Here's the link to my story about Steve Weidlich leaving from today's Times for those of you who can access it.
I guess the reasons for what happened are pretty obvious, as Weidlich was making the best move for his career and Coach Ruskowski wants to take things in a bit of a different direction this season.
Ruskowski said that Weidlich's decision to leave Laredo was one that Ruskowski also had a say in, but that Weidlich is leaving on good terms and will always have friends within the Bucks organization.
Weidlich obviously has some regrets about leaving, but he said his time here was something he will always cherish and he knows this was the best move for his career. At one point, he literally said he was doing "what was best for Steve Weidlich," almost as though this was a move made purely for his name and his career, not his personal satisfaction.
Here are some quotes from each of them:
Ruskowski:
"I have a lot of respect for him, he’s been with me since the start of our campaign here. He’s a great guy, and we get along very well; it was just time to try something different.
"He’s got the playing/assistant-coaching job, and I know he’ll be successful. I wish him the best; it was just time for things to change a little bit. I think that now he’s rejuvenated, and he’ll realize now what the coaching side of things is about being on the other side of the fence. I think he'll do a great job, and I wish him nothing but the best. Obviously, he's leaving, but we made no big deal about it. We're still on great terms.
"I think it’s a step in the right direction for him if he wants to continue in the coaching aspect of it. He learn the ins and outs behind the scenes, see how they recruit, how they strategize. It'll be a challenge, but what’s life without challenges?
"I think just a little change for everybody needed to take place. It's a change of scenery for him and chance for me to go a different way, try to get some youth to come in here. I really like him, it was just time for us to move on. We parted in great ways, no hard feelings. I told him if he needs anything, give me a call. 'Once my boy, always my boy."
Weidlich:
"I based my decision on a few things. This is a great opportunity for myself personally. Being the player/assistant coach is something I had looked forward to doing in the future, as far pursuing a coaching career. I had to take advantage because this is something that might not come up again.
"I love Laredo. I've been there for seven years, so it's pretty much my home now. I just had to do what was best for my career.
"I look back on my time in Laredo as a great experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Those two championships are something no one can ever take away from me. I learned a lot from Terry as a player, and I hope to apply that to my own coaching career. I have tons of great friends in Laredo, and I'll miss it tremendously, but I'll always look back at it in a good way.
"It's always been a thought of mine to pursue coaching later on in my career, but I never thought it would come so early. I'm only 28 years old. But for most players, their career is over at 32, 33 years old pretty, so they're much retiring and having to start a new career. Having the opportunity to start a second career that is still in hockey was something I could not pass up.
"This will be the team's inaugural season. They had a team in the ECHL last year and folded, so this is the first season in the SPHL. There's new owners, new everything. The rink is the same, but it's been redone since the hurricane.
"I’m looking forward to a lot. It’s a new city, good people and a different role that I’ll playing on the team. Well, playing-wise, my role will be the same, but I'll have more of a leadership role with making decisions on and off the ice. I'm looking forward learning to that part of the business."
Now that everything with this is said and done, I'm curious to hear your opinions about it. Are you sad to see Weidlich go? What do you think he brought to the team that could be missed this season? Are there any other players who won't be coming back that you'll miss?
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Weidlich Signs in SPHL
As had been rumored for a while, long-time Bucks defenseman Steve Weidlich has been signed by the Mississippi Surge to be their player/assistant coach for their inaugural Southern Professional Hockey League season.
The Surge announced the news at a press conference earlier today in Biloxi, Miss., and the Bucks followed suit with a press release of their own.
Considering how much has been said about only a few players returning this season, I don't think Weidlich's departure is much of a surprise to anyone, and it's apparently something he and Coach Ruskowski discussed before Weidlich decided to move on.
I'll have a story in tomorrow's Times with quotes from Ruskowski and Weidlich about this, and I'll share what I have leftover from my conversations with them on here.
In other defenseman news, the Bucks have revealed that Thursday's press conference will be held to announce the future of Serge Dube, who "retired" at the end of the 2008-09 season.
I'll be sure to keep you posted on what is discussed at the press conference, though it is open to the public if any of you are able to attend on Thursday at 3 p.m. at the LEC.
Sorry for the delay in posting this stuff, but my car pretty much had to swim to the office, then our Internet got shut down for a while after I arrived. Hopefully those of you who live in Laredo are not in as flooded an area as I am. This city's horrendous drainage never ceases to amaze me.
The Surge announced the news at a press conference earlier today in Biloxi, Miss., and the Bucks followed suit with a press release of their own.
Considering how much has been said about only a few players returning this season, I don't think Weidlich's departure is much of a surprise to anyone, and it's apparently something he and Coach Ruskowski discussed before Weidlich decided to move on.
I'll have a story in tomorrow's Times with quotes from Ruskowski and Weidlich about this, and I'll share what I have leftover from my conversations with them on here.
In other defenseman news, the Bucks have revealed that Thursday's press conference will be held to announce the future of Serge Dube, who "retired" at the end of the 2008-09 season.
I'll be sure to keep you posted on what is discussed at the press conference, though it is open to the public if any of you are able to attend on Thursday at 3 p.m. at the LEC.
Sorry for the delay in posting this stuff, but my car pretty much had to swim to the office, then our Internet got shut down for a while after I arrived. Hopefully those of you who live in Laredo are not in as flooded an area as I am. This city's horrendous drainage never ceases to amaze me.
Monday, September 28, 2009
New Ice
The new ice at the LEC is all set for training camp, and Bryan Benway was kind enough to share this picture, which he initially posted as a thumbnail on his blog (click on the picture for the full-size version):
Obviously most of the returning guys are already in town, along with a few new players, and more will be arriving every day this week, which means that ice will be getting some use soon. I just got off the phone with Ryan Salvis, and he said he'll be here tomorrow and hopes to be skating by Wednesday, so Art Cullaton and co. will already have their hands full. Can't wait to hear skate blades cutting through that stuff; it's my favorite sound in the world.
Obviously most of the returning guys are already in town, along with a few new players, and more will be arriving every day this week, which means that ice will be getting some use soon. I just got off the phone with Ryan Salvis, and he said he'll be here tomorrow and hopes to be skating by Wednesday, so Art Cullaton and co. will already have their hands full. Can't wait to hear skate blades cutting through that stuff; it's my favorite sound in the world.
Smith Released
The Bucks are holding a press conference later this week... and Darryl Smith was released by the Chicago Wolves today.
These events may or may not have anything to do with each other, but Smith's CHL ties lie with the Bucks, so unless another AHL team picks him up or he chooses to go to the ECHL, it seems he will be headed back to Laredo.
UPDATE: I called Coach Ruskowski, and he said that he thinks Smith might have an offer from another team but he called his agent to let him know the Bucks would love for him to come back if that's something he might be interested in doing. The press conference was already tentatively scheduled as of last week, so this probably isn't what it will entail, but Smith's return is a possibility.
UPDATE 2: Upon reading Bryan Benway's blog from today, I have to guess that the press conference will be about Serge Dube and what he has decided he will do for the 2009-10 season. It's really hard to figure what his decision will be, as he has "retired" and come back before and cited the number of vets on the team (which has greatly decreased from what was expected) as a reason for not returning this season. We'll see what happens.
These events may or may not have anything to do with each other, but Smith's CHL ties lie with the Bucks, so unless another AHL team picks him up or he chooses to go to the ECHL, it seems he will be headed back to Laredo.
UPDATE: I called Coach Ruskowski, and he said that he thinks Smith might have an offer from another team but he called his agent to let him know the Bucks would love for him to come back if that's something he might be interested in doing. The press conference was already tentatively scheduled as of last week, so this probably isn't what it will entail, but Smith's return is a possibility.
UPDATE 2: Upon reading Bryan Benway's blog from today, I have to guess that the press conference will be about Serge Dube and what he has decided he will do for the 2009-10 season. It's really hard to figure what his decision will be, as he has "retired" and come back before and cited the number of vets on the team (which has greatly decreased from what was expected) as a reason for not returning this season. We'll see what happens.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Notebook in Friday's Paper
There was so much going on this past Thursday that I ended up writing a notebook for Friday's Times. It's late, and I'm still at the office, so I'm going to take the easy way out and just post the entire thing on here.
Most of the news discussed in this story has already been posted on the blog, but you can read Coach Ruskowski's take on everything in here:
Bucks announce 2009-10 events
By JOY LINDSAY
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
The Laredo Bucks held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the return of tailgating for the 2009-10 season.
Fans will be welcome to tailgate outside the LEC from 4 p.m. until an hour before puck drop for every home game, and each Saturday home game will feature a cook-off.
“The fans really missed the tailgates,” Bucks Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting Bryan Benway said. “A lot of people would come out and tailgate with their friends, and it was a big party atmosphere. We wanted to bring that back, and the LEC was gracious enough to deal with us so we could do this. We’re trying to change the whole atmosphere of the Bucks and the arena, and this is one of the big things that we think will (help).”
“Let’s bring the fun back into hockey again,” Ruskowski said. “The first couple years we were here, I’d go for walks before games and people were tailgating, kids were playing street hockey and football … it was just a great opportunity for the families to get together, enjoy themselves, enjoy the day, then go inside and enjoy hockey.”
Tailgating will begin at the home opener on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a fajita cook-off. Fans are encouraged to bring their own food and cooking equipment, and draught beer will be available for $1 from the LEC.
Ruskowski, Bucks Vice President of Business Operations Nicole Kupaks, Bucks Vice President of Sales Donald Thomson and LEC General Manager Roy Medina were among those who contributed to the return of this popular practice.
“We never had one of these events before, and what better way to kick off our eighth season than have a big extravaganza outside,” Benway said. “We’re going to get a lot of people here wishing the team well before the home opener. We’re looking forward to it.
“We want to make this as exciting and memorable as possible. You don’t see many red carpets in Laredo, so we wanted to bring that here to the arena.”
The first 1,000 fans to arrive will also receive a free “Believe in Blue” picture frame.
“I was after Richards a while back, and he kept on eluding me,” Ruskowski said. “I lost (Erick) Lizon, my big tough guy, so I needed a guy who can come in here and stick up for all the guys on the ice, make sure no one gets picked on or harassed, especially our goal scorers. He’s that type of guy. He’s 6-foot-4, 220 (pounds) … he knows his responsibility.
“Every team has to have a guy like that, and I’m happy to have Richards.”
Richards will be entering his fifth professional season, having spent one prior season in the Central Hockey League and also played in the East Coast, North American and United (now International) Hockey Leagues.
For his pro career, Richards has racked up 508 penalty minutes in 120 games while scoring 14 points.
Despite Richards’ signing, Ruskowski said rookie enforcers still have a chance of making his team.
“We’re all fighting for a job, and if someone shows me they’re more aggressive, they’re going to have job,” Ruskowski said. “I only have four guys coming back, so there’s jobs up for grabs for whoever impresses me in training camp.”
The 21-year-old Montreal native spent last season in the ECHL after playing four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“Corsi’s an interesting situation,” Ruskowski said. “He’s very good with the puck, has great instincts. He bounced around in the East Coast last year, but he should have played one more year in juniors. This kid was going to put up 80-90 points in major junior last year and have teams after him like crazy, but that one year as a pro under his belt may have given him more finishing, more experience that other kids don’t have.
“He’s intelligent and a good playmaker; you have to have those qualities to be a successful center.”
Corsi had 70 points in 68 regular season games during his final junior campaign and posted 28 points in 52 ECHL contests last season.
“They have been released, so they’ll be coming into Laredo (today),” Ruskowski said. “I expect them to be a force to be reckoned with in camp. The only scrimmage they had, they both scored a goal. That should be a pretty good roster situation for myself to be in, so I’m pretty pumped.
“I’m just hoping right now to see what’s available. When somebody slips through the cracks and has no place to go after expecting to make the Rampage, I want to have the opportunity to sign them. I’m just talking to the general manager and coaches, seeing what’s available and what could be.
“If I don’t ask, they won’t tell me, so I want to be here in person to get in their in faces and show that I’m interested.”
Most of the news discussed in this story has already been posted on the blog, but you can read Coach Ruskowski's take on everything in here:
Bucks announce 2009-10 events
By JOY LINDSAY
LAREDO MORNING TIMES
The Laredo Bucks held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the return of tailgating for the 2009-10 season.
Fans will be welcome to tailgate outside the LEC from 4 p.m. until an hour before puck drop for every home game, and each Saturday home game will feature a cook-off.
“The fans really missed the tailgates,” Bucks Director of Media Relations and Broadcasting Bryan Benway said. “A lot of people would come out and tailgate with their friends, and it was a big party atmosphere. We wanted to bring that back, and the LEC was gracious enough to deal with us so we could do this. We’re trying to change the whole atmosphere of the Bucks and the arena, and this is one of the big things that we think will (help).”
Bringing the fun back
Bucks President/Head Coach/General Manager Terry Ruskowski was not in attendance for the press conference, but he played a big part in the decision to revive tailgating at the LEC and expressed his excitement about its return.“Let’s bring the fun back into hockey again,” Ruskowski said. “The first couple years we were here, I’d go for walks before games and people were tailgating, kids were playing street hockey and football … it was just a great opportunity for the families to get together, enjoy themselves, enjoy the day, then go inside and enjoy hockey.”
Tailgating will begin at the home opener on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a fajita cook-off. Fans are encouraged to bring their own food and cooking equipment, and draught beer will be available for $1 from the LEC.
Ruskowski, Bucks Vice President of Business Operations Nicole Kupaks, Bucks Vice President of Sales Donald Thomson and LEC General Manager Roy Medina were among those who contributed to the return of this popular practice.
Red carpet start
In addition to tailgating for the home opener, the Bucks will host an “extravaganza,” with all players and staff members arriving in tuxedos or formal gowns to take photos with fans on a red carpet.“We never had one of these events before, and what better way to kick off our eighth season than have a big extravaganza outside,” Benway said. “We’re going to get a lot of people here wishing the team well before the home opener. We’re looking forward to it.
“We want to make this as exciting and memorable as possible. You don’t see many red carpets in Laredo, so we wanted to bring that here to the arena.”
The first 1,000 fans to arrive will also receive a free “Believe in Blue” picture frame.
Bucks add enforcer
Earlier on Wednesday, the Bucks announced the signings of two new forwards, including rugged winger Robin Richards.“I was after Richards a while back, and he kept on eluding me,” Ruskowski said. “I lost (Erick) Lizon, my big tough guy, so I needed a guy who can come in here and stick up for all the guys on the ice, make sure no one gets picked on or harassed, especially our goal scorers. He’s that type of guy. He’s 6-foot-4, 220 (pounds) … he knows his responsibility.
“Every team has to have a guy like that, and I’m happy to have Richards.”
Richards will be entering his fifth professional season, having spent one prior season in the Central Hockey League and also played in the East Coast, North American and United (now International) Hockey Leagues.
For his pro career, Richards has racked up 508 penalty minutes in 120 games while scoring 14 points.
Despite Richards’ signing, Ruskowski said rookie enforcers still have a chance of making his team.
“We’re all fighting for a job, and if someone shows me they’re more aggressive, they’re going to have job,” Ruskowski said. “I only have four guys coming back, so there’s jobs up for grabs for whoever impresses me in training camp.”
Corsi signs on
Wednesday’s other signing made center Peter-James Corsi the 27th player to join the Bucks’ training camp roster.The 21-year-old Montreal native spent last season in the ECHL after playing four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“Corsi’s an interesting situation,” Ruskowski said. “He’s very good with the puck, has great instincts. He bounced around in the East Coast last year, but he should have played one more year in juniors. This kid was going to put up 80-90 points in major junior last year and have teams after him like crazy, but that one year as a pro under his belt may have given him more finishing, more experience that other kids don’t have.
“He’s intelligent and a good playmaker; you have to have those qualities to be a successful center.”
Corsi had 70 points in 68 regular season games during his final junior campaign and posted 28 points in 52 ECHL contests last season.
Duo sent back to Bucks
Ruskowski spent the earlier part of this week in Houston watching forwards Josef Fojtik and Maxime Lincourt try out for the American Hockey League’s Aeros and moved on to San Antonio Rampage camp on Wednesday when the duo was returned.“They have been released, so they’ll be coming into Laredo (today),” Ruskowski said. “I expect them to be a force to be reckoned with in camp. The only scrimmage they had, they both scored a goal. That should be a pretty good roster situation for myself to be in, so I’m pretty pumped.
“I’m just hoping right now to see what’s available. When somebody slips through the cracks and has no place to go after expecting to make the Rampage, I want to have the opportunity to sign them. I’m just talking to the general manager and coaches, seeing what’s available and what could be.
“If I don’t ask, they won’t tell me, so I want to be here in person to get in their in faces and show that I’m interested.”
Spence's Journey
Rookie goaltender Dan Spence was released by the AHL's Abbotsford Heat yesterday, effectively ensuring he will be in Laredo for Bucks camp in a couple weeks.
Spence was sent to Abbotsford after being released by the Calgary Flames last Friday.
The local paper in Spence's home province of British Columbia kept up with his attempt to make it to a higher league.
You can read about Spence's invitation to Flames camp, his arrival at Heat camp and his release yesterday.
Spence was sent to Abbotsford after being released by the Calgary Flames last Friday.
The local paper in Spence's home province of British Columbia kept up with his attempt to make it to a higher league.
You can read about Spence's invitation to Flames camp, his arrival at Heat camp and his release yesterday.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Richards in Action
YouTube has quite a few Robin Richards fights to offer, so here are a few (okay, a lot):
And, last but not least, a fight between Richards and the person Coach Ruskowski said he is replacing:
Any opinions?
And, last but not least, a fight between Richards and the person Coach Ruskowski said he is replacing:
Any opinions?
Tailgating Details
Now that the Bucks' Web site is working again, you can check out the team's official press release about the return of tailgating at the LEC.
Though Coach Ruskowski was not at the presser, he deserves a lot of the credit for this decision, as do Vice President of Business Operations Nicole Kupaks, VP of Sales Donald Thomson and LEC GM Roy Medina.
Ruskowski seems excited about this and noted the fact that he enjoyed walking around and seeing all the tailgaters during his pre-game paces around the LEC.
You can read more of what he had to say about tailgating and everything else announced today in my story in tomorrow's Times.
I've had limited tailgating experience, with the most enjoyable of it coming before a Jets-Patriots game at Giants Stadium in 2006. The game itself was not so enjoyable, haha. No, I am not a Jets fan. But my point is that tailgating can be a lot of fun, and the weather here will make it a lot more survivable.
As far as the cook-offs, Bryan Benway (hopefully jokingly) suggested that I may be a "celebrity judge" for one of them, but, as he knows, I'm a vegetarian... so I don't really see that working out. They should give local BBQ connoisseurs a good reason to come out for games, though.
How many of you used to participate in tailgating when it was allowed the first few seasons? Do you think it's something you'll be interested in doing this year? I wonder which parking lot this will take place in... hopefully I won't need to find a new place to park.
Though Coach Ruskowski was not at the presser, he deserves a lot of the credit for this decision, as do Vice President of Business Operations Nicole Kupaks, VP of Sales Donald Thomson and LEC GM Roy Medina.
Ruskowski seems excited about this and noted the fact that he enjoyed walking around and seeing all the tailgaters during his pre-game paces around the LEC.
You can read more of what he had to say about tailgating and everything else announced today in my story in tomorrow's Times.
I've had limited tailgating experience, with the most enjoyable of it coming before a Jets-Patriots game at Giants Stadium in 2006. The game itself was not so enjoyable, haha. No, I am not a Jets fan. But my point is that tailgating can be a lot of fun, and the weather here will make it a lot more survivable.
As far as the cook-offs, Bryan Benway (hopefully jokingly) suggested that I may be a "celebrity judge" for one of them, but, as he knows, I'm a vegetarian... so I don't really see that working out. They should give local BBQ connoisseurs a good reason to come out for games, though.
How many of you used to participate in tailgating when it was allowed the first few seasons? Do you think it's something you'll be interested in doing this year? I wonder which parking lot this will take place in... hopefully I won't need to find a new place to park.
Today's Player Signings
The Bucks announced two signings earlier today, adding forwards Robin Richards and Peter-James Corsi to their training camp lineup.
These are two very different players, as Richards is an enforcer and Corsi is a playmaking center, but Coach Ruskowski thinks both can be a big asset for the Bucks this season.
When asked if signing an established pro enforcer lessened the chances of rookies with that type of mentality making the team, he said no and repeatedly stated that everyone coming to camp other than the four returning guys has an equal chance of making or not making the team.
The Bucks' training camp lineup is now up to 27 players with a few more sure to come.
Two of those players, Josef Fojtik and Maxime Lincourt, were released by the Houston Aeros today. They will arrive in Laredo tomorrow, and Ruskowski moved on to San Antonio Rampage camp upon their release.
When I spoke to him today, Ruskowski said he's just trying to find any players who might not have any plans beyond AHL camps if they expect to make it then get cut. We'll see if he's able to find anyone in San Antonio.
These are two very different players, as Richards is an enforcer and Corsi is a playmaking center, but Coach Ruskowski thinks both can be a big asset for the Bucks this season.
When asked if signing an established pro enforcer lessened the chances of rookies with that type of mentality making the team, he said no and repeatedly stated that everyone coming to camp other than the four returning guys has an equal chance of making or not making the team.
The Bucks' training camp lineup is now up to 27 players with a few more sure to come.
Two of those players, Josef Fojtik and Maxime Lincourt, were released by the Houston Aeros today. They will arrive in Laredo tomorrow, and Ruskowski moved on to San Antonio Rampage camp upon their release.
When I spoke to him today, Ruskowski said he's just trying to find any players who might not have any plans beyond AHL camps if they expect to make it then get cut. We'll see if he's able to find anyone in San Antonio.
Bucks Announce Events/Promotions
With the home opener one month away, the Bucks held a press conference today to announce the return of tailgating for the upcoming season along with several other promotions.
Tailgating will be allowed at all home games for those who bring their own food and grills, and there will be cook-off competitions for every Saturday home game, starting with a fajita cookoff for the home opener on Saturday, Oct. 24. Beer must be purchased from the LEC but will be $1 from the tap.
There will also be a red carpet for the home opener, with players and staff members arriving in tuxedos and posing for photos with fans. The first 1,000 to arrive will also receive a limited-edition "Believe in Blue" picture frame.
I'll post more details and some quotes from the press conference and Coach Ruskowski, who is now in San Antonio to watch Rampage camp, later. Stuff about the player signings announced earlier, too.
Tailgating will be allowed at all home games for those who bring their own food and grills, and there will be cook-off competitions for every Saturday home game, starting with a fajita cookoff for the home opener on Saturday, Oct. 24. Beer must be purchased from the LEC but will be $1 from the tap.
There will also be a red carpet for the home opener, with players and staff members arriving in tuxedos and posing for photos with fans. The first 1,000 to arrive will also receive a limited-edition "Believe in Blue" picture frame.
I'll post more details and some quotes from the press conference and Coach Ruskowski, who is now in San Antonio to watch Rampage camp, later. Stuff about the player signings announced earlier, too.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Bucks Bring Back Looby
The Bucks' announcement today was the return of defenseman Mike Looby for the 2009-10 season.
Looby was a member of the Bucks as an amateur for 12 playoff games when they won a President's Cup title in 2006.
Coach Ruskowski described him as a "well-balanced, all-around" defenseman and noted using him on penalty kills, power plays and regular shifts while he was here in 2006.
Since his time in Laredo, Looby has played with the Arizona Sundogs, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and Tulsa Oilers of the CHL and the Dayton Bombers and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.
He's apparently gotten a bit more physical since the last time he played in Laredo, and that's something Ruskowski is excited to see.
I have not had a chance to watch Looby play, but Ruskowski seems pretty excited to bring him back; what are your thoughts on this decision?
I'll have more on this signing, including quotes, after my story comes out in tomorrow's Times.
While I was talking to Ruskowski about this signing, we also chatted about what he's seen from forwards Josef Fojtik and Maxime Lincourt at Aeros camp. Here's what he had to say:
"They scrimmaged for the first time today, and each of them scored a goal, so I'm happy with that. (Fojtik is) definitely quick, no question about that. He handles the puck pretty well; the only thing we might have to work on is his discipline. I also like Lincourt; he has good size, and he scored a beautiful goal today. I think he’s a goal-scorer, no question about it. I like both of them, thought they both played pretty well."
Looby was a member of the Bucks as an amateur for 12 playoff games when they won a President's Cup title in 2006.
Coach Ruskowski described him as a "well-balanced, all-around" defenseman and noted using him on penalty kills, power plays and regular shifts while he was here in 2006.
Since his time in Laredo, Looby has played with the Arizona Sundogs, Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees and Tulsa Oilers of the CHL and the Dayton Bombers and Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL.
He's apparently gotten a bit more physical since the last time he played in Laredo, and that's something Ruskowski is excited to see.
I have not had a chance to watch Looby play, but Ruskowski seems pretty excited to bring him back; what are your thoughts on this decision?
I'll have more on this signing, including quotes, after my story comes out in tomorrow's Times.
While I was talking to Ruskowski about this signing, we also chatted about what he's seen from forwards Josef Fojtik and Maxime Lincourt at Aeros camp. Here's what he had to say:
"They scrimmaged for the first time today, and each of them scored a goal, so I'm happy with that. (Fojtik is) definitely quick, no question about that. He handles the puck pretty well; the only thing we might have to work on is his discipline. I also like Lincourt; he has good size, and he scored a beautiful goal today. I think he’s a goal-scorer, no question about it. I like both of them, thought they both played pretty well."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
This Week
The Bucks will be making a few more announcements this week, starting up again with a player signing tomorrow.
According to Bryan Benway's blog, that player is someone who has played here before. This is what he said about that:
Speaking of the roster, I can tell you that the Bucks will announce another player signing on Wednesday, and I think that you will be pleasantly suprised (sic) by who it is. He's played here before, and was successful.
The bolding on that is his. I'll be sure to post about this player when the signing is announced tomorrow.
On Thursday, the Bucks will hold a press conference at the LEC to "make an exciting announcement regarding the 2009-10 season."
This is not an player signing or on-ice operations announcement, but it is something loyal fans will probably find interesting.
Coach Ruskowski will not be at the press conference, but some players and other members of the Bucks' staff will.
In addition to the press conference, the Bucks are expected to announce two more player signings on Thursday. I'll try to keep you posted on all that, as well as the status of AHL campers.
According to Bryan Benway's blog, that player is someone who has played here before. This is what he said about that:
Speaking of the roster, I can tell you that the Bucks will announce another player signing on Wednesday, and I think that you will be pleasantly suprised (sic) by who it is. He's played here before, and was successful.
The bolding on that is his. I'll be sure to post about this player when the signing is announced tomorrow.
On Thursday, the Bucks will hold a press conference at the LEC to "make an exciting announcement regarding the 2009-10 season."
This is not an player signing or on-ice operations announcement, but it is something loyal fans will probably find interesting.
Coach Ruskowski will not be at the press conference, but some players and other members of the Bucks' staff will.
In addition to the press conference, the Bucks are expected to announce two more player signings on Thursday. I'll try to keep you posted on all that, as well as the status of AHL campers.
Yesterday's Quotes
For those of you who are LMT subscribers, here's my story from today's Times about yesterday's signings and AHL announcements.
For those of you who aren't, here are some of Coach Ruskowski's quotes:
On goaltender Kyle Gajewski:
"I called a coach about one guy in another league, and he said, 'No, this guy's better.'Our scouts saw him, and we heard from agents and different people... he's not very big, but he competes every night. He set the wins record with the team in Sault St. Marie. Playing that many years with a team of that caliber and having that many wins pretty nice feat to have. We're looking forward to seeing him."
On Dan Spence/goalie situation:
"I've heard Spence is doing well. That's good for him; we want to help kids, not hurt them. If someone comes up that interests me, I might go after it. But I think at the present time, we're kind of done with the goalie situation."
On forward Josef Fojtik:
"He may be one of fastest skaters in the Double-A leagues. He's a good skater with great speed and handles the puck well. Obviously, he can score, but we're hoping he can score even more when he gets to us."
"Speed is where is at, and he brings speed and experience. He played in the American League a little bit; this was a good chance to bring in someone with great speed who can create his own opportunities to score."
On forward Maxime Lincourt/Aeros camp:
"He looked very good. He did a pretty impressive job and has a great one-timer. I'm down here to see how talented they are and what kind of talent is out there if we have the possibility of getting some other players. It's good to have good rapport with the American League; you never know what that can lead to. I think those kids will probably come back unless something really unbelievable happens. But then we'll just go ahead and get someone else."
For those of you who aren't, here are some of Coach Ruskowski's quotes:
On goaltender Kyle Gajewski:
"I called a coach about one guy in another league, and he said, 'No, this guy's better.'Our scouts saw him, and we heard from agents and different people... he's not very big, but he competes every night. He set the wins record with the team in Sault St. Marie. Playing that many years with a team of that caliber and having that many wins pretty nice feat to have. We're looking forward to seeing him."
On Dan Spence/goalie situation:
"I've heard Spence is doing well. That's good for him; we want to help kids, not hurt them. If someone comes up that interests me, I might go after it. But I think at the present time, we're kind of done with the goalie situation."
On forward Josef Fojtik:
"He may be one of fastest skaters in the Double-A leagues. He's a good skater with great speed and handles the puck well. Obviously, he can score, but we're hoping he can score even more when he gets to us."
"Speed is where is at, and he brings speed and experience. He played in the American League a little bit; this was a good chance to bring in someone with great speed who can create his own opportunities to score."
On forward Maxime Lincourt/Aeros camp:
"He looked very good. He did a pretty impressive job and has a great one-timer. I'm down here to see how talented they are and what kind of talent is out there if we have the possibility of getting some other players. It's good to have good rapport with the American League; you never know what that can lead to. I think those kids will probably come back unless something really unbelievable happens. But then we'll just go ahead and get someone else."
Bes Re-Signing Quotes
Here are some of the things that were said at the press conference last week to announce Jeff Bes being re-signed:
Coach Ruskowski to crowd:
“It’s kind of amazing to me what Jeff Bes has done in his time with the Bucks. He’s been absolutely a tremendous contributor to the success we’ve had in the past, and we hope he can have some success in the future.”
“He’s a great ambassador for the game of hockey, especially in Laredo. We’re very proud and honored to have Jeff Bes back representing our team.”
Bes to crowd:
“I’m confident in the players who we’re bringing in, that they’re going to represent the Laredo Bucks and the city of Laredo proudly and professionally and we’re going to achieve the ultimate goal, and that’s win a championship and bring the cup back to Laredo.”
Bes one-on-one:
“It’s my seventh year here, fourth year as assistant coach, and I’ve been working really hard here this summer with Terry. We only have four guys coming back from last year’s team; we’re rebuilding and bringing in some quality young men who are going to really help us contend for a championship. That’s our ultimate goal – to contend for a championship, and to win a championship.”
“Laredo’s home now. I’ve got a house here, and I’m comfortable here. I have great friends outside of hockey as well as within hockey; the Laredo Bucks organization is like family. I’m really excited to be coming back and really excited about the upcoming season.”
“I think we have a lot of talent coming in. There are going to be a lot of battles for jobs come training camp, and that’s what you want. You want to have the competition because it makes everyone else better. We’re going to be an exciting, fast, hard-hitting team. Maybe I’ve been around a while, but I’m really looking forward to the rejuvenated aspect of coming out here and trying to win a championship.”
“That injury was a big blow. I’ve had injuries before, but nothing where I had to go on season-ending IR. It’s been a long time – Jan. 26, to be exact – and I’ve been working. I did my therapy and worked really hard, and my knee is 100 percent now. Mind you, I haven’t done any contact drills or anything like that, but those will come in training camp. I’m 100 percent confident in the knee and the strength of it. I’m just looking forward to getting out on the ice with the guys. I’ve worked really hard this summer, and I will continue to work hard.”
“Our goal every year is to win a championship, and that’s the goal of each and every player coming in here. We’re all on the same page, and that’s what we’re going out to do, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Ruskowski one-on-one:
“We’ve gone to four Finals, and he’s been with us every time. He’s been an All-Star, MVP of the regular season, MVP of the playoffs… he’s a pretty important part of our organization. For a small puzzle, he’s a big piece. He brings stability, confidence and a whole lot of class to the game of hockey and to the Laredo Bucks.”
"It's nice to know that I can toss a name or an idea at him, and he'll answer me honestly. If he doesn't agree with me, he'll say, 'No, I don't agree with you.' Why? Then we'll discuss it. Sometimes, he makes a whole lot of sense, and sometimes I make more. But we get along that way, and we respect each other's points of view. He's a huge help to me, he really is. He does the little things that I maybe don't have time to do, and when I give him dirty jobs, he has no problem doing them. It's been a good addition for us, and for me."
"Let's look back at the playoffs, we lost every game by one goal - well, either won by one goal or lost by one goal. I would think that Jeff Bes in playoffs is where he really thrives, and I would think he'd be a big factor for us in that first round if he was back in the lineup. Did we miss him? Absolutely. We had a lot better chance winning with him than we did without him."
"He has to show leadership. We've talked about this before, he has to be lighter, in better shape than before. When you get a bit older, you have to do the things you have to do to keep up with the young guys. He’s been willing to do that, and he’s put a lot of work and effort into it. I know that he’ll be successful.
"He's got to be a leader. A lot of these young kids are going to go to him for guidance. If they don't go to me, they're going to go to him, and surely he'll give them the right advice."
"When you only have three guys coming back, it's a huge responsibility that he's going to have, (Adam) Rivet's going to have, (Igor) Agarunov's going to have, even (Ryan) Salvis is going to see what he has. They're going to have to step up to the plate, be the type of the guys who make their way to these young kids to show them what they need to do and how to do it."
Coach Ruskowski to crowd:
“It’s kind of amazing to me what Jeff Bes has done in his time with the Bucks. He’s been absolutely a tremendous contributor to the success we’ve had in the past, and we hope he can have some success in the future.”
“He’s a great ambassador for the game of hockey, especially in Laredo. We’re very proud and honored to have Jeff Bes back representing our team.”
Bes to crowd:
“I’m confident in the players who we’re bringing in, that they’re going to represent the Laredo Bucks and the city of Laredo proudly and professionally and we’re going to achieve the ultimate goal, and that’s win a championship and bring the cup back to Laredo.”
Bes one-on-one:
“It’s my seventh year here, fourth year as assistant coach, and I’ve been working really hard here this summer with Terry. We only have four guys coming back from last year’s team; we’re rebuilding and bringing in some quality young men who are going to really help us contend for a championship. That’s our ultimate goal – to contend for a championship, and to win a championship.”
“Laredo’s home now. I’ve got a house here, and I’m comfortable here. I have great friends outside of hockey as well as within hockey; the Laredo Bucks organization is like family. I’m really excited to be coming back and really excited about the upcoming season.”
“I think we have a lot of talent coming in. There are going to be a lot of battles for jobs come training camp, and that’s what you want. You want to have the competition because it makes everyone else better. We’re going to be an exciting, fast, hard-hitting team. Maybe I’ve been around a while, but I’m really looking forward to the rejuvenated aspect of coming out here and trying to win a championship.”
“That injury was a big blow. I’ve had injuries before, but nothing where I had to go on season-ending IR. It’s been a long time – Jan. 26, to be exact – and I’ve been working. I did my therapy and worked really hard, and my knee is 100 percent now. Mind you, I haven’t done any contact drills or anything like that, but those will come in training camp. I’m 100 percent confident in the knee and the strength of it. I’m just looking forward to getting out on the ice with the guys. I’ve worked really hard this summer, and I will continue to work hard.”
“Our goal every year is to win a championship, and that’s the goal of each and every player coming in here. We’re all on the same page, and that’s what we’re going out to do, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Ruskowski one-on-one:
“We’ve gone to four Finals, and he’s been with us every time. He’s been an All-Star, MVP of the regular season, MVP of the playoffs… he’s a pretty important part of our organization. For a small puzzle, he’s a big piece. He brings stability, confidence and a whole lot of class to the game of hockey and to the Laredo Bucks.”
"It's nice to know that I can toss a name or an idea at him, and he'll answer me honestly. If he doesn't agree with me, he'll say, 'No, I don't agree with you.' Why? Then we'll discuss it. Sometimes, he makes a whole lot of sense, and sometimes I make more. But we get along that way, and we respect each other's points of view. He's a huge help to me, he really is. He does the little things that I maybe don't have time to do, and when I give him dirty jobs, he has no problem doing them. It's been a good addition for us, and for me."
"Let's look back at the playoffs, we lost every game by one goal - well, either won by one goal or lost by one goal. I would think that Jeff Bes in playoffs is where he really thrives, and I would think he'd be a big factor for us in that first round if he was back in the lineup. Did we miss him? Absolutely. We had a lot better chance winning with him than we did without him."
"He has to show leadership. We've talked about this before, he has to be lighter, in better shape than before. When you get a bit older, you have to do the things you have to do to keep up with the young guys. He’s been willing to do that, and he’s put a lot of work and effort into it. I know that he’ll be successful.
"He's got to be a leader. A lot of these young kids are going to go to him for guidance. If they don't go to me, they're going to go to him, and surely he'll give them the right advice."
"When you only have three guys coming back, it's a huge responsibility that he's going to have, (Adam) Rivet's going to have, (Igor) Agarunov's going to have, even (Ryan) Salvis is going to see what he has. They're going to have to step up to the plate, be the type of the guys who make their way to these young kids to show them what they need to do and how to do it."
Monday, September 21, 2009
Some Catching Up
I'm so sorry for the lack of updates in the past week; I can't get online at home, and I was out sick a couple days last week and over the weekend. I did still make it to the Jeff Bes press conference, though, and I'll share more on that tomorrow.
The Bucks have made a couple announcements since I last posted, and I will also deal more with those tomorrow, but for now:
The Bucks announced two player signings last Thursday, adding defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel and forward Kevin Flather to the training camp lineup.
Today, they added two more in goaltender Kyle Gajewski and forward Josef Fojtik.
Just hours after announcing Fojtik's signing, the Bucks revealed that he and fellow forward Maxime Lincourt have been invited to the Houston Aeros' training camp.
Coach Ruskowski is in Houston to watch the two of them skate and scope out some other talent; I'll have more on what he told me about that tomorrow if you don't catch in my story in the Times first.
As far as the players already at upper-level camps, Darryl Smith played in the Atlanta Thrashers' prospects games, was released by the team completely, then was assigned to the AHL's Chicago Wolves
Smith had a power-play goal in the Thrashers' 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators in a prospects game. The Thrashers lost the other prospects game 3-0 to the Preds.
AHL camps began today, so Smith is still up in Chicago, and though Ruskowski admitted he'd love to have him back, he doesn't expect that to happen.
Rookie goalie Dan Spence was released by the Calgary Flames but could still attend an AHL camp, and his current absence was part of the reason Ruskowski ended up signing Gajewski, which leaves the Bucks with three netminders should Spence not make it to Laredo.
I will be better about updating on these players' statuses in the coming weeks, barring any other unforeseen illnesses. See you with some quotes and more tomorrow.
The Bucks have made a couple announcements since I last posted, and I will also deal more with those tomorrow, but for now:
The Bucks announced two player signings last Thursday, adding defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel and forward Kevin Flather to the training camp lineup.
Today, they added two more in goaltender Kyle Gajewski and forward Josef Fojtik.
Just hours after announcing Fojtik's signing, the Bucks revealed that he and fellow forward Maxime Lincourt have been invited to the Houston Aeros' training camp.
Coach Ruskowski is in Houston to watch the two of them skate and scope out some other talent; I'll have more on what he told me about that tomorrow if you don't catch in my story in the Times first.
As far as the players already at upper-level camps, Darryl Smith played in the Atlanta Thrashers' prospects games, was released by the team completely, then was assigned to the AHL's Chicago Wolves
Smith had a power-play goal in the Thrashers' 6-3 win over the Nashville Predators in a prospects game. The Thrashers lost the other prospects game 3-0 to the Preds.
AHL camps began today, so Smith is still up in Chicago, and though Ruskowski admitted he'd love to have him back, he doesn't expect that to happen.
Rookie goalie Dan Spence was released by the Calgary Flames but could still attend an AHL camp, and his current absence was part of the reason Ruskowski ended up signing Gajewski, which leaves the Bucks with three netminders should Spence not make it to Laredo.
I will be better about updating on these players' statuses in the coming weeks, barring any other unforeseen illnesses. See you with some quotes and more tomorrow.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Today's Announcements
The Bucks announced today that rookie goaltender Dan Spence has been invited to the Calgary Flames' main camp, also noting Darryl Smith's invite to Atlanta Thrashers camp.
Spence's presence in Calgary is obviously not going to get as much attention as another player's return to the ice there, but it's a great opportunity for the kid. We'll see if he ever makes it to Laredo.
The Bucks also announced that they will hold a press conference on Wednesday to announce the re-signing of Jeff Bes for the upcoming season.
For those of you interested, the conference will be at 3 p.m. at the Whataburger location near the LEC.
I guess they decided there was no need to make any secret of this, especially since everyone knows Whataburger pressers are usually held for this purpose.
Bes has made it pretty clear how excited he is to return, especially after missing the last few months of last season with an injury. I'm sure I'll have plenty of quotes for you on Wednesday.
Spence's presence in Calgary is obviously not going to get as much attention as another player's return to the ice there, but it's a great opportunity for the kid. We'll see if he ever makes it to Laredo.
The Bucks also announced that they will hold a press conference on Wednesday to announce the re-signing of Jeff Bes for the upcoming season.
For those of you interested, the conference will be at 3 p.m. at the Whataburger location near the LEC.
I guess they decided there was no need to make any secret of this, especially since everyone knows Whataburger pressers are usually held for this purpose.
Bes has made it pretty clear how excited he is to return, especially after missing the last few months of last season with an injury. I'm sure I'll have plenty of quotes for you on Wednesday.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Smith Invited to Training Camp
The Atlanta Thrashers announced their training camp roster yesterday, and 2008-09 CHL Rookie of the Year Darryl Smith is on it.
It seems Smith's performance at the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament turned a few heads, and that earned him an invite to the team's official camp, which began today with physicals and medical testing.
The players will hit the ice tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., and Smith has camp and six preseason games to prove himself worthy of a roster spot once the regular season begins.
Smith is one of 13 players at camp without a contract with either the Thrashers or their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, so he'll be trying out for a chance to sign with one of those teams.
I'll try to monitor Smith's progress at camp as much as possible, especially if the AP happens to get any photos of him.
It seems Smith's performance at the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament turned a few heads, and that earned him an invite to the team's official camp, which began today with physicals and medical testing.
The players will hit the ice tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., and Smith has camp and six preseason games to prove himself worthy of a roster spot once the regular season begins.
Smith is one of 13 players at camp without a contract with either the Thrashers or their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, so he'll be trying out for a chance to sign with one of those teams.
I'll try to monitor Smith's progress at camp as much as possible, especially if the AP happens to get any photos of him.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Bucks Sign Klaren
The Bucks just announced another signing, with Nick Klaren tilting the scales to 10-9 in favor of the rookies on this season's training camp roster.
Klaren, a 25-year-old defenseman, spent his last four seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, a Division III polytechnic school. You can see his school profile here.
His USCHO.com profile is a bit more helpful than Hockey DB, and it seems he's a bit of an offensive guy who definitely played a role on the Blue Devils' power play.
He also helped lead his team to the D-III Frozen Four last season and was an alternate nominee for a skills competition, resulting in this informative clip:
Nice Minnesotan accent; kinda reminds me of a kid who lived on my floor freshman year of college. Little Canadian touch in there, though.
He has played in Texas before (with the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the North American Hockey League), but Laredo is obviously hotter than that part of the state, so we'll see how he likes it down here.
He also has some experience helping out with youth programs, which I'm sure Coach Ruskowski will see as a plus.
I'll try to post more once I talk to Ruskowski later.
Klaren, a 25-year-old defenseman, spent his last four seasons at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, a Division III polytechnic school. You can see his school profile here.
His USCHO.com profile is a bit more helpful than Hockey DB, and it seems he's a bit of an offensive guy who definitely played a role on the Blue Devils' power play.
He also helped lead his team to the D-III Frozen Four last season and was an alternate nominee for a skills competition, resulting in this informative clip:
Nice Minnesotan accent; kinda reminds me of a kid who lived on my floor freshman year of college. Little Canadian touch in there, though.
He has played in Texas before (with the Wichita Falls Wildcats of the North American Hockey League), but Laredo is obviously hotter than that part of the state, so we'll see how he likes it down here.
He also has some experience helping out with youth programs, which I'm sure Coach Ruskowski will see as a plus.
I'll try to post more once I talk to Ruskowski later.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Bucks Sign Lincourt
The Bucks announced today that they have signed forward Maxime Lincourt for the upcoming season.
Lincourt has two seasons of pro experience and played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (including one with the Rimouski Oceanic right after Sidney Crosby left).
He is the ninth player with professional experience to be signed, making it an even 50/50 split of rookies and non-rookies... at least until tomorrow.
There will be a story in tomorrow's Times with some quotes from Coach Ruskowski about Lincourt, who he had apparently been interested in signing prior to last season.
Two of Lincourt's YouTube offerings come from his time with the Moncton Wildcats:
And then there's one from his time with the Oceanic:
One thing Ruskowski highlighted when I spoke to him was Lincourt's goal-scoring ability, and those clips are a hint of what he can do. The last one is actually quite impressive.
Meanwhile, at the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament, the Atlanta Thrashers picked up their first win, 7-3, over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Darryl Smith did not have any points, but he did post a plus/minus ratio of plus-3 to move back in the plus side for the tournament.
The tourney concludes tomorrow.
Lincourt has two seasons of pro experience and played four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (including one with the Rimouski Oceanic right after Sidney Crosby left).
He is the ninth player with professional experience to be signed, making it an even 50/50 split of rookies and non-rookies... at least until tomorrow.
There will be a story in tomorrow's Times with some quotes from Coach Ruskowski about Lincourt, who he had apparently been interested in signing prior to last season.
Two of Lincourt's YouTube offerings come from his time with the Moncton Wildcats:
And then there's one from his time with the Oceanic:
One thing Ruskowski highlighted when I spoke to him was Lincourt's goal-scoring ability, and those clips are a hint of what he can do. The last one is actually quite impressive.
Meanwhile, at the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament, the Atlanta Thrashers picked up their first win, 7-3, over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Darryl Smith did not have any points, but he did post a plus/minus ratio of plus-3 to move back in the plus side for the tournament.
The tourney concludes tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Two Announcements
The Bucks announced two things today: their preseason schedule and the fact that Dan Spence will attend the Calgary Flames' prospects camp.
They'll play two preseason games, one against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees at the LEC on Friday, Oct. 9, and one against the Corpus Christi IceRays at the American Bank Center in Corpus on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Final cuts are expected to be made on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Spence, whose signing was announced last week, will attend the Flames' camp, which began with fitness testing today and ends on Friday.
I'll have a story in tomorrow's Times with Ruskowski's thoughts on these two announcements and Darryl Smith's performance so far at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. I'll try to post some more info later, but I have two football stories to write and volleyball calls to take later, so no guarantees.
They'll play two preseason games, one against the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees at the LEC on Friday, Oct. 9, and one against the Corpus Christi IceRays at the American Bank Center in Corpus on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Final cuts are expected to be made on Sunday, Oct. 11.
Spence, whose signing was announced last week, will attend the Flames' camp, which began with fitness testing today and ends on Friday.
I'll have a story in tomorrow's Times with Ruskowski's thoughts on these two announcements and Darryl Smith's performance so far at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. I'll try to post some more info later, but I have two football stories to write and volleyball calls to take later, so no guarantees.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Smith at Prospects Tourney
The Atlanta Thrashers' second game at the Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament ended a couple hours ago, and they lost 4-1 to the New York Rangers to drop to 0-2 at the tourney.
The good news for Darryl Smith, who is suiting up for the Thrashers, is that he already has two points in the tournament, having scored a goal yesterday and added an assist on the team's lone score today.
You can read the details about the Thrashers' schedule at the tournament here, see the recap from a 6-4 loss to the Red Wings here and read about today's game here.
Here are the excerpts about Smith:
Sunday: The Thrashers extended their lead to 4-1 thanks a Darryl Smith power play tally 1:43 into the third period.
Today: Atlanta opened the scoring with an Evander Kane goal at the 15:25 mark of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Kane’s second goal in as many games at this year’s tournament, while Darryl Smith and Drew Paris each picked up their second points of the tournament with assists on the goal.
Full stats from the first game can be found here, stats from the second are here, and the team's full stats for the tournament are here.
Kane (the fourth overall pick in this year's NHL draft), Paris, Andrew Kozek (a second-round pick in 2005) and Smith are the only players with two points for the Thrashers at the tournament so far, so that certainly speaks well of Smith's talent.
The team will not play today, but they'll be back in competition Wednesday and Thursday, so I'll be sure to post those results when they're available.
The good news for Darryl Smith, who is suiting up for the Thrashers, is that he already has two points in the tournament, having scored a goal yesterday and added an assist on the team's lone score today.
You can read the details about the Thrashers' schedule at the tournament here, see the recap from a 6-4 loss to the Red Wings here and read about today's game here.
Here are the excerpts about Smith:
Sunday: The Thrashers extended their lead to 4-1 thanks a Darryl Smith power play tally 1:43 into the third period.
Today: Atlanta opened the scoring with an Evander Kane goal at the 15:25 mark of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The goal marked Kane’s second goal in as many games at this year’s tournament, while Darryl Smith and Drew Paris each picked up their second points of the tournament with assists on the goal.
Full stats from the first game can be found here, stats from the second are here, and the team's full stats for the tournament are here.
Kane (the fourth overall pick in this year's NHL draft), Paris, Andrew Kozek (a second-round pick in 2005) and Smith are the only players with two points for the Thrashers at the tournament so far, so that certainly speaks well of Smith's talent.
The team will not play today, but they'll be back in competition Wednesday and Thursday, so I'll be sure to post those results when they're available.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Some Random Notes
I guess I never got around to mentioning the new CHL Loyalty Rewards Program, so here's a little info from the CHL press release about it:
“The program is truly innovative for a professional sports league,” said Kevin V. Huhn, CHL Business Development. “Consumers and companies have felt the crunch of the economic shift over the past little while. Our new program was designed with the intention of helping ease this pain and giving everyone the opportunity to continue experiencing the enjoyment the CHL teams bring them.”
Huhn added, “Membership in U.S. loyalty rewards programs ranges in the billions with more than 75% of consumers having at least one loyalty card and we felt that rewarding our fans and sponsors for their loyalty to the CHL was a logical thing to do.”
Besides the online catalog of items available for redemption by consumers, CHL Loyalty Rewards also serves as a full tracking referral program for fans, businesses and CHL teams. Anyone who refers a potential client can follow the process online and then get rewarded for their referral from participating merchants.
Sounds like a pretty neat program for those who would be going to games anyway; I guess time will tell if it entices any casual fans into attending more games.
Additionally, the league has announced a new CHL-TV, which will be available only to paid subscribers.
We'll see how that works out...
In more Bucks-centric news, Darryl Smith will start his stint at the Atlanta Thrashers's prospect camp on Sunday, and Bryan Benway will have a radio interview with last season's Rookie of the Year up tomorrow.
In what could have been Bucks-related news, Marty Standish has signed with the Tulsa Oilers. That's right, the guy who wouldn't come to Laredo because he didn't want to play for a CHL team other than the Oklahoma City Blazers is now on the team that was once their in-state rival. Not sure if the Blazers' suspension of operations had anything to do with this decision, but that's odd.
Obviously, there have been a ton of other deals going on, including Justin Kinnunen being re-signed by the Texas Brahmas, but rather than list a bunch, I'll refer you to the transaction list.
This is so belated it may not be worth mentioning, but Coach Ruskowski was featured on the radio program "Puska on Pucks" twice in August. If you haven't heard those interviews yet, you can check them (and conversations with various other hockey personalities) out here or at these direct links for Part 1 and Part 2.
And finally, out of the Rio Grande Valley, there is some non-hockey news about the Killer Bees. I'd never really thought about what happens to those apartments when the players are back in Canada, but I guess some people will be thinking more of it now... especially commentors on themonitor.com.
“The program is truly innovative for a professional sports league,” said Kevin V. Huhn, CHL Business Development. “Consumers and companies have felt the crunch of the economic shift over the past little while. Our new program was designed with the intention of helping ease this pain and giving everyone the opportunity to continue experiencing the enjoyment the CHL teams bring them.”
Huhn added, “Membership in U.S. loyalty rewards programs ranges in the billions with more than 75% of consumers having at least one loyalty card and we felt that rewarding our fans and sponsors for their loyalty to the CHL was a logical thing to do.”
Besides the online catalog of items available for redemption by consumers, CHL Loyalty Rewards also serves as a full tracking referral program for fans, businesses and CHL teams. Anyone who refers a potential client can follow the process online and then get rewarded for their referral from participating merchants.
Sounds like a pretty neat program for those who would be going to games anyway; I guess time will tell if it entices any casual fans into attending more games.
Additionally, the league has announced a new CHL-TV, which will be available only to paid subscribers.
We'll see how that works out...
In more Bucks-centric news, Darryl Smith will start his stint at the Atlanta Thrashers's prospect camp on Sunday, and Bryan Benway will have a radio interview with last season's Rookie of the Year up tomorrow.
In what could have been Bucks-related news, Marty Standish has signed with the Tulsa Oilers. That's right, the guy who wouldn't come to Laredo because he didn't want to play for a CHL team other than the Oklahoma City Blazers is now on the team that was once their in-state rival. Not sure if the Blazers' suspension of operations had anything to do with this decision, but that's odd.
Obviously, there have been a ton of other deals going on, including Justin Kinnunen being re-signed by the Texas Brahmas, but rather than list a bunch, I'll refer you to the transaction list.
This is so belated it may not be worth mentioning, but Coach Ruskowski was featured on the radio program "Puska on Pucks" twice in August. If you haven't heard those interviews yet, you can check them (and conversations with various other hockey personalities) out here or at these direct links for Part 1 and Part 2.
And finally, out of the Rio Grande Valley, there is some non-hockey news about the Killer Bees. I'd never really thought about what happens to those apartments when the players are back in Canada, but I guess some people will be thinking more of it now... especially commentors on themonitor.com.
Ruskowski on Goalies
I spoke to Coach Ruskowski about the Dan Spence signing, and many of the things he said were similar to what he told me about the two previous rookie goalies who were announced.
Essentially, these kids are coming in here without Ruskowski ever having seen them, so he's going on stats and the word of scouts and agents and hoping these kids can deliver.
Ruskowski said he isn't opposed to bringing four goalies to camp, but he doesn't necessarily expect to be getting a vet guy. Most of the ones he had an interest in have since signed with other teams, and he is going for a bit of a youth movement this season.
One thing he mentioned as justification for his confidence in these young unknowns is the play of David Guerrera, who was a rookie when he won the President's Cup with the Bucks in 2004. Guerrera had stellar numbers en route to winning the Rookie of the Year award and was a key figure to the Bucks' first title, picking up the Playoff MVP award.
You can read more of what he had to say in my story in tomorrow's Times, and I'll post some quotes on here once that gets published.
Essentially, these kids are coming in here without Ruskowski ever having seen them, so he's going on stats and the word of scouts and agents and hoping these kids can deliver.
Ruskowski said he isn't opposed to bringing four goalies to camp, but he doesn't necessarily expect to be getting a vet guy. Most of the ones he had an interest in have since signed with other teams, and he is going for a bit of a youth movement this season.
One thing he mentioned as justification for his confidence in these young unknowns is the play of David Guerrera, who was a rookie when he won the President's Cup with the Bucks in 2004. Guerrera had stellar numbers en route to winning the Rookie of the Year award and was a key figure to the Bucks' first title, picking up the Playoff MVP award.
You can read more of what he had to say in my story in tomorrow's Times, and I'll post some quotes on here once that gets published.
Another Rookie Goalie
The Bucks announced this morning that they have signed Dan Spence, another former All-Star goaltender, and yet another rookie.
Spence joins Dustin Slade and Gerry Festa as rookie goalies on the Bucks' training camp roster, and I have to assume only one of them will be making it past camp.
This of course means that Coach Ruskowski is probably still looking for a No. 1 goalie, which is one of the things I'll ask him about when we talk about this signing.
Spence provides us with the most informative YouTube video for a new signing so far:
What do you think?
Spence joins Dustin Slade and Gerry Festa as rookie goalies on the Bucks' training camp roster, and I have to assume only one of them will be making it past camp.
This of course means that Coach Ruskowski is probably still looking for a No. 1 goalie, which is one of the things I'll ask him about when we talk about this signing.
Spence provides us with the most informative YouTube video for a new signing so far:
What do you think?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Salvis Quotes
As promised, here are Coach Ruskowski's quotes about Ryan Salvis from yesterday's re-signing:
"He's a good skater, handles the puck well. Considering it was his rookie season and he was dealing with a sore shoulder, he did a remarkable job. He came in here as an unknown kid and did a really good job, and we'll be looking for even better numbers from him this season. He's very coachable, and I could tell he wanted to get better. It's a pleasure for a coach to work with someone like that."
"I know he improved his skating, but there are a couple of areas I hope he'll get better in. For one, I'd like to see him do more to finish the play. I'd also like to see him be a bit more physical, a more dominating player in the corners. I think I saw those characteristics in him at times; we just need to tap into that and continue it consistently. He knows what he's doing, and if he catches on to the systems even more, he'll be doing a pretty good job."
"I hope he comes up and takes charge. I like the way he carries and conducts himself on and off the ice, and I think he can be a plyer other guys look up to."
If you are an LMT subscriber, you can read my full story here.
One key fact about Salvis is that sore shoulder Ruskowski mentioned, which the team is hoping will not hamper his play this year after getting him surgery on it before he left Laredo in the spring.
In addition to improving his ability to finish the play and be more physical, Salvis will be expected to do better in the faceoff circle, one area where his shoulder problems really hurt last season.
That should about do it as far as Salvis goes, but there will be another signing announcement tomorrow and preseason schedules are expected to be released next week.
"He's a good skater, handles the puck well. Considering it was his rookie season and he was dealing with a sore shoulder, he did a remarkable job. He came in here as an unknown kid and did a really good job, and we'll be looking for even better numbers from him this season. He's very coachable, and I could tell he wanted to get better. It's a pleasure for a coach to work with someone like that."
"I know he improved his skating, but there are a couple of areas I hope he'll get better in. For one, I'd like to see him do more to finish the play. I'd also like to see him be a bit more physical, a more dominating player in the corners. I think I saw those characteristics in him at times; we just need to tap into that and continue it consistently. He knows what he's doing, and if he catches on to the systems even more, he'll be doing a pretty good job."
"I hope he comes up and takes charge. I like the way he carries and conducts himself on and off the ice, and I think he can be a plyer other guys look up to."
If you are an LMT subscriber, you can read my full story here.
One key fact about Salvis is that sore shoulder Ruskowski mentioned, which the team is hoping will not hamper his play this year after getting him surgery on it before he left Laredo in the spring.
In addition to improving his ability to finish the play and be more physical, Salvis will be expected to do better in the faceoff circle, one area where his shoulder problems really hurt last season.
That should about do it as far as Salvis goes, but there will be another signing announcement tomorrow and preseason schedules are expected to be released next week.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Salvis Re-Signs
As a lot of you probably noticed, Gmail was down for a while today, which made life (especially on blogger.com) very difficult.
So, more than a few hours late, I present you with the news that Ryan Salvis has been re-signed by the Bucks for the 2009-10 season.
Salvis arrived in Laredo last season after training camp because he started out with an ECHL team and missed some time with a shoulder injury, but Coach Ruskowski spoke very highly of him, and he really came into his own toward the end of the season.
In spite of being a rookie, he was trusted to play at even strength, on the top or second power-play unit or even on the penalty kill at different points in the season.
When I spoke to Salvis at last year's season-ending season ticket holder party, he said he was very interested in coming back, but neither of us really knew what the chances of that were then. I'm sure he's thrilled with this news, though he's probably known of it a bit longer than we have.
Ruskowski has obviously emphasized that very few of last season's players will be returning, but we have also been promised a few more player re-signing press conferences this season, so maybe the final tally will be a bit higher than expected.
This signing is notable because Salvis is the first (and possibly only) returning player who is not a "franchise Buck" with a long history with the team like Igor Agarunov, Jeff Bes and Adam Rivet. Yes, I know Bes hasn't technically re-signed yet, but I think we're all pretty confident in that one.
Sadly, Salvis is one of the players for whom I do not have a phone number, and I forgot to ask Ruskowski for it when I spoke to him earlier, so tomorrow's story in the Times will not have any quotes from the player himself. Ruskowski, however, did have a lot to say about the 25-year-old center, so be sure to check out that story if you're a subscriber. I'll share some of the quotes on here tomorrow once the story has come out.
In the spirit of ending posts with YouTube videos, here are a couple of Salvis scoring goals during his junior career:
So, more than a few hours late, I present you with the news that Ryan Salvis has been re-signed by the Bucks for the 2009-10 season.
Salvis arrived in Laredo last season after training camp because he started out with an ECHL team and missed some time with a shoulder injury, but Coach Ruskowski spoke very highly of him, and he really came into his own toward the end of the season.
In spite of being a rookie, he was trusted to play at even strength, on the top or second power-play unit or even on the penalty kill at different points in the season.
When I spoke to Salvis at last year's season-ending season ticket holder party, he said he was very interested in coming back, but neither of us really knew what the chances of that were then. I'm sure he's thrilled with this news, though he's probably known of it a bit longer than we have.
Ruskowski has obviously emphasized that very few of last season's players will be returning, but we have also been promised a few more player re-signing press conferences this season, so maybe the final tally will be a bit higher than expected.
This signing is notable because Salvis is the first (and possibly only) returning player who is not a "franchise Buck" with a long history with the team like Igor Agarunov, Jeff Bes and Adam Rivet. Yes, I know Bes hasn't technically re-signed yet, but I think we're all pretty confident in that one.
Sadly, Salvis is one of the players for whom I do not have a phone number, and I forgot to ask Ruskowski for it when I spoke to him earlier, so tomorrow's story in the Times will not have any quotes from the player himself. Ruskowski, however, did have a lot to say about the 25-year-old center, so be sure to check out that story if you're a subscriber. I'll share some of the quotes on here tomorrow once the story has come out.
In the spirit of ending posts with YouTube videos, here are a couple of Salvis scoring goals during his junior career:
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