Hasta la vista, Schmansky

New Mustangs GM gets fired on just the 11th day of his tenure

June 10th, 2011

Tom Schmansky didn’t last a summer, let alone a winter, as coach and GM of the Mustangs franchise.

Hired less than two weeks ago, Schmansky was abruptly fired Friday in his 11th day on the job. His legacy will be the shortest GM stint – 11 days – in AFHL history, shattering [former Hitmen GM] Grahame Booth’s record of 97 days.

“This is a decision made by me, I felt that I had no choice,” AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino said about the dismissal of Schmansky. “It’s obviously a mistake made on my part to have made a decision in hiring him without having done a complete and proper interview that could have been done, should have been done.”

Furino said the conflict with Schmansky involved the flurry of big, lop-sided trades he made in such a short period of time. In his first trade, he sent goaltender Jaroslav Halak to Hollywood for Devante Smith Pelly and a second round draft pick. In his last trade, he tried sending all-star forward Rick Nash and all-star goalie Jonas Hiller to Victoria for Nick Foligno, Artem Anisimov, Jason Akeson, Spencer Machacek, and Rob Schremp.

“The trade made absolutely zero sense for the Mustangs especially after Schmansky already dealt Halak,” North Bay GM Mike Brunetta said. “Maybe if he was getting some blue-chip prospects in return but he’s not. The only nice piece is Artem Anisimov but he doesn’t make up for the rest of the deal. If you look at the Mustangs depth chart, Anisimov would be slotted behind Ryan Getzlaf, Patrice Bergeron, and Brandon Sutter which means Anisimov would be a bench player.”

Several other GMs in the AFHL agreed with Brunetta’s view, including Toronto GM Jordan Carbone.

“Makes no sense at all,” Carbone said. “This guy is taking a cup contending team and ruining it. All he had to do is make some minor trades. Even if he made no trades at all, the current roster would have contended for years to come with the core Blake Wilson built. He’s basically throwing it all away for nothing. Howard, Hiller, and Halak were the best goalie tandem in the league. Okay, so he traded Halak, we’re all over that. But now for him to also trade away Hiller and not get a goalie in return is just f*cked. To rely on just Howard or any one goalie in this league is a recipe for disaster. Ask Buffalo GM Daryn Beckman how he felt when Craig Anderson went down last season.”

Carbone also pointed out the goaltending depth on Victoria’s side of the deal.

“Victoria has Carey Price, Steve Mason, Devan Dubnyk, and Jack Campbell as top goalie options. At least one of those goalies should be going back to Windsor. For Schmansky to trade Nash and Hiller and not get a goalie in return is just stupid.“

Montreal GM Keith Cancilla described it as brutal.

“It’s brutal,” Cancilla said. “I would have traded way better prospects for Nash and Hiller. The trade has to be vetoed. There’s no value going back to the Mustangs. Two proven players for a bunch of prospects.”

When the commissioner was asked how he felt about Schmansky’s approach to trading, he said his main priority should have been to get the biggest return while filling a need.

“Running a franchise in the AFHL is just like running a business,” Furino said. “You always want to look at all of your options before you make a big decision. Before you trade any superstar player, you’ve got to make contact with as many GMs as possible so you can be certain that you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck. Clearly, Schmansky did not do that. So despite his commitment to me that he could work in this environment, his flurry of big trades in less than two weeks, in the offseason with no reason to rush, expressed to me his philosophical opposition to winning in the AFHL.”

Schmansky did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

“We appreciate the time and effort Tom has put into his two week tenure here in the AFHL,” Furino said. “He’s a good man but unfortunately he’s got the right skill set for the wrong league. We wish him all of the best in his future endeavors.”

Furino added that he will hire another new GM for the Mustangs franchise by the end of next week.

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Awards Show Preview

July 23rd, 2011

After months and months of hard work, it’s time for the stars of the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League to kick back, relax and enjoy some time in Montreal.

The League’s second annual awards show will take place in Montreal and it’s promising to be a grand event. The show is expected to be aired on Versus on a day TBA rumored to be sometime within the next week or so.

Players, coaches/GMs, presenters and special guests will arrive on the red carpet at the Hotel Le St James prior to the start of the event and theafhl.com will provide live blogging coverage of the red carpet arrivals.

The North Bay Warriors could be big winners at this event. Coach/GM Mike Brunetta and goaltender Pekka Rinne (now a London Mustang) led the Warriors to a first place finish in the regular season. Rinne is up for the Hart trophy (league MVP) and Vezina trophy (best goaltender).  Brunetta is up for the Jack Adams trophy as the League’s best GM.

Brunetta and Rinne will have some competition with former Washington Power GM Ray Irwin and goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas, as well as Pittsburgh Heroes‘ Daniel Sedin as finalists for the Hart, Vezina, and Jack Adams trophies.

Deer Park Chiefs GM Mike Nellany is in line to win the Trash Talker trophy for the second year in a row. The Toronto Red Devils franchise looks to win back-to-back rookie of the year trophies with Michael Grabner as a finalist for the Calder trophy.

Nicklas Lidstrom of the St. John’s Red Wings will go against Buffalo’s Lubomir Visnovsky and Comox Valley’s Dustin Byfuglien in the Red Wings’ quest for their second straight award of having the League’s best defenseman.

St. John’s GM Barry Hickey is competing against Oshawa City’s Earl McNeill and Montreal’s Keith Cancilla for the Lady Byng trophy, awarded to the GM who exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.

Surprise awards are also rumored to be given out. Multi-platinum recording artist Aerosmith and Grammy-winner Eminem and Lady Gaga will perform during the show, and Canadian band Nickelback will play a set at the AFHL Awards Party following the show. Actor and comedian Mike Meyers will be the host of the show.

Other past and present hockey stars scheduled to participate include Scott Niedermayer, Mark Recchi, Mike Bossy, Doug Gilmour, Mario Lemieux and Mark Messier. Former AFHL coach and GM Ray Irwin, nominee for the Jack Adams trophy, also will be on hand.

CLICK HERE FOR THE POLLS AND CAST YOUR VOTE!

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Season Preview – Around the League

October 6th, 2011

And the wait is finally over. AFHL arenas will be jumping tonight as each team will take the ice in their first matchups of the 2011-12 regular season.

Let’s take a look around the league…

 Boston Giants:

Evgeni Malkin is simply fantastic. A lot of people are predicting a career year for him and that would mean surpassing his 113 point total from the 08-09 season. Marian Gaborik and Matt Moulson are two 30+ goal scoring wingers that will skate with him on Boston’s top line and with Nicklas Backstrom and Kari Lehtonen in between the pipes, the Giants have a good shot at making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history.

 Buffalo Phantoms:

The Phantoms have one of the greatest hockey players in the history of hockey in Sidney Crosby. Beyond him, there’s a reason why Buffalo has moved into the conversation of climbing back to the top of the standings… the new faces will make a very good group even better. In particular, the addition of Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski to one of the league’s top powerplay units will make the special-teams unit a real asset for the Phantoms. It almost feels like an acquisition, but the return of Crosby and Derek Roy will obviously be a big boost, too. Both centers missed the second half of last season due to injuries.

 Comox Valley Hitmen:

Pat McKenna did a masterful job last season with taking over a team that looked like a mess with little star power to speak of and helping to get them to the playoffs with a disciplined, well-balanced offensive style that the players have bought in to. After trading Jonathan Quick for Roberto Luongo less than a week ago, Comox Valley’s goaltending went from very good to great.

 Deer Park Chiefs:

Henrik Lundqvist is as steady and durable as they come in the crease, and a goaltender that’s capable of stealing a matchup by himself. Ryan Kesler, Dustin Brown, Alex Tanguay, and Tyler Ennis bring a nice mix of skill and scoring to the top lines. They have a ton of depth on offense with extra forwards that have the ability to score somewhere between 15-20 goals. Having a lot of depth will be a huge plus once Spring comes around.

 Goldsboro Rebels:

There is a good amount of individual talent here, starting with Corey Perry and Jeff Skinner. With the abundance of talented and skilled skaters this is a team with plenty of speed up and down the lineup. If Jason Spezza and David Booth return to form, and one of Michael Neuvirth or Chris Mason wins the starting goalie job, then this has a good chance of making the playoffs.

 Fort Drum Killers:

The jury is still out on GM Stryska’s decision to trade Ilya Kovalchuk for three prospects, obviously, but there’s no denying the Killers’ needed to add some talent to their farm after missing out on the free agent signings frenzy that happened over the summer due to the increase of the farm team roster limit. Mikko Koivu, Chris Stewart are now their biggest stars on offense and they picked up another top young forward prospect back in June when they selected Mark Scheifele with their first round draft pick.

 Detroit Icemen:

Even after trading away Martin Brodeur, the Icemen still have one of the best goalie tandems in all of hockey in Jaroslav Halak and Tomas Vokoun. Along with a strong pro team, their farm system is also a strength. In addition to heralded prospect Markus Granlund, they have forwards Evegny Kuznetsov, Tomas Tatar, and Paul Byron waiting in the wings.

 Twin City Vikings:

The Vikings were incredibly active in the free-agent market this summer, after launching a rebuild, they added a bunch of players to hold the tide while the youngsters develop. Undoubtedly the Vikings are in a full rebuild mode but it can’t be denied that the Vikings will eventually have AFHL star players across their lines. The trick in Twin City is not doing anything risky to hinder the future, which is very bright as the system is loaded with prospects such as Nazem Kadri, Nick Bjugstad, Mark McNeill and Matt Puempel.

London Mustangs:

After having to make a couple of big trades to fix some issues created by GM Schmansky who was given the axe after his first 11 days on the job, Matt Plachta will ice a cast of characters that includes the new faces Mike Richards, Simon Gagne, and Martin Havlat. Throw in Alex Pietrangelo and Nick Lidstrom to give the team some serious firepower from the backend plus the reacquisition of Pekka Rinne who led the Mustangs to their first Cup in ’09, and this team is very well-rounded.

 Lakehead Thunderwolves:

Talk about a team that went through a transition this summer. When all was said and done the Thunderwolves put together an excellent top six on offense led by a superstar that goes by the name of Steven Stamkos. The acquisitions of defensemen Keith Yandle and Kris Letang, who both bring AFHL Stanley Cup experience to the team, will certainly increase the chances of the club making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

 Manhattan Supermen:

The Manhattan Supermen made headlines last season because of the GM’s decision to launch a full rebuild in the middle of the season. They should make headlines this season because they’re an improving team that could quite possibly squeak into the playoffs yet again thanks to their impressive collection of young forwards, and a goaltending staff that could churn out a total of five starting goalies by the end of the season.

 Montreal Xtreme:

It’s another rebuilding year, but they’re getting closer, slowly but surely, to making an impact. And they might be the most entertaining — and exciting — non-playoff team in the league with an impressive list of young forwards and a young goaltending staff that includes Jacob Markstrom, Henrik Karlsson, Braden Holtby, and Jake Allen… just to name a few. And even if they end up in last place for a second straight year, come the month June, GM Cancilla might be standing at a podium and selecting Nail Yakupov with the first overall pick in the 2012 AFHL Entry Draft. Yakupov is already being regarded by many as the best player to come into the league since Sidney Crosby in 2005.

 North Bay Warriors:

As everybody knows, the Warriors can score, almost all of them. Last season, 16 of their current players recorded double digits in goals scored, led by Jarome Iginla’s 43. There is certainly loads of experience in North Bay, too. These guys aren’t in their first rodeos. That especially includes former 50 goal scorer Alex Ovechkin. Having the leadership that players like Ovechkin and Iginla can provide certainly doesn’t hurt. Also, you might have heard this Brunetta fellow on their bench isn’t so bad.

Oshawa City Leafs:

Where the success of this team will likely hinge on goaltenders Cam Ward and Corey Crawford. They have a couple of excellent young talents in John Tavares and Zach Parise with some solid veteran players to go with them like Shane Doan and Zdeno Chara. A breakout season for Tavares is being predicted and that would mean the Leafs could have two 40+ goal scorers this year in Tavares and Parise.

 Ottawa Knights:

There’s hope that the Knights could breakthrough this season and see some playoff hockey because their top line of Thomas Vanek, Jonathan Toews, and Michael Grabner can compete with the best of the best. They also have a couple of promising young forwards making bids for roster spots this season. Nikita Filatov, who hadn’t lived up to his perceived potential since turning pro, will also be given a shot to show what he can for the Knights. If he fits in and focuses on his game, his addition could prove to be a steal for Ottawa. While second year GM Ryan Armstrong is saying all the rights things about this team being competitive this season, it will serve as a good opportunity to get a glimpse of the future.

 Hamilton Firestorm:

Taking over for former GM Barry Hickey, Gates Imbeau ushers in a new era that the fans are very excited about. Overall, the team has no holes in it whatsoever. It will just come down to how talented the team proves to be as there are multiple players capable of 60+ point seasons. As talented as they are on offense, their best players probably sit in the blue paint all game long. Marc-Andre Fleury and Tim Thomas are two of the absolute best in the game.

Toronto Red Devils:

Hope is high in Toronto as the Red Devils GM Jordan Carbone was active all summer landing big name players like forwards Ilya Kovalchuk, Jeff Carter, and Loui Eriksson and goalies Martin Brodeur, Jonathan Quick, and Semyon Varlamov. It’s tough to find a better trio of goalies than Brodeur, Quick, and Varlamov and that will be a big reason why the Red Devils are successful this season.

Pittsburgh Heroes:

The Heroes reached the Stanley Cup Finals for a second straight year last season, losing to the Washington Power 7-1.  But with that disappointment in the rearview mirror, the Heroes are bringing back a roster that remains loaded from top to bottom, and is one of the top contenders in the league. They’ve got the Sedin Twins anchoring the offense, Tomas Kaberle expected to return to form on the blueline, and Ryan Miller is still one of the best goaltenders in the AFHL.

 Victoria Vipers:

You can see the potential on the Vipers roster, especially after the trades GM Hartley made during the offseason, the offense is expected to see a huge uptick in scoring. With such an abundance of talented and skilled skaters this is a team with plenty of speed up and down the lineup. Like both teams above them here, the Vipers now have an oustanding man living in the crease. It took him a while, but Carey Price is finally living up to his expectations. Last season he posted a 2.35 GAA and .923 save percentage. The trick will be doing it again, but the safe bet is that he turned a corner and an encore shouldn’t be a problem.

Washington Power:

In a bizarre twist, new GM Rick Charron made a lot of changes to the roster after the team won the AFHL Stanley Cup just five months ago. New faces James Van Riemsdyk, David Krejci, and Tyler Seguin are excellent young forwards, and Van Riemsdyk could be ready to have a breakout season following his impressive postseason last Spring. Joe Thornton is still around to be one of their leading offensive weapons and their defense is still solid. Whether or not this team repeats will be based on how well Ilya Bryzgalov and Antero Niitymaki perform in goal.

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Trash talking leads to thrown punches in Toronto/Lakehead’s first matchup

December 6th, 2011

The Lakehead Thunderwolves were trailing the Toronto Red Devils for most of their Week 8 matchup until they got goals from Jaromir Jagr, Luke Adam, and Logan Couture to end the matchup in a tie and remain the only undefeated team in the AFHL.

But it was what was said throughout the matchup between Toronto coach Jordan Carbone and Lakehead coach Jason Briggs that had everyone talking.

Before the matchup even began, emotions were running high as Carbone and Briggs got into a verbal confrontation earlier in the season. A couple of analysts believe the initial confrontation was all about Briggs passing a remark about Carbone’s  trade ethic and Carbone firing back at him with some unpleasant profanity.

“There’s animosity created after our verbal exchange, (and) I think that’s going to be in place this week,” Briggs said during a T’wolves team practice shortly before their Week 8 matchup began. “We’re about to load the plane, head up to Toronto and they’re sitting there waiting for us, probably licking their chops, looking to get a piece of us. The rivalry will continue and I wouldn’t be surprised if his players come out trying to fight.”

The rivalry did continue with a fight just after the opening faceoff between Red Devils defenseman Luca Sbisa and Thunderwolves forward David Backes. After landing the first four punches, Backes slipped on the ice and Sbisa began pummeling him on the back of his head.

The Red Devils quickly got some points from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Loui Eriksson, and jumped out to an early lead with stellar goaltending from Jonathan Quick and Semyon Varlamov. After getting the lead, Toronto coach Jordan Carbone began trash talking on his bench loud enough for Leakhead coach Jason Briggs to hear it on his bench.

“My emotions and momentum took over at the beginning of the matchup,” said Carbone after the first night of the matchup. “But I basically told him it was not going to be easy and I was going to deal him his first loss of the season.”

“He also called me ‘Gayson’ and he called my team the ‘Lakehead C*cksuckers’,” Briggs said. “He’s been yapping a lot and so has his players.”

During a scrum in front of the Red Devils net midway through the second night of the matchup, something bizarre happened. Lakehead star forward Steven Stamkos got his glove into the face of Toronto defenseman Michael Del Zotto and then pulled his bare hand out.

“I guess I got close to him and he bit me,” said Stamkos, who wore a splint on the middle finger of his left hand. “I felt pain, I saw blood and then got stitched up and went back out.”

Stamkos scored two goals and an assist after the incident, and said Del Zotto didn’t talk to him.

“I had my finger in his mouth, so I don’t think he could,” Stamkos said.

Del Zotto’s version of the story was different.

“If he’s cut, good. But I didn’t bite him,” Del Zotto said. “I didn’t think anything of it until someone mentioned it to me. He went like that [face wash] right across my face.

“He got his glove on my tooth, almost pulled it out. It’s all sore.”

Carbone announced the signing of enforcer Dan Carcillo on Thursday night and Carcillo made his debut in the rivalry on Friday. The intensity of the matchup escalated in Carcillo’s debut, as Carcillo was doing a lot of on-ice jawing and agitating. Not that it was any surprise.

Midway through Friday’s games, David Backes drilled Carcillo into the boards and Carcillo was upset that a penalty was not called. He decided to let his rage out on Lakehead forward James Neal. Carcillo was pushing and shoving Neal in front of the Lakehead net and eventually knocked Neal down to the ice. Neal got up, threw off his gloves, and the two began trading haymakers.

A scuffle ensued between several players near center ice, mixed with several cheap shots and uncalled penalties, and ultimately led to a major-bench clearing brawl.

“There were five or six fights going at once, so it was definitely intense,” said Lakehead forward Logan Couture. “The fans were getting into it and we could hear their chants on the bench. The Toronto coach was shouting, our coach was shouting. It was crazy.”

Briggs finally retaliated to Carbone’s verbal abuse by calling Carbone a “typical teenage boy” and a “rookie b*tch”. Carbone responded by calling Briggs an “amateur” and telling him to “learn his place”. The players continued to fight on the ice as the coaches yell at each other from their benches.

“You work hard for five nights to take the lead and get ahead of the other team, and then you have to deal with the opposing coach shouting at you and sending out tough guys to hurt your best players,” Briggs said. “Those aren’t things I like to see but that’s part of the emotion, part of the rivalry. I’m going to try to protect my players and my bench, and he’s going to do the same thing with his bench.”

Carbone said Briggs and his players got what they deserved and he shouldn’t be at fault for anything.

“All I know is that somehow he seemed to be accusing me of sending someone to do something but it’s certainly not my style, I’ve never done it in my life,” Carbone said. “I brought in Carcillo because he can contribute some offense. Neal speared and elbowed two of our guys earlier, so Carcillo got him to drop the gloves. I know Neal’s not a fighter, but I didn’t stand up on the bench and accuse Briggs of sending Neal to hurt my guys so I think it’s just a matter of, ‘Take care of your own business, and we’ll take care of our own.”

Carcillo went to the dressing room amid a cheer from the sellout crowd of 21,273 when he was summoned from the penalty box after he was given 21 minutes in penalties for roughing, high-sticking, and instigating a fight with Neal.

It took the linesmen approximately 15 minutes to restore order and after the dust settled, these teams were whistled for 82 penalties and 17 were for fighting.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Toronto forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the matchup. “It was pretty exciting for both teams. This was a matchup everyone was pumped up for so it really did live up to the rivalry. “

In the end, the Red Devils set the tone with their aggressive style, but couldn’t match the Thunderwolves’ scoring and had to settle with a tie.

“We should have won but we came up short on offense,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “It’s real easy to get up for these games, it should be an exciting matchup every time we play. It’s a battle and I think it’s something everyone enjoys.”

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Nellany draws first blood on eve of Chiefs/Killers rivalry matchup

GM Nellany draws first blood on the eve of the Killers-Chiefs rivalry matchup

December 12th, 2011

“In a rivalry matchup like this, the team that draws first blood normally has an advantage the whole week,” Deer Park GM Mike Nellany told a reporter late last night. “We’re going to draw first blood.”

Nellany did just that on Monday morning when he called Fort Drum GM Steve Stryska a “scrub”.

“I called him a scrub,” said Nellany. “He’s a scrub, plain and simple.”

The Killers-Chiefs rivalry is one of the most storied and well known rivalries ever in the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League. Both GMs have plenty of history to build upon. They experienced two ferociously competitive trash-talking sessions, with each GM claiming victory once. They even, once upon a time, came close to blows in the parking lot, gang style, outside of the John Jay hockey rink in Deer Park.

“There’s just something special in the air when we play against the Killers,” said Chiefs defenseman Andrew Ference. “They don’t like us and we don’t like them.”

The intensity level during this week’s matchup is expected to be very high as both clubs are battling for the top spot in the American Conference.

“All week it’s going to be a slugfest back and forth – figuratively,” Killers forward Chris Neil told reporters after today’s pregame skate. “We’re a couple points out of first place. We’re not going to let them stop us.”

This cross-river battle will likely will be won between the pipes, with Fort Drum goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and Deer Park counterpart Henrik Lundqvist in the spotlight.

Lundqvist has been sensational this season, posting a 2.08 goals-against average with a .932 SV%, and it appears he’s taken his play to another level.

“To me, why he’s playing well is that he’s in control of his head and his emotions,” said Chiefs forward Scott Hartnell, who will most likely be the centerpiece of the rough stuff against the Killers this week. “Henrik’s very focused. I haven’t seen him get up or down.”

Meanwhile, Kiprusoff has been stellar in Fort Drum, posting 14 wins and two shutouts. Despite his 2.40 GAA, he has single handedly won matchups for Fort Drum this season.

“He’s always at level 10 for matchups vs. the Chiefs”, said Killers forward Chris Stewart. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he outplays Henrik this week.”

 

Blast from the past:

12/14/2010: Chiefs-Killers up the trash talking

3/7/2011: Chiefs-Killers ready to add another chapter to rivalry

3/10/2011: Chiefs vs. Killers matchup gets ugly

 

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New Year’s Resolutions Around the AFHL

January 2nd, 2012

From top to bottom, every team in the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League has some important decisions to make in the coming months. Some may say that all teams are looking for the same things: a Sidney Crosby-sized forward with an indestructible head, a 25 year old Nicklas Lidstrom and the next coming of Patrick Roy. But since those are more difficult to come by than gold, here are some of the more realistic new year’s resolutions for 2012…

Gabriel Landeskog, F, Goldsboro: I resolve to take my place among the best up-and-coming young forwards in the game.

Joffrey Lupul, F, Toronto: Continue being the AFHL’s most underrated player.

Tony Furino, GM, Manhattan: Take my free-falling team on a trip to Oz to get some courage.

 

 

Matt Dwyer, GM, Goldsboro: I resolve to take the Rebels to the next level that includes making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Mike Phelan, GM, Boston: Express the unique personality that I have and show that I want to stay in the league by acknowledging the AFHL’s rule on participation.

Ryan Armstrong, GM, Ottawa: See above.

Ryan Malone, F, Detroit: Get a new cyborg body.

Scott Hartnell, F, Deer Park: I resolve to waiting until my opponent is looking before I throw the first punch.

Nicklas Lidstrom, D, Hamilton: Keep on playing like a Norris Trophy candidate until the day I finally hang ’em up.

Marian Hossa, F, Buffalo: I will never again show up drunk to practice.

Pat McKenna, GM, Comox Valley: I resolve to continue building from within and icing a club that excites and entertains our fans.

Henrik Zetterberg, F, Hamilton: Try to shoot the puck more often.

Kyle Kebert, GM, Pittsburgh: Give up on the Steve Mason experiment before he ruins the season for the Heroes.

Steven Stamkos, F, Lakehead: I resolve to thank the Lord every day that Martin St. Louis is my linemate.

 

Mike Nellany, GM, Deer Park: Lead the Chiefs to the Stanley Cup Finals while being the super pest of the league and a thorn in my opponent’s side.

Daryn Beckman, GM, Buffalo: See if Dr. Frankenstein can build a goalie for my team by spring time.

Valtteri Filppula, F, Fort Drum: I resolve to keep playing great hockey for the Killers even if I don’t get the credit I deserve.

 

Phil Kessel, F, Victoria: Continue to be the AFHL’s most improved player.

Rick DiPietro, G, Manhattan: Retire.

Mike Brunetta, GM, North Bay: I resolve to get my struggling superstars, such as Alex Ovechkin, Eric Staal, and Ryan Getzlaf, motivated and back to playing their game.

Evgeni Malkin, F, Boston: Keep piling up the points and win the Art Ross trophy!

 

Zach Parise, F, Oshawa City: Start laughing when I hear a funny joke instead of saying the letters “LOL”.

 

Devin Setoguchi, F, Deer Park: I resolve to breaking out and living up to my potential as a star forward.

Chris Hartley, GM, Victoria: Acquire some leadership for my otherwise Stanley Cup-contending team.

Evgeni Nabokov, G, Manhattan: Stop breaking sticks over the crossbar when I give up a goal because it’s not my fault that my team blows!

Jason Briggs, GM, Lakehead: I resolve to find that missing piece so the T’wolves can be contenders to win the Stanley Cup.

Steve Downie, F, Oshawa City: Fight less, score more.

Tyler Kennedy, Comox Valley: I will stop boring my coach with the same old excuses and I will think of some new excuses instead.

Anze Kopitar, F, Victoria: I resolve to playing like I’m proud to be one of the faces of the Vipers franchise.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, F, Toronto: Continue to silence the naysayers.

Steven Stryska, GM, Fort Drum: Not talk on my cell phone while in the bathroom unleashing the chocolate terrorist.

Phil Svoboda, GM, Twin City: I resolve to continue churning out some really talented youngsters and draft smart in the offseason.

Matt Plachta, GM, London: Get my team to play hungry and disciplined hockey so we can make a run at another Cup!

Keith Cancilla, GM, Montreal: I resolve to FAIL FOR NAIL!

Earl McNeill, GM, Oshawa City: Make some good trades at the trade deadline for the sake of the franchise’s future.

Gates Imbeau, GM, Hamilton: Get my name engraved on the AFHL Stanley Cup.

Ilya Kovalchuk, F, Toronto: Stop watching cute and cuddly kitten videos on Youtube.

Jordan Carbone, GM, Toronto: I resolve to win the Jack Adams trophy as GM of the Year.

Ryan Miller, G, Pittsburgh: Re-establish myself as the most reliable stopper in hockey.

Patrick Kane, F, Victoria: Never again take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

 

Tony Furino, AFHL Commissioner: I resolve to continue stockpiling ideas for the AFHL to remain the Roman Empire of the fantasy hockey world.

Kyle Turris, F, Montreal: Work as hard as possible during practices.

Martin Brodeur, G, London: Help kids stay safe by not texting on my cell phone while eating Taco Bell and speeding on a highway with a frost covered windshield.

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AFHL announces Buffalo as host of 2012 All-Star Game

City of Buffalo to get a crack at its first AFHL All-Star Game

January 16th, 2012

The Buffalo Phantoms will host the 2012 AFHL All-Star Game, the League and team announced Monday. The mid-season showcase weekend will be Jan. 28 and 29.

“We know Buffalo can do a fantastic job of hosting hockey events,” AFHL Commissioner Tony Furino said. “We know their great venue and their city are more than well-equipped to handle this marquee event.”

Furino drew prolonged applause from the audience attending the special announcement Monday, as Phantoms GM/Coach Daryn Beckman and players Marian Hossa, Patrick Marleau, Sidney Crosby, and Joe Pavelski joined Furino as he made the announcement at the Hyatt Hotel in Buffalo, New York.

Furino credited not only a winning record for the Buffalo Phantoms being awarded the All-Star Game, but he also cited the GM’s participation which is backed by his passion and love for the league, as well as his tireless work since he started building the franchise back in 2009.

“Perhaps the most significant and most important reason as to why we’re all here today, not just for the All-Star announcement, but for Phantoms hockey in Buffalo, is Daryn Beckman,” Furino said. “He has been a vocal GM, with a stable, firm, guiding force of the Phantoms franchise since the AFHL began in 2009. He is a passionate, knowledgeable, involved GM. I believe the AFHL is fortunate to have him as one of our GMs and we are grateful for all he does.”

Of course, no one is perfect.

“Occasionally he calls me on officiating questions,” Furino joked about Beckman, “but we’re even grateful for that.”

“The Buffalo Phantoms and our hockey fans couldn’t be more excited at the opportunity to host and showcase the AFHL’s top players in 2012,” said Daryn Beckman. “We will create a once-in-a-lifetime, weekend long celebration of all that is great about hockey, the AFHL and our city.”

Furino wants the league’s signature game to be a message to all GMs that the league is doing everything it can to continue bringing the fun and excitement to the AFHL.

“It’s just another layer of activity that shows our GMs how much we care for them, that we go the extra mile, that we go the extra step in appreciation to bring such world class events in fantasy hockey,” Furino said. “What we’re trying to do, and I think we’re doing that successfully, is just continuing that message. And it’s not just talk. We get things done. I go back to the expansion of farm teams last summer and what that did for this league on such a large scale, it was just phenomenal. I think this upcoming All-Star Weekend is just another stepping stone in building that solid foundation for the AFHL going forward as the most amazing fantasy hockey league on the planet.”

“The fact is it all starts with the GMs and the fans, and the GMs and fans bring their passion to the league every day,” Furino said. “They’re involved, they’re excited, and we’re thrilled to provide this event for them.”

With the All-Star Weekend about two weeks away, the coaches for the American Conference and Canadian Conference All-Star teams have not yet been announced, but as with the previous All-Star Games, they are chosen based on which teams are on top of the overall league standings.

Aside from last year’s injury plagued season, the Phantoms have been one of the consistent winners in AFHL history. In 2009, they won the President’s trophy for best overall record in the league, and this year, they sport the second best record in the American Conference. The team has averaged close to 19,000 fans a night, and there’s a good chance they’ll have a hometown player to cheer for on January 29th.

Marian Hossa, who represented Buffalo in the 2009 AFHL All-Star Game, is expected to be one of the players nominated to play in this year’s game.

“I’d love to be part of it,” said Hossa. “I’m sure I’ll be part of it even if I’m not playing in the game.”

Additional details on the 2012 AFHL All-Star Celebration, including information on tickets, special events and television broadcasting will be released within the next week or so.

* * *

QUICK HITS:

– They may not be the best in the league, the Comox Valley Hitmen are still a very competitive club and have not yet ruled out a second consective playoff birth. “We’ve got veterans such as Michael Ryder and Todd Bertuzzi still getting the job done,” said Hitmen GM Pat McKenna. “Alex Steen should return from the IR soon so that should certainly give us a boost. Apparently Dennis Wideman wants to be traded to a Cup contender, so maybe we’ll use him to add another forward to our offense. There’s still plenty of season left and lots of key decisions to be made.”

– Rewind to a little over a month ago and you’ll see Washington was in 17th place… Fast forward to today and you’ll see Washington is in 9th place! The defending Stanley Cup champions have finally turned a corner under new GM Rick Charron and Power forward Joe Thornton says the Stanley Cup hangover is completely gone. “We’re playing our best hockey of the year right now,” said Thornton. “Lots of changes needed to be made but now it seems like everything is gelling.”

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AFHL announces coaches and players eligible for All-Star Game

January 23rd, 2012

The AFHL will showcase it’s best and brightest on January 28th in Buffalo at the Phantoms’ home ice arena, as the American Conference will take on the Canadian Conference in the third annual AFHL All-Star Game.

On Monday morning, the AFHL released the list of eligible players for both conferences and now it’s up to the coaches to decide on the lineups.

 

* – Denotes rookie playing in Young-Stars Game

# – Denotes a player is injured and unable to participate

^ – Denotes a player named as injury replacement

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Head Coach: Mike Nellany (Deer Park)

Assistant Coach: Daryn Beckman (Buffalo)

ALL-STAR FORWARDS

Daniel Alfredsson (Manhattan)

Marian Gaborik (Boston)

Colin Greening (Pittsburgh) *

Pavel Datsyuk (Manhattan)

Adam Henrique (Manhattan)

Marian Hossa (Buffalo)

Ryan Johansen (Twin City) *

Mikko Koivu (Fort Drum) #

Gabriel Landeskog (Goldsboro) *

Evgeni Malkin (Boston)

Milan Michalek (Buffalo)

Corey Perry (Goldsboro)

Jason Pominville (Buffalo)

Daniel Sedin (Pittsburgh)

Henrik Sedin (Pittsburgh)

Tyler Seguin (Washington)

Craig Smith (Montreal) *

Jason Spezza (Washington)

ALL-STAR DEFENSEMEN

Brian Campbell (Fort Drum)

Dan Girardi (Pittsburgh)

Justin Faulk (Detroit) *

ALL-STAR GOALIES

Henrik Lundqvist (Deer Park)

CANADIAN CONFERENCE

Head Coach: Mike Brunetta (North Bay)

Assistant Coach: Gates Imbeau (Hamilton)

ALL-STAR FORWARDS

Luke Adam (Lakehead) *

Jamie Benn (Lakehead)

Sean Coutourier (Ottawa) *

Logan Couture (Victoria)

Jordan Eberle (Victoria) ^

Claude Giroux (Hamilton)

Cody Hodgson (Comox Valley) *

Jarome Iginla (North Bay)

Nick Johnson (Hamilton) *

Patrick Kane (Victoria)

Phil Kessel (Victoria)

Joffrey Lupul (Toronto)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Toronto) # *

Alex Ovechkin (North Bay)

Matt Read (London) *

Steven Stamkos (Lakehead)

John Tavares (Oshawa City)

Jonathan Toews (Ottawa)

ALL-STAR DEFENSEMEN

Dustin Byfuglien (Lakehead) #

Zdeno Chara (Oshawa City)

Alexander Edler (Victoria)

Erik Karlsson (Toronto)

Adam Larsson (Toronto) *

Kris Letang (Lakehead)

Dion Phaneuf (Ottawa)

Ryan Suter (Hamilton)

Kimmo Timonen (Oshawa City)

Shea Weber (Hamilton)

Dennis Wideman (Comox Valley)

Keith Yandle (Lakehead)

ALL-STAR GOALIES

Brian Elliot (Comox Valley)

Jimmy Howard (North Bay)

Carey Price (Victoria)

Jonathan Quick (Toronto)

Tim Thomas (Hamilton)

 

ROSTER POSITIONS:

9 Forwards (any positions) – must include at least 3 rookie forwards

4 Defensemen – must include at least 1 rookie defenseman

1 Utility Player

1 Goaltender

STAT CATEGORIES:

(Same as regular season matchup)

Offense/Defense: G, A, P, +/-, PPP, SHP, GWG

Goaltending: W, GAA, SV%, SVs, SO

OTHER NOTES:

– Rosters are based on the players in the real NHL All-Star Game and Young-Star Game.

– Coaches were selected based on season standings (top two teams in each conference).

– Coaches must communicate with each other and make roster decisions together.

– Head coach must submit their All-Star Team’s lineup to the commissioner by midnight on Thursday, Jan. 26th

 

 

BLAST FROM THE PAST

2011 AFHL All-Star Game

2010 AFHL All-Star Game

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2012 AFHL All-Star Game Coverage

All-Star Team
 G A P +/- PPP SHP GWG W GAA SV%
SV
SHO
 Score
American Conference
 8 13 21 19 0 0 0 0 3.00 .750 9 0 4
Canadian Conference 7 5 12 3 0 0 1 0 3.00 .786 11 0 3

FINAL

Recap article to be posted Monday afternoon

* Denotes rookie

–

American Conference All-Star Team:

Pos
Offense
G
A
 P +/-
PPP
 SHP GWG
F1 Marian Gaborik 3 1 4 3 – – –
F2
Evgeni Malkin
 1 1 2 – – – –
F3
Corey Perry
 1 1 2 1 – – –
F4
Pavel Datsyuk
 – 3 3 4 – – –
F5
Daniel Sedin
 1 1 2 1 – – –
F6
Henrik Sedin
 1 2 3 1 – – –
F7 Gabriel Landeskog* – – – – – – –
F8 Colin Greening* – – – – – – –
F9
Craig Smith*
 – – – – – – –
UT
Marian Hossa
 1 2 3 3 – – –
—
Pos
Defense
G
A
 P +/-
PPP
SHP
 GWG
D1
Brian Campbell
 – 1 – 7 – – –
D2
Dan Girardi
 – 1 1 -1 – – –
D3
Justin Faulk*
 – – – – – – –
D4
–empty–
 – – – – – – –
—
Pos
Goaltending
W
 GAA SV%
SV
SHO
G
Henrik Lundqvist
 – 3.00 .750 9 –

 

–

Canadian Conference All-Star Team:

Pos
Offense
G
A
 P +/-
PPP
 SHP GWG
F1
Jordan Eberle
 – 1 1 -1 – – –
F2
Claude Giroux
 1 – 1 – – – –
F3 Patrick Kane 1 – 1 -1 – – –
F4
Phil Kessel
 1 2 3 – – – –
F5
Steven Stamkos
 – 1 1 -1 – – –
F6
John Tavares
 1 1 2 -3 – – –
F7
Matt Read*
 – – – – – – –
F8
Cody Hodgson*
 – – – – – – –
F9
Sean Coutourier*
 – – – – – – –
UT
Joffrey Lupul
 2 – 2 0 – – –
–
Pos
Defense
G
A
 P +/-
PPP
SHP
 GWG
D1
Erik Karlsson
 – – – – – – –
D2
Zdeno Chara
 1 – 1 7 – – 1
D3
Shea Weber
 – – – 2 – – –
D4
Raphael Diaz*
 – – – – – – –
—
Pos
Goaltending
W
 GAA SV%
SV
SHO
G
Jimmy Howard
 – 3.00 .786 11 –

–

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Christmas in February: The AFHL Trade Deadline Frenzy

February 21st, 2012

Christmas comes once a year, but not for the GMs in the Amazing Fantasy Hockey League, who usually get to celebrate twice a year. The first Christmas occurs in June when a fresh crop of 18-year-old hopefuls are scooped up in the annual entry draft. That is the cheap Christmas. On Tuesday, February 28th, we get to witness the unwrapping of the expensive toys… at the trade deadline!

Some teams will miss the playoffs, because their superstar players didn’t perform the way they should have performed, or were flushed by injuries, or were disabled by bad management decisions. Those teams will be offering up gifts which will glitter more brightly as the eventful deadline approaches. A typical characteristic of the AFHL’s regular season is the complete abandonment of common sense by everyone – GMs, media, and fans – involved in the game. A player whose team has spent the entire season trying to dump him becomes in the last couple of days before the trade deadline a priceless final addition to a playoff team’s roster – hopefully guaranteeing a Stanley Cup.

Oshawa City GM Earl McNeill doesn’t know what to expect.

“Anything is possible,” said McNeill after a team practice on Monday morning. “So many big trades have been made in just the last couple of days. With the way things are going this year could be like shoppers who waited until Christmas Eve to buy that special gift, GMs might find the pickings slim in the hours leading up to Tuesday’s trade deadline.”

GMs have spent the past six weeks stripping the shelves of Kris Versteeg, Daniel Alfredsson, Marek Zidlicky, Zdeno Chara, Pekka Rinne, and Nicklas Lidstrom, just to name a few.

But Manhattan GM Tony Furino thinks it will be a busy trade deadline.

“The longer we wait, the better,” said Furino. “For the teams looking for the best return possible, I think they get the biggest bang for their buck on deadline day. That’s been my experience.”

 

And so we have Goldsboro’s Corey Perry and Jeff Skinner, Twin City’s Brandon Sutter and J.S. Giguere, Detroit’s Vincent Lecavalier and Ryan Smyth, Comox Valley’s Brian Elliott and Dennis Widemen, Deer Park’s Alex Tanguay and Scott Hartnell, among the many currently being paraded before the breathless seekers of talent as ‘The Answer’, even if most of us aren’t sure of ‘The Question’. People in Toronto are swarming about on Yonge Street, reserving the best spots on the sidewalk for catching a glimpse of Corey Perry smiling from an open convertible. Perry would transform the Red Devils from an in-and-out team with inconsistency issues into champions, no doubt about it.

Perry, who scored 50 goals last year, has a feeling something will happen. He’s not sure what that will mean, or where he will land when the AFHL trade deadline tolls, but he’s preparing for a trade.

“I think this is a poor analogy, but it’s like going to the chair,” Perry said. “It’s more or less inevitable. When you have star players in the locker room and they can help another team, it’s something that ends up happening and you accept it as part of the game.”

Hamilton GM Gates Imbeau continues to work the phones.

“I’ve elevated things,” Imbeau admitted.

The surging Hamilton Firestorm, who are on the verge of supplanting the North Bay Warriors for the top spot in the league standings, swung two huge deals in the past four days. On Saturday, they sent Tomas Plekanec, Christian Ehrhoff, Trevor Daley, and three prospects to the Oshawa City Leafs to get star defensemen Zdeno Chara, Kimmo Timonen, Michael Leighton and a prospect. Last night, they obtained Nick Lidstrom and Nik Antropov from Washington for Brandon Dubinsky and a draft pick.

“I think at least one playoff team will panic because Hamilton has acquired a couple of superstars in the past week and pay too much for too little,” said Deer Park GM Mike Nellany.

GMs do get it right every now and then. Former Washington GM Ray Irwin traded for Teemu Selanne in the final minutes before last year’s deadline struck and Selanne was terrific in helping the Power win the 2011 Stanley Cup and getting Playoff MVP honors.

“Sometimes we have to look for short term fixes and opt for rental players – fading stars with a few good games left in them,” North Bay GM Mike Brunetta said of Ray Irwin’s trade for Selanne last year.

North Bay GM Mike Brunetta and Deer Park GM Mike Nellany completed one of the biggest last-minute-deadline-deals in 2010 (Anze Kopitar, Jochen Hecht, and a 1st round pick for Ryan Kesler and Tyler Ennis) and the two could hook up again on Tuesday.

There have been 26 trades completed at the deadline over the last two years according to the AFHL, transactions that involved 97 players.

“Guys worry about getting traded, but that’s part of the business,” Buffalo Phantoms GM Daryn Beckman said. “It’s not necessarily personal every time, it’s just something the players have to deal with.”

 

Buffalo’s franchise player Sidney Crosby has been dealing with the speculation of being traded almost every day since his concussion symptoms returned in December and would certainly be the biggest name moved on deadline day.

“Things are happening and, basically, management will decide if I’m going somewhere,” Crosby said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. “As a player, you have to respect that and go wherever you’re traded.”

Beckman offered a degree of sympathy but stressed the fact that he believes the Phantoms can win it all this year.

“I don’t know how many times Sidney has been asked the same question, over and over,” Beckman said. “But we believe we can win the Cup this year. If we get a good enough offer for Sid then we’ll pull the trigger.”

If Beckman decides to trade Crosby, he has until 11:59 pm EST. After that, the sales are over and the store is closed.

* * *

QUICK HITS:

– Talk about leadership! There are currently 9 past and present NHL Captains on the Hamilton Firestorm roster. (Selanne, Alfredsson, Richards, Briere, Doan, Weber, Lidstrom, Chara, Timonen)

– The Lakehead Thunderwolves are so close to being on top of the league standings. Leading the league with 644 total points scored on offense, the T’wolves are just three points out of first place. They’re up against the second place Deer Park Chiefs this week.

– “This has been a very interesting rebuild, we’ve had to deal with a lot of pressure and I think we’ve responded well,” said Montreal Xtreme GM Keith Cancilla, who has been masterful in bringing along the youthful core of his team. “The pressure is good; it’s good for the growth of the young guys on our hockey club to have to go through it. It’s a game of patience and the young guys have been a big part of that, slowly but surely they are logging more and more important minutes.”

* * *

Blast From the Past:

2011 AFHL Trade Deadline Coverage

2010 AFHL Trade Deadline Coverage

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