Backchecking: Al Secord stays ‘under the radar’

Imagine a former NHL player who used to fly down the wing, flying through the sky guiding a commercial jet. A man, who just 25 years ago, was using his intuition to make the right play on the ice, now making crucial decisions and the right play in the air.

Al Secord, who played from 1978-79 through 1989-90 for Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, is now a first officer for American Airlines, based in Dallas.

After winning the Memorial Cup with Hamilton in 1976, Secord was drafted 16th overall in 1978 by Boston and suited up for the B’s for two and a half seasons before being traded to the Blackhawks in 1980.

Secord played the best hockey of his career in Chicago, scoring 44 and 54 goals in consecutive years on a line with Denis Savard and Steve Larmer. In 1981-82, he became the only player in NHL history to register 40 goals and more than 300 penalty minutes in a single season, a standard that still stands today.

Following a seven-year tenure in Chicago, Secord was traded to Toronto, then Philadelphia, before signing with the Blackhawks as a free agent for one more season in 1989. He concluded a solid NHL run with 273 goals, 495 points in 766 games and 2,093 penalty minutes.

Secord, now 51, started making plans for his post-NHL career during his prime in his mid-20s.

“It was the summer of 1985, in the off-season, that I started going to (pilot) school,” Secord said. “My interest of flying came from working for the Ministry of Natural Resources as a ground firefighter. While I was working on these fires, the water bombers would come in and drop fire retardant and I used to fly with some of the fliers in these planes and helicopters.”

Besides the thrill of traveling at speeds in excess of 500 m.p.h., there are other aspects of flying that Secord enjoys.

“It’s a freedom-type thing,” he said. “One of the things I was looking forward to was the fishing and hunting in the different areas in Northern Ontario by plane. We see some of the most spectacular scenery, being in an airplane. I call it the best office window of any job I can think of.”

Secord has witnessed many breathtaking views from the sky: Rays of a sunset shine through the clouds in a developing storm; the Grand Canyon with a sprinkling of snow in it; the Rocky Mountains and their snowcaps; active volcanoes in Mexico City; Mount Rainier in Seattle; and the Silica Dome in the State Park of San Francisco.

The challenges of flying can be similar to the game-by-game challenge of an NHL player, Secord says. You must plan the flight before you leave the ground and “know all the information before you close the door,” just like you need to know the game plan and the opposing team before taking the ice in a big game. There are also elements out of one’s control, such as inclement weather while flying, or an injury or flu bug going through a dressing room.

One comparison Secord makes is the discipline a player or pilot must have in taking care of his body.

“If you look at most pilots walking through a terminal, most guys are very fit, they look very healthy,” Secord said. “We have to be aware of our sleep patterns, our eating, our exercise regime, so that when we step into the cockpit we’re at our best. That’s the same with hockey, where you have to be aware of your sleep, your food, and your fitness level.”

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Backchecking: Clarke continues legacy in front office

If we could all accomplish just a fraction of what Bob Clarke did in his career, I’m sure we would all be content with our lives.

Clarkie, as he is affectionately referred to by fans and friends, was playing for the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior League and had put up impressive numbers. However, he was rarely scouted, as few teams sent scouts to Western Canada in the 1960s. Clarke believed the only teams scouting him at the time were Detroit and Philadelphia.

Although he was a dangerous offensive threat, many teams passed on his services in the 1969 NHL draft because he had diabetes. “Just pissed me off,” Clarke said of teams not willing to take a chance on him. “But anyone who’s competitive would just say ‘(screw) you.’ ”

The Philadelphia Flyers decided to take that chance by drafting Clarke in the second round, 17th overall in 1969.

Fifteen seasons, two Stanley Cups, 358 goals and 1210 points later, Clarke had silenced his doubters.

He retired from his playing career in 1984 and was offered a position in Flyers management. The love and pride of an entire city would now be moving from leading the team to running the team. But the transition from the ice to the front office wasn’t an easy one for Clarke.

“It was really difficult to go from being part of what’s going on on the ice to just sitting there watching, not being able to do anything,” Clarke said. “So many times you have to just sit patiently and it can be frustrating if your team is struggling and you can’t do anything about it.”

One of the toughest tasks Clarke had to accomplish as GM of the Flyers was building a competitive team for the “New NHL” after the ’04-05 lockout. 

“It was an impossibility to create a team for the new changes in the game, because we had no time to do it,” Clarke said. “All of a sudden we’re playing a game that none of us knew. Some teams had the right players for it, but it was all luck, none of it was by design. Some of us didn’t have the right type of players for the new game, but you’re still responsible.”

After the Flyers’ 2006-07 season began poorly, Clarke resigned from the GM position, citing a lack of desire and burnout from the game. A few months later, he was offered his current position of senior vice president.

“Paul Holmgren will ask me questions of things I’ve gone through in similar situations – talk to me about making trades,” Clarke said of his role on the team. “He uses me to talk to so he can bounce things off of me because of my experience.

“For me, it keeps me with the Flyers, it keeps me involved in the game and you still sleep better at night in this position,” Clarke said with a laugh.

The Flyers have consistently been a tough team to play against throughout its history, owning the NHL’s second-best all-time winning percentage behind the Montreal Canadiens. Clarke attributes that to the tremendous support of owner Ed Snider.

“We were allowed to spend the money, we always tried to win,” Clarke said. “We didn’t do what Pittsburgh did; lose seven years in a row so they could get good. They did it twice, in fact. They went through six or seven different owners. We’ve had one owner.”

Clarke finds the strategies of some current teams appalling when considering the way other organizations have built competitive teams.

“It’s somewhat embarrassing that three of the last teams (in the 2009 playoffs) missed the playoffs six or seven years in a row; Washington, Chicago, and Pittsburgh,” he said. “Now they’re good and the teams that try to win all the time get penalized. Our philosophy has never changed since 1967.”

Although Clarke was never able to capture a Stanley Cup in the front office, it wasn’t for lack of effort or desire.

“We do everything we can to win; it is our responsibility to our fans.”

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

O2 Sports Agency: More Than Just A Business

At the end of June, right before the NHL Entry Draft, I wrote a story about Eustace King, agent for O2K Worldwide Management Group. Ever since the draft ended, King has been in a great mood, knowing that many of his clients are now the property of NHL teams. Five of King’s clients were drafted, including three in the first two rounds.

• Beau Bennett was drafted 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins
• Emerson Etem was drafted 29th overall by the Anaheim Ducks
• Devante Smith-Pelley 42nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks
• Austin Levi was drafted 85th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes
• Sebastian Owuya was taken 169th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers

King is impressed by his clients’ desire to succeed and their passion for the game. But more importantly, he is impressed by his agency’s growth since they began the business six years ago.

“The NHL was going through a difficult time when we started pre-lockout,” King explained. “We started in June and July before the lockout. When you create a new agency, there has to be changes in the business and the industry in order for you to present what you want to present. We built the company that we thought was built on one major platform: player development. We wanted to put together a unique team and have a unique platform.”

O2K was created as an agency that did more than represent their players; rather, the agents cared deeply for them and helped them develop into professional athletes. The colleagues that put the agency together wanted to learn from Steve Reich, who represented Mario Lemieux and Chris Chelios at the time. When Lemieux decided to become a part owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Reich decided to pursue other opportunities to prevent a conflict of interest from arising by representing a player-owner. The new opportunity was influencing a group of young, rising agents to create this incredible agency.

Six years later, the group is becoming more popular in the hockey world and their clients include NHLer T.J. Oshie, Raffi Torres, Wayne Simmonds and future NHLers such as Emerson Etem.

Representing these high-tiered clients is not stress-free work, though. Sitting through the draft and watching your client fall down the board is arguably one of the most painful things an agent must deal with. But King knew that going into this year’s experience and was sure to address it with his kids.

“The one thing that we had talked about with all our athletes going into the draft is that you cannot control this. You can’t predict what teams are going to do,” said King. “I told Emerson [Etem], ‘You’re projected eighth, but I’ve heard things and Beau [Bennett] may go ahead of you.’ We talked about those things before the things. I sat down with Beau and Emerson. We said, ‘Let’s make sure this draft is a positive experience and that we’re celebrating that you’re getting drafted. You’re going to have a great opportunity to have access and resources with an NHL team.’”

King also understands the uniqueness and honor of being one of the first African-American agents in the business. He also knows how important it is to represent those clients that are minorities. “If you look at our group, one of the areas that we wanted to make sure we recruited was that some of them have to be black,” said King. “We have Emerson Etem, Devante Smith-Pelley, Austin Levi and Sebastian Owuya who were all minority players drafted this year.

“The biggest barrier for young, minority players is the cost of the game. And the NHL, through ‘Hockey For Everyone’ and ‘NHL Diversity’ – they are instrumental in helping grow the game.”

Lastly, King credits his success and the mindset of his agency to his mentor, Willie O’Ree (the first black player to play in the NHL). “He’s helped teach me how to help these young kids enjoy hockey,” explained King. “I think that there is a unique culture among the minority players that you accomplished something unique, but there’s still a lot of hard work to do. At the end of the day, this is just one small page in your big book and you have to continue to act and move this thing along. Willie O’Ree…only wanted to be known as a hockey player. He knew he was something unique, being a black player, but the way he handled things is such a first-class way. My players meet him and say, ‘Wow, if I can act like him…’”

King makes sure that the lessons and values utilized by O’Ree are transferred to his players. “These young kids, I make sure that everyone has to help each other, whether they’re black players, white players or whatever. Tyler Ennis was talking to Wayne Simmonds and TJ Oshie when they were being drafted with advice. That’s why we call this the O2K family, because we’re all there for each other.”

O2K envisions each relationship as an agreement not only between a business and an athlete, but as a long-term mutually fulfilling partnership. They treat their clients as partners, engaging them throughout the process of developing their careers and life plans. Experience, talent, dedication, work ethic and passion are the elements that make each athlete unique. These are the same elements that form the foundation of O2K.

Visit the O2K website at http://www.o2kmanagement.com

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

Coyotes blueliner Keith Yandle becoming oasis in the desert

With all the financial and legal problems going on in the desert, there hasn’t been too much to gloat about off the ice in Phoenix, but on the ice, it’s a time to look towards the future. Keith Yandle, a 23-year-old defenseman, embodies a young group of players trying to bring the club back to respectability.

And with the way Yandle continues to improve and fine-tune his game, Coyotes fans have something to be excited about.

“He is just now evolving into the player that he is going to be for the next few years,” Coyotes GM Don Maloney said. “I thought Keith, last season, was one of the few players who showed improvement.”

In his single season in the Quebec League, Yandle put up 84 points in 66 games with the Moncton Wildcats, in addition to an intriguing 109 penalty minutes. The Boston native showed he was a talented offensive defenseman, one that could put up points with ease.

In fact, Yandle so highly impressed, he was awarded the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s top defenseman in 2005-06.

“It was big for me, especially going into a different league and country,” said Yandle. “It was great, just getting my name out there and getting recognized for all the hard work I put in. It helped me get to the next level and make the jump. It meant a lot to me.”

He spent the bulk of the following year in the American League with the San Antonio Rampage, scoring 34 points in 69 games. When he finally reached the NHL, Yandle put up 44 points in his first 119 games.

However, many people, including Maloney, thought Yandle was sacrificing defensive positioning in order to put up numbers.

“A lot of those offensive-minded players are like that,” Maloney said, “So I think you want to be able to play him on the ice in those tight games when the games are close.”

Recently, however, Maloney and the rest of the Coyotes staff have seen an incredible change in Yandle.

“There’s much more maturity in his game,” Maloney said. “Two years ago, he wouldn’t see the ice in the last six or seven minutes of a tight game. Now, we have much more confidence in him.”

All the uncertainty surrounding the team and the resignation of Wayne Gretzky led some to worry Yandle’s development would be stunted, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. In fact, new coach Dave Tippett is getting the best out of Yandle and the rest of his troops.

“(Gretzky) was a great coach, he taught us a lot,” Yandle said. “He helped me out a lot. I have nothing but good things to say about him and what he did for me. But it’s been awesome, we’ve been winning some games and so it’s great. (Tippett) is definitely a great coach. He has a great system. Guys are buying into it and if we play the way he wants us to play, we’re going to be good and teams are going to recognize us.”

Added Maloney: “What I saw of Keith was just him maturing into a player you’re not afraid to put out in the last five minutes of a game. He’s become much more competitive and reliable when the game is on the line. He is still evolving into a great defenseman, I think his best years are still ahead of him.”

But Yandle knows his potential alone won’t keep him in good stead with this team:

“How do you stay in the NHL? Hard work, winning one-on-one battles and just playing solid hockey,” he said. “A bunch of little things, but you have to work hard, both during the games and in practice.”

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

NHL: Best and Worst Draft Picks of the Last Ten Years

From 1998 to 2007, the NHL held ten Entry Drafts, selecting over 2,000 players. Of course, not all of those players made it to the NHL and very few of those draft picks ever made huge impacts on an NHL team. Nonetheless, there are still a few NHL teams that seem to have had more success than others when choosing their future stars.

Though the Detroit Red Wings are consistently looked upon as one of the best-drafting teams, they rarely seem to draft quality players in the first few rounds. However, it is hard to overlook the fact that two of their best players and two of the best players in the world, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, were drafted in the sixth and seventh rounds in the 1998 and 1999 drafts, respectively. In addition, Detroit drafted defenseman Jonathan Ericsson in the ninth round (291st overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Ericsson, after spending a great amount of time in Grand Rapids in the American League, will most likely be spending the 20010-11 season in the NHL after being given a fair amount of playing time in the big league in both the regular season and the playoffs for the past few seasons. His powerful shot and incredible hockey sense may bring him all the way up to Detroit’s top defensive pairing when he reaches his full potential.

The Nashville Predators, though never having won a Stanley Cup, have had tremendous success drafting new talent into the NHL. Two of their best picks ever came in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, when they selected defensemen Ryan Suter and Shea Weber with the seventh and 49th picks, respectively. Both defensemen played for the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics and won silver medals for their country. Weber was also recently named the captain of the Predators and will most likely be their top defenseman for the next decade. Suter will also be one of their best players for a while, assuming both can remain on the team’s payroll, with regards to the salary cap. One other player taken by Nashville was Patric Hornqvist, a young center taken with the final pick in the seventh round of the 2005 draft (230th overall). Though Hornqvist will never be a league leader in points, he is a solid forward that could someday wind up on the second line. He is already an NHL regular and will continue to be one.

Lastly, the Washington Capitals have had success drafting, even though most of their star players have been a result of extremely high draft picks. Of course, Alexander Ovechkin is arguably the best player in the world and was drafted first overall in 2004. In addition to Ovie, the Capitals drafted Alexander Semin 13th overall in the 2002 draft. Added to the two great Russians was Nicklas Backstrom, drafted fourth overall in 2006. These three players have become the bedrock of Washington’s offensive juggernaut that has vaulted them into a dominating hockey power (in the regular season, at least). Lately, the Capitals drafted defenseman Karl Alzner (fifth overall in 2007). He played a bit in the NHL recently, but will most likely be a full-time player come the 2010-11 season. Alzner has shown in Hershey (AHL) that he has great hockey sense, speed and both offensive and defensive abilities. He will help a Washington defense corps that has had a fair amount of holes in it.

For this piece, I will judge the best picks from the 1998-2007 drafts, as I believe it is unfair to analyze the quality of the past three drafts for another few years.

Best Picks, 1998-2001

Pavel Datsyuk, Det, 1998, 6(171)
Ryan Miller, Buf, 1999, 5(138)
Henrik Zetterberg, Det, 1999, 7(210)
Dany Heatley, Atl, 2000, 1(2)
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR, 2000, 7(205)
Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl, 2001, 1(1)
Kevin Bieksa, Van, 2001, 5(151)

Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been widely known as two of the greatest draft picks ever, due to their stardom after being drafted late. Heatley and Kovalchuk turned into superstars for Atlanta (regardless of where the players are now), while both Ryan Miller and Henrik Lundqvist are arguably two of the top six goalies in the world, after being draft in the fifth and seventh rounds, respectively. Lastly, Kevin Bieksa is a solid defenseman that many teams covet after being a fifth rounder

Worst Picks, 1998-2001

Brian Finley, Nsh, 1999, 1(6)
Mikhail Yakubov, RW/Pavel Vorobiev, LW, Chi, 2000, 1(10/11)
Alexandr Svitov, Tam, 2001, 1(3)
Stanislav Christov, Ana, 2001, 1(5)
Petr Taticek, Fla, 2002, 1(9)

Mikhail Yakubov played just 10 games for Chicago and 23 total NHL games before heading back to Russia, where he is today. Pavel Vorobiev played 57 NHL games for Chicago, but also wound up back in Russia, where he plays now in the KHL. Brian Finley played just four NHL games, split between the Preds and the Bruins. Taticek played there NHL games, but now he can only be found in the Swiss Leage. Svitov had fair success, but played just 179 games before returning to Russia for the 2007-08 season.

Best Picks, 2002-2004

Alexander Semin, Wsh, 2002, 1(13)
Duncan Keith, Chi, 2002, 2(54)
Jonathan Ericsson, Det, 2002, 9(291)
Ryan Suter, Nsh, 2003, 1(7)
Shea Weber, Nsh, 2003, 2(49)
Ryan Getzlaf, Ana, 2003, 1(19)
Mike Richards, Phi, 2003, 1(24)
Alexander Ovechkin, Wsh, 2004, 1(1)
Evgeni Malkin, Pit, 2004, 1(2)
Dave Bolland, Chi, 2004, 2(32)
Mark Streit, Mtl, 2004, 7(262)

Semin and Keith are no-brainers, while Jonathan Ericsson is one of the latest draft picks in history to become a regular NHLer – and he hasn’t even reached his full potential yet. The 2003 NHL Draft is widely accepted as one of the best ever, with players like Getzlaf, Parise, Richards, Suter and Weber being drafted in Round 1. Ovechkin and Malkin are no-brainers, while Dave Bolland and Mark Streit are two great post-first round picks that turned into incredible players.

Worst Picks, 2002-2004

Jesse Niinimaki, Edm, 2002, 1(15)
Hugh Jessiman, NYR, 2003, 1(12)
Al Montoya, NYR, 2004, 1(6)
Boris Valabik, Atl, 2004, 1(10)
Lairu Tukonen, LAK, 2004, 1(11)
AJ Thelen, Min, 2004, 1,(12)

Jessiman and Montoya are two of the worst non-first overall picks ever, and of course, they come from the Rangers. Of these players, Valabik probably had the best potential, but played just 80 games. Niinimaki, Jessiman and Thelen never even reached the NHL, while Tukonen maxed out at five games.

Best Picks, 2005-2007

Sidney Crosby, Pit, 2005, 1(1)
Patric Hornqvist, Nsh, 2005, 7(230)
Jonathan Toews, Chi, 2006, 1(3)
Nicklas Backstrom, Wsh, 2006, 1(4)
Patrick Kane, Chi, 2007, 1(1)
Karl Alzner, Wsh, 2007, 1(5)
PK Subban, Mtl, 2007, 2(43)

Crosby, Toews, Backstrom and Kane are also no-brainers as great draft picks, while Patric Hornqvist, the final pick in 2005, turned into a great depth center for the Nashville Predators. Alzer and Subban will also become future star defensemen for Washington and Montreal, respectively, when they each reach their prime.

Worst Picks, 2005-2007

Benoit Pouliot, Min, 2005, 1(4)
Riku Helenius, Tam, 2006, 1(15)
Mark Mitera, Ana, 2006, 1(19)

Pouliot was ranked as the second-best North American prospect by Central Scouting, so dropping to fourth seems lucky for the Wild. However, Pouliot wound up never playing well at all, being sent to Montreal and having little success there. The Wild passed on players like Carey Price, Anze Kopitar and Marc Staal to take Pouliot. Helenius played just one game for the Tampa Bay Lightning before heading back to Sweden, where he played this season. Mitera’s highest level of play was the AHL, but his home is now the ECHL in Bakersfield.

Predator Colin Wilson ready to take bite out of NHL

With the introduction of the salary cap, teams have been forced to ice young, cheap talent in order to squeeze higher-paid veterans onto rosters. In fact, 11 first round picks from the 2008 draft saw NHL ice time last season.

Often, youngsters find themselves as depth players barely able to skate with the veterans. Once in a while, though, a teenager jumps to the league and contributes right off the hop. Colin Wilson of the Nashville Predators looks to be one of those players.

“I know that he is going to have a real long career,” said Predators coach Barry Trotz. “He’s really strong; he’ll put up good numbers.”

Wilson, the seventh overall pick in 2008, has already shown he is capable of doing just that, winning 2008 Hockey East rookie of the year honors after posting 35 points in 37 games with the Boston University Terriers. As a sophomore, he led the team with 55 points in 43 games and was named an NCAA East All-American en route to a national championship.

“He has great instincts for the game and is a big, powerful man,” Trotz said. “He can separate people and win battles in the corners. He has to improve his quickness, though. He is such a great thinker that I don’t think it will be a problem, but that’s the only weakness I see.”

At Boston University, Wilson learned from legendary coach Jack Parker, who has won 11 conference championships and three national titles.

“Coach Parker taught me to just battle through adversity,” Wilson said. “There are many things that come up; sometimes you’re not playing well, sometimes you have an injury and he just taught me how to deal with it and how to develop my all-around game.”

Playing for a successful program at BU also helped bolster Wilson’s confidence.

“You’re on a team that generally wins,” Wilson said. “When you’re on a team with players who generally win, it lets you know what it takes for you to win, what is put into it.”

Throughout his first NHL training camp, which included a groin injury that continues to sideline him, Wilson said he often received advice from his father, Carey Wilson, who played in 552 NHL games.

“I think with training camp, having a dad who played helped,” Wilson said, “Especially with my groin injury now, he talks to me about it. He’s had it before and he tells me just to not worry about it, work hard and get back to full health.”

Despite his injury, Trotz ultimately decided to keep Wilson on the roster for the regular season.

“Whenever there was a loose puck battle, he always won it,” Trotz explained. “He’s really competitive, he wins battles and he can make something happen out of those battles. He has a big body and we’re really happy with him right now.”

Despite injury woes hampering Wilson’s attempt to kick off the season with a splash, both he and the organization are optimistic.

“I think he may be (a franchise cornerstone) eventually,” Trotz said. “I don’t know how dynamic he will be offensively, but I know that he is going to have a real long career, because he’s sort of a Rod Brind’Amour type…You can win with a Colin Wilson-type player on a regular basis.”

As far as Wilson is concerned, it is simply a matter of getting healthy and maintaining a great work ethic.

“You have to keep working hard and be smart at the same time,” Wilson concluded. “You just have to bear down and do what it takes to make it to the game roster.”

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Isles look for net gains with top 2009 goalie draft pick Mikko Koskinen

Drafting a high-ranked goalie early on draft day can be a high risk, high reward situation. On the one hand, you could end up with the next Roberto Luongo or Marc-Andre Fleury. But you could also end up with the next Brian Finley – the sixth overall pick in the 1999 draft who has appeared in only four NHL games since being drafted.

Mikko Koskinen, the top drafted goalie (31st overall) in the 2009 draft, is just as much a mystery as any other netminder vying for a spot in the NHL. Numerous questions surround Koskinen regarding his talent, potential and chances to succeed in North America.

Playing for the Espoo Blues’ under-18 team in 2004-05 as a 16-year-old, the Finn put up meager stats, including an .867 save percentage. That number improved slightly to .883 in his second year with the team, yet his GAA inflated to a whopping 5.07 – certainly not the kind of numbers that put pro scouts in the stands.

In 2006, though, Koskinen joined Espoo’s U-20 team, posting a respectable .907 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average.

But it was Koskinen’s 2008-09 campaign that caught scouts’ attention.

Koskinen had finally finished growing that year – and at 6-foot-7, 195 pounds, he is a monstrosity even by today’s goaltending standards. “Being tall and young often means that you’re not that coordinated in certain areas,” said Detroit scout Hakan Andersson, “But he finally got to the point where it started helping him.”

The goaltender was promoted to the Finnish Elite League and was solid in his new role, posting a 17-9-7 record to go with his .912 save percentage and 1.91 GAA. He even participated in a shootout against Karpat that lasted 23 shooters and almost ten minutes before a winner was finally crowned.

“Teams were interested in him, but he was too small of a promising goaltender playing in the junior league,” said European scouting director Goran Stubb. “He was not on any international team in any tournament, so very few scouts had seen him play.”

What made Koskinen so attractive to scouts this year went beyond his stats. “The thing I liked was the improvement from the beginning of the season,” Andersson said of Koskinen’s play. “He was just another name at the beginning of the year, but then he started playing really well and the way he came out in the Finnish League…was really impressive.”

Islanders Assistant GM Ryan Jankowski said he loved “(Koskinen’s) size, athleticism, his technical game, his potential and how much he was able to accomplish last year in the Elite League.”

Koskinen uses a unique style as well.

“He is playing a very modern style,” Stubb said.  “A combination of the butterfly and standup.”

Some people thought the Islanders went off the board by taking Koskinen with the 31st overall pick, but at least one Western Conference scout disagreed.

“You go back to Steve Mason, who might’ve played nine to 12 games in his draft year, and that (pick) was off the board,” the scout said, “But then he goes from being picked in the third round to being a Calder Trophy winner.”

Those who know him say Koskinen is a laid back, quiet person who’s constantly relaxed — yet social with friends and teammates. He works hard, is calm under pressure and will do whatever it takes in order to succeed in the net.

“The passion he has for the game and how much of a sponge he is for wanting to learn and improve is incredible,” Jankowski said of Koskinen. “He’s very observant, quiet, yet very focused, but can still have some laughs with his teammates. As a goaltender, that’s so important.”

Koskinen was not even supposed to start for the Blues last season, yet stole the No. 1 job from Bernd Bruckler, who went on to sign in the Kontinental League.

“Koskinen was probably supposed to play 10-15 games this season out of 58,” said Risto Pakarinen, THN’s Finnish correspondent, “But he ended up playing 35, plus 14 in the playoffs. He’s a really big goalie, but moves super well.”

The Islanders signed Koskinen to a three-year entry-level contract July 13. Koskinen is expected to compete for the starting job with Bridgeport of the American League come training camp.

“Only Mikko can determine (when he is NHL ready),” Jankowski said. “He did mention that the small ice is different for him with the angles and that it was an eye-opener for him…but if he can understand what the differences are he can hopefully come back and make a splash in training camp.”

Based on the way Koskinen adjusted to higher levels of play in recent years, the Islanders should not be worried about his adjustment to the North American game.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Philadelphia Flyers: 6 Questions Still Facing the Team

The offseason for any sport is often a time filled with a mixture of emotions – exciting for the teams that performed well the previous season, and a mixture of hope and fear for a team that finished at the bottom of the standings the year before. Excitement because of the possibility of making that one acquisition or hockey move that can bring the team a Stanley Cup. Hope because most fans have that little bit of optimism left after their team finished outside the playoffs for another season. And fear, because no one ever knows the next time they will see their team challenge for the coveted silver mug.

With the draft completed and the majority of big name free agents already off the table, it is time for the Philadelphia Flyers executives to get together and address any questions remaining before the 2010-11 season gets underway. That’s not to say that trades and signings won’t still occur – maybe even a waiver claim or a buyout. But if the team hopes to repeat their Eastern Conference Championship, or even win a Stanley Cup, they must ensure there are few questions surrounding the organization.

1. Nikolai Zherdev

Last summer, the Flyers’ big-risk move was signing goaltender Ray Emery out of the KHL. Emery seemed like a good risk, because he almost won a Stanley Cup when he played with the Ottawa Senators. Unfortunately, though, Emery succumbed to two different injuries during the season and never quite got his second career off the ground. By the time Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton carried the Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final, Emery was a distant memory.

This year, the Flyers chose to take Nikolai Zherdev out of the KHL – after all, what can go wrong signing a former 60-point scorer in the NHL? “Nik is a highly-skilled player who, at 25 years old, we feel will be a good fit to our core of forwards,” Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said. “Prior to playing last season in Russia, Nik ranked as one of the top young point-producers in the NHL. We are pleased to add him to our team.”

Zherdev had numerous off-ice and chemistry problems during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. He has been described as a young Alex Kovalev who just hasn’t figured out how to remain consistent. If he can find that consistency in Philadelphia, there will be no need to turn back to Russia.

2. Simon Gagne

The rumor came out a few weeks ago now that Simon Gagne, the longest-tenured Flyers currently on the roster, agreed to waive his no-trade clause if the team needed to move him. Gagne will make $5.25 million in 2010-11, with his cap hit the same. He will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. But Gagne reportedly told RDS that he never waived his no-trade clause.

However, sources say that Gagne gave the Flyers a list of teams that he would be willing to go to if the team completed a trade with another organization. Los Angeles is assumed to be one of those teams, as the Kings have shown great interest in the veteran left wing. Gagne is a great offensive player, but has shown many inconsistencies in his game, including a lack of defensive awareness many times throughout the season and the playoffs. Though he has been fairly healthy this season, his history of injuries can also stop a team in their tracks before acquiring him. The Flyers need to figure out quickly what to do with Gagne before it becomes a distraction in the front office – and even the locker room.

3. Cap Room

According to NHL Numbers, the Flyers are over the 2010-11 salary cap by almost $1.5 million. If they can move Simon Gagne, they will be about $4 million under the cap, with 21 players signed – though they most likely need one more depth forward, after losing Arron Asham to free agency.

The team has had cap problems ever since the payroll ceiling was instituted after the 2005 lockout. They have had numerous problems maneuvering through the cap and managing it effectively, even leading to the team having to sign a couple college players to day long contracts in order to fill out the roster.

If the team can enter the season with over $3 million in cap space, it gives them great flexibility and the ability to keep a couple more players on the NHL roster to practice with the team in case of injury. It also allows them to make a few moves during the season if a potential trade suitor appears.

4. Prospect Depth

If there’s one thing the public learned at Flyers Prospect Camp at the Flyers Skate Zone this past week, it’s that the Flyers need more than just a camp – they need prospects. Though they have a few talented young players such as Marc-Andre Bourdon, Luke Pither and Zac Rinaldo, and a few wild cards in Adam Morrison and Sergei Bobrovsky, they still have a lot of work to do. The team was ranked last in the league – LAST – by The Hockey News’ Future Watch 2010 for prospect depth. And that’s not an exaggeration or a cruel punishment. This team does not have a bright future based on their draft picks.

Nonetheless, the team is still extremely talented on all ends of the ice and can easily make another run for the Stanley Cup in the next two or three years.

5. Goaltending

Ah yes. The perpetual question of goaltending. This was a weight on the shoulders of the Flyers for the duration of the 2009-10 season and was even more prominent after Emery succumbed to injury and was out for the season. Leighton took over, but after he was injured, Boucher became the starter. Though questions still remained and the team looked destined to miss the playoffs despite being picked as the Stanley Cup favorite by numerous media outlets. Boucher led the team into the playoffs, but questions popped up when he was injured in the semifinals. Leighton took over and led the team within two games of a Stanley Cup championship.

Though it seems like questions were answered, especially with Leighton being brought back as the number one goalie as of right now, the weakness of the Stanley Cup-winning goal once again brought these goaltending questions back to the forefront. If the Flyers can get consistently solid goaltending for the entire season and playoffs, there’s no reason to think they won’t win the Stanley Cup. But if there is just one slip-up, like there was this season, the fans of Philadelphia will once again spend a summer without a parade down Broad Street.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

Drafting goalies a precarious task

Every NHL draft year, numerous questions arise regarding the young talent and how they are ranked. Some wonder why Player A is expected to go so high when he only had 10 points while playing in Sweden or why player B is expected to go late considering he scored 40 goals in major junior.

Even more unpredictable, however, is the order goaltenders are drafted. The rankings at this position vary greatly among NHL teams because of trends, team needs and what kind of talent is available.

Last year was no aberration.

While 2009 wasn’t expected to be an especially deep pool of goaltender talent to draw from, it was surprising where the ‘tenders were taken and the order in which they went. According to International Scouting Service’s final ranking, five North American goalies were ranked higher than any Europeans and the first two, Edward Pasquale and Olivier Roy, were expected to go in the second round.

But Matt Hackett of the Ontario League’s Plymouth Whalers, who went in the third round (77th overall) was the first North American goalie taken, after four European goalies had already been picked. Only three of the five top-ranked North American goalies were taken in the first 117 picks of the draft, as Pasquale and Roy dropped to the late fourth and fifth rounds, respectively, while European goaltenders Mikko Koskinen, Robin Lehner, Anders Nilsson and Igor Bobkov were at the top of their class.

“Everyone’s evaluations of the goaltenders differ, while evaluations of defenders and forwards are a little more mainstream,” said one Western Conference scout.

It’s difficult to get a read on a 17-year-old goaltender who doesn’t play as often as the more experienced 18- or 19-year-old goalie on his team. So one reason the rankings vary so much is because some teams decide to pick the older, more secure goalie. This year it was two European goalies benefiting from that plan of attack: Koskinen, in his third draft year, and Nilsson, in his second.

Another trend prevalent in the 2009 draft – and one that has become common in recent years – was picking big goalies because, as one Western Conference executive pointed out many successful NHL goalie have fit that template.

“Like Pekka Rinne, Evgeni Nabokov, guys like that,” said the executive.

Koskinen and Lehner are both larger than 6-foot-4, while Bobkov and Nilsson also pass the six-foot mark. At the other end of the spectrum, only three goalies of the 21 goalies chosen in the 2009 draft were less than six-feet tall.

One of those three was Roy, the No. 2-ranked North American goalie who wound up going much later than expected, 133rd overall to the Edmonton Oilers. At 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Roy is one of the smallest goaltenders in the draft, something that played heavily into his drop down the order.

“The guy is technically sound and he works hard,” the executive said. “But if you ask me why he dropped, I think it’s going (to be his size).”

As far as why the 6-foot-2, 218-pound Pasquale dropped so far down, the executive did not believe his on-ice technique or off-ice work ethic would translate to the NHL and that he didn’t assert himself when he had the chance in June.

“I was the biggest booster of (Pasquale), but he came to the combine…not in great shape,” he said. “He’s 50 pounds heavier than Matt Hackett, same height.”

This isn’t to say the larger and more mature goalies will always be selected before the younger, smaller types. When it comes down to it, scouting staffs will always look for the player with the best projected potential and skill will ultimately determine how player stacks up.

The goaltender position is different than any other in hockey. If a goalie’s career was easily predictable, Al Montoya would not have gone sixth overall to the Rangers in 2004 and Miikka Kiprusoff would surely not have dropped to 116th to San Jose in 1995.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.

This article was originally featured on TheHockeyNews.com. For the original article, click here.

Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Camp: Day One Review

As over 30 young prospects came to Philadelphia Flyers’ Prospect Camp at the Flyers Skate Zone on Wednesday, careers were started and paths to the NHL were cleared. Those paths may be long and winding, but each of these players has a unique opportunity to one day play for a major league team in the best league in the world.”It’s an education for these kids,” said Chris Pryor, director of Hockey Operations. “Actually, it’s an education for all of us. We get the chance to evaluate, but also to set them on a path as far as training regiments go. It’s a conditioning camp, first and foremost.”

Here are some notes from the opening day of camp:

Best Player

Marc-Andre Bourdon

Defenseman

Drafted 3rd round, 67th overall in 2008

2009-10: Adirondack Phantoms (AHL)

One of the oldest players on the ice, Bourdon was incredible. During both drills and the scrimmage, he controlled the pace and other players seemed to look to him to show them how to act and what to do. His serious attitude and impressive skill set shined above anyone else on day one of prospect camp.

Bourdon’s game reminds me of a young, not as talented Chris Pronger. Don’t get me wrong, this guy won’t be winning any Hart Trophies in his career – and most likely won’t even get close to the Norris. But his style of play is very similar to that of Pronger. He is not the fastest player, but is big, strong, smart and is always in the right place. His vision on the ice is incredible and he always seems to make the right play on the ice. His defensive game is very strong. He will never leave his position for the sole purpose of making a hit, but don’t be mistaken – if given the perfect opportunity, he will slam an opposing player onto the ice.

Most of all, Bourdon is calm. At one point, he had two forecheckers converging on him. Instead of just throwing the puck away like many would do, he simply looked up, ricocheted the puck off the board to his defensive partner, then nimbly dodged a check. Because of the defensive depth on the Flyers blueline, Buordon will most likely not get an opportunity to make his NHL debut in the 2010-11 season. But don’t be surprised if you see him as an NHL regular in October 2011.

Surprise, Surprise!

Mike Testwuide

Right Wing

Undrafted (Signed with Flyers on March 19, 2010)

2009-10: Colorado College (WCHA)

To be honest, I had never heard of Mike Testwuide before I saw him at prospect camp. Having played for Waterloo in the USHL, he was a fairly talented player who had very little offensive upside. However, at 6-foot-2, 216 pounds, he is a very strong player – though he doesn’t always play like he is.

Nonetheless, he showed great speed during the scrimmage and was throwing his body around effectively. He also scored a goal during the scrimmage, throwing a shot in off a rebound in front of the net. Although he most likely will never be more than a checking-line forward, Testwuide showed real potential playing with other young players. The next step for him will be to continue honing his skills in the AHL after graduating from Colorado College this past season.

Looking Grim…

Adam Morrison

Goaltender

Drafted 3rd round, 81st overall in 2009

2009-10: Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Morrison was a huge off-the-board pick by the Flyers at the 2009 draft. Having been ranked as the 24th best North American goalie (not a very thrilling accomplishment), the Flyers took him 81st overall in the third round. Having had a fair amount of success as a backup in the WHL in the 2008-09 season, Philadelphia believed he would only improve. However, his numbers fell and his team got worse as he faltered in net.

During the scrimmage at rookie camp, Morrison looked both weak and uncomfortable in net. Though his positioning was good, he looked slow, out of shape, and simply not up to the job. He gave up two goals in just one period of the scrimmage game – more than any other goalie that played. If Morrison hopes to become a goaltender in Philadelphia, he really needs to step up his game and improve his skill set.

Wild Card

Sergei Bobrovsky

Goaltender

Undrafted (Signed with the Flyers in May 2010)

2009-10: Novokuznetsk (KHL)

Bobrovsky had incredible numbers in the KHL, but had expressed a strong desire to play in the NHL, the best league in the world, as he called it. Having no grasp on the English language, Bobrovsky spoke to me through an interpreter and explained how he must work hard and continue to improve if he wants a chance in the NHL. He respects the KHL and the development that took place there, but he understands the prestige of playing North American hockey and becoming a star goaltender.

Bobrovsky looked okay from a technical standpoint, but he looked extremely uncomfortable playing on a North American sized rink – the first time he had ever done so. He explained that he must take time to get used to the difference in game style in order to improve himself.

Look for Bobrovsky to get significant playing time in the AHL this year with the Phantoms.

Alan Bass is a writer for The Hockey News and THN.com. In addition to writing for Inside Hockey and Pro Hockey News, he has also worked for the Philadelphia Flyers. He is the General Manager of the Muhlenberg College hockey team as well. You can contact him at BergHockey24@gmail.com.