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February 21, 2011
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
Driven to Succeed
Eight months after battling it out for gold in Vancouver, many of the Olympic women’s players from Canada and the U.S. were lacing up for their first game in the Canadian Women’s League. The newly reconstituted five-team loop has three clubs in the Greater Toronto Area, one in Montreal and another in Boston. It offers a professional league for the world’s best female players to compete and maintain the competitive edge during non-Olympic years. Most of us began playing ringette or hockey in boys leagues because competitive girls leagues just didn’t exist. So we’re used to blazing trails. This time we’re laying a foundation for the nearly 150,000 girls playing hockey in North America today by ensuring a league exists for the elite among them once their collegiate careers have ended. Capitalizing on…
Hockey Kong
WITH CHINA’S RISE as a global power, it’s only natural hockey would proliferate in the Far East. The inaugural IIHF 2011 Hong Kong under-16 Invitational was won by China, which bested Macau, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong. It may be early to anoint him the Chinese Sidney Crosby, but 12-year-old sensation Justin Cheng was one of the stars of the tournament for silver medal-winning Hong Kong. Cheng popped three goals and 12 points in five games against his much older – and larger – competition. China, home to more than 1.3 billion people, has just 15 indoor rinks and 39 referees. There are 527 registered hockey players, 213 of whom are junior-aged. China is ranked 37th in the world in men’s hockey and a respectable seventh in women’s.…
Reese’s Masterpieces
The true MVP of the Philadelphia Flyers last season might have been goaltending coach Jeff Reese. After all, the energetic ex-NHLer managed to coax extraordinary performances out of three ordinary goalies. “The goalies are the ones making the saves,” said Reese, deflecting any praise to his netminders. “For me, it was exciting to see each of the guys step up when they had the opportunity. I couldn’t be prouder of the goalies I worked with last year.” Ray Emery started as the Flyers’ go-to puckstopper, but injuries limited him to just 29 games. Brian Boucher struggled when he took over the top job, but waiver-wire pickup Michael Leighton thrived until an ankle injury in March thrust Boucher back into the starter’s role. Leighton then returned and led the Flyers to within…
WHAT if…
In 2004, Detroit Red Wings super scout Hakan Andersson heard there was a big, strong-skating, draft-eligible defenseman playing for an obscure team in Ostersund, Sweden. The low-level loop described by some as little better than a beer league wasn’t a place NHL scouts searched for prospects, but Andersson believed it was worth making the six-hour drive from his home to check the player out in person. Not wanting to make the drive only to find out the kid wasn’t playing, Andersson called ahead to make sure he was. Ostersund’s coach, realizing he might have a diamond in the rough on his hands, contacted agent Johan Stromberg who promptly signed the prospect and sent out word to NHL teams that he knew of a blueliner from a small-time team they’d be interested…
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