Personal favorite Images from 07-08' season.

Don't you just hate those self serving blog entries where photographers post unconnected images of their favorites? Too bad, this is another one of those. No telling what makes an image a favorite, the lighting,subject or a face in the crowd, but here are a few standouts form the past season...










Powderhornhockey

Another Valentine, Jason Krog

This is more than a bit of a fond fair well. After winning the AHL's MVP honours Jason Krog is taking his silver and packing off to Manitoba. Fair play and good luck to him. He will be missed by this photographer. Jason Kriog as I have remarked t many people is one of the most photogenic people I have ever had the fortune to capture for the last two years. He is much like many of the musicians I used to photograph. Off the ice he basically looks like a clean cut computer geek, you wouldn't give him a second look on the street or office. However, get him in equipment, sweat him up a bit and he becomes Jim Morrison on ice and can't take a bad photo. Krogger, rock and roll on ice and scoring machine, you will be missed.




Powderhornhockey

Steve Martins, A Wolf Apart!

Some players are obvious stars, at the end of a championship series they are awarded trophies for scoring records. Often they are named MVP midst the flash and splendor of the light bulbs and falling confetti. But this year there was another Wolf that always seemed to be there, on the play,sticking up for the team a consistent and good example for the "kids". This player is Steve Martins, Powederhornhockey's Wolves MVP of 08'.

My favorite Steve Martins moment happened late in a Icehog's playoff game this spring after a questionable hit on a Wolves player. Moments later a scrum behind the Wolves's net ensued. Martins simply skated over the the player involved in the previous hit restrained him at the boards and spoke to him. The Icehog just stood there motionless, for the rest of the game he gave Martins a wide birth. Steve Martins is not a physical giant, but clearly he casts a big shadow and demands respect and space on the ice. This is the off season and contracts are up for renewal, one can only hope Wolves see the value of experience and tenacity and offer Martins whatever he needs to stay playing in the Chicago/Atlanta system. Talent,experience and leadership will be needed in this rebuilding year ahead of the Chicago Wolves and Martins is too big a fish to let get away.





Powderhornhockey

It's time to share....Some Artsy Fartsy Hockey

When making a routine trip to Target this morning I had NPR on the car radio. The local arts program was playing and a great interview with Paul Cline was being aired, right smack in the middle of it Cline said something that just blew my mind. He said he had recently returned to being a working artist himself and found the experience intimidating to say the least. At one point his 14 year old son looked at one of his watercolors and said to him "Dad you always say , if an artist is any good you can see their soul in their work, there isn't any soul in that work." Wow, now that's one tough critic. The concept of putting it all on the line by exposing very personal work is a daunting concept. Now, I must confess I have been holding back, this entry is from a file I have been keeping for the last year on my computer marked "style" these images are very personal, for it is truly how I see the game as I'm capturing it. Often just one clear player or point among a blur of movement, a Monet and Sports Illustrated at the same time, pure Jane Rickard, Powderhornhockey.




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Andre Deveaux, Signs with Toronto

The news came over the wire yesterday that Wolves enforcer Andre Deveaux has signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. I wish him the best of luck in his new home and with his new team. It has been a pleasure to watch Andre play his role with dignity and discipline, often under difficult circumstances when being baited by opposing teams. It is high time I posted my favorite photos of this fine player, so without straining my bunny feet by asking them to type any more, here are some of my favorite images of Andre Deveaux.




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