Category Archives: Junior
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…
Kastelic chosen to play in USA Hockey Prospects Game
August 31st, 2016USA Hockey announced today the 42 players who will compete in the fifth annual CCM/USAHockey All-American Prospects Game set for Sept. 22 at Wells Fargo Center, home of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. “This event provides some of the best U.S. players eligible for next year’s NHL Draft the opportunity to showcase their talent on a…
New Knights coach Bowman brings winning attitude to club
July 20th, 2016When the Phoenix Knights hired Mike Bowman to be the program’s new head coach at the start of this offseason, excitement elevated in town for the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) club. Now with tryouts upcoming, Bowman will be looking for a well-rounded roster to compete with the rest of the WSHL talent pool during…
Vukonich, Cakebread selected in annual NAHL Draft process
June 8th, 2016The North American Hockey League Draft was conducted Tuesday, June 7, and two players with Arizona ties were selected during the event. Forward Mason Vukonich, a Chandler native, was picked by the New Jersey Titans in the fourth round (88th overall). Vukonich played for the Jr. Coyotes’ 18U AAA team last season where he totaled…
Talented Arizona names selected during USHL, WHL Drafts
May 24th, 2016Each year, early May brings the two-part United States Hockey League (USHL) Draft and the Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. And as has become the norm, several players with Arizona ties were selected in both drafts. Phase I of the USHL Draft, held May 2, was strictly for 2000 birth year players, while Phase…
Graduating Knights captain Ericsson reflects on ’15-16
May 12th, 2016As a 1995 birth year, Jim Ericsson knew this past season with the Western States Hockey League’s Phoenix Knights would be his last in junior hockey. And aside from not winning the Thorne Cup, he said the 2015-16 campaign was “the most fun I’ve had playing hockey in a long time.” “On a team level,…
Former Jr. Coyote Burgess selected NAHL MVP
April 28th, 2016Phoenix Jr. Coyotes grad and Phoenix native Todd Burgess had one of the better individual seasons in recent NAHL history and was named the league’s MVP and Forward of the Year for the 2015-16 season. Burgess, who is committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, recorded 95 points (38 goals, 57…
Tempe native Vance chooses Wisconsin as NCAA destination
March 24th, 2016Carson Vance grew up playing youth hockey in Arizona, but since leaving home at 16 four years ago to play juniors, he’s been all over the country. Quite literally, actually. The 20-year-old Tempe native and steady defenseman has played more than 200 games of junior hockey in the North American Hockey League for the Kenai…
Knights acquire familiar face Johnsson for WSHL’s stretch drive
March 2nd, 2016Last season, the Phoenix Knights traded defenseman Brennan Johnsson to the El Paso Rhinos as the Rhinos needed experience on the back end to contend for the Western States Hockey League’s Thorne Cup. This season, the Rhinos returned the favor, dealing the Phoenix native back to the Knights in early January to add depth and…
Arizona trio named to NAHL Top Prospects Tournament
January 25th, 2016The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced the rosters for next month’s NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, presented by Easton, which will be held from Feb. 15-16 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich. The number of players each NAHL team is sending to the tournament, in which four teams from the four NAHL divisions…