Go...Go..Girgensons!

The Kelowna Rockets went to the United States Hockey League to grab a forward in today's Canadian Hockey League Import Draft.
The Rockets selected Latvia born Zemgus Girgensons with the 54th pick in the opening round.
Girgensons played with Dubuque of the USHL last season, scoring 21 goals and collecting 49 points in 51 regular season games.

He also participated in the USHL All-Star game.
The 1994 born player was a +7 and scored 9 power play goals.
Girgensons is 6'1 and 187 pounds.

He has committed to the U of Vermont, but the Rockets will obviously attempt to persuade him to change his mind.

A WHL broadcaster says goodbye

Change is inevitable.
Change in hockey is common place.
Coaches get fired, get promoted or simply don't have their contracts renewed.
The front office shuffle in hockey is common place but changes in the broadcast booth don't happen often.
The most recent change came with the news that Everett Silvertips play-by-play caller Jon Rosen was pulling his microphone out of the wall after four seasons at the helm.
I admit it took me by surprise.
Rosen loved the Tips and never had a bad thing to say about them. Not one. He was a faithful guy who wanted to win as badly as the players and coaches within the organization.
Personally, I am sad to see him leave but know full well he will land on his feet in better shape then when he left.
Rosen is a pro, personable and well liked by his peers.
One thing is for certain.
The next broadcaster who lands in Everett is in for a treat. A great organization that plays in front of one of the best crowds in arguably one of the top three buildings in the WHL.
Let the resumes destined for Everett begin. The lucky candidate is in for a treat.

We all make mistakes

I had to chuckle at this picture that was found on various websites today after Clint Malarchuk was named the goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames.
The picture above is not Clint Malarchuk but it is Garth Malarchuk who accepted the head coaching duties with the Kelowna Rockets in 1998.
Oops!

Rockets in final three

The Kelowna Rockets organization will tangle with two other teams to see who will be awarded the 2013 Memorial Cup.

The Rockets will compete against bids from Red Deer and Saskatoon.

All three teams will make presentations to league governors in October.

Lethbridge and Prince George failed to make the top three.

The Cougars say lagging attendance was a factor is why they didn't make the short list.

Finley likes Winnipeg back in NHL

I spoke to Jeff Finley, a retired NHL player who makes his home in Kelowna, about the NHL coming back to Winnipeg.
Finley is a former assistant coach with the Kelowna Rockets and is now a scout with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. Finley is a former Winnipeg Jets defenceman, suiting up for just one season during the 1995-96 campaign.
Finley had these thoughts about the NHL returning to the Manitoba capital.
"I was there for just one season but I enjoyed my time there. The people there are fantastic. They are die hard hockey fans. It is great for Canada to have another NHL team. It's called friendly Manitoba for a reason and their are truly great people there."

Finley remembers the sad faces in the Winnipeg Arena as the team said goodbye in their final home game.
"It was a story that carried on all year. The fans knew the team was going to move. It was inevitable at the end of the season. You definitely felt their pain. You knew how upset they were that they were losing their team. You really felt it in the playoffs. They had the famous white out there and we had a great six game series with the Detroit Red Wings and the fans were outstanding. I have, never to this day, been in a building that was that loud in Winnipeg."

Why will the NHL work in Winnipeg this time?
"I compare it to the situation in Minnesota. When I played in the league years ago, Minnesota had a team and their were often night's where we went in there and they couldn't have had more than four or five thousand people in the building. The team ended up moving to Dallas but years later they got an expansion franchise back in Minnesota, with a brand new building, and now you can't get a ticket."

Will players been enthused in playing in Winnipeg?

"It doesn't sound great. It was tough. I enjoyed it there but the winter's there are miserable. It's freezing cold like everybody knows. Players won't be overly excited about the weather but the opportunity to play back in Canada where its hockey everyday will get them excited. They are making lots of money..they will be fine going back to Winnipeg."

As for a new name for the team, Finley doesn't have a problem with them keeping it as is by calling them the 'Winnipeg Jets'.

Ice captain knew it was coming

Dustin Sylvester isn't surprised.

The 22 year-old knew the Ice had the potential of winning a Western Hockey League title.

Unfortunately for him, they did it a season after he graduated as one of three overage players.

The Kelowna resident was part of the process, but would have liked nothing more than enjoying the fruits of Kootenay's labour in winning the league crown this season. The Kelowna residents birth certificate proved to be the stumbling block as he watched the teams magic ride through the post season from afar.

Sylvester spent five seasons with the Kootenay Ice and captained the team in his 20 year-old season. Outside of just four players currently on the Ice' roster, Sylvester went to battle with all of them.

"Pretty much everyone was coming back from last year, so it is the luck of the draw that I was there for five years and this was their year to do it. I kinda missed out, but I have a lot of good friends on that team and am glad to see them go that far".

Sylvester led the Ice in scoring (35+58=93) in 2009-2010, but admits the organizations always preached work ethic over individual results.

"I think it shows how good of a team they were when you look at the stats. When you have four guys with 27 points in the playoffs, you can't complain with that".

Sylvester is one alumnus that would encourage other players concerned about playing in the CHL's second smallest centre to put those fears behind them.

"Kootenay hasn't missed the playoffs in what, ten or 11 years or something? I enjoyed playing there. It is a small team....it isn't a big city so the guys are really close. The furthest guy from you is about a five minute drive. That is one of the reasons alone why they have been so successful".

Sylvester played this past season in Europe but is contemplating whether to return or play North American hockey this fall.

Rockets look at hosting MC for second time

The Kelowna Rockets will bid to host the 2013 Memorial Cup.
The Rockets will join Red Deer, Prince George, Lethbridge and Saskatoon as teams that have confirmed they will make bid presentations to WHL governors in October.
The Rockets hosted the Memorial Cup in 2004 while Saskatoon previously hosted the event in 1989.
Lethbridge and Red Deer have never hosted the ten day tournament.

Rockets General Manager Bruce Hamilton (pictured), is in Mississauga representing the WHL as the Chairman of the Board.

Rockets part ways with imports

The Kelowna Rockets will make two selections in next months Canadian Hockey League import draft.
The Rockets have parted ways with 19 year-old Andreas Stene and 18 year-old Gal Koren.
Stene (pictured far right) scored just two goals in 55 regular season games despite captaining Norway at the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Stene participated in just four playoff games.
Koren saw limited ice time, playing in 33 regular season games where he scored just one goal.
Koren also played for Slovenia in Division 1 at the WJC.
Koren saw action is just three games in the post season.

Chartier is Rockets top pick

The Kelowna Rockets went to Saskatchewan for their first two picks in today's WHL bantam draft in Calgary.
In round one, 15th overall, the Rockets picked forward Rourke Chartier from Saskatoon.
I spoke to Chartier about how he heard the news he was drafted by the Rockets.
"Our teachers are all on strike so we didn't have school today. It worked out pretty good. Otherwise I would have been at school, so we just watched it on the webcast".
Oddly enough Chartier's parents are both teachers and were on the picket lines when the news came down that he was headed to Kelowna.
Chartier's father, Marc, is the head coach of the Saskatoon Contacts, the team Rourke will play with next season before hopefully earning a spot with the Rockets as a 16 year-old.
Marc Chartier played with the Saskatoon Blades and Billings Bighorns in the late 70's before spending time with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
In round two, the Rockets picked forward Austin Glover 37th overall.

Ward doesn't buy into playoff pressure

It was neat to see Kelowna resident Dixon Ward recieving some TV time during the Canucks opening round playoff series against Chicago.
Ward, who was originally drafted by the Canucks in 1988, was providing post game analyse on Rogers Sportsnet following the Canucks game seven win.
Ward spends the majority of his time in Kelowna as the Vice President of the Okanagan Hockey Schools and Academy.
I spoke to Ward last week about playoff pressure, and if in fact it does exist.
"To be honest with you, the players don't feel the same pressure as the people watching feel. It's hard for people to understand that. They (players) have played so many hockey games and so many important hockey games in their life before they even get to this level, so they are just focused on playing. They don't feel tremendous pressure. There is a lot of anxiety and you are anxious and excited but its a very enjoyable time of the year. It's always a favourite time of the year for many reasons. The number one reason is it is hockey all day every day and that's fun for a player. The rest of life gets pushed to the side for a couple of months and you are focused on one thing and one thing only. The people watching it have more anxiety because they have no control over it."

What's next for Evan?

With so many junior players signing NHL contracts, it makes you wonder when, or if, Evan Bloodoff will be signed by the Phoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes, who could possibly move to Winnipeg at seasons end, drafted the now 20 year-old in the 6th round of the 2009 NHL draft. The Coyotes have until June 1st to sign him or the pride of Castlegar becomes a free agent.

One last thought for Hawks fans

It isn't often that an opposing WHL radio play-by-play broadcaster has a chance to spend a significant amount of time in one city getting to know the organization and the fans that support their team.

Everyone assumes it is a bitter rivalry that extends far beyond what happens on the ice and that the visiting broadcaster is part of the 'evil empire'. But let me say what a pleasure it was to meet and talk with so many Hawks fans over my two visits to Portland during the series. I met so many of you and realized the passion and love you have for your team.

I also have a greater appreciation for the American hockey fan then ever before. You showed a great appreciation for the work I do and were not afraid to literally come up to my broadcast booth and introduce yourself. I was taken aback by that kindness because I am in an industry where you hear more about the bad things you do and are criticised for it. It is in these relationships, while trivial in the eyes of some, that make my job worth while. I don't think in the 16 years of calling games in this league have I ever had as much interaction with opposing fans like I did over the last ten days with the Hawks faithful.

This blog entry was prompted by a Facebook message I received earlier today from an individual who I met prior to the start of game five in Portland. I won't mention names as the message was likely intended for my eyes only, but I was flattered at what the simple conversation and introduction meant to this person. Much like that encounter, the kindness you showed towards me doesn't go unnoticed. I have the platform on this blog to express myself and won't hesitate to thank you.

Many of you stopped by this blog during the series and expressed your opinion and I appreciate the time you took to visit my little space in cyberspace.

For the record, my favourite fans outside of Kelowna now reside in the 'City of Roses'.

Have a great playoff.

Sincerely
Regan

Putting a scare into the bear

• Craig Cunningham finally left Prospera Place after a playoff series with a smile on his face. The Portland Winterhawks forward, who was a part of a Vancouver Giants team that lost a heart breaker in the 2009 Western Conference final against the Rockets, scored the game winning goal last night leading the Hawks to a 4-2 win. The Hawks eliminate the Rockets in six games and advance to the Western Conference final. The Rockets season is now over after 82 games.
• While the final score read 4-2, this was a one goal game until Hawks defenceman Joe Morrow scored into an empty net with three seconds remaining in regulation time. The Hawks built up a 3-0 lead, yet the Rockets pulled out all the stops with goals from Geordie Wudrick and Brett Bulmer to make the visitors sweat.
  
• In the end though, depth and skill prevailed. The Hawks are a good team and are built for a long playoff run. They were suppose to win. For the Rockets, to be essentially within a goal of sending the series to a game seven is pretty incredible.
• The series loss on home ice is rare. The last time the Rockets season came to an end at Prospera Place was April 27/2004 in a 2-1 overtime setback to Everett. That series went to a game seven.
  
• Geordie Wudrick's career came to an end where it started. Wudrick played 400 WHL games, which includes the regular season and the playoffs. The 21 year-old's first ever game was at Prospera Place as a member of the Swift Current Broncos.
• We also said goodbye to the junior careers of defenceman Zak Stebner and Evan Bloodoff. Stebner played with six teams over his career and you could tell in his voice on our post game show that it was an emotional time for him when the final buzzer sounded. I love that emotion because it really tells the listeners that these players care and wanted to win. Bloodoff admitted after the game that it hadn't sunk in that his time in Kelowna was over. Bloodoff was a five year player with the Rockets and is one of only nine to accomplish that feat.
  
• Tyson Barrie and Mitchell Callahan also say goodbye. While both players are 19, they have signed contracts with Colorado and Detroit respectively. More thoughts on those two players in a later post.
  
• Two Hawks impressed me in this series, and no, neither are a top end forward. Goaltender Mac Carruth was suppose to be the weak link in this series, yet the Hawks goaltender really came to play. He honestly surprised me at how good he was. Maybe he will get the Kelly Guard treatment because he plays behind such a good team? Guard put up big numbers in 2004 but played in front of a solid defensive core, and outside of Kelowna, may have never received the praise and respect that he deserved. The other Hawk that showed me something was Taylor Jordan. The tallest player on the ice used to be one dimensional. The big man showed in this series that he can take a regular shift and can do some good work on the penalty killing unit. It is always neat to see a player transform and improve his game.
• The one sour note from last night's game was the ending when Hawks forward Brad Ross used a golfing gesture with his stick towards the Rockets. It may sound comical to some, but I would be embarrassed if a Rockets player did the same. Winning with class and respect for your opponent is what 19 of the 20 players on the Hawks roster did. Too bad Ross can't follow the lead of the Johansen's and Niederreiter's. I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he too will learn to be gracious when it is all said and done.Stir the pot during the game but show you are above that when the buzzer sounds.
  
• The road team won five of the six games in this series. The Rockets failed to win three games on home ice while the Hawks were victims to two setbacks at the Rose Garden.
  
• I want to congratulate the Hawks organization for winning the series. It was a lot of fun. The Hawks players I spoke to in this series were excellent. I have a better appreciation of Johansen, Cunningham and Niederreiter after short interviews. All three are well spoken and are great ambassadors of the team. Coach Mike Johnston and I met up a couple of times for some good conversations. I wish all the best to this skilled team and look forward to the Western Conference final against either Spokane or Tri City.
• Fifteen year-old Madison Bowey made his playoff debut against the Hawks. The Rockets second round bantam pick saw limited ice time. I will say that this series against the Hawks was a great learning experience for the Rockets younger players.
• I hope you enjoyed the one hour post game show following the game. Thanks to Gord McGarva, we had interviews with all three 20 year-old's along with comments from Tyson Barrie, Mitchell Callahan and Adam Brown. We even had Hawks play-by-play man Andy Kemper on for a couple of quick minutes after the game concluded. Thanks to all talk radio, we have the freedom to give the Rockets the air time they deserve after a long season.