Traverse City Michigan, all hockey roads lead north...

The action started last night in Traverse City Michigan, oh, how I wish we were there. To those of you who have followed this blog for the last year you know that only major surgery could have kept me home. This year that is exactly what did. The news is good, pathology negative but it will be a few weeks until I'm up to packing my kit and traveling to away games. But life and hockey is good and the folks at NHL network will be showing the entire weekends games starting 2:00am eastern time Monday morning, finishing late Monday night. Check your local listings for details. Can you say TVo and viewing party?


Courtesy of WK of Wolfkeeper.org the Thrashers roster for TC.
FORWARDS
65 * Carter Bancks LW 5.11 169 — Lethbridge (WHL)
70 * Scott Bartlett F 5.09 165 — Middlebury (NESCAC)
57 Angelo Esposito C 6.00 190 PIT-07 (1-20) Quebec (QMJHL)
43 Riley Holzapfel C 5.11 170 ATL-06 (2-43) Moose Jaw (WHL)
53 Rylan Kaip C 6.01 188 ATL-03 (9-269) North Dakota (NCAA)
67 * Justin Larson C 6.03 195 — Mississauga (OHL)
66 * Matt Lyall C 5.11 155 — Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
46 Spencer Machacek RW 6.00 182 ATL-07 (3-67) Vancouver (WHL)
68 * Robert Mignardi C 6.00 170 — Kingston (OHL)
59 Danick Paquette RW 6.00 210 ATL-08 (3-64) Lewiston (QMJHL)
56 Tomas Pospisil LW 6.00 185 ATL-05 (5-135) Gwinnett (ECHL)
63 Matt Siddall RW 6.01 205 ATL-04 (9-270) Northern Michigan (NCAA)
61 Myles Stoesz LW 6.02 208 ATL-05 (7-207) Gwinnett (ECHL)

DEFENSEMEN
44 Zach Bogosian D 6.02 197 ATL-08 (1-3) Peterborough (OHL)
64 * Patrick Cusack D 6.01 194 — Lewiston (QMJHL)
55 Chad Denny D 6.03 227 ATL-05 (2-49) Gwinnett (ECHL)
62 Arturs Kulda D 6.02 194 ATL-06 (7-200) Peterborough (OHL)
52 Grant Lewis D 6.03 193 ATL-04 (2-40) Chicago (AHL)
58 * Scott Marchesi D 6.01 200 — Sacred Heart (NCAA)
60 Paul Postma D 6.02 173 ATL-07 (7-205) Calgary (WHL)

GOALTENDERS
35 Chris Carrozzi G 6.03 185 ATL-08 (6-154) Mississauga (OHL)
34 * Ryan Daniels G 6.01 194 OTT-06 (5-151) Saginaw (OHL)

* denotes free-agent invitee

What caught my eye on this years list was several names that were returnees from last year, this will be Chad Denny's third appearance in camp. Grant Lewis, Riely Holzapfel, Tomas Popisil and lastly Myles Stoesz if memory serves me correctly all second year men who have seen time in Gwinnett or Chicago. Then there is Arturs Kulda who played his heart out during the Calder Cup run last season. It begs the question is this an Anderson strategy to have more experienced hands at the tournament to bring out the best in the invitees or are these guys being given a shot at the Thrash? Considering the first Wolves "friendly" game is Monday the 15th I suspect the former in most cases. Although Arturs Kulda deserves a look by Anderson and the Thrashers staff after his efforts last spring on Chicago ice.

At last years camp a standout attendee was Myles Stoesz, he was briefly in Chicago then landed for the rest of the season in Gwinnett to mature under the wing of talented coach Jeff Pyle. I had a chance to talk to Myles last October, he seemed a well spoken, polite young man in love with the game and looking forward to whatever the future was going to hand him as long as it meant a life in the game he was so dedicated to. My contacts with Gwinnett assured me he was scoring well, and was sticking up for his teammates when necessary. No goon but a classic enforcer in the making, sounds good to me.


This is what I had to say about Myles last September, a year older,wiser and ready for Chicago, I can't wait. Jr Lessard is not going to be able to take care of the entire team, Stoesz is a welcome addition to the Wolves line up in my book.

"A last possibility is this years "excitable boy", Myles Stoesz. Considering he had a fight in nearly every game he played in at camp, he could be a future enforcer. However, given the fact he also had no goals or assists on this weekend,his value to the team could be limited to protection. In modern hockey is there still a place for the man who stands up for every line change yet doesn't score? I think so, where would Alex the Great have been in Buffalo without Rob Ray? Things haven't changed that much."




Powderhornhockey
toesz,

Guillaume Desbiens sustains shoulder injury in Gwinette

Powderhornhockey
Last night Wolves RW Guillaume Desbiens sustained a head and shoulder injury.


From the gladiatorsforum.com:

"Gwinnett forward Guillaume Desbiens will be out approximately three weeks after suffering a slight concussion and separating his shoulder during the Gladiators' 4-1 victory over the Florida Everblades Thursday at Gwinnett Arena. At 12:10 of the second period, Desbiens crumpled to the ice when he and Everblades' forward Jarret Lukin collided in the faceoff circle inside Gwinnett's zone.

Play was stopped for nearly eight minutes while medical personnel attended to the fallen Gladiator. "At first, he (Desbiens) couldn't remember what happened," Gwinnett coach Jeff Pyle. "But, then, it all started coming back to him. The good news is that he's fine."

While Lukin skated away unscathed Desbiens left the ice on a stretcher. Stitches were also applied to close a gash that opened up when his head hit the ice. To fill Desbiens spot, the Gladiators have signed Walker McDonald, a 6-2, 196 pound right winger who has played for the ECHL's Toledo Storm, Charlotte Checkers and Columbia Inferno"

We can only wish this fine young man well and a speedy recovery.

Guillaume Desbeins, with the Gwinette Gladiators hopfully just for now.

Few players have faces that love the camera like Guillaume Desbiens, a young man we have seen too few times on Chicago ice. Before I descend into full bunny mode lets talk about what makes this French Canadian so special. Two years out of the tough Quebec Juniors as a RW he seems to have been caught in a farm system rich in forwards. Causing him to seemingly languish on the pine in Chicago or to keep sharp in Gwinette with the Wolves farm team the Gladiators. For what it is worth my personal observations on him as a player, is he is a rare offensive player who has the tough attitude of a blueliner. Desbiens skating skills are solid, he is fast enough to make it difficult to photograph him, as beautiful as his "line" is on the ice. Although his name does not appear on the Wolves "clear day" roster such lists are not carved in stone. One can wish something positive happens to bring a young player with as much of promise as Guillaume Desbiens up from the south for the remainder of the season and playoff run.

Mom and Dad Debiens this one is for you, Happy Easter!



Powderhornhockey