Weekend News

It looks like Ryan over at the USHL Blog nailed it when he connected Regg Simon's resignation in Des Moines to the new ownership group... Tornado Warning! Frisco hopes to attract D-league basketball team to expanded Deja-Blue. Want to kill a successful hockey team? Bring in a hoops team to swipe all the quality dates... Sudbury Wolves hire new assistant coach...

Friday News

A new arena does not a quality operation make: Fronts taken to task over marketing; Mayor says club's promotion efforts 'amateurish' in nature. I'll wager fans would show up if the team were sold to someone else and run by someone with a clue. If Mavety is frustrated, how do you think the hundreds of remaining Fronts fans feel? Spitfires honour fallen Renaud... PIJHL shows interest in Squamish... Otters' Ftorek plans to return Here's a statistical look at the Pringe George Cougars after 999 games...

Thursday News

L.A. developer buys Des Moines Buccaneers... Eric Ballard resigns as assistant for the Junior Blues... BCHL Clippers a father-son business... Commercial development expected around new Windsor arena... Councillor wants to plan now for new arena in St. Catharines... How bad off is Portland these days? They are dropping off the local sports scene map... And then there's this...

Wednesday News

Lewiston MAINEiacs fined; head coach suspended one game... PMI fires Gamblers coach Mark Mazzoleni... Renaud family Spits' top priority... NOJHL to hold off ruling on neck guards... K-Rock Pot opening "cool" and "awesome"... *Cue John Cougar Mellencamp* Lemme tell ya... about Jack and Darlene...

Tuesday News

City of Soo ponders suites for Steelback Centre... Portland Winter Hawks under investigation by WHL... Winter Hawks to hire new GM... Deal to buy the Williams Lake TimberWolves awaiting BCHL approval... Ftorek, Otters close to deal?

Monday News

Darlene and Jack Tragis earn their way into Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame Wichita Falls sports editor piles on the criticism of KY Coliseum staffers... Wenatchee hockey team OK 'almost 100 percent'... Lewiston columnist: In fairness, referees should be subject to official reviews, too (hey, I'm an Sooner alumnus, so no argument from me)... Kingston provides fans with a good game in K-Rock Pot debut (but the result was predictable)... New arena for Niagara IceDogs discussed - Big dreams for a new 'spectator facility'... Crowds pack church to say goodbye to junior hockey star... Camrose lands Jr. A challenge set for November...

Friday News

Wenatchee gets conditional OK for NAHL franchise. I'm sure they just need to sort out the little things, like a lease, what division they'll play in, and how the whole travel thing is going to work... WHL league commissioner orders the Portland franchise to shake up the front office (and pay their bills)... Fronts eager for fresh start; Hockey club opens new arena (psst, sometimes you need more than a new barn for a fresh start)... Everett defenseman Graham Potuer suspended for two games... Grapes to speak of Renaud on Coach's Corner...

Thursday News

Will facility open on time?; With just days to go, workers scramble to bring the Kingston K-Rock Pot up to code... Fans miffed with KY Coliseum ushers, but they're more miffed at how the Wichita Falls TimesRecordNews framed the article, giving the appearance that fans were upset with the Wildcats... Windsor's games tonight and Sunday have been postponed following the death of team captain Mickey Renaud. Renaud's #18 has been retired, and all OHL players will wear his number on their helmets the rest of this season... Oh, and there's supposed to be a vote on Wenatchee today, no foolin'...

Wednesday News

Spitfire captain's autopsy results released to family, not public... Mayor in talks on new home for Niagara IceDogs... Surrey drops Basford suspension, freeing him to join Giants... Q governors vote for 68-game schedule...

Tuesday News

Windsor Spitfires captain Mickey Renaud dies suddenly after collapsing (video)... Sertz steps down after 12 years as Otters' director of operations (includes video)...

Monday News

Hastings sets USHL all-time wins record... Generals to retire Lindros' No. 88, I'm sure the Soo Greyhounds banned the number years ago... Finley an excellent fit for Rockets staff... Francis Filion suspended for one game... Dubuque claims CSHL regular season title... Goin' to the 'Dogs; Niagara Falls fans pack arena to support St. Catharines team...

Saturday News

Frontenacs bid old rink good-Knight, but without Larry Mavety... Cozy comfort for Kent crowds in new home for Seattle T-Birds... USHL announces new partnership...

Thursday News

A funny thing happened on the way to the NAHL voting on Wenatchee... nothing. After posting the Wenatchee World article yesterday, the response I received from several teams was "Vote? What vote?!???" as apparently the vote is not scheduled until next week. I'm not sure where the miscommunication originated, but then again, the World couldn't even get Mark Frankenfeld's name right (it has since been corrected)... Is everyone ready for yet another independent "Junior A" hockey league? No? Well too bad, you're stuck with one anyway. Say hello to the Wisconsin Junior Hockey League... If Wausau-are arena is built, team will follow... OHL suspends Kingston GM/head coach Larry Mavety, but not long enough for Fronts fans. Here's a clip of what resulted int he suspension...

Tuesday News

WHL board of governors meeting focuses on economy... Small-market WHL clubs remain viable... Selwood steps down as coach - Oshawa Generals promote Chris DePiero to bench boss... USHL president preparing to retire (not much here that wasn't in the release yesterday)... Rendell gives hope to Erie arena plan... Huskies and Saguenéens fined by QMJHL... Outbreak of mono really bugging 67's... Allow Mooseheads coach to map his hockey fate... High-flying Wolverine grounded by bad judgment... Surrey Eagles suspend centre for season... Welcome to the league, Verdun; now you figure out the schedule... Ray Bourque hopes Verdun move will be a success...

Friday News - Early Edition

A quick correction. For what it's worth, a member of the Alliance Hockey organization called me to task for describing NAHL commish Mark Frankenfeld's new position as Director of Hockey Operations a full time gig. I was clearly wrong, however, in stating that Frankenfeld has been with Alliance for some time. I got Alliance confused with the Texas Attack, with which Frankenfeld has been previously associated... Kingston's new arena has a sponsor, but what about the name? I don't normally get behind causes here (unless they are my own), but I'm encouraging everyone to write in a vote to name the new arena the K-Rock Pot... Brooks commits to $19.1M arena... Are the Burnaby Express on track to leave town? Pat Maroon - seasoned rookie... Q&A with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman Matt Donovan... David Branch backs Windsor for Junior Worlds... WHL extends commissioner Ron Robison's contract through 2010-11 season (insert obligatory comparison to Mark Frankenfeld here)...

Tuesday News

A few days ago NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld was named Director of Hockey Operations for the Alliance Bulldogs, a youth program located in Dallas-Fort Worth. Frankenfeld has retained a minor role with Alliance throughout his tenure with the NAHL league office, but this is an interesting move considering it's a full-time position for someone who is supposed to be a full-time commissioner. I would have thought the NAHL Board of Governors would have learned their lesson with part-time commissioners a few administrations ago with Larry Pedrie, who maintained a gig similar to Frankenfeld's, but based on feedback I've received thus far, it appears the BoG were unaware of Frankenfeld's new position. Speaking of lessons unlearned - Quebec businessman hoping junior hockey will fly in Habs-crazy Montreal market... Score one for the Canadian economy - Naming rights increase in Kingston; Deal for downtown centre moniker will go up in value each year. If I had to guess, they inked a deal with an energy provider... Ouellet, Morrison in hunt for scoring title as QMJHL season heads into home stretch... Shakeup seems to be working fine - Chilliwack coach separates slumping big guns Moller and Santorelli... PEI Rocket attempt to turn back time... Saskatoon Blades pay price for fight night... Pats get some extra work on Super Bowl Sunday... Geoff Killing sets new Bulls record...

Monday News

Topeka Roadrunners sign lease extension with arena... Petition group claims the Steelback Centre has cost taxpayers close to $70,000 (includes video)... Condors lose Choules to Acadie-Bathurst... Captain Kayfes traded away from Bizzy to Fairbanks... QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres fire head coach Martin Bernard... It's Madam President; Denise Burke of the Niagara IceDogs is the only female team president in CHL... London chasing juniors again...

Saturday News

And then there were five; Attack partner sells his stake... Weyburn's McMillan reaches 1000-win-milestone. Other coaches in SJHL can't fathom so many wins... Was January the worst month ever in Prince George Cougars' history? Owner Rick Brodsky banking on the future... Generals' game in Kingston postponed... Erie Otters suspend Frank Grzeszczak indefinitely for violating team rules... OHL hosts midget showcase in Saginaw... Coombs concerned about complacency in Dubuque... Winnipeg on the short list to host 2010 World Junior Hockey Championship... Windsor, London team up for World Juniors bid... Edmonton and Calgary jointly seek 2012 world junior hockey tourney... Memorial Cup selection committee down to four members... Selection committee looks at Halifax... Schenn brothers taking WHL by storm... Omaha forward looks to be force... Quebec league sold Newfoundland short... Bizzy Bobcats still in NAHL playoff picture... Flying Aces getting results in MinnyJHL... It seems more Frontenacs fans are getting grumpy with owner Doug Springer...

Friday News

Short blog this morning... I'll get the rest of my links done tonight or Saturday morning. Billings Bulls go for milestone win tonight... Junior hockey franchise raises guarded excitement in Thunder Bay...

Thursday News

Anthony LeBlanc pursuing OHL team for Thunder Bay. As a reference point, the old Thunder Bay UHL franchise averaged about 2,570 a game at their peak from 1993-95. Their USHL franchise never drew more than 1,100 in their last four years from 1996-2000... Global Spectrum to run new Windsor arena... Signs point to culture impact of Cedar Rapids Ice Arena... Future Gambler Chase Drake ready to take the next step... MJHL plays it safe when dealing with dangerous weather... Bad weather keeps Petes home; Last night's game in Owen Sound postponed... Shugg settles in with Spits... Weyburn making the playoffs is good, but 1,000 wins -- priceless... Pats coach wants his charges to keep playing hard... Maineiacs make pitch to host Memorial Cup... Pats' Doucet doing his part to earn his pay... Bulldogs' Aime moves up to Red Deer... Bad-luck Silvertip emerges as star... A few Oshawa fans left etiquette on the bus... Winnipeg bidding for world junior hockey championship... Who in London would have predicted this?