Monday, August 26, 2013

Piece on Providence's Gilmour Up at USCHO


My latest 2013 NHL Entry Draft article, on Providence rising freshmen defenseman John Gilmour, was posted last week at USCHO.com and is still headlining on the site.

Gilmour, 20, posted four goals and 13 points in 38 games last year for the Friars. He was selected in the seventh round (198th 0verall) in June by the Calgary Flames, the final NCAA player to be chosen in this year's festivities.

Full story can be accessed here.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Hodge, Jr. to Enter BC Varsity Club Hall of Fame


Former Boston College forward Ken Hodge, Jr. will be inducted into the school's Varsity Club Hall of Fame this fall, the only hockey player among the eight inductees, according to BCEagles.com.

The inaugural Hockey East Rookie of the Year, Hodge set freshman superlatives that still stand at the Heights, when he notched 44 assists and 64 points during that 1984-85 campaign. He played three seasons in all with the Eagles, and finished with 60 goals and 94 assists for 154 points.

Born in Ontario but raised in Massachusetts, Hodge also helped BC to 85 total victories, three Hockey East regular season titles, one tournament championship, and three NCAA tournament appearances, including a Frozen Four berth as a freshman. The Eagles fell to both Providence and Minnesota-Duluth in overtime.

The son of former Bruins 50-goal scorer Ken Hodge, Hodge, Jr. was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in the third round in 1984 and went on to skate with the North Stars, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, after playing two seasons with the Kalamazoo Wings of the International Hockey League. He notched 39-48--87 points in 142 career NHL outings, including a 30-goal campaign with the Bruins in 1990-91, and finished his career in 1998 after two seasons with the Cardiff Devils of the British Hockey Super League.

Hodge, who will be inducted on Oct. 4 at BC's home ice of Conte Forum, has served as color commentator on BC Hockey radio broadcasts since the 1999-2000 season.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Canada Features Just Two NCAA Skaters on World Junior Roster


In contrast to the U.S National Junior Team, which just made its preliminary cuts and is top-heavy with American college-trained players, its Canadian counterpart features just two NCAA skaters in defenseman Michael Matheson and forward Mark Jankowski. Both hail from Hockey East and were 2012 NHL first-round draft choices, and both will be sophomores in 2013-14.

Matheson, a 6'2", 189-pound blueliner from Pointe-Claire, Quebec, was chosen 23rd overall by the Florida Panthers last year. As a freshman last season at Boston College, he put up eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 36 games, and helped the Eagles to their ninth NCAA Tournament berth in the last 10 years. He spent the 2011-12 campaign with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League.

Jankowski, a 6’3”, 175-pound forward from Dundas, Ontario, was taken two spots ahead of Matheson by the Calgary Flames last year. As a rookie at Providence College in 2012-13, he collected 7-11—18 points in 34 outings, while helping the Friars to the Hockey East semifinals. Prior to enrolling at Providence, he skated two years at Stanstead College Prep in Quebec.

The 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship will be contested in Malmo, Sweden from Dec. 26, 2013 to Jan. 5, 2014. The U.S. is the defending WJC champ, having taken gold last winter in Ufa, Russia.