Ilya Kovalchuk Showing Great Leadership in Atlanta

Published in Inside Hockey Magazine on November 12, 2009.

ATLANTA – Atlanta Thrashers forward Ilya Kovalchuk is having the kind of season that assures him a place among the  NHL’s most respected leaders, and I’m not just referring to his sizzling eight-game start.

Kovalchuk, who started the season with a NHL league-leading 9 goals in his first 8 games, took a puck in the foot that broke a bone. The injury occurred on October 24th and was expected to sideline the high-flying winger for four-to-six weeks projecting his return in late-November or early December.

This past Tuesday way ahead of schedule, Kovalchuk laced up the skates and joined his teammates for practice. After testing the foot with a full practice, it was first reported he would join his team for a trip to New York for a game Thursday night against the Rangers. That news changed when the stress of the skate caused a flare-up and signified it was best to let him remain at home in Atlanta for more rest.

Atlanta has been a city that is measuring its rain in feet this year and this week was no exception. The skies again opened up compliments of Hurricane Ida causing delays to the Thrashers’ charter flight.

The delayed take-off gave Kovalchuk a little extra time to reassess his injury. He contacted the team, packed up and raced to Atlanta-Hartsfield to take the flight to New York in hopes of playing at MSG.

Kovalchuk is a superstar who clearly has nothing more to prove to the Thrashers organization or any other team in the league. He is one of the most talented players in the world and if he becomes a free agent, teams will be aggressively bidding on his services like a treasured piece at an auction.

A few weeks ago, during one of the talk shows on Atlanta’s 680 The Fan, the hosts were kicking around rumors the Thrashers had offered Kovalchuk a $100 million contract.

True or not, Kovalchuk is guaranteed one of the highest-paid contracts in the league before the puck drops in October 2010, that is certain, yet he took it upon himself to scramble at the last minute and join the team in New York.

How many star players in the NHL and many of the other professional leagues would have taken the week off with pay?

In an earlier interview with the AJC Thrashers beat writer Chris Vivlamore, Kovalchuk said, “It’s tough to watch from upstairs. It’s tough because you can’t help.”

Kovalchuk has a strong desire to win. He has spoken about it many times over the years but when you witness what we have this season, his performance, his expedited rehab of the injury, his actions speak volumes.

Kovalchuk craves to contribute on the ice, there’s clearly a fire lit and along with the talent comes additional great leadership qualities.

People cringe when Kovalchuk drops his gloves to come to the defense of a teammate; that is not his place on the team. Enforcer Eric Boulton and Chris Thorburn normally oblige to opportunities like that; but that is what great captains and leaders sometimes do.

I remember attending a game in Detroit in 1987 when Red Wing captain Steve Yzerman dropped his gloves to come to the aid of his goaltender after Buffalo tough-guy Kevin Maguire leveled the Red Wings goalie. Red Wings enforcer Bob Probert was on the ice but was held off by the linesmen so Yzerman made his way over to Maguire threw ‘em down and went a few rounds.

I do not condone players like Kovalchuk and Yzerman risking injury fighting; their place is on the scoring sheet, but again, great leaders step up at unscripted times throughout their careers.

The Thrashers have a great leader in Kovalchuk. He’s a man with a vision and his leading by example can only benefit this young team.

Whether Kovalchuk skates tonight or not, for unselfish reasons he has shown a burning desire to get back on the ice and lead his team to the next level and bring the NHL Playoffs back to Philips Arena come April 2010. That in itself should be a motivation for the Thrashers in New York tonight.

Quenneville Ducks Accountability During Post-Game

Published at Inside Hockey May ‘09  and posted on “Puck Daddy” Yahoo Sports

CHICAGO – Most of the “Original Six rivalry” and “young vs. old” hype that was orchestrated by the NHL to promote the Detroit/Chicago Western Conference Finals series was laid to rest well before the final seconds mercifully ticked off the clock for Sunday’s Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks Game Four.

Not many teams in professional sports have the depth and resiliency of the Red Wings.

Playing without their Captain Nicklas Lidstrom and two of their Alternate Captains Kris Draper and Pavel Datsyuk, the Red Wings still were able to take the young, inexperienced Blackhawks to school, cake-walking to a lopsided 6-1 win at the United Center in Chicago.

Instead of pointing fingers at his young players and demanding accountability to light a spark before the next game, Coach Joel Quenneville instead showed the same immaturity as his players and took the gutless route of blaming a referee for his team’s lackluster performance.

“Worst call in the history of sports at the end of the second period,” said the mentally-drained coach during his obligatory post-game press conference. “They [the refs] ruined a great hockey game. It was that call. I have never seen anything like it”.

Really. Haven’t seen anything like it?

How about the bad call just 48 hours earlier when a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty was called on Niklas Kronwall after he legally laid out Blackhawk Martin Havlat, knocking him into opening faceoff 2010?

The call on Kronwall affected the game. It handed a five-minute power play to the Blackhawks and sent Kronwall to the locker room early in the game. In case you missed it, the call Quenneville is referring to is a two-minute minor that was called at the end of the period.

It was the play when several players congregated with what the announcers like to refer to as “a little face-washing”. It was the play where Blackhawks star Patrick Kane glided in and speared a Red Wing player in the back, was scolded by a referee but was let off the hook.

I agree that the referees made a mistake; the call should have been on Kane but either way the referees were doing what they need to do in a game where things could explode any minute; they were keeping control of the game and calling it tight. It is Quenneville’s job to know that and to communicate that to his players so they don’t self-implode like we saw on Sunday.

With immature comments like Quenneville made during his post-game press conference, it’s confirms that the Blackhawks organization lacks leadership in the locker room and behind the bench.

Instead of taking part of the blame and demanding accountability from his players, Quenneville offered his youngsters a lame excuse for the loss, a two-minute minor penalty called midway through the game. In addition to accountability, adjustments need to be made between periods and game plans need tweaking throughout a series, things Quenneville has been unable to do and his frustration shows that.

A call may possibly have bearing on the outcome of an evenly-played game like the “too-many men on the ice” penalty that was called in the final minutes of a classic Boston Bruins/Montreal Canadians Finals game during the late 70’s. That game was tied at the time of the call and Montreal scored and went on to win that contest and the series.

This game however was much different then that night in Montreal. This contest was an embarrassing blowout and the ice was tilted towards the Blackhakwks goal from the opening faceoff. Quenneville’s Blackhawks lost because they were dominated, outclassed and outskated by older but wiser legs.

You have to sense ex-Red Wing coach Scotty Bowman hovering over Quenneville and the Blackhawks as they self-destruct during the most crucial time of the season. Bowman, who was behind the Montreal bench in that late 70’s match-up against the Bruins, had a much different style than Quenneville’s.

Bowman demanded accountability from his players and went as far as trading team sniper Dino Ciccarelli and assigning forward Sergei Federov to play defense until he learned to be a two-way player.

The Blackhawks are deservingly the talk of the NHL this year after creating the youngest roster in the league, setting franchise records during the season and carrying that momentum into the playoffs. They defeated the Calgary Flames and upset the #3 seed Vancouver Canucks to advance to the Western Conference Finals against Detroit.

Young rosters can keep a locker room loose but being too wet behind the ears can also have disadvantages like we are seeing in this series.

None of their players, or Coach Quenneville for that matter, were capable of stepping up and calming down the raucous bunch of youths as the team was called for 13 minor penalties (nine of them for roughing) and two players were sent to the showers early–Kris Versteeg (10-minute misconduct) and Ben Eager (two 10-minute misconducts and a game misconduct). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out you cannot give a team like the Red Wings a bunch of power play opportunities and expect to steal another win.

While Lidstrom, Datsyuk and Draper watched from the sidelines, several of the Red Wings stepped up closing the holes they had left in the roster.

Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg each emerged from scoring droughts netting two goals each while Valtteri Filppula, playing in Datsyuk’s spot, scored his 1st of the playoffs and set up both of Hossa’s goals.

At times the game looked reminiscent of the first two games of last year’s Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Like those contests, Detroit glided around the ice at will, uncontested, sharing the puck like a passing drill until someone felt like firing a shot. Their puck control dominance tamed the sold-out United Center crowd and took the fans right out of the game.

Multi-million dollar UFA signee Cristobal Huet started his first playoff game since 2008 and was chased after giving up the fourth Red Wing goal. He was replaced by a kid named Corey Crawford who looks so young, I expected the referees to ask for signed parental permission for him to play in the game.

The first shot the youngster faced beat him clean and rang off two goalposts before he, like Huet, fell victim to the dominate Red Wings. Crawford gave up one goal on 7 shots before being replaced by Huet at the start of the 3rd period.

The Blackhawks looked totally lost throughout the game. From Coach Joel Quenneville looking stunned behind the bench to Patrick Kane (one SOG and 3 giveaways) to their 20-year-old captain Jonathon Toews, the NHL’s youngest captain who wasn’t even born when Red Wing Chris Chelios began playing in the NHL.

Chelios, the Chicago native, saw action Sunday for the first time in this Original Six series skating 6 shifts for 4:37 minutes of ice time. He was greeted with a chorus of boos whenever he touched the puck-a little left-over bitterness for him leaving the Windy City to play for the rival Red Wings a decade ago.

For formality purposes, Game Five will be in Detroit on Wednesday.

In the meantime, let’s hope if there is a Red Wing vs. Penguins rematch, it can live up to whatever hype the NHL creates for it, unlike this Conference Finals dud.

Otherwise NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will be looking at another Stanley Cup Finals beaten in the Neilson Ratings by a cartoon with a guy named Sponge Bob.

Scotty Bowman Exclusive – Fighting and Rule Changes

Previously published in The Examiner and Inside Hockey March 9, 2009.

CHICAGO – Every season there’s talk around the NHL about implementing stricter fight rules to clamp down on some of the game’s excessive violence.

While many fans don’t mind seeing a little bit of blood stain the ice, the buzz about enforcing harsher fight rules has gained unprecedented momentum this year, and is fueled by two serious minor league incidents, one that resulted in death.

Both of the incidents were the result of fighting and in both cases, the players lost their helmets during their altercations.

Don Sanderson, a 21-year-old rookie playing in the OHA, drifted into a coma and died on January 2 after slamming his head on the ice during what looked like a typical hockey fight in a game a few weeks earlier.

Right off the opening face-off of an AHL contest, Garrett Klotz and Kevin Westgarth, both 6-ft 5-in averaging 241 pounds, purposely tossed their helmets aside and went toe-to-toe. Klotz, who got the worst of the long altercation, dropped to the ice and went into a 30-40 second seizure, convulsing after suffering a serious head injury.

With mandatory visor rules in effect in the minor leagues, it is becoming common practice among enforcers in the ECHL and AHL to purposely remove their helmets prior to engaging in fisticuffs and this has many people concerned.

NHL icon Scotty Bowman holds a laundry list of coaching records including 1,244 regular season wins and 9 Stanley Cups and is currently the Senior Advisor for Hockey Operations for the Chicago Black Hawks. Now in his fifth decade in the NHL, he has seen drastic changes over the years and believes it is time to look hard at the situation.

“I think there will be [fight] legislation. Some of these players nowadays are well over 200 lbs, so when the helmets come off that’s the biggest danger I see,” said Bowman.

“In the past I was concerned about players breaking their hands in a fight. Some of these guys now are 6′4″ and 240-250 lbs. We didn’t have that twenty-five years ago. You get guys this size falling on each other without [head] protection, you’re just waiting for a fatality and that is tragic.”

Bowman is no stranger to head injuries. While playing in juniors, he suffered a career-ending head injury and was forced to hang up the skates, “That was from a stick, not a fight. [We] had leather helmets that offered no protection. It would protect you from a cut maybe but not an injury like I had.”

Bowman clearly is opposed to what he refers to as ‘stage fighting’ like in the case of the Klotz/Westgarth bout. Both players were on the ice for one purpose only, to fight and that particular premeditated brawl led to a serious injury.

“It’s hard to stamp [fighting] out but they can curtail the helmets coming off and stop the stage fighting; the fights that start 3 or 4 seconds after the puck is dropped,” Bowman stressed.

NHLPA Director Paul Kelly took that same topic on during a recent interview. “Fights which arise out of the emotion, the spontaneity of the game, is actually a part of our game that should remain,” explained Kelly.

“What I have a real problem with are these staged, pre-arranged fights. Two heavyweights squaring off before a face-off or texting each other leading up to a game. These are the guys who are 6′6″ and 250 lbs. and can, frankly, deliver the most damage. It’s awkward and uncomfortable to watch some of those fights when you’re in an arena.”

Kelly also mentioned the NHL could possibly consider adding a rule mandating players to keep their helmets on during the course of a fight. If a helmet comes off during an altercation, officials could be required to step in and stop it immediately.

When Atlanta Thrasher enforcer Eric Boulton was asked if it is realistic to expect two players in the heat of the battle to suddenly stop throwing punches if a helmet comes off, he was quick to respond, “No it’s absolutely not [realistic]. I don’t like that rule at all,” said Boulton. “I don’t know how you would ever enforce that.”

It’s hard to imagine that players caught up in a high-adrenaline slugfest would be capable of stopping a fight if a helmet came off, but that seems to be the suggestion picking up the most steam. So that presents the question ‘How can you make a rule like that work?’

“They would have to have legislation for that,” Bowman responded. “The penalties have to be so severe that the players will stop fighting and won’t take the chance [of getting disciplined]“.

Boulton elaborated on potential rule changes. “I think there could be a few [new] rules put in place, like not removing the helmet and maybe implementing a rule that you can’t toss a guy [to the ice] in a fight. That’s where an injury can occur with a guy banging his head on the ice.”

Regardless of intense public heat put on the leagues to implement tighter regulations or ban fighting from the sport, don’t expect fighting to completely disappear from the game. Eliminating such a popular and traditional asset of the game would create uproar from the fan base and cause economic strain on the sport.

Like it or not, some fans come out to see the fights. There’s a reason hard-nosed NHL players like Donald Brashear, Riley Cote and Jared Boll are fan favorites.

Bowman was asked how he felt about one-dimensional players who are strictly enforcers. “I think enforcers will become a dying breed in the NHL. The problem I have is guys I call ‘irregular players’ that play less than 5 minutes in a game and they are there [only] to fight”.

Many, including Boulton, believe an unwritten ‘code of ethics’ exists between the fighters in the NHL.

“I would say 99% of the guys are respectable of each other and their jobs,” said Boulton. “We all know it’s a hard job to do and you need to have that respect. I’ve seen a lot of that this year, if a guy goes down [players] not hitting him or if a jersey goes over a head; not hitting him, things like that.”

In the NHL where there are no mandatory visor rules in place, players normally keep their helmets on when they fight unless they agree to remove them for dramatic effect to bring the crowds to their feet.

Those gladiator-type scenarios may soon be over if the NHL gets aggressive and implements sterner rules with disciplinary consequences.

Trading Kovalchuk not the answer for NHL Thrashers

This column published in The Examiner  and Inside Hockey on Dec. 15, 2008

ATLANTA – There has been a buzz around the NHL about the possibility of the Atlanta Thrashers trading their Russian star Ilya Kovalchuk before this year’s trade deadline.

Kovalchuk who scored 52 goals last season is one of a few gifted players in the NHL who has the ability to control the flow of a shift and demands attention every time he steps on the ice. Trading him away would create a huge void, near impossible to fill.

The talented winger currently leads his team in total points (11G-19A-30Pts) and is 19th in the NHL in that category. His closest teammates, Slava Kozlov and Todd White trail far behind, tied at the 50th spot.

One of the Thrashers’ main inconsistencies this season has been their power play where they have tallied a total of 22 goals. Kovalchuk has been involved in 13 of those (2G-11A-13Pts) so imagine how the numbers for the PP would drop without him in the line-up.

There is an obvious need to shake things up on the roster but trading Kovelchuk is not the answer for this roster that is short on talent and experience. A move like that could set back the team’s rebuilding process for years to come.

During last season’s UFA bidding wars, GM Don Waddell’s strong effort to sign some of the top available players came up short when his huge offers to defenseman Brian Campbell and Brian Rolston were turned down and the players opted to play in markets other than Atlanta.

During that same period, Tampa Bay defenseman, Dan Boyle refused to wave his no-trade clause in his contract until he was threatened with being put on waivers and ending up in Atlanta.

The challenge of getting high-caliber players to commit to Blueland has been a difficult chore for Waddell even with Kovalchuk on the roster. Imagine the uphill climb trying to sway players here without the Russian star on the team.

Rebuilding a roster isn’t as easy as placing the highest bid for UFAs each year; it’s not a simple auction. Many of these high profile UFA’s have been joining rosters with a strong nucleus to build around. Brian Campbell and Rolston are perfect examples of that.

Kovalchuk who has spent his entire career at Blueland is clearly the nucleus of this team. Trading away their hugest asset may is not fix this club’s problem, it may add to it.

American Brett Sterling hovering over NHL

Published in USA Hockey Magazine Feb. 2009 edition.

ATLANTA – When you’re only 5-foot-7, it’s easy to fly under the radar. But after an impressive college career and an award-winning rookie season in professional hockey, Brett Sterling is proving that big things can come in small packages.Now, the California native is trying to prove he deserves a regular spot with the Atlanta Thrashers.

A fifth-round pick by the Thrashers in 2003, Sterling has put together a quiet but competent professional career with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. In his first full season in the Windy City, Sterling tallied a league-leading 55 goals, earned AHL rookie-of-the-year honors and a first team All-Star spot.

“I came in my first year and nobody knew who I was,” says Sterling, a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award during his junior season at Colorado College. “Coming in unknown was great, and I was playing with unbelievable players like Jason Krog and Darren Haydar. I had 34 goals in my first 35 games. All of a sudden teams started keying on me and the defense started to tighten up.”

Since taking the AHL by storm, Sterling has been threatening to cross the NHL threshold on a full-time basis. He spent his off-season working out and was committed to bringing himself to camp in the best possible shape.

After leading the Thrashers in scoring this preseason, the high-flying, left winger made the final cut and remained on the roster. Sterling saw action in 13 NHL games with the Thrashers last season and still hopes to build on that.

“I feel a lot more comfortable this year,” says Sterling, who has played in three games so far this season with the Thrashers. “Last year I was jittery, and we had a rough start. That never helps when your team starts out 0-6 and you’re getting shifted around a lot, playing on the right wing with a variety of players.

“I’m a confidence player so the earlier you get scoring like I did my first year in the minors, the better. In the NHL, guys are bigger and stronger and they put up a better fight. It’s a challenge, and I’m ready for it. I thrive on that.”

Sterling’s journey from the sunny beaches of California to the NHL has been an interesting one. His family was first introduced to the sport by his uncle who encouraged Brett’s cousin and older brother to play hockey. He soon followed, donning his first pair of skates at 2 and playing his first season of organized hockey at age 4.

He continued playing both ice and inline hockey in California until he was 16. That’s when he received a great opportunity to play with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“I wanted to go so bad; I actually called my parents to make sure it was OK with them after I already said yes to Ann Arbor,” recalls Sterling. “It was a big step but a great opportunity. You really develop as a player and learn about yourself.”

His experience in Ann Arbor led Sterling to Colorado Springs, where he notched 184 points as a four-year player with the WCHA powerhouse Tigers.

Though small in stature, Sterling is a solid competitor and not timid about going into high-traffic areas to gain a scoring chance.

In a league where it’s common to find 220-pound defensemen standing well over 6-feet tall, Sterling pulls his inspiration from some past NHL stars.

“The guys like Theo Fleury, Paul Kariya, Dino Ciccarelli, I watched them very carefully when I was growing up and tried to emulate them the best I could,” he says. “The NHL game has opened up for smaller guys these days.”

Although he has spent much of the season in Chicago, Sterling is on the fast track to gain a spot on the Thrashers roster. The team continues to rebuild around its young stars under the tutelage of Head Coach John Anderson, who was behind the Wolves’ bench during Sterling’s incredible rookie year in Chicago.

“Last year [and this year] I made the team out of camp, which is awesome,” says Sterling, who hopes to follow his coach from the AHL to Atlanta.

“That team last year struggled, and I struggled along with them. I went back to the AHL but now I’m back this year. I want to prove that I belong [in Atlanta] and want to prove to people I can play here.”

Hollywood Helps NHL Get It’s Mojo Back

Published in San Fran Examiner and Inside Hockey Magazine.

After years of hiding in the shadows of the rival NBA, the NHL is making its way back into the ratings and into Hollywood’s spotlight. Since the Red Wings clinched the finals, the Stanley Cup has made a trip down the red carpet and has appeared on several popular television shows including “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.”

Since the notorious lockout season, there have been many questions surrounding the lack of marketing and publicity for the NHL. Ratings had dipped to historic lows while some national sports commentators grew apathetic to the league and its stars, until this years dream finals match-up between the Red Wings and Penguins.

The rating numbers reported by NBC for the prime time finals indicate the NHL is on the way back and the league has wisely used that momentum to kick their marketing and publicity into high gear. Since the Red Wings returned home with the Cup and completed their photo day, they have gained an onslaught of attention from the national media; publicity has soared.

Players like Chris Osgood and Nicklas Lidstrom are helping to make this happen. Still battered and recuperating from a long season, they accepted the invitation to fly to L.A. for scheduled guest appearances with the Stanley Cup when the call came in from PR director John Hahn.

After their “Sexy Back” dance performance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” we shouldn’t expect Osgood and Lidstrom to make it to “Dancing With the Stars,” but their representing the NHL and Red Wings that night in front of millions of coast-to-coast viewers is exposure the league desperately needs.

While on the same West Coast trip, Osgood and Stanley were again in the spotlight joining some of Hollywood’s stars including Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba and Verne Troyer for a walk down the red carpet at the opening premiere for the hockey-related comedy “The Love Guru.”

Born in Scarborough, Ontario, Myers grew up an avid Maple Leaf fan and getting exposure from the Austin Power’s star can help the NHL “get its mojo back.” In addition to Myers, Hollywood has a long list of celebrities who love the game including producer Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun, Armageddon, Pirates of the Caribbean) and Verne Troyer who portrayed Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies to name a few.

The NHL should take their relationship with Hollywood to the next level and continue to include these stars in their marketing plan. These stars have helped promote other leagues like the NFL and NBA and there is a lot to gain by inviting them to functions put on by the league.

Every year there are stories about the trips the Stanley Cup makes throughout the summer. Tales are about the far away countries visited or the occasional strip club stop. Those journeys do get attention, but that exposure is minimal compared to the exposure that will be gained by this year’s and any future Hollywood trips.

The NBA promotes their relationships with celebrity fans including Jack Nicholson and Ashton Kutcher. If the NHL continues to promote Hollywood with their sport, who might we see sitting on the glass in next year’s Stanley Cup playoffs?

Eighteen-year-old Bogosian Has Sights Set On NHL

Published in The Hockey News 

ATLANTA – As a teen, Zach Bogosian dedicated his summers to taking long road trips across the Canadian border from his hometown Massena, NY to Ottawa to attend vigorous workouts with premiere NHL players like Daniel Alfredsson and Daniel Briere.
 
Ottawa is a three-and-a-half hour round trip from Massena. Bogosian made that trek routinely over three summers, sometimes hitting the road before dawn to make a scheduled skate. The training in Ottawa was much more intense and Massena offered little to no hockey that time of year.
 
Possessing these strong work ethics and born competitive to the core, it’s no surprise the seventeen-year-old American was selected No. 3 overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2008 NHL draft.
 
Bogosian comes from a family of hard hitters with football chromosomes in their blood. His father, Ike, was a safety and captain of the Syracuse University football team and his Uncle Steve played defensive tackle at Army.
 
Too small to play football, Bogosian pursued hockey instead. He enrolled at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass. where NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque was an assistant coach. “That’s when I began taking hockey serious.” said Bogosian.
 
Knowing Bogosian was accustomed to competing against older players his entire life Bourque played the fifteen-year-old recruit against nineteen and twenty-year-olds, some who had attended previous NHL camps.
 
Against the older, more developed competition, Bogosian grinded out 17 points in 36 games. “Bourque taught me to be deceptive with the puck in the offensive zone to throw the forwards off. He also said to learn to play defense first then the offense would come later.”
 
As Bourque suggested, Bogosian mastered his defensive position first, then a few years later, as Bourque had promised, the offensive numbers improved.
 
While honing his skills playing with the Peterborough Petes in the OHL, Bogosian tallied 7 goals and 33 points in 2006-07. The following season he nearly doubled that point total, netting 11 goals and 61 points, becoming the only defensemen in the league to lead his team in scoring. The 6′ 2″, 200 pound hard-hitting blue liner also registered 135 penalty minutes over those same two seasons.
 
Along with the impressive offensive numbers comes a fierce competitor capable of playing with a mean streak. Watching him compete and battle on the ice, it’s no surprise his favorite movie is “Gladiator”.
 
When asked what player he wants to model his style after he responded, “Chris Chelios was always my favorite player. He’s a warrior and a leader. He’ll do anything it takes to win.”
 
Bogosian has adopted that same attitude about winning and has said he will do whatever is necessary to crack the Thrashers lineup this upcoming preseason. He began his quest by being a standout during last month’s NHL Thrashers Prospect Camp, dominating during many of the scrimmages while showing his ability to get physical at times. After that stellar performance, many expect him to be in uniform on opening night at Philips Arena in Atlanta on Oct. 10.
 
This off season, it was imperative for the Thrashers to address their need for defensemen after finishing worst in the league with a 3.24 GAA. In addition to drafting Bogosian, GM Don Waddell signed UFA defenseman Ron Hainsey to a multi-year deal.
 
Bogosian’s offensive-minded style is a perfect fit for new Thrashers coach, John Anderson. Anderson wants his defensemen to be aggressive with the puck and loves the style of play his young rookie brings to the Thrashers. “If there’s a lane open, he can take it. It’s up to the forward to drop back and cover.”
 
Never apprehensive about going to the net with the puck, Bogosian is a puck-carrying defenseman who can showcase his offensive attributes on an Anderson team. “I’m a defenseman so I need to take care of my own zone first. Then throw offense in.”
 
Although most young draft picks take years to develop before making a roster in the NHL, GM Don Waddell confirmed in an earlier interview that the Thrashers are giving Bogosian an open chance to make the team in 2008.
 
Bogosian’s journey from the small town of Massena to Atlanta, a city five million people strong, has been one full of challenges and commitments. The young prospect appears to be in position to snag a spot on the Thrashers roster many feel is in desperate need of new blood and new leaders.

Another Esposito In The NHL?

Published in The Hockey News 

ATLANTA – IN THE 1970′S, Esposito was a household name in Canada and the United States, the name made famous by two NHL legends who loved the game of hockey.

We remember ten-time All-Star Phil Esposito as a record-setting, Hall of Fame player who rewrote the record books in the NHL during the peak of his career. Phil became the first NHL player to break the 100 point barrier in a season when he beat the number by a landslide, tallying 126 points in 1969. Later he would score a record-shattering 76 goals during the 1970-71 season.

Phil’s brother, Tony Esposito, a Hall of Fame goaltender, took home the Vezina Trophy three times, was a five-time All-Star and has a resume overflowing with accomplishments of his own.

Decades later, another Esposito is emerging, hovering over the NHL, pursuing the opportunity to make a name for himself.

As a five-year-old attending kindergarten, Angelo Esposito was asked a question by his teacher, a question he continues to hear as he pursues his dream of playing in the NHL. “It’s probably the most common question I get in interviews and that question goes way back to when my kindergarten teacher asked if I was related to Phil and Tony Esposito. I told her I have uncles named Phil and Tony. She asked for their autographs and I said, ‘Sure, I’ll get you their autographs.’”

Young Angelo was thrilled and ran home to tell his parents that his teacher gave him the assignment to get Uncle Phil and Uncle Tony’s autograph. “When I got home my Mom sat me down and explained there was a famous Phil and Tony Esposito who played hockey in the NHL but we were not related to them.” he said with a laugh.

Although they are not related, Angelo and Phil have several similarities. The two happen to share the same birth date, Feb. 20, wear No. 7 and as teens possessed offensive skills that demanded attention from the NHL.

At age 16, while playing as a rookie for the Quebec Remparts during the 2005-06 season, Angelo tallied 39 goals and 98 points in 57 games. He went on to win the Michel Bergeron Trophy for offensive rookie of the year, the same award won by Sidney Crosby two years earlier. That performance shot him straight to the top where he was suddenly projected as the future No. 1 pick overall.

Over the next two seasons with the Remparts, his numbers dropped off along with the ultra-high expectations. When his time of eligibility arrived in 2007, Angelo was chosen 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins then was later traded to the Atlanta Thrashers as part of a package in the deal that sent Marian Hossa to the Pens at the trade deadline in 2008.

After surviving a pressure-filled journey over the past few years, the 19 year-old hockey star from Montreal seems determined to make a name for himself in the NHL.

No longer feeling pressure from the high expectations in 2006, Angelo arrived at this year’s NHL Prospect Camp in Atlanta with a clear mind and appeared focused and on a mission. “I couldn’t be happier than the situation I’m in right now. I’m here to work hard and earn my spot.”

In an earlier interview first year coach Anderson shared some of the suggestions he made to Esposito leading into the camp, “I told him the slate’s clean here . . . let your hockey do the talking.”

Angelo did just that. Watching the young center fly around the ice turning defenders inside out with moves a player can only be born with, he made a great impression on new coach John Anderson and GM Don Waddell.

Waddell was impressed enough that he signed Angelo to a multi-year contract on July 18, bringing the player one step closer to playing in the NHL.

When asked about coming to the Thrashers and the opportunities it presents, he is very optimistic. “Before the camp, Coach Anderson sat me down and made sure I had cleared my head and would relax and play my game. It’s a team that’s rebuilding, there’s a new coach behind the bench. I’m excited. It presents a great opportunity for me.”

Most would agree there is a great opportunity for Esposito in Blueland. The Thrashers have a roster full of young, developing talent that is expected to include their No. 3 pick overall in this years draft, 18 year-old Zach Bogosian. GM Don Waddell confirmed in an interview that Bogosian will be given an open chance to make the team.

Seeing Esposito and Bogosian, two future NHLers dominate at times during the Prospect Camp makes you expect both youngsters to make the roster at some point this upcoming season.

If he does make the cut, the young star from Montreal will have fullfilled his dream of making it to the NHL and may bring new fame to the “Esposito” name.

Russian League May Create Headlines During NHL Free Agency

Previously published on Inside Hockey on June 27, 2008.

Major headlines may be created during the 2008 NHL free agency period that begins on July 1st. This year’s bidding wars may provide a few shockers and generate more frequent flier miles than ever before if some of the NHL’s elite players find it too hard to resist lucrative offers that are expected to be placed on the table by the newly-formed Russian hockey league.

Although the salary cap has been increased to $56.7 million dollars, a player may earn up to $11.34 million per year and revamping rosters is sometimes the only option available to make room for those kinds of numbers.

The $11.34 million dollar per year maximum annual NHL salary helps to explain the reported $12 million per year deals that are being presented to players like Evgeni Malkin and Jaromir Jagr from the Russian league. With the Russian league getting involved, we should expect some of the NHL GMs to come out of the gate with aggressive offers to some of the bigger name players.

Although the NHL is shrugging off the threat of losing some of it’s players to Russia, they should look back into the history books of the WHA when in 1972 the new league signed star NHL players like Bobby Hull and Bernie Parent then later added Gerry Cheevers, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky to their rosters.

A few weeks ago it was reported that Malkin was offered $12 million per year for a long-term deal and more recently TSN in Canada reported that Jagr will receive an offer in the neighborhood of $35 million over 3 years to play for Omsk of the Russian league.

Players like Jaromir Jagr, Marian Hossa, Brian Rolston, Mats Sundin and Brian Campbell head up this years all-star list that also includes role players Ryan Malone, Sean Avery and Brooks Orpik and goaltenders José Théodore and Marc-Andre Fleury.

In an aggressive move just days before free agency, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired the negotiating rights to Malone and Gary Roberts for a fourth round pick and have signed them since then. Malone signed a seven-year deal worth $31.5 million, and Roberts inked a one-year deal reportedly worth between $1.5 and $2 million. Barry Melrose, the new Lightning coach, has always had a passion for hard-nosed players like Malone and Roberts and the Lightning were determined to enhance their roster before free agency began.

The player most anxiously awaiting free agency may be Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mark Streit, who is expected to be rewarded after last year’s break-out season. Including the several years he played in Switzerland, the puck-carrying blue-liner is coming off the most productive season of his career, scoring 13 goals and adding 49 assists for 62 points. Streit placed third overall in scoring for defensemen, tied with Campbell, behind only Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Gonchar. Streit earned $600,000 for last season and is sure to see those numbers at least quadruple in size.

As usual, expect major changes with the New York Rangers’ roster. Jagr who reportedly received a $35 million dollar offer for three years from Russia is certain to get an astronomical offer from some NHL teams. Sean Avery is expected to move and Brendan Shanahan has not been offered a contract yet.

On this much anticipated day of the year, while Americans prepare for their Fourth of July vacations and Canadians celebrate their national holiday, Canada Day, agent’s phones may be ringing off the hook… with incoming calls from far-away places… maybe as far away as Moscow.

Tom Ferda is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and full-time columnist for Inside Hockey. Contact Tom at email: tferda@insidehockey.com or his website: www.tomferda.com

Thrashers Roster Has Huge Void To Fill

Published in Inside Hockey and San Fran Examiner.

ATLANTA – It seems like an eternity ago when the Atlanta Thrashers’ roster was overflowing with high-profile, star-caliber players, won the Southeast Division and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Philips Arena was rocking with wall-to-wall fans in blue with dreams of their team orchestrating a long playoff run . . . a run that could possibly lead to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals.

It may feel like distant history but that was actually April 2007, only fifteen months ago and that dream ended abruptly when that star-studded roster was easily swept by the New York Rangers 4-0.

Just like that, four games and out! Barely a week into the playoffs and the high-salaried, underachievers from Blueland had an early exit onto the golf course.  

GM Don Waddell carefully built that roster around proven veterans with tons of playoff experience and leaders who had been on Stanley Cup winning teams. The main acquisitions were Bobby Holik who signed for 4.25 million per year and Marian Hossa, one of the brightest NHL stars, who went on to tally a club record 100 points that season.

In addition to Holik and Hossa, Ilya Kovalchuk, Slava Kozlov, Alexei Zhitnik, Keith Tkachuk and captain Scott Melanby wore Thrashers blue that year but a lot has changed in Blueland since then.

After under-achieving again last season and unable to make the playoffs, this year’s 2008-2009 roster is looking quite different. When the Thrashers take the ice at Phillips Arena this October, all the above-mentioned stars have exited through trades or free agency except for Kovalchuk and Kozlov.

Last year’s Thrashers Mark Recchi and Pascal Dupuis have also moved on and fan-favorite Eric Boulton (127 PIM) is currently testing the free agent market. The only transaction worthy of mentioning this off-season thus far is the signing of Columbus Blue Jackets puck-carrying defenseman, Ron Hainsey.

Hainsey, a former first-round pick is expected to add much needed help on the blue line but this current roster is packed with young and lesser-known players than the team that won the division in ‘07. A successful year depends on some of these prospects having break-out seasons and that is too big a gamble.

There is talent on this roster but much of it is still developing and the locker room is in need of established leaders. That is why Waddell made an aggressive attempt to sign premiere veteran free agents like Brian Campbell and Brian Rolston before they decided to sign in NHL cities where it snows several times a year.

Approximately 60 goals departed with Hossa, Dupuis and Holik and in today’s low-scoring NHL that’s a huge void to fill . . . rather than void, you may call it an abyss if the Thrashers are unable to land a few proven goal scorers.

Kovalchuk is one of the most talented players in the league but he will be forced to carry a majority of the load, game in and game out, and with a grueling 82 game schedule, it may wear him down to the point of inefficiency.

With this current roster, an injury sidelining Kovalchuk could put an immediate end to any hopes of the Thrashers having a productive season. Successful teams are built with a combination of youth and experience. Waddell had the right idea with the roster of the ’06-’07 season but the chemistry was missing, maybe due to coaching or not having the right foundation of players in place.

Time is running out as many of the quality free agents have signed elsewhere but there is still plenty of talent out there looking for new contracts. These remaining players may be available at a more affordable price allowing Waddell to add a handful of players to the roster as opposed to spending the bank on a single UFA like Campbell or Rolston.

Either way the Thrashers organization desperately needs to make a few moves to spice up their current roster and they need to make them soon. Working against them may be Atlanta being perceived as one of the least desirable places to play in the NHL.

The Lightning’s Dan Boyle who loved it in Tampa finally agreed to waive his “no trade clause” when he was threatened with being placed on waivers and landing on the Thrashers. He was then traded to the San Jose Sharks.

With a new man behind the bench, John Anderson, who has never coached at the NHL level, it may be more challenging to get established veterans to commit.

Atlanta as a city and organization have a lot to offer NHL players, including money, and Waddell has proven he is not afraid to spend it but the clock is ticking fast. It’s time to sign a few veterans who can put the puck in the net . . . and that group should include a leader . . . a leader capable of donning the Thrashers “C”. 

Tom Ferda is an Atlanta-based sportswriter and full-time columnist for Inside Hockey. Contact Tom at his email: tom@tomferda.com

Next Page »