Conacher Believed in Moen/Hockey School for Fighting!

All of you who thought Travis Moen would play in the NHL, please stand up.

Mrs. Moen please sit down...you don't count!

Ok, just two of you eh?

Kelowna Rockets Director of Player Personnel Lorne Frey was a believer, even before Moen married his daughter.

But Pat Conacher, the Rockets assistant coach at the time, thought Moen had the potential to play in the NHL, even when Moen made the Rockets on a tryout in the fall of 1998.
Conacher liked Moen's heart, drive, determination and never give up attitude.
Oh sure, Moen was rough around the edges, but Conacher believed even then that with some good coaching, Moen would make it at the NHL level.

Nine years later, I am sure even now Conacher is a little surprised that Moen is sipping out of Lord Stanley's Cup.





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Can you imagine sending your 12 year-old son to a hockey camp this summer to learn the finer art of -- fighting?
Son, forget about skating, passing and shooting! You need to be able to
beat your opponents face in if you want to play in the NHL!! Can you imagine that coming from a father's lips?
It happened in Regina last week, as Minnesota Wild tough guy Derek Boogaard and his younger brother Aaron, held a summer camp for 12 to 18 year-old's on fighting.
The Boogaard's said the camp was more designed to show hockey players on how to defend themselves, but the main thrust of the camp - let's call a spade a spade - is learning to knock the snot out of your opponent.

What's happening to the sport of hockey?

The next thing we'll see is an event staged in, let's say a place like Prince George, where fans will come out just to see hockey players skate on the ice and fight!
Come to think of it, we all ready have.

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It looks like the cats out of the bag on the expansion Edmonton Oil Kings new coach.
Steve Pleau will be named to the post later this week.
In a sense it's a shame the news has gotten out already. It's one of the biggest hiring's a hockey club can make, and the hype and speculation can only help as the team attracts new fans for the start of the 2007-2008 season.
While I expected the Oil Kings to hire a 'big name' coach, past history has shown expansion teams often don't hire heavy hitters.
The Edmonton Ice hired Dave Sicliano while the Vancouver Giants went with Milan Dragicevic. Even look at the Chilliwack Bruins, who nailed down Jim Hiller.
The Everett Silvertips were the exception to the rule, hiring a big name in Kevin Constantine.
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Doing an internet search on several Kelowna Rockets brings up some interesting results.
Head coach Jeff Truitt's name produces a Jeff Truitt, who is a photographer in San Antonio, Texas.
Rockets captain Chris Ray brings up Baltimore relief pitcher Chris Ray.
A search of General Manager Bruce Hamilton's name produces a furniture maker in Glasgow, Scotland while Colin Joe's name brings up the Project Leader of the BC Securities Commission.

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Quote of the day:

Clark Gillies on a underachieving Todd Bertuzzi when the two were teammates on Long Island.

"If you are built like a freight train, you can't drive around like a Volkswagen".