Pre-Season Hockey Action

Gloves, Shirt, Lutefisticuffs?

Thirty-five members of the Norwegian Junior National team
are in Minnesota for a week in September. The top 20 players
are playing games against several Minnesota Elite I opponents.

The remaining 15 players will be playing area skaters
Monday September 10th, from 8:15-10:00pm at Thaler Arena.

The rest of their schedule, when known, will be posted.

Late Summer Coaching Clinic

Have We Started Again?

Another summer has come and gone, and so have another
pair of talented skaters. Another two varsity girls started
the school year at another school yesterday.

It is really sad to lose a career 100-point scorer before her
senior year.

***

“He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings.”
Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins

***

A little respect goes a long way…

For the Love of the Game

Hockey for Fun

This is interesting.

The XL Hockey League is open again this year.
Kids from Bantam through High School level participate
in a one game per week, “no check” league, with games
played at Ridder and Mariucci Arenas.

For $350, the league pays fees with USA Hockey and
Minnesota Hockey, players get a game jersey, four preseason
practices, a sixteen game season, officials, scorekeepers,
“stuff” from hockey manufacturers, and a year-end bash.

Could be trouble for those schools that want to keep only
one Bantam team, or refuse to keep a full JV Roster…

XL Hockey League
2007-2008 Brochure

Little League World Series

Losing Badly

After an impressive run through the state and regional tournaments,
Coon Rapids baseball team lost more than their final game Wednesday,
when ESPN caught two of the team’s stars spitting into their hands before
greeting the players from Chandler Arizona, after being beaten 9-2
in the Little League World Series pool-round game.

The entire team has endured a rash of emails and criticism
on the internet for the bad sportsmanship. The league, coaches and
its players have apologized for the incident, and hope to use it as a
“teaching moment” for everyone involved.

Quest for the 2008 Cup

Wild and Free

Minnesota’s free agents and their salaries:
C Pierre-Marc Bouchard, $1,850,000 (elected arbitration)
D Martin Skoula, $1,625,000
C Todd White, $1,550,000
C Wes Walz, $1,368,000
D Nick Schultz, $1,187,500
W Adam Hall, $975,000
C Mikko Koivu, $902,500
D Kurtis Foster, $775,000
W Derek Boogaard, $525,000
C Wyatt Smith, $500,000
G Josh Harding, $456,000

Returning or Signed:
Mikko Koivu, 4 years (re-signed)
Martin Skoula, 2 years (re-signed)
Wes Walz, 1 year, $900,000 (re-signed)
Eric Belanger (C), 3 years, (from Atlanta Thrashers)
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, 1 year, $2.6M (re-signed)
Sean Hill (D), 1 year, $475,000 (from NY Islanders)
Josh Harding, 2 years, $1.45M (re-signed)
Kurtis Foster, 1 year, $1.025M (re-signed)
Derek Boogaard, 3 years, $2.95M (re-signed)
Nick Schultz, 1 year, $1.85M (re-signed)

Lost to other teams:
Todd White (to Atlanta Thrashers)
Wyatt Smith (to Colorado Avalanche)

source: National Hockey League

Minnesota Hockey History

Old Time Hockey

A new website, Vintage Minnesota Hockey, has bunches of pictures,
memorobilia, and jerseys from around the state. They also sell “vintage”
Minnesota hockey jerseys.

Vintage Minnesota Hockey Gallery