by Ryan Kennedy - December 19, 2008 12:25 PM EST
Joel Ward went from the OHL, to the WCHL, to the CIS, before getting a shot in the AHL. Now he is a first-liner in small-market Nashville.
There are approximately 700 on-ice jobs in the NHL at any given time; it’s not exactly an easy gig to get.
So if you’re watching the Nashville Predators this season and see an unfamiliar face on the top line riding shotgun with Jason Arnott and J-P Dumont, don’t think of him as an overnight success.
by Ryan Kennedy - December 12, 2008 2:28 PM EST
Washington's AHL farm team, the Hershey Bears, took home a league title in '06, giving the big club plenty of experience and skill.
Of all the statistics out there, games played is the most important – just ask Simon Gagne and Patrice Bergeron how they felt about last season.
by Ryan Kennedy - December 5, 2008 1:49 PM EST
Getting an autograph from a hero should be a personal experience, but more and more the meaning is being lost.
By and large, hockey players are seen as some of the most humble and accommodating professional athletes around, which is why it’s so awkward to see some of the game’s stars getting snared in uncomfortable business deals lately.
by Ryan Kennedy - November 28, 2008 2:10 PM EST
The Flyers have some new faces in the lineup and a swagger that is sure to put the fear in any opponent come playoff time.
Pretty much since the beginning of the franchise’s creation, the Philadelphia Flyers were a team opposing squads didn’t want to face.
by Ryan Kennedy - November 21, 2008 3:20 PM EST
Some teams seem to take the captaincy role lightly, while others smartly use it to its full potential.
The men that wear the ‘C’ have been on my mind for a couple reasons lately, the first of which being that there seem to be fewer of them these days.
by Ryan Kennedy - November 14, 2008 2:55 PM EST
Speaking at a conference in Toronto, both Paul Kelly and Gary Bettman made statements best categorized as head-scratchers.
Earlier this week I attended the Prime Time Sports Management Conference in Toronto, hosted by now ex-Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke (he was house-hunting.
by Ryan Kennedy - November 7, 2008 11:43 AM EST
The ‘05 second round NHL pick has battled substance abuse and had run-ins with the law, but now his comeback begins.
No points and a minus-2 rating usually isn’t something to write home about, but for Elmira Jackals defenseman Nate Hagemo, there’s another stat that’s much sweeter: four games played.
by Ryan Kennedy - October 31, 2008 11:33 AM EDT
The Texas Tech hockey program almost ended up without a home after butting heads with city council in Lubbock.
The Texas Tech University Red Raiders always battle when they take to the ice, but it was a serious donnybrook at Lubbock City Hall that allowed them to keep their dreams alive this season.
by Ryan Kennedy - October 24, 2008 1:30 PM EDT
Michigan’s Steve Kampfer was involved in an altercation with another Wolverine that ended the defenseman’s season.
How many years do hockey players dedicate to get where they are? You have to assume by the time they've gotten to major junior or the NCAA, the amount of days sacrificing and putting in all those extra hours must be approaching nearly half a player's life, or at least one-third of it.
by Ryan Kennedy - October 17, 2008 2:55 PM EDT
With the hockey equipment industry shrinking and a threat of a recession very real, initiatives to keep kids playing must be key.
The hockey industry has unfortunately been a forerunner in a very dubious category lately – economic downturns.
While global finances, especially in the United States, have taken a beating lately, the manufacturers of hockey equipment have been faced with similar stark realities for even longer.
by Ryan Kennedy - October 10, 2008 2:17 PM EDT
The Sharks and Stars have used a plethora of goalkeeper prospects to improve their clubs from top to bottom.
Without a doubt, the cornerstone of a successful NHL franchise is goaltending. But it’s not enough to simply have one solid netminder and hope he can carry your team for a full regular season schedule as well as a long playoff grind.
by Ryan Kennedy - October 3, 2008 2:35 PM EDT
In talk of where the NHL should expand or move to, no one mentions Seattle, though their fans are wild, diverse and in need of a pro sports franchise.
I love to see hockey thrive in different places. There are people who claim only cold-weather climates should host franchises, but the amount of elite prospects coming out of California these days – not to mention Texas, Florida and even Georgia – proves how beneficial a footprint can be in the long run.
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What jersey will John Tavares be wearing at the end of this season?
"There's no greater honor, no greater feeling than standing on that blueline with your teammates representing this country. I'll remember this the rest of my life."
- Canada's John Tavares after winning the country's fifth straight World Junior Championship gold medal.
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