Vol.12 - 20 | Hockey Stop News

June 8, 2012 – Volume 12–20

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So Refreshing –

INDEXNAHL Alum In Stanley Cup Finals 4Hockey Mom 4St. Louis Blues 5Johnny Mac’s “Home Team” Advantage 9St. Louis Bandits 9USHL Draft Process 10

IN THE SUMMER HEAT

HOCKEY STOP2 June 8, 2012

HOCKEY STOP June 8, 2012 3

Jr. Blues Summer Hockey Camp

Age: 7-12 years oldWho: All Skill levelsCost: $350 per player

($50 discount for each additional family member)Program Details (2 Week Sessions – Monday thru Friday)

- 20 hours of on-ice instruction (10 per week / 2 hours a day) - 10 hours of off-ice instruction (5 per week / 1 hour a day) - Jr. Blues Summer Camp Jersey

On-ice will focus on: - Skating skills (stops, starts, balance, turns and edge work,

both forward and backwards) - Passing (forehand, backhand and puck movement) - Shooting (all shots) - Small area games

Off-ice instruction will include: - Instructional videos, Off-ice games and Conditioning

Dates (Monday thru Friday) Camp 1 - June 25 thru July 6 Camp 2 - July 9 thru July 20 Camp 3 - July 23 thru August 3

Typical Day 7:30am – Drop off 8:00am – 9:00am – On Ice 9:30am – 10:30am – Off Ice 10:45am – 11:45am – On Ice 12:00pm – Pick up

Lead Instructors (Lead instructor will vary from week to week)

J.P. Beilsten Mike Hazelton Kevin McGlynn Sean Hazelton

Junior Instructors will include Junior and Midget Elite players.

Registration form at www.afftonhockey.org. Questions?... Contact Sean Hazelton -

[email protected](314) 330-1319 cell * (314) 849-0605 rink

Jr. Blues 3-on-3 Summer Tournament SeriesAge: All agesWho: All Skill levelsCost: $375 per team (10 player maximum)$55 per person (we will assign you to an “at large team”)Program Details •5GameMinimum(30minutesinlength) •Jr.Blues3-on-3Jersey(TeamJersey’swillnotbeprovidedforteamsinthe “TournamentofChampions”asallteamswillhavealreadyreceivedJerseysfromthepriorqualifiers). •BlockScheduling…Wewillhaveallfiveorsixofyourgamesplayedinoneday(SaturdayorSunday), andthegameswillallbeplayedwithina6hourwindow…

For example: Morning Block – 9:00am to 3pm Mid-day Block – Noon to 6pm Afternoon Block – 3:00pm to 9:00pm

Age Division Mini-Mite – 6U (2006 or younger) Mite – 8U (2004 & 2005) Squirt–10U (2002&2003) PeeWee–12U (2000&2001) Bantam – 14U (1998 & 1999) Midget Minor – 16U (1996 & 1997) Midget Major – 18U (1994 & 1995) Junior – 20U (1992 or younger) Adult – 21 & Over (1991 & older)

Skill Level House / AAA / AAA

Qualifier Tournament Weekends1. “Summer Slam” (June 30th & July 1st) 2. “Independence Day Blast” (July 7th & 8th)3. “St. Louis Sizzle” (July 13th & 14th)4. “Jr. Blues Summer Finale” (July 20th & 21st)

Championship Weekend5.“TournamentofChampions” (July28th&29th)

1st&2ndPlaceteamsfromthefirstfourQualifiertournamentsareeligibletoplayinthe“TournamentofChampions”onJuly 28th & 29th.

1stPlaceQualifierswillplayforfreeinthe“TournamentofChampions”, while the 2nd Place teams will get in for half price ($187.50). Wewilladdotherteams at full price if needed.

www.afftonhockey.org


Four former North American Hockey League (NAHL) players, Stephen Gionta, Andy Greene, Peter Harrold and Cam Janssen, will repre-sent the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Finals, which begin on Wednesday in New Jersey against the Los Angeles Kings.Gionta, a forward

from Rochester, New York, played in the NAHL for a part of three seasons. During the 1999-00 season, he played for the Rochester Jr. Americans, where as a 16-year-old, registered 26 points in 41 games played. The next two seasons, Gionta played for the USNTDP Under-18 team, which competed in the NAHL. He appeared in 64 career NAHL regular season games. Gionta went on to have a four-year, collegiate career at Boston College. To date, Gionta has been one of the pleasant surprises in the Stanley Cup playoffs, recording seven points in 18 playoff games.

Greene, a defenseman from Trenton, Michigan, played in two full seasons in the NAHL for the Compuware Ambassadors. He played in 107 career NAHL regular season games from 2000-02, recording 76 career points and helped Compuware to the 2002 Robertson Cup Championship. While in the NAHL, Greene commit-ted to play NCAA hockey for Miami (OH) University,

where he later went onto have a tremendous four-year collegiate career. Now in his sixth full season in the NHL, Greene has played in 347 career NHL games, registering over 100 points.

Harrold, a defenseman from Kirtland Hills, Ohio, played three seasons in the NAHL, all for the Cleveland Barons. He started his NAHL career as a 16-year-old in the 1999-00 season. In three seasons, Harrold appeared in 117 career NAHL regular season games and totaled 53 career NAHL points. Like Gionta, he went onto a four-year collegiate career at Boston College. Now in his sixth full season in the NHL, Harrold is in his first full year with New Jersey after playing the first five sea-sons, ironically for the Los Angeles Kings.

Janssen, a forward from St. Louis, Missouri, played one season in the NAHL back in 2000-01 for the St. Louis Sting. As a 16-year-old, Janssen played in 45 games during the 2000-01 season, recording three points and 244 penalty minutes, which ranked 2nd in the NAHL that season. New Jersey drafted Janssen in the 4th round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Janssen has appeared in over 300 NHL games, with 11 points and 750 penalty minutes.

Last season, NAHL alum Tim Thomas won the Stanley Cup with the NHL’s Boston Bruins and in the process was named as the Conn Smythe Trophy win-ner as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Thomas, who is from Flint, Michigan, played for the NAHL’s Lakeland (Mich.) Jets before embarking on a four-year college career at the University of Vermont (then ECAC) from 1993-97. Thomas was the winner of the 2009 and 2011 Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s best goal-tender and played for Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Photo by Mark Buckner / St. Louis Blues

Four NAHL Alums Represented In Stanley Cup Finals by Pat Markham

Spring leagues are finished or finishing up. Summer leagues are just about to begin. There is a lull in the hockey season once the Stanley Cup finals have faded from broadcast television. And, after a brief respite, after a few short moments to enjoy summer’s warmth, a day at the beach, or a trip to the local amusement park, our attention will once again return to our focal point. We become reflective, contemplative and we begin to plan and prepare for next season. Parents, players, coaches, leagues, and organiza-tions all planning and preparing for the season to come, each with different goals and purposes, all seeking the same end – some reward to justify the hard work that lies ahead.

Parents and young players by far have the easiest roles in the planning and prep part of the year. Yes, you read that right – I said they have the easiest roles! Parents can inventory equipment with their youngster to be sure it is sized properly or doesn’t oth-erwise need replacement. Doing so early is important because new equipment must be broken in long before tryout sessions start. After

determining junior’s interest and commitment level, parents can locate summer skills training ses-sions, clinics or summer camps to help improve areas of individual play. Similarly, after determining junior’s interest and commitment level, parents can investigate what alternatives are available for team play– whether it is strictly recre-ational, involves some traveling hockey, is likely to include AAA tryouts, etc. Parents also can use this time to inform themselves of state rules and local organi-zation’s guidelines that govern youth hockey. But, beyond that, a parent’s only other function in their child’s youth hockey experi-ence is to swipe the card and sign on the dotted line. That’s it.

Moving along, parents of older players and these players them-selves have it a little tougher. The levels of competition are different and these players need to know their options and objectives. If they see hockey as an avenue to college, they must carefully research the road they will travel. If hockey is more recreational, there are plenty of options to fill that requirement too. The key, as with most anything we do in

Hockey Mom contiues on page 5


life, is in knowing the options and finding those that best fit the individual’s goals and desires. It is also a good idea for older play-ers to inventory their equipment and look for camps and clinics that help develop their areas of weakness. Decisions about what to do may in part come from knowing where these players want to end up.

Many of the same families who dedi-cate themselves to their children’s sport of choice are also those who volunteer as members of the board for local hockey organizations and leagues. These people spend their summers finalizing coaching selections, scheduling ice for tryouts and early season practices, preparing for regis-tration, researching fundraising activities, taking inventory of and sorting jerseys, pro-ducing flyers, brochures and other informa-tional literature and gearing up for the fall season that for most of us feels more like something in the distance than just around the corner.

Some believe that the first time a coach thinks of the upcoming hockey season is at the moment they step on the ice two weeks before tryouts in time for the pre-season skate. I suspect that it is not the case. I suspect many are thinking about who is likely to show up for tryouts trying to deter-mine how real the possibilities are that they will put together a competitively strong team. Some are researching possible pre-season tournaments so that once the team is selected they are ready to test their level of competition. Some coaches are thinking of strategies they might be able to employ in the upcoming season. During the recent Stanley Cup finals I heard it told that one

coach meted out the latter part of the regu-lar season into seven game increments. He told his players that they would play out the remainder of their season as if each segment were a playoff series. If, after the end of each seven game series, they were success-ful, they enjoyed victory celebrations. The team captain said this strategy made for a more cohesive team, gave them something to strive for at each leg of the season’s end. Think about this – we are talking about a strategy that you might expect to be used for youngsters being employed at the NHL. If these guys thrive on that kind of reinforce-ment, surely there are things that can be done to motivate and inspire youngsters – youngsters who play not for the fame or the fortune, but rather for the excitement and entertainment.

Yes, all of us have jobs to do to prepare for the fall. Many rinks take down their ice and resurface over the summer months. Referees are offered training and exams over the summer months to certify new offi-cials or help current officials achieve higher levels. Whether your role is finding a place for junior to play or making sure that your child and all the children at your organiza-tion have a time slot to skate for the opening tryout session, you know that the hard work has to occur before the season begins.

I hope that all of you enjoy a great sum-mer and have plenty of time to reconnect with family and friends. You know you have to do it now because once the hockey season starts, the one thing you won’t have is time!

If you have ideas for a future article or wish to write to me, send an e-mail to [email protected].

Hockey Mom contiued from page 4

Senior Editor - Sean Hazelton • Creative Director - Colleen Hazelton Writers - Pat Markham

Look for your next issue of HOCKEY STOP – August 17, 2012 – Circulation to Missouri and Illinois rinks.Contact - Sean Hazelton • [email protected] • 220 Dover Street • St. Louis, MO 63111 • 314-330-1319

HOCKEY STOPYour “first stop” for Missouri hockey news

St. Louis Blues Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Armstrong issued the following statement regarding Vladimir Tarasenko.

“There have been inaccurate reports stat-ing that Vladimir Tarasenko has signed a

contract to play hockey in Russia. I have confirmed with the player and his agent that these reports are 100% false and Vladimir is committed to join our organization for the upcoming season. We will have no further comment on this matter.”

Blues Issue Statement Regarding Vladimir Tarasenko

St. Louis Blues Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today the club has signed goal-tender Jordan Binnington.

Binnington, 18, was drafted by the Blues in the third round, 88th overall in the 2011 Entry Draft. The 6’2”, 167-pound goal-tender completed his third season with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Owen Sound Attack, posting a 21-17-0-1 record in 39 games which includes a 2.99 goals against average and .906 save percentage.

In three seasons with the Attack, Binnington is 54-39-2-6 in 107 games.

Last season, Binnington was named the Most Outstanding Goaltender of the 2011 Memorial Cup, posting a 1-2 record with a tournament-best goals-against-average of 1.42 and save percentage of .951. The Richmond Hill, Ontario native had a 27-12-1-4 record in 46 games with one shutout in 2010-11, posting a 3.05 goals-against-average and a .899 save percentage.

Blues Sign 2011 Draft Pick Jordan Binnington


First, there was Supreme. Then came Vapor. Now, there’s Nexus…and it represents

the missing link between Bauer’s past tra-ditions and current technological advance-ments. In developing the Nexus line, Bauer engineers tapped into “hockey’s DNA” to create new gear that offers a classic look and feel with the performance that today’s ath-letes demand.

Nexus represents the final piece in Bauer’s newly christened 3-Family Fit Story. It was designed to offer a wider fit to accommodate a broad range of players. Each piece within the Nexus series features a unique fit and feel for the right player. Whereas Supreme and Vapor series focus on power and speed (respectively), Nexus is deeply rooted in hockey heritage with an overall goal of ele-vating traditional feel and fit with modern technology.

Nexus 1000 SkateAvailable in five models, the Nexus family

of skates maintains that time-honored look from years past with the improved accelera-tion and comfort of industry advancements.

Nexus boots utilize an ultra-lightweight quarter package with a soft feel. This trans-lates to an “easy load” for maximum energy transfer and faster take-off speed. Technology varies from model to model with the Nexus

1000 standing tall as the line’s elite model.In addition to the unique quarter package,

the 1000 model offers a “Deep V” heel fit. It’s the deepest fit found on any Bauer skate, and it’s designed to lock the heel in place while responding to the skater’s movements for increased power and enhanced comfort. Added features on the 1000 model include an ultra thick pro felt tongue with metatarsal guard, a hydrophobic retro tan Clarino liner and TUUK LS Fusion aluminum-steel hybrid runners.

Nexus 1000 StickAvailable in three models, the Nexus fam-

ily of sticks combines the natural feel of wood with the energy-enhancing benefits of modern composites. Nexus sticks feature a unique mid-kick flex profile, in which the stiff middle section of the shaft is sandwiched between soft handle and hosel portions for greater flexion. The result is a quick release with added power and precision. The shaft itself is composed of a square double concave .520 taper to minimize torque, reduce shaft deflection and keep the blade aligned for shot accuracy.

The elite Nexus 1000 features the reduced weight of Bauer’s exclusive ultra lightweight TeXtreme carbon fiber fashioned via the Monocomp single molding process. The Nexus 1000 also features eLASTech tech-nology, which is a resin system with carbon nanotube reinforcements to stop the spread of

micro-fractures for extended life. The blade’s Power Core and Pure Shot expanded throat profile add to the stick’s overall control and balance.

Nexus 1000 Under ProtectiveAvailable in three models, the Nexus family

of under protective displays the subtle white graphics and simplistic design of classic pads. Nexus pads, however, also deliver superior impact protection – thanks to some modern innovations. Bauer’s most protective family, Nexus 1000 protective gear contains light-weight EPP Foam panels in strategic areas for maximum impact dispersion. The collection also features a few innovations derived from player feedback. Value-added features such as anchor straps on elbow pads, an adjustable strap system and extra width in the volume fit shin guards, and free flex bicep guards and a removable belly pad on the shoulder pad allows athletes to tweak for a customized fit.

3-Family Fit StoryThe impending June 15 release of Nexus

products (Nexus 1000 skate will be released in the fall) completes Bauer’s 3-Family Fit Story and provides enhanced fit and flex options to accommodate the contrasting body types and playing styles of modern hockey players.

Now there’s a choice for every player at every level. Those looking for natural feel and com-fortable fit with throwback cosmetics should consider the Nexus series. Products will be available at Johnny Mac’s Sporting Goods…or wherever tradition meets technology.

Have questions regarding your gear? Trained by professional equipment manager Bert Godin, the hockey specialists at Johnny Mac’s Sporting Goods can help. Please e-mail your concerns to [email protected], or call the experts (toll free) at 800-962-8347. Experience the “home team” advantage in service at a Johnny Mac’s location near you!

Nexus Offers Classic Look, Modern Performance by Brandon R. McKinney – Johnny Mac’s Sporting Goods

The “Home Team” Equipment Advantage

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American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced that the St. Louis Bandits have been granted inactive status and will not compete in the NAHL for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

The Bandits membership came into the NAHL back during the 2003-04 season as the Texarkana Bandits in Arkansas. Following three years in Texarkana, the Bandits moved to Chesterfield, Missouri (suburb of St. Louis), where they flourished.

During their first year in St. Louis (2006-07), the Bandits won their first Robertson Cup National Championship. They followed with two more consecutive cups in 2008 and 2009, making them only the fourth team in NAHL history to win three or more Robertson Cup National Championships. In their six years in St. Louis, the Bandits have also won their divi-sion five times.

In their six years in St. Louis, the Bandits program as placed over 60 players in NCAA schools. Famous alumni of the Bandits organization include: Erik Condra (Ottawa Senators), Pat Maroon (Anaheim Ducks) and Matt Taormina (New Jersey Devils). Former Bandits head coach Jon Cooper was named the American Hockey League (AHL) coach of the year this past season.

All tendered and veteran players of the Bandits are now considered free agents.

St. Louis Bandits Granted Inactive Status for 2012-13


Training for the dedicated hockey playerTake your game to the next levelStructured for individuals playing Mite Travel Squirt U10 PeeWee U12 Bantam High School Boys & GirlsIndividual lessons and Multi-player discountsAssociation training also available • Please call for more informationIntense Hockey Training places its training focus on the most crucial skills necessary to the game of hockey: quick hands, quick feet, hockey vision, and multi-tasking.

Intense Hockey Training - Private Hockey Instruction

Advanced hockey skills training

For the best hockey specific program contact Kevin McGlynn, Director, 314.437.3455

USHL – www.ushl.com About The USHL Draft Process1. At the beginning of the 2012-13 season,

each USHL team may have 23 players on their active roster. These are the actual players on the team who will play in the games.

2. May 1, 2012 marked the first of two drafts that the USHL holds each year. This draft is called the “Futures Draft” because the players selected in this draft, while eligible, usually will not play in the USHL during the 2012-13 season. The 2012 Futures Draft restricts teams to selecting players who have a 1996 birth year. Each team drafts 6 players in the Futures Draft. These are the players each team may keep protected on an Affiliate List through the 2012-13 season while these players continue to develop at a lower level of hockey during the season.

3. Each year, each USHL team will submit an Initial Protected List of veteran players from the previous season, who will make up the back of the team.

4. The second and main USHL draft was held on May 22, 2012. This draft is open to players with birthdates ranging from 1992 to 1997. Teams will fill their roster to a total of 30 players on this date, in addition to the 10 they have on their Affiliate List. The total number of players that a team will draft will vary depending on the number of returning players they have on the Initial Protected List. Typically teams will have 9 returning players, as 14 on average will be moving on to the NHL or NCAA Division I hockey. This is an average, and not a guarantee. Some teams will protect more players and some will protect less. Teams will have their training camps/tryouts in June and July. Teams will typically have 60-80 players at their training camps. 30 of the players at the camp are returning players

or drafted players that the team has protected. The remaining 30-50 players are invited by the team. By July 1st, 2012, teams must be down to a 25-man protected list from all the play-ers that were at their training camps in June. Because the USHL is a relatively small league with only 15 teams, and each team only drafts a small number of players relative to other leagues, there are plenty of undrafted players who make the USHL every year.

5. Teams take their 25-man roster to the USHL’s Fall Classic at the end of September 2012. The Fall Classic is a pre-season event where all of the USHL teams gather in one USHL location to play in front of over 100 NHL scouts and all NCAA Division I schools.

6. Right after the Fall Classic and prior to October 1, 2012, each team will reduce their roster to 23. These 23 players make up the team’s active roster for the 2011-12 season.St. Louis players selected in the Entry Draft:- Clark Kuster (St. Louis AAA Blues Midget Major) – selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 2nd round / 22 overall pick.- Connor Chatham (USNDT – 17U) – select-ed by the Omaha Lancers in the 3rd round / 39 overall pick.- Drew Vogler (Chesterfield Midget Major CSDHL) – selected by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the 16th round / 237 overall pick.St. Louis players selected in the Futures Draft:- Alex Jasiek (St. Louis AAA Blues Midget Minor) – selected by the Des Moines Buccaneers in the 3rd round.- Brad Johnson (St. Louis AAA Blues Midget Minor) – selected by the Sioux City Musketeers in the 5th round.

2012 USHL Draft Process

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