Heat, Horak Best Marlies 4-2, Top AHL

  The Abbotsford Heat hosted the Toronto Marlies on Friday night in Abbotsford, B.C. for the second consecutive night. After embarrassing the Marlies last night in a 3-0 win which saw Abbotsford set a franchise record two goals in three seconds, the local heroes didn’t disappoint in the second of the back-to-back divisional rivals’ weekend series.

  Roman Horak continued his dominance in the early season with a natural hat-trick, claiming three of the four goals scored by his club. Horak accomplished this feat in front of 4,655 fans on a night in which the team set a franchise record with 1,202 tickets sold on game day. Abbotsford took the game with a final score of 4-2.

  With the win, The Heat have moved into the top spot in the American Hockey League, even in points with division rivals Lake Erie Monsters, and one point ahead of the Rochester Americans. The North Division has proven to be one of the toughest divisions in the league thus far. The Toronto Marlies have been on the back foot of this division, and claim last place in the division with the two straight losses in Abbotsford.

  The Marlies, who fall to last place in the North division with the loss, got off to a desperate start. Spencer Abbott got the Marlies going early as he netted his first of the season and first career AHL goal at 2:32. With just three seconds remaining in the first period, Roman Horak began his natural hat-trick on a clever tip-in redirected shot from defenseman Steve McCarthy.

  Ben Walter and Sven Baertschi each earned two assists in the game, assisting each of Horak’s next two goals. Horak buried a rebound as he was planted firmly in front of the net early in the second period at 1:03, and in a mad scramble rebound situation wristed the puck past Marlies goaltender Mark Owuya just over five minutes later to finish the trick.

 After assisting Horak's first goal and fighting Greg Scott at 10:46 of the 2nd period, Quinton Laing recorded a ‘Gordie Howe Hat-Trick” as he tallied the last goal of the game at 8:58 of the third period, solidifying the Abbotsford lead.

  Heat goaltender Leland Irving stopped 25 of 27 shots for his first victory of the season as he stood tall against the Marlies repeated attempts to take down the Heat, who were out-shot 27-19.

  Having scored his first AHL natural hat-trick in front of a packed house, 21 year-old Czech forward Roman Horak also takes the lead in goals scored in the American Hockey League with 10 in 9 games. Horak, drafted 127th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers leads his team in points with 11, and is 4th overall in the AHL in points – just two behind league leader Justin Schultz.

  Horak spent 14 games with the Heat last season where he tallied 2 goals and 4 points, but quickly made the jump to the Calgary Flames for his NHL debut where he contended in 61 games and finished the season with 3 goals and 11 points. Horak was destined for a spot on the Flames’ roster again this season, but has instead found himself back in Abbotsford due to the NHL lockout. Roman is currently on a seven-game points-scoring streak, and is looking more like a top tier prospect than originally intended.

  Horak was acquired from the New York Rangers after Tim Erixon, the Flames’ 2009 NHL Entry Draft Choice 104 picks before Horak was selected, failed to sign with the club. Calgary subsequently sent Erixon to the Rangers along with a 4th round pick and received two 2nd round picks and, of course, Roman Horak. Roman had spent two seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins of the WHL, where he amassed 47 goals and 125 points in 130 games, but had lost some of his flair prior to the draft. Horak seemed to struggle somewhat off the ice having moved freshly from the Czech Republic, but is finally starting to hit his stride as a player in professional North American Hockey.

  Now that Horak has some North American professional experience under his belt, his natural goal scoring and offensive skill sets are starting to shine. He is now over a year’s experienced in a league of men.

“He’s definitely finding the net, and it’s great because there are very few people in the game of hockey that would ever find a streak like this,” Head Coach Troy Ward said. “We just sit back and enjoy it. And we’re really happy for Roman, because I think it’s really important to him to continue to try to establish himself where he wants to be looked at in the game - and that’s a top-six forward.”

  Roman Horak is a real threat to the scoring title chase in the American Hockey League, but the scoring title certainly plays second fiddle to the ability to regularly make the NHL roster of the Calgary Flames. Until then, Roman leads the way.

  With the league lead in hand, the Abbotsford Heat will begin to defend their position against the much talked about Oklahoma City Barons on Friday night, as Horak will most definitely be matched up against the current league leader in points, Justin Schultz.

- Kendall Grubbs

Classic Canned

  Friday brought the dreaded news that the hockey world has expected to hear when the NHL officially canceled the 2013 NHL Winter Classic.

"The logistical demands for staging events of this magnitude made today's decision unavoidable. We simply are out of time," said NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly. "We are extremely disappointed, for our fans and for all those affected, to have to cancel the Winter Classic and Hockeytown Winter Festival events."

  The news came as no surprise, as the league was expected to pay its’ first installment of the $3 million dollar rental fee to the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Friday November 2nd, a $250,000 first installment of a total five in a payment plan set up by the two parties in the original contract.

“This is an unfortunate announcement but one that looked imminent given the current labor situation between the NHL and its players,” said Dave Brandon, athletic director at the University of Michigan. “We knew this was a possibility but we stayed prepared in the event the labor dispute would get resolved."

“Our relationship with the NHL has been terrific. Both parties have a mutual interest in making the Winter Classic a successful and historical event. We are glad they committed to bring the next game to the Big House, matching the Red Wings and Maple Leafs.”

  With the NHL already having canceled the regular season through the end of November in this year’s labor dispute, a total of 327 games have been lost – %26.5 of the regular season. With no clear end in sight as the two sides, the NHL and NHLPA, are on opposite ends of the river in negotiations. When the last collective bargaining agreement offer was rejected by the Players Association, and the NHL dismissed three counter-proposals by the NHLPA after just ten minutes, the NHL snubbed out any further discussion between the two parties. That was when the fear of a canceled Classic became a palpable reality. In the agreement between the NHL and Michigan University, the ‘work stoppage clause’ allowed for the NHL to cancel the Classic no later than Friday for a penalty of the deposit for the rental of the facility.

"The NHL's decision to cancel the 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is unnecessary and unfortunate, as was the owners' implementation of the lockout itself," said NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr in a statement. "The fact that the season has not started is a result of a unilateral decision by the owners; the players have always been ready to play while continuing to negotiate in good faith. We look forward to the league's return to the bargaining table, so that the parties can find a way to end the lockout at the earliest possible date, and get the game back on the ice for the fans."

  The NHL only faces the $100,000 penalty to the University of Michigan for cancellation of the Classic, the fee that was paid up front as a deposit. The revenue lost in the 326 regular season games of play through the lockout comes at the price of a $720 million loss, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly estimates. The Winter Classic generates an unrivaled amount of attention to this great sport through this annual venue, including the HBO series 24/7 in the lead up to the event.

  Brian Cooper, CEO of S&E Sponsorship Group, estimated that the event, by far the largest in NHL history, was poised to generate in upwards of $3 million in corporate sponsorships, not including ticket and merchandising sales. Cooper also revealed his insight on the importance to the Canadian markets, given the fact that a Canadian franchise has been invited to the Winter Classic, something that the hockey crazed nation has been surprisingly left out of outside of its’ Heritage Classic appearance in 2003 between the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens, and 2011 in Calgary with the Flames hosting the Candiens once more.

"This is the first year that it really affects Canada," said Cooper. "There was going to be a lot of in-market (sponsorship) activations, there were going to be a lot of hosting opportunities, there were going to be consumer promotions. ...

"This was a big date."

  This year’s Classic was set to break records for the National Hockey League as two of the NHL’s most storied franchises in the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs were to play in front of the largest audience an NHL game has ever seen. The NHL has expected to eclipse the record attendance of the 2010 NCAA “Big Chill” match-up at the University of Michigan which saw 104,173 fans. The cancellation also is extend to the alumni, junior, college and American Hockey Leagues games that were scheduled for a second outdoor venue, the SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival events between Dec. 16-31  at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.

"It's sad," Red Wings defenseman Ian White said. "I was really looking forward to playing in that game. I've been looking forward to it since they announced it. I know everyone probably was in the state of Michigan. We were thrilled to have it. It would have been a great event."

Red Wings veteran forward Todd Bertuzzi echoed his teammate’s dejection, calling the decision, "very disappointing. I think the whole thing is tough for everyone. But this was a focal point for our team and for Toronto, and for our fans."

"I know that my kid's team was playing, too, at Comerica, and then you had the alumni game, which was going to be superb with the amount of talent that both teams had," Bertuzzi said. "I think it's a big loss.” Bertuzzi, who was not on the Red Wings roster in 2009, missed the last Winter Classic that his team was a part of when they won at Wrigley Field against division rivals Chicago Blackhawks. "I've always wanted to play in one," he said. "I'd love the experience. In talking with all the guys when they played in Chicago, they said it was an outstanding atmosphere."

  The ones that are really hurt through the NHL and NHLPA’s inability to come to terms for the start of the regular season are without question the fans. The NHL released a statement the same day in regards to the fans that had planned to attend with a full refund. The fan has the option to either receive a full refund, or to keep their ticket and have it applied to the next Winter Classic, which will be held at the same venue with the same two clubs once the new collective bargaining agreement is settled. Though the same game will be on for 2014, the disappointment is very strong throughout.

"For them to cancel it, it's extremely disappointing. It was going to be a great event, I mean, with the stuff that was going to be happening down in Comerica Park, and then our game at the Big House, I think it was going to be the grandaddy of the Winter Classics.” Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard said, “I know all my family and friends were very much looking forward to it," Howard continued. "So it stinks that it's going to get postponed."

  What the NHL cannot compensate, is the time pined away for by the fans planning to travel to what was dubbed as the largest event of its’ kind in the Winter Classic’s six-year history. The NHL has lost revenue through its’ decision to cancel over the first quarter of the regular season, and has lost once again, as the cities of Ann Arbor and Detroit were expected to see a mass of an estimated 400,000 fans. The loss also extends to the cities whom intended to host the two events, in an area that economically needs a boost even more than the NHL fan needs hockey.

  So, with the decision made, it’s better luck next year to the state of Michigan and the state of NHL hockey as a whole. Now we’ll wait and see how much, if anything, can be salvaged from this unfortunate start of the hockey year.

- Kendall Grubbs

Burning Down the House

  The Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League lost to the Kelowna Rockets in last night’s match up in Kelowna as the Blazers were shut out 3-0 in regulation. It’s anything but down in the dumps for the Blazers, as it was the first regulation loss in 18 games – a loss that broke a franchise record of 14 straight victories. The winning streak breaks the previous record of 13, which was accomplished in both 1986-87 and 1989-90.

  The goal differential during their 16-1-1 record this season is equally impressive at 81 goals-for, and 41 goals-against.  As they head into their 19th game of the year tonight, this time back at home against the Prince George Cougars who sit 8th in the Eastern Conference, the Blazers are looking to get back to their winning ways.

  Heading this dynamic team are four particular forwards who are not only leading their team to unrivaled success, but they’re also leading the league with staggering numbers. The Blazers hold the top three positions in the 2012-13 scoring title chase, while the fourth member high in the rankings sits currently in 8th overall – in a three-way tie for sixth. Two of th Blazers, Colin Smith and JC Lipon, have been selected to represent Team WHL in the Subway Super Series on November 14th and 15th in Vancouver and Victoria against Team Russia.

  At this point, 19 year-old J.C. Lipon leads the WHL in points with 40, while 19 year-old Colin Smith sits 2nd with 39, 18 year-old Tim Bozon is 3rd with 31 points, and 20 year-old Brendan Ranford is 8th (tied for 6th) with 23 points.

  19 year-old J.C. Lipon, native of Regina, SK, is having the time of his life in his fourth year for the Blazers. In 18 games, Lipon has scored 16 goals and 24 assists for a league leading 40 points. In less than a quarter of the games he appeared in last season, he sits just 25 points behind his personal record-best year.

  As tribute to the outstanding start for the young winger, the WHL has recognized and dubbed him as the ‘Player of the Month.” While all of his points were through the first 17 games, he had at the time been on the second longest points scoring streak, behind only his teammate Colin Smith who finished at 14 straight games having scored points. Lipon, prior to last night’s loss, had also maintained a +17 rating, but has dropped one in this category heading into tonight’s game. Four times has Lipon been named the first star of the game out of a total eight ‘three star’ appearances. For the week ending on October 7th and 14th, he was named the WHL and CHL Player of the Week, while this is Lipon’s first WHL Player of the Month Award.

"He's now taking his game to another level. JC is a hard-working and dedicated individual. I don't think he ever expected this to happen…to be the face of junior hockey at this point, but it's a credit to him." Kamloops Blazers Head Coach Guy Charron said, having nothing but praise for his winger.

  Lipon’s style of play is not just that of a scoring forward, but a forward determined to play hard along the boards and fight for every inch to make scoring chances happen.

“I have lots of little things to touch up on,” Lipon noted. “A big thing is consistency, playing good hockey in the defensive zone and just to keep getting better at everything.”

“Playing good in the defensive zone allows offensive chances to come.”

  Incredibly, Lipon has gone undrafted since his debut with the Blazers in the 2009-10 season. In fact, Lipon was even passed up in the WHL Bantam Draft. That, most assuredly will change if he continues to display such offensive excellence. Lipon has led his team to the top, and along with his teammates seems unstoppable at this point.

“Everything is just coming together,” Lipon said when asked of his team’s success. “We have a lot of experience, lots of character in the room, [and the] young guys, especially on the back-end, are really buying in.”

  Lipon’s failure to be drafted by this juncture is never the less going to be a thing of the past. Having admittedly based his game around that of T.J. Oshie, he has shown the ability to dig tirelessly to retrieve the puck from his opponent in the offensive zone, and has distributed and placed it with flying colors game after game. It is quite obvious that Lipon has found his niche.

“I just wasn’t ready at the right times I guess. There are always some late bloomers out there,” Lipon told Hockey’s Future. “I never really had any doubts, but there were some things I couldn’t control. When coaches did give me opportunities, I just went for it.”

  Lipon may have already had a contract at this point, as he was invited to fellow teammate Collin Smith’s NHL affiliate’s training camp, the Colorado Avalanche, but his chance was stymied by the NHL lockout.

  His dominance is only rivaled by one other thus far, his teammate Colin Smith.

  Smith, who was drafted 192nd overall in the 7th round by the Colorado Avalance in the 2012NHL Entry Draft sits just one single point behind the WHL’s league leading Lipon. The Blazers selected Smith in the 1st round – 7th overall in the 2008 WHL Draft, and in 218 games with the club he has recorded 74 goals and 128 assists.

  In the week ending on October 22nd, Smith earned his fair praise from the WHL as well, as he earned the WHL ‘Player of the Week’ recognition. The 2010-11 WHL  Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year) Award winner is also in his fourth (complete) season with the Blazers, and has tallied 13 goals and 26 assists through 18 games of play.

  Smith, though at a relatively small frame of 5’11 and 175lbs. may just be a diamond in the rough type of find for the ever improving and extremely young Colorado Avalanche group in the future. Smith finished second to teammate Brendan Ranford on the team in points last season where he posted an impressive 35 goals and 85 points, and is proving that he only intends to move up.

  The third man on the dynamic top line that is offensively blowing the WHL away is 18 year-old Tim Bozon. Bozon finished third on the Blazers’ scoring list last season with 36 goals and 71 points, and is currently third in the WHL with 14 goals and 31 points. He was selected by Kamloops 27th overall  in the first round of the 2011 CHL Import Draft.

  Bozon was selected 64th overall in the 3rd round by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the highest pick of the four Blazers’ stars, and has carried with him from his play in homeland Switzerland the offensive skill sets to carry him to the top. His quick release and ability to elude defenders has put him in the position of the top line, and will continue to grow in only his second season with the Blazers.

  Brendan Ranford, who led his team last season with 40 goals and 92 points, may be behind this top line of point-producing mayhem, but is poised to keep on track having gotten off to a great start himself. So far this season Ranford has netted 7 goals and 23 points, and is helping to round out the Blazers’ complete offensive package.

  Ranford heads into his fifth full year with Kamloops, and is itching to make the jump to the next level. Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 7th round (209th overall) in 2010, Ranford was returned to the Blazers where ever since he has totaled 294 regular season games, notching 122 goals and 293 points.

  The Blazers are the most exciting team in the WHL at this point, and with this offensive power house rounded out by the four aforementioned forwards, the Blazers are in a prime position to clinch the CHL Memorial Cup Championship title since the back-to-back championships of 1994 and 1995. The Blazers are the team to watch, and the duel amongst its’ young offensive core through the rest of the year will be a delight. Lipon will be signed, and the question on everyone’s mind throughout the CHL and NHL respectively is where he will in fact play one day.

- Kendall Grubbs

Aeros' Rookies Shining Bright

  Having missed the playoffs for four consecutive years, the Minnesota Wild are starting to pick their heads up. Off-season mega acquisitions took the headlines with the signings of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, but it’s the little things that count, such as the talent pool of first round picks buried in the American Hockey League that are really the shining star in the near future of the Minnesota Wild.

  Mikael Granlund's two assists and plus/minus +3 rating in last Saturday's 4-0 blowout of the Milwaukee Admirals helped push him to the top of the charts in the hearts and minds of the American Hockey League's much wider following through its' first full month of play in the 2012-13 season.

  Granlud, labeled  'Rookie of the Month' by the AHL, is in a seven-way tie for fifth most points through the season thus far, having notched 3 goals and 10 points through 7 games of play with a very impressive plus/minus +6 rating. The 20 year-old Finn leads his Houston Aeros team in points, shots on goal, and plus/minus. Though being held scoreless in his debut on October 13th, he would proceed to string together a six game points scoring streak.

  Drafted in the first round, 9th overall, by the Minnesota Wild in 2010, Granlund is showing his ability as quick as the club had predicted in a much stronger league than it normally would have been due to the NHL lockout. The Wild would have been poised to break out their Finnish stud at the beginning of the NHL season which has yet to come to fruition. Though the deal took a bit longer than the Minnesota Wild would have preferred, Granlund was signed to a three-year entry-level contract on May 25t with a baseline salary on $900,000 per-year. The deal, however, has bonuses with plenty of performance bonuses, leaving him the potential for $2.1 million per season. Not bad, but with a reputation like Granlund’s in Finland, there had to be some incentive to persuade him to finally come to North America.

  Granlund presents a superlative playmaking and puck-handling upside, which has been shown previously in his play in Finland.

  His last three seasons have been spent with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League and has represented his country numerous times in World Junior Championships. In 2010-11 Granlund missed the 2011 U20 World Junior Championship due to a concussion, but played for Finland's men’s national team scoring 2 goals and 9 points giving Finland its’ first world title since 1995.In 2011-12 as a 19 year-old, he led Helsinki of the SM-Liiga in points with 20 goals and 51 points in 45 games, helping his club attain the Championship. In 129 games in Finland’s top league, Granlund totaled 41 goals and 127 points.

  Though the season is very young, Granlund presents a real threat for the AHL’s top rookie honors this year, provided the lockout sees no end, as he trails only league leader Justin Schultz for points scored by rookies. The Minnesota staff is ever wishful that the NHL season gets under way, as Granlund’s offensive play will inevitably see him in the same race at the top level. The off-season addition of players such as Ryan Suter and Zach Parise will do nothing but bolster the Finn’s scoring chances on the ice.

  Just as strong in the light of rookies for the Houston Aeros club and the whole of the American Hockey League, has been forward Charlie Coyle. Coyle may not have quite the same level of hype that the aforementioned Granlund has, but he is none the less very intriguing looking into the future of the Minnesota Wild.

  With a much larger frame of 6’2 and 205lbs. Coyle is the leading goal scorer for the Aeros, having notched 5 goals and 6 points with a plus/minus +6 rating, and is currently in an eight-way tie for 5th best in AHL goals scored this season.

  Coyle, a product of Massachusetts, is on his way in quick order of living the American dream for a hockey player. Coyle cut short his college career after two seasons with Boston University where he appeared 53 times, scoring 10 goals and 40 points, to make a splash in the Quebec Major Junior League last season, where in his only season with Saint John, he tallied 15 goals and 38 points in 23 games with a stellar plus/minus +23 rating to help lead the team to the Championship. In the playoffs, Coyle stepped up his game to tie for best in points, where in 17 games he racked up 15 goals and 34 points with a +27 rating.

"He's a world-class player in his age group," Wild Assistant GM Flahr said of Coyle. "Everything he could have hoped for has fallen into place."

  Coyle, too, was selected in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, but instead was chosen by the San Jose Sharks late with the 28th pick overall. The Wild, in a blockbuster deal, acquired him on his draft day which brought himself, Devin Setoguchi, and a 1st round selection in 2011 for  defenseman Brent Burns and a 2nd round selection in 2012.

  With the Minnesota Wild’s roster relatively short on space for rookies, Coyle is less likely to start for the Wild should there be a season this year, but is truly one to watch for in the future. Coyle has great size and strength, playing much larger than his frame actually is. To top off his stature, he is an extremely powerful skater and is very successful at guarding and containing the puck – something that a player of Mikael Granlund’s ability can make great gains from on the wing.

  In 2011, the successive draft, the Wild were also able to make a draft-day impression when they made, for the second year straight, two first-round selections.

  The latter of the two, 28th overall pick Zack Phillips, is competing at 19 years of age for the first time in professional ice hockey with the Aeros. Thus far, he has tallied a goal and an assist in six games, and has shown some promise.

  As a teammate to Coyle, Phillips tallied an impressive 30 goals for 80 points and a +47 rating through 60 games, finishing third on his team in points and helping his Saint John Sea Dogs’ club win the Memorial Cup. Having gone 16-1 in the playoffs, Phillips tallied 9 goals and 23 assists.

  In a total 192 regular season games for the Sea Dogs, Phillips recorded 84 goals and 219 assists. His post season numbers were equally impressive, totaling 20 goals and 62 points in 55 playoff appearances.

  Zack Phillips is a gifted play-maker and goal scorer at the Junior level, but will need time to develop in the American Hockey League before making it to the big show. Fortunately enough for him, the AHL is at a higher level due to the NHL lockout than it has been in the past – something that will only increase his rate of growth.

  Drafted 10th overall by the Wild in 2011, Swedish born defenseman Jonas Brodin is developing quickly in his first season of professional North American hockey.

  Never having been a major point producer, Brodin’s exceptional defensive attributes saw him play top four minutes for Farjestads of the Swedish Elite League last season where he tallied 8 assists and a +6 rating in 49 games. In his first seven games in the American Hockey League, Brodin has already shown signs of all-around improvement having tallied 2 goals and 4 points with a +4 rating.

  The very mobile and strong skating Swede has played against the best the NHL has to offer in the past, as he was paired up against some of the NHL’s elite in the 2011-12 World Championships as he was paired against the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin of the eventual Gold Medal Winning Team Russia.

  Brodin, along with most recent first round draft choice Matt Dumba, are likely to take a bit longer in development before making the jump to the NHL as defensemen commonly do.

"I'm old school; I'd go five years with them," Aero’s Head Coach John Torchetti said. "It's more demanding what they're doing (than what forwards do). You're the last line before the goalie. It's just a tougher position to teach. There's a lot to it. You put a defenseman in the NHL at 18, he's not going to be ready until he's 22 or 23, and that's early."

Torchetti believes Brodin’s skating level is currently on par with NHL level skating, but he has played a more stay-at-home style in Sweden compared to what he'll be expected to do in the NHL, and has spent time working on his offensive side to the game.

"It's probably the most talented development camp I've been a part of," Torchetti said during the club’s training camp. "It's a great future."

  Meanwhile, the Wild’s most recent first-round draft choice (7th overall) in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Matt Dumba, is lighting up the WHL for the Red Deer Rebels, and without question is bound for the NHL once his Junior career is up. There is no doubt that these excellent draft choices of the Wild over the past few years was a big part of the sales pitch in urging Suter and Parise to sign with the club on long-term deals. It’s the long term that General Manager Chuck Fletcher has in mind, and the future looks very, very bright.

- Kendall Grubbs

Healthy Hall

  While the Edmonton Oilers fans are missing out on watching the young and dynamic roster on the ice this season, the city of Oklahoma has been treated to a largely improved roster of rising stars that include names like Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Justin Schultz, and as of this coming Friday, Taylor Hall.

  Hall, the 2010 first overall draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, had his season end early last year after having sustained a shoulder injury, and missed the last 11 games of the regular season while his team failed to make the playoffs. His last game was March 16th, where he was knocked unconscious from a hit by Calgary Flames defenseman Cory Sarich. Hall has been practicing with the Oklahoma City Barons, Edmonton’s American Hockey League affiliate, and recently returned to Edmonton for evaluation where he was cleared to begin play. Though he is likely to start Friday against the Houston Aeros, he will not play in back-to-back games straight away.

  Through his first two seasons, Hall has appeared in 126 games and scored 49 goals and 95 points, just narrowly missing the 30 goal mark last year. Taylor Hall is a key part of the Oilers’ future, and headlines a whole host of highly drafted and highly touted young Edmonton Oilers stars.

  Since the lockout, many players have traveled down to the American Hockey League and given AHL fans a higher level of play in their home arenas, while others have opted for European destinations. Last year’s Calder Trophy potential and fellow first overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been relatively productive for the Barons with 2 goals and 8 points, good for 2nd on the team, while off-season free-agent signee Justin Schultz is commanding the scoring leader boards with a league best 12 points through seven games from the blue line. The third of their first overall draft picks, Nail Yakupov last year, is currently playing in the KHL with Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik where he has tallied 8 goals and 11 points in 12 games.

  Hall, who signed a seven year contract extension in August worth $42 million, will finally have his chance to play alongside his fellow teammates for the first time since his injuries which included a concussion and shoulder surgery. The Oilers have quite probably the most exciting pool of young talent the NHL has to offer, and with a large group of them starting to warm back up in unison, the city of Edmonton will be ever hopeful that the league comes out of its’ current lock out.

- Kendall Grubbs

Schultz Electrifying AHL, Oilers Drooling

  Though the National Hockey League has yet to get a glimpse of the highly touted Justin Schultz on NHL ice, the 22 year old native of Kelowna, B.C. is doing nothing short of electrifying the American Hockey League with a brilliant start for the Oklahoma City Barons.

  The offensive defenseman has shown by his level of play yet another reason why it is so unfortunate to be missing out on NHL hockey these days. In 7 games with the Oklahoma City Barons, who are currently eighth in the west, Schultz has a more than impressive 6 goals and 6 assists for 12 points. His goal tally is tied for second best in the league, and his points total is the highest of any other player in the American Hockey League early on in his first year of professional hockey. For a 22 year old rookie defenseman in a league of men, Schultz has done plenty to boost the Edmonton Oilers’ anticipation for NHL action to resume.

  Unsurprisingly, Schultz was the second player of the year thus far to receive the AHL’s “Player of the Week” recognition, but accolades and high praise are something that Schultz is used to receiving. Shortly after receiving his player of the weeks status on October 21, Schultz netted two shorthanded goals (one on the empty net) against San Antonio on Friday October 23rd and had a plus/minus 5 rating on the evening and continued with a highlight reel goal against Lake Erie on Saturday after undressing defenseman Cameron Gaunce and beating the goaltender one on one.

“I kind of blacked out there. I didn’t know what I was doing,” said Schultz. ”I usually don’t get many one-on-ones with a goalie.”

  Among Schultz’s accomplishments prior to stepping foot on professional ice he is best known for his tenure at the University of Wisconsin. There, as a Badger, he totaled 40 goals and 73 assists for 113 points in 121 games with a plus/minus 27 rating.  He was voted the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year two consecutive seasons, made the WCHA All Rookie Team, and twice appeared in the WCHA First All Star Team as well as the NCAA West All American Team. Last season with Wisconsin he was named the Spike Carlson Most Valuable Player by his Wisconsin teammates after finishing second on the team in points, and is currently eighth all time for Wisconsin in points from defensemen. Prior to his collegiate appearance he played two full seasons of Junior A with the Westside Warriors of the BCHL where he was named Interior Conference Top Defensemen in each season. He totaled 24 goals and 90 points in 106 games for the Westside Warriors.

“That was pretty cool.” Schultz said of his experience at Wisconsin. “There were a lot of talented players, especially defensemen,”

“They’re all congratulating me on a good start and my friends and family are able to see too. But, this is only a start. There’s a lot more games in this league than in school. We would only play 41 or 42 a year, max.”

  The beauty of Schultz’s offensive game is not that of a prototypical scoring defenseman. Schultz has an uncanny ability to skate the puck through the neutral zone and through top defensive pairings, capable of creating offensive plays or a pin-point accurate shot. Unlike most defensemen whom often blast the puck from the point, Schultz’s strength is his wrist shot. Having won the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year award for the last two consecutive seasons, he’s proven to be no slouch on the defensive side of the game either.

  Schultz proved his worth long ago playing next to current Toronto Maple Leafs rising star on defense, Jake Gardiner, at the University of Wisconsin as a fellow blue liner. Accordingly, Schultz is said to be the one Toronto were after in the deal that sent Francois Beauchemin to Anaheim in early 2011, with Gardiner being playing the expendable role in available depth players. None of this has gone well for the Ducks given the fact that Gardiner has excelled tremendously fast, while Schultz never did dress for the club that drafted him.

  Schultz, who was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks 43rd overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, signed as a free agent in the offseason with the Edmonton Oilers. The list of NHL teams eager to sign the then 21 year old was quite a lengthy one, with Anaheim begrudging the deal that was eventually made by the Oilers. The initial entry-level contract of three years, as per CBA stipulations prior to the lockout, was let run dry by the defenseman as he opted to stay in college and rack up a plethora of points and experience, all the while never intending the play with the Ducks. Anaheim would in fact see no compensation for this, as in section 8.3 (b) of the NHL’s former collective bargaining agreement, a team would only receive a compensatory draft pick if a team failed to sign a player that was drafted in the first round.

  This, among many clauses in the various outlines of a new collective bargaining agreement, has been a worth-while talking point going forward. While the NHL had originally proposed a five year entry-level contract minimum to avoid such happenings, the league uncharacteristically softened to the NHLPA’s requests, and reduced the minimum or standard to just two years. While a player determined is bound to end up leaving if he wishes, the league and players association must try to remedy these situations - the type that limit teams growth through the draft.

  The CBA talking points seemingly have no end, but for players such as the caliber of Justin Schultz, it is a shame that there may not be an opportunity for him to display his talents at the NHL level and almost assuredly challenge for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. Though there is a vast amount of challengers, he has displayed a top level ability early in his pro experience. For the Edmonton Oilers, the fans and organization alike are drooling over the amount of talent they are set to have going into the next hockey season – whenever that may be. Another top challenger for the Calder would be none other than the Oilers’ own 2012first overall draft pick Nail Yakupov, who is a story within his own right.

  It’s very difficult to see a positive to a full-season lock out, but for Schultz, he is now amongst professional players on a nightly basis and, as he did with his college career, will only continue to develop and improve his game ahead of the official start to the next season of NHL play.

- Kendall Grubbs

LTL REPORT: No News is Bad News

  The weekend has passed without any further indication of the labor dispute being resolved. With the threat of a full-season lock out still very present and the Winter Classic near cancelation, the pressure is trending more toward the behest of League Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.

"We withdrew our most recent proposal on Friday,” Daly told TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Monday. “and now we are spending time thinking about our next proposal and how best to get closer to a resolution.  We hope the Union is doing the same thing. Given the fact that the Union refused even to discuss our last proposal, it would appear that we still have a large gulf to bridge."

  While Daly’s words seem intent on a resolution, it was the NHL that abruptly stopped talks with the NHLPA on Thursday, having spent just ten minutes reviewing three separate counter-proposals distributed by the executive director of the Players’ Association, Donald Fehr, in response to the NHL’s “50-50” collective bargaining agreement proposal.

  The title “collective bargaining agreement” is just that, a collective agreement made between the two entities; something that the NHL’s upper management has been thus far unwilling to agree upon, nor discuss. The stance taken blatantly clear by the NHL was that if the offer given wasn’t agreed upon by Thursday, it would disappear. It has, and a whole month of hockey has been lost at this point. 326 games canceled, %26.5 of the regular season, at an estimated $720 million loss.

  Though Doanld Fehr has a tough history of work stoppages, the NHL’s commissioner since 1993, Gary Bettman, has now been at the helm of three work stoppages during his tenure. Prior to the full season plus playoffs lock out of 2004-05, Bettman was at the forefront of the 1994-95 season which was shortened to 48 games from 84, lasting 104 days.

  The current situation is not too dissimilar to either of the previous lock outs, leaving the burning question on the tongue of the hockey enthusiast as to which way this one will go after forty-four days of a work stoppage. The fact that both men in the limelight at the moment are not short of work stoppages in any way is worrisome.

  Though it is widely believed that both parties need to take action and make ground, it is the NHL that seems to be set in their ways by not having continued negotiations with the Players’ Association.

"Since the last bargaining meeting on Oct. 18, we have consistently made it clear to the League that we are ready to meet and are willing to discuss all ideas, certainly including their last proposal," NHLPA counsel Steve Fehr told TSN on Monday.

"The league has unfortunately continued to decline to meet. Their position makes it difficult to move the process forward, as it is obviously hard to make progress without talking."

- Kendall Grubbs