Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Clendening impresses at Blackhawks camp



College Hockey Prospective reports that former Terrier Adam Clendening, who signed a three-year deal with Chicago last month, has been a standout in Blackhawks development camp and called him “the most NHL-ready HEA player in camp.”

His performance at the camp earned praise from Blackhawks VP/General Manager Stan Bowman, who said “[Clendening] is probably the one [prospect] defenseman who has the most potential to make a jump. It’s good for him to look at this year as a learning year, but also one he can make an impact for us.” 

Clendening discussed his hopes for his first pro season with Blackhawks TV.


The Denver Post reports that Kieran Millan, the fifth-round draft choice of the Colorado Avalanche in 2009, is likely to begin his pro career with the new Denver Cutthroats franchise in the Central Hockey League.

As a freshman he backstopped the Terriers to the 2009 NCAA championship, earning National and Hockey East Rookie-of-the-Year honors after posting a nation’s best winning percentage-- .894 (29-2-3). He also broke the all-time BU record for wins by a goaltender in a single season. (previous record was 25) and now holds the career wins record for a BU netminder with 81, along with a slew of other Terrier records. Millan was voted team MVP for his junior and senior seasons.

Former Terrier All-American Colin WIlson has a new three-year contract for $6 million with the Nashville Predators. In his first three pro seasons, his NHL totals are 39-45-84. He scored 90 points in his two seasons at BU.

The Watertown (N.Y) Daily News spoke with local standout and 2012-13 BU captain Wade Megan, who had recently returned from Florida Panthers development camp.

Looking ahead
Examiner.com’s Russ Bitely, reviewing the recent USA Hockey Select 16 camp, named 2014 recruit Jack Eichel as one of three A rated (exception) prospects at the camp.

Women’s program
Coach Brian Durocher has announced a seven-member recruiting class along with one transfer as the Terriers prepare to defend their 2012 Hockey East Championship. In addition to claiming its second conference title in the program’s seven-year history, BU rang up a 23-14-1 record and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament, losing to Cornell, 8-7 in triple overtime.

Jenn Wakefield, captain of last season’s Terriers, has been drafted by the Toronto Furies of the Women’s Canadian Women’s Hockey League. She was BU’s co-MVP for 2011-12, Hockey East’s scoring champion and tournament MVP. Wakefield became the first Hockey East player to record 100 goals and the second to ring up 200 points. 

►  With the Summer Olympics about to begin, we’ll step away from the rink briefly to recall a gold medal performance 44 years ago at the Mexico City. David Hemery (BU ’68), who had won the NCAA 400 meter championship in the Spring of 1968, smashed the world and Olympic records in the event in Mexico City to win a gold medal for Great Britain.  (Video)
Hemery, who later would be a three-time winner in the British Superstars competition and would coach the BU men’s track team, also competed in the ill-fated 1972 Munich Olympic games, earning bronze in the 400 meters and a silver in the 4x400 meter relay. In 1969 Queen Elizabeth named him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Another Terrier track star of the 60s, John Thomas, earned a bronze medal in the 1960 Olympics in Rome in the high jump and a silver in the same event four years later in Tokyo.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Linkorama



Rising junior Matt Nieto talked about his development at BU during Sharks development camp.

Looking ahead
2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon talked with the Journal-Inquirer about his choice of taking the college route to the NHL.

At the USA Hockey Select 16 festival, 2014 recruit Jack Eichel had a 4-4-8 line in five games, tied for eighth overall.  Both he and future NTDP and BU teammate Jonathan MacLeod were named to the tournament all-star game. The two will be heading to Ann Arbor late next month to begin practice –and high school—for the U-17 program.

Looking back
Alex Chiasson is attending his third Dallas Stars summer development camp. Following camp, Chiasson, who is trying to get his weight up to 210 will head to Ontario to work with conditioning consultant Gary Roberts. 

New England Hockey Journal reports that Nick Bonino has a new two-year deal with Anaheim, while John McCarthy has re-upped for two seasons with the Sharks. Bonino has split two season with between the NHL and AHL with a 6-14-20 line for the Ducks and 67 points for the Syracuse Crunch. McCarthy, 25, appeared in 10 games for San Jose last season, without registering a point.  He led the Worcester Sharks in scoring with 47 points (20g, 27a) in 65 games.

UMass’ search for a successor to Don Cahoon ended when Vermont associate head coach John Micheletto came aboard to lead the Minutemen.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Terriers announce 35-game schedule for 2012-13



BU’s 2012-13 schedule, highlighted by 18 home dates, a two-game visit to North Dakota and a trip to Denver for the annual Hall of Fame game, was announced today. Terriers will play 35 regular season games; the HOF game is exempted from the NCAA’s 34-game limit.

 In the final season before Hockey East expands to add Notre Dame, BU will again play 27 conference games. The rest of the out-of-conference schedule includes home games against St. Lawrence, RPI and Harvard, and the annual Beanpot Tournament with the Terriers matching up against Northeastern in the first round.


Following an exhibition game against the University of Toronto on Oct. 7, BU begins regular-season play by hosting Providence College on Saturday, Oct. 13.


Looking ahead
Following his selection by Ottawa in the recent NHL draft, 2013 recruit Robbie Baillargeon was interviewed by a local Connecticut publication, along with his coach at Cushing Academy, where he starred before playing in the USHL last season.

WickedLocal North of Boston conducted a Q&A interview with 2013 recruit Doyle Somerby, who recently participated in Islanders development, after New York selected him in the NHL entry drat.

2014 recruits Jack Eichel and Jonathan MacLeod are participating in the USA Hockey Select 16 camp, now underway in Rochester, N.Y. Eichel scored a goal an assist for “Columbia” in his first game, while MacLeod tallied an assist “Orange.” Last, summer, Eichel led all scorers at the Select 15 camp with 14 points in five games. Both prospects recently completed NTDP orientation in Ann Arbor and have committed to playing for the U17s next season.

Looking back
USCHO’s message board invites fans to votes for their favorite team’s “Mt Rushmore”—the four leading achiever in the program’s history. The BU poll is here. To vote you need to register for USCHO, but it’s free and simple. We’ll report the results when the polling ends on July 31.

Anaheim’s Nick Bonino, a restricted free agent, has filed for arbitration.

Luke Popko, who skated for Bloomington in the Central Hockey League last season, goes across the pond to play for HC GKS Katowice in Poland.

Adam Clendening, who signed a contract with the Blackhawks, looked to the future at Chicago’s prospect development camp.


Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Linkorama



NESN: Justin Courtnall at Bruins development camp
ESPN: Townie teammates Matt Grzelcyk, Brendan Collier, Jimmy Vescey
NESN: Feature on Grzelcyk
NEHJ  Profile of Grzelcyk

Looking back
Detroit has signed Max Nicastro to an entry-level contract. The defenseman had been dismissed last season after rape charges were made against him. The charges were subsequently dropped.

Adrian Aucoin, now 38, will return to the NHL for his 20th professional season, after signing a one-year deal with Columbus.
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