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hobeymakar · 4 years

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Unapologetically | C. Makar Part 2

Previous parts: Part 1

Chapter word count: 3,673 words

A/N: This chapter was so much fun to write! I will be working on the next one ASAP, but it may take me a little longer to write it! Please like and reblog if you enjoyed it as it lets me know that you enjoyed it. Any and all feedback is always greatly appreciated

Shoutouts: @pizzasloot @hockey-and-wine and @grenawitka for being my cheerleaders in the gc! I love you girls with all my heart

Warnings: explicit language

Taty wakes up on the morning of February 5th and feels the nerves start to hit her. Today, she'll be meeting Cale in person and interviewing him for the podcast. A part of her is afraid things will go wrong once they meet and he won't be interested in her anymore. While the other part of her knows that Cale is too nice of a person to ever break her heart like that. If things don't work out, he'll be nice and respectful about it.

In preparation of meeting Cale, she self-isolated from her family for a couple days and got tested for COVID-19. She tested negative thankfully so she can go meet Cale without putting him in danger.

She brushes her teeth and has breakfast as she prepares herself mentally for the podcast. She writes down her questions and her intro, so that she doesn't forget anything that she wants to say and ask. After breakfast she showers and changes into a comfy, warm outfit to withstand the cold of New England winter. She knows the high is only gonna be 37 and with the wind in the city of Boston, it's gonna be way worse.

She loads her car up with all her equipment and starts making the trip towards Boston. She decides to make a trip to her Aunt's apartment in Roxbury, which is on the outskirts of the city. She parks her car inside the community and makes her way into the apartment, since her Aunt always leaves her door open.

"'Cion Tia! (Blessings, Auntie)" she smiles, greeting her Aunt Leo who's in the kitchen making food.

"Dios te bendiga, mi'ja! Que haces aqui? (May God bless you, honey! What are you doing here?) " her aunt asks, as she stands in front of the stove.

"Voy hacer una entrevista con un jugador de hockey (I'm interviewing a hockey player)" she explains, not wanting to mention that she's sort of seeing that player.

"Que bueno mi'ja! ¡Me alegro! Yo se que todo va salir bien porque tu eres una mujer seria y muy inteligente! (That's amazing honey! I'm glad! I know that everything is gonna go great because you're a serious and intelligent woman!" her aunt cries out.

"Gracias Tia! Y Cola y Nine? Thank you Auntie! Where's Cola and Nine?" she asks, referring to another aunt and uncle.

"Nine está trabajando y Cola salió con Frank y Bernardo a ayudar alguien con un trabajito. (Nine's working and Cola went out with Frank and Bernardo to help someone out with a small job," her aunt explains.

"Bueno, yo vine aquí solamente para verte y saludarte. Me voy a quedar en un hotel esta noche y voy a regresar a casa mañana. (Well, I came here only to see you and greet you. I'm staying at a hotel tonight and I'm going back home tomorrow)" she explains.

"Quédate aquí por un rato más. Ya la comida está lista como en 15 minutos. (Stay here for a little longer. The food will be ready in like 15 minutes)" her aunt explains.

"Tengo planes con el jugador pero no diga nada a Mami por favor (I have plans with the player but don't say anything to Mami please)" she pleads.

"Oh ya veo. No le digo nada, mi'ja (Oh, now I see. I won't tell her anything, honey)" her aunt replies, nodding her head.

"Gracias Tia! Dale saludos a Cola, Nine, Frank y Bernardo. Ojala los veo mañana (Thank you, Auntie! Say hi to Cola, Nine, Frank and Bernardo. Hopefully I'll see them tomorrow)" she smiles, hugging her Aunt.

"Con dios, mi'ja. Tengas cuidado, pero lo disfrutas (Take care, honey. Be careful, but have fun)" her Aunt smiles back, kissing her cheek.

Taty leaves the apartment and gets back into her car to make the trip to a hotel right across the street from the TD Garden. During the drive, she hits some traffic because the city of Boston has awful traffic, but arrives at the hotel in 20 minutes. Workers help her get her stuff out of the car and she gets her car parked by the valet. She makes her way inside the hotel and checks in. The workers help her bring her stuff to her room on the 7th floor. She makes her way inside and unpacks her things, putting them out. She puts her recording equipment out on the table and then heads to the windows to take a picture of her view of the Bunker Hill Bridge and TD Garden. She sends the picture to Cale

To: Cale 🥰

Nice choice for the room. You remembered how I like my city view and bath tubs to take baths in

From: Cale 🥰

Of course I remembered! I remember every single thing you've told me

To: Cale 🥰

How quickly can you get your butt up to my room?

From: Cale 🥰

I'm in Mikko's room rn with the guys but I can make up an excuse and disappear

To: Cale 🥰

I want to order room service and then interview you

From: Cale 🥰

Alright I'll be there in a few

She looks at herself in the mirror, making sure she looks good. She realizes how dumb it is for her to stress over her looks when Cale has literally seen her looking gross with no makeup on and her hair looking a whole ass mess.

She goes on her phone and tries to calm down her nerves. After a few minutes, she hears a knock on her door. She goes up to the door and opens it, meeting Cale who's dressed in an Avs sweatshirt and sweatpants. She pulls him in and closes the door shut right away, so that no one can see.

He lifts her up for a hug and she wraps her legs around him, her tiny frame wrapping around him tightly. They embrace each other for a few moments before putting her back down.

"So you like the room I picked out for you?" he asks, as she leads him further inside the room.

"Yes! It's perfect! It's honestly way too big for just me," she smiles.

She gives him a quick tour of the room and bathroom and he sits down on the bed while she opens the room service menu.

"Do you want anything?" she asks him.

"No, I already had lunch with the team," he informs her.

"Alright," she nods, looking back at the menu.

"Order anything you want regardless of price. It's on me," he informs her.

"Cale, I can't make you spend all this money on me. You're paying for my room and the valet parking, the least I can do is pay you back for the food," she protests.

"I appreciate your concern, but this is nothing to me. Let me treat you," he replies, trying to convince her to let him spoil her.

"You're lucky you're cute," she sighs, giving in.

She calls room service and places her order. As she waits for her order, she turns on the TV and gets on the bed, snuggling into Cale's side. She puts on NHL Network and they watch highlights from the night before, while talking about certain plays and players.

"You know I've never met a girl that I could talk about hockey with like this. Like you actually understand the sport and everything," he comments.

"Well I've been a fan for so long and I've always been obsessed with sports since I was a little kid. It's the reason why I was always one of the guys growing up," she explains.

"And I think it's the coolest thing about you! You're so passionate about sports and sports stats! You're passionate about diversity and inclusion in sports too!" he smiles, running his fingers through her hair.

She feels the heat rise in her cheeks and she wishes he would just kiss her already, but she's too shy to do it herself.

"Well thank you. For a long time, I was embarrassed about how nerdy it is. It's probably why guys never saw me as anything more than a tomboy," she explains sheepishly.

"Yeah well it's their loss. They never got to see how incredible you really are," he smiles, kissing her forehead.

If she could die in his arms right now, she wouldn't mind honestly. She's never felt this sort of warmth and such intense butterflies in her stomach. Her heart feels so full and she finally realizes that this is what falling in love feels like. She had never felt it before but she loves the feeling so much that she doesn't want it to end.

The room service arrives and she brings the tray full of food inside. She sits down on the bed and starts eating as they watch TV and make small talk.

"What did you and the boys do today?" she asks.

"Well we got here late last night, so none of us woke up til like 10am. We all got ready and had lunch in the restaurant. Then we went to Mikko's room to play video games. It's been pretty boring so far, but we're not doing much because of COVID. We can't be going out like we used to," he explains.

"Yeah this virus has really fucked things up here. The governor of Massachusetts still hasn't allowed any fans to attend Celtics or Bruins games at the Garden and I don't know if he will for the rest of the season. Maybe he will for playoffs but I don't expect him to," she explains.

"I get that though. We have to keep people safe as much as possible until we eliminate this virus," he adds.

They switch the subject after that and keep the light conversation flowing until she finishes eating. She then sets her empty tray outside the room and starts setting everything up for the podcast, handing Cale a mic. She grabs her mic and sets it up, hooking everything up to her laptop. She checks the audio, making sure it's all good before starting the recording on her laptop.

"Our next guest is the biggest we've had so far. He was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta and was named after a Flames player. He grew up a Flames fan and made a name for himself in the AJHL playing for the Brooks Bandits, where he was named AJHL player of the year. He quickly became a top prospect and was selected 4th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2017. He played two seasons at UMass Amherst with the Minutemen, setting school records. He won the 2019 Hobey Baker Award and led the Minutemen to the Frozen Four, where they lost to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the championship game. He signed with the Avalanche immediately after the loss, ending his collegiate career and made his debut in Game 4 of the 1st round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with Colorado in his hometown of Calgary. With family and friends in attendance, he scored his first ever goal in the game. He recently won the 2020 Calder Trophy given to the league's top rookie. Welcome to the Ace of Hockey podcast, Cale Makar," she introduces, absolutely nailing the intro.

"Wow, that has to be the longest intro I've ever gotten for an interview, so thank you," he smiles.

"Well you're a young superstar now, so I gotta have the intro reflect that," she replies.

"I don't know if I'm worthy of such an intro, but I appreciate it though," he smiles.

She starts asking him questions about his childhood and what it was like growing up in Alberta, how he ended up playing Junior A instead of Major Junior, what made him go to the college hockey route, as well as what his draft day experience was like. She also asks him what his experience was like at UMass Amherst, and what it was like playing in the National Championship game and winning the Hobey Baker. She then asks him about signing his ELC and what it was like making his debut in the playoffs in his hometown and scoring a goal in his debut. She then asks him about his rookie year and what it was like in his first full season in Colorado.

He also explains how Nate took him under his wing this season and really helped show him the ropes on how to be a pro. He also talks about how great of a captain Gabe is and who are the funniest guys on the team, as well as the pranksters. He also explains how it was like for him personally in the bubble. He also mentions everything players have said and done about social justice change and how important it is to listen and be an ally for minority groups.

They finish up the interview and he helps her clean everything up.

"So, I have a team dinner in like half an hour that I need to get ready for. I promise I will come back afterwards so we can hang out," he explains.

"That's fine, Cale. I'll probably just take a nice bath and relax, maybe listen to our interview. I'll send you the audio and if you want anything edited out, just let me know," she explains.

"Of course, love. I'm not concerned about that honestly," he assures her.

"Go get ready before you're late. Afterwards, you know where to find me," she smiles, pushing him lightly to the door.

"Alright fine. No need to kick me out," he teases, walking towards the door.

As soon as he gets to the door, he turns around and brings her in for a hug, lifting her from the ground. He sets her back down after a few moments.

"Bye Cale. Have fun at dinner," she smiles, kissing his cheek.

"Bye love," he smiles, walking out.

She shuts the door immediately and heads to the bathroom to take a nice relaxing bath in the tub. She turns on the water and gets undressed. Once the tub is filled, she stops the water and throws in a bath bomb. She gets in and immediately soaks in the warmth of the water. She sends a selfie of her in the bath and sends it to her sisters in their Ventura Rodriguez sisters group chat.

From: Katie

Damn how tf did you get a sugar daddy?

From: Kiana

I thought you were interviewing a player today? Is the player your sugar daddy?

To: The Ventura Rodriguez sisters

I don't have a sugar daddy and yes I interviewed the player today. He was nice enough to book me a room at the hotel he's staying at

From: Katie

No way he booked you a hotel if it's just a professional relationship. He definitely likes you

From: Kiana

So who's the player you're talking to

To: The Ventura Rodriguez Sisters

Nope not telling y'all. He's not my boyfriend so y'all don't got to know

She puts on some soft R&B and lets the music relax her. Before she knows it, she's been in there for an hour and gets out. She wraps her body in a towel and unplugs the drain. She dries herself off and changes into a faded URI basketball t-shirt and boyshorts. She dries her hair with a blowdryer and gets into bed, opening her laptop.

She listens to the 40 minute long audio clip of the interview and loves the interview. The conversation just flows between them and she thinks that her listeners are going to really love it, even though they didn't talk so much about social activism, like she has with other guests on the podcast. Her stomach starts to grumble and she realizes she hasn't had dinner yet. She grabs the room service menu and starts looking, as she's about to call to place her order, she hears a knock on the door.

She gets up and goes to the door. Unfortunately because of her lack of height, she can't see through the peephole who it is. She opens the door and internally sighs in relief when she sees it's Cale dressed in a UMass sweatshirt and shorts. He walks in and hugs her, lifting her up again.

"Do you have a thing for lifting me up?" she asks, as she wraps her legs around him.

"You're just so tiny that it's hard for me not to do it," he teases, referring to her 4'9 height.

“No, I think you have a thing for lifting me up, bud,” she teases back, moving her hands up to his hair.

“Just for that I’m putting you back down,” he replies playfully, setting her back down.

“Well you’re just in time to watch me order dinner,” she informs him, leading him towards the bed.

“I wish I could take you out to a nice dinner for a date,” he sighs, wishing he didn’t have to deal with the league’s COVID restrictions that prevent him from leaving the hotel except for practice and the game.

“It’s okay. You’ll just make it up to me some other time. We can just watch TV while I eat. That sounds like a pretty nice date to me,” she explains, grabbing the phone to call room service.

She calls room service and places her order. She decides to get comfortable and get under the sheets.

“Are you gonna join me?” she asks, referring to the spot right beside her under the sheets.

He quickly gets under the sheets with her and she rests her head on his shoulder. He turns on the TV and puts on NBCSN to watch the Flames play the Sabres in Buffalo.

“Is it cool if we watch the game?” he asks.

“Of course! I love watching hockey even if it doesn’t involve teams I cheer for,” she smiles, resting her head on his chest.

He strokes her back up and down with his fingers, causing sparks of heat to roll up her spine from his touch.

“Who are you rooting for?” she asks him.

“Calgary. I’m always gonna have a soft spot for my hometown team, even though they’re a conference rival,” he explains.

“I like Calgary. They have really sick players, like Monahan, Gaudreau, Lindholm and don’t even get me started on Tkachuk!: she gushes, causing him to stiffen up.

“I didn’t know you liked Tkachuk,” he replies, his voice getting deeper than it already is.

“I mean what’s there not to like? He’s a strong power forward with great hands! I mean that between-the-legs goal last year proved how skilled he is!” she gushes.

“Yeah he’s a great player but I didn’t think you liked him that much,” he replies, sounding bitter.

“No need to be jealous, babes! Tkachuk’s cool and all but he doesn’t compare to you,” she assures him, kissing his cheek.

The food arrives and she goes outside to pick it up. She brings the tray inside and starts eating, while watching the game.

“You want some?” she asks, referring to her pasta.

“No, I can’t eat that. The trainers will kill me,” he replies.

“Who cares! It’s just one bite,” she replies, bringing the forkful of pasta closer to his mouth

“Babe, I’m serious! I can’t eat that,” he groans, moving his face away further.

“Fine, more for me,” she scoffs, shrugging her shoulders.

She finishes eating her pasta and Cale stares at her for a moment.

“You got a little something,” he trails off, pointing to her face.

Her eyes go wide and she takes a napkin, wiping her mouth. She removes the bit of sauce from her lip and puts the napkin down on the tray. He lowers down the volume on the TV and takes her hands in his.

“Can I tell you something?” he asks.

“You can tell me anything,” she replies, feeling her heartbeat start to accelerate.

“I really like you. For the past 5 months I’ve been getting to know you and I believe you’re the most intelligent, beautiful, and caring girl I’ve ever met. I know things aren’t easy with the season going on and you living in Rhode Island, but I wanna try and make things work between us. Will you officially be my girlfriend?” he asks, looking directly into her eyes.

“Yes!” she nods, feeling like her heart might just explode.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks.

“I’ve been wanting you to kiss me all day!” she replies, getting a little chuckle out of him in response.

He cups her face and presses his lips gently onto hers and Taty swears she feels those cliché sparks everyone always talks about. She kisses back almost immediately, not holding back. The kiss quickly becomes more passionate and she’s reciprocating each kiss enthusiastically. After a couple minutes, they break apart.

“You know how I told you I’ve never done this before? Well, I want us to take it slow and I hope that’s okay with you,” she says sheepishly, afraid of rejection.

“We can take it as slow as you want. You control how this goes. I will never push you to do anything you don’t want to do. I like you for you,” he assures her, kissing her knuckles.

She had never known what falling in love is like, but now she does because she’s definitely falling in love with Cale Douglas Makar. She never wants this feeling and she prays to God she never finds a way to fuck this up.

They spend a few more hours wrapped in each other’s arms before Cale announces he has to leave because it’s getting late and he has practice in the morning.

“Bye babe,” she smiles, leading him towards the door.

“Bye princess. Sweet dreams,” he kisses her.

He walks out the door and she shuts the door behind him. She pinches herself, thinking it might be a dream. She’s relieved to find out it isn’t a dream and she finally has a boyfriend for the first time in her life.

#cale makar #colorado avalanche #hockey #nhl writing #nhl fanfiction #cale makar fanfic #hockey fanfiction #nhl #nhl players #nhl imagines #cale makar imagine

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mitchbeck · 2 years

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CANTLON: UCONN TO HOST BU IN H-E QUARTERS

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - UCONN needed some luck to host a Hockey East quarterfinal game, and they got it. At the XL Center next Saturday, UCONN will hope that the luck of the Irish will rub off on them as they face the Boston University (BU) Terriers following a shocking 8-1 loss to Maine in their final game. It gave UCONN the fourth spot in the conference and the right to host a game. There was more hope for another piece of good luck as BU forward Jay O’Brien was nailed with a late-game double minor at 18:08 of the third (roughing and crosschecking) in a scrum with Dawson Bruneski. It was not seen as either a game disqualification or game misconduct situation after being reviewed by Hockey East. BU head coach Albie O’Connell made his best case to have him in the lineup Saturday. Game time is set for 4:30 PM. The Hartford Wolf Pack are in Allentown, PA to play the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Saturday as part of a Pennsylvania weekend road trip so that will not complicate things for the home game. Number 5 Boston University (19-12-3 overall/13-8-3 HE) comes to the XL Center equally matched to the Huskies. The two schools split a weekend series on October 8-9 with the road team winning each game. BU earned an overtime win at UConn on January 14th. It will be the second all-time postseason meeting between the Huskies and Terriers after a 2018 quarterfinal sweep by Boston University. UCONN is still searching for its first-ever Hockey East Tournament win (0-9) in its sixth playoff appearance but in a single-elimination format. OF NOTE Huskies defenseman John Spetz won the last regular season conference honors for a defenseman. The rest of the Hockey East Tournament returns to an all-in format after a two-year departure. Seeds six, seven, and eight will host seeds 11, 10, and nine, respectively, in the Opening Round starts this Wednesday, March 9th. After a reseeding, the top three seeds will host the winners of the Opening Round while the fourth seed will host the fifth seed (UCONN-BU) who are already in the Quarterfinal round. For the first time since 2019, the Hockey East Men’s Championship Semifinals and Final will return to the TD Garden in Boston on March 18-19, 2022. The Opening Round, March 9th, features #6 Merrimack (18-14-1/13-11-0 HE) hosting #11 Maine (7-21-4/5-17-2 HE). #7 Providence College (21-13-2/12-11-1 HE) welcomes #10 Vermont (8-24-2/6-16-2 HE) at Schneider Arena on Wednesday. It will mark the first time that Providence and Vermont have met in the Hockey East Tournament. Providence has appeared in the semifinals in six of the last ten years, while Vermont looks to return to TD Garden for the first time since 2015 and advance in the postseason for the first time since 2017. #8 Boston College (14-17-5/9-12-3 HE) has earned a date with #9 New Hampshire (14-18-1/8-15-1 HE) for the eleventh time in the Hockey East Tournament, most recently in the 2021 Quarterfinals, a 3-2 Eagles’ win. The Wildcats won both of the regular-season outings between the squads in a home-and-home set on January, 14-15. Top-seeded Northeastern (24-11-1/15-8-1 HE), who claimed the Hockey East regular season top spot for the first time in their program’s history, awaits the lowest advancing seed from the opening round. The Northeastern Huskies last won the Lamoriello Trophy, as Hockey East Tournament champions in 2019. #2 University of Massachusetts (19-12-2/14-8-2 HE) is the defending national champion. They enter the Hockey East Tournament as the second seed for the first time ever. It is just the second time the Minutemen have finished higher than third in the Hockey East standings. They boast a 17-27 all-time record in the Hockey East Tournament and have been 5-1 since 2019. #3 UMass-Lowell (20-9-3/15-8-1 HE) earned the third seed for the first time ever. The Riverhawks have appeared in six of the last eight championship games, winning three times (2013, 2014, 2017). Game times and television information will be announced in the coming days. NOTES The first five players have headed to the pros from the college ranks. Four come from Division-I and one comes from Division-III. Matt Baker from UMASS (HE) signs with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL). Daniel Chicoine of Bowling Green (CCHA) inks a deal with the Maine Mariners (ECHL). University of St. Thomas (CCHA) goalie Peter Thome, the cousin of current High Double-AA player with the Portland Sea Dogs, Andrew Thome, the son of former MLB player Jim Thome, signs with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). Dennis Cesana goes from Michigan State (Big 10) and heads to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). The lone Division-III player is Ryan Romeo who goes from SUNY-Brockport (SUNYAC) to sign with the Trois-Rivieres Lions (ECHL). UCONN HOCKEY HOME Read the full article

#AdirondackThunder #AHL #BostonCollege #BostonUniversity #BowlingGreen #CHL #ECHL #HockeyEast #IdahoSteelheads #JohnSpetz #LehighValleyPhantoms #MaineMariners #MichiganState #TDGarden #UConn #UMASS-Lowell #XLCenter

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thegloober · 6 years

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The top 75 players to watch in NCAA hockey

News

The men’s season begins soon, so our prospect expert is counting down all the players with bright futures. If you like mobile defensemen, this is your year

Quinn Hughes|Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Another NCAA men’s season is upon us and once again, I had too many names for my top-75 list. But that’s a good problem to have because it means the level of talent in the college game is still going strong. This year seems particularly fun if you like skilled defensemen and the top name on the list should be no surprise.

Once again, here are my rules for the rankings: These are the top 75 players I am excited to watch for this season. I skew towards freshmen and sophomores because they are new and tend to have higher upsides. I almost exclusively list players drafted by NHL teams already (or kids who are up for the draft this year), but I have included a couple top free agents to keep an eye out for. I do not try to be fair in terms of how many schools are included – though if I’m not mistaken, the Atlantic Hockey conference gets its first shout-out this year. But it was earned. Also, I’m not trying to be fair in terms of NHL rights. Philly, New Jersey and Vegas all seemed to do well this year, but again; those franchises just drafted players I’m interested in. With all that out of the way, let’s get to the list.

Quinn Hughes, Michigan: The masterfully mobile defenseman and Vancouver Canucks first-rounder has a national championship on his mind and should be a Hobey Baker favorite.

Cale Makar, UMass: Another ultra-skilled defenseman, the top Colorado Avalanche prospect is likely going pro as soon as the Minutemen are done this year.

Oliver Wahlstrom, Boston College: The freshman winger brings a ton of scoring power to the Eagles and represents part of the New York Islanders’ great 2018 draft class.

K’Andre Miller, Wisconsin: Two-way skill and great athleticism make Miller one of the most intriguing freshmen in the country. The New York Rangers nabbed the D-man in the first round.

Scott Perunovich, Minnesota-Duluth: He led the Bulldogs to a national title last year, so what does the mobile D-man do for an encore? That’s the fun surrounding the St. Louis Blues pick.

Cayden Primeau, Northeastern: My pick for last year’s most pleasant surprise, Primeau was one of the best goalies in the college game. Now the Montreal Canadiens pick returns with a possible world junior spot in line.

Jay O’Brien, Providence College: The Philadelphia Flyers went high on O’Brien in the 2018 draft, now the prep school center gets a chance to use his two-way game against top competition in Hockey East.

Ryan Poehling, St. Cloud State: He used to be the youngest, now he’ll be one of the most effective. The Montreal Canadiens pick is a great two-way center.

Riley Tufte, Minnesota-Duluth: Raw when the Dallas Stars drafted him, the 6-foot-6 left winger should be an all-out force up front for the defending champs as a junior.

Ben Brinkman, Minnesota: Not many true freshmen roam college bluelines, but Brinkman has the skill and composure to make it happen. He’s up for the 2019 draft.

Wade Allison, Western Michigan: Coming off a serious knee injury, the talented power forward is crucial to the Broncos’ success. He’s a Philadelphia Flyers pick.

Ian Mitchell, Denver: Fantastic freshman campaign saw the smart, offensively-inclined blueliner put up 30 points for the Pioneers. With a lot of talent gone, they’ll need the Chicago Blackhawks pick.

Reilly Walsh, Harvard: The New Jersey Devils drafted him as a raw puckmover but Walsh put up 20 points as a freshman. He’ll be even better as a sophomore, which is scary.

Sampo Raanta, Minnesota: Incoming freshman has electric speed and a great shot. Originally committed to Wisconsin, the left winger and Colorado Avalanche pick could make noise with the Gophers.

Benton Maass, New Hampshire: The sophomore offensive defenseman got off to a hot start as a frosh; can the Washington Capitals pick hit another level this year?

Will Lockwood, Michigan: Injuries have plagued his NCAA tenure, but a healthy Lockwood would be huge for the Wolverines. The Vancouver Canucks pick is a tenacious two-way threat.

Jack McBain, Boston College: Jumping from Ontario Jr. A to Hockey East will be a challenge for the Minnesota Wild pick, but the big body and scoring potential makes him intriguing.

Morgan Barron, Cornell: One of the bigger surprises in college last year, big Barron put up nice offense and will contribute more as a sophomore. He’s a New York Rangers pick.

Jack Dugan, Providence College: A late-bloomer who tore up the USHL last season, Dugan is a Vegas Golden Knights prospect with skill and great skating acumen.

Filip Larsson, Denver: Starts the season on the shelf, but once he’s healthy, the Detroit Red Wings pick will give the Pioneers great protection in the crease. Larsson was a beast in the USHL last year.

Ruslan Iskhakov, UConn: A smaller right winger with a dynamic skill set, Iskhakov makes his North American debut this year. He’s a New York Islanders pick that continues UConn’s Euro pipeline.

Logan Hutsko, Boston College: Another breakout player from 2017-18, Hutsko returns to the Eagles as a Florida Panthers draft pick. Ultra-skilled, the center has already conquered some big injuries.

Shane Bowers, Boston U: Ottawa fans are already wincing that Bowers went to Colorado in the Matt Duchene trade. The all-around center finished third in Terriers scoring last season as a freshman.

Jeremy Davies, Northeastern: Part of that wicked Huskies team that won the Beanpot, Davies is a talented offensive defenseman who can really move the puck. He’s a New Jersey Devils selection.

Blake McLaughlin, Minnesota: A home state kid who blitzed the USHL last season, McLaughlin is an Anaheim Ducks pick with great hockey IQ and puckhandling skills on the wing.

Jonny Tychonick, North Dakota: The brash and talented Ottawa Senators pick can really make things happen with the puck on his stick and he’ll be a great addition to the North Dakota blueline.

Jacob Bernard-Docker, North Dakota: The yin to Tychonick’s yang (they’re buddies), JBD is also an Ottawa Senators selection, but he brings more of a two-way game to the back end.

Brandon Kruse, Bowling Green: The talented, playmaking left winger was a revelation for the Falcons in his freshman year, finishing second in team scoring. The Vegas Golden Knights snapped him up in the draft.

Jeremy Swayman, Maine: Shocked many when he elbowed his way onto Team USA’s world junior squad. But the talented netminder and Boston Bruins pick had a .921 save percentage for Maine as a freshman.

Josh Norris, Michigan: Now an Ottawa Senators prospect thanks to the Erik Karlsson trade, Norris brings great athleticism and a two-way game. The sophomore will be key for a Michigan team trying to make noise again.

Mario Ferraro, UMass: The other talented and mobile sophomore on the Minutemen blueline, Ferraro is a San Jose Sharks pick. He actually had more points than Makar last year, albeit in more games played.

Aarne Talvitie, Penn State: This is a real personal fave because Talvitie was great at the 2017 world junior summer showcase. Now, the skilled and sturdy Finn comes to North America. He’s a New Jersey Devils pick.

Demetrios Koumontzis, Arizona State: Returning to the state he played two years of U16 hockey in, Koumontzis is a Calgary Flames pick with a dynamic skill set. The left winger played Minnesota high school hockey last year.

Adam Fox, Harvard: His rights have been traded to Carolina and it’s hard to see Fox coming back for a senior year, so this could be the last stand for the smart blueliner with great power play skills.

Clayton Phillips, Minnesota: The talented puckmover jumped into the NCAA early when the Gophers needed him last season, now the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect will return for his first full campaign.

Mikey Anderson, Minnesota-Duluth: Part of the Bulldogs’ excellent defense corps, Anderson has high hockey IQ and doesn’t make many mistakes. He’s a Los Angeles Kings selection.

Peter DiLiberatore, Quinnipiac: The Bobcats have a lot of youngsters coming in and DiLiberatore brings tons of potential to the defense thanks to his skating ability. He’s a Vegas Golden Knights pick.

Max Gildon, New Hampshire: The big, talented Florida Panthers pick had a great freshman campaign for the Wildcats. Gildon led the defense in scoring and finished second overall on the team with 23 points.

Wyatt Kalynuk, Wisconsin: Maybe a bit under the radar, but Kalynuk is coming off a great freshman campaign that saw the Philadelphia Flyers pick lead the Badgers defense in scoring.

Jakov Novak, Bentley: The first Bentley kid ever to make this list, Novak is a big, powerful dude who also had Michigan interested in his services. The left winger was selected by the Ottawa Senators this summer.

Nicky Leivermann, Notre Dame: An offensive defenseman who played with Casey Mittelstadt in high school, Leivermann is a Colorado Avalanche pick coming off a solid BCHL campaign.

Jack Gorniak, Wisconsin: A rarity in that he was drafted straight out of Wisconsin high school, Gorniak is a Montreal Canadiens pick who brings great energy and speed up front to the lineup.

Slava Demin, Denver: The two-way defenseman helped Wenatchee win the BCHL championship last year and now he’s headed to Denver. Demin was drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Tanner Laczynski, Ohio State: A talented producer with a lot of grit, Laczynski had 47 points as a sophomore, so expect more big numbers from the Philadelphia Flyers pick this season.

Jack Adams, Union: The 6-foot-5 right winger will get more dangerous as his college career progresses and his frame fills out. Big-time scorer in the USHL is a Dutchmen sophomore and Detroit Red Wings pick.

Dylan Samberg, Minnesota-Duluth: Big defenseman who can skate still developing his offensive game, but it’s hard to beat the experience of a national title as a freshman. He’s a Winnipeg Jets pick.

Jack Rathbone, Harvard: Modern-style offensive defenseman enters his first year of college after a great prep career at Dexter. Rathbone is a Vancouver Canucks pick.

Mattias Samuelsson, Western Michigan: He’s got size, smarts and an NHL pedigree thanks to father Kjell. Look for Samuelsson to be solid for the Broncos as a freshman. Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres.

Jake Oettinger, Boston U: Could have gone pro this summer, but Oettinger is back in net for the Terriers with team glory on his mind. The Dallas Stars pick is big, cool, and he controls his rebounds.

Jachym Kondelik, UConn: Another European on his way to Storrs, Kondelik is a beguiling 6-foot-7 center with nice hands who just needs to iron out his skating. The Nashville Predators took him in the 2018 draft.

Matej Tomek, Nebraska-Omaha: After a false start with North Dakota, Tomek is back in college with the Mavericks, where he’ll get the chance to reprove himself. He’s a Philadelphia Flyers selection.

Jacob Bryson, Providence College: The Buffalo Sabres pick is a smaller playmaking defenseman who wore a letter as a sophomore and returns as an alternate captain for his junior year with the Friars.

Spencer Stastney, Notre Dame: Another personal fave of mine, Stastney always seemed to make something happen when I watched him last year. The physical freshman D-man is a Nashville Predators pick.

David Hrenak, St. Cloud State: The big netminder logged world junior duty for Slovakia last year and the Los Angeles Kings nabbed him in the draft. Sophomore will be key for the Huskies.

Jon Gruden, Miami: The son of a coach (the hockey one), Gruden enters his freshman year with Miami as an Ottawa Senators draft pick. The left winger has smarts and nice offensive potential.

Chase Pearson, Maine: Named captain as a sophomore, the Detroit Red Wings prospect returns as junior with the ‘C’ on his jersey. Pearson blends size and skill to make things happen for the Black Bears.

Jack Drury, Harvard: Another kid with NHL pedigree (dad Ted and uncle Chris), Drury is a hard-working two-way center who enters his freshman year with the Crimson as a Carolina Hurricanes pick.

Jasper Weatherby, North Dakota: The big dude had a monster BCHL year for champion Wenatchee, averaging nearly two points per game in the playoffs. The late bloomer is a San Jose Sharks pick.

Joey Daccord, Arizona State: Let’s not sugar-coat it: Daccord faced a ton of shots last year and this season will likely be the same. Fortunately, the Ottawa Senators pick is pretty good at stopping them.

Jack St. Ivany, Yale: The talented, playmaking defenseman enters his first year with the Bulldogs after a nice USHL career. St. Ivany is a Philadelphia Flyers selection.

Noah Cates, Minnesota-Duluth: Another Philadelphia Flyers pick, Cates has great hockey smarts and will help the Bulldogs’ forward corps with his scoring potential.

Dante Fabbro, Boston U: This has gotta be Fabbro’s last year in the NCAA and the two-way defenseman will do so as captain of the Terriers. He’s a Nashville Predators pick.

Jordan Harris, Northeastern: A new-school offensive defenseman coming out of the prep ranks, Harris is a Montreal Canadiens selection who joins a Huskies team that still has talent, despite some attrition.

Linus Weissbach, Wisconsin: The quick and energetic winger from Sweden finished third in Badgers scoring as a freshman. Let’s see what the Buffalo Sabres pick can do as a sophomore.

Kale Howarth, UConn: He’s a towering specimen at 6-foot-5 on the left wing and coming off a solid campaign in the BCHL. Now we get to see what the Columbus Blue Jackets pick can do in Hockey East.

John Leonard, UMass: Under the radar in his USHL days, Leonard broke out as a freshman for the Minutemen and led them in scoring. That prompted the San Jose Sharks to scoop him up in the draft.

Andrew Peeke, Notre Dame: The two-way defenseman with great size returns to South Bend for his junior season and does so as captain. Peeke is a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect.

Keith Petruzzelli, Quinnipiac: Last year was a bit of a nightmare for the skyscraper goalie, but he was just a freshman. Now the Detroit Red Wings pick returns with a chance to make amends.

Tomas Vomacka, UConn: Adam Huska is still in town, so Vomacka will have to fight for starts, but the Nashville Predators pick has a pretty good resume of his own and the Huskies can run a platoon if need be.

Ty Taylor, New Hampshire: Under the radar, but Taylor put up excellent numbers for BCHL Vernon last season. The Tampa Bay Lightning drafted him and now the goalie heads to the Wildcats.

Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State: A steady, two-way defenseman who will once again vie for the Hobey Baker, Schuldt is also a coveted free agent who turns pro this spring.

Nico Sturm, Clarkson: Another free agent that NHL teams are keeping an eye on, Sturm is a big, talented center and Clarkson’s new captain. He’s a junior this season.

Seth Barton, UMass-Lowell: A two-way defenseman with nice size, Barton joins the RiverHawks from the BCHL. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings after getting passed over in 2017.

Joseph Woll, Boston College: The Eagles netminder heads into the junior year of a pretty solid NCAA campaign and they’ll need him to use his size and talent again. Woll is a Toronto Maple Leafs pick.

Christian and Cole Krygier, Michigan State: They’re twins, so I’m cheating and putting them together. Christian (New York Islanders) and Cole (Florida) both play a rambunctious game on the blueline that will be fun for Spartans fans to watch.

Tags: NCAA, previews, prospects

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About the Author

Ryan Kennedy

Ryan Kennedy is the associate senior writer and draft/prospect expert at The Hockey News. He has been with the publication since 2005 and in that span, Don Cherry, Lil Jon and The Rock have all called his house. He lives in Toronto with his wife and kids where he listens to loud music and collects NCAA pennants.

Source: https://bloghyped.com/the-top-75-players-to-watch-in-ncaa-hockey/

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auburnfamilynews · 7 years

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Tigers will wage Revolutionary War on the Minutemen of UMass

Auburn has come one game closer to filling out the 2020 non-conference football schedule, with the addition of the UMass Minutemen for November 14th, 2020.

Auburn will host @UMassFootball at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 14, 2020.#WarEagle http://pic.twitter.com/R97VJK21iE

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) August 10, 2017

UMass has only won ten games combined in the last five years, so barring a miracle turnaround, this should be an easy get-right game for the Tigers before the final couple of weeks of the season.

the 2020 non-conference schedule already includes Southern Miss and Alabama A&M, so the Tigers need to find that required Power 5 opponent to fill the last void on the slate. Right now, that’s the only season that doesn’t have a quality opponent on the schedule. Auburn will face Washington to open up 2018, Oregon in 2019, Penn State in a home-and-home for 2021 and 2022, then Cal for a similar setup in 2023 and 2024.

Auburn’s game with Washington next year will be the Tigers’ first against the Huskies, and the much-anticipated rematch with Oregon will mirror the national championship game from several years ago. Obviously Penn State has risen under James Franklin, taking the Big Ten a year ago and earning a Rose Bowl berth, and Cal just checks a team off the list of opponents that Auburn has never played.

For 2020, the list of never-before-played teams that Auburn could schedule is pretty large.

There's a lot of teams Auburn football has never played - 42 in fact.http://bit.ly/2vSjcaA http://pic.twitter.com/jMDZh1NNZs

— Clint Richardson® (@Clintau24) July 19, 2017

Twelve of the teams in the above picture are Power 5 opponents, mostly from the Big 10, Big 12, and Pac 12 — Utah, UCLA, Stanford, Purdue, Pitt, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State, Illinois, and Arizona State — and most of them would garner national attention should the matchups happen.

As long as we don’t schedule Clemson again.

from College and Magnolia http://bit.ly/2vSGwF6 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Blogger

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mitchbeck · 3 years

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CANTLON: NHL DRAFT DAY 2 SUMMARY AND NEWS

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The bulk of the selections in the NHL Draft come on day two. Due to the pandemic, the sample size for current video and seeing players in-person is much smaller. Therefore, there were far fewer than normal games played. In some cases, no games were played at all. College players had a much shorter-than-usual schedule. Most schools had conference-only matchups, except for a few schools that managed to get in a few non-conference meetings. In Canadian junior hockey, only the QMJHL was able to play a division-only schedule, albeit an interrupted one. The WHL played just 25 divisional games while over in the OHL. They didn't play at all. Meanwhile, in the United States, the highest junior league, the tier-1 USHL, played a 54-game schedule, with many players that weren't selected, but that should have been. The breakdown of the final draft numbers is a bit surprising. In the major junior category, the WHL had 31 players selected. The QMJHL saw 24 drafted. The inactive OHL saw 22 of its players chosen, the same for the USHL. Finally, the tier-2 NAHL had one picked. Outside of the three studs from Michigan taken in the first five picks, two (2) other collegiate players were taken in the remainder of the draft. There were 91 players selected from Europe. ASSESSING WHO TO SELECT In terms of the ever-critical development picture, so many scouts were making assessments on year-old games or based their opinions on an incomplete '20-'21 season, with video as their only guide. Players have grown physically and mentally, but their in-game reps and in-person scouting assessments were critically lacking. Like New York Rangers first-round pick Brennan Othermann, who holds dual citizenship in Europe (Switzerland), and Chase Stillman, the grandson of former New Haven Nighthawk and Ranger, ninth round (154th overall) 1975 draft choice, Bud Stefanski, took a chance. Instead, they played in Denmark as they sought a less affected COVID country and giving themselves a heightened chance of being scouted. Scouts were put to the test this draft to fill organizational needs with hidden gems that nobody else had found. As a result, the dice were tossed all over NHL Draft rooms. MORROW GOES IN ROUND TWO The town of Darien is becoming a CT hockey hotbed of late. First, goalie Spencer Knight was drafted. He now skates for the Florida Panthers. Then, when the Carolina Hurricanes made their second pick (40th overall), they chose the right-handed shooting defenseman, Scott Morrow. Steve Morrow, his father, was drafted by the Flyers as a tenth-round pick in the 1987 Draft (209th overall). He had a brief minor-league pro career with the Hershey Bears (AHL) and the Ft. Worth Texans (CHL). Recently, he coached in the Mid-Fairfield Rangers youth hockey program. He is named after his uncle, Scott, drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fifth round (95th overall) in the 1988 NHL Draft. He never made it to Hartford but did play for their AHL farm team, the Springfield Indians. He had a ten-year minor league pro career. The younger Morrow has skated the last five years in the Shattuck’s St. Mary’s Sabres program (MNPREP), bypassing public and prep school hockey in the Nutmeg State. Instead, he's heading to play for the defending national champion UMASS-Amherst Minutemen (HE) program coached by Greg Carvel after de-committing from traditional hockey powerhouse, North Dakota (NCHC). Morrow sent a PowerPoint presentation to Shattuck’s-the modern-day version of the handwritten letter, which speaks about his commitment, use of modern technology, and maturity shown at a young age. Morrow was one of four Shattuck’s players drafted this weekend. He played with UCONN’s Artem Schlaine and will be his opponent this upcoming college season. He played two regular season USHL games with the Youngstown (OH) Phantoms, and he was traded twice. First, from Youngstown to the Sioux City (IA) Musketeers and had his rights dealt to the Fargo (ND) Force, he played six playoff games. He was also a 2018 QMJHL draftee of the Val d‘Or Foreurs. MORE SECOND ROUND The last pick of the second round, 64th overall, was Oliver Kapanen, nephew of Whaler favorite, Sami Kapanen, and the cousin of the Penguins' Kasperi. He played for the KalPa U-20 team and is slated to play for KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL) this season and is WJC eligible and played for Finland’s U-18 this spring. Sami, a fourth-round Whalers' draftee in 1988, is currently the head coach with HC Lugano (Switzerland-LNA). He played 831 NHL games with Hartford, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Philadelphia Flyers. His grandfather Hannu played for the 1976 Finnish Olympic team and their World Championship squad. Other notables included the Arizona Coyotes, who were penalized by the NHL for their indiscretion in the NHL Combine process under former GM Jeff Chayka. They lost their first-round pick as a penalty imposed by the NHL took forward Josh Doan from the formidable Chicago Steel (USHL) program. Doan’s father, Shane, is the Coyotes all-time top player in every category for the troubled franchise’s history. He was passed over last year in the 2020 Draft, but a big season paid off. He was a 2017 Kamloops Blazers (WHL) draftee on his father’s team. He will skate for the Arizona St. Sun Devils, an NCAA Division-I independent program with no conference at this time. OTHER PICKS Samuel Helenius, a 6’6 center, was taken by the LA Kings 59th overall. He played for JYP (Finland-FEL) and is WJC eligible and played in the tourney last year. His father Sami was a 6’5 defenseman with 155 NHL games with the Calgary Flames, the Dallas Stars, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also played 296 AHL games with Saint John's, Utah, and Hershey, plus 56 IHL games with Las Vegas and Chicago. ROUND THREE With the first pick in the third-round (65th overall), the Rangers chose 6'3, 190-pound center Jayden Grubbe. Last year, he played only five games and was captain of the Red Deer Rebels (WHL), coached by NHL’er Brent Sutter of the famous hockey-playing Sutter family. In his rookie WHL season, he played 59 games with six goals and 23 assists. He has a younger 15-year brother Jordan playing in Alberta bantam hockey. The Rangers' second pick in the third round was another center, Ryder Korczak of the Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL). He played 17 games with three goals and 13 assists but was a minus-11. In 62 games in the 2019-20 season for the Warriors, Korczak had 18 goals and 67 points but was a startling minus-40. His older Kaedan is a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, a second-round draftee who split last year with Kelowna Rockets (WHL) and the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL). His father, Chad, is the general manager of their hometown Yorkton Maulers (SMAAAHL) team. With the 71st pick, the St. Louis Blues took Simon Robertsson, former Wolf Pack/Ranger Bert Robertsson's son. He played with three teams last year Skellefteå AIK (Sweden-SHL), Skellefteå AIK J-20 and Piteå HC (Hockey Ettan). He was sent home from the WJC Finland with a positive COVID test but did play for the WJC U-18 team. He is expected to play for the Skellefteå AIK (SHL and J-20) squads in the fall and remains WJC eligible. ROUND FOUR In the fourth round, the Rangers had three selections. Brody Lamb, taken 104th overall, is a University Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big 10) commit in the fall. He skated for three teams last season. The Dodge County High School team in Kasson, MN, where, in 24 games, he had 52 goals and 87 points. The second team was a travel team TDS Construction (USSEHL). In 19 games, Lamb had 12 goals and 23 points. He also had ten games with the USHL Green Bay Gamblers, where he had two assists playing for former Beast of New Haven's Pat Miskesch, who is the head coach and GM of the Gamblers. In 53 games total, he had 64 goals and 111 points. He played three playoff games between TDS and Green Bay with one assist. His father, Jeff, played collegiately for the University of Denver Pioneers then in the WCHA and had a brief three-year minor pro career two with the original Maine Mariners (AHL) and his last season with the Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL). FINAL FOURTH-ROUNDER Then three picks later, at 107th, they selected their first European pick of this draft, 6’4 185 lb. 18-year-old LW Kalle Väisänen from TPS Turku U-20 team where he skated in 27 games with nine goals, 21 assists for 30 points and played one game with the U-18 team. He is slated to play for TPS Turku (Finland-FEL) this year and is WJC eligible. His father Markku played in the Finnish league professionally for eight years and coached at various times in four years in the lower levels of Finnish hockey. Then five slots later, at 112th overall, the Rangers' third pick in the round, the team went for a tall goalie and the biggest player in the draft. At 6’8, they chose Talyn Boyko from the Tri-City (WA) Americans (WHL). In his third season, he played 14 games with a 3.02 GAA, .901 save percentage, and had a record of 7-7-0. He turns 19 in October, so he will likely return for the fourth season of junior hockey. Then forward, Ethan Cardwell was taken 121st overall by the San Jose Sharks. He is the nephew of former New Haven Knights (UHL) player Matt Cardwell. He plays with the Barrie Colts (OHL), but last year laced them up for Surahammers IF (Sweden HockeyEtttan Division-1 third tier) and had 27 points in 18 games and had a team-best plus-10. ROUND FIVE With the 144th overall pick, the Rangers chose forward Jaroslav Chmelar, an 18-year native of the Czech Republic. He played in Finland for the Jokerit U-18/U-20 teams and played for the Czech national J-18 team in the J-18 tournament held in Canada. He stands at 6’4 and weighs 198-pounds. He shoots right-handed. Detroit took Oscar Plandowski, a Selects Academy at South Kent team member, in 2018-19. He played last season for the Charlottetown (PEI) Islanders. His father, Darryl, is the Director of Amateur Scouting for Arizona. From the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL), Cameron MacDonald was selected with the last pick in the round (160th) by the Standley Cup Champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also played for the Selects Academy at South Kent Prep program in 2018-19 and out in a game with the CT Jr, Rangers (NCDC) that season. Other interesting players of note who were taken in the round include the Carolina Hurricanes selection of Robert Orr, no relation to the great Robert Gordon Orr, aka Bobby Orr. This Orr playing for former Hartford Wolf Pack assistant coach J.J. Daigneault with the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL). The Hurricanes also took Justin Robidas, born in Plano, Texas, and is the son of former NHL’er Stéphane Robidas (937 games). Arizona took Manix Landry, the son of long-time AHL and European player Éric Landry, who had a brief NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens. ROUND SIX Selecting 186th overall, the Edmonton Oilers took Shane LaChance, the son of Bristol-born Scott LaChance. His father was drafted out of BU in the 1st round (4th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 1991 Draft. His uncle Bob LaChance skated for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and Danbury Trashers (UHL). His grandfather is legendary long-time Boston University head coach Jack Parker. LaChance played last year for the Boston Jr. Bruins (NCDC) and is enrolled and has played for Tabor Academy (MAPREP). He is a 2022-23 commit to the Boston University Terriers (HE), to no one's surprise. ROUND SEVEN The Rangers' last draft selection was a defenseman—Hank Kempf from the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL), who was taken 208th overall. In 26 games, the 6’2 190-pound rearguard had four goals and 10 points and was a plus-5. He is a Cornell Big Red (ECACHL) commit in the fall. Early in the last round Ryan McCleary, the son of former New Haven Senators and NHL’er Trent McCLeary, was selected 194th by Pittsburgh. McLeary was the fifth-youngest taken at age 17 and the fifth lightest at 154 lbs. TRADES After nine seasons in Columbus with the Blue Jackets, right-wing Cam Arkinson (Riverside/Avon Old Farms) was moved to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Jakub Voracek. NOTES The Rangers announced that defenseman Tony DeAngelo had cleared waivers. His buyout is now complete and his turbulent Rangers career is finished. He is now a free agent. The 6’8 240-pound goalie, Hugo Ollas, a draft pick last year from Sweden, commits to Merrimack College (HE) in the fall. He is WJC eligible. The AHL Henderson Silver Knights will have 61 games next season at their present temporary home of Orleans Arena. They will play their final home games and post-season hockey in their brand-new Dollar Loan Center starting April 2, 2022. The Springfield Thunderbirds had two big signings from the parent St. Louis Blues. First, Australian veteran winger Nathan Walker signed a two-year two-way deal at $750K-NHL/$300K-AHL. The other is a one-year, two-way for winger Nolan Stevens. The deal pays him $700K for play in the NHL and $100K in the AHL. Stevens comes to Springfield, where his AHL Hall of Fame father, John Walker, played for the Springfield Indians. He won a Cader Cup in 1990-91 and is currently an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars. The parent clubs of the Ontario Reign and Tucson Roadrunners conducted an AHL trade. Los Angeles (Reign) sent Cole Hults and Bokondji Imama to the Arizona Coyotes (Roadrunners) for Brayden Burke and Tyler Steenbergen. The Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning signed Gemel Smith to a two-way, two-year deal paying $750K-NHL/$250K-AHL. NHL HOME Read the full article

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