Everything Else

Kids Table

By Sam Fels 1399 0

Time again for our jog around the continent, and that other one across the pond….well, they’re all across some pond, but the one to the north and across that Atlantic where they speak 50 some languages and some have the same currency but some don’t and everyone dreams of chilling out in Ibiza or the Algarve.

Quiet weekend for Phillip Danault for Moncton. He had an assist in two games and was a -1.

In Victoriaville, Brandon Whitney had two wins. He stopped 22 of 23 in the first and 35 of 38 in the second.

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Sell The Kids For Food

By Sam Fels 1422 0

Time to check in on the Hawks prospects.

Let’s start in the OHL, where Garrett Ross was named OHL player of the week. Seven points in three games will do that for a player. He currently stands at 49 points in 38 games, which is good enough to be in the top 20 in the league. That actually puts him right behind Boone Jenner, who very well may be a Jacket this time on Saturday. Though Jenner is a couple years younger. While Ross shouldn’t be pegged as a future star or anything anytime soon, he assuredly should be watched when he gets to Rockford next year. Though all of it comes with the caveat that he is playing against kids he is older than.

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Good Morning, Campers

By Sam Fels 1236 0

It’s a big week for Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill, as they are both currently in Calgary for Canada’s World Junior Training Camp. They will find out Thursday if they’ve made the team, and they could be fighting for the same spot.

Both went into it on a roll as well. Danault especially went bonkers in two games this weekend, with one goal and seven assists! That gives Phillip 44 points in 29 games, though that hasn’t kept Victoriaville from being pretty ho-hum this year.

McNeill had a goal and two assists in three games before heading to Calgary.

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My College Weekend And Other Notes

By Sam Fels 1290 0

Some stuff to clean up this afternoon:

-I’ll be on Chris Block’s podcast tonight at 8pm. Catch it at The Third Man In.com. No one is more plugged into what goes on in Rockford than Block, so if you want to know what’s going on down there you should check it out. I’ll just be making it up.

-Phillip Danault and Mark McNeill were invited to Canada’s World Junior training camp. Both have at least a decent shout to go to Russia. Danault is considered more of a lock, though Bob McKenzie thinks that McNeill’s versatility could see him land a spot as well. If Bob McKenzie says it, I’ll believe it.

Everything Else

Your NHL-less Weeked Viewing Guide

By Sam Fels 1105 0

Just keep ’em coming. Before I get to the guide, I wanted to post this article from Soccernet with two owners from MLS. While there’s nothing too revolutionary here, it is refreshing to see transparency and communication be something that is valued. A lot of MLS teams work hand in hand with their supporters’ groups, which would be something that would make owners in any other league pretty much choke. Sadly, one of those owners isn’t here in Chicago, as the Fire don’t seem to have a great relationship with their fanbase.

But the NHL should tamp down the arrogance, because with more incompetent stewardship, MLS is going to be getting awfully big in the rearview, if it isn’t already. How did it get here? By expanding into the exact right markets, building a base with the dedicated fans in those, cultivating its own atmosphere and uniqueness, along with a couple other things. Maybe not this decade, but the next one could see the NHL totally usurped. And it would be exactly what they fucking deserve.

In fact, when the NHL finally wakes up and gets around to firing Gary Bettman for killing the sport, they’d do well to not look at plucking someone from the sports they can’t be, but from the one that is gobbling up the gap from the NHL to MLS. At least you might see something resembling innovative ideas.

Anyway, to the guide.

Everything Else

Hey Kids, Where Are You?

By Sam Fels 1183 0

Time for our spin around the Canadian backwaters and American college towns to find out what’s up with the Hawks kids this past weekend. Are you ready to fly? Let’s go!

Let’s do the normal snake pattern from the Quebecois to the cowboys and then back down through the US. That means the QMJHL to kick it off. Phillip Danault had two assists in tw games for Victoriaville against Chicoutimi and Quebec. I think I had some Chicoutimi on my burger last week, utterly delicious. Danualt now has 33 points in 22 games, both equally divisible by 11 which is awesome. Something great about the multiples of 11. I think it’s the symmetry. His teammate Brandon Whitney continues to see pucks whiz by him a little too consistently. He gave up five goals on 19 Chimchurri shots. But he backed that up with a 31-save performance on 33 shots against Quebec. Victoriaville is 4th in their division.

Everything Else

We Are The Young So Raise Your Hand

By Sam Fels 1212 0

Right, let’s move farther down the organizational totem pole….wouldn’t that be a great pickup line? “Hey babe, you wanna move up the organizational totem pole?” Actually, that would be awful but kind of funny. Kind of like, “Hey, let me put my plus into your minus.” Or “Why don’t you come back to my place so I can overload your box?” Ok, now that’s over. Anyway, what did the kids get up to this weekend?

Shall we start as always in the Q? Sounds good.

Everything Else

Checking In With The Kids

By Sam Fels 1180 0

That time again. Let’s go around the continent to see which Hawks prospect got up to what. Because it’s basically all we have to talk about that isn’t a bunch of finger-pointers and name-callers and I swear to god when I feel like I’m significantly more mature than two groups of people, you know you’re in fucking trouble. Sorry, bit of a rant there. Let’s move on.