American Prospect Update: NHL Central Scouting Unveils Complete 2013 Watch List

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Chris Peters

Well, the scouting season is well underway for many NHL teams and for the National Hockey League’s Central Scouting Services. Today marked a significant day signaling the beginning of the overall hockey season (for everyone except the NHL, of course) as CSS unveiled its watch list for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft which brings about the first American Prospect Update of the 2012-13 season.

Using letter grades for players allows CSS to denote where these guys currently project for the draft, based on their view. A-rated skaters are players who CSS feels are, at this early stage, candidates for the first-round. B-rated denotes a player currently projects for the second or third round, while C-rated players are currently projected fourth round and below.

Keep in mind, this is a very early list and there are plenty of players that Central Scouting is going to be wrong about. There were a few A-rated skaters at this point last year that didn’t even end up getting drafted, so any early lists like these require a grain of salt. That said, it’s a good start and a good way to get primed up for the NHL Draft season ahead.

Coming up after the jump, a look at some of the notable American prospects listed and which have the best chance to rise or fall.

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Posted in American Prospects, High School Hockey, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL Draft, NTDP, USA Hockey | Comments Off on American Prospect Update: NHL Central Scouting Unveils Complete 2013 Watch List

February Games in Omaha Most Expensive of College Hockey’s Outdoor Events

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Chris Peters

The outdoor game is the best novelty act going in hockey and while it is sure to eventually wane on some levels, it’s still a hot ticket today. So hot the organizers of Battles on Ice scheduled for Feb. 8, 2013 in Omaha, Neb., are pricing their tickets rather aggressively. Perhaps too aggressively.

The event, which will include a 12:30 p.m. game against the United States Hockey League’s Omaha Lancers and Lincoln Stars and 4:07 p.m. tilt between the University of Nebraska Omaha and University of North Dakota, will be held at TD Ameritrade Park, a baseball stadium that serves as the new home of the College World Series.

As Black and Blue Blog (which follows the Lincoln Stars here) tweeted Tuesday night:

#WOW is right.

The total prices are slightly inflated by the dreaded Ticketmaster charges, but still having a low end ticket starting at $28 is asking a bit much. Especially so when considering that the vast majority of seats will be in the $50-$70 range in actuality.

OK, so this isn’t like the Winter Classic where tickets start at the low point of $89 for this year’s game (hopefully) at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, but it isn’t like the Winter Classic in any other way except that there’s also no roof in Omaha.

The Winter Classic isn’t a fair comparison, admittedly, but when compared to previous collegiate outdoor games, the tickets for Battles on Ice — which sounds more like a reality show than a hockey game — seem even more off base.

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Posted in Junior Hockey, NCAA | 1 Comment

Trouble in Grand Forks — North Dakota Suspends Four Captains

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Chris Peters

I bet college hockey coaches wish the season could start as soon as the players get to campus to start classes, but that isn’t the case. As a result, the players have about a month of structured, but less-regimented team responsibilities and more free time than normal.

It is college. These kids have fun, as they should. Sometimes they might have a little too much fun.

The University of North Dakota announced today that senior Andrew MacWilliam, the team’s captain, and alternates Danny Kristo, Corban Knight and Carter Rowney are suspended for the team’s opening game of the season against the University of Alaska Anchorage. The sanctions come from a party held on Sept. 15.

“The behavior in this situation was unacceptable,” said North Dakota AD Brian Faison in a statement. “Measures taken by the athletics department do not preclude possible additional measures by the department, or actions by the University or local and state authorities.”

Pay special attention to that last sentence. This might not be over yet.

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Posted in NCAA | 4 Comments

2012-13 NTDP Preview — U.S. National Under-18 Team

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Chris Peters

The 2012-13 hockey season might be marred by the NHL lockout, but that only leads to more attention on the other levels of hockey, which is primarily what we cover here at United States of Hockey. Of course, there’s an added focus on U.S. National Teams on this blog, especially of the National Team Development Program teams, as they are the only standing national teams under USA Hockey’s umbrella.

This year’s U.S. National Under-18 Team includes 20 players eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

The U18 team is comprised of players who were born in 1995, meaning they don’t know of a world without The Mighty Ducks and D2. Yep, you’re old and so am I. These guys aren’t and they’re good.

Last year, as U17s, the 1995s put up a respectable 25-27-3 record against a primarily USHL-filled schedule, placed second at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and won both the 2011 Under-17 Four Nations and 2012 Vlad Dzurilla U18 tournaments.

This year, with a schedule that includes an intimidating slate against NCAA Division I opponents and 30 USHL games, all roads lead to April’s 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in Sochi, Russia.

Coming up after the jump, a brief outlook on the season and quick notes on each player on the U.S. National Under-18 Team roster.

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Posted in American Prospects, Junior Hockey, NCAA, NHL Draft, NTDP, U.S. National Teams, USA Hockey, World U18 Championship | Comments Off on 2012-13 NTDP Preview — U.S. National Under-18 Team

Living with the Lockout — Central Division

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Chris Peters

With the Sept. 15 negotiating deadline now passed, it appears the NHL is headed for a delayed season. It appears there will be a void to fill, at least until November, maybe December, hopefully not all year.

No one is going to be happy about the lockout, but there are ways to live with it. Hockey has grown significantly in the United States, and along with it, so have the outlets from which fans can get their regular dose of this game. While there isn’t a single one of them that can replace the NHL, they’re at least effective in providing that fix.

Just because the NHL owners are locking out the players, it doesn’t mean they have to lock you out from the sport you love. Protests are all well and good, but they probably won’t solve anything. The best thing you can do in the lockout is serve yourself a heaping dose of ice hockey.

To help you out, United States of Hockey presents the “Living With the Lockout” series. Going through each division, we’ll provide every fan base of the American NHL teams three nearby options to fill the void. Some are well known, others are well off the beaten path, but that’s the beauty of hockey in the U.S. There’s a lot of it. Even if the NHL comes back sooner than later, you owe it to yourself to experience as much of the great hockey in this country as you can.

Coming up after the jump, Living with the Lockout Part IV: The Central Division

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Posted in Grow the Game, High School Hockey, Junior Hockey, Living with the Lockout, NCAA, NHL, NTDP | 2 Comments

You Have a Choice — Final Thoughts on Eve of NHL Lockout

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Chris Peters

This sucks. It’s about all I can manage to say about the impending NHL lockout.

I haven’t studied every article. There have been too many. I haven’t read every tweet. They have been too annoying. I haven’t watched every protest video. They’ve been too pointless. I haven’t answered every question. I don’t have any answers. I haven’t taken a side. Nobody wins.

There’s no fight left. I don’t have the energy and neither do you. This is happening and now it’s time to accept it. You don’t have to like it, but this is the reality of major professional sports.

It is a big business and it is a difficult business. It is a business in which making money is not a given, but spending a lot is. The highly complicated practice of building a team and providing entertainment for the public is not all glitz and glamour. It is hard work and it requires tough decisions to be made.

It’s easy to side with the players. It’s much harder to side with the owners. But is there really a side worth taking anymore? Millionaires vs. Billionaires, right? The Haves vs. the Have Mores. What an enviable war this must be. Then there’s us, the Have Nothings.

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Posted in Living with the Lockout, NHL | 3 Comments

College Hockey Roundup: Penn State’s New Threads, NBCSN Schedule, Culture at BU

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Chris Peters

It’s been a bit of a slow go at United States of Hockey the last few weeks, but it’s only going to get busier as the Junior and college hockey seasons quickly approach. With the NHL season assuredly delayed, USofH will remain a constant source for amateur hockey and U.S. national teams, so hopefully you come early and come often for what is sure to be an exciting hockey season, NHL or no NHL. There will be a few changes to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks, but for now, it’s business as usual.

There’s been a bit of college hockey news to catch up on over the last few weeks, so I figured it was time for another college hockey roundup. It’s been a mix of good, bad and indifferent, which is pretty typical coming into the season. So here’s a roundup of the bigger stories in college hockey of late.

Coming up after the jump, a look at Penn State’s first Division I uniforms, the 24-game NBC Sports Network TV schedule for college hockey and some thoughts on the aalleged culture of sexual entitlement at Boston University.

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Posted in NCAA | 3 Comments

Living with the Lockout: Southeast Division

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Chris Peters

With the Sept. 15 lockout deadline looming (Saturday? Already?), optimism is shrinking that a deal will be done between the NHL and NHLPA in its collective bargaining negotiations. It appears there will be a void to fill, at least until November, maybe December, hopefully not all year.

No one is going to be happy about the lockout, but there are ways to live with it. Hockey has grown significantly in the United States, and along with it, so have the outlets from which fans can get their regular dose of this game. While there isn’t a single one of them that can replace the NHL, they’re at least effective in providing that fix.

Just because the NHL owners are locking out the players, it doesn’t mean they have to lock you out from the sport you love. Protests are all well and good, but they probably won’t solve anything. The best thing you can do in the lockout is serve yourself a heaping dose of ice hockey.

To help you out, United States of Hockey presents the “Living With the Lockout” series. Going through each division, we’ll provide every fan base of the American NHL teams three nearby options to fill the void. Some are well known, others are well off the beaten path, but that’s the beauty of hockey in the U.S. There’s a lot of it. Even if the NHL comes back sooner than later, you owe it to yourself to experience as much of the great hockey in this country as you can.

Coming up after the jump, Part III: The Southeast Division (sans Winnipeg).

Continue reading →

Posted in Grow the Game, High School Hockey, Junior Hockey, Living with the Lockout, Minor League Hockey, NCAA, USA Hockey | 2 Comments

Living with the Lockout — Northeast Division

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Chris Peters

With the Sept. 15 lockout deadline looming, optimism is shrinking that a deal will be done between the NHL and NHLPA in its collective bargaining negotiations. It appears there will be a void to fill, at least until November, maybe December, hopefully not all year.

No one is going to be happy about the lockout, but there are ways to live with it. Hockey has grown significantly in the United States, and along with it, so have the outlets from which fans can get their regular dose of this game. While there isn’t a single one of them that can replace the NHL, they’re at least effective in providing that fix.

Just because the NHL owners are locking out the players, it doesn’t mean they have to lock you out from the sport you love. Protests are all well and good, but they probably won’t solve anything. The best thing you can do in the lockout is serve yourself a heaping dose of ice hockey.

To help you out, United States of Hockey presents the “Living With the Lockout” series. Going through each division, we’ll provide every fan base of the American NHL teams three nearby options to fill the void. Some are well known, others are well off the beaten path, but that’s the beauty of hockey in the U.S. There’s a lot of it. Even if the NHL comes back sooner than later, you owe it to yourself to experience as much of the great hockey in this country as you can.

Coming up after the jump, Part II: The U.S.-based teams in the Northeast Division

Continue reading →

Posted in Grow the Game, High School Hockey, Junior Hockey, Living with the Lockout, NCAA, NHL, USA Hockey | 4 Comments

Got Zambonis? Omaha’s New Publicly-Funded Arena Doesn’t

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Chris Peters

There’s quite a bit of excitement heading into the 2012-13 season for the Omaha Lancers. A new arena in the nearby suburb of Ralston, Neb., is set to be christened with the Lancers’ home opener Oct. 26 against rival Tri-City. Only problem is, the planners forgot to budget for ice resurfacers, among other really important things for a sports arena, and are short $4 million.

Oops.

From the Omaha World-Herald:

The arena project at 72nd and Q Streets, approved overwhelmingly by Ralston’s voters in May 2011, did not have the funds for the facility’s furnishings and equipment — including hockey nets, basketball flooring and all electronics and scoreboards.

Now city officials have made a late move to approve an additional $4.25 million to cover those expenses as the arena nears its October grand opening.

The additional bonds will drive up the project’s total cost by 13 percent to $36 million.

Mayor Donald Groesser and other city officials said the $4.25 million in added costs were largely unknown at the time the bond project was presented to voters. In 2011, Ralston presented plans for a two-sheet, 3,500-seat indoor ice arena. At the time, Ralston had only one main tenant, the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League.

Eeeeeesh. Publicly-funded facilities like Ralston Arena are risky at best. Riskier still when the planners consider ice resurfacers and scoreboards to be unknown costs for a hockey rink.

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Posted in Junior Hockey | Comments Off on Got Zambonis? Omaha’s New Publicly-Funded Arena Doesn’t