NAHL 2021-2022 Thread

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A look at the NAHL standings two months into the 2021-22 season. Lots to digest, so I'll withhold judgment for the time being ...

 

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Fairly good parity this year, less than a handful of teams seem to be really struggling.

 

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Week #8 wrap ...




And the Stars of the Week ... NAHL announces Bauer Hockey Stars of the Week

 

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A shameless plug for My Boyz (with some collateral links to other teams & players mentioned) ...

Jr. Blues Split with Wilderness, Earn 3 of 4 Points

Weekend Recap

November 1, 2021

Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Jr. Blues, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are coming off a big weekend where we took three out of four possible points in our series against the Minnesota Wilderness. The Jr. Blues currently sit in 2nd place in the Midwest Division with an 11-5-0-1 record and 23 points. ...

By the Numbers:

• Michael Valdez and Leo Bacallao both picked up 3 points on the weekend to lead the Jr. Blues offensively. Valdez, a Colorado College commit, now has 2 goals and 5 assists on the season while Bacallao has 8 goals and 7 assists. Joey Dosan, who picked up 2 assists this weekend, now has 7 goals and 10 assists to lead the Jr. Blues in points with 17.
• Ethan Roberts’ 7 wins puts him in a 4-way tie for 4th most wins in the league, while his 732 minutes played so far leads all netminders. He currently has a 7-4-0-1 record with a 2.54 GAA, .917 SV%, and 1 shutout. Roberts has started in each of the last 7 games and has played in 8 consecutive games overall.
• Cole Schneider has scored goals in 4 consecutive games dating back to our series opener against the Ice Dogs. He currently has the longest active streak of consecutive games with a goal while the season high of 5 straight (set by Jake Black of Johnstown) is in reach this weekend. ...

Read more at: Jr. Blues Split with Wilderness, Earn 3 of 4 Points

 

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From: Aberdeen (S.D.) News > Sports

From France with love: Wings defenseman Hugo Allais follows unlikely path to Aberdeen

Jenna Ortiz
Aberdeen News
Published 5:03 a.m. CT Nov. 3, 2021

One year ago, Hugo Allais wasn’t sure if he liked hockey that much.

The defenseman from Amiens, France was in his fifth year in Quebec when the league he was playing in wasn’t allowed a regular season. The sport he grew up loving was reduced to just individual practices, giving him idle time to reflect on more than of decade of his life involving hockey. ...

A commitment to play at Bemidji State University in March set Allais on a path back to hockey that eventually led up to him coming to the Aberdeen Wings on recommendation from BSU. Looking to get a year of junior hockey under his belt before going to the NCAA, moving to Aberdeen became a “no-brainer” for Allais once he heard more about the team from social media and a call with the coaching staff.

"I questioned myself, and when I got here, it was like, Yeah, maybe it’s going to be a long year of just hockey,” Allais said. “And right now, I’m so happy, I really appreciate the hockey side because it’s been a long time. I love hockey, I can say that right now. I don’t want to be another thing. I want to be a hockey player.” ...

Read more at: Wings defenseman Hugo Allais’ follows unlikely path to Aberdeen

 

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Week #9, time flies ...

 

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And the other two Week #9 Stars ...

 

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I've lost track of the Week #, but here are its Stars in action ...

 

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From all of them, to all of us ...

 

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Thanksgiving Weekend highlighted plays ...

 

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And the 3 Stars as the NAHL wraps up Month #3 for the 2021-22 season ...

 

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As the U.S. holiday season chugs along, here's a snapshot of the NAHL Divisional standings ...

Some thoughts ...

• The relocated North Iowa Bulls (franchise moved over the summer from Amarillo) are playing well & keeping pace with Central Division leading Austin. Five of the six teams have records of .500 or higher, though the Norsemen are on a 4-game slide.
• New Jersey & Maryland (the teams, not the states) are separating themselves from the East Division pack. But the Northeast Generals are also making an impression, perhaps inspired by continuing social media attention courtesy of Seamore Sports. Special stick taps to the returning Jamestown Rebels, who I didn't think would survive their COVID season stand-down.
  
• After a split 2020-21 home season between Minnesota & Alaska, the Ice Dogs are racking up standing points AND goals in Midwest Division play. My Jr. Blues continue to keep pace in 2nd place, as do the surprising Chippewa Steel in 3rd. And welcome to the Anchorage Wolverines, who have put themselves in early contention. I'm looking forward to attending a 3-game set in February with Springfield hosting Anchorage.
• Another welcome back is due to the South Division's first place Amarillo Wranglers, though under a new franchise name & ownership after relocating from the Kansas City area (where former owner Lamar Hunt, Jr. moved his former Topeka team then sat out the COVID year). In the South I'd say the other big surprise are the Ice Wolves, with 2nd-year goaltender Beni Halasz leading the League in GAA (1.84) and shutouts (3).

 

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From: The Chippewa Falls (WI) Leader-Telegram > Chippewa Steel

Chippewa Steel relishing chance to take on US women's national hockey team

By Spencer Flaten
Leader-Telegram staff
Dec 1, 2021 Updated 18 hrs ago

CHIPPEWA FALLS — The Chippewa Steel are accustomed to competing against some of the nation’s top junior hockey players. Next week, they’ll get a test of an entirely different kind.

When the Steel take the ice on Monday, they won’t be facing their peers. They’ll be lining up against some of the world’s best women’s hockey players.

The Steel host the United States women’s national team for a pre-Olympics tuneup on Monday at Chippewa Area Ice Arena. The festivities begin at 7 p.m.

The U.S. team is based out of Blaine, Minn., and has been looking for chances to play exhibitions ahead of this winter’s Beijing Olympics. Steel head coach Casey Mignone and U.S. program director Katie Million got connected through a mutual friend, and the end product is a trip to Chippewa Falls for the Americans. ...

Read more at: Chippewa Steel relishing chance to take on US women's national hockey team

 

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'Twas The Season in Odessa on Saturday night ... Jackalopes drop game, collect hundreds of toys for kids | Yourbasin

 

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I'm behind schedule for checking in on the NAHL standings. But here they is as of Jan. 10th, with a few thoughts following ...

Quick observations:

1. Leaders in the Central, East & South Divisions are surprising, given last season's final standings. The Midwest race is only slightly less than unexpected, but I do like seeing Springfield hanging in after a year off. The top 3 in all four divisions remain tight, which should make fans happy across the country down the stretch.
   
2. The Ice Wolves in the South finally look like a team to be reckoned with after early franchise building. Looks like they've dragged Odessa up the Division standings with them as well.
3. The new Anchorage franchise is off & running (or skating) at a good clip in the Midwest, keeping pace with the Jr. Blues & Fairbanks.
4. Maryland & New Jersey in the East are leading the League in win percentages, and they look like they will jockey positions to the wire as long as COVID doesn't catch them.

 

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From: NAHL.com

Seven NAHL players recognized on NHL Mid-Term Rankings
January 13, 2022

Seven (7) players with NAHL ties have been recognized as the NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its mid-season rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft.

The rankings feature the top 224 skaters and 32 goaltenders in North America as well as the top 135 skaters and 10 goaltenders internationally. The final rankings will be released in April. ...

The list included four players that are currently playing in the NAHL this season and three former players now playing in another league who all played in the NAHL during the 2020-21 season.

North American Skaters

North American Goalies​

Current NAHL players on the list

Luca Di Pasquo, G, Maryland Black Bears
Croix Kochendorfer, G, Chippewa Steel
Aaron Pionk, D, Minnesota Wilderness
Nick Ring, F, New Jersey Titans

Former players on the list

Paxton Geisel, G, Dubuque Fighting Saints/USHL (St. Cloud Norsemen, 2020-21)
Zam Plante, F, Chicago Steel/USHL (Minnesota Wilderness, 2020-21)
Tristan Sarsland, D, Benilde-St. Margaret’s/MNHS (Fairbanks Ice Dogs, 2020-21) ...

 

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From: The Shreveport-Bossier (LA) Journal > Sports

Campbell hasn’t stopped coaching Mudbugs, family through wife’s battle with cancer

January 14, 2022
By ROY LANG III, Journal Sport

Coaches coach. For most, the switch is on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s just in their blood.

Jason Campbell’s family used to get their shots in. “(Daughter) Maddie would say, ‘OK, here comes the lecture or the pep talk from coach.’”

However, never has the Shreveport Mudbugs’ head coach needed to take his day job home more than the past nine months. Wife, Shanda, and children Maddie, Cade and Aly have needed the positivity Campbell — known as “Soupy” to most — loves to spread on the ice and in the locker room.

While Campbell led the Mudbugs to a Robertson Cup championship in Minnesota in April, Shanda, was in Little Rock, Arkansas undergoing a battery of tests in an attempt to understand why she’d felt bad for months.

Eventually, Shanda was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood.

“It’s tough watching the person you love struggle,” Jason Campbell said.

The Mudbugs’ offseason was brief, the thorn on the rose of winning a national championship.

Jason Campbell missed the first day of training camp for the 2021-22 season as he was at his wife’s side.

Campbell’s absences were plentiful as the Mudbugs tried to build a team to defend the Cup and Shanda endured a stem cell transplant.

“The team has been awesome, unreal to where you don’t feel guilty going to Arkansas for three weeks at a time or three days at a time for treatments,” Campbell said. ...


Read more at: Campbell hasn’t stopped coaching Mudbugs, family through wife’s battle with cancer