Blog
New AHU youth skills coach St. Clair boasts stacked resume; Thanksgiving Shootout another success
December 16th, 2016It was excitement personified when the Phoenix Knights of the Western States Hockey League brought aboard Gilbert native Colten St. Clair as the team’s new assistant coach to work with coach-GM Mike Bowman and fellow assistant coach Kurt Goar. Fast forward a few weeks later and the Arizona Hockey Union has added St. Clair to…
Shop Talk: Reflecting back on more than 20 years of evolving brands
December 15th, 2016With the dynamics of retail over the years, hockey brands have dramatically changed. Some remain the same, some are new, and some have faded into lore and legend. When BTM first opened in 1994, the first brand we carried was Rollerblade. At the time, Rollerblade was the king of inline skates. It seemed in the…
The Whyte Stuff: I owe it all to my father, but he did zero for my hockey career
December 15th, 2016Recently, my father passed away, and although we could see it coming, it still deeply hurt and I miss him every day. A couple of days after his passing, I flew back to Canada to be with family and friends and help my sister handle his affairs. During the open house, my sister hosted, we…
AHU Coach’s Corner: No excuse for youth hockey players with cold, dry hands
December 15th, 2016Youth hockey. Or youth sports for that matter. What is the purpose? It’s always been to develop kids’ athletic ability, social skills, values regarding teamwork and responsibility. Right? So answer this for me. Why then are there many instances of youth hockey teams that shorten benches in too many situations? While the surface answer is…
Mission Statement: Put forth maximum effort and show the game some respect
December 15th, 2016I was a history major in school and naturally look back to events that shape current events and why things are the way they are. I have seen a shift in how parents view and look at youth hockey. They are taking on a more of a critical thinking mode, in the form of how…
Taking Liberties With… Brad Richardson
December 14th, 2016BRAD RICHARDSON Position: Forward, Arizona Coyotes Acquired: Signed with Arizona as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2015 Hometown: Belleville, Ont., Canada Age: 31 READ OUR LATEST ISSUE Arizona Rubber: What’s your favorite hockey memory growing up? Brad Richardson: I have many great memories. Growing up, and to play hockey in Canada was pretty…
Taos product McNerney continuing career in Canada’s GMHL
December 14th, 2016Ah, the positive powers of the Internet. Taos native Jake McNerney graduated this past spring from Taos High School with two state championships to his credit. Knowing he wanted to keep playing past his high school years, McNerney created a profile on the National Collegiate Scouting Association Athletic (NCSA) recruiting website and posted videos of…
Mustangs girls program hitting all-time high in New Mexico
December 13th, 2016The New Mexico Mustangs’ 19U team is maxed out at 20 girls players. While that may sound like a generic fact, it is a sign of progress and growth for the girls game in the state, where the Mustangs also have near-full rosters on their 12U and 14U team, as well as with their 12U…
Knights add NCAA champion, Gilbert native St. Clair to WSHL coaching staff
December 8th, 2016It never hurts to add experience to a coaching staff. The Western States Hockey League’s (WSHL) Phoenix Knights did that recently in hiring Gilbert native Colten St. Clair as an assistant coach with the club to work with coach-GM Mike Bowman. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE “We are excited to bring Colten to our coaching staff,”…
Pro hockey’s return to Tucson kicks off in grand fashion
December 7th, 2016There are plenty of times in sports when numbers don’t tell the whole story. This – the telling of the start of Arizona’s newest pro hockey franchise, the Tucson Roadrunners – is not one of those times. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE A week after notching the American Hockey League (AHL) franchise’s dramatic first win since…