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43 Articles

TO FLEURY, THE FIRST AND LAST

TO SAY THAT MARC-ANDRE Fleury is one of a kind is not a controversial statement. The Minnesota Wild goaltender enters his self-imposed final season in the NHL as a future Hall of Famer, three-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the most beloved personalities in the game. With this being our Goalie Issue, we had to seize one last chance to get ‘Flower’ on the cover and celebrate his career with a feature by Ken Campbell (pg. 20), where our veteran scribe sets the table for what will be an historical – and, no doubt, mirthful – final campaign for Fleury. In Campbell’s cover story, you’ll get everything you’ve grown to expect from Fleury: tales of mischief, glowing testimonials from hockey folks and the details of a prolific legacy that’s still…

TO FLEURY, THE FIRST AND LAST

MY MOM OFTEN SAID that if you wanted to get something done correctly, then do it yourself. Because no one will ever match my determination and pride of a job well done. Once again, Mom was right. From Day 1 of my ownership, improving The Hockey News’ customer-care service, which took way too long, has been on my list of things to improve. Effective Oct. 1, 2024, we have brought customer-care operations in-house. The Hockey News has outsourced its customer care to third-party “call centers” for decades to manage subscribers’ questions and concerns. When I arrived on the scene and asked why The Hockey News outsourced its most important part of a business, serving its customers, I was told that all magazine publishers did this and that was just the way things…

REVERSE COURSE?

TRUE AS IT MIGHT be that everyone’s a critic, there are those whose words carry a touch more weight. Chastised by an armchair quarterback? Easy enough to shoulder shrug and move along. Scrutinized by no less an authority than ‘The King’ himself, though? Perhaps it’s time to sit up and consider the criticism. So, when Hall of Fame netminder Henrik Lundqvist took to his pulpit during the post-season and joined the ever-increasing referendum on the persistent use of the shot-stopping technique known as the Reverse VH, or RVH, the goaltending fraternity took notice. What had ruffled Lundqvist’s well-kept plumage – and what led the New York Rangers legend to call the RVH a pandemic among modern keepers – was an ugly second-period tally in Game 2 of the second-round series between…

REVERSE COURSE?

BEHIND THE MASK

ARRIVING IN OTTAWA AS one of the NHL’s best goalies over the past few seasons, Linus Ullmark didn’t need to do much to ingratiate himself with fans. But the 2023 Vezina winner couldn’t help himself as his first Senators mask pays tribute to Patrick Lalime, one of the franchise’s most beloved goaltenders. Front and center on Ullmark’s helmet is Marvin the Martian, who adorned Lalime’s masks throughout his career. But Ullmark – whose mask was designed by DaveArt’s Dave Gunnarsson – added his own spin by adding Sweden’s Tre Kronor to the classic Looney Tunes character’s galea. The mask also includes Viking runes and ships, likewise a nod to his home country, and pays tribute to his family with silhouettes of four polar bears on the back panel – two…

BEHIND THE MASK

FOR THE PAST FEW seasons, Sweden’s Djurgarden has had some fun with its pre-season jerseys by trotting out different looks than its regular uniforms, and this year’s edition was awesome. The legendary Stockholm club, currently playing in the second-tier Allsvenskan, stripped down its usual color scheme – which includes two shades of blue plus red and gold – and rocked these double-blue beauties on a cream base. The logo also modifies the team’s usual shield and adds some flair with emanating lines emerging from all four corners. The fact that Djurgarden made home and away versions of this pre-season banger makes it all the more fun. Of course, with the regular season underway, the team’s mission now is to earn promotion back to the top-tier SHL.…

GARFIELD, THE CHUBBY CAT from the eponymous comic strip and cartoon series, has been featured on tons of merchandise over the past 45 years – from clothing to video games and seemingly everything else in between. Garfield’s creator, Jim Davis, is a hockey fan, so, naturally, the orange feline has found his way onto jerseys, pucks and even a hockey card. The 1992 Garfield Premier Edition set by Skybox has 100 cards that recap some of his most popular stories. A few fun cards also depict the rotund tabby playing different sports. This card pictures Garfield as Moosejaw Breakers goaltender Garf Gruntsky – a clever mash-up of Garfield with Hall of Fame goalie Gump Worsley’s nickname and Wayne Gretzky’s surname. The back of the card humorously states that ‘The Great Gruntsky’…

IF NOT SCIENTIFICALLY verifiable, it feels anecdotally accurate that, more than just about any other position in sports, NHL goalies are among the athletes most prone to experiencing vast swings in success from one season to the next. And it’s absolutely true that their individual performances don’t always jive with their clubs’ success. Take, for instance, Alexandar Georgiev. For two straight seasons, the Colorado Avalanche netminder has led the NHL in victories, posting 40 wins in 2022-23 and 38 last year. How he arrived at those totals, however, is a tale of two keepers. The 40-win season was the best of his career. Beyond leading the league in wins, Georgiev finished tied for second in shutouts, tied for sixth in save percentage, and his goals saved above average at all strengths –…

NAME OF THE GAME

AFTER A DEBUT SEASON without team names or logos, the PWHL unveiled the new looks and monikers of its Original Six clubs. Those names were revealed to be the Boston Fleet, Montreal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, Toronto Sceptres and the reigning Walter Cup-champion Minnesota Frost. The league sought unique names that had specific ties to each market. As PWHL senior vice-president of business operations Amy Scheer said, the PWHL is “excited for these new identities to deepen the connection between the teams and their local communities.” After fans had a year to build anticipation for names and logos, the new PWHL merchandise is now for sale, and fans can chant nicknames heading into Season 2. Here’s a look at each of the six new team identities. BOSTON FLEET ‘FLEET’ IS…

NAME OF THE GAME

BUY NOW, PAY LATER

IF THERE’S ONE WAY to get the attention of the bigwigs in the NHL’s head office, it’s finding ways to get creative with the salary cap. And in the tradition of the since-restricted front-loaded pacts and laughably long long-term deals, it appears there’s a new loophole the league could seek to address: deferred compensation. What has raised alarm bells among the cap-minded crowd is Seth Jarvis’ eight-year, $63.2-million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, which includes $15.67 million that will be paid out at the end of the contract. In essence, Jarvis will be paid – with interest – at a later date for services rendered during the lifetime of his deal with the Hurricanes. At issue, though, is how present-day cap savings will be passed on to Carolina. Effectively, through the…

BUY NOW, PAY LATER

HOCKEY CARDS OF SIX GREAT GOALTENDING ‘LASTS’ 1. LAST GOALIE TO PLAY WITHOUT A MASK Andy Brown (1977) Jacques Plante was the first goalie to wear a mask regularly in the NHL, beginning when he donned one in a game in 1959. Fifteen years later, every goalie in the league was wearing a mask – except the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Andy Brown. Brown’s last NHL game was April 7, 1974, a 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Flames. He went on to play three more seasons in the WHA with the Indianapolis Racers – all without a mask – before retiring in 1977. Brown had only one hockey card during his career, in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee WHA set. 2. LAST GOALIE TO WEAR A FIBERGLASS MASK Sam St-Laurent (1991) The fiberglass goalie mask introduced by Plante was a…

IT’S THE NOT KNOWING that’s the worst part. Yeah, it’s definitely the not knowing. Welcome to the hellscape that is Marc-Andre Fleury’s final season in the NHL. His teammates, both present and past, are operating on the assumption that they’ll have to spend the 2024-25 season on constant high alert. I mean, look what Fleury did to Brandon Duhaime last year, and all the poor guy did was toilet-paper Fleury’s car and joke during a television interview that Fleury was doing impressive things at the age of 50. Next thing you know, Duhaime’s tires are removed and chained together in the parking garage, his car is on cinder blocks, and there’s a small garden on his hood. ‘The Kid’ has to be crapping his pants right about now. All Sidney Crosby…

IN 2018, THE HOCKEY News put together the game’s most comprehensive list of the top 100 goaltenders in NHL history in a special collector’s edition magazine. Coming in at No. 40 was Marc-Andre Fleury, who was 14 seasons into an NHL career that will span 21 seasons. By today’s standards, that ranking seems shockingly low. After all, he’ll finish his career second in all-time NHL wins behind only Martin Brodeur (691). So, how high would Fleury rise if the all-time goalie rankings were revised today? Top 20? Top 10? Top five? Let’s review how the top-100 goalie list was created. In 1997, when The Hockey News turned 50, we selected a revered committee of 50 hockey experts to vote on the top 100 players of all-time. The depth of knowledge on the panel was…

FINDING THE RIGHT WORK/LIFE BALANCE

WHAT DO WE PLAY FOR? Money? Fame? Glory? Admiration? There’s no right or wrong answer, and the checklist for any athlete will vary. For Linus Ullmark, the latest – and Senators fans hope the last – in the carousel of high-profile goaltenders acquired to bolster Ottawa’s crease, the balance between a love of the game and an even greater love for his family has resulted in the most prolific period of his career. As he settles into life in Canada’s capital after being acquired by the Sens in a June swap with the Boston Bruins, the 31-year-old admits that his family is easing into the comforts of the Ottawa area. “It’s a very peaceful and calm neighborhood that we’re living in, and we are very much enjoying ourselves at the moment,” Ullmark…

FINDING THE RIGHT WORK/LIFE BALANCE

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN

DURING THE HOCKEY season, Joseph Woll lives in Canada’s biggest city, a teeming metropolis where every resident seems to have an opinion on how his team can finally win the Stanley Cup. So, when the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender gets time off in the summer, he tries to go off the grid for a bit, taking in the great outdoors when he’s not training. This off-season, Woll headed out to Colorado with his brother and his best friend. The year prior, he went to Europe to engage his passion for mountains. “I took a cool trip out to the Alps to see Mont Blanc, and that’s my favorite mountain so far,” Woll said. “For my mask this year, I had Dave Gunnarsson of DaveArt put Mont Blanc on my helmet for…

CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN

IT’S ONE THING TO see the writing on the wall. It’s another to see your future spelled out in flashing neon lights. And when Juuse Saros signed a mega-money extension with the Nashville Predators in July, followed not long after by the Preds’ signing of veteran second-stringer Scott Wedgewood, upstart keeper Yaroslav Askarov couldn’t ignore what was staring him in the face: a gargantuan sign letting him know that his hope of becoming an NHL No. 1 wasn’t going to happen in Music City. By all accounts, of course, this wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. Drafted 11th overall in 2020, Askarov was – and still is – considered one of the top goaltending prospects in the world. He seemed destined to be shepherded into the top job in Nashville,…

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

IF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COULD produce a model for an elite NHL goalie, Charlie Lindgren wouldn’t be the prototype. Even Lindgren admits as much. He knows his resume: undrafted out of college, followed by six years spent mostly in the minors. Lindgren readily concedes he’s neither the most naturally talented nor the biggest goalie in the world. Yet, try telling him he can’t hang with the NHL’s best at your peril. “My ceiling? I believe I can be a top guy in this league,” said Lindgren before the season. If you chat with him at length about his career, there is plenty of deflection – his family, coaches, teammates, trainers and specialists are really the ones who made it all possible, according to Lindgren. Thanking others comes naturally for the native of Lakeville,…

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

ON A SUNNY AUTUMN afternoon in Buffalo, Sabres fans eschewed the outside warmth in favor of the cold grasp of LECOM Harborcenter, where the franchise’s prospects were dominating their peers from the Columbus Blue Jackets system as part of an annual rookie tournament. As the Buffalo faithful high-fived in celebration of Jiri Kulich’s latest snipe, members of the here-and-now Sabres were getting in a skate before training camp at KeyBank Center, the NHL arena conveniently connected to LECOM by a pedestrian bridge. Among the skaters was Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the 25-year-old goaltender who has positioned himself as Buffalo’s best hope between the pipes as the Sabres attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Coming off career-best totals of 54 games, 27 wins and a 2.57 goals-against average,…

GOALIES GET THIRSTY, TOO

OVER THE FIRST WEEKEND of 1985, Scott Gordon launched perhaps the most consequential goaltending revolution this side of Jacques Plante’s first mask. And all because his Boston College athletic trainer prescribed an incidental New Year’s resolution. These days, Gordon still takes magnesium to prevent cramping. Back then, he adhered to a then-uncontested myth that any liquid provided hydration. By indulging in diet soda between on-ice sessions, he parched his system and invited discomfort by game-time. “Nothing was stopping it,” he said. Coming off college hockey’s multi-week mid-season break for term finals and holiday respites, he only felt more out of synch when trying to restore his rhythm. And over a three-game homestand at the end of the 1984 calendar year, BC went 2-0-1 but surrendered 16 goals. When the Eagles went to Wisconsin…

GOALIES GET THIRSTY, TOO

LOOK FOR CARTER IN THE CLUTCH

IT’S NO SECRET THAT Doug Armstrong has a nearly impossible task ahead of him in setting Team Canada’s star-laden roster for this February’s 4 Nations Face-Off. Over the past five seasons, Carter Verhaeghe has turned nearly every childhood street-hockey fantasy into reality. He would love to add a Team Canada experience to that box of memories. “Playing for Canada would be a cool thing,” Verhaeghe said. “I’ve done it once, at the U-18s. That’s definitely another thing that you’re thinking about as a kid growing up.” With Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Gustav Forsling each on the 4 Nations’ first-six lists for their respective countries, Canada is the only team that does not yet have a representative from the reigning Stanley Cup champions on its roster. Higher-profile players are in the mix,…

LOOK FOR CARTER IN THE CLUTCH

TWO-WAY THREAT, TWO WAYS

GIVE NICK SUZUKI CREDIT. At least he’s making an effort. Still, confusing the French word for “change” with “trade” caused a kerfuffle when the Montreal Canadiens captain tried explaining to a Tim Hortons employee that he no longer wanted his usual drink. “What? Suzuki was traded!’” the employee said in French, setting off an accidental chain reaction of panic throughout the restaurant that made its way to the drive-thru window, where Habs PR director, Chantal Machabee, happened to be placing her order. “Quoi?!?” asked Machabee. It was all part of a commercial, both poking fun – and praising – the young captain’s ongoing journey to becoming fluent in French. As most Quebecois will tell you, they appreciate the attempt. And Suzuki, who has shot multiple commercials in his not-so-native tongue, is doing everything…

TWO-WAY THREAT, TWO WAYS

ATLANTIC DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

With Jeremy Swayman as the Bruins’ long-term No. 1 and new arrival Joonas Korpisalo locked up for another four years, the outlook for BRANDON BUSSI isn’t rosy at the moment. But don’t write off the 26-year-old’s potential to push for NHL backup duty as early as next season. In 2023-24, he tied for the second-best save percentage among AHL keepers to play in 40-plus games, and he was an AHL all-rookie teamer the season prior. He’s talented. Now, he just needs a path to the big leagues. The baptism by fire didn’t quite work for DEVON LEVI last season. So, the Sabres adjusted, bringing in James Reimer this summer to serve as the team’s No. 2 netminder. That will allow for Levi, 22, to get more seasoning in the AHL, where…

ATLANTIC DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

SLAVIN SHOOTS AND SCORES, TOO

AS A STAY-AT-HOME defenseman who has never scored more than eight goals in a season, Jaccob Slavin knows where his strengths lie and what his role is with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s not going to skate the puck from one end to the other like Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes. Nor is he going to blast slappers from the point like Brent Burns. He’s a shutdown specialist, one who is valued more for his shot-blocking ability and knack for keeping the puck out of his own net – rather than trying to put it into the opponent’s cage. As such, Slavin has never once led Hurricanes defensemen in scoring in a season. But because he’s played each of his nine NHL seasons with the same team, Slavin is already the franchise’s all-time…

SLAVIN SHOOTS AND SCORES, TOO

METRO DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

With Pyotr Kochetkov now in the NHL, the Hurricanes’ best goalie prospect becomes another Russian in RUSLAN KHAZHEEV, the 2023 fifth-rounder who is coming off a splendid season with Chelyabinsk in Russia’s top junior league. A big netminder who’s adept at challenging shooters and moves quite well in the crease, the 6-foot-4 Khazheev signed his entry-level deal with Carolina in the spring and has come over to start his North American pro career this season, potentially with AHL Chicago. After playing for Sweden’s Modo organization the past three years, 6-foot-3 MELVIN STRAHL has left for Ohio – specifically, to the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms. While Strahl’s stats weren’t great last season, his Modo team wasn’t that good, either. This year’s Phantoms, meanwhile, look intriguing. The Blue Jackets’ 2023 fifth-rounder will be joining…

METRO DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS

IF THERE’S ONE WAY to get your mind off of an excruciating injury, season-ending surgery and months of rigorous rehab, it’s diaper duty. So, while Taylor Hall would have given anything to be out on the ice with his Chicago Blackhawks teammates last season, the 32-year-old is able to find a silver lining in a campaign spent almost entirely on the shelf: he got to enjoy quality time with his newborn son, Stetson. “I’ll remember that for my whole life,” Hall said. “To see him grow up in a different way than I would have if I was playing has been really cool. That’s a positive for sure, and just having that time off mentally after doing this for such a long time was something that I just really had to…

TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS

CENTRAL DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

ADAM GAJAN is still at least a few years away, but the Blackhawks have high hopes for him. Winner of top-goaltender honors at the 2023 World Junior Championship – and twice selected as a top-three player on the Slovak WJC squad – Gajan, 20, is heading to Minnesota-Duluth after seasons in the NAHL and USHL. The Bulldogs are in a transitional period after winning back-to-back national titles pre-pandemic, so Gajan could find himself thrown into the deep end as a freshman. Alexandar Georgiev has one season left on his deal, and Justus Annunen’s .928 save percentage across 14 appearances in 2023-24 has given Colorado hope the Finn can push for starting duty. But the long-term answer appears to be ILYA NABOKOV. The 21-year-old, who was the KHL’s rookie of the year…

CENTRAL DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

RISING FROM THE DEPTHS

TOWARD THE END OF his breakthrough season, Joey Daccord did the Seattle Kraken a solid. He appeared on a web series called Uncharted, where a player on the team joins broadcaster Alison Lukan on a local adventure, which they use as a backdrop for a chat designed to help fans to get to know the player better. Fly-fishing with Will Borgen. Hiking with Alex Wennberg. You get the idea. When Daccord’s number was called, it was an exercise in learning to navigate a 75-foot Fleming yacht around Puget Sound under the guidance of captain Chris Freshwater. Seriously, that was the guy’s name. Even though Daccord has his boating license, he was a little shocked to learn he would actually be at the helm. “I’m, like, stunningly nervous right now,” said Daccord…

RISING FROM THE DEPTHS

PACIFIC DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

At 6-foot-6 and 214 pounds, DAMIAN CLARA comes across physically as a bit of a man-child, but he’s still a teenager for another few months. A second-round pick in 2023 – and the first player from Italy to be drafted by an NHL team – Clara had a stellar 2023-24 season with Brynas as they were promoted back to the SHL. He got the majority of starts over former NHLer Anders Lindback and had a better save percentage (.913 to .889). Big and quick, he needs to refine his occasional overreactions and consistency. Now is the time for Dustin Wolf to lock down the ‘future franchise stopper’ label in Calgary. But who’s next in line to one day compete alongside Wolf? The Flames have drafted four Russian-born goalies in the past…

PACIFIC DIVISION GOALTENDING FUTURE

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE starting goalie? In the first season of the NHL’s salary-cap era in 2005-06, three goalies started 70-plus games – Martin Brodeur, Miikka Kiprusoff and Roberto Luongo – and there were eight others who started at least 60 games. Last season, only three goalies started at least 60 games – Juuse Saros, Alexandar Georgiev and Connor Hellebuyck. Over the past 20 years, the workhorse starting goalie whom fantasy managers could rely upon has slowly gone the way of the dodo. There’s no denying the trend: No. 1 goalies are starting fewer games than ever before, and more teams now prefer to run a 1A-1B tandem. It’s a tactic that has proven to be successful, with the latest example being the Boston Bruins’ duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman,…

BIG-LEAGUE AMBITION

IN A SIX-TEAM LEAGUE, the competition for goaltending positions is fierce. In the NHL’s Original Six era, it was a time dominated by Hall of Fame netminders such as Terry Sawchuk, Bill Durnan and Jacques Plante. Someday, the PWHL’s Original Six era might produce a similar number of legendary netminders. With the depth of talent already in PWHL creases, Kayle Osborne was bold to forego her final season of NCAA eligibility and enter the PWHL draft a year early. The decision could easily have backfired. It could have, but it didn’t. A product of Westport, Ont., a village outside of Ottawa, Osborne was selected in the fifth round (28th overall) by the New York Sirens in the 2024 PWHL draft following a spectacular four-year stint in the NCAA with Colgate. Knowing the…

BIG-LEAGUE AMBITION

TITLETOWN ’TENDY

JUST AS FENWAY PARK’S left-field wall famously steals home runs from deserving batters, Aerin Frankel has a propensity for thwarting what look to be sure goals from deserving shooters. Meet the Boston Fleet’s ‘Green Monster.’ “She’s just the ultimate competitor,” said Fleet GM Danielle Marmer. “I knew I wanted a goaltender who was going to compete, who can win. Aerin’s won at every level she’s played at.” Boston ultimately finished one win shy of capturing the inaugural Walter Cup. But Frankel established herself as one of the league’s top goalies by elevating her game after a strong regular season, and she was named a PWHL goalie-of-the-year finalist. With plenty of elite talent between the pipes in the women’s game, Boston was one of just three teams to use a (pre-draft) free-agent spot on…

TITLETOWN ’TENDY

PLEASE REMAIN SEATED

IT’S HARD TO IGNORE the elephant in the room as Jet Greaves sits down for a pre-season interview. Days removed from the funeral for Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, the entire Columbus Blue Jackets organization – of which Greaves is a highly regarded goaltending prospect – remains in a numb state of grief. But if there is any silver lining to be found in the senseless loss, perhaps it’s that pain can serve as a great unifier. “Johnny was such a great player, but for everybody who knew him, he was such a great person,” Greaves said. “We were all super lucky to get to know him and his family. We’ll always remember him and try to carry him with us everywhere we go. But yeah, just a super tragic few weeks,…

PLEASE REMAIN SEATED

SHOLLY YOU’RE NOT SERIOUS?

TOMAS SHOLL WAS A little weary when he saw the Idaho Steelheads were hyping his return to Boise. “When I saw the video on Instagram, I was kind of thinking, ‘Uh, maybe we should temper expectations,’ ” he said with a laugh. The 30-year-old is already a legend in Boise, where he earned ECHL goaltender-of-the-year honors in 2020. But he wasn’t always destined for success – starting in the Southern Pro League after a lackluster NCAA career at Bowling Green State. Then, he got to the ECHL. Between his rookie season, 2017-18, and 2019-20, Sholl ranked first in save percentage (.930) and shutouts (12) among ECHL goalies who played at least 40 games. His 12 shutouts were also an Idaho franchise record. He parlayed his ECHL success into a brief AHL stay…

SHOLLY YOU’RE NOT SERIOUS?

WHEN SAWYER MYNIO set out for his first WHL training camp in the fall of 2021, he was so sure that it would be a short stay that he packed just one suitcase. But after the 16-year-old earned a spot on the Seattle Thunderbirds’ defense, his father was dispatched to bring the rest of his stuff from his hometown of Kamloops, B.C. On a blueline that gave up the third-fewest goals in the WHL and was anchored by 2022 No. 7 overall pick Kevin Korchinski, Mynio got into 47 regular-season games as a rookie. He then collected 21 games’ worth of valuable playoff experience as the Thunderbirds went on a surprise run to the WHL final. Building on that success, Seattle GM Bil La Forge set his sights on a championship. In…

READY TO BREAK OUT

ONE OF THE FIRST times Jakub Milota made an impression on his Cape Breton teammates, he wasn’t trying to keep his Eagles in a game. In fact, the netminder was looking for a way out. During a team-building activity at an escape room in Quebec, the players were divided into small groups. The hunt for freedom was on. “The first and only team to get out was Jakub’s,” said coach Louis Robitaille. “He just took the (instructions) and figured it all out. He made it his mission to get out. He’s kind of like a silent competitor.” Indeed, the 18-year-old from Ostrava in Czechia is a young man of few words. And it’s not necessarily due to language. He gets his point across calmly and succinctly, and he’s perfectly fine letting his…

READY TO BREAK OUT

AS AN OHL ROOKIE last season, Jack Ivankovic stepped into a unique situation for his hometown Mississauga Steelheads, joining a club that already had a young starting goalie in Ryerson Leenders and a burgeoning roster with high expectations. Even as the No. 7 pick in the 2023 OHL draft, Ivankovic wouldn’t be handed anything. A year later, with the team moving down the road to Brampton, Ivankovic is the starter after Leenders was traded in the off-season. And the Steelheads now have title expectations. On top of all that, it is also Ivankovic’s NHL draft-eligible season. The 17-year-old netminder says he isn’t worrying about his own statistical success or personal accolades. He’s just letting his draft year come to him and focusing only on what he can control. “I just want to…

DAWN OF A NEW DAY

WHEN NEW OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford stepped into the role, he understood he had big shoes to fill. After all, his predecessor had held the job since before the 42-year-old Crawford was born. Luckily for Crawford, David Branch – who served as the league’s commissioner from 1979 to 2024 – has been heavily involved in the transition process. “To have the opportunity to have him around and consult with him and have his support and knowledge, in this initial transition and certainly in the initial couple of years,” Crawford said, “was actually a very big selling feature to wanting to take the opportunity and fill the role.” Crawford is excited to lead a new era and build on what the OHL has done well in recent years. The league is coming off…

DAWN OF A NEW DAY

EVER SINCE HE WAS a kid, Hampton Slukynsky has been nicknamed ‘Hammer.’ When Slukynsky started playing goaltender around age seven or eight, his mother would stick a foam hammer to the glass behind his crease, and that practice has continued throughout the netminder’s developing career – depending on how the local rink crew felt about it. “She still does it,” Slukynsky said. “Some rinks in the USHL didn’t allow it, but she’d always put it up to take a picture until someone took it down.” In Fargo, where Slukynsky helped the Force win a championship last year, the folks at the arena were more than happy to see the hammer posted up whenever the kid was in the crease. Indeed, despite being a rookie, Slukynsky led the USHL with a 1.86 goals-against…

BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

VALTTERI FILPPULA, THE most decorated Finnish player in history, isn’t quite done with hockey yet. The 40-year-old center and longtime NHLer recently signed a one-year deal with Jokerit, with whom he made his pro debut in 2003. Making it more remarkable is the fact Jokerit now plays in the Finnish second division, the Mestis. Oh, and Filppula will reportedly play for free – though that’s a matter of interpretation. Jokerit chairman Mikko Saarni explained Filppula would receive part-ownership in lieu of salary. “Filppula won’t be a burden to our player budget,” Saarni said. “Besides the Jokerit shares, Filppula won’t get a salary from the club. He wants to be a part of taking Jokerit back to the top for the right reasons. There are some bonuses in the contract, but those…

BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

IN THE WANING DAYS of the pandemic, THN’s editor at large Ronnie Shuker embarked on an eight-month cross-Canada road trip in search of all things hockey. In his trusty four-wheeled friend ‘Gumpy,’ named after Hall of Fame goalie Gump Worsley, Shuker ventured from coast to coast to coast, through all 13 provinces and territories, visiting more than 50 hockey towns in the country. He played, watched and talked about the game with all the puckheads he met along the way, from pros and semi-pros to beer-league veterans and fans. The following excerpt is taken from his book The Country and the Game: 30,000 Miles of Hockey Stories, published by Sutherland House Books in Toronto and set for release on Oct. 15. The excerpt picks up Shuker as he’s making his…

WELCOME RESPITE

AS GEORGII ZUBKO, THE president of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, stood in front of the Shalett Hockey Arena in Kyiv, he looked exhausted but was all smiles, glowing with joy. It was Friday, Aug. 16, the final day of the Hockey Dreams Development Camps, a five-day event that was remarkable in many ways. Led by Canadian coach Nicholas Phelan of Unite Hockey Development, the camp featured around 170 kids. It was the first camp held during this time of war, and it was the first-ever select combine scouting and testing for 13- to 16-year-olds, where Ukrainian kids were evaluated under the Hockey Canada system with detailed scouting reports. The event culminated with a Blue vs. Yellow scrimmage game. Training sessions were stopped several times, with kids and coaching staff going…

DOWN GOES BROWN

A SHATTERED DREAM is an awful thing in the moment, but it can also turn out to be a blessing in disguise. That’s how John Brown looks at it. “Honestly, this is what I was meant to do,” said Brown, the namesake of John Brown Custom Sporting Equipment, from an office in his now-silent factory in Collingwood, Ont. Brown has ended his 54-year career in designing and manufacturing top-of-the-line goaltending equipment. “I don’t know how it all happened, but it did,” Brown said. “It was being in the right place at the right time, having the right energy, and being crazy enough to do all the things I did over the years.” But it took being in the wrong place at the wrong time to put him on the right track. It was…

DOWN GOES BROWN

Crossword/Trivia/Wordsearch/Puck Puzzle

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 He went first overall in 2014 4 The 2024 Norris Trophy winner, pictured 9 Huddy, who won five Cups with Edmonton 10 Jordin Tootoo was the first player of ___ descent to play in the NHL 11 Mark ___, the only NHLer ever from Delaware 12 Climate Pledge Arena site 13 Organization that governs U.S. college sports 15 He’s been a Star since 2009 18 Nickname of Pittsburgh’s first NHL team 21 One of the Broten brothers 23 Al Hamilton was an original ___ 24 Where Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played junior 25 Ryan Kennedy is THN’s current ___ in chief. 26 James, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010 DOWN 1 Former Sabre now lighting it up in Vegas 2 Hard shot 3 City that may be in line for a third NHL try 5 Home of the AHL’s Comets 6 Where Gordie Howe and his sons first…

Crossword/Trivia/Wordsearch/Puck Puzzle

SIRENS VS. PIZZA RATS

NEW HOCKEY TEAMS ARE incredibly exciting. The speculation surrounding who will play for the squad is matched by all the possibilities that come with a new jersey, name and logo. But what goes into a name these days? Back in 1926, the New York Rangers got their moniker because their owner was nicknamed ‘Tex’ – so, Tex’s Rangers. Get it? Creating an identity for a franchise is a little more rigorous these days. As someone fascinated with jerseys and team names, I couldn’t help but go down a rabbit hole when the PWHL announced the new names for its six franchises. What an opportunity. But also, what an interesting case study of how names have evolved over the years. Lions, Tigers and Bears? Not so much anymore. In fact, there were…

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