2012 AFHL All-Star Game Recap

Gaborik shines in Buffalo; American Conference wins third straight All-Star Game

January 30th, 2012

Boston Giants‘ forward Marian Gaborik walked away with MVP honors at the third annual AFHL All-Star Game. The superstar forward had a hat trick and an assist for four points in helping the American Conference beat the Canadian Conference by a final score of 4-3.

“I wasn’t even thinking about a hat trick,” said Gaborik after the game. “I was just pumped to be here. I just wanted to come in and enjoy the weekend.”

Although the American Conference outscored the Canadian Conference by a point total of 21 to 12, the game was close all the way through.

Steven Stamkos of the Lakehead Thunderwolves said if the American Conference didn’t get back-to-back-to-back goals from Gaborik and Evgeni Malkin to erase an early deficit midway through the first, then the Canadian Conference probably would have kept their initial momentum and won the game.

“About half way through the third period is when it really started getting intense and you could tell neither team wanted to lose,” said Stamkos who scored a goal in the game. “But win or lose, it was still awesome. Everything was just so in sync, and the skill was unbelievable. The fans were so involved with everything that was happening on the ice. It was just a great ending to a great weekend.”

The third annual AFHL All-Star Game was exciting from beginning to end and aside from the high number of players participating in their first AFHL All-Star Game, there were sure to be a lot of guys collecting their first career All-Star goal in Buffalo. John Tavares and Zdeno Chara of the Oshawa City Leafs’, Henrik Sedin of the Pittsburgh Heroes, and Marian Hossa of the Buffalo Phantoms each put their name in the AFHL All-Star record book with their first tally in the event.

Deer Park Chiefs forward Scott Hartnell, who was credited with the game’s only hit, had pledged to give $1,000 to charity for each time he fell down. By his count, he fell to the ice five or six times. During one shift, Claude Giroux of the Hamilton Firestorm, tried unsuccessfully to knock him down.

“I raised maybe $5,000 or $6,000 bucks. It’s pretty cool,” said Hartnell, whose constant falls on the ice started a #HartnellDown surge on Twitter that led to T-shirts that are sold for charitable causes.

Hartnell said Giroux was trying to trip him on every faceoff but “he got me down during warm-up”.

“I tried to trip him a whole shift and wasn’t able to,” said a smiling Giroux, who scored a goal in the game. “It was for charity, and I didn’t think he fell enough, so I was trying to help a good cause.”

Zdeno Chara and Fort Drum‘s Brian Campbell were each +7 which is pretty remarkable considering the fact that it was such a high scoring game.

“I was surprised,” said Campbell. “But I’m just happy to have been a part of it. The stage was set nicely and I really think all of the players had a great game. The fans got to see a lot of skill and it must have been fun to watch.”

As mentioned, Gaborik was given the MVP award for his electrifying performance that included scoring two goals against Deer Park Chiefs’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist and pretending his stick was a machine gun during the celebration.

Lundqvist jokingly lamented about giving up three goals on eight shots, including the two by Gaborik.

“There’s been a lot of trash talk, but it feels like it’s game over already,” said Lundqvist, who was wearing a microphone during the opening period. “But I’m happy for him.”

While many say this game is often meaningless, this game could prove to be huge for Gaborik. During the game, he looked loose and happy. He was under a lot of pressure coming into this season as he had to deal with two tragedies and wanted to rebound from a unimpressive 2010-11 season. But with Gaborik in good spirits and oozing confidence, this break could prove to be huge for him as he continues to suit up for the Giants. He’s currently on pace to eclipse his career-high of 42 goals and if he can score goals at the pace he did during the All-Star Game, good things will come for Gaborik and the Boston Giants.

After a five day hiatus for the All-Star Game, AFHL GMs and players around the league are now looking to improve this season as the second half begins.

“We all want to improve this season,” said Manhattan GM Tony Furino. “But there are a few teams that currently sit at a fork in the road including my own. We can either get ourselves into the playoffs for a third straight year or flounder and slip further back into the pack of American Conference squads. Pretty soon we’re going to make a decision because the Trade Deadline is now one month away.”

For a team like the Fort Drum Killers, who currently hold a tenuous grasp on the eighth and final playoff spot, they will begin to determine its path with important games against the third place Hamilton Firestorm this week, and the fifth place Lakehead Thunderwolves next week. That the Killers ultimately control their own fate is a luxury, players said, given how up-and-down this season has been.

“For how we’ve played, I think we’re pretty lucky — where we stand is pretty good,” Killers GM Steven Stryska said. “I don’t think we’ve played our best yet this season, but if we don’t show improvement in the next couple of weeks, then I might be pretty active at the Trade Deadline.”

* * *

QUICK HITS

– The mascots for the Vikings, Thunderwolves, Red Devils and Knights repelled from the ceiling to begin the pregame festitivies, while the remainder of the mascots entered in a conga line at center ice.

– Tim Thomas of the Hamilton Firestorm, whose spectacular goaltending led the Power to the Stanley Cup championship last season, was considered the best goalie in this year’s game after he stopped 18 of 21 shots in the third period.

–  Leading up to the day of the event, the AFHL Commissioner was unaware that the NHL had eliminated the annual Young Stars Game, so it was announced late that rookies would not factor into the scoring for this year’s All-Star Game.

– The two biggest stars, Buffalo’s Sidney Crosby and North Bay’s Alex Ovechkin, missed the All-Star Game, but that did not seem to matter. The event was its usual just-for-fun exhibition, the climax of a happy weekend for a league that continues to prosper. “You obviously want to have those guys, but there are a lot of other great young talents in the game,” said Victoria’s Phil Kessel, smiling after signing the sweater of a teammate for the day, Toronto defenseman Erik Karlsson.

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Tight Race for the Final Spot in the AFHL Playoffs

Playoff hopes still alive for Mustangs, Killers, and Power

March 5th, 2012

This is the time of the season when hockey players turn into math junkies and the only thing as important as the game being played is the out-of-town scoreboard.

With only one matchup remaining in the regular season, calculators have become just as critical as hockey sticks now that eight points separate the three teams still battling for the 8th and final spot in the 2012 AFHL Playoffs.

The London Mustangs, who gutted out a 6-5 win over the Lakehead Thunderwolves last week, continue to hold the 8th spot with 264 points, but the Washington Power and the Fort Drum Killers are nipping at their heels with 256 points each.

“These are anxious times for our fans,” Washington GM Rick Charron told reporters after last week’s 7-1 loss to Fort Drum. “We’re just 8 points shy of that final playoff seed. We need to get as big of a win as possible against the Deer Park this week.”

The Killers are playing inspired hockey right now with Miikka Kiprusoff leading the way.

“Kipper has been incredible all year,” Fort Drum GM Steve Stryska said after last week’s win over Washington. “In his last showing he stopped 38 of 40 shots. He’s got a 2.34 GAA and a .921 save percentage on the season. He’s the biggest reason we’re still in this hunt.”

Earlier in the season, there was a rumor going around that there was some division in the Killers dressing room. According to Stryska, it was just a bad rumor.

“There was a bit of a fairy tale going around that we have tension in the room,” said Stryska. “I haven’t seen any. We’ve got a good mix of old guys and young guys. Obviously, when you don’t produce on the ice, people look for something. People have concluded that it must be in the locker room, but I think right now we’re proving them wrong because we’re still in the hunt for the playoffs.”

Mustangs GM Matt Plachta said the team played well in last week’s win over Lakehead, but they need to play better this week against the first place North Bay Warriors.

“We’re fighting for our lives right now,” Plachta told a reporter after a Monday morning skate. “We fought hard against the T’wolves. We need to fight even harder against the Warriors. We’d like to be sitting up there with 300 points like the Warriors, but we’re not. We’re in a dogfight.”

Matchups to watch in Week 21:

London Mustangs (8th) vs. North Bay Warriors (1st) – North Bay defeated London 8-3 in Week 2

Washington Power (9th) vs. Deer Park Chiefs (2nd) – Deer Park defeated Washington 7-4 in Week 2

Fort Drum Killers (9th) vs. Buffalo Phantoms (6th) – Buffalo defeated Fort Drum 6-3 in Week 2

So who will grab the last playoff spot? London certainly has the advantage because they’re already there, but right now the only sure thing is that a lot can change between now and Sunday night.

* * *

QUICK HITS:

– The second place Deer Park Chiefs are now only 9 points behind the first place North Bay Warriors. “We’re not worried about who we’re going to play,” said Chiefs GM Mike Nellany who will be among the candidates for this year’s Jack Adams award which is given to the league’s best GM based on a number of categories. “A true champion doesn’t size up the competition. A true champion fears nothing and no one.”

– Lakehead Thunderwolves (4th) vs. Toronto Red Devils (5th) in a first round playoff series? Fireworks have erupted between these two clubs several times this season. Lots of bad blood between Lakehead GM Jason Briggs and Toronto GM Jordan Carbone. For the first time in AFHL history, two rivals could faceoff in the first round of the playoffs.

– Media caught up with Vipers GM Chris Hartley shortly after the team clinched a spot in the playoffs late last night. “The entire Victoria organization is extremely happy to be a participant in the AFHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history,” Hartley said. “If positions remain the same one week from today, then we’re going up against the Chiefs in the opener. We got pounded by them 10-1 a few weeks ago. I promise to our fans it will be a different result this time around.”

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Hamilton wins the Stanley Cup!

Riots break out in chaotic Buffalo after loss

April 2nd, 2012

While the Hamilton Firestorm beelined across the ice to mob their goaltender at the buzzer, hockey analyst Pierre McGuire ran up to Firestorm coach Gates Imbeau and asked him how it felt to be the AFHL’s best.

“This is an incredible feeling, it’s hard to really put it into words,” said Imbeau, his eyes moist with emotion. “It’s a special moment right now. We’re so deserving of what has happened here. This is not a fluke. This is something we earned.”

Credit must go to Imbeau, who made critical transactions throughout the season and kept the Firestorm on course despite the criticism and the adversity, and there’s no denying that he made all the right moves to shape this Cup-winning roster.

On the ice, Imbeau continued to patiently answer McGuire’s questions while looking for his family in the midst of the celebration.

“Everyone has a five-year plan, and so did we,” Imbeau said. “It’s not like it fell exactly into place, but we added certain elements along the way. We weren’t afraid to confront our weaknesses and trade away star players to fix them.”

Imbeau and the Hamilton Firestorm joined the fantasy hockey world’s most honored club by virtue of a 6-5 victory over the Buffalo Phantoms in the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday night. It was a victory that sparked a frenzy of celebration in Hamilton and a violent rampage in the streets of Buffalo (more on this later).

“It’s tough right now,” Phantoms coach Daryn Beckman said in the post-game press conference. “It’s really tough.”

The best offense in the league for the past three weeks failed to show up in the Finals versus the Firestorm, and some of the Phantoms players may never live it down.

“What are you going to do? We all wish we played better,” said Phantoms forward Patrick Marleau, who tallied just one assist in the Finals. “That’s the bottom line. We’re not going to point fingers at one individual. I think as a team, if we all could’ve stepped up a notch, including myself, we could’ve been the ones hoisting the Cup.”

The Phantoms played amazing in a monumental second round victory over the first place North Bay Warriors to get to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history. But the loss on Sunday night was a heartbreak for the Phantoms and their stunned fans, who stayed by the thousands just to get a glimpse of the Cup.

“We’re devastated as a team,” said Phantoms captain Sidney Crosby, who registered six points in the series. “We worked all year to get to this point. To fall short like this is a tough one to take… but we’re a good team, and we’ll be back.”

 

Worse yet, Buffalo got off to a good start in Game 1 vs. Hamilton after getting a pair of goals from Joe Pavelski. But the Firestorm withstood the swarm, and got goals from Alfredsson, Lidstrom, and Giordano, to go into Game 2 with the lead in the series. Hamilton continued to pile on the offense from there. By the weekend, Hamilton had 40+ points on offense to Buffalo’s 7 — and the Buffalo home ice arena was silent.

“They basically had won all of the offensive categories going into the weekend games,” said Beckman. “Our only chance at winning would be if we got a shutout from Craig [Anderson]. That didn’t happen so ultimately they won because their offense was just far superior.”

Hamilton scored a whopping 55 points on offense which set a new record for most points scored on offense in Finals history.

“It was one of the best (playoff performances by an offense) I’ve ever seen — from Game 1 until the final game,” Firestorm goalie Tim Thomas said. “I went through all of this last year with Washington and I’ve never seen an offense dominate a series from beginning to end.”

Thomas is the first AFHL goaltender to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Although he would have won last year’s playoff MVP honors if it wasn’t for Luongo, ironically, Thomas was a candidate to win it this year as well. But instead, it was Phantoms captain Sidney Crosby who was awarded this year’s Conn Smythe trophy. Crosby scored a total of 17 points to lead all players in scoring in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“It’s a nice trophy but that’s the one I’ve been playing for,” said Crosby while watching two men carry the Stanley Cup out to center ice for the Stanley Cup presentation.

 

The AFHL Commissioner, Anthony Furino, walked out to center ice, stood next to the Stanley Cup and began speaking into a microphone.

“Congratulations to the Hamilton Firestorm, GM Gates Imbeau for saving the franchise after the previous GM stepped down,” said Furino. “And for bringing the team to the Stanley Cup. Congratulations to all of the fans in Hamilton… Nicklas Lidstrom, you will be the third captain in AFHL history to hoist the Stanley Cup… Congratulations…”

Lidstrom never won a Cup in the AFHL. On this night, though, he lifted the trophy for the first time, something he’s been wanting to do before he announces his retirement.

“I thought it was going to be heavier probably because I’ve got so much adrenaline pumping through the body, but it’s a pretty cool feeling,” said Lidstrom, who was acquired via trade shortly before the trade deadline. “It’s really been an amazing journey for these players, even before I joined them, right from team building in Hamilton [during training camp]. This is a close group of guys with a ton of character. This is a team and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

As the trade deadline approached this season, it was imperative for Firestorm GM Gates Imbeau to make certain moves in order to add depth. The GM acquired several key players such as Nicklas Lidstrom and Patrick Sharp, and it paid dividends en route to the Stanley Cup title.

 

“The Lidstrom deal was obviously significant,” Imbeau said. “We felt like we had to be aggressive before the deadline because there’s a flurry of deals at the deadline. He brought a ton of leadership and skill to this team and if we didn’t get him then we probably wouldn’t have won this thing. Making trades at the deadline was crucial. You can have a wish list, and it’s just going out and executing and getting it. That was the hard part.”

Now that Imbeau and the Firestorm have the winning blueprint, will Imbeau make a prediction for defending the team’s title or its chances of a repeat?

“It’s really the furthest thing from my mind right now, to be honest with you,” Imbeau said when asked the question during the post-game press conference. “I just want to enjoy this and let the boys take the spotlight here because they earned it. This has been a lot of fun. Yes, we’ve won the Cup, but once you taste it you want more. It’s been a good feeling in the room, on the plane and on the ice. We want to do this again. It’s amazing, almost surreal. We’ll mostly likely have the same team next year, so it’s very exciting and the future looks very bright.”

* * *

STANLEY CUP VICTORY PARADE

The Stanley Cup parade is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Hamilton (if weather permits). Coverage of the event will be posted right here on theafhl.com.

* * *

RIOT BREAKS OUT IN BUFFALO

Angry, drunken fans ran wild Sunday night after the Buffalo Phantoms’ 6-5 loss to Hamilton in the Stanley Cup finals, setting cars and garbage cans ablaze, smashing windows, and showering giant TV screens with beer bottles.

 

Multiple cars were set on fire during a riot that scarred Buffalo after the last game of the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals. It was reminiscent of a similar scene that erupted in the city of Vancouver following the Canucks’ Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins.

“We have a number of fans on the streets of Buffalo causing problems,” said a Buffalo city spokesperson. “It’s absolutely disgraceful and shameful and by no means represents the city of Buffalo. We have had an amazing run in the playoffs, great celebration. What’s happened tonight is horrible.”

“About an hour after the Firestorm won the Cup, I heard a loud noise and turned and there was a car being stomped on by a bunch of guys wearing Phantoms jerseys,” a spectator said about the first few moments of violence. “Then some other guys started rocking another car until it flipped over. Five minutes later, the car was on fire and a few minutes after that they flipped another one. It was just out of control.”

Some fans held what looked like pipes or hockey sticks over their heads as they jeered at police officers. Newspaper boxes were wrenched off the sidewalk and hurled through store windows. A few of the fans began congratulating those who tried to attack police, and others erupted with cheers every time something was damaged. Fans set fire to a stuffed bear decorated to symbolize the Firestorm, while others sang drunken songs as they danced on an overturned vehicle.

 

Later, fans smashed windows and ran inside high-end department stores. At a Ralph Lauren clothing store, Phantoms fans were seen grabbing T-shirts and anything else they could get their hands on. Young women were seen escaping with beauty cosmetics, with one carrying out part of a mannequin.

“It’s terrible,” Phantoms captain Sidney Crosby said, shaking his head. “This city has a lot to be proud of, the team we have and the guys we have in here. It’s too bad.”

While newscasters said there had been no fatalities, ambulances appeared to be having trouble getting inside the zone to help the injured and TV images showed at least one woman mopping blood from her forehead.

“You don’t ever hope for a situation like this,” Buffalo police officer Mike Hunt said. “It is extremely disappointing to see the situation in Buffalo turn violent after tonight’s Stanley Cup game. Buffalo is a good city and it is embarrassing and shameful to see the type of violence and disorder we’ve seen tonight.”

Tear gas mingled with the stench of acrid smoke and stale beer as riot police, truncheons drawn, moved in to quell the violence, pushing crowds away from the burning cars.

 

Later, police cars also were set on fire. At one point, police were using flash-bangs — grenades that are designed to distract and disorient, rather than injure — to try to break up the mob.

“This isn’t what the Phantoms are about,” said Dick Hertz, 31, a Buffalo resident and Phantoms fan. “This isn’t what their fans are about. This isn’t what this city is about.”

Phantoms goaltender Craig Anderson sent a Twitter message pleading the fans to stop the violence: “We’re a great city and have a lot of class. Our team is great and our championship will come. Soon.”

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Hamilton celebrates Firestorm’s Stanley Cup Win

April 6th, 2012

Rays of sunlight beamed off the always-shiny Stanley Cup as it was held high by Hamilton Firestorm players, its first appearance in Hamilton after bringing hundreds of thousands of fans to their first championship parade in the city.

“More overwhelming than I expected,” veteran forward Daniel Alfredsson said after riding one of the 18 colorful duck boats on the parade route. “Unbelievable turnout. I didn’t know that many people lived in Hamilton, let alone be on the streets today. It was an awesome, awesome experience.”

Throngs of fans stretched along the route that covered about seven miles, the ride coming to a climatic ending as captain Nicklas Lidstrom arrived at a park on one of the first boats with the Stanley Cup. The crowd was roaring, music was blaring and horns were sounding, red and orange confetti filling the air, and flashbulbs from cameras flickering.

 

It was a fitting celebration.

Before the rolling rally began at 11 am EST on Tuesday afternoon, defenseman Zdeno Chara told fans this was their day, and in turn, those lining the streets showered their appreciation on a collection of players that they clearly connected with, a hard-working group that was easy to like because they came across as just regular guys.

How else would one describe Claude Giroux riding his bicycle to the Firestorm’s home ice arena for the start of the parade, or defenseman Shea Weber taking the Cup for a walk in his child’s stroller? Brad Richards, who addressed the crowd at the start of the parade by saying “We got the Cup! We got the Cup!” later walked through the crowd while giving hugs to Firestorm fans.

The connection was made with young and old on Tuesday, as the early start time for the parade created a mostly family-type atmosphere along the route, where there were as many kids as adults, as many Giroux, Fleury, and Suter jerseys as there were of Lidstrom, Thomas, and Selanne, three aging veterans who may retire this summer.

The connection only grew stronger when at one point, Fleury brought the Cup off his duck boat and into the crowd, the cheers growing louder at that moment. No matter the view, whether from rooftops or street level, fans reveled in the moment.

Before the parade began, Gates Imbeau, the team GM and coach, addressed the crowd and said, “It’s finally our time. How amazing is this, guys?”

Even the players seemed amazed at the turnout to salute their championship.

“The whole city, it seems like it was shut down and everybody (was) on the streets,” defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. “It seems like all the people had a lot of fun and that is what it’s all about. You play for the fans and it really felt like it was the right moment.”

The Firestorm and their fans couldn’t have picked a better day for such a celebration, which contributed to the tremendous turnout, creating a chaotic scene on the local subway and train service to Sudbury. Lines at sausage stands and ice cream trucks stretched more than 50 deep near a local park, red and orange signs were everywhere, and championship merchandise was sold in a flurry.

Police announced nine arrests of people “charged with, among other things, Public Drinking and Disorderly Conduct.” Police commissioner Iva Woody said, “exemplary fan behavior was on full display throughout the day and all along the parade route.”

Some came from great distances to take part, such as Toronto’s Willy Pullit, who donned a Giroux jersey, black helmet, hockey gloves, and waved a Canadian flag in a salute to the team’s Canadian players.

Teemu Selanne compared the scene to what he had experienced when winning the Cup with Washington last year. Hamilton’s parade was considerably bigger, as he remembered about 25,000-30,000 people packing a parking lot in Washington. Selanne knew this would have a different feeling after what he experienced on Monday when the Cup was at a Hamilton restaurant with him and a few teammates, and helicopters circled overhead.

Tim Thomas called it a day any player looks forward to, adding, “It’s awesome to be sharing it with everybody.”

At the end of the route at local park, where many fans watched on a large screen as the parade slowly made its way through the city, coach Gates Imbeau’s pre-rally remarks drew thunderous applause.

Another favorite moment for the crowd was when Fleury handed the Cup to Imbeau. Fleury recalled a conversation he had with Imbeau on the day before the season opener.

“I promised him when we won the Cup I’d hand it to him. So, here you go Gates,” Fleury said to cheers.

Soon enough, the Cup and Firestorm players, coaches and support staff loaded on to the duck boats.

What stood out over the course of the route was the connection between an easily likeable team and fans ranging from the young to the old.

“Just the support of the fans and to see the passion in their faces is just true,” Tim Thomas said. “These are hard-working fans and that’s the kind of team we were. We were built for this city and to win and to go out and celebrate with everyone is amazing.”

While Hamilton police no longer provide estimates, the size of the crowd appeared to be around 50,000-60,000 people.

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The Lockout is Over!!

AFHL teams begin to focus on training camp

January 6th, 2012

The NHL and the players’ union reached a tentative agreement near 5 a.m. Sunday on a 10-year CBA, putting an end to a work stoppage that lasted nearly four months.

Tweeted Washington Wolfpack forward Gabriel Landeskog: “People say it’s like Christmas morning waking up today? I’d say this is a lot better. Couldn’t be more excited!!”

The league is expected to announce a 48- or 50-game schedule. A 50-game season would start Jan. 15, while a 48-gamer would begin Jan. 19.

“It’s a new day,” Toronto Red Devils coach Jordan Carbone said. “I’m thrilled regardless of however many games we can play.”

The great migration of players to Europe is about to go into reverse.

Some of the nearly 200 players who spent the lockout with European clubs had already started trickling back in recent days. That will become a flood after news that the lockout has ended.

They will have the advantage of having played in games in the last three months while those who elected to stay home will be playing catch-up during a quick training camp before the truncated regular season opens later this month.

“I’ve been working out hard on the ice and in the gym and I’m mentally anxious to get back on the ice (for games),” said Hamilton Firestorm forward Brad Richards, who stayed home for the lockout. “We went all the way last year in our Stanley Cup run, so to get a rest and be able to work out and stay in the gym a little longer can be a benefit too.

“You try to make a negative into a positive.”

Richards said players had a variety of reasons for going or staying home.

“Guys have families. Guys have different contracts, or are at different stages of their careers,” he said. “A lot goes into it.”

Buffalo Phantoms star Sidney Crosby, coming off concussion trouble, wasn’t about to risk further injury by playing in Europe. One wonders what his insurance would have cost if he had. Victoria Vipers forward Daniel Sedin said he and his brother would only go home to play in Sweden if the entire season was canceled.

Same with Deer Park Chiefs defenseman Roman Hamrlik. At 38 and near the end of his career, the Czech elected to work out with other locked out players in North America.

“I was just hoping (the lockout would end),” he said. “So I tried to keep in shape by skating with the guys.”

Several AFHL teams have already completed preparations for training camps to open later this week.

A woman answering the phone at the Montreal Xtreme Skate Zone practice rink in Montreal said it’s been a few days since Xtreme players last called in to reserve ice for a morning workouts.

“We’ve been taking weekends off since renting ice to stay in shape during the stoppage,” said Xtreme forward Eric Staal. “As of right now, 12 guys will be there tomorrow. By the end of the week, the whole team is expected to be there as well as the coaches.”

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Trash Talking Escalates

Toronto Red Devils GM Jordan Carbone has been dodging verbal shots from Deer Park Chiefs GM Mike Nellany ever since he won the 2012 AFHL Best Trash Talker Award in August.

“Nellany recently posted a poll on the Yahoo Message Board asking the league if I was a homo,” Carbone laughed after the Red Devils’ first day of training camp on Sunday. “He’s broken the boundaries.”

Carbone said the trash talk actually began in the offseason, shortly after he won the 2012 AFHL Best Trash Talker Award which is an award that Nellany won in the previous two years.

“He [Nellany] was chirping a lot on the Yuku Message Board in the offseason,” said Fort Drum GM Steve Stryska. “I read a rant about Jordan’s mom in the About Me thread.”

Nellany’s comments to Jordan in the About Me thread on the Yuku Message Board:

“And as for your mother, I told you if you’re not happy with the blow jobs she is giving you, you will need to have a set of Home Depot Cum Gutters installed around her head. Ill admit I had a terrible time keeping her head straight as I was hammering them in but after a few loads and a knee to her head, she came to her senses and let me bang away. She has not missed a drop since and isnt half as messy now.”

One GM described Nellany’s comments as “ruthless” and “offensive”.

“I think he’s bitter about Jordan winning that award,” said Ottawa GM Ryan Armstrong. “So you can certainly expect it from him.”

Going into this season, Nellany and the Deer Park Chiefs have the edge over Carbone and the Toronto Red Devils. In their last three matchups, the teams have tied twice and the Chiefs have won once. Nonetheless, it appears to be a rivalry that has the potential to overtake the AFHL’s currently biggest rivalry [Toronto-Lakehead] in emotion and intensity.

“He’s lucky our teams aren’t scheduled to play against each other in this shortened season,” Nellany told TheAFHL.com via email. “But if we meet in the playoffs, the Deer Park mother fuckers, led by Dustin Brown, will smash the ever so soft Alex Semin and that other pussy Kovalchoke smack into the ground. Sure the Red Devils look good on paper but the softness shows up in the playoffs. All they are is a team that shits the bed year after year after year. Ultimately, their legacy will be that of chokers with a disoriented and heartbroken fan base. We look forward to smacking Carbone around in the playoffs should fate have us meet.”

The Red Devil players aren’t worried. They say the next matchup with the Chiefs will be fierce and anything will go, including trash talk.

Toronto right winger Corey Perry figures it will be vicious.

“If someone has a health problem, you kind of stay away from that,” he said. “But the big ones are mothers, girlfriends, things like that. You get into a lot of things out there, but there are a lot of things you can’t really say in the press. Nellany is a ruthless guy. I think him and the Chiefs will get what’s coming to them.”

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Live Coverage of the 2013 AFHL Trade Deadline

February 7th, 2013

Evgeni Malkin, Miikka Kiprusoff, Mikael Granlund — there are some big names in play this year, which should make for a very interesting deadline day. TheAFHL.com and TSN will be following all of the trades today and providing some analysis of the deals as they happen. And we’ll hear lots from Pierre LeBrun, Barry Melrose, Scott Burnside and Scott McKenzie who is at TSN’s studios for Tradecentre.

So, feel free to stay on the page and refresh for updates, which begin below:

9:45 am  Bob McKenzie: Hey everybody! Happy Trade Deadline Day!!

9:51 am  Barry Melrose: I’m predicting 15 to 20 trades today. Lots of teams are still in on Malkin. Not sure if a deal will get done though.

10:05 am  Pierre LeBrun: Keep an eye on the Montreal Xtreme today. They are hungry to make a deal. As I said before they even called Boston about Malkin.

10:11 am  Scott Burnside: First trade of the day happened around 3 am between Toronto and Deer Park. Toronto got Mats Zuccarello and a 2013 third round pick. Deer Park got Keith Kinkaid and Jeff Frazee.

10:15 am  Scott Burnside: Just talked to Manhattan GM Tony Furino. He has something in the works involving Filip Forsberg. He recently finished drinking his fourth Red Bull. Been up since 2:30 am lol

10:35 am  Pierre LeBrun: All quiet so far as we get things up and rolling. EJ Hradek on his way to Warriors practice. Pierre McGuire will be texting us from Boston where he is on Evgeni Malkin watch. Mike Milbury is in Hamilton, where rumours are running wild. We’ve also got Jeremey Roenick on deck from Philadelphia.

10:55 am  Barry Melrose: Reports from everyone so far: It is very, very quiet.

11:01 am  Bob McKenzie: Hearing about a trade to be announced between Ottawa and Manhattan.

11:05 am  Bob McKenzie: Manhattan just dealt Peter Holland and Filip Forsberg to Ottawa for Ryan Strome. Also exchanged 2013 second round picks.

11:09 am  Scott Burnside: Wow. Furino must have a hard-on for Strome. Way to overpay!!

11:15 am  Barry Melrose: The Philadelphia Crunch cancelled their practice today.

11:23 am  Pierre LeBrun: Text message from Lakehead GM Jason Briggs: Malkin will probably stay put. I can’t wait for the NEW GM in Boston to trade him.

11:27 am  Scott Burnside: Heard there is some friction between Lakehead GM Briggs and Boston GM Phelan. Source tells me they don’t like each other. Possibly a future rivalry there.

11:42 am  Scott Burnside: Most likely Fort Drum Killers to be traded? Kiprusoff, Dupuis and Jokinen.

11:53 am  Bob McKenzie: All quiet on the Phantoms so far, though Buffalo radio guys sure would like Kane to be traded back home.

12:15 pm  Barry Melrose: Wolfpack GM Rick Charron says he hopes to seal the deal on a trade today for some help up on right wing.

12:32 pm  Barry Melrose: A guy Wolfpack have been watching for awhile is Loui Eriksson. Nice fit. Next to impossible to get.

1:09 pm  Scott Burnside: Text from Montreal GM Cancilla: I just traded a third round pick to Manhattan for Killers GM Steven Stryska’s mother lol

1:16 pm  Bob McKenzie: I’m hearing that Boston is seeking three top line forwards for Evgeni Malkin.

1:24 pm  Barry Melrose: Talking to a friend with Twin City. Could see some activity there today. Lots of buzz on Granlund and Tarasenko, good chance both could be on the move.

1:32 pm  Bob McKenzie: Like last year, several teams asking Leafs GM McNeill about Parise. McNeill says he’s untouchable. “I need Parise for the playoffs this year.”

1:40 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Source in Manhattan tells me GM Furino already has buyer’s remorse from his trade for Strome this morning. He thinks he might have given up too much.

1:49 pm  Barry Melrose: So, it’s exceedingly slow right now, but that is par for the course. The first half of deadline day is typically a dead zone.

1:55 pm  Scott Burnside: Malkin arrived at the rink in Boston at 10:20 this morning. “Just another morning,” he said, with a smile.

2:04 pm  Scott Burnside: London GM Plachta says the Mustangs are not looking to make any moves before the deadline.

2:06 pm  Barry Melrose: Patrik Elias may be staying put in Toronto.

2:07 pm  Barry Melrose: Toronto GM Carbone tells me they are “out of the Malkin sweepstakes by the looks of it.”

2:10 pm  Pierre LeBrun: TSN reporting the IceHoles and Red Devils are on the verge of a deal.

2:12 pm  Pierre LeBrun: James Neal to the Red Devils.

2:13 pm  Bob McKenzie: My source in Toronto says Max Pacioretty is part of that deal.

2:14 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Just to repeat: James Neal to Toronto appears to be on the verge of being completed. No word what the IceHoles get back.

2:17 pm  Bob McKenzie: There’s some speculation that this Toronto-Lakehead deal is a big one and some draft picks are going to Lakehead along with Pacioretty and Jiri Hudler (again, no confirmation). Just as an FYI, a bunch of sources I’ve talked to in the last little while say all the GMs in the league are trying to stockpile high picks for 2013, which is shaping up to be an exceptional draft year.

2:20 pm  Scott Burnside: Ottawa continues to shop Dan Ellis. GM Armstrong getting lots of offers for Toews but he insists that Toews isn’t going anywhere.

2:23 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Toronto GM Carbone has announced a trade with Lakehead. Toronto receives James Neal and David Perron. Lakehead receives Max Pacioretty, Jiri Hudler, two third round picks in 2013, and a second round pick in 2014. Wow.

2:41 pm  Barry Melrose: Told an hour ago that Giants Evgeni Malkin trade talk was in a holding pattern, that signs continue to point toward Malkin staying put… for now.

3:02 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Source says Manhattan GM Tony Furino was just seen crying while eating McDonald’s in his office. That’s a serious case of buyer’s remorse.

3:20 pm  Scott Burnside: London no longer standing pat. GM Plachta says Lecavalier might be on his way out of town.

3:39 pm  Barry Melrose: Lots of talk in Victoria, as we now have 8 hours to go until the deadline. Vipers GM Hartley is shopping around Grigorenko, Killorn, Paajarvi and Kruger.

3:41 pm  Bob McKenzie: I’ve been told that Toronto has struck yet another deal. This one is with San Diego. Toronto acquires Bozak, Hanzal, Frk and John Moore for Loktionov, Jaskin, and three second round picks in 2013. That makes three trades for Toronto on Trade Deadline Day.

3:49 pm  Pierre LeBrun: TSN reporting the Warriors are a front-runner in the Malkin sweepstakes.

3:58 pm  Barry Melrose: Told San Diego and Pittsburgh are completing a trade, one is close/near done.

4:01 pm  Barry Melrose: San Diego acquires Tyler Toffoli, Rhett Rhakshani, Brett Connolly, Mark Jankowski, Mark Barberio, 2014 third round pick, 2015 second round pick and third round pick. Pittsburgh acquires T.J. Oshie, Kyle Okposo, Roman Josi and Hamilton’s 2013 first round pick.

4:21 pm  Bob McKenzie: Text from Pittsburgh GM Jason Henley: I’ve got some irons in the fire, feelers are out there and any other phrases that mean I still want to move some players.

4:52 pm  Scott Burnside: San Diego GM Lucas Main on trade with Pittsburgh Heroes. “I think both teams have met a need to say the least.”

5:39 pm  Bob McKenzie: Source telling me Boston GM Mike Phelan is strongly considering a trade that would send Evgeni Malkin to North Bay for Patrick Kane and Rick Nash.

5:53 pm  Barry Melrose: Some Killers fans on the internet are talking about starting a riot if GM Stryska doesn’t trade Kiprusoff today.

6:38 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Twin City GM Phil Svoboda on Vikings plans for the rest of the day: We’re still actively looking, this isn’t going to end until 11:59 pm [EST]. We’re trying to improve this hockey team, we want to go for the whole thing, so we’re looking at some really creatively type of things top help improve us.

7:10 pm  Barry Melrose: Firestorm forward Patrick Sharp says trade deadline is nothing but stress, tension and awkward goodbyes.

7:30 pm  Bob McKenzie: Boston GM Phelan won’t say how many teams have made offers for Malkin, only that he’s been having  “substantial” discussions today. “The price is high. I don’t apologize for that. It has to be high. He’s the best player in the league.”

8:42 pm  Barry Melrose: TSN reports the London Mustangs have traded Lecavalier and Hishon to the Victoria Vipers for Grigorenko, Maatta and Dansk.

8:50 pm  Scott Burnside: Talks are starting to heat up with three hours to go. Source in North Bay telling me they just pulled off a deal for Bobby Ryan.

9:19 pm  Scott Burnside: North Bay has in fact acquired Bobby Ryan. Dealt Lehner, Bishop, Palmieri for Ryan, Anisimov, Klefbom.

9:37 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Tweet from Leafs forward John Tavares: I’m pretty confident that at 12:00 am, I will still be an Oshawa City Leaf.

9:40 pm  Barry Melrose: London has just sent Spencer Mechacek to North Bay for Olli Jokinen.

9:46 pm  Bob McKenzie: Quiet in Toronto. They’ve done their deals, I’m led to believe.

10:05 pm  Bob McKenzie: Quick round-up of names floating around the Twittersphere with two hours until the deadline: Evgeni Malkin (Boston), Adam Larsson (Boston), David Clarkson (Comox Valley), Miikka Kiprusoff (Fort Drum), Dan Ellis (Ottawa), Pascal Dupuis (Fort Drum), Mikael Granlund (Twin City), Vladimir Tarasenko (Twin City), Teemu Selanne (Hamilton) and Daniel Alfredsson (Hamilton).

10:45 pm  Pierre LeBrun: North Bay makes another trade. Acquires Clarkson, Bieksa, Latendresse and Horak from Comox Valley for Zajac, Gaudreau, Orlov and Riley Nash.

10:57 pm  Pierre LeBrun: Word is Comox Valley is done. No deals pending.

11:05 pm  Barry Melrose: Trade deadline is one hour away!! It’s about to get intense any minute now.

11:32 pm  Scott Burnside: Just hung up with a GM who commented on how busy it is now. He said, “I’m talking to 7, 8, 9 GMs at once. Madness. Absolutely insanity.”

11:59 pm  Bob McKenzie: Flurry of deals to be announced in the final moments…

12:00 am  Bob McKenzie: Ottawa sends Dan Ellis to Oshawa City for 2013 second round pick.

12:02 am  Bob McKenzie: Manhattan deals Al Montoya to Toronto for two third round picks in 2013.

12:03 am  Bob McKenzie: Victoria acquires Jeremey Morin and a 2013 third round pick from San Diego for Cal Clutterbuck and a 2013 second round pick.

12:09 am  Barry Melrose: Malkin stays put and remains a Boston Giant. The Toronto Red Devils and the North Bay Warriors were making the biggest pitches today, but apparently GM Phelan’s asking price was too high.

12:13 am  Bob McKenzie: We saw a  grand total of 11 trades get done. Who won? Who lost? Biggest trade? Most improved? Top contenders? Discuss in the comments below…

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Season’s Final Week Should Be a Wild Ride

March 25th, 2013

The regular season has come down to the final week and there still is so much that is to be determined.

Who will win the American Conference? Who will win the Canadian Conference?

Can the Giants finish their incredible second-half run with a playoff spot?

Who will win the Presidents’ Trophy?

Can a miracle happen for the Xtreme to qualify for the postseason?

Which team will end up with the first overall pick in the 2013 Entry Draft?

All these questions and many more will be answered between now and late Sunday.

Which matchups should you be watching?

Here are all the matchups this week that have playoff implications:

BOLD = Playoff Contention

Manhattan (8th) vs. San Diego (19th)

Lakehead (1st) vs. Pittsburgh (20th)

London (9th) vs. Oshawa City (10th)

Twin City (2nd) vs. Hamilton (3rd)

Montreal (14th) vs. Philadelphia (17th)

Buffalo (7th) vs. Toronto (5th)

Victoria (5th) vs. North Bay (6th)

Comox Valley (16th) vs. Washington (11th)

Deer Park (13th) vs. Boston (12th)

 

Which teams are guaranteed a playoff spot?

The Lakehead IceHoles (1st) are the only team that has clinched a playoff spot which means there is a chance that Twin City (2nd), Hamilton (3rd), Toronto (4th), Victoria (5th), North Bay (6th), Buffalo (7th) and/or Manhattan (8th) can miss the playoffs.

How many teams outside of the current Top 8 are still in the playoff race?

There are six teams still alive for a playoff spot. Those teams are London (9th), Oshawa City (10th), Washington (11th), Boston (12th), Deer Park (13th) and Montreal (14th). Montreal is currently 16 points out of 8th place.

Who is alive for the Presidents’ Trophy?

We’re looking at a six-team race between Lakehead, Hamilton, Toronto, Victoria, North Bay and Twin City. It should be noted that North Bay won the Presidents’ trophy last year and the previous year so they have a shot at a three-peat.

Firestorm forward Chris Kunitz has racked up 41 points in 33 games this season while playing alongside Claude Giroux in Hamilton.

“This final matchup of the season is not going to be about work or X’s and O’s,” Hamilton forward Chris Kunitz told the media after a team practice on Monday. “It’s going to be about passion and how bad we want it.”

Oshawa City GM Earl McNeill is enjoying the fight to the finish despite the fact that it may add a few grey hairs.

“This playoff race is good for everyone involved,” said McNeill. “It’s great for the league and great for the fans and the players. It’s funny how it always seems to come down to the final week and this year so many more teams are jockeying for positions because of the shortened season, so that makes it even more exciting.”

COORS LIGHT COLD HARD FACT OF THE WEEK:

The Hamilton Firestorm have the most college prospects in the league as well as the most unsigned prospects in the league.

“They’re the oldest (average age) active team in the AFHL,” said Manhattan GM Tony Furino. “But their scouting staff is quite possibly the best in the league. If I was a betting man then I would bet that at least one of their four unsigned college prospects turns into a solid point producer at the AFHL level.”

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Lakehead Ice Holes Win the AFHL Stanley Cup!

April 22nd, 2013

When AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino handed Lord Stanley over to Lakehead’s captain Eric Staal, you got a sense this was just the beginning of a Lakehead-style party that would last long into the night.

After taking the Cup, Staal let loose with a loud yell before smacking three kisses on the coveted trophy. He skated for approximately 20 seconds with the Cup high above his head before handing it over to his brother Jordan.

“This is certainly something special,” Staal said. “You dream of winning the Cup, and you know what, I’m glad to know I was the first Ice Hole to ever lift it.”

Jordan Staal eventually handed the Cup over to Jarome Iginla. The procession continued as players such as P.A. Parenteau, Keith Yandle, Kris Letang, Antti Niemi all received a twirl with the Cup.

Defenseman Kris Letang returned from injury and scoredfour points in the Finals.

Andrew Ladd, who scored 8 points in the Finals, would eventually get his hands on the big prize, too.

And GM/Coach Jason Briggs would also have a chance to raise the Cup.

“Amazing,” Briggs said at his postgame press conference. “I had plans about this and had dreams about it. I wanted this to happen and I worked hard every day and took action, day-to-day decisions, running practices, everything. It’s also the players in our room. They’ve been tremendous all year. You can’t say enough about this group and how hard they worked.”

The pregame video just before the Lakehead Ice Holes took the ice at their home ice arena during the AFHL Stanley Cup Playoffs was accompanied by multicolored spotlights, a laser show and images projected onto the playing surface. The heart of the video, though, goes to the soul of this sport. There are pictures of the Ice Holes in their youth, boys wearing over-sized hockey equipment who dreamed of reaching the pinnacle of the sport they loved.

The boys in those faded photos arrived there Sunday night.

Lakehead, on the strength of their dominating offense, finished off the Manhattan Supermen with a 7-2 victory in the Stanley Cup Final, earning the franchise’s first championship in its four-year history.

The victory caps one of the most dominating seasons in League history. Lakehead finished the regular season with the best overall record and the number one ranked offense in the league. In the postseason, they were unstoppable. They defeated Oshawa City 10-1 in the first round. They defeated Toronto 6-4 in the second round. And they defeated Manhattan 7-2 in the Finals.

“I don’t know, I can’t even describe it,” forward Jarome Iginla, who at 35 years old the eldest of the Ice Holes, said after winning the Cup for the first time. “Everyone played road hockey as a kid. We had a green garbage can that everyone would go around and pose with it. We just did it for real, baby. This is awesome. It has been a great journey.”

The Supermen proved to be a tough foe all week before finally succumbing over the weekend. They also had a pretty incredible postseason run, knocking off the Vikings in the first round, and vanquishing the Vipers in the second round en route to their first Finals appearance in franchise history.

A small consolation was Manhattan goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who was awarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

“Nabby” never smiled as he accepted the trophy and immediately skated off the ice with it as the Ice Holes applauded.

“That was very nice of them,” he said. “But the Conn Smythe Trophy is not the one I wanted.”

As the Ice Holes mobbed each other in victory at the final buzzer, tears rolled down Nabokov’s face. Teammate Henrik Zetterberg was the first player to console him as he rested his left arm on the net. Eventually he fell to the ice and took his helmet off. Soon, the rest of the Supermen skated up and patted him on the head. He used his jersey to wipe away more tears.

“I don’t think there was any question that he was the reason why we made it all the way to the Finals,” Zetterberg said. “He was unbelievable throughout the entire playoffs. It’s tough to lose when you make it all the way to the Finals, but this is a good thing for our organization. We took some big steps forward. We will be back.”

Jason Briggs thinks the Ice Holes will be back, too.

“We’re enjoying these emotions right now but it’s not over for us,” said Briggs. “I’m building a dynasty here.”

*

Ice Holes fans hoping to carry on their Stanley Cup celebrations will have another chance Thursday at a parade and rally scheduled in downtown Lakehead. The parade is to start at 12 noon.

Players and their families, coaches and others are expected to ride in double-decker buses and other vehicles during the 30 to 45 minute parade.

An hour-long “championship rally” is scheduled to begin at the Ice Holes home ice arena at 2:30 p.m., featuring video highlights, presentations and speeches from several players, the team said.

Tickets are required, but are free. They will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis and are available online. Officials said season-ticket holders and suite and premier seat owners would be given first priority, with the remaining tickets made available to the public at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

There is a limit of four tickets per order, officials said.

*

LIVE in Lakehead: Final Minute of Stanley Cup Finals

+ Ice Holes Locker Room Celebration

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Lakehead celebrates Stanley Cup with parade and rally

April 25th, 2013

An estimated 120,000 fans turned out Thursday to cheer for the Lakehead Ice Holes, holding a boisterous parade and rally to honor the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League champions who beat the Manhattan Supermen 7-2 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

“I’ve had to wipe away a few tears,” Lakehead forward Andrew Ladd said. “This is why I play in Lakehead.”

Four days after the Ice Holes raised the hallowed trophy, spectators jammed the streets of downtown Lakehead to join the party.

“I didn’t expect this many people to show up for the parade,” said Ladd. “Incredible!!”

The Ice Holes rode double-decker buses and flatbed trucks in a parade through downtown Lakehead, past thousands of roaring fans. Eric Staal and Antti Niemi then raised the Cup outside Lakehead’s home ice arena, where the Ice Holes completed their three week rampage through the postseason on Sunday night.

“It was more than you could ever expect,” forward P.A. Parenteau said. “It’s one of those moments you want to live over and over again. It’s amazing to hear all the support, and to put faces to the cheers we’ve heard all year.”

The Ice Holes gathered inside the arena for a packed rally, with fans waving towels and giving repeated standing ovations to every speaker. GM/Coach Jason Briggs even pumped up the fans with a series of joyously out-of-character fist pumps, and forward Henrik Sedin riled them up even more.

“What’s up Lakehead? Anyone want Jarome Iginla’s cell phone number?” Sedin playfully called out to the fans. “This is too much fun not to win it again next year!!”

“Just to see the looks on their faces after they won it is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” said Jason Briggs. “It’s just amazing, amazing, amazing.”

The Ice Holes will have all summer to absorb what they accomplished this spring. The Stanley Cup has already made an extensive tour of Lakehead, starting at a local pub just a few hours after the Ice Holes claimed it. The Cup was in Kris Letang’s backyard Tuesday morning, where one of his nephews drank milk and ate cereal out of the bowl while wearing his Iron Man pajamas.

After appearances on two talk shows on Tuesday, the Cup was seen at a popular stage show in a historic Ontario hotel, where Will Ferrell and Brock Lesnar joined in the celebration.

“It feels great,” said Letang. “You want to have parades every year. It’s going to be tough, but we think we have the team to do it.”

The Ice Holes are uniformly excited they’ve got a strong chance of defending their title next season with much the same roster. GM Briggs, who lost his voice in the post-Cup celebrations and couldn’t speak to the rally crowd, already has already promised most of Lakehead’s key contributors for at least one more year.

“I’d say my chances are pretty good,” veteran forward Jarome Iginla said of his chances of returning to Lakehead. “I want to be back. They’ve got a good thing going here, and I love it.”

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