NAHL 2017-2018 Thread

Basil

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Mar 27, 2018
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It's looking like there won't be a coaching change in Johnstown. Unbelievable! Their first tryout camp is in less than 2 weeks. Can't imagine they'll change coaches now.

As long as the fans keep showing up, the owners won't be willing to spend any money on a coach who actually knows how to win. Slowly killing what could have been a great junior hockey town.
 
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Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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story-394.png

Next year's expansion in the east will be known as the Maryland Black Bears. Pretty good name and crest. Will make them a natural rival for Kenai River ;)
 

Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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With all of the division champions crowned, we have our final four to head to the league championship in Blaine. Starting this weekend, the Fairbanks Ice Dogs, Shreveport Mudbugs, Minot Minotauros, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights will vie for the Robertson Cup.

Gotta say the biggest surprise for me is the Knights. They were a fairly middling squad most of the season, but became a steamroller in the playoffs, ousting a loaded Rebels team that looked like a guarantee to lock up the East. Good on them.
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
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Minot was the #4 seed in the Central, so they're another surprise participant in the Robertson Cup field-of-4.

I looked into flight schedules & costs last night, with a last-minute thought of attending the Cup weekend. But there was nothing within my budget that didn't involve a layover almost as long as a game night. Maybe next year. Good luck to the Final Four. :thumbu:
 

Captain Crash

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Minot scores 3 third period goals to push the #1 seed Ice Dogs to overtime in Game 3 of their best-of-3 semifinals series, then Ondrej Pavel scores the game/series winning goal to advance the #4 seed Minotauros to Monday night's final vs. Shreveport for the Robertson Cup.

A hell of a performance by Minot for sure. Gotta love a team that never says die, and now going up against a pretty dominant opponent. This is going to be a great final.

My prediction: Minot's hot streak finally runs out, and the Mudbugs coast to the cup. Take with as many grains of salt as you can find!
 

JMCx4

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I have a soft spot for the Mudbugs, because I have very good friends who were long-time Bugs season ticket holders up until the pro franchise folded. But if I was in Shreveport's hockey ops dept., I'd be poring over game video trying to find what has triggered Minot's comebacks - and coaching my players to avoid those situations at all cost.
 

JMCx4

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The Minotauros took the lead in the first period of the Robertson Cup Finals game in Blaine. But the Mudbugs countered with one in each of the remaining periods, and defeated Minot 2-1 in regulation to claim their first NAHL title in just their second season in the League. Congratulations to Shreveport & to their amazing fans. :banana::cheer:
 

JMCx4

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From: The North American Hockey League > News > Top Stories
Claws Up! Mudbugs win Robertson Cup National Championship
May 14, 2018



Just as they did in Game 2 of the Semi-Finals against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Shreveport Mudbugs erased an early one-goal deficit to come from behind with one goal in the 2nd period and another in the 3rd period to defeat the Minot Minotauros 2-1 to win the 2018 NAHL Robertson Cup National Championship on Monday night in front of a packed house at Fogerty Arena in Blaine, MN. ...

Shreveport took their first lead of the game in the early stages of the 3rd period as All-Tournament defenseman Dominick Procopio wristed a shot from the point, which was deflected by Cole Quisenberry for a 2-1 Mudbugs lead. The rest of the period featured some outstanding goaltending from both (Mudbugs goalie Jaxon) Castor and (Minot goalie Samu) Lonkila, who kept it a one-goal game until the very end. Despite several chances on goal by Minot, they could not find the equalizer as time wound down and the Mudbugs captured their first ever Robertson Cup National Championship in just their second season in the NAHL.

Castor, who was named the All-Tournament goaltender, as well as, the event’s Most Valuable Player, stopped 15 of 16 shots in the win and allowed just two goals in three games during the 2018 Robertson Cup. Lonkila, who also received strong consideration for All-Tournament recognition, ended up with 23 saves in the final. ...


Read more at: Claws Up! Mudbugs win Robertson Cup National Championship
 

JungleJON

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May 10, 2011
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It's looking like there won't be a coaching change in Johnstown. Unbelievable! Their first tryout camp is in less than 2 weeks. Can't imagine they'll change coaches now.

As long as the fans keep showing up, the owners won't be willing to spend any money on a coach who actually knows how to win. Slowly killing what could have been a great junior hockey town.

Have been saying the same thing for years. The Mudbugs enter the NAHL after the Tomahawks and they have had a winner from the start. Now this year winning it all. If the owner keeps doing the same thing, in a few year there will be no more hockey in Johnstown.
 

Basil

Registered User
Mar 27, 2018
10
9
Have been saying the same thing for years. The Mudbugs enter the NAHL after the Tomahawks and they have had a winner from the start. Now this year winning it all. If the owner keeps doing the same thing, in a few year there will be no more hockey in Johnstown.
It's now official.

The Tomahawks hired a new assistant coach today, but the head coach stays.

The 2 best jobs to have.....1) A Weatherman because it's OK to be wrong.
2)Head coach of the Johnstown Tomahawks because it's OK to lose.
 

Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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It's now official.

The Tomahawks hired a new assistant coach today, but the head coach stays.

So the new assistant is Nick Perri. Perri has a fair amount of experience in a few different junior leagues (most recently in the Junior A NOJHL) to bring to the table, but it seems like a lateral move at best for him. Interesting movement in its own right, head coach issues notwithstanding.

I really think Johnstown missed the boat by not trying to pluck Michael Gershon from the sinking ship of the Ice Miners. He was a good coach and GM who seemed to be able to do a lot more with a lot less. I don't know if the Tomahawks made a play for him or not, but ultimately he did stay in the Keystone state, serving as an assistant for RMU's NCAA team since the Connellsville experiment imploded.
 

JungleJON

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May 10, 2011
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So the new assistant is Nick Perri. Perri has a fair amount of experience in a few different junior leagues (most recently in the Junior A NOJHL) to bring to the table, but it seems like a lateral move at best for him. Interesting movement in its own right, head coach issues notwithstanding.

I really think Johnstown missed the boat by not trying to pluck Michael Gershon from the sinking ship of the Ice Miners. He was a good coach and GM who seemed to be able to do a lot more with a lot less. I don't know if the Tomahawks made a play for him or not, but ultimately he did stay in the Keystone state, serving as an assistant for RMU's NCAA team since the Connellsville experiment imploded.

Soo Eagles hire video coach - Welcome to Hockey News North

Must have got him on the cheap side - did they find him a job flipping burgers at Wendy's as well???
 

cmh329

Registered User
Nov 14, 2015
32
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So a little shakeup in the East Division. Hearing that the Philadelphia Rebels are heading to Binghamton,NY. A final decision was made this weekend. The options on the table were to move back to their original rink in Aston,Pa or move to Binghamton. Some tension between the EHL Little Flyers who shared the rink with the Rebels for two seasons and ownership of the rink prevented them moving back to Aston. The owner of the EHL franchise was an original partner with the move from Texas to Aston but a falling out and court battle caused the failed move to UPENN rink and looks like the relocation to Binghamton.
 

Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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So a little shakeup in the East Division. Hearing that the Philadelphia Rebels are heading to Binghamton,NY. A final decision was made this weekend. The options on the table were to move back to their original rink in Aston,Pa or move to Binghamton. Some tension between the EHL Little Flyers who shared the rink with the Rebels for two seasons and ownership of the rink prevented them moving back to Aston. The owner of the EHL franchise was an original partner with the move from Texas to Aston but a falling out and court battle caused the failed move to UPENN rink and looks like the relocation to Binghamton.

Interesting. Based on the way things were headed, it really seemed like a return to Aston was set in stone. But that is an awfully crowded venue.

If indeed Binghamton is the destination, I'm guessing they'll head to the Chenango Ice Rink. Surely they wouldn't draw enough to justify being roommates with the AHL at the Veteran's Memorial downtown. Chenango has hosted the the FHL and NA3HL in the past few seasons. Then again, it's listed capacity is 1,200, which is about 300 short of the [alleged] minimum seating for the NAHL.

Side note: I'm surprised the NAHL hasn't cracked nearby Elmira, with their arena still sitting dormant.
 

Captain Crash

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Apr 9, 2015
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The Maryland Black Bears announced Clint Mylymok as their first head coach/GM:
Previously, Mylymok was the head coach and general manager of the Notre Dame Hounds of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) for four seasons.
Mylymok brings a wealth of hockey knowledge and experience to the Black Bears organization. Throughout his junior hockey coaching career, Mylymok has consistently developed players for the next level, advancing players to Canadian Major Junior and NCAA Division I. Coach Mylymok has also held various positions for Hockey Canada select teams including Head Coach of Team Saskatchewan U-16’s and as a scout for Team Canada U-17’s.
SOURCE: Maryland Black Bears name Mylymok as first Head Coach/GM

Snagging a seasoned guy from Canadian Junior A is a pretty good start for the new guys. Learning to pronounce that name is sure to be an uphill battle though :laugh:
 

JMCx4

Censorship is the Sincerest Form of Flattery
Sep 3, 2017
13,451
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St. Louis, MO
From: The North American Hockey League > News > Top Stories
NAHL team in Topeka to be renamed, rebranded as the Pilots
June 6, 2018
By Tim Bisel, Topeka Capital Journal

Lamar Hunt Jr. is navigating a new course for Topeka hockey, and he now has a new team name to reflect his endeavor.

The Topeka Pilots.

Hunt, who purchased the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Topeka RoadRunners junior hockey team from Don Stone in April, revealed the team’s new name Tuesday evening during a gathering at the southeast entrance of the Kansas Expocentre. Hunt said he and his team researched the history of the capital city and found a name that he believes “really reflects this community.” ...

Hunt and his staff have yet to finalize a team logo, but he said they are working “feverishly” to do so and secure approval from the North American Hockey League.

“I can say this (about the name): The obvious choice might have been the Topeka Capitals, but we felt like that was so common in the marketplace right now,” Hunt told The Topeka Capital-Journal after the reveal. “We tried to look at what makes Topeka unique, and this aviation and all that is a little marker in history here that matters.
“I think it also ties into the military, of course. There’s a lot of pilots. There’s Navy pilots, there’s Air Force pilots, there’s Army pilots and things like that. I think it’s a noble profession, a noble undertaking, but there’s a certain level of commitment and fortitude (required) to be a pilot, and I think the same thing about athletes.” ...

Read more at: NAHL team in Topeka to be renamed, rebranded as the Pilots
 

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