Killers Coach Stryska throws stick at player during practice

 

This year could be a rough one for the Fort Drum Killers.

With his team off to a disappointing 1-21-2 start, Killers Coach/GM Steve Stryska put his troops through a tough practice Monday that ended with a bag skate — a series of repetitive skating drills and sprints in which there’s nary a puck to be found — and a stick throwing incident.

If you’ve ever watched “Miracle,” you might know bag skates as “Herbies” — think of Team USA coach Herb Brooks yelling “again” as his players did skating drills and you’ll get the idea. A bag skate was also part of the plot in “D2: The Mighty Ducks,” when Gordon Bombay grinds his young players through skating drills after a bad game.

About halfway through the Killers’ bag skate on Monday, Stryska grabbed captain Mikko Koivu’s stick and threw the stick, javelin-style, at second line center Jussi Jokinen because he felt Jokinen wasn’t skating as hard as he could skate.

“I had to send a message today,” Stryska said after the practice. “We’re not good enough to just play haphazard.”

For the past two years, the Killers have been an ongoing study in the law of diminishing returns. Despite calls from fans, media and many experienced AFHL people to acknowledge the obvious and take a sledgehammer to the roster so that a full top-to-bottom rebuild can begin in earnest, GM Stryska started a rebuild at the beginning of the 2011 season when he traded Ilya Kovalchuk but then instead of tanking the season for a top pick in the draft (because he traded away his first rounder for that year) he chose to keep several veterans on the team (such as Dupuis, Talbot, Hamhuis) and doubled down on his core of Mikko Koivu and Miikka Kiprusoff.

The Killers haven’t made the playoffs since the inaugural season in 2009. They have potential to be competitive enough to challenge for a playoff spot this year but they are far away from being as elite as some of the other teams in the league. The prospect pool is good but not great. A clearing of the decks and reboot seems in order: trade the remaining veterans for kids and picks, focus on scouting for the draft, and prepare for a rough year or two.

Trading the remaining veterans is easier said than done, however. It’s not as if the dealing of Kiprusoff or even Koivu would be an instant cure-all for Fort Drum. As one former GM told TheAFHL.com, “Remember what Fort Drum got for trading Ilya Kovalchuk: Niclas Bergfors, Ryan Murphy, Thomas Greiss, Philip McRae, 2013 first round pick (Toronto) and 2013 second round pick (Washington).” In other words, the return for a star is not often going to be the foundation upon which your future is built. The pain of trading Kiprusoff or especially Koivu would be felt in Fort Drum for years to come.

 

But look at the standings. If the Killers don’t start winning soon then they’re going to have to do one of two things: tank the season for a top pick in the 2013 draft by trading the remaining veterans for prospects and/or picks at the trade deadline, or suddenly turn into the Detroit Red Wings scouting machine and draft star players at every point in the draft.

/0 Comments/by

2013 Trade Deadline Preview

Latest buzz on the eve of Trade Deadline Day

GMs are getting their typing fingers ready

March 6th, 2013

“A lot of sniffing happening over the past couple of days,”said Ottawa Knights GM Ryan Armstrong. “Teams are figuring out what the market is now for rental players. Lots and lots of talking right now.”

Tomorrow is Decision Day for the AFHL’s 20 general managers with the trade deadline set for 11:59pm (EST) Thursday.

 

Boston Giants center Evgeni Malkin, the biggest prize on the market, has not yet been moved as of late Wednesday morning.

If Malkin isn’t moved then it doesn’t mean the deadline is going to be a dud, but he’s the biggest piece to the puzzle and the contenders have to decide just what kind of shake-up they want to make before the post-season.

Malkin spoke briefly with reporters following the Giants practice on Wednesday morning.

“There have been so many rumors, so much speculation, it’s been tough on everyone,” said Malkin.

“It’s been a great time living in Boston. I’m a (Giant) today and we’re going to do everything we can to move forward as a team. Like I said the other day, these fans deserve a winning team. They’re the ones that have been the most patient.”

But, the number of suitors could be dropping.

Word on the street is that the Toronto Red Devils and Victoria Vipers both remain the highest bidders.

“It’s a big trade to make at this time of year,” a league executive said on Tuesday. “The Giants want a lot, the might be holding out for more. I think they can play hardball because the closer it gets to the deadline, the more some teams will overpay. Everybody will be watching to see if he goes.”

AROUND THE BOARDS

A lot of eyes are going to be on the North Bay Warriors. There needs to be some kind of shakeup with the club barely hanging on to the last playoff spot, doesn’t there? The Warriors’ No. 1 priority is probably acquiring a goalie, regardless of however good Jimmy Howard can play. The three Stanley Cup winning teams in AFHL history have won the Cup with three starting goalies on their roster. The top netminders on the market are Miikka Kiprusoff (Fort Drum), Evgeni Nabokov (Manhattan) and Anders Lindback (Comox Valley).

 

Expect the 2012 Stanley Cup winning Hamilton Firestorm to try to be active. They’d like to get a little younger without detracting from their overall production on the pro team. The Firestorm will likely show interest in Toronto’s Jason Spezza and Killers’ forward Pascal Dupuis.

Twin City’s top prospects Vladimir Tarasenko and Mikael Granlund could be moved. The word Tuesday was that the Killers and Supermen, both looking to trade a goalie, were in discussions with Twin City GM Phil Svoboda. Twin City isn’t afraid to unload his top prospects to try and win it all this year.

The San Diego Gulls could trade T.J. Oshie for the right price. Speculate away. Gulls GM Lucas Main told several media outlets that Oshie wants to stay.

 

New Pittsburgh GM Jason Henley could be busy. After taking over a team in the middle of a rebuild, he has stated that some decisions need to be made on some potential “bust” prospects. Several teams are making pitches for guys like Cory Conacher and Mika Zibanejad, but Henley insisted he won’t be giving players away. “We’re not going to trade players just to trade them. If there’s strong value to an offer, we’ll consider it,” he told TheAFHL.com.

The Buffalo Phantoms are most likely to stand pat as usual. “We’re pretty satisfied with our team, but if we can add a skilled forward to upgrade our offense, we would do that if the price was right,” Phantoms GM Beckman said.

* * *

Blast From the Past:

2012 AFHL Trade Deadline Coverage

2011 AFHL Trade Deadline Coverage

2010 AFHL Trade Deadline Coverage

/0 Comments/by

2013 AFHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview

April 1st, 2013
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are here once again and the AFHL championship is up for grabs. Lord Stanley’s mug has been owned by the city of Hamilton for the past year, but new contenders have stepped to the fore.
Headlining this year’s first round playoff coverage are some of the AFHL’s biggest stars including Steven Stamkos (Toronto), Claude Giroux (Hamilton), Alex Ovechkin (Victoria), Patrick Kane (North Bay), Alex Semin (Twin City), Pavel Datsyuk (Manhattan), Zach Parise (Oshawa City), and Eric Staal (Lakehead).
Games are available live nationally on TSN and the NHL Network.
On Monday morning, AFHL Commissioner Tony Furino sat down with hockey analyst Barry Melrose to preview and discuss the most magnificent tournament in fantasy sports.
Tony Furino: Hi Barry, thanks for joining us.
Barry Melrose: Thanks for having me. I’m thrilled to be here.
Tony: My first question today is for those who don’t know… What is the AFHL Stanley Cup?
Barry: The AFHL Stanley Cup is the most coveted trophy in fantasy hockey. It’s also one of the hardest to win. Teams must endure three week-long matchups. The winner of the Cup shows true drive and determination.
Tony: The Lakehead IceHoles have been awarded with the first seed in the playoff bracket this year because they finished the regular season with the best overall record in the league. Do they have what it takes to win it all?
Barry: I think so. Your odds are very good when you have a high seed, but anything can happen in the playoffs. Last year, the eighth-seeded London Mustangs defeated the first-seeded North Bay Warriors in Round One.
Tony: So you think there’s a chance the eighth-seeded Oshawa City Leafs can upset the IceHoles in the first round?
Barry: Absolutely. The parity is so close in this game. But keep in mind, there are no flip-a-coin shootouts to pad win totals. There are no loser points to keep things close. The playoffs are a marathon and each round is a seven-day war of attrition to separate the best from the rest. Though David can take down Goliath, make no mistake: David better aim his rock just right.
Tony: Let’s talk about the Twin City Vikings making the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history. They’re the seventh-seed going up against the second-seeded Manhattan Supermen. Ironically, these are the only two teams in the American Conference to make the playoffs. Thoughts?
Barry: The Twin City Vikings did an immediate 180 under GM Phil Svoboda. I predicted the Vikings to be a contender going into this season, so I’m not surprised to see them in the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history.
Tony: Who do you see winning that series?
Barry: The Supermen have been a pleasant surprise, over-performing in what was thought to be a rebuilding year, but that won’t carry over into the playoffs. Twin City is the better team any way you cut it.
Tony: The sixth-seeded North Bay Warriors have been a powerhouse in the AFHL for the past three years, but they keep falling short of going all the way. Is this the year when they finally break free of the chains in not being able to get to the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals?
Barry: I think they can. This year could be considered a down year for the club — they failed to win the Presidents’ Trophy for a third straight year and they have a low seed in the playoff bracket — yet they’re still a huge postseason threat that could make it to the Finals. They are always very, very good. The definition of consistency.
Tony: Do you think it’s going to be hard for the Warriors to beat the Vipers in the first round?
Barry: Very hard. No team in the league makes better use of time and space than the Vipers. Give guys like Ovechkin, Backstrom, Eberle extra space to dangle and a bit of time, say two minutes at a time, and the result is a potent power play and one of the best offenses in the league.
Tony: It’s not easy to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions, but that’s exactly what the Hamilton Firestorm will look to do this 2013 AFHL postseason. They kick off their title defense against the Toronto Red Devils in the first round. Talk about the Firestorm and their chances.
Barry:  As we know, the Hamilton Firestorm are tailor made for this time of year. If it’s not Claude Giroux, it’s Brad Richards. If it’s not Brad Richards, it’s Chris Kunitz. If it’s not Chris Kunitz, it’s Ryan Suter. If it’s not Ryan Suter, it’s Zdeno Chara. There is no doubt that the Firestorm have the depth, skill, and experience to become the first team in AFHL history to win back-to-back titles.
Tony: How much of a fight will the Red Devils put up?
Barry: What the Red Devils lack in depth, they make up in elite-level talent. If Jordan Carbone, a master line matcher, spreads Steven Stamkos, James Neal, Joffrey Lupul and Jeff Carter across three lines, it will create matchup problems for the Firestorm.
Tony: Last question. Who wins the 2013 AFHL Stanley Cup?
 Barry: The eighth-seeded Oshawa City Leafs will win the 2013 AFHL Stanley Cup. That’s right, I’m rooting for the underdog. Led by John Tavares and Zach Parise on offense, the Leafs have the chemistry this year to go on a miraculous run. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Corey Crawford win Playoff MVP. He’s been the best goaltender in the league this year.
Another playoffs tribute video:

/0 Comments/by

First Round Series Recap

April 8th, 2013

IceHoles advance by beating Leafs 10-1

The poise, confidence and talents that carried the Lakehead IceHoles to the top of the league standings in the regular season was on full display in their first round playoff series against the Oshawa City Leafs.

 

“Throughout the whole week they were the better team in pretty much every single stat category and that’s the way it is right now,” said Leafs forward Zach Parise, who was held to just two assists in the series after being one of the top scorers in the league during the regular season. “It’s hard to swallow right now, but at least we gave it our all.”

If there was a moment that captured the attitude of the IceHoles during this series, it came on Wednesday night when IceHoles goalie Antti Niemi was trying to get back to the front of the net and Leafs forward Troy Brouwer was in the way. Niemi grabbed Brouwer and heaved him out of the crease, in a move goalies all over the league surely applauded.

This was the IceHoles’ ice, and Lakehead wasn’t giving any of it away without a fight.

“You never want to give an inch, an extra step for them,” Niemi said. “As a goaltender, you want to hold your ground.”

And the Lakehead goaltenders did more than hold their grounds in this series. Niemi finished the series with two wins and a 2.00 GAA. Newly acquired Ben Bishop registered a workmanlike 45 save shutout.

 

“Of course the guys in between the pipes, they were unbelievable,” IceHoles forward Jarome Iginla said. “If we keep playing this type of hockey, I think we’re going to go all the way.”

They showed in this series they certainly have the ingredients to do so. Contributions on offense came from almost everybody in the lineup with Henrik Sedin leading the series with 5 points. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle will get most of the credit for shutting down the Tavares line, and deservedly so.

“They were the better team,” Tavares said.

The IceHoles were the better team. They had the better goaltending and the better offense. And they have a GM in Jason Briggs who made all the right moves throughout the year to put his team in position to be one win shy of a Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

“This is exciting,” Briggs told the media on Sunday night. “We’re thrilled to be moving on. It’s been a dream to play in the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals and to try and win the Cup. We’re almost there.”

Don’t think Briggs is resting on his laurels; he’s aware that the victory means the IceHoles will face the Toronto Red Devils in the second round.

The Lakehead/Toronto rivalry has been one of the biggest rivalries in AFHL history and their second round playoff series will be the first playoff series in AFHL history that features two rival teams.

“The rivalry has cooled down a bit ever since the two sides agreed on their first trade this year,” said AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino. “But the rivalry is still there so it should be a wild series.”

 

Supermen eliminate Vikings with 9-1 win

The incredible, improbable story of the 2013 Manhattan Supermen added another chapter Sunday as they defeated the Twin City Vikings 9-1 to win a playoff series for the first time in Manhattan’s franchise history.

“It obviously means a lot to get into the second round,” said Manhattan GM Tony Furino. “We’ve been playing with a lot of desperation for quite some time, trying to play for the season. We give 110% night in and night out. We’ve got guys putting their bodies on the line to block shots. Our goalies are coming up with big saves. It’s how we have been playing all year and we have to continue to do that.”

Twin City GM Phil Svoboda said the Vikings had high expectations this year and thought they could make a deep run in the playoffs. But they ran into a team that played hard and did all the right things to win.

“It is hard to swallow, tough to accept right now,” Svoboda told a reporter shortly after the series concluded on Sunday night. “I think obviously it’s going to take us a couple of days to sink this one in. We obviously weren’t ready for being done right now.”

The Vikings now have lots of time off to think. A season that began with such high hopes after offseason trades netted superstars such as Kari Lehtonen, Phil Kessel, Alex Semin to make them a Cup favorite. But things never really got off the ground.

“We did not plan on being the seventh seed, we did not plan on losing in the first round,” said Vikings forward Jamie Benn. “So it’s a huge disappointment to say the least.”

Hunched over at the buzzer Sunday night in obvious disappointment, defenseman Brent Burns couldn’t hide his level of anguish.

“Hats off to Manhattan, they played great,” said Burns. “But it’s not a good feeling right now.”

Burns was easily their best player in the series, laying it all on the line every night but finding too many passengers unable to match his effort.

 

“You don’t have to be a very in-depth fan to see the type of series that he had,” said Svoboda. “He was by far one of our leaders, both vocally and on the ice. He brought it every night. His work in this series speaks for itself.”

Despite the early playoff exit, Svoboda says he considers this season a success.

“We made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history,” he said. “We’re still in the middle of the process of the Twin City Vikings becoming one of the elite teams. We have a young team here. So getting a taste of the playoffs was a tremendous experience for us. We’re going to be better next year.”

The Manhattan Supermen will meet the Victoria Vipers in the next round with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final at stake.

“I think we’ll be a tough opponent for the Vipers,” said Furino. “We play the right way, we play to win. And everybody is on that same page, and almost afraid to get off it. We’re a very unique team. We obviously don’t have as many superstars as the Vipers, but a lot of these guys have grown up together, they’re having fun together, and now they’re winning together.”

 

Vipers outlast Warriors to advance to Second Round

For all their money and big-team profile and the swagger that is the North Bay Warriors, this ending was all too familiar: netminder Jimmy Howard standing in disbelief outside his crease, his teammates hunched over, some on one knee, while opponents celebrated a few feet away.

“Nobody envisioned this,” a sullen GM Mike Brunetta said. “We came here on Day 1 with a plan and a lot of hard work ahead of us. We wanted to take the steps one at a time this year. Unfortunately, this first step we weren’t good enough.”

It’s the third straight year the North Bay Warriors made the playoffs and failed to reach the Finals.

“If you give the Vipers too much room, they will burn you and score goals,” Warriors forward Patrick Kane said. “We didn’t score enough. Their goaltenders were stellar and their defenders played tight defense. They outscored us to win.”

There was stunned silence and disbelief in the North Bay dressing room shortly after the final buzzer of the series. Defenseman Dan Boyle tried to explain how he lost the puck at his own blueline, setting up one of Victoria’s late goals. Like they always do, win or lose, Rick Nash and Ryan Getzlaf answered every question asked of them. Patrick Kane sat with his head in his hands, then quietly left.

“I built a team full of talent,” North Bay GM Mike Brunetta said. “I’m not worried about this loss at all. I really like what we have here. I don’t think it’ll be the same next year, there’s always changes, but we just need to find the right combination for chemistry.”

The Victoria Vipers deserved to win this series. They showed more speed and more aggression. Their forecheck created turnovers. Forwards Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom stepped up their game, scoring a combined 18 points in the series. Vipers goaltender Devan Dubnyk stymied North Bay with a .945 SV% and a 1.50 GAA.

Victoria also exposed North Bay’s soft side. When the Vipers shoved, there was little pushback from the Warriors. No one really challenged Ovechkin after his questionable hit on Rick Nash. Instead, the pesky Mike Richards wanted to fight Jordan Eberle who rarely engages in physical actitivity.

“We have a lot of leaders on our team,” Vipers forward Jeff Skinner said. “We never give up and that’s the type of style we have played all season. We never give up and we keep working hard. I think it’s a tribute to everyone in here and our coaching staff and the way they have coached us all season. It is definitely a big, big deal, and we’re excited to be going to the next round.”

 

Red Devils complete 11-0 shutout win over Firestorm

The fourth-seeded Toronto Red Devils knocked out the defending champs in a tight-checking, grind-it-out affair that typified the difference between the two teams.

“I don’t know what to say right now,” Hamilton Firestorm forward Claude Giroux said. “We worked so hard. Coach [Gates Imbeau] keeps saying to keep working, we’ll get another one, more will go in eventually. And not enough of them did. We didn’t get the bounces that we needed to win this series. Lack of opportunities. It’s as simple as that.”

For the Red Devils, they reaped the rewards Sunday night of an entire season committed to a demanding, singular philosophy in doing things the right way.

In dispatching the defending champions in the first round, the Red Devils reaffirmed their devotion to the blue-collar identity on which they branded their game and have consistently yielded success.

Now they are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history, slated to face the Lakehead IceHoles in what promises to be an epic rivalry showdown.

“Coach Carbone has everybody on this team dialed in like never before, especially emotionally,” said Red Devils goaltender Pekka Rinne. “Coaches around the AFHL constantly talk about the ‘buy-in’ factor. All of the players on this team have emptied their pockets buying in here under Carbone.”

Rinne, Bernier and Pavelec were sensational again this week, posting a combined .931 SV% with 131 saves against Hamilton.

“You need great goaltending to win in the playoffs,” Hamilton GM Gates Imbeau said.

 

Great? Carbone has elevated Rinne to another category.

“He’s the same as [Dominik] Hasek, same as [Ed] Belfour, never quits on a puck,” the Red Devils coach said. “It’s a very unique skill. It’s not common. He never stops looking for a puck.”

Rinne isn’t a spotlight seeker. Talking about himself is like we’re asking him to pull out his own teeth. He’d rather other teammates got the praise. He just wants to win.

“It’s the time of the year when you have to enjoy hockey,” the Vezina Trophy nominee said. “It’s the time of the year when you don’t know if you are going to have another matchup, so you just try to enjoy every day and try to enjoy the game as much as you can.”

There were a lot of smiles around that dressing room Sunday night. And the buzz in the rink was unreal. The Red Devils are in the second round for the first time in their playoff history.

Red Devils forward Taylor Hall sat back in his stall Sunday and smiled: “I’m pretty excited right now but it’s one of those things where you wake up tomorrow and realize you’re just one win away from where we want to go.”

The Red Devils will turn their focus to the Lakehead IceHoles, a team they have openly admitted they despise, for what should be a slugfest.

“We are salivating at the thought of this rivalry series,” Taylor Hall said. “We faced them twice this year so we know what to expect. It’s going to be a real good series.”

/0 Comments/by

Second Round Series Recaps

April 15th, 2013

Supermen edge out Vipers 7-3 to advance to Finals

Vipers coach Chris Hartley has seen his team grow, but by no means is he happy with the way their season ended.

Last night, his Vipers lost to the Supermen 7-4 in the second round of the playoffs, ending the Vipers’ season and sending the Supermen to the Stanley Cup finals against the IceHoles.

 

“I thought we gave them too many free ones,” Hartley told the media shortly after the loss. “Some [Viper] players were playing very tentative and that’s not the way our team plays. Our offense couldn’t get it done when it was needed, and our defense alongside Carey Price and Devan Dubnyk was subpar.”

Despite having the talent capable of doing so, for the second straight year, the Victoria Vipers fell one win short of a trip to the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals.

“We’re still a young club and we still have a quite a bit to learn as far as desperation,” Hartley said. “The second round, that isn’t good enough. We still have to find a way to win that round and get there. I don’t want this organization to sit still. We have to change our mind-set to continue trying to be the best and learn there’s a lot more hockey to play.”

At the final buzzer of what was an incredibly tight matchup from beginning to end, the five Viper players on the ice knelt around their net, frozen in dejection. The Manhattan Supermen pulled off another upset to knock out the Vipers and advance to the Finals for the first time in their franchise history.

“We’re going to the big dance,” Manhattan coach Tony Furino told a reporter after the Supermen knocked out the Vipers last night. “I’m proud of the players. It’s a hell of an accomplishment for them.”

The light went off in Furino’s head after a win against the Twin City Vikings in the second to last matchup of the regular season. It was then that he realized his team was championship-worthy.

“Throughout the season we had been spinning our wheels, not playing well, and we challenged the team before that matchup with the Vikings to really get on a roll to make the playoffs,” Furino said during a media conference call on Monday morning.

The Supermen responded by winning their final two matchups to close the regular season and their first two matchups in the playoffs.

“When we beat the Vikings in the first round, that was the first signal to me that the team was fully engaged and wanted to do something special,” Furino said. “Having said that, this last series with Victoria was everything we can handle, plus some. I don’t think anyone that watched us would have predicted us to be here.”

“Here” is the Stanley Cup Finals.

Manhattan goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who has a 1.25 GAA over his last eight starts, admitted the Supermen surprised themselves to a certain extent.

“We considered the Vipers to be one of the two best teams in the league and we played some great hockey against them,” Nabokov said. “We were fortunate to go through (the Vipers). It took guts and character. We’re better and more confident as a team because of that win.”

Furino knew they were a better team at the end of the regular season because of how they responded to his challenge.

“You go from not making the playoffs to all of a sudden you’re in the Stanley Cup Finals,” Furino said. “Things have come together at the right time for us. It’s one of those things where we are getting contributions from everyone. We’ve had different heroes on different nights, and that goes a long way. It has a snowball effect, and you don’t have to rely on the same guys each and every night.”

Manhattan has earned this trip to the Cup Finals after a hard fought series against a Vipers team that will certainly be back next year.

 

 

IceHoles heading to Finals after beating Red Devils 6-4 

Midway through Jordan Carbone’s first year in the AFHL, he issued an order that nobody was to step on the Toronto Red Devils logo at its training site or at the home ice arena. The directive was supposed to instill a sense of pride and purpose in a franchise that became sort of a laughing stock when Carbone decided to rebuild the team just weeks after the AFHL’s inaugural draft.

His order seemed crazy, considering the large logo was embroidered into the rugs in tiny dressing rooms where the media massed after games. But nobody is giggling at the Red Devils these days, even after their second round ouster on Sunday night by the IceHoles.

The Red Devils made a hard, determined run this year. They came up short, though, and only a fool would bet on the team’s near or distant future.

“Ultimately I think our players should look back and feel good about a lot of the things that they accomplished this year,” Carbone said. “We have a lot of young players that this experience has been unbelievable for. Players like Steven Stamkos, Taylor Hall, Alex Pietrangelo, that this will help them grow, continue to strengthen our organization. I think we all recognize what Pekka Rinne has done for this organization over the years, giving us real stability at that position. The disappointment of losing, especially to our biggest rival, will go away and the improvements that will be made on this team for next year will start very soon.”

 

IceHoles fans chanted “We don’t like you!” in the waning moments of the intense second round series with the Red Devils, a poke at Carbone’s comments from about a year ago that he didn’t like GM Jason Briggs. But the testy series concluded with a peaceful handshake line and the IceHoles having a celebration in the Lakehead locker room.

The Lakehead IceHoles are heading to the AFHL Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in their franchise history.

“It’s really exciting,” said Briggs after the IceHoles knocked their biggest rival out of the playoffs. “I’m really happy for our fans and the city of Lakehead. I think we have a pretty rabid fan base. I think you’ll see more of that now.”

Despite getting some poor performances from their goaltenders last week, Lakehead’s offense remained hot and produced a total of 46 points in the series with Toronto.

“Of course I’m happy to help this team get to the Finals,” said IceHoles forward Teddy Purcell who led the offense with five points vs. Toronto. “There are a few guys in here that have been there and had the opportunity, but a lot of guys haven’t. This is what you play for.”

Added Purcell: “I’m so excited, but at the same time we’re going to celebrate tonight and enjoy it. Tomorrow, we’re right back at it. We’re in the Stanley Cup [Final]. That’s what we’ve dreamt of our whole lives and what we’ve worked for [since the] summer.”

/0 Comments/by

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE: Lakehead defeats Toronto

Final minute/goal in Lakehead

 

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE: Manhattan defeats Victoria

Manhattan locker room celebration

/0 Comments/by

2013 AFHL Stanley Cup Finals Preview

Lakehead IceHoles vs. Manhattan Supermen

TV: VERSUS (HD), NBC (HD), CBC (HD)

 

Game 1 Exclusive Video: Inside Lakehead’s home ice arena during pre-game introduction

 

We turn to the fans all around the globe…

Who will win the 2013 AFHL Stanley Cup? Comments below…

/0 Comments/by

TheAFHL.com at the Stanley Cup Finals for the Media Frenzy

April 15th, 2013

Prior to the start of Game 1 tonight, the media will be flooding the main concourse in Lakehead’s home ice arena throughout the afternoon to talk to members of the Lakehead IceHoles and Manhattan Supermen. If you’re a fan and have ever walked around an arena during intermission, it will be just like that during the day, only replace fans with media, concession vendors with pro athletes, and beer and food with questions and answers.

The IceHoles are in the middle of their practice right now and will have their media blitz at 3 p.m.

Basically, the way it works is, every member of each team will sit at a designated area for about 20-30 minutes and field questions from every reporter that has descended upon the Stanley Cup Finals. It’s always fun to see lesser-known guys get the swarm of media when they’re not used to it. It’s like being a nerd in high school, going to prom by yourself, then having every girl in the place come up to you to talk to you.

The Supermen will meet with the media at 4 p.m. after their 3 p.m. practice here.

That’s the scene right now. We will keep this updated with interesting tidbits and whatnot, so check back throughout the day.

*

IceHoles Media Frenzy Underway

The first wave of IceHoles have taken to the concourse here at the arena. Coach/GM Jason Briggs has by far the biggest swell of reporters around him. Some of the IceHoles in the first group are Jordan Staal, P.A. Parenteau, and Jonathan Quick. We’ve yet to hear anyone say anything controversial or downright hilarious, but everyone is dressed very nice in the reporters pool.

 

Jonathan Quick just sat down, so we’re going to head over there to see if he says anything good.

Jordan Staal states what he thinks the IceHoles need to do to beat the Supermen: “Our forecheck is probably the key to our game. To follow that up is getting through the neutral zone successfully against them is probably a key. If we can get through there, we can get on the forecheck. Again, our forecheck has probably been the reason we’ve been so successful. We need to play like we have been the first two rounds. Top to bottom, we’ve had contributions from everyone.”

Parenteau says the IceHoles have to screen the net to beat Nabokov.

Keith Yandle: “It’s great to be in the Finals. It took a lot of hard work. There is still a lot of work left to do.”

Max Pacioretty is talking about coach Briggs is very calm when he talks to the team. “He’s very calm when he talks to us. Rarely screams.”

The Stanley Cup Final is a pressure-packed week, with both teams scratching and clawing for every inch of space in order to achieve their ultimate goal. The same can be said for the media. During the end of Henrik Sedin’s media session, a newspaper scribe and television guy began shoving each other in order to get their recorder and microphone, respectively, and it resulted in Sedin having a microphone hit him in the face. Being the focused athlete that he is, Sedin powered through the spat and shot to the face to answer a question about Ben Bishop.

The Supermen are coming out next. Stay tuned.

*

Supermen Media Blitz

Right now, Henrik Zetterberg is being crushed with questions. Same can be said for Loui Eriksson, Mark Streit and Tony Furino, but sometimes role players don’t get the same love… Alex Ponikarovsky and Barret Jackman were sitting alone at a table with Vern Fiddler trying to Instagram Cory Schneider during his scrum.

 

Martin Brodeur when asked if he thought the Supermen would be here at the beginning of the season:

“I mean, you always think that you’ve got a good enough team. But it was hard for us just because our top prospects were stuck on the farm team. But once those guys started coming up, it really gave our team a lot of depth. I think the way we played against Twin City near the end of the season really, really made everyone believe that we had a chance.”

Some players are saying Manhattan forward Alex Chiasson is the Conn Smythe right now, although Manhattan goalie Evgeni Nabokov has a more realistic shot.

The question players have gotten the most on their run to the Cup Finals is the feeling of getting there, which, you won’t believe it, is really great.

That’s all for now.

/0 Comments/by

LIVE Play-By-Play Coverage of the 2011 AFHL Awards Show

July 31st, 2011

At last, we arrive at the coda of the 2010-11 AFHL season, the AFHL Awards. The Amazing Fantasy Hockey League will spend the next few hours cringing at Mike Meyers’ jokes, staring at just what Steven Stamkos is wearing (another shiny suit from the Puff Daddy collection?), and wondering how they could have an awards ceremony without giving some hardware to Crosby or Ovechkin. Okay, maybe that’s just Commissioner Furino — you’ll see him drowning his sorrows in fruity drinks with little umbrellas in them.

And, for the second straight year, I, Harry Beaver, will be live-blogging it all. So grab your drink and pull up a seat. It’s going to be a fun night.

Pre-Show: Red Carpet Arrivals

6:02 PM: Broadcasting is now underway and right now the camera zooms in on the red carpet. Let’s get on with it!

6:03 PM: First limo has arrived and Goldsboro Rebels’ GM Rich Mauch steps out and onto the red carpet.

6:04 PM: Mauch is wearing a white tuxedo with a tie that has a bunch of little Rebel logos on it.

6:07 PM: Giants GM Mike Phelan has arrived. Lots of ladies whistling from behind the baracades. Sorry ladies – he’s not for sale.

6:10 PM: Toronto GM Jordan Carbone and Victoria GM Chris Hartley have arrived at the same time.

6:11 PM: Hartley runs up to Carbone and begins pitching a trade offer to him that involves a first round pick. TV is not loud enough to hear what players are involved.

6:17 PM: Oshawa City GM Earl McNeill has arrived. He’s a true gentleman. Ha. He’s wearing the same suit as last year. It’s great how he doesn’t care. Like Vince Vaughn in Dodgeball.

6:20 PM: Victoria GM Hartley is in an interview talking about some of the big names he has acquired via trades this summer. New Vipers include Carey Price, Nicklas Backstrom, and Rick Nash.

6:25 PM: New Mustangs’ GM Matt Plachta has arrived. He’s looking very much the cool cat in a classic black suit, white shirt and black tie.

6:28 PM: Lots of people already on the red carpet but no major star players yet… just the GMs and heaps of media (approximately 500!) plus industry people and of course, security.

6:32 PM: Red Wings’ GM Barry Hickey has arrived. He’s greeted by Leafs GM McNeill. Victoria GM Hartley sees Hickey and approaches him for trade talks but Hickey ducks behind a group of about 10 people. Hartley is persistent!

6:35 PM: Montreal GM Keith Cancilla has just arrived with his wife and daughter.

6:37 PM: Someone has arrived wearing a bike helmet! Oh no… wait, that’s just a bad Beatles haircut.

6:40 PM: North Bay GM Mike Brunetta has arrived with his buddy Ryan Armstrong GM of the Ottawa Knights. Both are wearing black tuxedos and ties with their respective team colors.

6:42 PM: Many are speculating it has come down to a two-horse race tonight for the Best GM gong – Warriors GM Brunetta up against former Washington GM Irwin. Both are incredible GMs and deserving winners whatever the outcome.

6:43 PM: Chiefs GM Mike Nellany has arrived. A lot of people are very happy to see him. Some are afraid to see him. He’s the leading candidate to win the Best Trash-Talker award tonight. Don’t piss him off!

6:48 PM: Killers GM Steven Stryska has arrived.

6:49 PM: Stryska is wearing all navy and a new darker ‘do, which makes him look like a Johnny Depp impersonator. His date is his mom since his fiance is at home nursing a hangover from last night.

6:50 PM: New Washington GM Rick Charron has just arrived. That man has very large shoes to fill.

6:51 PM: Charron greets Comox Valley GM Pat McKenna as he arrives.

6:52 PM: McKenna is a nominee for the Jack Adams trophy for best GM. Probably won’t win because of the other nominees but certainly well deserving. He did a tremendous job getting into the playoffs with a team that was pegged as the worst in the league.

6:55 PM: Other new GMs Phil Svoboda and Kurt Ritchie have arrived.

7:04 PM: Ritchie and Svoboda begin talking with some reporters and both say they are very excited to be at the AFHL Awards Show.

7:06 PM: Montreal GM Keith Cancilla is on the side of the red carpet talking to one of the chefs about the amazing food being served today… they have smoked salmon in the shape of hockey players.

7:11 PM: Star players are now starting to arrive including Taylor Hall of the Red Devils and Sidney Crosby of the Phantoms.

 

7:14 PM: In an interview with a news reporters, Hall says the Red Devils may surprise a lot of people next season.

7:15 PM: Speaking of Phantoms, GM Daryn Beckman just arrived with his girlfriend. Beckman has received one of the loudest welcomes from the crowd so far.

7:19 PM: Beckman greets Heroes’ GM Kyle Kebert as he arrives. Kebert looks very classic in his tux, and his wife also appears very elegant.

7:22 PM: Kebert just said in an interview that it took him a while to process the loss to Washington in the Cup Finals a few months ago. “I went through some stuff”. Can he bring his team back to the big show for a third straight year? “I believe I can”.

7:25 PM: More players arrive including Rebels’ forward Jeff Skinner who is up for the Calder trophy. I’m guessing that once the awards show is over, that’s the end of calling Jeff Skinner “Bieber”, right? It’s like Sid the Kid. Those nicknames won’t be cute when they’re 36.

7:30 PM: New GM Jason Briggs has just arrived looking very snazzy in a pinstripe suit. Briggs shakes hands with GM Cancilla and several others.

7:32 PM: Buffalo GM Beckman is angry that it’s hot. If you’ve all seen Beckman when a trade is made that he doesn’t like, you know how angry he can get.

7:41 PM: The media is now going wild trying to take shots of the Washington Power players who have just arrived with the AFHL Stanley Cup.

7:45 PM: News flash – Most of the stars interviewed on the red carpet are rooting for their own teammates or GMs to win tonight. Shocking, I know. At least they’re honest.

7:49 PM: Most of the GMs in the AFHL are too nice. This league needs more guys like Daryn Beckman, sometimes a loose cannon who can fly off the handle at any time. We’ve got 10 minutes left here. I’m demanding a GM fly off the handle and start taking shots at other GMs.

7:53 PM: The red carpet is starting to wind up now… most of the major stars and nominees have arrived and are being asked to take their seats.

7:56 PM: AFHL Commissioner and Manhattan GM Tony Furino has arrived, very late, with his new girlfriend. She’s russian and her body is smoking. Some players and GMs still lingering on the red carpet are getting in trouble from the organizers for not going inside, so funny!

7:57 PM: 2010 Vezina winner Ryan Miller of the Pittsburgh Heroes is the last interview of the red carpet. He recalls as a nominee that when your category comes up the blood rushes to your head and all you can hear is gibberish.

The Main Event – 2011 AFHL Awards Show

8:01 PM: The awards show starts with a funny introduction that has the host, Mike Meyers, learning how to trash-talk from each of the nominees for this year’s Best Trash-Talker award.

8:03 PM: The funniest part of the bit is when Chiefs’ GM Mike Nellany teaches Meyers how to trash-talk. After Meyers fails to impress, Nellany shows him how it’s done by causing a scene in an office sketch…

(Two employees are working in an office. A phone rings and one of the employees picks it up.)

Employee #1: Accounts receivable. Can you hold?

(Chiefs GM Mike Nellany opens the door and enters, wearing a tight shirt that reads “DEER PARK CHIEFS.” The audience cheers in recognition of the recurring character.)

Nellany: Hey!

Employee #1: Can I help you?

Nellany: Yeah, I’m lookin’ for my lady.

Employee #1: And who would that be?

Nellany: Her name’s Kathy, she’s a total fox; and you turkeys are making her work overtime, which is bull crap. And I’m here to talk some trash and possibly even kick somebody’s ass!

(Kathy enters the office.)

Kathy: Mike, why aren’t you at work?

Nellany: I took a sick day ’cause I’m sick of all the bull crap they put you through here!

(Nellany and Kathy begin to make out.)

Nellany: What are you lookin’ at? You makin’ eyes at my lady?

Employee #1: No.

Nellany: Well, that’s good. ‘Cause if I catch you makin’ a move on my lady, I’m gonna make a move on you. It goes something like this.

(Nellany demonstrates his fighting moves.)

Kathy: Mike, you are so romantic.

Nellany: Well, let me show you something right out of a Hallmark card.

(Nellany begins making out with Kathy again but stops in reaction to her bad breath.)

Nellany: Somebody had liverwurst for lunch.

Kathy: I should get back to work.

Nellany: You get back to work, baby. I’m just gonna make stay here and make sure no one gives you any bull crap.

(Another employee enters the office.)

Employee #2: Who are you?

Nellany: I guess you don’t watch the Weather Channel. I’m Hurricane Mike.

(Nellany imitates storm noises.)

Kathy: Hurricane Mike, he’s my boyfriend.

Employee #2: Oh, I’m sorry. Thanks for the invoice.

(The employee taps Kathy on the shoulder to thank her for the invoice, and he begins to leave.)

Nellany: Whoa, hey man! You think I’m just gonna let you get away with coppin’ a feel off my girlfriend like that?

Employee #2: I just tapped her on the shoulder.

Nellany: Oh, really? You know what? That’s all I’m doin’ to you, man.

(Nellany pushes the employee.)

Nellany: You got that, turkey? You wanna dance?

Employee #2: Hey, look, I don’t want a fight!

Nellany: Well, you know what? You should have thought of that sooner, turkey, ’cause you’re goin’ down!

(Nellany begins hitting the employee lightly and ends up on the floor. This doesn’t seem to impact the employee at all.)

Employee #2: Hey, you okay, man?

(Nellany gets up.)

Nellany: A better question is are you? ‘Cause I could go again.

Employee #2: No, no. I think I learned my lesson. Thanks.

(The employee leaves the room.)

Nellany: You’re welcome, turkey! You okay, baby?

Kathy: Yeah. God, you make me feel like a treasure, I swear.

Nellany: Well, that’s what you are. [imitating a pirates voice] Aargh! I’ve come to collect me gold!

(Nellany and Kathy begin to make out on a desk as the first employee watches in disgust.)

Nellany: What are you lookin’ at?

Employee #1: I just find it amusing when people dry hump each other in an office environment.

Nellany: Ho, ho, ho, ho. Somebody’s lookin’ for trouble. Well, let’s see if I can find some.

(Nellany points to his right arm muscle.)

Nellany: Right there! There’s some!

(Nellany points to his left arm muscle.)

Nellany: Oh, there’s some more!

Employee #1: I’ve seen what kind of fighter you are. I don’t think you wanna go through with this.

Nellany: Oh, then let’s dance, turkey! Come on, let’s go!

Kathy: Go easy on him, Mike. He’s got babies at home.

Employee #1: I’ll give you the first shot. I need the massage.

Nellany: Oh, okay, man! You’re goin’ down, turkey! Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble!

(Nellany begins hitting the employee lightly and ends up on the floor again. This doesn’t impact the employee at all. A woman named Tina enters the office with another employee.)

Tina: What’s going on here?

(Nellany gets up.)

Nellany: Oh, I’m just kickin’ ass and takin’ names, darlin’. What’s your name?

Tina: Well, I’m Tina, and I’m in charge here.

Nellany: Oh, let me tell you somebody who you’re not in charge of: that hot fox right there with the crispy bangs. And she’s tired of all your overtime bull crap, Tina!

Tina: Look, I just gave her the extra hours ’cause, well, she requested ’em.

Nellany: You are a lyin’ turkey lady.

Kathy: She’s not lyin’, Mike. I did request the extra hours ’cause I was tryin’ to pay off my new tattoo.

(Kathy lifts up her shirt to reveal a tattoo on her stomach that read “PROPERTY OF MIKE.”)

Nellany: Oh, baby!

(Nellany and Kathy begin making out. Several more employees enter the room.)

Tina: Oh, no. no, this is… Hey! Hey! Kathy, you’re fired. And you, get out of here, turkey!

(Nellany shoves Tina.)

Nellany: Don’t call me turkey, turkey!

(Tina shoves Nellany onto the floor.)

Tina: Oh, yeah, turkey!

(Nellany gets up.)

Nellany: You’re goin’ down, lady. You’re goin’ down.

(Nellany begins lightly hitting Tina and ends up on the ground, once again. The employees begin chanting for a fight. Kathy climbs on top of a desk to speak.)

Kathy: Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Doon’t get him mad! What are you stupid? You get him any madder, and you are all gonna end up in the hospital!

(Nellany gets up.)

Nellany: Don’t worry, baby. I’m gonna save the fire for when I really need it in the AFHL. Bunch of turkeys!

Kathy: I love you, Mike. I just love you.

Nellany: I don’t blame you. Come on, baby. Let’s go.

(Nellany tries to pick Kathy up but he is to weak to do it. So, they make out with each other as they leave the office. The audience cheers as the sketch comes to an end.)

8:15 PM: After the sketch, Mike Meyers appears on the stage and welcomes everyone to the annual celebration of excellence. He mentions that there’s almost 6,000 people in attendance and says there’s lots of awards to be given out. He then throws it to a video montage of all the highlights in the AFHL from last season that concludes with the Washington Power winning the Stanley Cup.

8:20 PM: Meyers introduces the recently retired defenseman Brian Rafalski to present the first award of the night.

– – – – – – – –

Norris Trophy ~ For the top defenseman

The nominees are…

Lubomir Visnovsky (Buffalo Phantoms)

Nicklas Lidstrom (St. John’s Red Wings)

Kris Letang (Washington Power)

Dustin Byfuglien (Comox Valley Hitmen)

 

And the winner is… Nicklas Lidstrom (St. John’s Red Wings).

8:28 PM: Lidstrom scored 16 goals and 46 assists for a total of 62 points in 82 games played last year. 39 of those points came on the powerplay.

– – – – – – –

8:29 PM: Meyers introduces a surprise guest to present the next award. Former WWE wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson appears on stage.

 

8:30 PM: The audience laughs as The Rock trash talks Mike Meyers. Rock calls Meyers a “candy ass” and tells him to know his role and shut his mouth.

– – – – – – –

Trash-Talker Award ~ For the best trash-talker

The nominees are…

Mike Nellany (Deer Park Chiefs)

Steven Stryska (Fort Drum Killers)

Daryn Beckman (Buffalo Phantoms)

Tony Furino (Manhattan Supermen)

Andrew Fiorentino (Los Banos Wolves)

 

And the winner is… Mike Nellany (Deer Park Chiefs).

8:39 PM: This is the second time Nellany has won the Trash-Talker Award. During this past year, he stole the headlines in the AFHL by engaging in some of the most memorable trash talking showdowns in AFHL history. Most legendary was his showdowns with Killers GM Steven Stryska.

8:41 PM: Nellany winning the Trash-Talker Award is a no brainer. He goes above and beyond to entertain and humor us with his trash-talking skills. Well deserved, for sure.

– – – – – – –

8:43 PM: Future Hall-of-Famer and recently retired Peter Forsberg is introduced to present the next award.

8:44 PM: Forsberg talks about his rookie year and how it can be a difficult learning process for many rookie players.

– – – – – – –

Calder Trophy ~ For best rookie

The nominees are…

Michael Grabner (Toronto Red Devils)

Jeff Skinner (Goldsboro Rebels)

Corey Crawford (Oshawa City Leafs)

James Reimer (Comox Valley Hitmen)

Logan Couture (Ottawa Knights)

 

And the winner is… Jeff Skinner (Goldsboro Rebels).

8:48 PM: Skinner scored 31 goals and 33 assists for 63 points in his 2010-11 rookie campaign.

8:49 PM: Skinner immediately congratulates the other nominees and thanks his friends, family, and Goldsboro GM Rich Mauch for selecting him in last year’s entry draft. He adds that he looks forward to helping the Rebels get into the postseason next year.

– – – – – – –

8:55 PM: Hall-of-Famer Mario Lemieux appears on stage to present the Lady Byng Award.

 

Lady Byng Award ~ For best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct

The nominees are…

Mike Phelan (Boston Giants)

Earl McNeill (Oshawa City Leafs)

Barry Hickey (St. John’s Red Wings)

Keith Cancilla (Montreal Xtreme)

 

And the winner is… Barry Hickey (St. John’s Red Wings).

8:59 PM: Hickey says “It’s not a woman’s trophy”. After acknowledging his fellow nominees, he thanks the AFHL Commissioner and his family. Classy gent all the way.

– – – – – – –

9:10 PM: After Meyers tells a few jokes about how some of the players are dressed, hall-of-fame goaltender Mike Richter is introduced to present the Vezina. This one is going to be close. If I was a betting man then I would say Rinne here.

 

Vezina Trophy ~ For best goalie in regular season

The nominees are…

Roberto Luongo (Washington Power)

Pekka Rinne (North Bay Warriors)

Jonathan Quick (Comox Valley Hitmen)

Henrik Lundqvist (Deer Park Chiefs)

 

And the winner is… Pekka Rinne (North Bay Warriors).

9:16 PM: Rinne posted 33 wins, 6 shutouts, 2.22 GAA, and a .930 SV% for the North Bay Warriors in the 2010-11 regular season.

9:17 PM: He gets in a short joke and congratulates the Power on their Stanley Cup win. He then thanks his family and the Warriors organization.

– – – – – – –

9:25 PM:Wayne Gretzky appears on stage to present the trophy for MVP.

Hart Trophy ~ For the player judged most valuable to his team in the regular season

The nominees are…

Daniel Sedin (Pittsburgh Heroes)

Pekka Rinne (North Bay Warriors)

Roberto Luongo (Washington Power)

Jonathan Quick (Comox Valley Hitmen)

Alex Ovechkin (North Bay Warriors)

 

And the winner is… Pekka Rinne (North Bay Warriors).

9:31 PM: This is Rinne’s second award of the night. As mentioned before, he posted 33 wins, 6 shutouts,a 2.22 GAA, and .930 SV% for the Warriors in the regular season.

9:33 PM: He immediately pumps Luongo and Sedin’s tires before thanking the Warriors and his family once again. He then goes on to say he’s looking forward to playing for the Mustangs in this coming season. Trades are a part of the business.

– – – – – – –

9:46 PM: We’re almost to the finish line here. Last award is for GM of the Year.

9:47 PM: The AFHL Commissioner Tony Furino appears on the stage and introduces the five new AFHL GMs to present the final award of the night. Vikings GM Phil Svoboda, Stars GM Kurt Ritchie, Thunderwolves GM Jason Briggs, and Power GM Rick Charron.

9:49 PM: All five new GMs walk out together and take turns speaking into the mic.

Svoboda: As you all know, having the ability to inspire and motivate is a gift, as is the ability to make trades, win games, brew rivalries, post comments on a message board, and write team news articles.

Ritchie: This year’s nominees for GM of the Year have these gifts among an elite group of men in the AFHL.

Briggs: That’s right. Each of these GMs continue to re-energize the league and contribute to league participation with their own unique perspective…

Charron: … And commit themselves to THE WORLD’S MOST AMAZING FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE.

(Audience cheers.)

Charron: YES! Here are the nominees…

Jack Adams Trophy ~ For best coach/GM of the Year

The nominees are…

Barry Hickey (St. John’s Red Wings)

Pat McKenna (Comox Valley Hitmen)

Ray Irwin (Washington Power)

Mike Brunetta (North Bay Warriors)

Chris Hartley (Victoria Vipers)

 

And the winner is… oh, we have a tie here…

The co-winners for best coach/GM of the Year are… Ray Irwin (Washington Power) and Mike Brunetta (North Bay Warriors).

9:52 PM: All nominees are well-deserving of this award. I think what it came down to was winning. Both Irwin and Brunetta did a fantastic job in building their franchises and taking their teams from last place to first place in a period of only 12 months.

9:53 PM: Brunetta and Irwin meet each other at the podium on the stage, shake hands, and congratulate each other. Both give short speeches basically saying it was a year they will never forget, obviously, and that it’s been a lot of fun. They acknowledge the AFHL commissioner and their friends and family and thank them for their support.

– – – – – – –

9:55 PM: The AFHL Commissioner Tony Furino joins them at the podium, congratulates and thanks them for their participation in the league. Both Brunetta and Irwin walk off to the backstage area.

Furino: I think all of you would agree it’s been a great couple of years here in the AFHL, and when you look back at this past season, what a year it was with the Washington Power winning the Stanley Cup in the end. There’s 6,000 of us here in the hotel, each one of us would love to shake his hand, what can you do but finish a Cinderella story with a great ovation here, let’s bring him back out here, the newest recipient of the Jack Adams trophy and Stanley Cup… Mr. Ray Irwin!

(Ray walks back out onto the stage carrying the AFHL Stanley Cup and gets a standing ovation.)

Furino: What a year for the Washington Power and Ray Irwin. Ray, how have you been since you retired shortly after winning the Cup just a few months ago?

Irwin: I’ve been good. Spending lots of time with the family. Been busy with my new business building motorcycles. Everything’s good.

Furino: Can you tell us about your favorite highlight from last year?

Ray: Umm, probably after we won that final game. I think just winning and hoisting that 32 pound Cup. It was great… it was really special.

Furino: Now, many words come to mind when you think of Ray Irwin, but I think the two words that stand out the most are perserverance and determination. You had some setbacks throughout the year with injuries and things that happened not just on the ice but off the ice as well. If you were to speak to young fantasy hockey GMs, new GMs in the AFHL, including your successor, Rich Charron the new GM of the Washington Power, what advice would you give them?

Ray: Well, I think you gotta have fun, you gotta have passion for the game and umm, one obvious thing is, never quit until you win, then go out as a winner. Because I’ll tell ya, this is worth it. I’ve been playing fantasy hockey for over 10 years, it’s been awesome. I’d like to thank everyone who’s supported me over the years. It’s been a blast and it’s been well worth it. Thank you.

Furino: Ray Irwin everyone!

(Ray gets another standing ovation as he walks off to the backstage area.)

Furino: That’s our show tonight. I’d like to thank all GMs for doing a super job this year, to all the winners, to all the nominees, to all the fans of the AFHL, wherever you are in the world, whichever side of the clouds you’re on and watching, hope you enjoyed this 2011 odyssey of the most amazing fantasy hockey league on earth. Looking forward to a great 2011-12 season. Thanks and goodnight.

10:00 PM: Audience applauds as music plays and screen fades to black.

– – – – –

*** All trophies will be added to Team Pages within the next week or so.

OTHER NOTABLE TROPHIES:

Trader Award ~ For the GM who made the most trades

Winner… Chris Hartley (Victoria Vipers)

Maurice Richard Trophy ~ For the top goal scorer in the regular season

Winner… Corey Perry (Goldsboro Rebels)

President’s Trophy ~ For the team with the best record at the end of the regular season

Winner… North Bay Warriors

Art Ross Trophy ~ For the player who leads the League in scoring points at the end of the regular season

Winner… Daniel Sedin (Pittsburgh Heroes)

All-Star Game Winning Coaches/GMs

Winners… Power GM Ray Irwin and Wolves GM Andrew Fiorentino

Conn Smythe Trophy ~ Playoffs MVP

Winner… Roberto Luongo (Washington Power)

Stanley Cup ~ League Championship / Winner of Playoffs

Winner… Washington Power

/0 Comments/by

The ‘Ray Way’

Ray Irwin found formula for success in the AFHL

October 3rd, 2011

2010-11 was a fantastic season for the Washington Power whose Stanley Cup victory will rank as one of the greatest victories in AFHL history. In just a one year span, Washington went from the bottom of the league to the top, going from 17th place in the 09-10 season to Stanley Cup champions in the 10-11 season.

What the team accomplished last spring left many people shaking their heads in a combination of amazement and disbelief. Washington’s meteoric rise was led by their (now former) GM Ray Irwin and the key trades he made on his way to an AFHL Stanley Cup.  During last year’s regular season,  Irwin traded for superstar goaltender Roberto Luongo. Rumor has it that Irwin spent thanksgiving dinner with the Luongo family trying and eventually convincing Roberto to waive his no-trade clause and join the Power. Luckily he did because Roberto’s heroic efforts during the AFHL Playoffs would help the Power on their way to the title.

Irwin made his riskiest move just minutes before the AFHL Trade Deadline, by trading his last three blue-chip prospects for veteran winger Teemu Selanne. Next to Luongo, Selanne carried the Power’s offense during the playoffs, making a deadly combination with Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley as Washington’s first line of offense.

Trading for Luongo and Selanne were just two of the many trades Irwin made to completely transform the 2009 Washington Power to the 2010-11 Washington Power…

Washington Power pro team at the beginning on the 2009 season

OFFENSE:

Daniel Sedin (LW) – Vincent Lecavalier (C) – Patrick Kane (RW)

Nikita Filatov (LW) – Kyle Turris (C) – Drew Stafford (RW)

Andrei Kostitsyn (LW) – Cody Hodgson (C) – Eric Fehr (RW)

DEFENSE:

Eric Johnson (D) – Drew Doughty (D)

Jonathan Ericsson (D) – Kris Russell (D)

GOALTENDING:

Tomas Vokoun (G)

Ondrej Pavelec (G)

Cory Schneider (G)

BENCH:

Artem Anisimov (C),  Mattias Tedenby (LW), PK Subban (D), Logan Couture (C),

Lars Eller (C), Jamie McBain (D), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (D)

 

Washington Power pro team at the beginning of the 2010 regular season

OFFENSE:

Dany Heatley – Vencent Lecavalier – Claude Giroux

James Neal – Mike Richards – Alexei Kovalev

Steve Sullivan – Thomas Fleischmann – Nikolai Zherdev

DEFENSE:

Mike Green – Kris Letang

Erik Karlsson – Victor Hedman

GOALTENDING

Marty Turco

Tim Thomas

Antti Niemi

BENCH:

Steve Downie, Brandon Yip, Colin Wilson, Eric Fehr,

Logan Couture, Joffrey Lupul, Dennis Seidenberg

 

Washington Power 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champions

OFFENSE:

Dany Heatley – Joe Thornton – Teemu Selanne

Simon Gagne – Mike Richards – Dany Briere

Joffrey Lupul – Patrick Marleau – David Backes

DEFENSE:

Dan Boyle – Kris Letang

Ryan Suter – Dennis Seidenberg

GOALTENDING:

Roberto Luongo

Tim Thomas

Dwayne Roloson

BENCH:

Jason Arnott, Brent Burns, Scott Gomez, Mike Knuble,

Alex Kovalev, Andrew MacDonald, Andrew Raycroft

While much of Washington’s Cup victory was being attributed to talented athletes such as Luongo, Thornton, Thomas, and Selanne, players insist that the credit goes to the GM for making trades “The Ray Way”.

“The safe thing would have been to not touch a thing and let it go,” said Irwin at a retirement press conference a couple of months ago. “Sure I could have thought we had a decent shot by maintaining the status quo, but in my mind, we weren’t going to win the Stanley Cup without making the trades that I made. Trading guys like Claude Giroux, Mike Green, and the Sedin Twins was not something we wanted to do. But in the end, it worked out.”

/0 Comments/by

The Amazing Fantasy Hockey League (AFHL) is a lifetime keeper fantasy hockey league that consists of 20 franchised teams, of which 10 are located in Canada, and 10 are located in the United States. The AFHL is in no way shape or form affiliated with the NHL or the NHLPA and all teams logos and players names are their property.

The Amazing Fantasy Hockey League. Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved