Metal Jackets
225th overall, Green Bay - Josef Pontasch, LW, Belle Tire

16th Round
231st overall, Muskegon - Mike Moran, F, Victory Honda
235th overall, Indiana - Max Milosek, G, Victory Honda
236th overall, Sioux Falls - Charles Hernstrom, RD, Honeybaked (Romeo)

17th Round
247th overall, Dubuque - Mike Monfredo, LD, Motor City Metal Jackets

18th Round
269th overall, Omaha - Mike Ferrantino, C, Compuware (Plymouth)

19th Round
276th overall, Muskegon - Jonathan Miller, RW, Compuware (Trenton)
282nd overall, Cedar Rapids - Tanner Pond, F, Orchard Lake St. Mary's
285th overall, Green Bay - Connor Schmidt, RD, Little Caesars (Flat Rock)

20th Round
299th overall, Cedar Rapids - Will Badner, F, Cadillac
302nd overall, Green Bay - Christian Lampasso, C, Honeybaked

21st Round
310th overall, Muskegon - Alexx Privitera, RD, U.S. NTDP Under-17

Metro camp yields 'nice surprises'

The Metro Jets held their annual pre-CSHL Draft camp last weekend at Lakeland Arena and team brass came away impressed with the results.

Over the two-day camp, the players scrimmaged to show off their abilities to the staff.

New head coach Jeff Bond was not in attendance as he was in Pennsylvania helping select the U.S. National Women's Inline team that will compete in Europe this summer.

"We had over 30 players come to camp," Jets GM Butch Wolfe said. "That's not a bad number at all, considering there were NAHL camps taking place at the same time.

"There were players from out of state and others from out of the area. We had some nice surprises for the number of players we had. We now have a few more kids to add to our draft list for sure."

The annual CSHL Draft is Saturday, May 29, in Chicago.

At the draft, CSHL teams select players in reverse order of their finish during the regular season.

Muskegon selects six in Futures Draft

The Muskegon Lumberjacks added more depth to their talent pool on Tuesday at the USHL Futures Draft.

The Futures Draft is a draft of younger players (1994 birthdates) who may not be quite ready to play at the USHL level. Teams retain the players’ rights for three years.

The Lumberjacks drafted six players on Tuesday: Garret Cockerill, Joseph Cox, Joshua Henke, Grant Besse, Michael McNicholas and Christopher Leibinger.

Muskegon had the second pick overall and took Cockerill, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound defenseman from Brighton. Cockerill played for Compuware Midget Minor last season.

In the second round, Muskegon drafted Cox out of Chelsea. Cox is a 5-foot-10, 158-pound forward. He played for Compuware Midget Minor in 2009-2010 along with Cockerill.

For the third round, the Lumberjacks picked Henke from Trenton. Henke, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound center, spent last season playing for Belle Tire Midget Minor.

Muskegon’s fourth round pick was Besse, one of two players drafted by the 'Jacks from out of Michigan. Besse is a native of Plymouth, Minn. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound forward played for Benidle St. Margaret High School last season.

In the fifth round, Muskegon drafted McNicholas, from El Segundo, Calif. McNicholas is a 5-foot-9, 150-pound center from the Los Angeles Selects Midget Minor.

The Jacks final pick at the Futures Draft was Leibinger, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound defenseman who played last season for Saginaw Heritage High School.

USHL Futures Draft - Michigan ties

1st Round
1st overall, Dubuque - Riley Barber, RW, Compuware (Livonia)
2nd overall, Muskegon - Garret Cockerill, RD, Compuware (Brighton)

2nd Round
18th overall, Sioux City - Ryan Lowney, LD, Compuware (Plymouth)
22nd overall, Green Bay - Sheldon Dries, C, Honeybaked (Macomb)
29th overall, Muskegon - Joe Cox, RW, Compuware (Chelsea)

3rd Round
32nd overall, Muskegon - Josh Henke, C, Belle Tire (Trenton)
33rd overall, Sioux Falls - Andrew Copp, C, Compuware (Ann Arbor)
35th overall, Chicago - Mitch Wedding, RD, Honeybaked (Ortonville)
39th overall, Green Bay - Nick Schilkey, C, Honeybaked (Smiths Creek)

4th Round
46th overall, Cedar Rapids - Charlie Green, F, Detroit Catholic Central
53rd overall, Fargo - Ben Johnson, C, Calumet High (Calumet)
55th overall, Des Moines - Connor Wood, C, Honeybaked (Bloomfield Hills)

5th Round
68th overall, Fargo - Drew Best, RW, Victory Honda (Plymouth)
69th overall, Green Bay - Alex Kile, LW, Honeybaked (Troy)
70th overall, Tri-City - Trevor Boyd, F, Mona Shores High (Muskegon)
73rd overall, Chicago - Nolan Gluchowski, RD, Detroit Catholic Central

6th Round
81st overall, Tri-City - Drew Dorantes, RW, Compuware (Waterford)
83rd overall, Fargo - Wayland Williams, LD, Compuware (Canton)
86th overall, Omaha - Jimmy Howe, G, Little Caesars (Northville)
89th overall, Muskegon - Chris Leibinger, F, Heritage High (Saginaw)

'Jacks take five in USHL expansion draft

The Muskegon Lumberjacks selected five players in yesterday's USHL expansion draft and three of the players are Michigan natives.

Muskegon picked first in the expansion draft and Dubuque, the other expansion team, picked second. In all, there were seven rounds. Muskegon passed on picking players the final two rounds.

Each USHL team was permitted to protect eight players.

Muskegon's picks:

Brendan Woods, F, Chicago Steel
Nick Czinder, F, Youngstown Phantoms (West Bloomfield)
Kevin Albers, D, Green Bay Gamblers (Lake Orion)
John Parker, F, Indiana Ice
D.J. Vandercook, Des Moines Buccaneers (Farmington Hills)

More info from the Muskegon Chronicle.

The USHL Futures Draft will be held today where each team will select six players with 1994 birthdates. The USHL Entry Draft goes tomorrow.

Whalers complete rookie orientation

In the Plymouth Whalers annual rookie camp, Adam Nanji and Michael Ferrantino each scored two goals each for the Blues in a 5-2 win during Saturday's scrimmage.

However, the Whites came back to beat the Blues, 4-2, in the final scrimmage held Sunday morning at Compuware Arena to complete the Whalers annual rookie orientation.

SATURDAY - SCORING SUMMARY (two 30-minute halves):

Blues 5, Whites 2

FIRST HALF:
Whites - Chris Albertini (Garrett Meurs, Joe Cox) 0:17
Blues - Adam Nanji (Brandon Pantaleo) 7:54
Blues - Michael Ferrantino (unassisted) 14:26
Blues - Max Iafrate (Tom Wilson, Michael Ferrantino) 28:53

SECOND HALF:
Blues - Adam Nanji (Stefan Noesen) 0:25
Whites - Sean Myers (Nick Malysa) 5:21
Blues - Michael Ferrantino (Josh DeCosta) 29:25 empty net

SHOOTOUT:
Goaltenders Karsten Pankhurst and Matt Mahalak stopped five shooters apiece.

SUNDAY - SCORING SUMMARY (two 25-minute halves):

Whites 4, Blues 2

FIRST HALF:
Blues - Michael Ferrantino (Brandon Pantaleo, Matt Lanzillotti) 8:03
Whites - Calvin Higley (Sheldon Dries) 11:02
Whites - Austin Levi (unassisted) 23:21

SECOND HALF:
Whites - Sheldon Dries (Calvin Higley, Gavin Shantz) 7:40
Whites - Joe Cox (unassisted) 14:57
Blues - Tom Wilson (Adam Nanji, Josh DeCosta) 23:35

SHOOTOUT:
Karsten Pankhurst pitched another shutout, stopping six shooters while Austin Levi rang his shot off the goal post. Matt Mahalak stopped four of six shots, with Jared Dennis and Stefan Noesen scoring.

Wilson photo courtesy Plymouth Whalers

TC's Shkreli picks Lake Superior State

Traverse City North Stars Press Release

Nick Shkreli’s northern progression has officially reached the nation’s boundaries.

The Traverse City North Stars forward, who has skated his way from Wichita Falls, Tex., to Youngstown, Ohio, to Traverse City over the past three seasons, will continue his equatorial flight next year, heading to Sault. Ste. Marie to ply his trade for Lake Superior State University.

“It’s an awesome feeling to finally get there,” said Shkreli. “Really, it’s a big sigh of relief. I’m very excited about the opportunity and ready to go. I wish we were starting the season right away, to be honest.”

Shkreli, who came to the North Stars last summer after a season with the North Division rival Mahoning Valley Phantoms, was sidelined for the first month of the season with a broken wrist – suffered during a playoff series against Traverse City the season before. Upon his return, the Romeo product reeled off 42 points in 45 games, bagged 13 goals – including four game-winners – and was a +9 with a mere 22 penalty minutes. He earned a spot on the All-North team at the NAHL Top Prospects all-star event in January, and dished out five assists over ten playoff games.

“Really, the first 15 games or so after he came back, he probably was at 70 percent or so,” Traverse City head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo assessed. “But the last two-thirds of the season, once he really started to get healthy and get into his rhythm, he became a point-a-game guy and one of our top offensive options.”

Shkreli started heating up in December, cranking out 19 points in 17 games and finished the regular season with seven points in his final five. He had 11 multi-point games, including a pair of three-point outings.

“I was kind of timid and started kind of slow,” admitted Shkreli. “I had pretty major wrist surgery and knew there was a risk of injuring it again. But from January through March, I started getting progressively more comfortable and was able to contribute more.”

Shkreli will have plenty of company in the Soo, with Stars teammates Dan Radke and Kyle Jean heading to LSSU next year and Kelin Ainsworth and Tyler Marble committed to future enrollment.

“We’ll be competing for minutes, but we’re teammates first,” Shkreli pointed out. “The harder we work and push each other, the greater contribution we all make to the overall success of the team.”

That team-first approach is among the many reasons the Lakers tabbed Shkreli, according to Palumbo.

“Lake State was looking for a kid with the talent, but also with the work ethic to go with it, and that’s exactly what they got with Nick,” said Palumbo, who won a national title while captain at Lake Superior State in 1989 and another as an assistant coach in 1992. “He has all the qualities to be an impact player at the next level.”

Shkreli is one of eight players from the Stars 2009-10 roster to commit to an NCAA Division I school – about 1/3 of the roster. A ninth, David Chaney, joined the team at Western Michigan University before the season, ending his stint with the North Stars before it officially began. In all, nearly 40 current and former North Stars players have committed or played NCAA hockey in the team’s first five years. Two – Joe Greener and former LSSU defenseman Steven Oleksy – have gone on to the professional ranks.

“We didn’t have a lot of individual accolades this year as far as being All-North Division or All-NAHL or any of the postseason awards and stuff,” Palumbo said. “But we did put as many of our own kids into D-I programs as any team in the league. To me, that’s as telling as all the team successes we had on the ice this year. It says you have a high caliber of player in your program.”

For Shkreli, landing a D-I gig is as much a nod to his support system as his own on-ice abilities.

“Traverse City is about as nice a place to play junior hockey as I’ve seen,” Shkreli surmised. “The coaching staff, ownership and the fans are great. But I couldn’t have made it this far without my mom and dad and uncles – they helped me through some tough stretches. There are a lot of people who have supported me and I’m just very appreciative to all of them.”

Canton native Puskar chooses AIC

USHL Press Release

Waterloo Black Hawks forward Jon Puskar has committed to American International College and will attend the school beginning this fall.

Puskar, who turns 21 today, was acquired by the Black Hawks in a trade from the Lincoln Stars in early February. During 18 regular season games for Waterloo, the Canton native recorded 10 points (4g, 6a) and even of his 10 points were notched in power play situations.

Puskar's time with the Hawks was highlighted by a two-goal performance against his former team in Lincoln on March 9, during an improbable 8-6 comeback victory. In 44 total games during his lone USHL season, he compiled 21 points (11g, 10a), including two game-winning goals.

"I'm very excited for Jon," said Waterloo coach P.K. O'Handley. "We were thrilled to bring his experience to our roster late in the season, and from the time he arrived, he set a great example for our younger players with his hustle and work ethic."

Puskar played 76 games for the Alpena IceDiggers of the North American Hockey League from 2007-2009, registering 33 goals and 29 assists for 62 points.

Photo courtesy USHL Images

North Stars had ups and downs in '09-10

It was a season of firsts, bests and uncharted territory in the Traverse City North Stars’ fifth North American Hockey League campaign.

The Stars not only won a playoff series for the first time, but also advanced through the North Division postseason fray, earned a spot in the NAHL’s Robertson Cup, and came within a whisker of a berth in championship game. While the club didn’t claim the ultimate prize in central Washington last week, the season can’t be considering anything other than an overwhelming success.

“Without a doubt,” Traverse City head coach-GM Anthony Palumbo asserted. “We had ups and downs during the season, especially in the injury department – right from the beginning of the year through the Robertson Cup tournament.

“Kyle (Jean) and Nick (Shkreli) missed the first third of the season, Kyle was out sick for another month, Travis White missed a month and a half – and Drew (Strandberg) was out about that long over a few stretches. Then we lose Drew, Doug (Clifford) and Phil (Wendecker) at the Cup. Yet we still found a way to pull through a lot of that and have a lot of team successes. That’s a credit to the guys and the depth we had.”

Feast and famine

The North Stars bolted from the starting blocks to a 14-5-1 mark by Thanksgiving, stumbled through a 2-6-1 stretch until Christmas, then went on a 10-1-2 run from Dec. 28-Feb. 9. A 1-6-1 swoon in February – with six losses coming by a single goal apiece – set up a 6-2 stretch run and a No. 2 seed in the North Division playoffs.

That’s when the Stars caught fire, hacking their way through Janesville and Motor City with consecutive three-game sweeps. Traverse City outscored Janesville by a 13-1 combined margin before dispatching Motor City with a 14-5 goal differential.

Strandberg helped key the Stars’ playoff combustion, blanking the Jets twice and permitting just a single goal in the other three of his first five postseason starts.

How ’bout them apples?

The North Stars opened the Robertson Cup tourney in Wenatchee, Wash., by throwing a bucket of cold water on the opening –night festivities by knocking off the host Wild, 5-4. After a pair of losses and a 2-1 victory over eventual finalist Fairbanks, Traverse City lost out on the goal-differential tiebreaker for a spot in the Cup title tilt. Bismarck topped Fairbanks in the final, with the North Stars finishing third. Wenatchee and three-time defending champion St. Louis finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

“There was a lot of parity – five very good teams,” Palumbo said. “Any one of the five could have won it, and it just came down to a tiebreaker to see who would play (3-1) Bismarck.”

In all, TC went 8-2 in the postseason, winning its four home playoff contests by a combined score of 20-3.

Looking ahead

While regular season leading scorer Doug Clifford is eligible to return, the Stars’ next five top offensive producers in 2009-10 – Garrett Thompson, Dan Radke, Eric McLintock, Nick Shkreli and Andy Huff – are moving on. The club must also look to replace the considerable contributions of Kyle Jean, Chris Salomone, Phil Wendecker, Bo Jacobs and Sean Burke. Strandberg and backup Chris Paliafito are also done.

“That’s a lot of talent and a ton of experience going out the door,” Palumbo admitted. “But it’s not like the cupboards are bare by any means. And we think we have some pretty solid talent coming in with the tenders we’ve signed.”

North Stars captain Travis White will be back, anchoring a seasoned unit that could include Chris Heineman, Trevor Campbell, Nilan Nagy, Curtis Heinz and Mike Yanis. Up front, Clifford, Eric Rivard, Tim Opie, Alec Shields, Kelin Ainsworth, Ryan Amin and Taylor Burden retain eligibility. The club will have to address its goaltending needs in the NAHL Draft and summer tryout season.

A whopping 10 players make up this year’s tender class, with a trio of blue-liners – Chris Barile (Compuware U18), Dan Milan (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s HS) and Alex Wiese (Honeybaked U18) – and seven forwards: Dan Cesarz (Honeybaked U18), Cody Loyer (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s HS), Nick Paluch (Lansing U18), Alex Sandora (Honeybaked U18), Nate Scurfield (Flint CSHL), Mike Szmatula (Lansing U18) and Chris Waterstreet (Detroit Catholic Central HS).

Summer tryouts begin in East Lansing later this month before an open camp at Centre ICE in June. The team’s annual invite-only training camp, which will help pare the roster for 2010-11, is slated for July 23-25 in Traverse City.

“We have some scoring to replace and some pretty good candidates coming back and signed to tenders and we’ll be looking at even more over the summer,” Palumbo said. “It was a great season and a fantastic group of guys. It’s tough to turn the page on all we went through and accomplished together, but there isn’t a lot of down time with the camps and the draft coming up.”

KEY OFF-SEASON DATES
May 21-23: Open Tryout Camp, East Lansing
May 26: 2010 NAHL Draft
June 25-27: Open Tryout Camp, Traverse City
July 23-25: Training Camp (invite-only)

Spirit sign free agent defenseman Young

The Saginaw Spirit announced the signing today of free agent Dalton Young, a 1993-born defenseman that played with the Belle Tire Major Midget team last season.

Young is scheduled to participate in the Spirit rookie camp, which will take place Saturday and Sunday in Saginaw.

“Dalton is a very skilled, smart player,” stated Spirit director of scouting Jim Paliafito. “He is an excellent skater who reminds me of Nick Lidstrom with the way he plays the game.”

Young spent two seasons in the Belle Tire system with the U18 and the U16 squads, posting a combined 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points in 77 games in the past two seasons, six goals and 15 assists in the 2009-2010 season with the U18 Major Midgets.

The Marysville native will wear No. 77 for the Spirit.

Kleinendorst stepping down at NTDP

USA Hockey Press Release

Kurt Kleinendorst, one of two head coaches at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, will depart the NTDP at the end of May.

Kleinendorst agreed to fill the position last August on a one-year basis after the departure of John Hynes.

“Kurt has been a model of professionalism and a great example on and off the ice for all our young men who compete for USA Hockey,” said Scott Monaghan, director of operations for the NTDP. “It was a pleasure to see him win a World Championship in his final game with us and an honor to work with him.”

Kleinendorst spent one season at the NTDP, leading the U.S. National Under-18 Team to a 44-19-2 record during the 2009-10 campaign. Additionally, he guided the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team to its second consecutive gold medal at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Under-18 Championship in Minsk and Bobruisk, Belarus.

A national search for Kleinendorst’s replacement is underway.

Murovich, Crawford sign pro contracts

Saginaw Spirit alumni Tyler Murovich and Nick Crawford have signed professional contacts, with the AHL's Springfield Falcons and the NHL's Buffalo Sabres, respectively.

Murovich (top left) signed an American Hockey League contact with the Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Pittsburgh native joined the Spirit as a free agent in the summer of 2007. He finished fourth in scoring with Saginaw last season with 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points in 54 games. He also made his pro debut with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch in 2009-2010, averaging better than a point per game with two goals and four assists for six points in five games.

Crawford (top right) signed a three-year entry-level contact with the Sabres, the NHL club that drafted him 164th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Caledon, Ont., native tallied 11 goals and 59 assists for 70 points in 68 games last season, including four goals and 17 assists in 19 games with the Spirit before being traded to the Barrie Colts in October. Crawford, who was selected by Saginaw 12th overall in the 2006 OHL Priority Selection, finished second in voting for the league's top defenseman.