Thursday reading: Tigers in the pros, WMU, WCHA schedule

NHL.com interviewed former Tiger Jaden Schwartz for its regular 10 Questions feature. He has four points (two goals) in seven games with AHL Peoria.

Defenseman Brian Connelly has eight points (six assists) in six games for AHL Houston while teammate Chad Rau has three (two assists) in seven games. Kris Fredheim has appeared in two games for the Aeros.

For AHL Chicago, Brett Sterling has five points (four assists) in six games while Bill Sweatt has three (two goals) in seven games.

Mike Testwuide has one goal in two games so far this season for AHL Adirondack. Gabe Guentzel has appeared in two games for AHL Norfolk.

Here is a column focusing on Western Michigan.

This weekend’s schedule in the WCHA …

Games for Friday, November 2: Nebraska Omaha at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; Colorado College at Wisconsin (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota State at Minnesota (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Boston University at North Dakota (NC), 7:37 pm CT; St. Cloud State at Denver (WCHA), 7:37 pm CT.

Games for Saturday, November 3: Nebraska Omaha at Michigan Tech (WCHA), 7:07 pm ET; Boston University at North Dakota (NC), 7:07 pm CT; Colorado College at Wisconsin (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; Minnesota at Minnesota State (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT; St. Cloud State at Denver (WCHA), 7:07 pm CT.

Wild releases own WCHA preseason poll

This just in …

Admittedly, having all these WCHA preseason polls (I voted in three last month) start to get a bit redundant and silly so the Minnesota Wild organization, also chimed in.

With quite a few former WCHA players on its roster, the NHL organization (which is not as busy as usual this time of year for some reason) took time to make its own preseason poll. 

A player’s alma mater clearly affected their judgment and their greatest college rival showing up in last place (when was the last time Minnesota and North Dakota finished last in the WCHA?) showed that the players, which included Brian Connelly, Kris Fredheim, and Chad Rau, did not take it too seriously.  That is a good thing.

CC was picked to finish fourth overall.

In the pros: Bidwill, Connelly, Crabb, Fredheim, Hall, Lamoureux, Rau, Schultz

Former Tiger Kris Fredheim is in AHL Houston’s training camp, along with Brian Connelly and Chad Rau, pictured.

The ECHL Alaska Aces just got a whole lot better with the addition of three NHL regulars — Anchorage residents Joey Crabb, Scott Gomez and Nate Thompson. Aces fans should send thank you cards to Gary Bettman.

Tim Hall and former Air Force Falcon Jacques Lamoureux are also on the Aces’ training camp roster.

Stephen Schultz is on the Trenton Titans roster while Arthur Bidwill is on the Colorado Eagles camp. Most ECHL camps started Friday.

Tuesday reading: CC season preview, Rylan Schwartz, Jaden Schwartz, Connelly, Rau, Sweatt, Testwuide, Bachman, Hockey East

Incoming CC freshman Hunter Fejes, shown in red during the Coyotes prospect camp,  will be one of the six newcomers the Tigers will look to for big results this coming season.

Colorado College sports information posted its season preview.

Senior assistant captain Rylan Schwartz is one of the top players returning in Division I judging from national statistics. His 0.66 goals per game trails only Maine’s Joey Diamond, who he is tied with at 11 power-play goals last season.

RPI’s Without a Peer blog compiled the stats (ECAC first followed by national) in this post.

Former Tiger Jaden Schwartz was assigned to AHL Peoria so he may continue to develop during the NHL lockout. Brian Connelly and Chad Rau were sent to AHL Houston. Bill Sweatt is headed to the Chicago Wolves as is Mike Testwuide to AHL Adirondack.

Here are five storylines to watch in Hockey East.

There are high hopes for Richard Bachman among the Dallas Stars leadership.

Former Badger Justin Schultz (remember him?) will benefit from the NHL lockout with some time spent with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.

NHL free agency: Wild ink Connelly to two-year, two-way deal

The Wild brass continue to make smart moves including this very good depth signing. This was a smart move by former Tiger Brian Connelly, pictured in foreground, who reportedly did not seem a good fit for the Flames organization.

Tiger fans can expect Connelly to make his NHL debut and  spend a little time in St. Paul this season depending on the big club’s health.

He joins Nate Prosser and Chad Rau at the Minnesota training camp later this summer/fall.

Here is the updated list of former Tigers testing the waters of free agency as of 9a.m. MT this July 7.

They are (name, 2011-12 team):  Richard Bachman, (Dallas): Mark Cullen (Florida); Kris Fredheim (Wild); Trevor Frischmon, (Islanders); Richard Petiot (Tampa Bay);  Brett Sterling (Blues), and Colin Stuart (Sabres).

From NHL.com …

The Minnesota Wild bolstered its defensive depth late Friday night by inking defenseman Brian Connelly to a two-year, two-way deal. The move gives the Wild an added weapon from the blue line capable of contributing at the offensive end and displaying outstanding puck moving ability and skating.

The Bloomington native split time between the Abbotsford Heat and Rockford IceHogs last season of the American Hockey League. His 52 points (6-46=52) ranked second amongst defensemen in the AHL.

Connelly has played in the AHL All-Star Game the last two seasons. At last year’s AHL Skills Competition, he represented the Western Conference in the Fastest Skater Competition.

The 26-year-old has played professionally. For three seasons, all in the AHL. Before turning pro, the blueliner was a three-year standout at Colorado College. With the Tigers, he amassed 63 points (8-55=63) and was a teammate of Nate Prosser and Chad Rau.

A left-handed shot, Connelly is listed at 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds.

Wednesday reading: Future Wisconsin at CC nonconference games, Hillen, Schultz, Prosser video, Rau, Fredheim, UND, Minnesota, NMU

Chad Rau is joined by Wild teammates to celebrate his goal during the second period on January 21, 2012 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. It was Rau’s NHL debut. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Wisconsin’s nonconference schedule is coming together with plans for single road games at CC and Denver during the 2014-15 and 2016-17 seasons and a two-game road series during the 2013-14 season. Do not be surprised to see either Minnesota or Air Force as the other opponent on those single-game weekends. Either way it is a great weekend for ticket sales at World Arena. Here is the 2012-13 Tigers schedule.

Former Tiger Jack Hillen did not receive a qualifying offer from Nashville and will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie listed Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Philadelphia and the N.Y. Rangers as the most likely landing spots for free agent Justin Schultz, who may decide as early as today.

Nate Prosser was a crowd favorite during the Wild road tour. He is interviewed in this video as is former Pioneer Jason Zucker.

Chad Rau has signed a two-year deal with the Wild while RFA Kris Fredheim did not get a qualifying offer. Here is the team’s contract chart.

Minnesota will host North Dakota as part of Hockey Day Minnesota. The retiring Gophers AD had hoped Penn State would join the CCHA and avoid the conference shakeup the sport has experienced the past two summers.

The Mining Journal outlines how Northern Michigan administrators juggled their duties over the past 19 months.

Sunday reading: Future Tigers, CC outreach, Schultz, NHL Draft

Incoming Tigers defenseman Russell Finch, pictured, submitted his bio information earlier this week and it ends up he is the first Wyoming native (Casper) recruited by CC as well as the first from Maryland (where family now lives). There were no Division I players from Wyoming last season and he will likely be the only one this coming season.

With Jaccob Slavin (2013-14 signee) and incoming wing Hunter Fejes‘ selection in the NHL Draft, the Tigers will have four drafted players on the 2012-13 roster (sophomores Aaron Harstad and Peter Stoykewych and senior Scott Winkler) and at least four on the 2013-14 roster (pending 2013 draft, early departures, of course). That is the most since the 2008-09 season — Richard Bachman, Kris Fredheim, Scott McCulloch, Chad Rau and Bill Sweatt. Of those five, only McCulloch, now retired, never made the NHL.

Here is a good feature on how last year’s Tigers took a long-term interest in a Woodland Park child battling cancer.

Tweet by TSN’s Bob McKenzie: “Justin Schultz becomes UFA at midnight Sun night. Will meet with agent(s) in Toronto on Tuesday. Will field offers Wed.”

On Friday, Jordan Schmaltz became the 10th UND player or signee in 10 years to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. The second day was not as busy for North Dakota. Here are some notes.

Future NCHC foes Minnesota-Duluth had a second-day selection as did St. Cloud State with Judd Peterson of Duluth Marshall going in the seventh round (204th overall). Three UNO Mavs also heard their names called. Here is a roundup of other college-connected draft picks and a complete list of collegians taken in rounds 2-7.

Robert Morris has benefited greatly from Sidney Crosby’s arrival in Pittsburgh. Penn State’s start-up cannot hurt either when it comes to college hockey getting more local media attention.

The Post’s Adrian Dater remembers the old Dartmouth arena. Give it a click. It’s a great read.

The top BC assistant and a successful USHL coach are likely leading candidates for the open UMass head coaching job.

Thursday reading: Fundraisers, Anchorage defections, Bachman, Rau, Defending The Blue Line, Alaska Plan reaction, St. Cloud State profile

The Hockey and Hearts Celebrity Golf Tournament was held at the Lynbrook Golf Course in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on Monday with 12 various sports celebrities, including (L-R) Mike Blaisdell, Logan Pyett, Garth Murray, Brandon Gromley, Luke Schenn, Jaden Schwartz, Keith Aulie, Tyler Bozak, Mark McMorris, Don McMorris, Roger Aldag and Bob Poley. The event raised $150,000.

Three Alaska-Anchorage players have left the program this offseason.

Dallas has made an offer to restricted free agent and former Tiger Richard Bachman. Chad Rau has signed a two-way deal (terms not disclosed) with the Wild organization as has UND’s Chay Genoway.

Here is a feature on the Defending the Blue Line organizer. Here is a recap of the event.

Here is a blog opinion on the WCHA’s Alaska Plan which is looking more and more temporary with each story published on it.

Here is a detailed look at St. Cloud State by the RPI fan blog.

Two Division III powerhouses are changing conferences.

Updated weekend reading: AHA preview, INCH Preseason Top 10, Schultz reportedly leaves school, Chad Rau, Prosser

New England Hockey Journal takes a look at Holy Cross and the rest of the Atlantic Hockey Association for the upcoming season including Air Force and Hockey East’s latest suitor: Connecticut (pictured).

Inside College Hockey got a jump on things with its preseason Top 10, led by Minnesota, Michigan and North Dakota.

With Cornell, Wisconsin and UMass-Lowell also on the list, Colorado College will play five of this top 10 this coming season, which is more than four months away.

Of course, summer defections to the pro ranks may affect this prediction quite a bit after July 1.

Speaking of which, TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported Friday that Wisconsin’s Justin Schultz filed paperwork to leave school, though that remains unconfirmed as of 10 p.m. Mountain. Anaheim still has until July 1 to sign Schultz before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

This blogger put in a good effort trying to figure out which NHL organization may be most interested in the offensive defenseman.

Minnesota finds its No. 3 goalie. Pennsylvania continues to develop into good hockey country with Penn State starting up this fall as a varsity program. Now a NAHL program will likely attract area players.

Hockey East is creating a full-time position to supervise its officials.

Michigan adds another USNTDP recruit.

Defending The Blue Line announced that Chad Rau will join Nate Prosser for its annual NHL charity game on June 20 on the Minnesota campus.

Image borrowed from Let’s Go DU blog, but it could have been a pic from the Dayton to Cleveland leg of my return trip. I am not really joking.

FYI, I am headed into another long weekend away from the blog while I travel back to the land of my birth (Piqua, Ohio) to visit relatives and celebrate my Uncle Dale’s 85th.

No doubt there will be some quality family time at a Bob Evan’s or two or three between now and Wednesday May 30, when I will resume blogging.

In the interim, check USCHO, CCTigers.com, Duluth’s Rink and Run or the University of North Dakota Hockey blogs for any news that may break while I am unavailable.

In the pros: ECHL, AHL playoffs update

San Antonio's Mark Cullen had a big game against Chicago in the AHL playoffs on Saturday night.

In the AHL, Mark Cullen picked up two assists, including the first assist on the game-winner in San Antonio’s 4-3 win over Chicago, which plays Bill Sweatt.

Gabe Guentzel played his second playoff game for Syracuse and finished plus-2. David Civitarese has yet to appear for Hershey in the postseason.

Today is a busy day for former Tigers with Bridgeport’s Trevor Frischmon trying to avoid elimination in the best-of-five series against Connecticut while Houston hopes to do the same at OKC. Abbotsford, which features Brian Connelly, will try to take a 2-0 lead at Milwaukee this afternoon.

Former Tiger Brian Swanson assisted the opening goal as the Alaska Aces defeated Stockton 4-1 in Game 5 of their ECHL second-round playoff series and advanced to the Western Conference finals for the sixth time in the franchise’s nine years. They Aces will face the winner of the Las Vegas-Idaho series (LV leads 3-1).

Tim Hall played for Alaska. The loss ends Ryan Lowery’s stay in Stockton He may now be called up to AHL Oklahoma City, which holds a 2-0 lead in its best-of-five series against Houston, which has Kris Fredheim, Nate Prosser and Chad Rau on its roster.