Alumni in the pros December 2008

Dan Hickling, New England Hockey Journal
The Manchester Monarchs suffered two devastating injuries in the same game, Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Portland. Both right winger Matt Moulson and center Jason Azevedo suffered what initially appeared to be serious knee injuries, both of which occurred on contact plays. Moulson suffered his in the first period after heading into the corner to make a hit. Azevedo, who had held a hot scoring hand (4 goals, 4 assists in eight games), absorbed a crushing check into the boards by Portland defenseman Mike Weber, and was unable to get to his feet. He had to be helped off the ice.


“They were two of our top scorers,” lamented Manchester coach Mark Morris. “That had a big impact on the game.”

Morris said that the prognosis for either player wasn’t promising.

“It’s not good,” he said. “It’s a couple injuries that impact our team in a big way.”

crodger1
Well, new month and more bad news -- Moulson out with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Dan Hickling, New England Hockey Journal
The Manchester Monarchs suffered two devastating injuries in the same game, Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Portland. Both right winger Matt Moulson and center Jason Azevedo suffered what initially appeared to be serious knee injuries, both of which occurred on contact plays. Moulson suffered his in the first period after heading into the corner to make a hit. Azevedo, who had held a hot scoring hand (4 goals, 4 assists in eight games), absorbed a crushing check into the boards by Portland defenseman Mike Weber, and was unable to get to his feet. He had to be helped off the ice.


“They were two of our top scorers,” lamented Manchester coach Mark Morris. “That had a big impact on the game.”

Morris said that the prognosis for either player wasn’t promising.

“It’s not good,” he said. “It’s a couple injuries that impact our team in a big way.”

[www.hockeyjournal.com]

Josh '99

crodger1
Well, new month and more bad news -- Moulson out with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Dan Hickling, New England Hockey Journal
The Manchester Monarchs suffered two devastating injuries in the same game, Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Portland. Both right winger Matt Moulson and center Jason Azevedo suffered what initially appeared to be serious knee injuries, both of which occurred on contact plays. Moulson suffered his in the first period after heading into the corner to make a hit. Azevedo, who had held a hot scoring hand (4 goals, 4 assists in eight games), absorbed a crushing check into the boards by Portland defenseman Mike Weber, and was unable to get to his feet. He had to be helped off the ice.


“They were two of our top scorers,” lamented Manchester coach Mark Morris. “That had a big impact on the game.”

Morris said that the prognosis for either player wasn’t promising.

“It’s not good,” he said. “It’s a couple injuries that impact our team in a big way.”

[www.hockeyjournal.com]

In even worse news, Moulson is playing for Mark Morris now. Yes, that Mark Morris.

French Rage

Josh '99

crodger1
Well, new month and more bad news -- Moulson out with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Dan Hickling, New England Hockey Journal
The Manchester Monarchs suffered two devastating injuries in the same game, Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Portland. Both right winger Matt Moulson and center Jason Azevedo suffered what initially appeared to be serious knee injuries, both of which occurred on contact plays. Moulson suffered his in the first period after heading into the corner to make a hit. Azevedo, who had held a hot scoring hand (4 goals, 4 assists in eight games), absorbed a crushing check into the boards by Portland defenseman Mike Weber, and was unable to get to his feet. He had to be helped off the ice.


“They were two of our top scorers,” lamented Manchester coach Mark Morris. “That had a big impact on the game.”

Morris said that the prognosis for either player wasn’t promising.

“It’s not good,” he said. “It’s a couple injuries that impact our team in a big way.”

[www.hockeyjournal.com]

In even worse news, Moulson is playing for Mark Morris now. Yes, that Mark Morris.

I hear he's been quite a hit there. Very hard to beat.

Robb

French Rage

Josh '99

crodger1
Well, new month and more bad news -- Moulson out with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

Dan Hickling, New England Hockey Journal
The Manchester Monarchs suffered two devastating injuries in the same game, Sunday’s 4-0 loss at Portland. Both right winger Matt Moulson and center Jason Azevedo suffered what initially appeared to be serious knee injuries, both of which occurred on contact plays. Moulson suffered his in the first period after heading into the corner to make a hit. Azevedo, who had held a hot scoring hand (4 goals, 4 assists in eight games), absorbed a crushing check into the boards by Portland defenseman Mike Weber, and was unable to get to his feet. He had to be helped off the ice.


“They were two of our top scorers,” lamented Manchester coach Mark Morris. “That had a big impact on the game.”

Morris said that the prognosis for either player wasn’t promising.

“It’s not good,” he said. “It’s a couple injuries that impact our team in a big way.”

[www.hockeyjournal.com]

In even worse news, Moulson is playing for Mark Morris now. Yes, that Mark Morris.

I hear he's been quite a hit there. Very hard to beat.

I'm sure he's just rolling with the punches.

The addition of Joe Nieuwendyk to his management staff for the 2009 world hockey championship represented a quick and simple decision for Doug Armstrong.


"This is not just some feel-good story," Armstrong, Canada's general manager, said yesterday. "Joe is a champion. He can relate to today's players, and that is important. He brings the experience, and players know him."

Nieuwendyk, a special assistant to Maple Leafs president and general manager Brian Burke, and Pierre Gauthier, assistant GM of the Montreal Canadiens, were named assistant GMs of Canada's entry in the worlds next spring in Switzerland.

One of the first questions for Nieuwendyk was fairly obvious. Does he envision a day when he is the GM of a National Hockey League club?

"I don't really look at it in terms of that," the 42-year-old said. "Each day (with the Leafs) is a learning experience for me.

"I don't see myself as a coach although I like being around the guys and offering advice whenever I can. This is something I would look at more than coaching."

If Nieuwendyk does become an NHL GM one day, it probably will not be in Toronto. Provided Burke does not get fired or does not try to move even closer to his family in Boston, he is under contract until 2014.

Armstrong intends to formally meet with Nieuwendyk and Gauthier some time in January. One bonus for Nieuwendyk is that when he is out scouting for Hockey Canada, he will keep his eyes open for for the Leafs. Nieuwendyk will work alongside Canada's executive director, Steve Yzerman, and associate directors Kevin Lowe and Ken Holland.

Armstrong and Nieuwendyk formed a good relationship when both were employees of the Dallas Stars. Armstrong figured that if Nieuwendyk wants to become a GM one day, little will stop him.

"Joe can write his own script because of his work ethic, demeanour and intelligence," Armstrong said. "He is so well-respected, not just as a player, but as an individual as well."

For now, Nieuwendyk is thinking only of making the Leafs better and trying to help build a potential world champion.

"(Working for Hockey Canada), I am excited by it," Nieuwendyk said. "I have had a number of conversations with Steve Yzerman over the past couple of years about players and the direction he is going. This will be a good challenge for me."

Rita
Due to an an injury (broken arm) to Mathieu Dandenault, Ryan O'Byrne will get back in the line-up after several games as a (healthy) scratch.

Montreal takes on Tampa Bay tomorrow night. It would be an interesting sight to see OB and Martin St. Louis battle in front of the net (or even along the boards).

Rita
It would be an interesting sight to see OB and Martin St. Louis battle in front of the net (or even along the boards).

Dpperk29

Rita
It would be an interesting sight to see OB and Martin St. Louis "battle" in front of the net (or even along the boards).

how is that even a battle? I think little guys can do very well in pro hockey, but battling along the boards and infront of the net are two spots where size does matter. Little guys tend to do better buzzing around, seeing the flow of the game and knowing where to be at the right moment.

Rita
St. Louis could probably twist OB around in such a way that OB is left holding his jock strap.

Trotsky

Rita
St. Louis could probably twist OB around in such a way that OB is left holding his jock strap.

Wait. Holding whose jock strap?

Ew.

Dpperk29

Rita
It would be an interesting sight to see OB and Martin St. Louis battle in front of the net (or even along the boards).

how is that even a battle? I think little guys can do very well in pro hockey, but battling along the boards and infront of the net are two spots where size does matter. Little guys tend to do better buzzing around, seeing the flow of the game and knowing where to be at the right moment.

Rich S

Dpperk29

Rita
It would be an interesting sight to see OB and Martin St. Louis battle in front of the net (or even along the boards).

how is that even a battle? I think little guys can do very well in pro hockey, but battling along the boards and infront of the net are two spots where size does matter. Little guys tend to do better buzzing around, seeing the flow of the game and knowing where to be at the right moment.

Clarkson grad Todd White '97 is a "little guy" (no taller than 5'8" regardless of the height at which he's listed) who does very well along the boards. He's had a solid NHL career because he "plays big" as coaches put it.

Whitey is built a lot like Bryan Trottier was in his playing days (although shorter) for those of you old enough to remember.

Cactus12
I think it's just because Giguere is on bereavement leave.

sah67

Cactus12
I think it's just because Giguere is on bereavement leave.

It would be interesting if Hiller got injured, leaving Anaheim to call up McKee to back up Leneveu. Although I don't know where the other Iowa goalie stands in the mix. Can't be any worse than the Caps dressing a website producer with some goalie experience during the first period of a game last week while waiting for their AHL backup to arrive

Jordan 04
Chris Moulson will be 21 when he begins his eligibility.

When was the last time we had a freshman that old? Denis Ladouceur?

Jordan 04
Chris Moulson will be 21 when he begins his eligibility.

When was the last time we had a freshman that old?

Josh '99
Cam Abbott and Chris Abbott played with Pegoraro for Bossier-Shreveport in 2006-07 and have also since also moved on to Europe. They're playing together (naturally) for Rogle of the Swedish Elite League and are the only players on their team not from Northern Europe. Jeremy Downs was also on that same Bossier-Shreveport team and played in France for Strasbourg last year but doesn't appear to be playing anywhere this year.

Josh '99
If I recall correctly, someone posted something similar not too long ago, but since I was reading up on this on my own last night anyway, I figured I'd post what I'd found...

French Rage

Josh '99
Cam Abbott and Chris Abbott played with Pegoraro for Bossier-Shreveport in 2006-07 and have also since also moved on to Europe. They're playing together (naturally) for Rogle of the Swedish Elite League and are the only players on their team not from Northern Europe. Jeremy Downs was also on that same Bossier-Shreveport team and played in France for Strasbourg last year but doesn't appear to be playing anywhere this year.

Is that the same RogleBK that Vesce played for during the 04-05 season?

sah67

Josh '99
If I recall correctly, someone posted something similar not too long ago, but since I was reading up on this on my own last night anyway, I figured I'd post what I'd found...

Slightly related: I didn't realize Ryan Vesce had returned to the US after playing in Europe last year and is currently doing well in the AHL for the Worcester Sharks, with a line of 7-17-24 in 28 games.

Trotsky

Jordan 04
Chris Moulson will be 21 when he begins his eligibility.

When was the last time we had a freshman that old?

Meh. Bertrand was, what, 40?

jkahn
I spoke with an Islander scout Sunday in Estero. I told him they should call up Iggy. He mentioned that he had spent some time with Mike a few days ago - "really nice kid" is how he described him, but didn't really respond to the call up idea. I told him that Mike was great on the penalty kill for us, and they have nothing to lose by giving him a shot (except, and I didn't think quick enough to say this, they could lose first draft choice).

Al DeFlorio
O'Byrne sent down to Hamilton yesterday.

RatushnyFan
What's surprising to me is they've brought up and tried so many forwards, but not the 6'3" kid leading the team in scoring who's a great penalty killer.

Garry McKay, The Hamilton Spectator
O'Byrne was pretty happy about getting to play with the Bulldogs tonight and tomorrow evening.

The 6-foot-6, 228-pounder is here on a conditioning stint. It can't be any longer than a couple of weeks and could be as little as a few days.

crodger1
Speculation in The Hamilton Speculator Spectator was that it would be a short stint. Let's hope for O'B that it is.

Garry McKay, The Hamilton Spectator
O'Byrne was pretty happy about getting to play with the Bulldogs tonight and tomorrow evening.

The 6-foot-6, 228-pounder is here on a conditioning stint. It can't be any longer than a couple of weeks and could be as little as a few days.

[www.thespec.com]