February 7th, 2013
Evgeni Malkin, Miikka Kiprusoff, Mikael Granlund — there are some big names in play this year, which should make for a very interesting deadline day. TheAFHL.com and TSN will be following all of the trades today and providing some analysis of the deals as they happen. And we’ll hear lots from Pierre LeBrun, Barry Melrose, Scott Burnside and Scott McKenzie who is at TSN’s studios for Tradecentre.
So, feel free to stay on the page and refresh for updates, which begin below:
9:45 am 
Bob McKenzie: Hey everybody! Happy Trade Deadline Day!!
9:51 am 
Barry Melrose: I’m predicting 15 to 20 trades today. Lots of teams are still in on Malkin. Not sure if a deal will get done though.
10:05 am 
Pierre LeBrun: Keep an eye on the Montreal Xtreme today. They are hungry to make a deal. As I said before they even called Boston about Malkin.
10:11 am 
Scott Burnside: First trade of the day happened around 3 am between Toronto and Deer Park. Toronto got Mats Zuccarello and a 2013 third round pick. Deer Park got Keith Kinkaid and Jeff Frazee.
10:15 am Scott Burnside: Just talked to Manhattan GM Tony Furino. He has something in the works involving Filip Forsberg. He recently finished drinking his fourth Red Bull. Been up since 2:30 am lol
10:35 am Pierre LeBrun: All quiet so far as we get things up and rolling. EJ Hradek on his way to Warriors practice. Pierre McGuire will be texting us from Boston where he is on Evgeni Malkin watch. Mike Milbury is in Hamilton, where rumours are running wild. We’ve also got Jeremey Roenick on deck from Philadelphia.
10:55 am Barry Melrose: Reports from everyone so far: It is very, very quiet.
11:01 am Bob McKenzie: Hearing about a trade to be announced between Ottawa and Manhattan.
11:05 am Bob McKenzie: Manhattan just dealt Peter Holland and Filip Forsberg to Ottawa for Ryan Strome. Also exchanged 2013 second round picks.
11:09 am Scott Burnside: Wow. Furino must have a hard-on for Strome. Way to overpay!!
11:15 am Barry Melrose: The Philadelphia Crunch cancelled their practice today.
11:23 am Pierre LeBrun: Text message from Lakehead GM Jason Briggs: Malkin will probably stay put. I can’t wait for the NEW GM in Boston to trade him.
11:27 am Scott Burnside: Heard there is some friction between Lakehead GM Briggs and Boston GM Phelan. Source tells me they don’t like each other. Possibly a future rivalry there.
11:42 am Scott Burnside: Most likely Fort Drum Killers to be traded? Kiprusoff, Dupuis and Jokinen.
11:53 am Bob McKenzie: All quiet on the Phantoms so far, though Buffalo radio guys sure would like Kane to be traded back home.
12:15 pm Barry Melrose: Wolfpack GM Rick Charron says he hopes to seal the deal on a trade today for some help up on right wing.
12:32 pm Barry Melrose: A guy Wolfpack have been watching for awhile is Loui Eriksson. Nice fit. Next to impossible to get.
1:09 pm Scott Burnside: Text from Montreal GM Cancilla: I just traded a third round pick to Manhattan for Killers GM Steven Stryska’s mother lol
1:16 pm Bob McKenzie: I’m hearing that Boston is seeking three top line forwards for Evgeni Malkin.
1:24 pm Barry Melrose: Talking to a friend with Twin City. Could see some activity there today. Lots of buzz on Granlund and Tarasenko, good chance both could be on the move.
1:32 pm Bob McKenzie: Like last year, several teams asking Leafs GM McNeill about Parise. McNeill says he’s untouchable. “I need Parise for the playoffs this year.”
1:40 pm Pierre LeBrun: Source in Manhattan tells me GM Furino already has buyer’s remorse from his trade for Strome this morning. He thinks he might have given up too much.
1:49 pm Barry Melrose: So, it’s exceedingly slow right now, but that is par for the course. The first half of deadline day is typically a dead zone.
1:55 pm Scott Burnside: Malkin arrived at the rink in Boston at 10:20 this morning. “Just another morning,” he said, with a smile.
2:04 pm Scott Burnside: London GM Plachta says the Mustangs are not looking to make any moves before the deadline.
2:06 pm Barry Melrose: Patrik Elias may be staying put in Toronto.
2:07 pm Barry Melrose: Toronto GM Carbone tells me they are “out of the Malkin sweepstakes by the looks of it.”
2:10 pm Pierre LeBrun: TSN reporting the IceHoles and Red Devils are on the verge of a deal.
2:12 pm Pierre LeBrun: James Neal to the Red Devils.
2:13 pm Bob McKenzie: My source in Toronto says Max Pacioretty is part of that deal.
2:14 pm Pierre LeBrun: Just to repeat: James Neal to Toronto appears to be on the verge of being completed. No word what the IceHoles get back.
2:17 pm Bob McKenzie: There’s some speculation that this Toronto-Lakehead deal is a big one and some draft picks are going to Lakehead along with Pacioretty and Jiri Hudler (again, no confirmation). Just as an FYI, a bunch of sources I’ve talked to in the last little while say all the GMs in the league are trying to stockpile high picks for 2013, which is shaping up to be an exceptional draft year.
2:20 pm Scott Burnside: Ottawa continues to shop Dan Ellis. GM Armstrong getting lots of offers for Toews but he insists that Toews isn’t going anywhere.
2:23 pm Pierre LeBrun: Toronto GM Carbone has announced a trade with Lakehead. Toronto receives James Neal and David Perron. Lakehead receives Max Pacioretty, Jiri Hudler, two third round picks in 2013, and a second round pick in 2014. Wow.
2:41 pm Barry Melrose: Told an hour ago that Giants Evgeni Malkin trade talk was in a holding pattern, that signs continue to point toward Malkin staying put… for now.
3:02 pm Pierre LeBrun: Source says Manhattan GM Tony Furino was just seen crying while eating McDonald’s in his office. That’s a serious case of buyer’s remorse.
3:20 pm Scott Burnside: London no longer standing pat. GM Plachta says Lecavalier might be on his way out of town.
3:39 pm Barry Melrose: Lots of talk in Victoria, as we now have 8 hours to go until the deadline. Vipers GM Hartley is shopping around Grigorenko, Killorn, Paajarvi and Kruger.
3:41 pm Bob McKenzie: I’ve been told that Toronto has struck yet another deal. This one is with San Diego. Toronto acquires Bozak, Hanzal, Frk and John Moore for Loktionov, Jaskin, and three second round picks in 2013. That makes three trades for Toronto on Trade Deadline Day.
3:49 pm Pierre LeBrun: TSN reporting the Warriors are a front-runner in the Malkin sweepstakes.
3:58 pm Barry Melrose: Told San Diego and Pittsburgh are completing a trade, one is close/near done.
4:01 pm Barry Melrose: San Diego acquires Tyler Toffoli, Rhett Rhakshani, Brett Connolly, Mark Jankowski, Mark Barberio, 2014 third round pick, 2015 second round pick and third round pick. Pittsburgh acquires T.J. Oshie, Kyle Okposo, Roman Josi and Hamilton’s 2013 first round pick.
4:21 pm Bob McKenzie: Text from Pittsburgh GM Jason Henley: I’ve got some irons in the fire, feelers are out there and any other phrases that mean I still want to move some players.
4:52 pm Scott Burnside: San Diego GM Lucas Main on trade with Pittsburgh Heroes. “I think both teams have met a need to say the least.”
5:39 pm Bob McKenzie: Source telling me Boston GM Mike Phelan is strongly considering a trade that would send Evgeni Malkin to North Bay for Patrick Kane and Rick Nash.
5:53 pm Barry Melrose: Some Killers fans on the internet are talking about starting a riot if GM Stryska doesn’t trade Kiprusoff today.
6:38 pm Pierre LeBrun: Twin City GM Phil Svoboda on Vikings plans for the rest of the day: We’re still actively looking, this isn’t going to end until 11:59 pm [EST]. We’re trying to improve this hockey team, we want to go for the whole thing, so we’re looking at some really creatively type of things top help improve us.
7:10 pm Barry Melrose: Firestorm forward Patrick Sharp says trade deadline is nothing but stress, tension and awkward goodbyes.
7:30 pm Bob McKenzie: Boston GM Phelan won’t say how many teams have made offers for Malkin, only that he’s been having “substantial” discussions today. “The price is high. I don’t apologize for that. It has to be high. He’s the best player in the league.”
8:42 pm Barry Melrose: TSN reports the London Mustangs have traded Lecavalier and Hishon to the Victoria Vipers for Grigorenko, Maatta and Dansk.
8:50 pm Scott Burnside: Talks are starting to heat up with three hours to go. Source in North Bay telling me they just pulled off a deal for Bobby Ryan.
9:19 pm Scott Burnside: North Bay has in fact acquired Bobby Ryan. Dealt Lehner, Bishop, Palmieri for Ryan, Anisimov, Klefbom.
9:37 pm Pierre LeBrun: Tweet from Leafs forward John Tavares: I’m pretty confident that at 12:00 am, I will still be an Oshawa City Leaf.
9:40 pm Barry Melrose: London has just sent Spencer Mechacek to North Bay for Olli Jokinen.
9:46 pm Bob McKenzie: Quiet in Toronto. They’ve done their deals, I’m led to believe.
10:05 pm Bob McKenzie: Quick round-up of names floating around the Twittersphere with two hours until the deadline: Evgeni Malkin (Boston), Adam Larsson (Boston), David Clarkson (Comox Valley), Miikka Kiprusoff (Fort Drum), Dan Ellis (Ottawa), Pascal Dupuis (Fort Drum), Mikael Granlund (Twin City), Vladimir Tarasenko (Twin City), Teemu Selanne (Hamilton) and Daniel Alfredsson (Hamilton).
10:45 pm Pierre LeBrun: North Bay makes another trade. Acquires Clarkson, Bieksa, Latendresse and Horak from Comox Valley for Zajac, Gaudreau, Orlov and Riley Nash.
10:57 pm Pierre LeBrun: Word is Comox Valley is done. No deals pending.
11:05 pm Barry Melrose: Trade deadline is one hour away!! It’s about to get intense any minute now.
11:32 pm Scott Burnside: Just hung up with a GM who commented on how busy it is now. He said, “I’m talking to 7, 8, 9 GMs at once. Madness. Absolutely insanity.”
11:59 pm Bob McKenzie: Flurry of deals to be announced in the final moments…
12:00 am Bob McKenzie: Ottawa sends Dan Ellis to Oshawa City for 2013 second round pick.
12:02 am Bob McKenzie: Manhattan deals Al Montoya to Toronto for two third round picks in 2013.
12:03 am Bob McKenzie: Victoria acquires Jeremey Morin and a 2013 third round pick from San Diego for Cal Clutterbuck and a 2013 second round pick.
12:09 am Barry Melrose: Malkin stays put and remains a Boston Giant. The Toronto Red Devils and the North Bay Warriors were making the biggest pitches today, but apparently GM Phelan’s asking price was too high.
12:13 am Bob McKenzie: We saw a grand total of 11 trades get done. Who won? Who lost? Biggest trade? Most improved? Top contenders? Discuss in the comments below…
March 25th, 2013
The regular season has come down to the final week and there still is so much that is to be determined.
Who will win the American Conference? Who will win the Canadian Conference?
Can the Giants finish their incredible second-half run with a playoff spot?
Who will win the Presidents’ Trophy?
Can a miracle happen for the Xtreme to qualify for the postseason?
Which team will end up with the first overall pick in the 2013 Entry Draft?
All these questions and many more will be answered between now and late Sunday.
Which matchups should you be watching?
Here are all the matchups this week that have playoff implications:
BOLD = Playoff Contention
Manhattan (8th) vs. San Diego (19th)
Lakehead (1st) vs. Pittsburgh (20th)
London (9th) vs. Oshawa City (10th)
Twin City (2nd) vs. Hamilton (3rd)
Montreal (14th) vs. Philadelphia (17th)
Buffalo (7th) vs. Toronto (5th)
Victoria (5th) vs. North Bay (6th)
Comox Valley (16th) vs. Washington (11th)
Deer Park (13th) vs. Boston (12th)
Which teams are guaranteed a playoff spot?
The Lakehead IceHoles (1st) are the only team that has clinched a playoff spot which means there is a chance that Twin City (2nd), Hamilton (3rd), Toronto (4th), Victoria (5th), North Bay (6th), Buffalo (7th) and/or Manhattan (8th) can miss the playoffs.
How many teams outside of the current Top 8 are still in the playoff race?
There are six teams still alive for a playoff spot. Those teams are London (9th), Oshawa City (10th), Washington (11th), Boston (12th), Deer Park (13th) and Montreal (14th). Montreal is currently 16 points out of 8th place.
Who is alive for the Presidents’ Trophy?
We’re looking at a six-team race between Lakehead, Hamilton, Toronto, Victoria, North Bay and Twin City. It should be noted that North Bay won the Presidents’ trophy last year and the previous year so they have a shot at a three-peat.
Firestorm forward Chris Kunitz has racked up 41 points in 33 games this season while playing alongside Claude Giroux in Hamilton.
“This final matchup of the season is not going to be about work or X’s and O’s,” Hamilton forward Chris Kunitz told the media after a team practice on Monday. “It’s going to be about passion and how bad we want it.”
Oshawa City GM Earl McNeill is enjoying the fight to the finish despite the fact that it may add a few grey hairs.
“This playoff race is good for everyone involved,” said McNeill. “It’s great for the league and great for the fans and the players. It’s funny how it always seems to come down to the final week and this year so many more teams are jockeying for positions because of the shortened season, so that makes it even more exciting.”
COORS LIGHT COLD HARD FACT OF THE WEEK:
The Hamilton Firestorm have the most college prospects in the league as well as the most unsigned prospects in the league.
“They’re the oldest (average age) active team in the AFHL,” said Manhattan GM Tony Furino. “But their scouting staff is quite possibly the best in the league. If I was a betting man then I would bet that at least one of their four unsigned college prospects turns into a solid point producer at the AFHL level.”
April 22nd, 2013
When AFHL Commissioner Anthony Furino handed Lord Stanley over to Lakehead’s captain Eric Staal, you got a sense this was just the beginning of a Lakehead-style party that would last long into the night.
After taking the Cup, Staal let loose with a loud yell before smacking three kisses on the coveted trophy. He skated for approximately 20 seconds with the Cup high above his head before handing it over to his brother Jordan.
“This is certainly something special,” Staal said. “You dream of winning the Cup, and you know what, I’m glad to know I was the first Ice Hole to ever lift it.”
Jordan Staal eventually handed the Cup over to Jarome Iginla. The procession continued as players such as P.A. Parenteau, Keith Yandle, Kris Letang, Antti Niemi all received a twirl with the Cup.
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Defenseman Kris Letang returned from injury and scoredfour points in the Finals.
Andrew Ladd, who scored 8 points in the Finals, would eventually get his hands on the big prize, too.
And GM/Coach Jason Briggs would also have a chance to raise the Cup.
“Amazing,” Briggs said at his postgame press conference. “I had plans about this and had dreams about it. I wanted this to happen and I worked hard every day and took action, day-to-day decisions, running practices, everything. It’s also the players in our room. They’ve been tremendous all year. You can’t say enough about this group and how hard they worked.”
The pregame video just before the Lakehead Ice Holes took the ice at their home ice arena during the AFHL Stanley Cup Playoffs was accompanied by multicolored spotlights, a laser show and images projected onto the playing surface. The heart of the video, though, goes to the soul of this sport. There are pictures of the Ice Holes in their youth, boys wearing over-sized hockey equipment who dreamed of reaching the pinnacle of the sport they loved.
The boys in those faded photos arrived there Sunday night.
Lakehead, on the strength of their dominating offense, finished off the Manhattan Supermen with a 7-2 victory in the Stanley Cup Final, earning the franchise’s first championship in its four-year history.
The victory caps one of the most dominating seasons in League history. Lakehead finished the regular season with the best overall record and the number one ranked offense in the league. In the postseason, they were unstoppable. They defeated Oshawa City 10-1 in the first round. They defeated Toronto 6-4 in the second round. And they defeated Manhattan 7-2 in the Finals.
“I don’t know, I can’t even describe it,” forward Jarome Iginla, who at 35 years old the eldest of the Ice Holes, said after winning the Cup for the first time. “Everyone played road hockey as a kid. We had a green garbage can that everyone would go around and pose with it. We just did it for real, baby. This is awesome. It has been a great journey.”
The Supermen proved to be a tough foe all week before finally succumbing over the weekend. They also had a pretty incredible postseason run, knocking off the Vikings in the first round, and vanquishing the Vipers in the second round en route to their first Finals appearance in franchise history.
A small consolation was Manhattan goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who was awarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
“Nabby” never smiled as he accepted the trophy and immediately skated off the ice with it as the Ice Holes applauded.
“That was very nice of them,” he said. “But the Conn Smythe Trophy is not the one I wanted.”
As the Ice Holes mobbed each other in victory at the final buzzer, tears rolled down Nabokov’s face. Teammate Henrik Zetterberg was the first player to console him as he rested his left arm on the net. Eventually he fell to the ice and took his helmet off. Soon, the rest of the Supermen skated up and patted him on the head. He used his jersey to wipe away more tears.
“I don’t think there was any question that he was the reason why we made it all the way to the Finals,” Zetterberg said. “He was unbelievable throughout the entire playoffs. It’s tough to lose when you make it all the way to the Finals, but this is a good thing for our organization. We took some big steps forward. We will be back.”
Jason Briggs thinks the Ice Holes will be back, too.
“We’re enjoying these emotions right now but it’s not over for us,” said Briggs. “I’m building a dynasty here.”
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Ice Holes fans hoping to carry on their Stanley Cup celebrations will have another chance Thursday at a parade and rally scheduled in downtown Lakehead. The parade is to start at 12 noon.
Players and their families, coaches and others are expected to ride in double-decker buses and other vehicles during the 30 to 45 minute parade.
An hour-long “championship rally” is scheduled to begin at the Ice Holes home ice arena at 2:30 p.m., featuring video highlights, presentations and speeches from several players, the team said.
Tickets are required, but are free. They will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis and are available online. Officials said season-ticket holders and suite and premier seat owners would be given first priority, with the remaining tickets made available to the public at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
There is a limit of four tickets per order, officials said.
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LIVE in Lakehead: Final Minute of Stanley Cup Finals
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