Since the last time I've updated the site a lot has happened.
Let's see: I wrote for both Twin Cities newspapers and a few others, added new places to write and go on the radio (had a couple hits with WCCO Radio), went to Tampa for the Frozen Four, had the feature story for the Big Ten tournament, finished going to all six Big Ten arenas, and regularly contributed to SB Nation College Hockey.
The past three weekends I've been to games at Madison Square Garden, East Lansing, MI, and Princeton, NJ.
I've also been this fall taking part in a weekly podcast called Puck Dynasty, discussing Gopher hockey and the college landscape with a couple other writers. Puck Dynasty is part of local Twin Cities sportstalk station 1500 ESPN's network of podcasts.
You can listen to the latest episode below. The podcast can also be found on iTunes and Podcast One among other places where podcasts can be heard.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Eric Scheid Feature for Wild.com
If there's a list of unofficial hockey holidays, Hockey Day Minnesota is one of the ones on there.
This year Hockey Day Minnesota, a celebration of the sport in the state put on by Fox Sports North and Minnesota Wild, turned 10 February 6th by featuring three outdoor high school games out in Bayfront Park in Duluth. The celebration continued with a college game between the University of Minnesota and Penn State from Mariucci Arena. Pro hockey concluded the festivities that night from St. Louis as the Wild and Blues faced off with one another.
HDM is about the players and stories throughout the "State of Hockey." I was fortunate enough to be able to tell one of them for Wild.com.
Penn State forward Eric Scheid is a Blaine native whose hockey travels have taken him from Minnesota to Nebraska (twice) to Alaska to Pennsylvania. He's a fifth year senior who has played college hockey longer than the Nittany Lions program.
Throughout his time away from Minnesota Scheid has found himself as a hockey player. He also has found his second family, which has been important this season on (where he was tied for second in scoring at the time) and off the ice. Family being very important to him, Scheid's father Jim passed in August.
You can read the feature here.
http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=848485
This year Hockey Day Minnesota, a celebration of the sport in the state put on by Fox Sports North and Minnesota Wild, turned 10 February 6th by featuring three outdoor high school games out in Bayfront Park in Duluth. The celebration continued with a college game between the University of Minnesota and Penn State from Mariucci Arena. Pro hockey concluded the festivities that night from St. Louis as the Wild and Blues faced off with one another.
HDM is about the players and stories throughout the "State of Hockey." I was fortunate enough to be able to tell one of them for Wild.com.
Penn State forward Eric Scheid is a Blaine native whose hockey travels have taken him from Minnesota to Nebraska (twice) to Alaska to Pennsylvania. He's a fifth year senior who has played college hockey longer than the Nittany Lions program.
Throughout his time away from Minnesota Scheid has found himself as a hockey player. He also has found his second family, which has been important this season on (where he was tied for second in scoring at the time) and off the ice. Family being very important to him, Scheid's father Jim passed in August.
You can read the feature here.
http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=848485
Friday, February 19, 2016
Midseason Mea Culpa
It's been a while since I've updated here, which is not my intention. So much has happened over the past 4-6 weeks between coverage and travel and everything to the point where getting into a regular schedule reposting, let alone anything new, has slipped my mind.
Since the last time I've posted I've written articles for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Wild and of course my regular places at SB Nation College Hockey and Wild Xtra.
I'll try to get up some of the work up here in the near future.
Since the last time I've posted I've written articles for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Wild and of course my regular places at SB Nation College Hockey and Wild Xtra.
I'll try to get up some of the work up here in the near future.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
After years of anonymity, the UFC Bantamweight division finally brings intrigue
Author's note: Sometimes I write about other subjects than hockey, both sports and non-sports. Not everything is hockey. This piece focus upon Sunday's UFC on Fox Sports 1 main event between T.J. Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz for the Bantamweight title and what looms in the distance for the division.
This week has seen the most attention turned towards UFC men's bantamweights since the division was moved into the promotion in December 2010.
It is not too difficult to earn that honor, however. Even with a title fight on the line between the champion and a challenger that never lost the belt and whose only defeats has been injuries. Bantamweights have been a hard sell to casual and die-hard MMA fans. Over the last 5 years the UFC 135 pound division has been somewhere between permanently cursed and ignored.
Mixed Martial Arts has struggled to garner eyeballs and promotion of fighters under 155 lbs until recently in the way boxing has with the possible exception of former WEC featherweight (145 lbs) and perennial UFC contender Urijah Faber, who once again is position to take advantage.
This week has seen the most attention turned towards UFC men's bantamweights since the division was moved into the promotion in December 2010.
It is not too difficult to earn that honor, however. Even with a title fight on the line between the champion and a challenger that never lost the belt and whose only defeats has been injuries. Bantamweights have been a hard sell to casual and die-hard MMA fans. Over the last 5 years the UFC 135 pound division has been somewhere between permanently cursed and ignored.
Mixed Martial Arts has struggled to garner eyeballs and promotion of fighters under 155 lbs until recently in the way boxing has with the possible exception of former WEC featherweight (145 lbs) and perennial UFC contender Urijah Faber, who once again is position to take advantage.
Saturday, December 19, 2015
December 11-12 St. Paul Pioneer Press game recaps
Last weekend I covered Minnesota's split with Michigan in Ann Arbor for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The story of the weekend was the Gophers, in their words, beating themselves in an 8-3 loss Friday before coming back to win 3-2 Saturday.
You can read both recaps above. Going out to Ann Arbor and seeing Yost Arena in person was on my college hockey bucket list and the building, a structure seemingly stuck in time, met every expectation.
Longform: Where Minnesota's Best Women Play After College (Wild Xtra)
There may be no more under-reported, intriguing story than what is going on in women's post-collegiate hockey in Minnesota.
If you're an elite hockey player in the Midwest, it is a tough go after college despite there being more options than ever. Two leagues, one in Canada and one in the northeastern United States, are currently playing. Both are very hyperlocal, however. Most players live in the area first rather than relocate. Neither has a Midwest team although both have made halfhearted gestures to Minnesota.
The number of Minnesotans and Midwest natives playing in either league are few compared to the proportion of United States national team players and collegians. 16.4% of all women's college hockey players come from Minnesota yet there are 4 in either the NWHL or CWHL. In comparison, three are playing overseas in Europe.
(Not even the #2 overall pick in the NWHL Draft would commit to playing in that league. That could change and is something to keep an eye on down the line. For now, a Minnesotan playing in the Northeast is the equivalent of playing overseas.)
The Minnesota Whitecaps exist as an independent team, featuring two of the top 10 players in the world and several Olympians. (While I hate to make equivalents to other sports, can you imagine that being a non-story anywhere else?) It allows those players, and other Minnesotans, a chance to keep in shape between international tournaments and Olympics.
Their schedule consists of mostly Midwest college teams with the rest being Shattuck and the NWHL teams in exhibitions. Not being in a league hasn't helped, but it also allows extra benefits. It didn't hurt either that the Whitecaps were able to do things either league has tried by having its game with the Boston Pride last weekend be available over the air on TV.
And it's a team that has floated under the radar. Not even one of the players knew anything about the Whitecaps until she started playing.
It's a long feature and focuses on the players being on the outside of what is going in women's hockey, but more than worth the read.
Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog, among others, linked to it, with several high-profile writers sharing the article to their followers.
http://wildxtra.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-wild-news/where-minnesotas-best-women-play-after-college-r1038
(Wild Xtra)
If you're an elite hockey player in the Midwest, it is a tough go after college despite there being more options than ever. Two leagues, one in Canada and one in the northeastern United States, are currently playing. Both are very hyperlocal, however. Most players live in the area first rather than relocate. Neither has a Midwest team although both have made halfhearted gestures to Minnesota.
The number of Minnesotans and Midwest natives playing in either league are few compared to the proportion of United States national team players and collegians. 16.4% of all women's college hockey players come from Minnesota yet there are 4 in either the NWHL or CWHL. In comparison, three are playing overseas in Europe.
(Not even the #2 overall pick in the NWHL Draft would commit to playing in that league. That could change and is something to keep an eye on down the line. For now, a Minnesotan playing in the Northeast is the equivalent of playing overseas.)
The Minnesota Whitecaps exist as an independent team, featuring two of the top 10 players in the world and several Olympians. (While I hate to make equivalents to other sports, can you imagine that being a non-story anywhere else?) It allows those players, and other Minnesotans, a chance to keep in shape between international tournaments and Olympics.
Their schedule consists of mostly Midwest college teams with the rest being Shattuck and the NWHL teams in exhibitions. Not being in a league hasn't helped, but it also allows extra benefits. It didn't hurt either that the Whitecaps were able to do things either league has tried by having its game with the Boston Pride last weekend be available over the air on TV.
And it's a team that has floated under the radar. Not even one of the players knew anything about the Whitecaps until she started playing.
It's a long feature and focuses on the players being on the outside of what is going in women's hockey, but more than worth the read.
Yahoo's Puck Daddy blog, among others, linked to it, with several high-profile writers sharing the article to their followers.
http://wildxtra.com/articles.html/_/minnesota-wild-news/where-minnesotas-best-women-play-after-college-r1038
(Wild Xtra)
November and December SB Nation College Hockey Features
Some recent features on the Minnesota men's and women's hockey teams that I wrote over at SB Nation College Hockey. These are highlights. There are several more that are over on the site that were not used.
Before heading to his second WJC camp, Ryan Collins had another reunion
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/18/10589556/gophers-hockey-ryan-collins-billet-family-world-juniors-2016
December is a busy time of the year for Minnesota men's hockey defenseman Ryan Collins.
The sophomore has finals, his second straight World Juniors camp, the tournament itself if he makes Team USA, and is trying to help lead the Gophers to a fast start in the Big Ten conference standings. Collins also was able to meet with his billet family who housed him in Ann Arbor for two seasons, a moment that was very important to him.
This was a fun story to write because it came naturally and was able show the importance billet families play and the person behind the equipment.
High school linemates Kelly Pannek, Caitlin Reilly showcase Minnesota's offensive depth
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/womens-hockey/2015/12/4/9849226/gophers-hockey-kelly-pannek-caitlin-reilly-offensive-depth
One aspect of the Minnesota women's hockey team that has led the Gophers well in recent years has been its offensive depth. Behind the team's top line, which features three of the top-five scorers in college hockey this season, are two talented ones beneath it.
I spoke with high school linemates and sophomores Kelly Pannek, who was riding an 18 game point streak at the time (it ended that weekend as the Gophers got swept by #1 Wisconsin), and Caitlin Reilly, about the importance of the team's depth, Reilly joining Minnesota after transferring, and more. Pannek centers the team's second line while Reilly, who gave up special teams play and playing time at Penn State to return home, is on Minnesota's third line.
Also this might be the first-ever interview with one of the Reilly siblings - of which there have been 4 at Minnesota in the past 4 years - to not ask a question about the others.
Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returns home this weekend
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/11/9893204/gophers-hockey-michigan-native-brent-gates-jr-returns-home-minnesota-anaheim-ducks
Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returned to his home state in December when the Gopher freshman faced the Wolverines. Gates is the first Michigander to ever play for Minnesota in its 95 year history. The Grand Rapids, MI native regularly spent his development going from the western side of the state to the eastern side (Detroit area) of the mitten.
It's not a short stretch either, as I learned doing the drive from Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids and back to Detroit last weekend. Gained a ton of respect for Gates' dedication after the fact.
A secret college hockey doubleheader
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/25/9801390/a-secret-college-hockey-doubleheader
College hockey struggles for TV attention. The sport doesn't help itself when five of the six games in my market one weekend were unable to be found on a TV listing.
Game recaps:
And lastly, here is a pair of different game recaps. The first comes from Minnesota's 3-2 overtime win over Ohio State on December 4th where the Early November references run high. The second is more of a column, as the Gophers fell 3-2 in overtime to Minnesota State on November 14th when leading 2-0 with 4 minutes remaining.
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/4/9852910/big-ten-hockey-minnesota-ohio-state-final-score-3-2-hudson-fasching
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/14/9737354/gophers-hockey-on-losing-nonconference-momentum-and-a-two-goal-lead
Before heading to his second WJC camp, Ryan Collins had another reunion
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/18/10589556/gophers-hockey-ryan-collins-billet-family-world-juniors-2016
December is a busy time of the year for Minnesota men's hockey defenseman Ryan Collins.
The sophomore has finals, his second straight World Juniors camp, the tournament itself if he makes Team USA, and is trying to help lead the Gophers to a fast start in the Big Ten conference standings. Collins also was able to meet with his billet family who housed him in Ann Arbor for two seasons, a moment that was very important to him.
This was a fun story to write because it came naturally and was able show the importance billet families play and the person behind the equipment.
High school linemates Kelly Pannek, Caitlin Reilly showcase Minnesota's offensive depth
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/womens-hockey/2015/12/4/9849226/gophers-hockey-kelly-pannek-caitlin-reilly-offensive-depth
One aspect of the Minnesota women's hockey team that has led the Gophers well in recent years has been its offensive depth. Behind the team's top line, which features three of the top-five scorers in college hockey this season, are two talented ones beneath it.
I spoke with high school linemates and sophomores Kelly Pannek, who was riding an 18 game point streak at the time (it ended that weekend as the Gophers got swept by #1 Wisconsin), and Caitlin Reilly, about the importance of the team's depth, Reilly joining Minnesota after transferring, and more. Pannek centers the team's second line while Reilly, who gave up special teams play and playing time at Penn State to return home, is on Minnesota's third line.
Also this might be the first-ever interview with one of the Reilly siblings - of which there have been 4 at Minnesota in the past 4 years - to not ask a question about the others.
Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returns home this weekend
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/11/9893204/gophers-hockey-michigan-native-brent-gates-jr-returns-home-minnesota-anaheim-ducks
Michigan native Brent Gates Jr. returned to his home state in December when the Gopher freshman faced the Wolverines. Gates is the first Michigander to ever play for Minnesota in its 95 year history. The Grand Rapids, MI native regularly spent his development going from the western side of the state to the eastern side (Detroit area) of the mitten.
It's not a short stretch either, as I learned doing the drive from Ann Arbor to Grand Rapids and back to Detroit last weekend. Gained a ton of respect for Gates' dedication after the fact.
A secret college hockey doubleheader
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/25/9801390/a-secret-college-hockey-doubleheader
College hockey struggles for TV attention. The sport doesn't help itself when five of the six games in my market one weekend were unable to be found on a TV listing.
Game recaps:
And lastly, here is a pair of different game recaps. The first comes from Minnesota's 3-2 overtime win over Ohio State on December 4th where the Early November references run high. The second is more of a column, as the Gophers fell 3-2 in overtime to Minnesota State on November 14th when leading 2-0 with 4 minutes remaining.
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/12/4/9852910/big-ten-hockey-minnesota-ohio-state-final-score-3-2-hudson-fasching
http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/big-ten/2015/11/14/9737354/gophers-hockey-on-losing-nonconference-momentum-and-a-two-goal-lead
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)