Dear Friends of HOPE,
If there was a way to support animal welfare that didn't cost a dime, would you do it? Many of you know that HOPE has just opened a nonprofit low cost spay/neuter clinic as our latest endeavor towards end euthanasia of pets caused by overpopulation. What you may not know is that we are entirely funded by donations.
You can read the column here which talks with Robin Bawa and Kevin Kaminski about the CHL's decision to follow NHL guidelines on head shots.
This is how the new rules will be enforced.
And this is a fascinating story the Toronto Star did a few years ago about the problems Kaminski had with his post-concussion syndrome
The Komets who live in Fort Wayne are in their second week of skating at Canlan, and some of the veterans are in much better shape this September than they were last year. P.C. Drouin and Leo Thomas were keeping up with Sean O'Connor, who looks like he's in midseason form. He was amazing today. Bobby Phillips worked construction all summer and said he's as strong as he's ever been, and he looks it. Guy Dupuis, Olivier Legault, Keith Rodger and Brandon Warner have all been working out pretty hard. Nick Boucher just got back into town this afternoon.
I know a lot of you like to attend training camp sessions if possible, and it has not been possible much in the past few years with everything being held at Memorial Coliseum. This year there are a couple of practices, but not scrimmages, that will be held at Canlan Ice Sports and will be open to the public. Here are those dates:
Friday, Oct. 8: 10:30 to Noon
SaturdayThursday, Oct. 14 10 a.m. to Noon
Brett here from the Sydney Bears Ice Hockey team in Australia - the team that Nick Boucher played on this past summer.
The CHL will announce Monday at its meetings in Dallas that it is adopting the same rules on hits to the head as the NHL. The meeting will be held in Dallas. Here's the language to the new rules.
* A lateral, back pressure or blind side hit to an opponent, where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact, is no permitted. Lateral contact must be made through the body, not the head. Lateral contact is the responsibility of the hitter to avoid principle contact with the head.
The Fort Wayne Federals junior hockey team will play its first home game against the Wooster Oilers starting at 7 p.m. The teams play a rematch at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Canlan Ice Sports. Tickets cost $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and students. Kids age 12 and younger are admitted free. The team won its first two games last weekend on the road over Tri City by 12-0 and 8-2 scores.
Unlike someone else, I am not making this up: Tomorrow, Sept. 23, is actually Burgee's birthday! He turns 78. Doesn't look a day over 67, does he? No wonder he's got so much money -- he's already on Social Security! Either that or he's been beating Schebig and Steve with sucker bets.
They have started installing it today. The board will cost $762,00 and will not go completely around the arena because of the way the building is constructed. The board will be over 600 feet long.
* Rick Varone is going to sign with a CHL team this week.
* Did you know Danny Stewart was a player-coach with the Newcastle Vipers? I can't imagine how hard that would be in today's hockey world. One of his players is Blair Stayzer. Another is Jamie Carroll.
* Justin Chwedoruk is playing in Denmark which is also where his girlfriend is from. Travis Whitehead is playing in Germany.
* The IHL/CHL has eliminated the position of Vice President of Hockey Operations Brad Jones. He's a good man who will find something else in hockey.
...is coming up Sunday at IPFW. Registration starts at 11 a.m. and the walk at 12:30 p.m. If you'd like to join a specific team, I'd like to suggest Dan Eash's team. Dan is the man who founded the Senior Men's Baseball League in Fort Wayne in 1991, and was diagnosed with ALS last year at age 55. This season was the first one he missed playing baseball since the league started. Anyone wanting more information about joining his team can email him at teamEforCure@yahoo.com or call him at 489-1739.
But you still might find it interesting. It was definitely fun to write.
The Komets announced Wednesday that tickets for all 36 home games of the 2010-11 campaign will go on sale tomorrow (Thursday, Sep. 16) at 10AM at the Coliseum Ticket Office and online at Ticketmaster.com.
The puck drops on the 59th season of Komet hockey Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7:30PM in Fort Wayne when the reigning IHL Turner Cup Champion Komets clash with last year's CHL Champion Rapid City Rush.
Kevin St. Pierre has announced his retirement.
Which of course makes you remember this.
Somehow I missed this when I came out and for that I apologize because Frenchy deserves better. Here's a tip of the cap to one of the all-time greats. I'll tip a glass with him some other time. LOL. To a class act, a great goaltender and an even better man.
Former Bethlehem Bullet Tom Seifert will be the featured speaker at the next Bethlehem Men's Group meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 13. A massage therapist, Seifert has made several overseas trips with the United States' Davis Cup team where he has worked with such stars as Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Michael Chang and John McEnroe. We'll meet in Room 17 off the basement. All males of any age are welcome. Also, please consider bringing a canned good donate to the food bank. We will continue to meet on the second Monday of each month.
Fort Wayne Youth Hockey is trying to put together a list of area players who advanced from the program to play at the junior, college or professional level. I've got all the guys who played for the Komets and the obvious ones like Fred Knipscheer and Dale Purinton. What they need help with is all the guys and a few gals who played in juniors or college. I don't think they are counting club hockey. Anyone got any suggestions?
