Thursday Linkorama

For NHL.com’s On Campus feature, Bob Snow spoke with Coach Jack Parker about his long career behind the Terriers’ behind and his intention to continue in that role. Commenting on his relationship with his players, Parker said: "I have two daughters and 200 sons. We are family and we do go through a lot together over the relationship. Frankly, that's the best part of the job."

That sentiment was confirmed by former BU defenseman and two-time second team All-American Chris Kelleher, a member of BU's 1995 title team and now a Minnesota Wild scout:

"Of all the coaches I have ever played for, he is the best at preparing a team for one big game. He made us believe that we were going to win that title.

"He is not only a great coach, but a great person, and he knows how to be your coach when you are in the locker room or on the ice, but he is a friend when you are away from the rink, and he knows how to separate the two, which to a player is important."

A day before the Terrier’s opening game of the season against UMass, the Daily Free Press profiled two keys to the team’s fortunes in the defensive end of the ice: sophomore goalie Kieran Millan and junior captain and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.

Julie Robenhymer of Hockey Buzz spoke with Shattenkirk's blueline partner, Colby Cohen (photo), about the upcoming season for College Hockey Spotlight. (podcast—about 5 minutes in)
Robenhymer was at Agganis Arena Saturday developing a feature on the U.S. National Team Development Program that will be posted on Versus in November.

HockeyBuzz on Versus has begun a NHL Rookie Diaries series that will include Nashville's Colin Wilson, whose buddy James VanRiemsdyk, now with the Flyers, is featured in the current offering.

Looking Back
First year Avalanche coach Joe Sacco, a 28-goal scorer for BU in 1989-90, has Colorado in first place with a 4-1-1 record.

Looking ahead
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale, looking at some of the top NHL draft-eligible prospects in the USHL offered these insight about 2010 recruit RW Yassin Cissé:

Des Moines -- Yasin Cissé: At 6-2 and 205 pounds, the Westmount, Que., native certainly doesn't lack size. Prior to the 2008 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft, the International Scouting Service regarded Cissé the best warrior, second-best hitter and second-hardest player to compete against.

"Yasin has very good skills and good skating acceleration," said Pierre Leduc, director of hockey operations for the QMJHL. "He's strong on the boards, loves to forecheck and completes his checks. Maybe he likes to give more than receive, but he's big and has great skills."

As a 15-year-old, he would always rely on his skills and huge frame, but he's discovering it takes a lot more against equally skilled players.

"I found out that if you work your hardest and you want to win more than anyone else, then the points will come," Cissé told The Gazette of Montreal. "It's the guys who think about the points that don't get them."

The QMJHL's Lewiston MAINEiacs drafted Cissé in the second round after he was the top rookie scorer in the Quebec midget AAA ranks in 2007-08 with 20 goals and 58 points in 44 games. Cissé and Louis Leblanc, the 18th pick of 2009 draft by the Montreal Canadiens last June, led the Lions to the Quebec AAA midget finals. But Cissé never reported to Lewiston, and instead began making plans to attend Boston University. In his first season with Des Moines in 2008-09, Cissé had 2 goals, 8 points and 46 penalty minutes in 31 games.

Also profiled in the article was NTDP U18 goalie Jack Campbell who stopped 39 BU shots is last week’s exhibition game, won by the Terriers, 3-2.

Finally, this has no connection to BU hockey, but check out the goal by a 9-year-old in the Boston Bruins TD Bank Mini 1-on-1 competition. As Gary Thorne of ESPN might say, "Unbelievable!"