College Hockey   CC Tigers and USAFA Falcons Hockey

Former Tiger Jaden Schwartz will coach in an exhibition fundraiser involving his former high school.

Let’s Play Hockey reported that Matt Thomas, head coach of the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder, was named as the Alaska-Anchorage coach. He is an RIT grad. That was confirmed by the school a c0uple hours later.

The Alabama-Huntsville job remains open.

Brian McMillin was interviewed by a blogger that writes about his new pro team, the Coventry Blaze. Here is a link to another article by the same blogger.

The Colorado College community is mourning the unexpected death of Scott Winkler, a hockey player liked by fans, friends, coaches and teammates alike.

The former Tiger center 23, was found dead at his parents’ home in Asker, Norway on Wednesday, the college confirmed Thursday morning.

His positive attitude regardless of the situation endeared him to teammates and friends.

“Everyone loved him and respected him,” 2012-13 captain William Rapuzzi said. “He was a brother to all of us. It just doesn’t make sense.”

“He treated everyone great. He was always in a good mood and was always there for the other guys whenever you needed someone. He went out of his way to help others. He was someone you always wanted to hang out with because he was always so positive.”

The cause of death for Winkler, who graduated last month with an economics degree, is unknown.

“The first thing you feel is shock and second, you hope it isn’t true,” Ralph said. “Scott had been working very hard and done a great job preparing himself for professional camps this summer.”

“It’s unfathomable that something like this can happen to someone his age. He had such a bright future ahead of him. I’d like to ask all Colorado College fans and supporters of college hockey everywhere to keep the Winkler family in your thoughts and prayers.”

The Asker, Norway native, 23, was a third-round selection (89th overall) of the Dallas Stars in the 2008 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 202-pounder finished with 63 points (24 goals) in 120 career games in four years as a Tiger, including a career high 28 points (13 goals) as a senior.

“The Dallas Stars are heartbroken to hear about Scott’s passing,” said general manager Jim Nill. “Scott was a wonderful young man with great character and a bright future; we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

He came to the United States in 2007 to play for the Russell Stover midget major AAA team in Overland Park, Kan. He played junior hockey for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League in 2008-09 before enrolling at Colorado College.

The work he put in to improve as a hockey player and as a student was considerable.

“He was very dedicated and hard-working,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “He would come in before class to get in extra work and then do the team workouts.”

“It’s still hard to believe. I feel badly for the Winkler family, his friends, teammates and everyone who knew him.”

Memorial services and other details will be announced as available.

Here is a sampling of the condolences expressed via Twitter after news spread of former Tiger Scott Winkler’s unexpected death at age 23:

Josh Thorimbert, Colorado College senior goalie

Your gonna be greatly missed winksy. I’ll never forget the memories we made over our 3 years. Miss you so much and love you brother. RIP

Jared Hanson. CC sophomore forward

Winks you were an amazing teammate and even better man, words can’t describe how much this world will miss you. I love you brother.

Chris Hartsburg, former CC center

Never met Scott Winkler but so saddened to hear about his passing. He is a Tiger and that is what ties us all together. #saddaytobeatiger

Richard Bachman, former CC goalie

Deeply saddened to hear the news of Scott Winkler passing. You will be truly missed!! #tigerfamily

Matthew Tabrum, Denver junior forward

Thoughts and prayers go out to the Winkler family. Hockey means family. Scott you will be missed. #goldpanrivalry #25

Tate Maris, former North Dakota goalie

Thoughts and prayers to Scott Winkler, his family, and the CC Tigers. Really tough seeing a bright future cut short.

Kenny Reiter, former Minnesota-Duluth goalie

Deepest sympathies go out to the family, friends, and teammates of Colorado College forward Scott Winkler. Sad day for hockey #CCTigers

Danny Doremus, Denver junior forward

Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Scott Winkler. Sadden to hear the news of a fellow college hockey player pass #R.I.P25

Danny Kristo, former North Dakota forward

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Scott winkler. Always sad to see someone from the hockey world leave us. RIP 25

Dillon Simpson, North Dakota senior defenseman

Condolences to the family of Scott Winkler and the @CCTigers #RIP

Colten St. Clair, North Dakota sophomore forward

Thoughts and prayers for Scott Winkler, his family and the cc tigers

Dan Senkbeil, North Dakota junior forward

Thoughts and prayers go out to the Winkler family. Sad day for hockey #RIP

CawlidgeHawkey.org

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Scott Winkler. Our hockey community lost a great one today.

Colorado College hockey  posted a perfect score of 1,000 for the teams’ academic progress rate (APR) for the 2011-12 academic year, the NCAA announced this week.

Air Force recorded an excellent 991 rating.

APRs represent a four-year rolling average and are subject to fluctuation as academic performance data from the most recent year are included.

According to the NCAA, each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one retention point for staying in school and one eligibility point for being academically eligible. A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by one thousand to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate score.

No Division I ice hockey team has sustained a penalty for low APR scores since the system was created in 2004.

Alaska-Anchorage pulled up the rear with a multi-year score of 931, 15 points lower than Alabama-Huntsville, and 24 points lower than Nebraska-Omaha, the next two lowest teams on the list. UAA’s score is still six points above the NCAA minimum (925) before penalties are considered.

Here’s a list of how the National Collegiate Hockey Conference teams rated: Colorado College, 1,000; North Dakota, 989; Denver, 988, Western Michigan 985; Miami, 979; St. Cloud State, 967; Minnesota-Duluth, 962; and Nebraska-Omaha 955.
Here’s how the Atlantic Hockey Association teams fared: Bentley, 997; Rochester Institute of Technology, 996; Air Force, 991; American International, Holy Cross, both 989; Canisius. 987; Robert Morris, 986; Sacred Heart 983; Army 982; UConn 981; Mercyhurst 973; and Niagara 967.

CC commit Teemu Kivihalme is profiled by Yahoo! Canada Sports as a possible NHL Draft pick this month.

Here is a review of former Tiger Jack Hillen‘s past season with the Capitals along with a look at Joey Crabb.

Western Michigan hockey is creating a ring of honor to recognize past greats and contributors to the program.

Declining attendance for Wisconsin home games is cause for concern in Madison.

Minnesota-Duluth coach Scott Sandelin will receive North Dakota’s Tom Clifford Award as part of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies Sept. 14  in Grand Forks.

The award goes to a North Dakota graduate who has served with distinction as a coach at the college or high school level.  Sandelin, 48, a 1986 North Dakota graduate,  has a 231-229-63 record and  helped the Bulldogs to the 2011 NCAA title.

The Hibbing native was a North Dakota assistant for six years, including championship seasons in 1997 and 2000.

From the Bemidji Pioneer …

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association might still experience some growing pains as it enters its first season as a 10-team league in 2013-14. But at the very least, league officials say they’re working on ways to make sure the conference remains viable in the future. And that includes an innovative new media package.

Bemidji State hosted presidents, athletic directors and other officials from the conference Sunday and Monday in Bemidji.  Bemidji State president Richard Hanson described the package as an internet-based streaming service similar to ESPN3. At the moment, he said, it doesn’t involve a league-wide television deal and it’s still in the early stages. On Monday the presidents sat through a presentation outlining how such a package would work.

For the rest of the article, which deals with available officials after the formation of the Big Ten and NCHC, please read the rest of the article.

CC student assistant Dakota Eveland scored in the first period as Team USA rallied to defeat host Germany 7-4 in quarterfinal play Thursday at the world inline hockey championships.

USA Hockey announced  the 40 players invited to the national junior evaluation camp Aug. 3-10 in Lake Placid, N.Y. before playing exhibition games against Canada, Finland and Sweden.

The 2014 World Junior Hockey Championships take place Dec. 26, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014 in Malmo, Sweden.

Eight are current or future National Collegiate Hockey Conference players.

Here is the full roster for the national junior evaluation camp which does not include goalies, who will have a separate camp this month.

Three additional players have signed on with Nebraska-Omaha and will join the team this fall.

Madison Square Garden will host Boston University versus Cornell on Nov. 30, 2013 and then Harvard and Yale on Jan. 11, 2014. Last season, Cornell beat Michigan 5-1 at MSG on Nov. 24.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins Mark Johnson (Madison, Wis.) and Joe Mullen (New York, N.Y.) will be the head coaches for the second annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game Sept. 26 in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA Hockey announced today. The event, which will feature 40 of the top American-born prospects eligible for the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft, will be staged at CONSOL Energy Center, home of the Penguins.

Both Johnson and Mullen are members of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and Lester Patrick Trophy recipients for their outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

Four new finalists were added after the recent shakeup of the Alaska-Anchorage coach search committee while earlier finalists Chris Brown, Augsberg head coach, and Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett remain.

All six will come back to campus for a public forum and interviews, according to an announcement  by UAA vice chancellor William Spindle.

The new candidates are: Ron Fogarty (Adrian head coach), Kevin Hartzell (former coach of USHL’s St. Paul Vulcans and Sioux Falls Stampede), Dave Peters (Dartmouth associate coach) and Matthew Thomas (head coach of ECHL’s Stockton Thunder).

All four applied during the supplemental search process which started after the state hockey and UAA hockey alumni associations complained there was no “hockey guy” on the search committee.

The athletic director, Steve Cobb, has since been fired and former coach Dave Shyiak accused of hitting a player with a stick during practice. There were calls to get rid of Cobb for some time.

Two of the original finalists, Michigan Tech assistant Damon Whitten and Utica coach Gary Heenan, withdrew from consideration.

Puckato, the blog covering Minnesota State hockey raises a good question: Which program is more stable, Alaska-Anchorage or Alabama-Huntsville? My vote is at left.

Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett remains a candidate for the UAA job. An announcement is expected sometime this week.

CC student assistant Dakota Eveland recorded an assist on a goal by C.J. Yoder, also of Colorado Springs, in Team USA’s 13-3 opening pool-play win over Slovenia at the inline hockey world championships on Sunday morning in Dresden, Germany.  The U.S. plays Canada at 10 a.m. MT on Monday.

St. Cloud State sophomore forward Jonny Brodzinski, who showed off a hard shot against CC, if fans recall, is a late-round NHL Draft possibility this month.

Minnesota-Duluth recruit Blake Heinrich is a late-round draft prospect as well as North Dakota’s Luke Johnson.

Now we know where the money to keep George Gwozdecky went. Not that lacrosse coach Bill Tierney doesn’t deserve an extension, mind you. He also spoke up for Gwoz after the firing. Denver is leaving the ECAC for Big East lax too.

The last round of the lengthy North Dakota Fighting Sioux nickname battle may be over.  Of course,  I have typed that before.

Minnesota State picked up de-committed Nashville draft pick Zach Stepan, cousin of the Rangers’ Derek Stepan, formerly of Wisconsin. Stepan backed out of Ohio State after the recent coaching change. It appears to be a smart move on his part; he goes from a bottom-tier Big 10 team to one likely to compete for the WCHA title.

2014 or 2015 CC signee Teemu Kivilhalme has a chance at being drafted by the NHL in late June. Here is a profile on him. 

Incoming freshman defenseman Gustav Olofsson is a likely second- or third-rounder.

The 2013-14 CC roster was released with junior defenseman Aaron Harstad switching from No. 5 to No. 27. 

Here are the freshman jersey numbers: No. 5 Jaccob Slavin; No. 8 Luc Gerdes; No. 9 Sam Rothstein; No. 13 Gustav Olofsson; No. 15 Christian Heil; No. 23 Matt Hansen; No. 26 Zach Aman; No. 28 Alex Roos;  and No. 33 Tyler Marble.

USA Hockey handed out its annual awards and incoming St. Cloud State rookie Charlie Lindgren was named as Goalie of the Year.

Wisconsin added a power forward for this fall.

The Alabama-Huntsville job came open on Wednesday as did the Alaska-Anchorage athletic director job. The outgoing administrator later declared the president who fired him insane.

“When you give away the university to [lobbyist to have Cobb fired] Ashley Reed and a few local scoundrels, you are by definition insane and I intend to prove it in court,” said Cobb in the statement. “Gamble made the decision to fire me without speaking to one employee of the UAA athletic department, not one staff member, not one coach, not one student-athlete and certainly not me. Apparently, Ashley Reed is the final authority.”

After leading Canisius to its most successful season in school history and an NCAA Tournament bid, Dave Smith signed a contract extension through the 2016-17 season.

Mike Ayers, former goaltending coach at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program was named the new assistant at Boston College.

It looks like the four finalists may be joined by a few more as Alaska-Anchorage looks to revamp its earlier selection process that put Air Force associate coach Mike Corbett in the top four.

ESPN put out an opinion piece that lists North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol as the NCAA coach most ready to take over an NHL team.

Former Tiger Jaden Schwartz will coach his old junior team as part of an exhibition fundraiser for his late sister Mandi’s organization and other charities.

St. Cloud State received its first commit since its historic NCAA Frozen Four run.

It seems less likely that former Denver coach George Gwozdecky will take the reins in Maine. New Denver coach Jim Montgomery is profiled.