Category Archives: Pro
NHL’s Wild inks California product Lodnia to entry-level contract
December 14th, 2017The Minnesota Wild has announced that the club has agreed to terms with forward Ivan Lodnia on a three-year, entry-level contract. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE Lodnia, 18, has totaled 33 points (16-17=33) and 12 penalty minutes in 31 games with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, leading the team in…
Oakland native, Barracuda coach Sommer reaches AHL milestone with 700 wins
December 9th, 2017Oakland native Roy Sommer achieved yet another milestone in his illustrious coaching career when the San Jose Barracuda defeated the host Bakersfield Condors 2-1 on Dec. 3 to hand Sommer his 700th career regular-season American Hockey League (AHL) victory. Sommer, who surpassed the all-time career coaching wins of 636 posted by AHL coaching legend Fred…
Olympic hopes alive for trio of Californians playing in Europe
December 6th, 2017The NHL’s decision to not supply players for February’s Olympic Games in South Korea opened the door for a trio of California professional hockey players to compete for Team USA. Defenseman Jonathon Blum and forwards Robbie Earl and Ryan Lasch (pictured) were part of Team USA’s squad that competed in the Deutschland Cup in Augsburg,…
Well-rounded Balisy joins California’s NHL contingent
December 5th, 2017There aren’t many blocks in Southern California that can claim two NHL players, but one in Rancho Santa Margarita can after Chase Balisy made his debut in the league with the Florida Panthers on Oct. 28. Balisy spent his elementary school years just four doors down from Jonathon Blum, who made his NHL debut with…
Reign charting unfamiliar territory in AHL Pacific Division
November 22nd, 2017The Ontario Reign, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, had to be navigating in unfamiliar territory following its 0-6 start to the 2017-18 campaign. The Reign, AHL Calder Cup champions in 2014-15 and Pacific Division champions in 2015-16, has since earned points in six of its last seven games…
California strikes gold with pair of AHL monthly awards
November 3rd, 2017California struck gold during the month of October as San Diego native Thatcher Demko of the Utica Comets and Stockton Heat forward Andrew Mangiapane each collected awards for excellence from the American Hockey League (AHL). Demko received recognition as the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month, while Mangiapane was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Month….
Ex-California player LeMarque tells story on big screen
November 2nd, 2017Hockey is a sport played in the winter months, so needless to say, it’s cold. Eric LeMarque experienced something far colder back in 2004 when he was lost in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, but survived for a week by living in a makeshift igloo and eating pine nuts and pine needles. He lost both feet…
Training camp labors of a half-dozen players with California ties results in preseason action
October 25th, 2017There was no press release. No grand announcement or much – if any – media attention. Just a sheet of paper on the wall with names on it. For six players with ties to California, that was all they needed to see. They got a chance to live out every hockey player’s dream and skate…
Californians making the grade in AHL
October 13th, 2017Turn the clock back a generation and few Californians would grace the lineups of professional ice hockey teams in North America. There has been a major turnaround today. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE A clear example, two dozen Californians – whether native sons or those who grew up in the Golden State – were showcased on…
Ducks capture NHL Prospect Showcase tournament title
September 22nd, 2017The recent 2017 NHL Prospect Showcase tournament provided a competitive edge to rookie camps being conducted by the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. The four-team event, hosted by the Sharks Sept. 9-12, featured round-robin games between the teams, with each team playing the other once for a total of three…