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October 17, 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.
A Golden Jets Success*
The Winnipeg Jets are already a success, with an asterisk. Season tickets sold out in hours, merchandise is hotter than Teemu Selanne’s rookie campaign and rich broadcast deals have been consummated. It’s a made-in-Canada success story, an intense love affair guaranteed to last at least three, four, five years, and one our Winnipeg correspondent Tim Campbell lays out in our cover story, beginning on pg. 26. The question is, what happens when the honeymoon ends? When the joy of the new wears off, how do the Jets sustain the substantial momentum they’ve built up? To be sure, there are already pitfalls of which to be wary. For starters, the Jets will very likely qualify for revenue sharing at the end of this season – something the club is certainly counting on. In…
Memorial Coup
When the Canadian League announced the Shawinigan Cataractes would host the 2012 Memorial Cup, there was a good deal of outrage from the Maritimes. After all, the Saint John Sea Dogs, who also put in a bid, were putting the touches on one of the best seasons in Quebec League history en route to winning the 2011 tournament. And they did it thanks to a group of younger players, meaning this year would be just as good. But Cataractes GM Martin Mondou has faith in his troops, even if Shawinigan doesn’t boast the big names and first round draft picks that Saint John has in Nathan Beaulieu, Zack Phillips and Jonathan Huberdeau (assuming he doesn’t join the Florida Panthers). “We’re a bigger team than last year,” Mondou said. “High skill, we’ve…
Stalking A Star
Memorial Cup hosts always stock up on talent in order to give the home fans a good show and one option that has been floated to super-size Shawinigan is for the Cataractes to snag superstar center Sean Couturier from Drummondville. The Voltigeurs aren’t considered a major threat this season, though Couturier and linemate Ondrej Palat would help the cause tremendously. Based on his pedigree, Couturier would command a big package of players and draft picks in return, much like new Philly teammate Brayden Schenn did last year when he was traded to Saskatoon from Brandon. “That could happen very easily,” said one scout. “Sean might be the guy if he comes back.” One fly in the ointment would be if Couturier stuck with the Philadelphia Flyers, who selected the big center eighth…
Ballard: On The Clock
Keith Ballard arrived in Vancouver last season with his reputation writing checks his body couldn’t cash. And by the end he was little more than a pricey spare part. Ballard was billed as a top-four defender after being acquired in a 2010 draft-day deal with Florida, but summer hip surgery left him on crutches for months and trying to play catch-up. He never did. Ballard was a healthy scratch in 15 of 25 playoff games, sitting out behind Aaron Rome, Andrew Alberts and Chris Tanev, a rookie two years removed from Jr. A. Ballard watched Game 7 of the Cup final as Alex Edler, barely able to hold a stick with two broken fingers, played ahead of him. At exit meetings a few days later, management and the coaching staff that showed so…
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