Blog
Taking Liberties With… Kevin Connauton
October 19th, 2016KEVIN CONNAUTON Position: Defenseman, Arizona Coyotes Acquired: Signed with Arizona as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2016 Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Age: 26 Arizona Rubber: What’s your favorite hockey memory growing up? Kevin Connauton: Probably my first NHL game. There are lot of great memories in minor hockey. It was special to skate…
Puck finally drops on Roadrunners’ inaugural AHL season
October 17th, 2016Hey Tucson, get ready for some hockey. The puck has finally dropped on the Tucson Roadrunners’ inaugural American Hockey League (AHL) season. Though the team’s 5-3 setback to the host San Diego Gulls on Oct. 14 might not exactly have been what Tucson head coach Mark Lamb had in mind, it nevertheless serves as a…
Shop Talk: Protective equipment – so what’s the right fit for me?
October 14th, 2016It’s time to talk about protective equipment – shin guards, shoulder pads, elbow pads and pants. When deciding what to purchase, once you have either outgrown one of these pieces, are looking to replace one or more items, or if you’re just starting out with your first set of gear, there are three factors to…
AHU Coach’s Corner: Just a reminder to all coaches for the season
October 14th, 2016Happy start of the season, fellow amateur coaches! I suspect you have thought about how you plan to organize your season. There are master plans, goals to accomplish each month, starting with the first two weeks and then monthly after that. This progression gets lots of attention, so I want to address something else –…
The Whyte Stuff: Examining the puzzle pieces of a successful hockey player
October 14th, 2016Over the years of playing, and then coaching, I have been asked the same question over and over again – What does it take to play in the NHL? I have always laughed and blurted out the answer – Luck! In all honesty, for my particular situation, that’s not too far off. However, my other…
IHAAZ continuing to be ‘truly a family organization’
October 12th, 2016Another Inline Hockey Association of Arizona (IHAAZ) season is on the horizon and history is expected to be made with the Knighthawks in the 12U division. “I think what really will be great is this season the Knighthawks will most likely feature an all-girls team,” Knighthawks head coach Brent Proud said. “We have enough interest…
Knights ready to make noise as ’16-17 WSHL season approaches
October 7th, 2016Phoenix Knights first-year coach-GM Mike Bowman knows he’ll have a young team take the ice for the 2016-17 Western States Hockey League (WSHL) season. And that’s just fine with him. “The team this year will be mostly new players – some first-year junior players and other vets new to the WSHL,” said Bowman. “It will…
Northern Arizona University’s ACHA teams find niche in Flagstaff community
October 3rd, 2016Lots of college programs like to brag about how hard-working and how ingrained in the community they are. Few can match Northern Arizona University’s hockey program and its love affair with Flagstaff, however. In addition to their better-known roles leading 20-something college student-athletes, the head coaches of both of NAU’s American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)…
Class finally in session at the Tahoe Hockey Academy
September 28th, 2016The date of Sept. 12 will mark an important day in Tahoe Hockey Academy’s history. After years of conceptualizing and months of planning, the academy will officially open to its first class of student-athletes. Academic lesson plans have been prepared, games have been scheduled, and the hundreds of other details have been put in place…
Bobcats, Shtrom fine-tuning preparations for new season
September 27th, 2016Every youth hockey coach takes a different approach to preparing his team for the season, and Leeor Shtrom employs what might be described as a methodical, cerebral plan. The former professional goalie is now in his third year coaching with the Arizona Bobcats, and as the 2016-17 season gets underway, he thinks he’s taken the…