Around The Rink

Minnesota News

2010-05-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats had a tough outing in last night’s first round playoff matchup losing 6-3 against the Dropkicks and going down 0-1 in the series. Minnesota striked early with a goal from John-Michael Liles; a power play goal. Liles snuck into the play alongside Brad Richards scoring on a one-timer. The Rink Rats would carry a 2-1 lead into the second period off of another power play goal by Matthew Lombardi who sped past Steve Staios to beat Biron stick side. The Kicks would score the next 4 goals and go on to win the contest.

Ryan Miller stopped 30 of 36 shots in last night’s contest and didn’t look like himself following a brief layoff following the league’s regular season. The Rink Rats will have to be on their game in order to avoid going down 0-2 before heading home in Minnesota.

“We just need to be more disciplined and better defensively,” said forward Mike Cammalleri. “We took more penalties tonight than we’re used to, which slowed us down a bit on even strength situations. I think we did well offensively, we just need to be more careful in our own end and minimize mistakes.”

The Rats had trouble turning the puck over throughout the game specifically on the second line. “Burnsy and Ranger had a bit of trouble in there tonight against the Kicks’ aggressive attack,” said Coach Dan Bylsma. “We’re going to try mixing a couple of lines up for tonight and see if that helps us at all. Burnsy and Ranger are good players. They had a rough night but I know they’ll be ok as we proceed.”

Other Rats News
The Rink Rats’ Derek Roy and Oscar Moller haven’t been pulling their weight the second half of the season leading many to wonder if they’ll be around next year. GM is a big supporter of Roy, but may look to some other options if they’re eliminated early in this year’s playoffs. Moller is a gifted prospect and shouldn't be expected of much at this point in his career. Still though, GM may look at his options during the offseason and Moller has stated that he’d like to play on the Swedish team that's formed in Detroit.

WHL 1st Round Predictions

2010-05-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

Wales Conference

Halifax Citadelles vs Kanata Saints
The Citadelles have a very respectable team and had a good season going 42-32-10 but there are very few teams that have looked better than the Saints this season. The Saints had one of their very best seasons with a 58-17-9 record. GM Stephen Legge made no a statement at the trade deadline to bring in some big names by moving the little youth they had on the squad. Now is the time for the Saints and this one will likely be over quickly thanks to the exceptional play of Martin Brodeur and company.
Prediction: Saints in 5

Detroit Cougars vs New York Demons
With both teams having some good offense team defense will be the x factor in this series. Detroit has some good young puck-movers on their squad but can they stand up to Joe Thornton and company? The Demons boast a bit more oomph and are built a little better for the playoffs behind guys like Chara, McCabe, Regehr and company. They’ll have their hands full with Toews, Kariya and Gaborik but my money is on New York taking this tight series.
Prediction: Demons in 6

Chicoutimi Sparrows vs Niagara Falls IceDogs
A rematch of last season’s Conference Finals, the Sparrows visit the Niagara Falls Icedogs in what is likely GM, Jon Lemoine’s final WHL season. The Icedogs boast an All-Star roster, one which many teams will have a tough time beating in the playoffs. They’re built for the playoffs. Marc Denis has played some great hockey all year long, but he’s going to have a tough time against this offense. Look for the Icedogs to play some inspired hockey to keep Lemoine around.
Prediction: Icedogs in 5

Quebec City Corinthians vs Toronto Stallions
The most compelling matchup of the first round pits the Corinths against the Stallions. The Corinths traded away some of the best players in the game in Gagne, Gionta and company during the deadline but they still have a formidable roster. The Stallions are on their last leg and if they don’t do it this year they may look to blow it up in the offseason. Expect this one to go long folks.
Prediction – nagging injuries cost the Stallions. Corinths in 7

Campbell Conference

Vancouver Voodoo vs Las Vegas Bulls
Don’t expect a repeat of what happened last season to the Bulls. The Bulls have the best talent in the league and were winners of the President’s Trophy this season. With a ton of goal scorers on the roster and everyone knowing their role, it’s going to be tough for the Voodoo to keep pucks out of the net. Especially considering that they traded away Martin Brodeur and are left with Marc-Andre Fleury who’s had a tough time as of late. In his past 4 games, Fleury has a 9.50 gaa and .836 sv%. On the verge of a rebuild, the Voodoo don’t have much help offensively so this one will be done quick.
Prediction: Bulls in 4

Minnesota Rink Rats vs Edmonton Dropkicks
The Rink Rats have played well as of late lead by the play of goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller is one of the best goaltenders in the world. Minnesota played the role of Cinderella last season and many of those players are still on the squad. They’ve done really well in their past 6 games including a win against the Dropkicks, but don’t count out the Kicks. They’re a team known for bad luck in the playoffs but they have a great goalie in Nabokov and some excellent talent up front. This series could go long
Prediction: Rats upset in 6

Anchorage Orcas vs Kelowna Cats
From bottom dwellers to playoff teams, both the Cats and Orcas have exceeded expectations this season. The Orcas are young and are going to be a contender for several years once their players mature. The Cats have played very well this season behind Chris Kunitz, Brian Boucher and Brian Campbell. Kunitz could very well win the Hart Trophy this season for his performance. Look for this to be a good learning step for the Orcas who will make a bigger statement in the next couple of years.
Prediction: Cats in 5

Saskachewan Dugouts vs Portland Timberjacks
Both teams are hot – the Timberjacks enter this matchup going 7-2-1 in their past 10 games while the Dugouts have gone 8-1-1 in their past 10 games. This will be a close matchup that will likely come down to intangibles. The key for the Dugouts will be stopping Ovechkin, Horcoff and Getzlaf who are point-per-game players. Look for this one to go long.
Prediction: TJacks in 7

Minnesota Secures Playoff Spot

2010-05-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats clinched a playoff spot in last night’s win in Nashville, a feat many fans were concerned wouldn’t happen this season. Following an abundance of trades around the deadline, the Rink Rats went in a free fall that they seemed to have trouble getting out of. But they’ve gone 4-0-1 in their last 5 games and are appearing to be a much stronger team behind the play of goaltender, Ryan Miller.

Currently in 7th place, the Rink Rats would take on the Edmonton Dropkicks with a win tonight against the Gorillas or a Voodoo loss. Although the Rink Rats had success as the 8th seed last season, upsetting the Las Vegas Bulls and then going on to the Cyber Cup Finals, they’d feel much better about their chances against the Dropkicks.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” said Head Coach, Dan Bylsma. “Both teams are tough and the Gorillas aren’t a team to look past anymore either so we’re going to have our hands full. I really like the way we’ve been playing though and I’d like our chances against the Kicks. They’re a good team but we played well against them early in the week and guys seem to be finding better chemistry right now. It should be exciting.”

The Rink Rats will play in front of a sold-out crowd this evening against the Gorillas and will hold a fan appreciation autograph signing following the game.

Rats Begin Quest for the Cup

2010-05-06T10:51:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Following last night’s 5-5 tie against the Dugouts, Head Coach, Dan Bylsma sat in front of dozens of reporters with a big smile and an upbeat outlook on the Rink Rats’ chances of squeaking out a playoff spot. The Rink Rats have gone 3-0-1 since losing to the Fighting Irish, and Ryan Miller has looked outstanding in goal for the Rats, who are just two games away from securing a playoff spot for the 3rd year in a row.

The Rink Rats will travel to Nashville to take on the Stampede tonight and then back to Minnesota for the final game of the season against the Gorillas. Although the Gorillas and Stampede have struggled at times this season, Minnesota wants to leave nothing to chance.

“We know we need to play both teams to the best of our ability and the fact of the matter is that there’s still a chance to gain some ground in our conference,” stated Bylsma after the game. “Our guys are focused and ready to go. I haven’t seen Ryan play this well in a while and seeing Jamie Langenbrunner and Dave Krejci step up here recently has been a big positive. We have a lot of things going for us right now.”

The quest for the cup starts tonight against the Nashville Stampede. Minnesota, the Express, the Voodoo and the Fighting Irish all have a chance to clinch the final two spots over the next two games. The only other compelling race in the WHL is 1st place in the Wales Conference. The Saints have a one game lead on the Demons and are a half game ahead of the Icedogs. All of the other teams have home ice locked up and the Bulls, currently 17 games unbeaten, all but clinched the President’s Trophy weeks ago. One thing is for sure, it should be a fun finish to an exciting WHL season.

Minnesota Controls Fate

2010-05-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats took control of their own fate last night in a 2-1 win over the Dropkicks. The win put Minnesota in 7th place in the Campbell Conference, a half game ahead of the Express and out of a playoff spot. With 4 games remaining the Rink Rats know that now is not the time to let up.

“We just have to continue to be patient with the puck, get some shots on net and play well defensively,” said forward Mike Cammalleri. “I thought Ryan (Miller) did a great job last night; we’ve just got to help him out a bit more and take more control in front of the opposing goal.”

Ryan Miller stopped 33 of 34 shots and Jamie Langenbrunner and recent waiver acquisition, Kyle Greentree scored the goals for Minnesota who play the Dugouts tonight. The Dugouts are a tough team who has gone 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. Minnesota will have to bring it’s “A game” if they’re going to beat a surging Dugouts squad who looks to have found great chemistry at the right time of the season. Head Coach, Dan Bylsma has said he wants to continue with Ryan Miller for the remainder of the season in goal, despite some good play by Scott Clemmensen while Miller was away to injury. Bylsma has also said he’ll continue to play rookie Nikolai Kulemin.

Win Streak Puts Rats Back in the Mix

2010-05-06T10:50:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – A two-game winning streak, really??? Fans in Minnesota haven’t had much to cheer about recently. But a two-game winning streak, and some games on the schedule ahead that look to be winnable give Rink Rats fans hope that the playoffs are still a possibility.

The Rink Rats looked pretty good last night in their 5-1 victory over the Gorillas. The win put the team half a game out of a playoff spot and within reach of grabbing as high as a 7th seed. Defenseman, Bryan Berard collected 3 assists and Ryan Miller stopped 27 of 28 shots in the win. The Rink Rats will now travel to take on the Fighting Irish, a team that they’ve struggled against all season long going 0-5-0 including a loss earlier this week. The matchup is sure to have a playoff type atmosphere as both teams are battling for a final playoff seed.

“It’s going to be like this the rest of the way,” stated goaltender, Ryan Miller. “We know every game is a must-win and we can’t look past anyone. We have some tough games coming up still and being on the road adds another element to things. I thought we played well the past two games so hopefully we can build off that momentum.”

With everything on the line, Minnesota hopes that they’re finally able to figure out the Irish and get a crucial win on the road.

Rats Hope to Stop the Bleeding

2010-05-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats are falling fast and there’s no end in sight. The squad has lost the past 7 games and is 1-9-0 in the past 10 games. Although they’re still in the midst of a playoff spot, the Rink Rats know they’re in for a fight in the next 10 games in order to make the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive season. The fight will continue tonight when they take on the Dugouts.

If the Rink Rats are going to make the playoffs and finish the season off strong, they’re going to have to rely on forwards Mike Cammalleri, David Krejci and Brad Richards to lead the way. All 3 forwards are stuck in a scoring drought at the moment but have the ability of taking over a game. Cammalleri has enjoyed a breakthrough season after lofty expectations and pressure held him to just 29 goals and 29 assists last season. He currently has 41 goals and 32 assists thanks in part to the play of rookie centerman David Krejci. Krejci, a Calder Trophy candidate, has played the majority of the season centering Cammalleri and currently leads the league in rookie scoring with 23 goals and 45 assists, despite a prolonged scoring drought and a leg injury that hampered his play for about 15 games midway through the season. Still there are no excuses.

“David’s been great all year long,” stated Cammalleri following their morning skate today. “He’s just so dangerous with the puck and he moves the puck so well. He’s been a great contributor to our team all season long.”

Following today’s practice Head Coach, Dan Bylsma reiterated to his club that the team needs wins and guys, like Krejci & Cammalleri, need to start scoring.

“We have to play a full 60 minutes – no excuses,” said Bylsma. “We’re having a tough time following the trade deadline but I don’t care. All of our guys need to pick it up a notch and we need to start winning games, no matter the opponent.

With 10 games remaining every point counts as Minnesota looks to cap off a Jekyll-and-Hyde season with a playoff berth. One things for certain, if the Rats are going to get there it’s going to be behind solid goaltending and guys like Krejci & Cammalleri making plays.

Trade Deadline Winners & Losers

2010-05-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

A very active deadline yielded a lot of excitement throughout the league as teams jockey for position in the playoff standings or prepare to take a run at the WHL’s Cyber Cup. While there were many teams who could be on either list (Demons – winners), these are our picks for this year’s winners & losers of the trade deadline.

Winners

Gorillas – Since taking over the Gorillas, GM, Jason Gudim has done nothing but positive things to improve this club. A club that once had a lot of talent in Boise, the team experienced a “meltdown” upon being relocated to Calgary. Gudim took over a club in need of some attention, moved them to the small hockey town of Grand Forks, ND and the trade deadline was no different. The Gorillas made moves to get younger and stronger by acquiring Jordan Staal, Sam Gagner, Kris Letang and Patrick O’Sullivan.

This young club already boasts good talent from the likes of Phil Kessel, Chris Stewart and James Neal, while being anchored by Roberto Luongo. The club has great offense, but is in need of help on the point, which they failed to address at the deadline. With some nice picks coming up in the draft I’m sure they’ll take a good look at some defensive prospects and improve in that area as well.

Saints – The Saints are all in this season and have drastically improved their club for the short-term with the additions of Martin Brodeur, Wade Redden, Marcus Naslund, Keith Tkachuk, Sergei Zubov and others. While they gave up some talented young players in Paul Stastny and Bryan Little as well as Dany Heatley, the club definitely improved their chances to win the Cup with the players they acquired, most of which are a season or two away from retirement. With very little in the system, and not much coming in way of draft picks over the next two season, the time is now for the Saints to win it all.

Bulls – The Bulls didn’t need to add much, if anything, to be considered a favorite going into this year’s playoffs. A deal made a week out from the deadline with the Corinthians really improved the club’s chances of doing just that, a year after being upset by the Rink Rats. The Bulls not wanting to leave anything to chance went out and acquired Vinny Lecavalier, Olli Jokinen, Brian Gionta and Simon Gagne – yikes. An upset from the 8th seed this year??? Not likely!

Cats – They didn’t make any major moves, but they made cheap moves and identified areas in which they could improve by adding Rostislav Klesla, Jaromir Jagr, Jason Smith, and Aaron Ward. The team also got younger by adding some a few 4th round picks and a 2nd round pick, not to mention an early season deal which allowed them to acquire Mike Fisher.

FIRISH – The Fighting Irish were very active during the deadline trying to make the right moves and were able to acquire a top-four defenseman in Dan Hamhuis, a young, mid-level prospect in Teddy Purcell, and a plethora of draft picks by moving Rene Bourque, Dan Ellis, Vaclav Prospal, Rostislav Klesla and others. Some nice deals to continue to get younger while still staying competitive.

Corinths – You could argue the Quebec City Corinthians to be on the other list by moving some of the best players in the WHL, but the team showed some balls by making some big-time moves and still looks to be one of the WHL’s best. The Corinths addressed an issue of having a roster full of “old guys” by adding Paul Stastny, Bryan Little, Patrice Bergeron and John Tavares, in addition to adding some notable vets in Danny Briere, Vyacheslav Kozlov. They acquired some extra draft picks and allowed themselves to move down a bit by making a deal with the Sparrows. Smart, strategic decisions for an aging club to get a bit younger, and continue to stay competitive.

Losers

Dropkicks – It’s not often that a team battling for a Conference title trades away three of its best players but that’s exactly what the Dropkicks did when they moved Mats Sundin, Patrick Marleau and Jarome Iginla for Alexander Semin, Josh Bailey, Tom Wandell & a 1st round draft pick. The team then moved Zdeno Chara, James Neal, Ethan Moreau and that 1st round pick for Drew Doughty, Wojtek Wolski, Todd Marchant and Chuck Kobasew. So they got younger, got some awesome talent in Doughty and Semin, but fans have to be a little pissed as they were a favorite (and kind of still are) and dealt away some of the best players in the league.

Rink Rats – A team that was just a few games out of 5th place in their conference before the deadline, the Rink Rats committed to being sellers as a reaction to trades made by some of the league’s elite that set them way beyond what Minnesota felt they could compete with. The Rink Rats focused on selling off veterans such as Roman Hamrlik, Mike Sillinger and Andy McDonald who were all involved in deadline deals. In addition to the veterans, the Rink Rats moved some youth in Patrick O’Sullivan and Vladimir Sobotka, not to mention the deals the Rats made not too long ago which involved Kyle Turris, Brian Elliott and Yannick Weber to bring in vets like Brad Richards, McDonald and Hamrlik.

While they added (or reacquired) some decent prospects in Nikolai Kulemin, Kevin Shattenkirk and others, the fact the Rink Rats couldn’t make up their mind and are selling while in a playoff chase, makes them “losers” this season.

Orcas – The Orcas didn’t surprise anyone at trade deadline as they have one of the best groups of young talent in the league. The Orcas are generally pretty quiet and make strategic moves to help them stay young and build for the future, but with the Orcas in the hunt for a playoff spot (which could be as high as the 5th seed) for the first time since being a bottom-dweller I was hoping to see the team make a move to add some extra punch. Much like the Rink Rats and others, the Orcas may have thought there was no point in buying this season with the talent level on some of the top teams just getting stronger. Either way, you have to respect their decision and know that this is the club of the future.

Stampede – The Stampede added some nice assets before the deadline in Kyle Turris, Brian Elliott and Yannick Weber but failed to make noise close to the deadline. While it’s difficult to make moves when there’s no interest or the talent level is thin, one has to believe the Stampede could’ve attracted interest for Andrew Brunette, JS Giguere and Adam Foote. The Stampede may be planning on using Giggy as a mentor for Elliott the next couple of years which is a smart idea, but Foote and Brunette would’ve been nice contributors to a playoff team.

Cougars – So quite … The Cougars have a nice club with some good depth already. Gaborik, Kariya and Toews can be some of the league’s best goal scorers any day and defenseman Kaberle and Johnsson both have strong value to add to the Cougars. But, with the deals made by the Saints, Bulls, Demons and others near and on the deadline, you have to wonder where the Cougars were. They’re so close to having the talent to win it all and just maybe a player or two away from being that team. Kudos for the Cougars to stay on course and not make any ridiculous deals, but it would’ve been nice to see them add a Heatley, Hamrlik or a Olli Jokinen.

Lunatics / Hoodrats – The Lunatics did a good job with the moves they made, acquiring some extra draft picks and youth but you have to wonder if they’re kicking themselves to not being able to trade Darcy Tucker, Nick Boynton, Hal Gill, Derian Hatcher and Chris Osgood at the deadline. That’s a lot of names to say the least but they have some value. The club may end up looking to make those moves in the offseason to add extra draft picks.

The Hoodrats have stayed pretty quiet all season long and while they probably don’t have much to attract a playoff team, Olaf Kolzig and Shane O’Brien (who is on a farm club rerate) surely would’ve attracted someone if their names were mentioned in a trade block.

Rats Respond to Trades, Team & State of the Leagua

2010-05-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Following a rash of deals prior to the trade deadline, GM and Head Coach, Dan Bylsma have made themselves available to comment on the organization’s most recent moves, the direction of the team and all else. Let’s go to questions.

Ryan Russo, Minneapolis Star Tribune – I know you were big on Patrick O’Sullivan and his potential; tell us about the decision to move him.

Bylsma – It was tough. We liked Patrick a lot and feel he’s a guy capable of putting up good numbers in this league someday, but he wasn’t progressing like we would’ve liked. Oscar Moller is a good prospect. We were able to receive a draft pick in the deal which will help our farm system a bit. So we’re happy with the trade, it’s just tough to see Patrick go.

EJ Hradek, ESPN the Magazine – Over the course of the season you’ve made some trades to reacquire players that you’ve dealt not too long ago. What’s the decision behind those deals, namely bringing back Kulemin?

GM – Nikolai isn’t the player we dealt three long months ago. He’s developed really well in Waterloo and we’ve always liked his potential. We’re confident we can resign him in the offseason and the KHL talk will go away, because he is a very good two-way player.

The other moves were based on team needs at the time and making moves that would essentially make us better now and long-term. Kyle Cumiskey, Dusin Boyd, Jamie Langenbrunner and most recently Kevin Shattenkirk & TJ Hensick were all previously dealt because of what we were bringing in to replace them with. They’re all good players and we’re glad they’re apart of our organization.

Ray Ferraro, TSN – Your team is in the middle of a playoff run, a run that could move you into as high as a 5th place seed. You have some competition coming from behind, namely the Express and Fighting Irish. Why the decision to move Roman Hamrlik and Mike Sillinger to the team right behind you in the standings?

Bylsma – We never wanted to give the impression that we were giving up on this season by any means, but in many ways we don’t feel we have an opportunity to contend for this year’s Cup. It’s been a long season for us; in many ways we’ve suffered from a bit of a hangover from last year. Our guys are banged up, Miller isn’t performing like he should and we’re just struggling. That coupled with the fact that teams like the Bulls, Icedogs and Saints have outstanding rosters made us want to look towards next season and the seasons following.

Moving the players to the Express was tough but we liked what we got in return. Sillinger has said he’s done after this season and Rommy is getting old so his years in the league are numbered. We’ll have a tough finish but I’m confident we’ll be right in the mix at the end of the year.

Pierre McGuire, TSN – Last night was an extremely busy night and conversations from GM’s are rolling into this afternoon on the status of the league. What are your thoughts?

GM – Generally our management group tries to stray away from controversy within the league. I’m still a little dizzy from all of the deals last night but it was great to see so much activity. I think it does get frustrating when GM’s don’t respond to trade offers but or try to make improvements to their squads. With that said, the league is great and something we still enjoy. I think it’s tougher to compete than ever with the trades some teams have made to the Bulls, Saints, etc. To beat those types of teams takes somewhat of a miracle and that’s why we traded some of our better players at the deadline.

Hamrlik & Sillinger Out???

2010-05-06T10:45:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - Rumors have swirled that Roman Hamrlik and Mike Sillinger were seen boarding a plane headed to Alberta this evening with one-way tickets in hand. The two veterans have been reportedly dealt for a couple draft picks to a conference foe. We'll bring you more as details unfold. GM and Head Coach, Dan Bylsma are scheduled for a press conference tomorrow afternoon to discuss in more depth.

Rats Lose Heartbreaker; Miller to Start

2010-05-06T10:45:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Rink Rats looked like a team that needed water bottles full of 5 hour energy or something to bring the club to life as they went down 3-0 in front of a home crowd against the New York Demons last night. Minnesota looked outmatched and unprepared early on, but a couple of lucky bounces and a strong work ethic brought the club back into contention before losing in the final minutes in an 8-7 loss.

“Clearly there were some positives we took out of tonight’s game,” stated Head Coach, Dan Bylsma. “We were down big early on, but we managed to come back and give ourselves a chance to win against one the league’s better teams. I think Cammalleri was the best player on the ice tonight. He was in on the majority of the scoring chances and had 6 points. I liked how our offense played; I just think we need to do a better job in net. It was an exciting contest for our fans but really disappointing to lose in the final minute like that.”

Scott Clemmensen, appearing to battle fatigue as he made his 13th consecutive start, didn’t look like his usual self early on, and Bylsma admitted after the game he should’ve pulled Clemmensen after the Demons’ 2nd goal. Facing over 34 shots/game and managing a .903 sv% since coming to Minnesota, Clemmensen has played very well for the Rink Rats since his acquisition to replace injured netminder Ryan Miller. Clemmensen has struggled the past two games however and Bylsma has suggested that Miller may get his number one job back and has stated he will start their game in Nashville.

This would be Miller’s first game in 16 matchups. Miller who missed time due to injury, pushed Team USA to a silver medal in this year’s Olympics, but hasn’t played since then. Miller stated early this week that he feels good and is ready to reclaim his starting job with the Rink Rats to help his team secure a playoff spot for the third year in a row.

This won’t go without competition however as the Express and the Fighting Irish are both making a charge at the final playoff spots in the conference. Some big conference matchups remain as things will likely get pretty competitive down the stretch.

Rats Hope New Moves Will Payoff

2010-05-05T15:38:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – With a little less than 30 games remaining in the regular season, the Minnesota Rink Rats find themselves in position to fight for a playoff spot. A team that has been up-and-down all season long, the Rink Rats have gone 4-5-1 in their past 10 games and is coming off a disappointing loss to the Fighting Irish. The Rink Rats have made some moves in the past couple of weeks to improve the success of the club including the acquisitions of goaltender Scott Clemmensen, Andy McDonald and Roman Hamrlik. Hamrlik hasn’t played a game with the Rats yet but is expected to do so later this week after recovering from an injury sustained in the Olympic tournament.

Clemmensen hasn’t missed a game since coming over to replace injured goaltender Ryan Miller. Since his acquisition Clemmensen has stolen the number 1 job from Miller going 5-5-1 with a 2.64 gaa and .919 sv%. Even after a stellar performance by Miller in Team USA’s silver medal Olympic run, Miller has found himself back on the Minnesota bench following the Olympics. He’s not bitter however and wants to do everything he can to help the club succeed.

Following the Rink Rats’ loss to the Fighting Irish, Miller was one of the players who stood up in front of the others to state that their play was unacceptable. Mike Cammalleri summarized what was said after the player meeting, “We just basically stood up and discussed our team’s recent play. I mean we can’t continuously lose games that we should win. There are no excuses but we need to perform better; we need to score more goals and make better use of our chances. It’s nice to see that management is dedicated to winning by bringing in guys like Brad (Richards) Andy (McDonald) and Roman (Hamrlik). Not to mention Scottie (Clemmensen) has played incredible for us.”

Other Rat’s News
Brad Richards and David Krejci both appear to be 100% following some nagging injuries. Krejci, who is making a serious run at the Calder Trophy, has been battling a wrist injury for the past 15-20 games.

Richards has had an undisclosed upper-body injury since he was acquired from the Stampede at game 36. He’s played well during this time but Minnesota’s coaching staff is excited to see what he can do centering sniper Mike Cammalleri while playing 100%.

The Rink Rats will visit the surging Niagara Falls Icedogs in a rematch of last year’s Cyber Cup Finals. Richards is expected to center Cammalleri on the first line with Patrick O’Sullivan riding shotgun. Krejci will likely play on the second line centering red-hot Matthew Lombardi. A win against the Icedogs would be huge for Minnesota leading into the last quarter of the season.

Rats Give Fans Something to Cheer About

2010-05-05T15:38:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Rink Rats GM may be off in Vancouver co-managing the Team USA squad, but that hasn’t stopped him from making deals to improve his squad. At the start of the Olympic break, GM moved disgruntled veteran Daymond Langkow to the Icedogs in exchange for Jamie Langenbrunner and just this morning the league confirmed the Rink Rats have acquired Andy McDonald and Roman Hamrlik, two veterans who should help Minnesota’s playoff push. In exchange for McDonald and Hamrlik, Minnesota sent Brian Elliott, Dustin Boyd and a draft pick to Nashville.

Elliott was considered a key prospect in Minnesota’s system and one of the better goaltending prospects in the league. Minnesota had reacquired Boyd, a first round draft choice by Minnesota two years ago, this past month but felt there was an opportunity to advance the club now and wanted to bring in the two veterans in place of the prospects.

Minnesota attempted to make it a three-way swap by bringing in the Las Vegas Bulls who would’ve received McDonald & Hamrlik in exchange for Zach Parise. That deal didn’t come through for Minnesota, but the Rink Rats are excited about moving forward with their new lineup. LaDouceur was available via conference call to discuss the moves quickly before Team USA’s Thursday morning practice.

“This was big for us,” said GM. “We’ve been working really hard at trying to find something that works for us. We wanted to keep Elliott. We considered him a big part in our team’s future but Jimmy Howard has stepped up his progression and should be able to play alongside Ryan Miller for years to come. McDonald already has a built-in chemistry with Brad Richards on our team so that will be considered when we pencil in our lineups. I really like the way our roster looks right now and hopefully this will help our PowerPlay out a bit. Our conference is wide open right now and I think we can really make a run at this thing and give our fans something to be excited about.”

Team USA In Gold Medal Game

2010-05-05T15:37:00.001-07:00

Vancouver, BC – Team USA pulled off a big upset last night as they beat the Canadians 6-4 to advance to the gold medal game against Sweden. Canada was the favorite coming into the tournament and had an undefeated record up until last night’s loss. The Americans were sparked by their first line consisting of Mike Modano, Zach Parise and Jason Pominville who scored 5 of the team’s 6 goals.

The Americans had a strong start going into the second period with a 4-1 lead led by Zach Parise’s 2 goals and one assist and Ryan Miller’s 15 saves. The US was able to hold on thanks to the strong play of Miller in net who ended the game with 33 saves on many very difficult shots by the high-powered Canadian offense.

“He stopped some big ones for us tonight and I don’t think there’s a better goalie in the world right now than Ryan Miller,” stated veteran leader, Mike Modano. “This was a big win for us tonight but we’re here to win gold and we have one more that we need to win. No one expected us to be here but us, and we need to finish off what we came here for tomorrow night.”

The US will face off against Team Sweden for the gold medal. The two teams played one another in the final match of preliminaries leading to a 2-2 tie.

Team USA Advances to Semi's

2010-05-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

Vancouver, BC – Leading 7-2 with a minute remaining in the 2nd period the US men’s hockey team appeared to be on cruise control. Their second line of Chris Drury, Phil Kessel and Keith Tkachuk had 4 goals and the team was abuzz with emotions of going into a semi-final matchup against the host country. With 4 seconds remaining, Marian Hossa broke up a clearing pass from John-Michael Liles and scored on an incredible deke beating Ryan Miller’s stick side. The Slovaks would come back and score two more goals off of Marian Gaborik’s stick bringing the final tally to 7-5 in a game the US clearly dominated with a 45-30 shot differential.

The US will take on Team Canada in the semi-finals tonight in a game that will truly be historic for the squad. The Americans will skate without injured center Paul Stastny once again and their big enforcer, Mike Komisarek, who was injured in last night’s win. Defenseman Rob Blake will be out of the lineup for Team Canada after an injury in their game last night.

The Americans are certainly the underdogs in this contest, but with Ryan Miller in net and the offense appearing to come to life, they stand a chance of an upset. Time will only tell.

Around the Olympics:
The Olympics have truly had some big surprises thus far.
1) Russia’s Performance: Who would’ve guessed that the Russian club would’ve gone 0-3-1 during this year’s Olympics? With big names like Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Malkin and others one would’ve thought the Russians would’ve been a serious contender. The Russians will be remembered for their first game against Team Canada, a game which sparked a lot of controversy.
2) Quarterfinal Matchup – Czech vs World: The Czechs were upset last night largely in part to a spectacular performance by Cristobal Huet. Huet stopped 42 of 44 shots on goal in the teams’ 4-2 win. The World squad may not have the most talent but they’re sporting the Olympics’ hottest goaltender in Huet.
3) Olympic Defense: The WHL has had so many lopsided games this season that it’s somewhat surprising to see close matchups and a league leader with only 9 points (Patrick Elias, Czech – 3 goals, 6 assists) through 4 games played.

Americans Look to Shutdown Slovak Offense

2010-05-05T15:35:00.002-07:00

Vancouver, BC – Team USA’s 2-2 tie last night against Sweden secured them the second seed in their pool which will result in a rematch against the only team to defeat the US squad thus far – Slovakia. The Slovaks boast some very good offensive weapons in Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, Pavol Demitra and on the point, Zdeno Chara. The Slovaks will skate without injured defenseman Lubomir Visnosky who is out for a week following last night’s 5-3 loss to Finland. The Slovak’s high-powered offense may not be enough for the world’s best goaltender, Ryan Miller.

Miller played in his first game for Team USA last night stopping 24 of 26 shots. The US, who has had trouble finding chemistry offensively in this tournament, will rely on Miller again in tonight’s game. “We need to go with the hot goalie,” stated Head Coach, Ron Wilson. “Miller looked great last night against a very good Sweden squad and I’m very confident he can get the job done for us again tonight. It’s obvious why the Bulls and Cats have shipped out Timmy Thomas this season. He’s not in very good shape and he’s playing a little lazy for us.”

The US will be without injured center Paul Stastny, whom Co-US GM Rink Rat has been rumored to have interest in acquiring from the Kanata Saints. The rumors have swirled through the Olympic break but GM Rink Rat has stated that a deal is unlikely to happen as the two teams can’t come to terms. The void left by Stastny will be huge as he was one of the better offensive players on a team that’s struggled to find chemistry. Questions in goal for the Slovaks may make Stastny’s void less relevant. The Slovaks have played both Halak & Budaj, both of whom have had little success. The American’s hopes will rely on their offense getting to either goaltender early on and Miller shutting down the Slovaks’ potent offense.

USA Eyes Gold

2010-05-05T15:35:00.001-07:00

Vancouver, BC – Growing up and playing high school hockey in Minnesota, Zach Parise dreamed of playing alongside center Mike Modano someday. Tonight, Parise’s dream will come true as the US takes on Finland in game 1 of the Olympic round robin tournament. The US, in the midst of a transition period, boasts a mix of quality veterans like Modano, Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin and Brian Rafalski as well as many players without Olympic experience such as Parise, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel and Jack Johnson. Parise is expected to play the majority of his time alongside Modano and Brian Gionta, a line likely to get many minutes in the Olympic tournament. Head Coach, Ron Wilson has stated that he wants to mix in veterans on the other two lines with the US’s younger players. The US roster is full of speed, a quality generally preferred in international competition on Olympic-sized ice.

Coming in as a bit of an underdog, the US isn’t concerned that Canada and Russia have received the majority of the attention for this year’s Olympics. With a high-powered offense led by Modano and Parise and solid goaltending from Tim Thomas and Ryan Miller, the US’s only weakness may be on defense where the team lacks size and shots. The US defense does boast several good puck-moving dmen and Mike Komisarek and Jack Johnson are more than capable of holding their own zone.

“The key is going to be for us to stay focused and to get shots on net early,” stated Captain Mike Modano. “In a short tournament like this anything can happen and a lot of times it comes down to who has the hottest goalie. We know Timmy (Thomas) will be able to back us up and if not Ryan Miller is more than capable of taking over. He’s one of the best goaltenders in the league so I think we have a real chance of surprising a few countries.”

The US is hoping to improve upon their last Olympic outing which saw the country go 0-3-1 under Head Coach Joe Mullen’s leadership. They’ll get their chance tonight.

Rink Rats Say Bye to Langkow

2010-05-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – As the WHL prepares for a short Olympic break, the Minnesota Rink Rats have announced that they have traded away disgruntled center Daymond Langkow in exchange for former Rink Rat, Jamie Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner returns to the club that traded him not more than 2 months ago in a deal that helped the Rats acquire Nathan Gerbe, David Jones & Yannick Weber. Langenbrunner will once again be named captain of the Rink Rats when Minnesota holds a press conference later today to welcome him back.

Both Langenbrunner and Langkow were crucial to Minnesota’s post-season run last season but neither lived up to expectations early on this season. Langkow was upset early in the season when he was replaced on the first line by rookie David Krejci and with a rash of recent trades in Niagara Falls, Langenbrunner found himself on the outside looking in on a crowded Icedogs lineup. Langenbrunner requested his trade after the Icedogs’ recent moves and GM Rink Rat was quick to show his interest in making a deal to reacquire the former captain.

While the Rink Rats feel comfortable with their current lineup, GM Rink Rat has expressed interest in one of his Team USA players. Rumors have swirled that the Rink Rats are looking at a young star and may move John-Michael Liles in exchange. Although nothing has been confirmed the Rats are serious about making some changes. They’ve updated their trading block and have included goaltending prospect Jimmy Howard. Howard will be ready for full-time duty next season and with good depth on the roster already, Howard could be expendable. Minnesota is looking for players who could play on one of their top lines in return or good prospects/picks.

Rats News

2010-05-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats snapped a downward skid last night in a win at home against the Nashville Stampede. The Rink Rats have gone 6-4 in their past 10 games but they haven’t looked that great especially on offense. Center and leading scorer, David Krejci, has now gone 7 games without a point. Meanwhile, starting goaltender Ryan Miller remains sidelined with a groin injury, but the Rink Rats have found some help in backup goaltender Scott Clemmensen who has filled in very well since being acquired from the Lunatics. Clemmensen has a 2-2-0 record with a 2.25 gaa and.927 sv% in the 4 games he’s played since being acquired by Minnesota. Miller is expected back later this week and it will be interesting to see if Coach Dan Bylsma decides to keep Clemmensen in net or replace him with franchise goaltender Miller.

Nevertheless, the Rink Rats are confident in their current defensive and goaltending units but offense remains the question mark. Minnesota has moved Krejci to the second line to play alongside Derek Roy and Patrick O’Sullivan in hopes of finding his scoring touch again. Mike Cammalleri will remain on the first unit paired with Matthew Lombardi and Brad Richards.

Trade News:
Minnesota has made a few deals to help them defensively the past couple of weeks, but the team is still lacking an offensive jolt to their lineup. Rumors started late last week that Minnesota was shopping disgruntled forward Daymond Langkow. Langkow has been openly complaining about his lack of ice time all season and it has affected the rest of the locker room. Coach Dan Bylsma bumped Langkow from the first line early in the season in favor of Krejci, and ever since Langkow hasn’t quite been the same player. He’s a guy that can contribute a lot to other teams and the
rumor last night was the Rink Rats proposed moving Langkow along with prospect goaltender, Brian Elliott in a deal for the Saints’ Paul Stastny.

The teams are unlikely to come to terms as the Saints want John-Michael Liles added to the deal as well and the Rink Rats won’t part with all three players. Still though, the Rink Rats are looking to make a change to help the squad offensively. Langkow is the big name on the block but the team is considered willing to move Martin Straka, David Jones, Vladimir Sobotka, Tyler Kennedy, or Dustin Boyd in a deal to bring that extra jolt to Minnesota. There are additional names to the trade block which is posted below.

Defensive Acquisitions:
The Rink Rats acquired Kyle Cumiskey early in the week, adding a solid offensive-defenseman to the lineup in the coming years. Cumiskey has amazing speed and has shown to have a reputation for finding the back of the net. He was immediately placed on the Rink Rats’ squad and played in the past two games. Although the team plans to use him in a more defensive role this season because of the offensive abilities of John-Michael Liles, Brent Burns and Bryan Berard it’s definitely possible Cumiskey will be a main cog on a scoring line & power play unit next season. For now however, Cumiskey will take a break in the minors. He was sent down this morning in favor of veteran Jamie Heward. The Rink Rats have a rotating defense at the moment, with players like Kyle Quincey, Jordan Leopold and Cumiskey struggling to assert themselves in the lineup.

Surging Rats Add Goaltender

2010-05-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats have announced that they have agreed to terms with the Waterloo Lunatics to acquire goaltender, Scott Clemmensen to backup injured goaltender, Ryan Miller. Clemmensen will start the majority of games for the Rink Rats while Miller is on the shelf being backed up by rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. Howard and Brian Elliott split time since Miller went down with a groin injury last week and couldn’t effectively get the job done. Although both look to have a bright future in the WHL, Clemmensen will be a good fit in Minnesota backing up Miller.

As part of the deal, Minnesota agreed to send winger Nikolai Kulemin and a 4th round pick in exchange for Dustin Boyd and Vladimir Sobotka. Boyd is familiar with Minnesota’s organization as he spent his rookie season playing on this squad and was the first draft pick made by GM LaDouceur’s management team. Sobotka, who has appeared in 18 contests in Waterloo this season, has been recalled by Minnesota and will get his chance to impress coach, Dan Bylsma against the Dropkicks this evening.

“We needed help in net and that’s the major reason we sought out a trade partner and made this deal”, stated GM Rink Rat. “Jimmy (Howard) looked good and I think he’ll be a full-timer next season, but he’s not ready to carry the load quite yet. He needs a little more development before we can count on him full-time. Clemmensen is a dependable backup and will help our situation. We liked Kulemin a lot, and we’re sad to see him go. However, Dustin and Vlad both have good potential and play sound two-way games as well. Both guys have offensive potential that has yet to be tapped.”

The Rink Rats have a home and home series coming up against the Dropkicks. In their only meeting this season, Minnesota struggled to get anything going in a 6-2 loss. With some new chemistry and Sobotka playing an energy role on the 3rd line, Minnesota hopes to change the outcome of their next

Other Rats News:
- The Rink Rats who have played fairly well as of late. They've climbed out of the gutter and into 5th place in their conference. Rookie, David Krejci continues to lead the way for the squad posting impressive numbers for any player, let alone a rookie with 14 goals & 32 assists. Derek Roy (15 goals, 27 assists), Mike Cammalleri (26 goals, 14 assists) and Matthew Lombardi (20 goals, 17 assists) have also been strong offensively.

- Mike Cammalleri was announced to the WHL All-Star Game last week. Cammalleri has 26 goals and 14 assists through 44 games played.

- Recent acquisitions Brad Richards and Kyle Quincey have made an immediate impact in Minnesota. Through his first 8 games, Richards has 5 goals and 4 assists and is +1. Quincey, who had trouble finding ice time over veterans in Nashville, has 4 assists and is +2 through his first 8 games played.

- The Clemmensen trade may not be the only one in the works in Minnesota. Rumors have the Rink Rats talking to representatives in New York in a deal centering on one of their younger defenseman. We’ll continue to update you on any updates.

- Minnesota has put Brent Burns in a more offensive role recently hoping to get him back on track to his performance of last year. Burns has started to get time on the first powerplay unit and first line after being demoted to a second line role early in the season. Burns is currently third on the team in assists but has struggled putting the puck in the net this season.

Minnesota Introduces Richards, Quincey

2010-05-05T15:26:00.004-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Barry Melrose here live in downtown Minneapolis at the Rats Nest, the home of the Minnesota Rink Rats. The Rink Rats will introduce shortly new acquisitions Brad Richards and defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Minnesota faithful. There is an overwhelming amount of people attending this press conference and it’s surely an exciting day for Rink Rat fans. Last night Minnesota sent highly-touted and prized prospect Kyle Turris and defenseman Yannick Weber along with a 2nd round pick to Nashville last night in exchange for Richards and Quincey. Both Richards and Quincey are expected to make an immediate impact and will be in the lineup when they travel to Edmonton. It looks like things are about to start here so let’s listen in.

GM: “Greetings everyone and thank you all for coming today. As you know, things have been pretty exciting for us here in Minnesota since we moved the Gorillas of Greenwich here a couple years ago. From a last placed team to a couple of playoff berths with young and talented clubs, and a Cyber Cup final last season as a Cinderella team. We had a rough start this season, but we’re still in the hunt and have a solid club. I’m here today to introduce you to two very talented players who will help bring us back to the playoffs and put us in contention once again. Please help me welcome our newest Minnesota Rink Rats - #91 Brad Richards and #27 Kyle Quincey.”

Michael Russo (Star Tribune): “Coach, this is for you – I’m wondering how Kyle Quincey will fit in on an already deep defense.”

Bylsma: “We plan to use Kyle right away and he’ll play on our top two lines as well as power play unit. Kyle moves the puck extremely well but hasn’t played too much this season because of the depth of the Nashville defense.”

Russo: “Is there anything that you’re planning on working with Kyle to improve on?”

Bylsma: “Absolutely … Kyle is a young defenseman still coming into his own. He moves the puck very well but we’d like to see him use his body more and shoot the puck more as well. I think over the next few seasons we’ll see him do that.”

Scott Burnside (ESPN): “GM, after shipping out your top prospect and with no draft picks in the first two rounds the next two seasons how does the future of this club look? How can you expect to compete with teams like the Icedogs, Bulls and others who have talented clubs and have been able to retain picks over the next few years?”

GM: “It’s going to be tough but we have guys in our system that will be ready next season and we have faith that the others will be able to make an impact sometime soon as well. I think we have a good farm system and a lot of young talent and speed in Duluth. Our WHL club is still young with a core group that is under 30 and just coming into their prime. Our talent will continue to grow and we have the best goaltender in the world backing us up. We’ll be just fine.”

Ray Ferraro (TSN): “Brad, things haven’t been too great for you the past couple of seasons and you’re set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season; what are your plans and how do you think you’ll fit in playing in Minnesota?”

Richards: “Yeah things have been tough with this club the past few years but I’m here now and I believe in this team. Coach has me slotted in to play on a line with David Krejci and Mike Cammalleri and both guys are extremely talented. I haven’t met too many of the guys yet, but hopefully we’ll connect and play well together. We’ll have a good test right away in Edmonton so that should show us where we need to improve. As far as the contract goes, I know we’re planning on sitting down in the next few weeks with Minnesota management but I have nothing but faith that we’ll be able to get a long-term deal signed.”

Kramer: “Thank you everyone for coming. There will be no further questions.”

Minnesota Adds Help???

2010-05-05T15:26:00.003-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – In Duluth, Minnesota today Kyle Turris and Yannick Weber were seen packing their bags on a one-way trip to Nashville, Tennessee in what could only mean the two young prospects have been traded. There has been speculation that the Rink Rats have interest in a couple of players in the Nashville organization so it will be interesting to see what the team has brought in for the two prized prospects if they were indeed dealt. Turris, who was acquired earlier in the season in exchange for prospect TJ Hensick and a package of good draft picks, has a ton of potential and will be a first line center in the coming years. Weber has been shopped around recently by Minnesota and is a potential top-four defenseman who will command a power play with aplomb.

Minnesota has been rumored to be looking for additional help up front and it’s long been known that they’ve liked defenseman Kyle Quincey. Perhaps this is the trade Minnesota fans have been looking for to help get the team over the hump and repeat some of the magic of the WHL15 season??? Time will tell.

Last season Minnesota acquired center Daymond Langkow before the All-Star break and it proved to be one of the biggest moves in franchise history as Langkow led the undermatched Rink Rats over the Las Vegas Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. The team would go on to add a few other key players and move on to the Cyber Cup finals only to lose to a surging, fresher Icedogs squad.

Minnesota handled the Hoodrats last night in a 9-2 victory and will travel to Edmonton to play the Dropkicks in their upcoming matchup. The Dropkicks are one of the best teams in the league so this will be a test for Minnesota’s potentially revamped roster.

Rats GM Selected to Represent USA

2010-05-05T15:25:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota Rink Rats GM was selected Co-GM of the US Olympic Team along with Michael Rhodes of the Anchorage Orcas. Ahead of the two GMs will be to prepare a roster that can compete on the international stage with the likes of the other nations included in the tournament. GM Rink Rat and Rhodes have a tough trip ahead of them narrowing the selection down to 25. The Minnesota Rink Rats have a few likely candidates in goaltender Ryan Miller and defenseman John-Michael Liles as well as recently traded Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Blake. The Anchorage Orcas also have some likely candidates in Ryan Whitney and Matt Carle as well as a few on the bubble.

The US will likely be one of the toughest competitors sporting a mix of veterans and youth. Some of the team’s top candidates include Mike Modano, Paul Stastny, Phil Kessel, Chris Drury, Ryan Kesler, Zach Parise, Blake, Keith Tkachuk, Brian Gionta, Bill Guerin, Langenbrunner, Patrick Kane, Whitney, Tom Poti, Brian Rafalski, Liles, Mike Komisarek, Carle, Tim Thomas and Miller. Rhodes and LaDouceur will be working out the roster in the coming weeks with the plan of announcing the squad before the holidays.

In other Rink Rats news, the Rats have been discussing some trade opportunities with plans on bringing in some additional help on the wings. Minnesota was apparently in discussions with the Portland Timberjacks on center Derrick Brassard, and has reportedly bowed out of those discussions with the asking price going up to high. Minnesota is still on the lookout for the right fit to bring some new blood into their squad. Reports state that the team is open to many possibilities and has been linked to deals involving the Cougars and Cats. They’ve also been linked to have inquired on a deal with the Snowdogs.

Rats Move Vets; Name Roy Captain

2010-05-05T15:24:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats announced that they have sent veterans Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Blake to the Icedogs in exchange for David Jones, Nathan Gerbe, Yannick Weber and an exchange of draft picks. The move was made late this weekend when management, clearly frustrated with the outcome of this season’s results thus far, decided a change needed to be made for the team’s future. Both Blake & Langenbrunner are approaching the end of their careers, and although the team would have loved the Minnesota natives to retire as Rink Rats, they needed to look at bringing in some fresh faces that could help in the next couple of seasons.

Rumor has it the Rink Rats aren’t done rearranging their lineup. The team has inquired on a couple of players that may be able to play for them this season. Names such as Nick Boynton, Paul Ranger, Nikolai Kulemin and newly acquired Bryan Berard and some prospects have been discussed as well. The team is likely looking for someone who would be able to compete for a spot next season. With the early season issues Minnesota faced, it’s clear that depth is necessary in today’s WHL. With Tyler Kennedy and David Jones expected to be in the mix for roster spots next season, the squad hopes that another move or two will put them right there with other contenders.

With the loss of Langenbrunner, Minnesota has named Derek Roy the captain of the club. Roy has been with the Rink Rats for two full seasons when he was acquired from the Icedogs in WHL12. He’s been an assistant captain the past two and a half seasons and with his promotion Michael Cammalleri has been named the new assistant captain along with Brent Burns.

Captain: Derek Roy
Assistant Captains: Brent Burns, Mike Cammalleri

What the Rink Rats Got:
David Jones adds an element of size and toughness to the Rink Rats lineup. Jones is a guy that can score goals as evidenced by his pace of 30+ goals in the NHL this season. Although he’s out with an ACL tear, Jones has proven he can score and should be a member of the Rink Rats’ lineup next season.

The Rink Rats may have added some size in Jones but they’ve also acquired one of the WHL’s smallest players in Nathan Gerbe. Minnesota was interested in Gerbe during this past year’s draft when he was selected in the 2nd round by the Icedogs. Gerbe has picked up his play recently in the AHL and is one of the league’s better scorers despite his small stature. Gerbe isn’t likely to play in the WHL next season but could make the roster in WHL17 and projects as a top-6 forward.

Yannick Weber will add depth to the blueline as an offensive-defenseman. With an aging blueline the Rink Rats have made it a point to add some young depth to their system. Keaton Ellerby, Taylor Chorney, Weber, Michael Sauer, Brian Salcido and Casey Borer could all be apart of the Rink Rats’ future blueline alongside Brent Burns and Paul Ranger.

Rats Subject of Trade Rumors

2010-05-05T15:23:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats neared a big deal last night which would've sent veterans Jamie Langenbrunner and Jason Blake to the Niagara Ice Dogs for a package of prospects. As the deal was close to being finalized, Minnesota management continued to debate the subject and sent a strong message to the team - we're here to win. The team obviously responded with a 7-3 thumping over the Vancouver Voodoo in which Jason Blake had 2 goals and 2 assists and though Jamie Langenbrunner stayed off the score sheet, his presence was more than felt on the ice.

The Rats have plenty of talent and one of the best goaltenders in the world so if things start to click and the team can find the right chemistry, they may be able to repeat some of the magic of last year's Cyber Cup run. Derek Roy, who has been nursing a wrist injury all season, is proving that his minor injury isn't going to keep him off the score sheet. Although his minutes have declined and he's currently playing on the 3rd line, Roy has really started to come to life and leads the team in points with 19 (6 goals, 13 assists). The Rats are rolling 3 lines pretty evenly as they hope their balanced attack will help keep their legs fresh towards the end of the season. And although they don't have any league leaders, Minnesota has 10 players over 10 points.

Up next the Rink Rats prepare to take on the Express who have struggled thus far this season but still boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. The Rink Rats will not overlok their upcoming opponent, and hope to show management the decision to pass on quality prospects was the right one. If the Rink Rats continue to falter over the next 20 games, they could definitely be sellers by the All-Star Game.

Rumors have the Rink Rats still negotiating with the Icedogs in what could be a prospect swap but nothing has been confirmed and details are vague.

Rats Struggling to Find Wins

2010-05-05T15:23:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – An overtime goal by Niklas Kronwall ended a great matchup between the Rink Rats and Timberjacks last night, and put the Rink Rats winless in their last 5 games. The Rink Rats have struggled mightily during their road trip with many players having negative streaks against them. The recent “shakeup” by the club offered little assistance as the majority of the team’s top wingers are hit with -1 streaks and Daymond Langkow, the playoff hero for the Rats last season, has also been hit with a -1 streak after scoring 2 goals in last night’s game.

The Rink Rats will travel to face off against the Fighting Irish in their upcoming game and the team only hopes that this one will break their winless streak. The FIRISH are placed last in the Campbell Conference and are 6 games winless themselves. Head coach Dan Bylsma continues to push the fact that the season is young and there is a lot of hockey left to be played.

“We know we have a lot of talent here in Minnesota,” stated Bylsma. “We just need to put everything together and get our guys on a roll. Once we get rid of some of those negative streaks we should start winning more consistently and putting solid numbers on the board. We knew coming into this stretch there were going to be some losses and we may come out winless – these are tough games, but we played ok. There’s a lot of hockey left to be played and I think once we start getting to play teams in our division we’ll be right in the mix come playoff time.”

Other than a game against the Corinths, Minnesota feels really good about the next 10 games knowing there are some wins out there. With crucial games against divisional rivals coming up, the Rats must get some wins and go above .500 during this next 10 game stretch.

Rats Shakeup Roster

2010-05-05T15:22:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Rink Rats GM called for a shakeup of his roster this morning after a 7-4 loss at home last night against the Las Vegas Bulls. The Rink Rats have been struggling as of late with some of the better players on the squad battling the flu and minor injuries. The hope is that the shakeup will allow these players to surge and develop a better chemistry and upbeat feeling in the club’s locker room. Derek Roy, Jason Blake, Mike Cammalleri and Matthew Lombardi should all benefit from the shakeup while John-Michael Liles and Paul Ranger are the only two players that will most likely not with their current plus streaks.

“Hopefully this will help our club out a bit,” stated GM Rink Rat. “We’ve been struggling this season and to stay at .500 is just not acceptable. The Bulls are a good club and I saw some positive things the past couple of days against them, but the fact is we’re better than what we’ve shown thus far. I think Dan (Bylsma) has found some good line combinations and we’re all very excited about the progress of David Krejci and what Ryan Miller has done thus far. We’re hopefully that this will help push Roy, Blake and Cammalleri specifically over the edge and we can start getting some more wins.”

The Rink Rats will travel to take on the Sparrows in their upcoming game. They are 1-1 against the Sparrows this season, both games being very exciting matchups so it should be a good one!

Down, But Not Out

2010-05-05T15:22:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Up 2-1 going into the 2nd period, the Rink Rats looked pretty good early on during their road visit last night against the Las Vegas Bulls. The Rink Rats have never been known as a great road team (0-2-2 this season), so they were happy going into the locker room with a lead knowing their goaltender was having a great game. Ryan Miller had 16 saves in the first period and ended the game with 40 saves on 44 shots, but that wasn’t enough in last night’s 4-2 loss.

The Rink Rats took advantage of an early power play opportunity when John-Michael Liles jumped up into the play and went in on a two-on-one with Daymond Langkow scoring on the weak side of Tomas Vokoun. The Bulls responded late in the period on a nice one-time goal by Marian Hossa from Henrik Zetterberg. Minnesota came back within the next minute as Nick Boynton blasted a shot from the point giving them a 2-1 lead going into the second. Hossa and Martin St. Louis scored the next two, and the deficit was just too much for Minnesota to come back on in their loss. The team quickly boarded a plane heading back to the Twin Cities to take on the Bulls again for tomorrow’s game.

Minnesota will be worse off in their next matchup as Jason Blake was struck in the chest badly in last night’s game and is now playing with an upper-body injury that gives him a -1 streak. Minnesota already has some players playing with negative streaks most notably Derek Roy, Mike Cammalleri and Matthew Lombardi. Having Roy and Cammalleri, two of the team’s bigger scorers, playing below average is painful but this new-look Minnesota team has weapons that can fill in roles.

“We have more depth this year than in any of the years I’ve been here,” stated Roy. “Because of Blake’s issues we’ve been able to move up Michael Ryder and move Blake to the third line for tonight’s matchup. I have faith in every player on this team to score goals so hopefully we can turn around some of these negative streaks and get things rolling.”

One positive for Minnesota has been the stellar play of Ryan Miller. Miller is playing as well as he did during Minnesota’s run a couple of season ago posting a 2.85 gaa and .904 sv% (2.75 gaa and .911 sv% in the last 5 games). If Miller continues to play lights out and the Rink Rats can start scoring some goals watch out.

Rats Look to Upset Bulls

2010-05-05T15:21:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Rink Rats surged to a 3-0 lead in last night’s first period against the Toronto Stallions and never looked back. Ryan Miller stopped 30 of 31 shots and was looking pretty good for the shutout until Matt Stajan’s goal halfway through the 3rd period of play. A total team effort was the key to Minnesota’s success as the goal scoring was spread out between every line and the defense contributed in coach, Dan Bylsma’s up-tempo offense. Immediately following Minnesota’s win, they boarded a plane to Las Vegas where they will meet the Bulls for the first time since upsetting them in the 1st round of last year’s playoffs.

“The upcoming games will be a good test for us,” stated goaltender Ryan Miller. “The Bulls are a different team than the one we played last year in the playoffs. They’re much better and faster. They have a lot of offensive weapons on that club and our defense is going to have to play tough. It’ll be interesting to see how we matchup against them.”

The Rink Rats have some players nursing minor injuries and day-to-day battling the flu. Derek Roy has been nursing a minor wrist injury that has prevented him from finding his scoring touch while Matthew Lombardi and Mike Cammalleri are battling the flu and are probable for tonight’s game.

The Rink Rats have discussed trying out some different line combinations specifically for offensive teams like the Bulls. At this morning’s skate Minnesota had Jamal Mayers skating on the squad’s first line practice with Daymond Langkow and Derek Roy. Shane Hnidy, who has played every game but generally skates strictly on the penalty kill, skated on the team’s second defensive line in practice with John-Michael Liles while Jordan Leopold wasn’t paired leading us to believe he will be a healthy scratch again in favor of rookie Keaton Ellerby. Lombardi was moved to the team’s 4th line with Martin Rucinsky and Martin Straka.

Rat Report

2010-05-05T15:20:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota’s lackluster start has some in Minnesota questioning if this team is still hungry, battling Cyber Cup hangover or if they simply don’t have enough talent to make a serious run this season. The goals aren’t coming as easy as some would have hoped and the team’s defense has struggled at times while the power play has looked absolutely abysmal. Things aren’t going to come easier anytime soon as the Rink Rats’ next 8 games are against strong contending playoff teams including a home-and-home series against the all-star team that is the Las Vegas Bulls.

The few bright spots of the season thus far include a strong penalty kill which has ranked near the top of the league all season and rookie David Krejci’s play and the chemistry he seems to have with Mike Cammalleri who have combined for 8 goals and 12 assists in the first 8 games of the season. While Krejci and Cammalleri have had some success, the rest of the team seems to be struggling to find that “winning chemistry”. The Langkow-Roy-Langenbrunner line that played so well the second half of last season has really struggled. Roy is nursing a wrist injury that has limited his play but still has managed 2 goals & 6 assists. Langkow’s 3 goals and Langenbrunner’s 2 goals and 3 assists should be better. The third line’s play has picked up a bit with Patrick O’Sullivan’s return to the lineup centering Matthew Lombardi and Michael Ryder. The defense has been up-and-down. Reigning Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns has been pretty limited this season with opponents playing tight against him while new acquisition John-Michael Liles has struggled to get into a rhythm through his first 8 games. Jordan Leopold and his minus-4 rating found his way into being a healthy scratch for tonight’s game against the Stallions in place of rookie Keaton Ellerby.

The next 8 games will surely be a huge test for the Rink Rats who are looking to improve on their current position in the standings. Head coach Dan Bylsma suggested that goaltender Ryan Miller will have to play “consistently well” and all 3 lines will have to step up their play. The Krejci line will get a chance to start in tonight’s game and Bylsma suggested the Langkow line may be split up if they don’t start scoring goals. “Those guys did such a good job last year that maybe the expectations are off a bit, but we need them to start scoring. Langkow should be one of our top goal scorers and he just hasn’t produced thus far. We’ll need Daymond, Roy and the rest of our guys to play 100% better if we want to succeed this season. We can’t have games like the past two nights. The Dugouts are a fine team but they haven’t won a game yet this season and we tied them last night, plus we only beat the Hoodrats 5-1 the night before; that’s unacceptable and what makes the difference between a decent team and a good team. We need to get pucks in the back of the net.”

Rink Rats News & Notes
Reports have state that Minnesota may be looking to move prospects Nikolai Kulemin, Tyler Kennedy or Brian Elliott. Kennedy is off on a tear in the NHL with 5 goals in 11 games (on pace for 37 this season) while Kulemin is projected as a skilled top-6 forward. The team is likely more willing to move Kulemin over fan-favorite Kennedy, but would consider offers of players that could contribute this season and for years to come in Minnesota.

Caps Vs. Leafs
A release earlier this week asked the question who is off to a worse start – Capitols of the WHL or Leafs of the NHL & who will finish with a better record in the end. Our answer: Leafs have the worse start because of the talent that is on the team. Leafs will have the better record in the end even though the Capitols of the WHL play 2 additional games.

Mason vs. Tavares
The release also called out the Steve Mason versus John Tavares draft debate. I would’ve loved to be a fly-on-the-wall during the negotiations for the Bulls to move up to the 1st overall pick, because I have to believe there was an opportunity for the Orcas to make a package deal and gain the 2nd & 3rd overall picks which would have got them Mason & Matt Duchene. The Bulls wanted Tavares bad and who wouldn’t? Nonetheless, they selected Mason and the deal is working out well for them thus far with an improved winning record to start the season. My argument is the same as many in the WHL, since the Orcas didn’t make a move to try and get number 2 & 3 they have to select Tavares in that spot. They have a goaltender in Price who is already solid and projected as a number one goaltender plus they have depth in backup Ty Conklin and potential in Thomas McCollum. With no true number one at center waiting in the wings, Tavares was the logical pick. The Bulls’ beat-down on Mason last night surely made some kind of a statement.

Minnesota Unveils New Logo

2010-05-05T15:20:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - Minnesota came into this season with a fresh outlook on life in the WHL after riding a streak to the Cyber Cup finals and wanted a fresh look. The team removed the red from their palette and is now going with black, green and white as their primary colors. A revised logo has been released to the media and members of the WHL and the team's new jerseys will be revealed later this week (although the club wore the jerseys for the first 6 games of the season).

Rats Get Huge Win; Swap Prospects

2010-05-05T15:19:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - The Minnesota Rink Rats got their first win of the season last night at the expense of the Ottawa Capitols. In huge fashion, the Rink Rats' 2nd line of David Krejci, Jason Blake and Mike Cammalleri provided a huge boost for the team leading them to a 10-0 win. Following the win, Minnesota boarded a plane eading to Anchorage, Alaska to take on the surging Orcas.

The Orcas are currently undefeated and have looked pretty impressive in their first 3 games of the season playing well against some credible teams. Alaska carries 3 goaltenders on their squad and have quite the goaltending battle going on right now in youngsters Carey Price and Steve Mason. Captain Jamie Langenbrunner knows that his team will have to be prepared for the new look Orcas squad this evening.

"We'll have our hands full," stated Langenbrunner. "This Orcas team is improved over the past couple years so we'll have to put a lot of shots on net and hope we can get some through no matter who's in goal."

Other Rink Rat News
Minnesota announced today the acquisition of Kyle Turris in exchange for TJ Hensick. Turris was the 2nd overall in WHL13 and will likely be a fixture on the top line in a couple of seasons. It wasn't the trade GM Rink Rat was looking for but he's excited nonetheless. "You know, we've discussed with other GMs about guys like Danny Briere, Andy MacDonald, Petr Prucha, David Legwand and others to help improve our squad right now but for different reasons things didn't work out. Hensick has good potential but we're definitely excited about Turris."

Minnesota is rumored to not be done either. Rumor has it they are in talks of another prospect swap with the Lunatics. Nothing has been confirmed and neither team would comment on the issue but don't be surprised if something happens soon.

Rats Off to Tough Start

2010-05-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - An 0-2 start has Rink Rats fans shaking their heads wondering if Minnesota is headed down the wrong path. Head Coach Dan Bylsma however isn't concerned. "We played well last night against the Demons in our loss. We played them hard and that was a good loss. Our loss to the Sparrows didn't look good but I think nerves got the best of us. It's tough to say
tonight's game is a must win since we're so early in the season, but I'm going to call it a must win. We have to get up on the Capitols early and put a bunch of shots on net. Our guys need to score and Ryan (Miller) needs to play like he did in the preseason."

Rumors have swirled that GM Rink Rat is looking for extra help for his squad. Names such as Lombardi, Ranger and Kulemin have been thrown out as possible players on the move. GM stated that the right deal hasn't come along yet but the team is still on the lookout for the right fit. "We have some deals we've discussed with other GMs but nothing is close. Both sides are
trying to come to terms on agreements and we'll see what happens in the next few weeks. If we continue to lose we'll have to make some changes.

The Rink Rats take on the Capitols in this evening's matchup. Minnesota is home and is hoping for a better effort out of their offense and goaltending.

Rats Finish Rookie Camp

2010-05-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – Hey Rink Rats fans, Barry Melrose here in what is the first of hopefully many columns with this team. As you know, the Minnesota Rink Rats are coming off a Cyber Cup Finals berth and have a fresh outlook on life in the WHL. Minnesota is led by new head coach Dan Blysma who is expected to lead a new up-tempo offense. Blysma recently attended Minnesota’s rookie camp which featured some of the Rink Rat’s best young players. I caught up with Blysma to discuss what he saw.

Melrose: Hahaha … Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us Dan. This has been a big week for you having the chance to meet Minnesota’s rookies and get to know them a bit better before the preseason. What did you think?

Blysma: Thanks Barry; great to be here … Rookie camp was great. This is a talented group of young players here in Minnesota. I think there are definitely going to be some guys that can play for us this year and next and it’s exciting to see. The one guy that really stood out for us in rookie camp was Dave Krejci. I really think this is a kid that will play on one of our top two lines this season. He’s got a lot of talent and can really setup the play nicely. He’s likely going to be a top Calder Trophy candidate. TJ Hensick, Tyler Kennedy & Nikolai Kulemin are a couple of other guys that will get a long look this season. They played well in our rookie camp and could get a call-up later this season and play for us full-time next season.

Because of our goaltending situation we have to play either Jimmy Howard or Brian Elliott as our backup goaltender. I don’t think either is really quite there yet however I think both will play well in a backup role. Howard looked good in camp and will get the first chance but it’s up to him to keep the job.

On defense we really like new additions Taylor Chorney & Keaton Ellerby. I don’t think either will play for us this year but they’re going to be a big part of what we do in the next couple of years.

Melrose: It sounds like you’re pretty excited about your young players; any thoughts on this year’s draft or regrets coming out of the draft?

Blysma: We were all really excited about this year’s draft. I thought there was a lot of talent and I’m glad the organization was able to pickup some extra picks in the 2nd round. Overall, I think our organization added some extra pieces that we really needed up front. We now have a good group of young players at forward as well as some depth at defense and goal. We hope that young guys like Hensick & Kennedy can continue to develop and that Kulemin, Repik and others can fulfill top-6 roles in the next couple of seasons. On defense we have some young guys like Brent Burns & Paul Ranger that are already playing big minutes in the WHL. Hopefully Ellerby, Chorney & Brian Salcido can make contributions there as well.

There were a couple of guys we were hoping would fall back to us of course like every year. Nathan Gerbe & Mike Santorelli are the two that stick out the most. We were hoping we could get Gerbe later in the second round but we got snagged early. Santorelli was a kid we were big on going into this year’s draft and we thought there was a chance we could move up in the early 4th or late 3rd round to pick him up too. But overall I’m really excited about this squad and our rookie camp.

Melrose: Last season I helped carry this team deep into the playoffs. We had a young guy that was really able to make a solid contribution that I noticed you haven’t mentioned in Ryan Potulny. How does Ryan fit into this offense & this team?

Blysma: You know Ryan is a great player & a great kid. He has a lot of offensive talent & potential but he just may be the odd man out. We’ll see how things go, but we’re really pulling for this kid to give him an opportunity and hope that he sticks. He could put up some decent numbers if given the chance.

Melrose: Thoughts going into the preseason???

Blysma: You know tomorrow is a big night for us. We'll have all of our big names playing in tomorrow's game and it'll be interesting to see how everyone responds after a short summer. We'll probably tinker with our lines throughout the preseason and I wouldn't expect Derek Roy, Mike Cammalleri or some of our veterans to play every game but they'll get their minutes. We'll try and cycle some of our rookies in the lineup throughout the preseason as well. Krejci, Kulemin, Hensick and Howard will all have a chance and Potulny & Ellerby may get in there as well. It'll be nice to see our rookies play in their respective roles.

WHL15 Offseason Report

2010-05-05T15:08:00.000-07:00

Off-Season Game Plan: Rink Rats
The Minnesota Rink Rats played well above expectations once again last season as they made one of the strongest Cinderella runs the WHL has ever seen; going from a last place squad before the All-Star break to a playoff team and then Cup finalist. The team is built around a core group of young talent with a strong cast of finesse players. The Rink Rats are primed to make another run at the Cup this season as the team has one of the strongest cast of players the franchise has ever seen.

Although an improved squad will be coming out of Minnesota, the lifting of the salary cap has allowed some teams to move their prospects and become even stronger. The Las Vegas Bulls are strong favorites to make a run this season with their many acquisitions this offseason and the Rink Rats will likely see competition coming from many other familiar teams such as the Express, Dropkicks, Dugouts and others. If the Rink Rats want to make a run they’ll rely on former MVP finalist goaltender, Ryan Miller to lead the way.

Even with an up & down season last year, Miller is still one of the WHL’s best goaltenders and will need to play well in order to live up to team expectations. The 29 year goaltender played well in the playoffs and is entering the prime of his career so look for another MVP-caliber season out of this veteran.

Brian Elliott & Jimmy Howard will contend for backup duty. Elliott, who was a 3rd round pick last season, is expected to win the job but the team isn’t ready to commit to either. Although the future is bright in goal for the Rink Rats, the present is slim. Depth will be a real issue and the team will have to put all their faith in Miller to get the job done.

Minnesota’s defense is better then ever boasting a mix of veterans and skilled youth the best of which are defensemen Brent Burns & Paul Ranger. Burns was the Norris Trophy winner last season and one of Minnesota’s top scorers. At only 23 years of age, there are very few defensemen or players in the league with a brighter future then Burns.

Ranger, acquired in a trade for Rob Schremp last season, projects to be a very good puck-moving defenseman and will likely play on the squad’s top two lines this season. With 8 goals and 50 assists last season, Minnesota is very excited to see what he can do wearing a Rink Rats jersey for an entire season.

Derek Morris, John-Michael Liles, Nick Boynton and Jordan Leopold will compete for the final two top-four spots on the Rink Rats roster. Morris & Liles are the likely candidates as both have solid abilities in the offensive zone and Morris played well defensively for the Rink Rats last season. Leopold & Boynton will likely fill the final two roster spots, with Shane Hnidy playing occasional minutes on the team’s penalty kill. While Minnesota will likely miss Captain Jay Bouwmeester, the team fills confident in their current group of defenseman and feels that Keaton Ellerby will step up in the next two seasons to take Bouwmeester's place.

Minnesota’s center corps will be much improved over last season, a season that saw Alexei Yashin & Matthew Lombardi split time as the number 1 & 2 options through the first half of the season. This season Minnesota has Daymond Langkow leading the way after a much hyped MVP run. Langkow came to Minnesota halfway through the season and found great chemistry with Derek Roy, reigning in 47 goals (34 on the PP) and 52 assists providing the spark the Rink Rats needed to get into the playoffs & Cup Finals. Langkow will likely switch off between the first line and second line with rookie David Krejci, who got a taste of WHL action last season with 3 goals and 2 assists in 8 games played. Krejci is a very likely candidate for the Calder Trophy and will get plenty of minutes as expectations are high for this young, talented, playmaking center.

Rounding out the center corps are speedy centers Matthew Lombardi and TJ Hensick. Lombardi may be one of the fastest players in the WHL but he’s always had troubles putting points on the score sheet. Last season was a little different as Lombardi surpassed 20 goals for the first time enjoying a solid 28 goal campaign along with 26 assists. Hensick rounds out the group of centers and while he’s still a year or two away from playing in the WHL, Minnesota sees tremendous potential out of this young center.

On the left side Assistant Captain, Derek Roy had a strong breakthrough season last year with career highs across the board. Roy was selected to his first WHL All-Star game last season but an injury kept him out of that appearance. Roy projects to have another great season playing alongside center Daymond Langkow. The two had great chemistry last season and will have a full year to build upon. Behind Roy are veterans Jason Blake, Martin Straka and Patrick O’Sullivan. Blake is a great two-way forward who will see minutes on the penalty kill & power play units. Straka has his best years behind him but he can still make a contribution playing alongside a solid sniper. The Rink Rats have great hopes in O’Sullivan who scored 32 goals and 30 assists for the Rink Rats last season. His production should only continue to climb as he matures in the WHL and Rink Rats brass hope to see him be a 50 goal scorer someday soon.

On the right side many expected to hear Jamie Langenbrunner’s name show up on the trade market this season but instead Langenbrunner was resigned to a 3 year deal and named Captain. Langenbrunner will move between the first and second lines this season.

Mike Cammalleri will be the other guy moving between the first and second scoring units this season. Acquired before the start of the preseason last year, Minnesotans expected big things out of Cammalleri. Cammalleri will have to do more this season then his 29 goals and 29 assists last season in order to win over fans. With a lofty contract and huge expectations the pressure is definitely on Cammalleri to perform. Luckily for Rats fans, Cammalleri has been working out this offseason with a number of trainers and appears in better shape then ever. Expect big things from this speedy young winger.

Rounding out the Rink Rats wing corps is new acquisition Michael Ryder. Ryder played well last season on a bad squad scoring 25 goals and 25 assists in 56 games played. Although he’s likely going to play on the Rink Rats’ 3rd line, the 3rd line will be filled with Lombardi and O’Sullivan so Ryder could enjoy improved numbers this coming season.

Depth Chart:
Center: David Krejci, Daymond Langkow, Matthew Lombardi, TJ Hensick
Left Wing: Derek Roy, Jason Blake, Patrick O'Sullivan, Martin Straka, Nikolai Kulemin
Right Wing: Mike Cammalleri, Jamie Langenbrunner, Michael Ryder, Tyler Kennedy, Michael Repik
Defense: Brent Burns, John-Michael Liles, Derek Morris, Paul Ranger, Nick Boynton, Jordan Leopold, Shane Hnidy
Goal: Ryan Miller, Brian Elliott, Jimmy Howard

Needs: Backup goaltending, strong goal scorer, top prospects not rookies

Who’s In: John-Michael Liles, Jason Blake, Michael Ryder, Jordan Leopold, Martin Straka, Keaton Ellerby, Roman Voloshenko

Who’s Out: Jay Bouwmeester, Sergei Samsonov, Aaron Asham, Scott Hannan, Kyle Cumiskey, Mike VanRyn, John Grahame

Top Prospects:
01) Nikolai Kulemin
02) Brian Elliott
03) Tyler Kennedy
04) TJ Hensick
05) Keaton Ellerby
06) Michael Repik
07) Jimmy Howard
08) Andreas Nodl
09) Taylor Chorney
10) Ryan Potulny

Outlook: This team no longer has to play Cinderella; they’re strong and respected across the league after the run they put on last season. There’s a good mix of veterans and youth on the team and no doubt they have some speed. The team has probably the strongest chance they’ve ever had to make the playoffs and make a run at the Cup, however increased competition across the league and question marks in goal may keep them from reaching that goal. The team will have to ward off injuries and everyone will have to have a strong season in order for the Rats to go deep again this year.

Melrose Steps Down; In Comes Bylsma

2010-05-05T15:07:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - Minnesota Rink Rats Head Coach Barry Melrose announced today that he was stepping down from his position. Melrose stated outside of his home in St. Paul this morning that he will no longer be acting as head coach but will take on a role as assistant coach and act as team reporter, something Melrose described as his true love.

The news was reportedly expected by Rink Rats officials and they have been discussing this change with Melrose for some time. While those close to the situation expected this move, many Minnesota fans are left stunned because of the squad's strong run to the Cup Finals this past season. Melrose was a big part of that run and it leaves some wondering why such a bold move at this time?

The team is expected to hold a press conference sometime tomorrow to announce their new head coach, Dan Blysma who GM Rink Rat has described as, "A capable candidate who has a better chance of getting us where we want to be." "Blysma knows this squad very well already and knows how to lead an offense built like ours. We expect a strong run from this team the coming season and know that we are in good hands with Blysma and the coaching staff he is expected to announce."

Blysma was quoted to saying that the coaching staff would be changing slightly in that he'd be adding in Minnesota native Todd Richards as an assistant coach for the upcoming season. Dave Hakstol will move to the minors to help the WFHL squad as head coach and Jamie Langenbrunner will captain this squad with Brent Burns and Derek Roy remaining as assistant captains. No other changes were announced today.

Bouwmeester Out of Minnesota

2010-05-05T15:07:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - As many expected after hearing rumors that Jay Bouwmeester was on the trading block, Bouwmeester was dealt this morning to the Niagra Falls Icedogs. Bouwmeester was dealt for defenseman John-Michael Liles and draft picks in the upcoming draft. Bouwmeester appeared frustrated outside of his Minneapolis condo Sunday morning and had this to say to reporters.

"Those f#@*ers do this every year. Last year it was Derek's (Roy) name and they moved Marc (Savard) & Zherdev and this year it's me. I'm going to miss the fans and I was happy to be apart of a good run last season but I'm excited about the change."

Bouwmeester's name was linked in a report yesterday in a deal that would've sent winger Zach Parise home to Minnesota. It's no secret Minnesota has been pushing to get Parise for the past three years and the team still has considerable interest in making a deal. Mike Cammalleri's name has been linked however it's unclear if GM Chris Kubinec will move Parise.

"We're happy with this deal," stated GM LaDouceur. "Liles is a good puck moving defenseman and the two extra draft picks will help us build our farm system. Jay is a solid defenseman and will likely be one of the best in the game once he hits his peak. The moves we made earlier in the week to bring in Keaton Ellerby & Jordan Leopold really helped us make this deal happen and we think Liles will fit well in our high-tempo offense next season."

LaDouceur briefly spoke of changes to this year's club and suggested Head Coach Barry Melrose may be done with the team. No word as of yet but we'll continue to keep you informed. He also stated that the team is getting a revamped look in the team's jerseys & logo. Stay tuned for more info.

Is Jay-Bo on the Move???

2010-05-05T15:06:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - Fresh off their loss to the Icedogs in the WHL Cup Finals, rumors swirl around the league as to whether team captain, Jay Bouwmeester, is on the move. A source close to the club stated that the team has discussed the young defenseman with a couple of WHL GMs but nothing has been confirmed. The source went on to say that the team is accepting offers for Bouwmeester, looking for another defenseman as well as prospects and/or draft picks in WHL15.

"Jay is a great player and has yet to fulfill his potential," stated GM LaDouceur. "I have no comment as to whether we're going to move Jay but all I can say is that he's 25 and has the potential to reach 60 points real soon - as a defenseman no less. We value his play and for us to move him it'd have to be a great deal for us."

Minnesota on Verge of Elimination

2010-05-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Rink Rats head back to Minnesota today after suffering a 4-2 loss to the Icedogs last night, putting the team on the brink of elimination. The Rink Rats will look to force a game 7 in their upcoming home contest.

The team, battling a few undisclosed injuries and fatigue, has recalled center David Krejci for game 6. Krejci played well in a brief call-up earlier this season scoring 3 goals and adding 2 assists in 8 games played. Last season Krejci was one of the top producers in the WFHL and has been playing well this season in Europe due to the strike shortened WFHL season. The team figures Krejci will be a top fixture next season but hopes that he can make an impact now as well.

"We're not sure what his role is going to be in game 6 but we do hope that he will be able to provide some added offense," stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. "We have a couple of guys who are having a tough time so David will get some ice time however we haven't decided how much yet. We need to continue to push these guys and grind out every shift. Ryan Miller will have to be on top of his game and we'll rely on our first two lines to score some goals for us again tonight."

Rats Head Into Crucial Game 4

2010-05-05T15:04:00.003-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats went down in a heartbreaking loss last night in Minnesota. Tied 3-3 going into the 3rd period, the Icedogs’ Kimo Timonen fired a one timer from the point to score the game winning goal and put the Icedogs up 2-1 in the series. A fairly even series thus far, last night’s win sets up a crucial game 4 for Minnesota, one in which they must win.

“This will be a big game for us; most likely one of the biggest games in our club’s history,” stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. “Our first line is going to have to contribute more then they have in the past couple of games and really step up. We’re also going to need to focus on finishing strong. The past couple of games we’ve done a good job at getting ahead early but we’re losing focus and letting the Icedogs back into it late in the game. They’re too good to turn our backs on them.”

Minnesota will be without defenseman Derek Morris for Game 4 who is currently serving a 4 game suspension for his actions in Game 6 of the Semi-Finals. Morris was a key contributor to the Rink Rats’ success prior to his suspension and his loss has been felt during the series thus far.

“We’re definitely missing his presence … Derek is a key contributor on the ice and logs a lot of ice time for us,” said Brent Burns. “We’ll pull together for tonight’s game and hopefully Derek will come back rested and ready to go.”

The Minnesota Rink Rats are playing in the club’s first WHL Cup Final and second consecutive playoffs under 2 year GM Rink Rat. Neither the Icedogs nor Rink Rats have won a Cup before; this season will see a new team host the Cup for their first time.

Rats Advance to Cyber Cup Finals

2010-05-05T15:04:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - Fans in Minnesota are excstatic as the Minnesota Rink Rats completed a sweep against the Rocky Mountain Express in last night’s 8-3 win. Minnesota got up early in the game taking a 5-2 lead into the 2nd period and never looked back. The first line unit of Daymond Langkow, Derek Roy & Sergei Samsonov created quite a spark in the Rink Rats’ win. The unit scored 4 of Minnesota’s goals, including two from Roy.

The Rink Rats are headed to their first ever WHL Cup Finals under the direction of GM LaDouceur who is in his second full year as a WHL GM. Their opponent was decided last night as another sweep came across the WHL as the Niagara Falls Icedogs beat the Quebec City Corinthians in 4 games. The Icedogs will be tough opponents as the Rink Rats are 0-2-1 against the Icedogs this season. The Rink Rats have an improved squad since their last matchup but will be playing without Derek Morris who was suspended by the league for actions made in last night’s game against the Express. The loss of Morris will hurt the team but nevertheless Minnesota will move on likely replacing him with Karel Rachunek.

Prediction:
The Icedogs' Roberto Luongo has been red hot in this year's playoffs and he will need to continue to play well if the Icedogs want to win the Cup. The Rink Rats are sporting a rejuvenated offense and Ryan Miller isn't play so bad in goal either. Minnesota will need to continue to provide offense from all three lines and someone will have to step in for recently-suspended Derek Morris who will be out the first 4 games of the series. The suspension could be enough of an x factor for the Icedogs to get up early on Minnesota.
Icedogs in 6

Rats On Verge of Sweep

2010-05-05T15:02:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – In one of the most unlikely of scenarios, the Minnesota Rink Rats could sweep the Rocky Mountain Express in this evening’s home game. Last night’s 6-5 overtime victory in Minneapolis put the Rink Rats up 3-0 in the semi-finals on the verge of entering their first Cup Finals in the team’s history. Jay Bouwmeester was the hero of the night scoring 5 minutes into overtime and assisting on 3 others and much like the previous two contests, the Rink Rats won by one goal.

The Rink Rats, who will have 4 chances to closeout the series, would likely take on the Niagara Falls Icedogs should they advance to the next round. The Icedogs are up 3-0 in their series against the Quebec City Corinthians in what has been a surprising series thus far. Still though, Minnesota doesn’t want to get ahead of themselves and sites the recent comeback by the Icedogs as proof that anything can happen.

“We know this is a tough team and we’ve played a close series thus far,” stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. “I’m really pleased with how everyone has played thus far. Look at guys like Patty O’Sullivan & Ryan Potulny who are contributing and making an impact every night; its fun to see. Still we have a job to do and not get ahead of ourselves. Look at the Icedogs’ comeback against the Sparrows and you know that anything can happen in the playoffs. We’re going out with a nothing-to-lose attitude and we’re going to play our best hockey yet. Everybody is going to need to continue to play mistake-free hockey and get shots on net.”

Rats Take 2-0 Lead Back to Minny

2010-05-05T15:01:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats head back home up 2-0 on the Rocky Mountain Express in the WHL Playoff Semi-Finals. The Rink Rats, who have been playing with a nothing to lose attitude, are making up for the team’s lack of post-season experience with a nasty combination of determination and hard work. Going into Game 3, the series has been tight thus far with only 2 goals separating the squads. Game 3 will be crucial for both teams as the Rink Rats look to closeout the series and advance to their first ever WHL Playoff Finals. Derek Roy, Daymond Langkow & Ryan Miller continue to lead the way for the young club, but others such as Patrick O’Sullivan, Sergei Samsonov, Ryan Potulny & Jamie Langenbrunner have found ways to enhance their output during this postseason.

“We’re playing really well right now and I’m proud of the way every one of our guys has played,” said Captain Jay Bouwmeester. “We’re coming off a couple of big road wins and we’re excited to head back home. The Express are a tough team and we know only a couple of bounces have separated us from losing either of the two games. We’ll have to continue playing our game and hopefully get a few more wins.”

Barry Melrose added: "It's great seeing our guys play so well on the road. Those were two big wins and we just need to continue this momentum back in Minneapolis in front of our fans. We have some of the best fans in the game in Minnesota, and I know they'll be getting under DiPietro's skin for games 3 & 4."

Rats Move to Conference Finals

2010-05-05T15:01:00.001-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - The upsets continued in this year’s WHL playoffs as the Minnesota Rink Rats knocked off the Saskatoon Fighting Irish in game 6 of the Western Conference Semi-finals. After winning a crucial game 5 in Saskatoon, the series went back to Minnesota where the Rink Rats closed out the series. Ryan Miller’s play was the difference as he held the Fighting Irish to just 2 goals in their final two matchups and 4 goals in their final 3. Miller’s 2.83 goals against average is one of the best in the WHL Playoffs.

Among the keys to the series was the balanced scoring attack by Minnesota and the lack of goaltending for the Fighting Irish. It was clear the Irish’s Cristobal Huet could not fight off the Rink Rat’s scoring attack even behind a quality defense. While the Fighting Irish were able to withhold Daymond Langkow from the score sheet, the rest of the Rink Rats were able to step up their play and lead Minnesota past the Irish. Among those players that contributed were speedy veteran, Sergei Samsonov and young scoring sensation, Patrick O’Sullivan. Mike Cammalleri was able to contribute as well after being non-existent against the Las Vegas Bulls in Round 1.

Up next for the Rink Rats is the Rocky Mountain Express. The last time the two squads met the Rink Rats beat the Express 3-2 in overtime. They’re 2-0-1 against the Express this season, and although they have a winning record, the Rink Rats are not looking past this veteran Express squad. “We remember what they did to us last season,” stated Head Coach, Barry Melrose. “They took it to us and beat us in 4 games and although we’ve played well against them thus far this season, this series is going to be a tough one for us. They have some new faces since we played them last and we have some new faces so this will be an interesting series. Hopefully our young legs will prevail and we can pull off a Minnesota Miracle heading into the Cup Finals.”

WHL Conference Final Predictions
Icedogs vs. Corinths
The series we’ve all been waiting for – Icedogs vs. Corinthians. This series promises to be a huge series and will likely go down to the wire as both teams have been two of the premier WHL clubs for some time. The Corinths made some deadline deals to bring in some additional offense and have looked strong thus far. While they overlooked their need to bring in a No 1 goaltender, the idea seemed to payoff as Manny Legace looked stellar in the first two rounds and leads the WHL Playoffs in save percentage and goals against average.

Legace will likely have a tougher time in the Conference Finals as he goes up against the Icedogs, one of the WHL’s best offensive squads. The Icedogs proved how tough of a team they are when they upset the Sparrows winning the final 4 games of the series to advance to the next round. The comeback was truly remarkable and leads many to wonder if there will be a coaching change in Chicoutimi. Roberto Luongo is one of the league’s best goaltenders and will be the key to this series against the Corinthians. While both teams have are solid in pretty much every category, Luongo is the difference maker and will lead the Icedogs to the Cup Finals.
Prediction: Icedogs in 7

Rink Rats vs. Express
Many predicted that the Rink Rats would be golfing long before this time, but Minnesota keeps pressing and is one of those rare Cinderella teams that have taken the league by surprise. Led by the play of Daymond Langkow & goaltender Ryan Miller, the Rink Rats have a balanced scoring attack and are decent defensively. Miller’s play has been huge thus far in the playoffs and he seems back to his MVP-caliber form rather then what we saw during the majority of this season. He’ll have to have another great series in order to beat this veteran Rocky Mountain squad.

The Express’s veteran squad knows there are only a few more chances for them to win the Cup together. After many seasons of being a continuous competitor, Edmonton’s veterans are either on the verge of retirement or decline. This squad is still very strong and deadline acquisitions made them that much stronger. Mike Modano continues to play at a high level while other veterans like Erik Cole and Scott Niedermayer contribute. The Express has a solid goaltender in Rick DiPietro and great defense led by Niedermayer and Chris Pronger. Look for this squad to push the series deep and get a sniff at the Cup.
Prediction: Express in 7

Rats Advance to Conference Semi's

2010-05-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - In what can only be described as one of the most surprising and exciting playoff series in WHL history, the Minnesota Rink Rats knocked off the defending WHL champions Las Vegas Bulls in 6 games to advance to the 2nd round for the first time under new management. The Rink Rats’ 5-2 victory in Minnesota allowed Minnesota to get a couple days rest before taking on the Fighting Irish in the conference semifinals. The Rink Rats are 1-1-1 against the Fighting Irish this season, but haven’t seen the squad since the middle of the long WHL season.

“It’s going to be a tough series,” stated Captain Jay Bouwmeester. “They’re a good squad with a lot of depth. We’ll really need to shut down their offense and put a lot of shots on net – that’ll be key. We’re a good team and after last year we have a little playoff experience to know how this thing plays out. I’m excited for the series.”

The fact that the Rink Rats played so well against one of the WHL’s strongest squads has many Minnesota fans convinced they have a shot against a strong Irish squad. Veteran Daymond Langkow is playing better then any other player in the playoffs with 7 goals and 5 assists. His chemistry with Derek Roy seems to have carried over into the postseason and both players will be key to the Rink Rats’ success moving forward. Ryan Miller has returned to form (against one of the best offenses in the league no less) with a 2.83 gaa and a .895 sv% and Brent Burns has continued his Norris Trophy play into the postseason as well with 4 goals and 3 assists. Look for an exciting series to get started in
Saskatoon.

Predictions for Round 2 of the Playoffs:
Stallions vs Corinthians
Vinny Lecavalier has 9 goals and with some great scoring behind him the Corinthians are on fire. Tough decisions face the squad in goal as they’ve used Legace for 2 & Leclaier for 3 in the first round. Legace played well in round 1 so look for him to get the nod going in.

Veteran winger Mark Recchi has looked great for the Stallions thus far but the squad will need to have everyone playing their best to beat a great Corinthians squad including Joe Sakic who was held scoreless in the 1st round.
Prediction: Corinthians in 5

Sparrows vs Icedogs
The Sparrows’ balanced attack looked good in round 1 and they’ve been fortunate enough to get some rest heading into a tough series against the Icedogs. Tanguay is on top of his game and Fernandez isn’t playing so bad either. Like the Stallions, the Sparrows will all have to play at the top of their game to beat the Icedogs.

The Icedogs swept their first round opponent in which Roberto Luongo had a 1.50 gaa and a .947 sv%. The Icedogs are fresh and hungry so look for them to get up early and not look back.
Prediction: Icedogs in 5

Timberjacks vs Express
The Express are playing like the veteran squad that they are and getting contributions from the entire lineup. Ryan Kesler had 6 goals in the first round and Erik Cole’s 3 goals and 6 assists led the team to the conference semi-final. Rick DiPietro sucked it up in the first round to post great numbers behind a veteran defense led by Chris Pronger & Scott Niedermayer. The Timberjacks’ Henrik Lundqvist & Alex Ovechkin will have to come up big to keep things going for the Timberjacks. Look for this to go down to the wire.
Prediction: Express in 6

Rink Rats vs Fighting Irish
After beating the defending WHL Champions, the Rink Rats are on the map. The team’s best players are playing like studs with Daymond Langkow leading the way with 7 goals and 5 assists. Ryan Miller is playing like a true MVP with a 2.83 gaa and .895 sv% against one of the best offenses in the league. The Rink Rats will have to continue to score if they want to beat the balanced attack of the Fighting Irish.

Dion Phaneuf and Nathan Horton lead the Irish into the conference semis. Both young players will be counted on to get past the young Rink Rats squad with contributions coming from secondary scorers like Alex Kotalik, John Madden and Sami Kapanen. The only question mark for the Irish will be in goal and whether Cristobal Huet can continue to carry the team further into the playoffs.
Prediction: Rink Rats in 6

Rats Pushing for Playoff Upset

2010-05-05T14:58:00.002-07:00

Minneapolis, MN - The Minnesota Rink Rats are just one win away from pulling off one of the biggest upsets in WHL history. Led by veteran Daymond Langkow’s 6 goals and 5 assists as well as Ryan Miller’s 3.00 gaa & .890 sv%, the Rink Rats could close out their first ever playoff series win tonight against the 1st placed Las Vegas Bulls. In last night’s 5-3 win in Las Vegas, Minnesota got up to a 4-0 lead early in the game and held off Las Vegas’ late surge to take the series back to Minnesota. Minnesota was led by Langkow’s hat trick and Derek Roy’s 3 assists.

“Our guys have played really well against one of the best WHL clubs in league history,” stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. “Our whole team is contributing in one way or another and I’m really happy to see guys like Daymond, Roy, Miller & Burnsy step up. Our leaders have to contribute every night and I’m proud of the way they’ve played thus far. We need to really play hard in front of our fans this evening and hopefully we can steal this one away from the Bulls.”

Fans in Minnesota waited in line all evening for the chance to purchase a few of the remaining tickets for tonight’s game 6 playoff matchup. The Rink Rats, who say they enjoy being labeled as the underdog will have to play a controlled game and get under Tomas Vokoun’s skin early.

Rats Win First Playoff Game

2010-05-05T14:58:00.001-07:00

Last night was a big night for the Minnesota Rink Rats as the team won their first playoff game in franchise history against the top ranked Las Vegas Bulls. Minnesota jumped on the Bulls early starting the game with a 4-0 lead in the first period. Las Vegas scored a late goal going into the second period but the lead proved to be too much as the Rink Rats knocked in a couple second period goals and won 7-2.

“Tonight was a big win for us,” stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. “Historically, we’ve had a tough time beating these guys and we’re not considered a big road threat. Everyone played hard and you could tell our guys were fired up. There are some things we could improve on from tonight’s game, namely our penalty minutes which I think was evidence of how fired up we were, but overall I’m really pleased with how well we played.”

The Rink Rats seemed to have more confidence on the ice after being swept by the Edmonton Express in last year’s playoffs. “The playoffs are a different beast,” stated Captain Jay Bouwmeester. “We’re a young team and we learned a lot in last season’s playoffs. We all believe we have a shot and we just need to continue to work hard and play our best hockey. Hopefully we’ll continue to get a few bounces as well.”

The Rink Rats will take on the Bulls one more time in Las Vegas before returning back to Minneapolis. Hopefully the Rats can pull off another upset
before heading back to Minneapolis.

WHL14 Playoff Predictions

2010-05-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Rink Rats’ fate has been sealed as they take on the Las Vegas Bulls in the first round of this year’s WHL Playoffs. The Rink Rats haven’t had much luck against the Bulls this season going 0-5-1 and being outscored 37-18 in those contests the last of which was a 3-3 tie. That doesn’t worry this Minnesota team however as they head in to take on this first placed Bulls team with two strong MVP candidates in Daymond Langkow & Brent Burns, a leading Norris Trophy candidate (Burns) and one of the best goaltenders in the league in Ryan Miller. Miller has a reputation for coming up big and will need to have the series of his life in order to beat the Bulls.

Head Coach Barry Melrose will also have to be prepared for a good series as many have criticized Melrose for his efforts down the stretch for not capitalizing on key opportunities and moving his team up in the standings. There were many opportunities to gain ground down the stretch but the team failed to do so against some of the weaker WHL teams like the Orcas (2 losses) and the Dynamite. It leaves some wondering if Melrose is on the hot seat heading into the playoffs if the Rink Rats don’t perform. “I can’t worry about that right now,” stated Melrose. “We have a job to do against a team that has a lot of talent. We’re going in focused and hungry for a playoff win. This team is a lot more talented then last year’s so don’t expect us to roll over and give them the series.”

Minnesota really surprised a lot of teams this season going from a last placed squad earlier in the season to a notable competitor and playoff team. This will be the squad’s second WHL Playoffs under new management which took over a last placed club half way through the season before last. This squad is a much more talented team then last year’s which gives many in Minnesota hope.

Now a look at our conference predictions:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Corinths vs. Lunatics – The Lunatics hobbled into the WHL Playoffs with a
notably different squad then before the trade deadline. Many of the team’s top
players were dealt leaving the team with Mike Comrie & Mathieu Schneider to
rely on.

That won’t be enough to beat one of the WHL’s most storied and strongest clubs
in the Corinthians. The Corinths are top-notch in every area so expect them to
get some rest before round two ... Corinths in 4

Icedogs vs. Cougars – Many expected more from the Cougars this season. They
were busy in the offseason making many considerable moves to improve their
squad. The team hasn’t lived up to expectations and find themselves facing off
against the Icedogs, a team that’s playing really well with strong talent. The
Icedogs are likely heading to the Conference finals so expect them to paw away
at the Cougars … Icedogs in 5

Sparrows vs. Demons – This one will be a battle. The Sparrows finished the
regular season in 3rd place but the Demons have a lot of talent on their
roster and will really challenge to pull off the upset. Expect Malkin &
Thornton to play big for the Demons to pull off the upset … Demons in 7

Stallions vs. Saints – The Saints boast an improved roster from last season
and have 64 goal scorer Dany Heatley on their roster. Goaltending will be the
Saints’ question mark but Bryzgalov could very likely step up. The Stallions’
1-2 duo of Crosby & Sakic will need to make a strong impact in this series
which is likely one of the best in the 1st round … Saints in 7

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Bulls vs. Rink Rats – The Bulls are defending Cup champions and boast one of
the most talented rosters in the WHL. With some of the league’s best scorers
in Zach Parise, Marek Svatos, Patrick Elias and others the Rink Rats will
likely have their paws full. There is a chance the Rink Rats could surprise
the Bulls with an improved roster, but the team hasn’t had much luck against
Las Vegas and doesn’t play well on the road. The Rink Rats will really have to
have all 3 lines contribute in order to pull off an upset … Bulls in 6

Fighting Irish vs. Dropkicks – The Dropkicks have long been considered a team
that doesn’t play well in the playoffs and after dishing off talent to stay
below the cap this season had to be more disappointing then most. The Fighting
Irish’s Nathan Horton has really stepped up his game this season and has
plenty of help from others. The acquisition of Dion Phaneuf is working out
really well and Ales Kotalik’s 41 goals have to be a welcomed surprise …
FIRISH in 6

Express vs. Voodoo – The Express’s veteran club knows how to get it done.
They’ve been one of the WHL’s best for many years and don’t have too many
chances left to win the Cup. The Voodoo have some solid scorers and one the
WHL’s best goaltenders in Martin Brodeur. Vanek will have to play better then
his 14 goals and 16 assists during the regular season if the Voodoo wants to
win. Expect big things out of the veterans in Edmonton … Express in 6

Dugouts vs. Timberjacks – The Dugouts were on top of the league for much of
the season, much to the surprise of other teams. They weren’t expected to be
as successful but the acquisitions of Robert Lang & Anze Kopitar really worked
out. The Dugouts’ have gone with a two goaltender approach throughout the
majority of the regular season and will have to rely solely on one goaltender
to get the job done now.

The Timberjacks look like an improved club since new management took over half
way through the season. Their improved identity must rely on Alex Ovechkin to
get the job done and come up big. Down the middle the TJacks are strong with
the likes of Getzlaf, Horcoff, Arnott & Legwand leading the way. Look for the
TJacks to pull off a slight upset … TJacks in 6

Cammalleri's Struggles Overshadowed by Team's Performance

2010-05-05T14:56:00.001-07:00

Acquired before the start of this season, Mike Cammalleri came to Minnesota in hopes of becoming the star player he could never be in Niagara Falls. Cammalleri had been overshadowed by the top-tiered talent on the Icedogs’ roster and complained his way into a trade that shipped him to Minnesota. With a fresh start, Cammalleri figured to be a fixture on Minnesota’s top line and many in Minnesota hoped to see a near 40 goal season out of the talented young forward, but he’s struggled to find the back of the net as much as everyone would’ve liked. He’s currently 3rd on the team in shots but 9th in goals scored with a 9.8 shooting percentage. Still though, the team is pleased with his output and the fact that others are performing ahead of him is only a positive.

“Last season we had 2 guys that scored over 30 goals”, stated Derek Roy. “This season we already have 6 and there are a couple of guys that are close. Everyone on this team has a role and we know that role. Mike’s role is to provide scoring and he’s done a good job of that thus far. He puts a lot of shots on goals and creates chances. It's tough when they don't go in but the fact is Mike's a great player and hopefully they'll go in when it counts. Fortunately, when they don't go in we don’t have to rely on just Mike to get the job done; we have 3 lines that are able to contribute and that’s something a little different from last year’s team.”

Head Coach Barry Melrose added, “This is the most talent this organization has ever had on one roster. We’re very fortunate to be able to move guys around and not count on one guy to score all our goals. Langkow has been on fire as has Brent Burns & Derek Roy. Now we need to capitalize on our chances and make the most of every game. I want to start a little winning streak going into the playoffs and that needs to start tonight in Dubai – a place we haven’t had too much success in. It’s a tough place to play especially after the long travels but we need to get up for this one and gain some ground.”

Rats Clinch Playoff Spot; Take on Voodoo

2010-05-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

The Rink Rats clinched a playoff spot last night for the second time since new management took over the last place club 2 years ago. Last night’s contest against the Timberjacks was a thriller as the Rink Rats outshot Portland 48-28 in their 4-2 win. Afterwards, Head Coach Barry Melrose described the game as a “complete team effort” in a game they needed to win. The Rink Rats are hoping to continue their winning ways tonight as they host the Vancouver Voodoo, a team that has had some unlucky moments as well. Let’s break this one down to see how the two teams match up.

Vancouver @ Minnesota: Game at a Glance
Center: Advantage – Draw:
Both clubs have one awesome center and then some additional help behind. Although the Voodoo’s Oli Jokinen has struggled at times this season, he has the ability to put up decent numbers as does the Rink Rats’ Daymond Langkow who is among the league leaders in scoring. The Voodoo has 2 centers in Michael Peca & Michal Handzus who play very well defensively but struggle at times in the offensive zone. The Rink Rats’ Alexei Yashin has been a great surprise this season as has Matthew Lombardi. Both provide decent secondary scoring.

Left Wing: Advantage – Voodoo:
It’s hard to find two better players in the league in the Voodoo’s Thomas Vanek & Rick Nash. Both are remarkable scorers, and although most would call Vanek’s season a disappointment thus far they both can take a game over if they wish.

The Rink Rats have a solid group of left wingers lead by Derek Roy & Sergei Samsonov. Following Roy & Samsonov is a solid mix of Martin Rucinsky and Ryan Potulny both of whom can add additional secondary scoring.

Right Wing: Advantage – Draw:
The Voodoo may have a slight edge, but both clubs have solid options at right wing. The Voodoo’s Marcus Naslund is consistently one of the best scorers in the game. The team also has pretty good depth with the likes of super youngsters Patrick Kane and Lee Stempniak.

The Rink Rats are lead by Mike Cammalleri, Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrick O’Sullivan who have all played very well this season and could play top-6 minutes on most clubs.

Defense: Advantage – Rink Rats:
Brent Burns has been on a tear all season and is a top contender for the Norris Trophy. Between Burns and Jay Bouwmeester the club has two of the most promising young defenseman in the game. Behind them is Derek Morris, Nick Boynton, Paul Ranger and Mike VanRyn.

Vancouver has a great defensive corps as well in Wade Redden, Matthias Ohlund, Bret Hedican, Sami Salo, Cory Murphy and Rhett Warrener. Don’t be surprised to see Redden & Ohlund play a lot of minutes in every situation.

Goal: Advantage – Voodoo:
How could you not give the Voodoo the edge in this category? Martin Brodeur is one of the best WHL goalies of all time and is backed up by Marc-Andre Fleury. Ryan Miller of the Rink Rats was a Hart Trophy finalist last season and has really come around as of late playing exceptional in net. The Rink Rats will have to get to Brodeur early and often if they want to take this game.

Special Teams: Slight Advantage – Rink Rats:
The Voodoo have one of the best penalty kills in the league and the Rink Rats have one of the best power plays in the league. This is a pretty tight category but expect special teams to play a significant role in tonight’s matchup.

Outcome: One for the ages! These two clubs will come prepared as they try to jockey for position heading into the playoffs. The Voodoo are on a 3 game skid whereas the Rink Rats won their 1st last night in 4 games upsetting the Portland Timberjacks. If the Rink Rats are going to win, they’ll have to outshoot Vancouver and stay out of the penalty box in order to capitalize on man-advantage opportunities.

Rats Take on Surging TJacks

2010-05-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

Head Coach Barry Melrose described the next 10 games as nothing but crucial as the Rink Rats jockey for position heading into the WHL playoffs. “It’s going to be big” stated Melrose describing the team’s upcoming schedule. “Last night’s game in Anchorage was a huge disappointment and we need to play better if we’re expecting to make a run at this thing. “Nothing against the Orcas, because they played a great game, but we just didn’t show up last night. We tried some different line combinations and it’s clear that it didn’t work out. It’s time to go back to the drawing board”.

The Rink Rats play host to the Portland Timberjacks this evening in what will likely be an instant classic. Portland will be skating without injured forward Alex Ovechkin which should help Minnesota’s chances a bit. Ovechkin has been on a tear since new management took over the club halfway through the season and he really adds a different element to their roster. Minnesota is coming into tonight’s game looking to break a disappointing 3 game losing streak.

Portland @ Minnesota: Game at a Glance
Center: Advantage – Timberjacks:
Portland has very good depth down the middle with newly acquired Shawn Horcoff, Ryan Getzlaf, Jason Arnott & David Legwand in the mix. Getzlaf is an emerging WHL superstar and with a solid group of veterans around him he’s learning the game very well. Minnesota has one of the WHL’s leading scorers in Daymond Langkow followed by Alexei Yashin & Matthew Lombardi. Lombardi and Yashin provide solid secondary scoring but wouldn’t play as many minutes on most other WHL clubs.

Left Wing: Advantage – Rink Rats:
Without Ovechkin, the Timberjacks are pretty weak on the left side. Chad Kilger gives them a bump but behind him the roster has Sean Bergenheim and Andrew Ladd. The Rink Rats are lead by Derek Roy & Sergei Samsonov on the left side. Both are pint sized scorers with solid speed and awareness on the ice. Following Roy & Samsonov is Martin Rucinsky and Ryan Potulny both of whom can add additional secondary scoring.

Right Wing: Advantage – Draw:
This one is too tough to call with Minnesota’s Mike Cammalleri, Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrick O’Sullivan playing against Portland’s speedy mix of Maxim Afinogenov, David Vyborny & Petr Sykora. These 6 skaters all have the ability to put the puck in the net and know how to win games.

Defense: Advantage – Rink Rats:
Minnesota has two of the best young defenseman in the game in Jay Bouwmeester & Brent Burns. Burns is a leading Norris Trophy candidate while Bouwmeester is clearly the leader of this Minnesota squad. Behind them is Derek Morris, youngster Paul Ranger, Nick Boynton & Mike VanRyn.

Portland’s Lubomir Visnovsky is a solid offensive defenseman. He's consistently been able to put up good numbers but struggles at times in his own zone. Portland also gives solid minutes to Toni Lydman, Colin White, Cameron Barker, Niklas Kronwall and Mark Stuart and has the ability to use struggling defenseman Kevin Bieksa if they get in a bind.

Goal: Slight Advantage – Timberjacks:
Both teams sport two of the best goaltenders in the game today in the Timberjacks’ Henrik Lundqvist and Minnesota’s Ryan Miller. Miller was a Hart Trophy finalist last season and has a reputation for playing well in big games. Lundqvist is one of the league’s best goaltenders this season and could very likely win the Vezina Trophy if he continues his play the next 10 games. If Lundqvist comes up big tonight look for Portland to take the game.

Special Teams: Advantage – Timberjacks:
While Minnesota’s power play has really surged over the second half of the season; no team has played better on the man advantage then the Timberjacks. They have the best power play and a solid penalty kill which could haunt the Rink Rats in their upcoming game. The Rink Rats’ penalty kill has been disappointing all season and they’ll have to stay out of the penalty box in this game if they want a chance.

Outcome: A Great Game! These two teams match up very well against one another so fans should expect to see an excellent playoff caliber hockey game when the puck drops in Minnesota.

Do the Rats Have Enough???

2010-05-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Do the Rink Rats Have Enough??? That’s the question many Rink Rat fans are asking themselves as Minnesota prepares for the playoffs. Minnesota has one of the best records in the WHL since the All-Star break, surging after an awful start which had them hovering near the bottom of the league standings through the first quarter of the season. The way the team responded to such a poor start has many Minnesota fans optimistic that they could be this year’s Cinderella team and make a solid run in the playoffs.

Leading up to the trade deadline, many believed Minnesota would be one of the WHL’s quieter teams since they had made so many deals earlier in the year. That held fairly true although Minnesota made a strong push to bring in some extra help with very little luck, most notably a deal which would’ve brought in right winger Martin St. Louis and sent Tyler Kennedy and a draft pick to Calgary in exchange.

The deal would’ve been huge for Minnesota but the two teams couldn’t come to terms and instead the Rink Rats settled for defensemen Nick Boynton & Scott Hannan to add depth to the blueline. Boynton is expected to play a big role leading into the playoffs and the team is optimistic he can return to form leading into the playoffs. The Rink Rats also made deals which sent out veterans Darcy Tucker, Boyd Deveraux & Rob Davison for draft picks. The departure of Tucker was expected and overdue as he’s complained about ice time all season and lead the league in penalty minutes while only playing a minor role.

“Darcy has only been here for a year but we felt pretty strongly that it was time for him to move on”, stated GM LaDouceur. “We didn’t have him in our top 3 lines and played him very sparingly, however he still lead the league in penalty minutes. It’s like every time we put him on the ice he’d take a stupid penalty and we don’t like that mentality. On the other hand, adding Boynton is huge for us and we hope he’ll be able to make a strong difference leading into the playoffs. He’s got good size, experience and can play really well in our end of the ice. I think the moves we made will really help us and although there were some deals hanging out there, we’re pretty proud of what we’ve done.” Minnesota has lost some ground since the trade deadline going 1-2 but the team has played well and shows some solid promise. Upcoming games will be crucial for the Rink Rats to move up in the standings and once again overtake the Timberjacks for the 7th spot.

Welcome Back Marty Rucinsky

2010-05-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Minnesota welcomed LW Martin Rucinsky back to the organization in a big, big way this past week. Rucinsky, who played for the Gorillas before moving to Minnesota, has scored 3 goals and added 6 assists in 5 games for the Rink Rats since he was acquired in a trade with the Cats. With their win last night, the Rink Rats are unbeaten in 12 games and remain in 7th place in the conference playoff race. The progress Minnesota has made is truly a rags-to-riches story as they hovered near the bottom of the league standings for the majority of the season heading into the All-Star break. Going into the break, Minnesota was one of the hottest teams in the league and hasn’t looked back.

“We’ve been playing really well and I’m proud of our guys for not giving up”, stated GM Rink Rat. “We’ve made some strong moves which have really helped our club. Adding a guy like Martin adds a lot of depth to our club especially on the offensive side. He plays really well with the puck and it’s nice to have him back and see such a strong effort from our club in the past few weeks. We’ve discussed some names with other clubs and although nothing really solid has transpired we could still make a big splash before the deadline. No matter what happens I like the makeup of our current squad and feel we have a chance to make some things happen in the playoffs”.

When asked how he’d fit into the new Rink Rats’ lineup, Rucinsky smiled and said, “I think everything will be just fine. There are a lot of new faces here since I left, but it’s a good thing. You can tell things have changed a lot since I left and the team seems a lot more focused on winning. I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to push forward and being a quality playoff team.”

The Rink Rats also added Scott Hannan in an exchange that sent a 5th round pick to the Fighting Irish. The move was purely a depth move as Hannan will likely be used sparingly in a defensive role. Minnesota has a tough road ahead of them playing several conference games against teams with winning records. The remainder of the season will truly be a test for Minnesota and likely influence the playoff race.

Q&A With Minnesota

2010-05-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Rink Rats addressed the media in Minneapolis, MN today regarding many questions surrounding the club's season. In attendance from the Rink Rats was their GM, Head Coach Barry Melrose as well as team captain Jay Bouwmeester. Let's take a listen:

Q: Hey GM, can you tell us what brought about the most recent move of Kevin Shattenkirk? Didn't you say before that Kevin was going to be a key piece moving forward? What now?

A: Yeah .. Kevin is a great prospect, one of the best in the WHL. He's one of those guys you know will excel into a top pairing defenseman one day. We've been looking at this year's draft and we know we need some extra help in our system, especially with Krejci and Elliott expected to make the jump next season. We basically decided to "trade down" taking a couple of prospects in exchange for Kevin who may not necessarily be as good as Kevin but can still contribute in the WHL. We'll need to address the loss of Kevin in the draft but we also need to look at bringing in some additional help up front. This deal not only helped our club build a little depth but I firmly believe that it will help out the Maniax squad as well with a top prospect like Kevin now in their system.

Q: Coach Melrose, your squad has been on a tear recently; what has brought along this most recent success?

A: I'm really proud of how well our guys have been playing. Our special teams has been playing really well as of late and all 3 lines are contributing. I like how Lombardi and Langenbrunner have been playing together on our 3rd line. Lombardi is looking really good. His hands are coming around and he's starting to put the puck in the net more. Combine this with his great speed and he looks like he'll be in our top6 sometime very soon.

Aside from that, I have to really credit our team's management. Without the moves that they have made we wouldn't be in this playoff race. They've been busy bringing in fresh talent and not giving away our future in the process with the deals that brought in Sergei Samsonov, Jamie Langenbrunner and Paul Ranger. All of these guys will be able to help our squad next season as well. Yashin has been playing great hockey all season for us and his contributions seem to be
overlooked a bit.

Q: Coach Melrose, what do you need to do moving forward to make the playoffs and then make an impact in the playoffs?

A: We're going to need everyone to contribute. We're going to need to stay healthy and we're also going to need to get some breaks. We're not the most talented club in the WHL so we're really going to have to grind out every win. Miller is going to have to return to form as well. He's been up and down this season and we need him to play like he did last year in his MVP-like season.

Q: Jay, what's the mood in the locker room with all of the trades that have happened this season? Are guys nervous about being dealt?

A: No, I think everyone realizes what management is trying to accomplish and we know we need to win games. We've been told that management is really happy about the makeup of our squad right now and we don't expect anyone else to be on the move. If they do make some moves, we all realize this is a business and want to give Minnesota the best team possible.

Q: GM, is it true that you've had a discussion with your team saying no one else will be moved?

A: We have discussed this but we can't make any promises. Obviously, if something worthwhile comes up we'll pursue it. Tucker's name has been thrown out there a few times and if something comes up I can't make any promises that he won't be moved. Other than that, we've had no other discussions on any other players.

Q: How do you guys compare this year's squad with last year's playoff team?

A: (Melrose) We're better. We're upgraded pretty much at every position. We have eight 20 goal scorers on this team with a few guys having a chance to know in 30 and some approaching 20 as well. Our goaltending hasn't been as strong but hopefully that will improve and we can continue our playoff push.

A: (Bouwmeester) Yeah; I agree with coach. We have a pretty close group and I think a lot of our guys have good chemistry with their linemates. We're still a young team and we're learning but I think we're progressing as any fan, coach or GM would like. This is the best team I've played on in the Gorillas / Rink Rats organization. I think we'll just continue to get better and I can't wait to see how this team progresses.

Minnesota Finding Its Game

2010-05-05T14:50:00.000-07:00

Minnesota's Jekyll & Hyde ways seem to be taking a turn for the better as the team prepares to take on the Dubai Dynamite. Minnesota has gone 2 games unbeaten after a couple of strong outings against the Express (overtime win) and the Stallions (tie). Before those outings, Minnesota had big wings against some of the league's best - Dugouts, Corinths & Timberjacks, but lost in a heartbreaker to the Maniax 7-8. That game saw a ridiculous performance out of Maniax keep Alex Auld when he stopped 63 of 70 shots on goal.

So what has been the secret to Minnesota's newfound success? Fresh faces ... Minnesota was one of the league's worst teams through the first quarter of the
season hovering near the bottom of the league standings. A playoff team last season, Minnesota management made some aggressive moves to make things happen while not really giving up on the team's future. Minnesota wasn't afraid of bringing in a few veterans to help give the young club some leadership. Jamie Langenbrunner & Daymond Langkow have made huge contributions thus far and Sergei Samsonov will likely do the same moving forward. All 3 players are expected to make a contribution and play big minutes moving forward this season and onto next.

The Rink Rats are making a late season push towards a playoff spot being 1 point out at the time of this article. The team will rest goaltender Ryan Miller for their upcoming game against the Dynamite. Miller's numbers still aren't the MVP type caliber numbers he had last season, but the team remains optimistic that he'll get hot down the stretch.

Minnesota Charging Towards Playoffs

2010-05-05T14:49:00.002-07:00

Minnesota has been one of the WHL’s busiest teams recently making a couple of trades that will help their squad push for a playoff run. Minnesota added wingers Jamie Langenbrunner and Sergei Samsonov during the All-Star break. Langenbrunner, a speedy and skilled veteran was brought over in exchange for a 3rd round pick in next season’s draft and Tim Ramholt, a 5th round pick from last year’s draft. Sergei Samsonov, a highly skilled winger with some great speed, was traded for Toni Lydman and a 4th round pick in next season’s draft. Both players are expected to play high minutes and contribute on the special teams.

The loss of Lydman created a whirl-wind of speculation that Minnesota would be trading Robbie Schremp, Darcy Tucker or even the highly touted prospect Brian Elliott to bring in more help at the point. Management met early in the week to discuss the team’s best option and in the end it was moving Schremp in exchange for young defenseman Paul Ranger. Ranger will give Minnesota the added depth it will need at the point for this season and beyond. “He moves the puck really well and can play well in his own end which makes us excited about this move,” stated Head Coach, Barry Melrose. “We liked Robbie a lot and we were really anxious to see his potential play out but in the end we had a lot of guys that played a similar style to him and we needed another defenseman. We wish Robbie the best of luck.”

The moves made by Minnesota likely caused a bit of a shock around the league as Minnesota was currently tied for 9th place in their conference sitting 3 games out of a playoff spot when the moves were made. But, with the recent surge in performance by Minnesota, the Rink Rats feel strongly that there is a chance at making a playoff push and that the new players brought in will help contribute next season as well.

“We wouldn’t have made these changes if our team hadn’t been performing so well as of late,” stated GM Rink Rat. “Not only will these guys help us make a push for the playoffs this season, but they’ll likely help our team next season as well. We feel very strongly that next year’s squad will be a strong contender and although we have some ground to make up right now, we’re hopeful that we can continue our winning ways and our guys will put together a strong playoff run.”

Rats Starting to Gel

2010-05-05T14:49:00.001-07:00

Not many teams are playing better hockey then the Minnesota Rink Rats right now and the reason for the team’s success has been due in large part to the spectacular play made by Derek Roy, Brent Burns, Daymond Langkow and Ryan Miller. In the 5-game stretch that the Rink Rats have gone unbeaten Derek Roy has 3 goals and 3 assists, Brent Burns has 1 goal and 8 assists, Daymond Langkow has 4 goals and 4 assists and Ryan Miller has posted a 2.00 gaa a .929 sv% and one shutout.

“I don’t think it’s been any one reason,” stated Derek Roy on his team’s recent success. “I think we’ve played great as a team and guys are starting to find chemistry with one another. We’ve worked really hard and hopefully we can continue to turn this thing around.”

Minnesota has gone 5 games unbeaten and has posted a 4-4-2 record in their past 10 games (in their previous 30 games Minnesota went 5-20-5). The resurgence hasn’t changed Minnesota’s place in the standings however, and they still sit at the bottom of their conference. “We’re hopeful that we can start playing with a little more consistency and move up in the standings a bit,” stated Head Coach, Barry Melrose. “The guys are starting to play more as a team rather then a bunch of individuals and I think a big part of that has been the acquisition of Daymond Langkow. We’re a young team and Daymond has really stepped up as a leader and shown these guys what it takes to win games. We may be at the bottom of the league right now but I feel like this team has an opportunity to win some more games before it’s all said and done.”

Halfway Awards

2010-05-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

We're halfway through this season and once again Minnesota writers have huddled together (literally - it's freaking freezing in Minneapolis right now) and have come up with who they believe are this year’s midseason award winners (and losers). Over the past week Minnesota writers have been working on this list so some things may have changed in the league a bit but here is the compilation of our writers’ thoughts:

Hart
1. Robert Lang (Dugouts) – Lang was an offseason addition that is proving to work out dividends for the Dugouts. He seems to be scoring goals at will while providing leadership to others around him. He’s setting up guys and playing well in his own end. The Dugouts seem to be for real and Lang is one of the biggest reasons why. Watch for Lang to continue his strong play and have a solid second half.
2. Zach Parise (Bulls) – Each year it seems like the Bulls have a new guy that steps up and leads the way, and this season is no different as Minnesotan, Zach Parise leads the Bulls and the WHL in almost all statistical categories. Parise is a speedy little guy that has a “never quit” mentality. One of the league’s hardest workers, Parise has a solid career in front of him.
3. Pavel Kubina (Dugouts) – Kubina is the anchor to one of the WHL’s biggest surprises this season and one of the best squads defensively. He is putting up solid numbers this season and is among the defensive leaders in scoring this season while providing solid play in his own end.

Norris
1. Pavel Kubina (Dugouts) – Kubina has been a leader in the clubhouse and on the ice this season for the Dugouts pushing them to one of the league’s best. He ranks among the leaders in defenseman statistically this season, but more important is the value he provides to his team.
2. Dan Boyle (Saints) – Boyle was brought over to the Saints in the offseason and the fans couldn’t be more ecstatic. Boyle has provided strong leadership and has found a way to put the puck in the net while continuing to play sound defensively. If the Saints make a run at the Cyber Cup, Boyle will be a strong reason why.
3. Sergei Zubov (Corinthians) – Zubov has always been one of the WHL’s finest offensive defenseman and this season is no different. He leads Corinthians defenseman in scoring and has been on top of the league for much of the season anchoring one of the WHL’s best squads.

Vezina
1. Evgeni Nabakov (Dropkicks) – Nabakov is proving the Dropkicks are once again serious contenders leading the Dropkicks to a 19-10-6 record thus far. Nabakov is statistically one of the WHL’s best and will have to continue to be if the Dropkicks want to contend against the likes of the Bulls and Dugouts in the Campbell Conference.
2. Manny Legace (Corinthians) – Legace is the backbone to one of the WHL’s best teams in the Corinthians. He’s overcome several problems throughout his career and now is one of the WHL’s strongest goaltenders.
3. Tomas Vokoun (Bulls) – Vokoun won the Vezina last season and has a strong chance to do it again if he continues to play the way he has done thus far. The Bulls could get in a shootout with any team in the WHL, but they don’t have to with Vokoun has their goaltender.

Surprise Underachiever (Team)
1. Rink Rats – Just one season after making the playoffs for the first time under the direction of GM Rink Rat, our own Rink Rats haven’t been able to hold their own this season. The team has problems scoring and they have problems playing defense; as a result they’re hovering near the bottom of the league. Goaltender Ryan Miller has seen his fair share of rubber and isn’t having the season many would have hoped for in Minnesota. Although they’re on the bottom of the league, don’t look for too many mid-season moves from Minnesota. Minnesota management believes that their young team is improving and will continue to do so to make a run at the playoffs next season.
2. Meltdown – Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Sundin, St. Louis … These are the names you may hear on the trading block if Calgary doesn’t improve soon. The Meltdown have a shot at making the playoffs but with the high quality of players on their top 2 lines you’d think they’d be able to perform stronger. Depth and goaltending play a big part in Calgary making this list so expect them to make a decision on the future of the club soon.
3. Timberjacks – The Timberjacks were expected to be one of the league’s strongest squads with players like Alex Ovechkin and Henrik Lundqvist leading the way, but instead they’re in 7th place in their conference and not making much ground. Hopefully we’ll see them turn it around and compete for home ice in the second half.

Surprise Overachiever (Team)
1. Dugouts – Is this even a surprise? The Dugouts have been playing a miracle like season all year and are currently leading their conference in the standings. One of the biggest reasons for their success has been their defense which has allowed fewer goals then any other team in the league minus the Icedogs.
2. Orcas – The Orcas have been rebuilding for years and finely have a squad that could challenge for a playoff spot. The hope would have been to be closer by this point, but it’s safe to say the Orcas have been an improved squad thus far and it’s nice to see. If the Orcas get serious about making a strong playoff run, look for them to move some of their young prospects for veteran talent and compete with the big boys.
3. Citadels – The Citadels have some of the best prospects in the league and a solid squad so it’s no surprise to see them succeed. However, it is a surprise to see them so high in the standings knowing they have a strong chance of gaining a home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Look for the Citadels to prosper for several years to come and challenge for the Cyber Cup in a few seasons.

Team on the Rise
1. Cats – The Cats have quite a few players in their system that will make a strong impact in the coming seasons. While they hover around a playoff spot now, watch out for next season and the seasons to come when their prospects start reaching some of their potential.
2. Citadels – The Citadels have one of the strongest affiliates in the WHL and it doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon. The team has three 1st round picks in the coming draft and is already a team competing for home ice advantage in the playoffs. This is a team that could make some moves or stay put and compete for a Cup real soon.
3. Rink Rats – There are several others that could fall into this category but we have to give our team a spot here as they shouldn’t be a league bottom-dweller next season. With talented players like David Krejci & Tyler Kennedy set to join the WHL squad next season, along with continued improvements from Mike Cammalleri, Patrick O’Sullivan, Brian Elliott, Jay Bouwmeester and other young Minnesota players, the Rink Rats are hoping to compete for a playoff berth again next season.

Surprise Overachiever (Player)
1. JP Dumont (Sparrows) – Dumont currently leads the Sparrows in goals when coming into this season he was projected to be on the team’s 3rd line. Clearly someone forgot to tell Dumont that he’s no longer valuable but he keeps defying the odds by finding a way to put the puck in the net.
2. Robert Lang (Dugouts) – Lang is a solid player that’s having an MVP like season. It’s easy to tell that Lang wants to win as his career is coming to an end and he’s finding ways to make that happen. He clearly wasn’t a front runner to be an MVP candidate before the season but Lang is getting noticed and teams have to find a way to slow him down or risk the consequences.
3. Zach Parise (Bulls) – We in Minnesota love Parise and aren’t surprised to see him play well. We are surprised however, to see Zach rank No. 1 in scoring and be one of the league’s best players so soon. Parise saw limited time in the WHL before this season but that hasn’t slowed him down any. This kid is going to have a solid career.

Surprise Underachiever (Player)
1. Ryan Miller / Derek Roy (Rink Rats) – Our own Rink Rats share the honor here because they just haven’t lived up to expectations thus far in the season. Miller made a strong run for MVP honors last season and Roy was expected to be one of the league’s top point producers and help in his own end.
2. Alex Ovechkin (TJacks) – He may be voted in as an All-Star this season but Ovechkin hasn’t lived up the hype in Portland. With Ovechkin’s ability he should be one of the league’s top goal scorers and point producers for many seasons to come but he’s struggled in the first half of the season and isn’t even a top point producer in Portland.
3. Marian Gaborik (Cougars) – Brought over in an offseason trade Gaborik has played well offensively but fans in Detroit want more and rightfully so. Gaborik is one of the WHL’s most offensively talented players and fans want to see him score goals night-in and night-out.

Minnesota Shopping All-Star Goalie???

2010-05-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Rumors swirl in Minnesota that the team has been shopping MVP runner-up goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller, 28 has had a sub par season thus far with a 4.60 gaa, a 5-17-3 record and an .864 sv% down from last season’s 39-29-6 record with a 3.29 gaa and a .900 sv%. In all fairness to Miller, he’s seen a lot of rubber as a result of poor play in front of him.

Team officials were not available for comment but sources close the club say the team is in no hurry to make a deal. The source stated that the team is listening to offers and if one arose that the team was interested in there’s potential for a deal. The source went on to say that the team would be looking to downgrade their goaltending a bit to add depth. The team’s interest would be in adding a younger, potential No. 1 goalie like a Josh Harding / Carey Price type player along with additional draft pick(s), prospect(s) or young skater(s).

Rink Rats Make Some Moves
The Minnesota Rink Rats recently traded for center Daymond Langkow in exchange for Richard Park and a 2nd round draft pick. Langkow adds something the Rink Rats have been missing this season - a goal scorer. “He knows how to find the back of the net and that’s an area we’ve struggled in this season,” stated Head Coach Barry Melrose. We’ll move him around the lineup to see what works best but for now expect him to get a lot of playing time.”

Earlier in the week, Minnesota traded away veteran Geoff Sanderson in exchange for a 3rd round draft pick in next year’s draft. Sanderson, 36, struggled to find his scoring touch for Minnesota this season scoring only 4 goals and 3 assists in 26 while playing at a minus-16. Sanderson played in 3 seasons with the Rink Rats organization and was named the All-Star team 2 years ago. “This trade does not mean we’re giving up on this season as of yet,” stated GM Rink Rat. “We’re not planning a fire-sale here in Minnesota but we hold our players accountable and Geoff wasn’t living up to expectations. He’s getting older and there was an opportunity of attaining a good draft pick so we took the deal. We’re still shopping defenseman Karel Rachunek, goaltender John Graham and we may move Darcy Tucker but there’s still a chance to make the playoffs. We’re going to continue to work hard and hopefully we’ll some break along the way.”

Rats News

2010-05-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

The return of defenseman Jay Bouwmeester ignited the Minnesota Rink Rats team last night when they picked up their first win in 11 games. The team played hard against a resurgent Hoodrats team and skated to a 4-2 win. Bouwmeester’s return no doubt gives the team a lift as they had played without their injured captain for 11 straight games. The team struggled during his departure going 0-8-2 when he was out of the lineup and are currently 2-11-3 through the first 16 games of the season.

Since his return, Bouwmeester has 4 assists and is plus-1 in the 2 games he’s played, playing very effectively on the Rink Rats’ 2nd line and specialty teams. Mike Cammalleri, the team’s leading scorer with 13 points in 16 games stated that Bouwmeester’s return gives them something they were missing before – leadership. “He’s definitely our leader on the ice and in the locker room. He plays an important role at both ends of the ice and our record shows how important he is to our team. We have some ground to make up, but hopefully our guys can start putting in some goals and we can make a run”.

In other Rink Rat’s news David Krejci & Kyle Cumiskey were reassigned to Minnesota’s WFHL affiliate in Duluth. Krejci, 22, had 3 goals and 2 assists in the 8 games he played this season with Minnesota and carried a plus-1 rating. Head Coach Barry Melrose stated, “This is only temporary for David. He’s a terrific young player and we’re really excited to see him in our lineup again really soon. David needs to continue to improve on his game at both ends of the ice and if he continues the progress he’s made already he’ll be a 1st line star for us real soon”.

The Rink Rats have a few upcoming crucial games against conference teams like the Cats, Voodoo, Bulls and Dynamite. The team is hoping LW Derek Roy can break his slump and start putting in some goals. Roy has 1 goal and 9 assists in 16 games thus far and has really struggled to find the net. Melrose will continue to move Roy around in the lineup to hopefully help increase his production.

Minnesota's New Year Resolution - Get Some Wins

2009-01-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

Following a 3 hour meeting with Minnesota management, Barry Melrose was asked what his team’s New Year’s resolution was. His reply - “To get some wins“. Melrose has been reported to be on the hot seat with his team going 1-8-2 in the first 11 games of the season. GM Rink Rat stated that the Rink Rats are not living up to expectations and Melrose needs to work on improving the squad. “By no means do we expect to be the best team in the league right now, but Barry needs to shake up this squad and get some wins. We’ve been playing garbage hockey and we can’t make excuses. Bouwmeester’s been out so that’s hurt us a lot, I know, but we need to come to the rink prepared game-in and game-out and that’s what Melrose is paid to do. We gave him a lot of money in the offseason to coach this squad and if he’s not going to do it someone else will. If things continue we're going to make some changes before the All-Star break”.

Melrose has struggled to find the right line combinations in the team’s first 11 games and as a result the team finds itself near the bottom of the league. Part of that may be their road struggles, going 0-6-1 on the road thus far this season. Stars like Ryan Miller and Derek Roy have also have contributed to the team’s struggles with poor performances thus far. Miller, a returning MVP runner-up and 2nd Team All-Star, has a 4.66 goals against average and has a save percentage of .859. Roy a team captain has a plus/minus of -3 and has only 1 goal and 6 assists in 11 games played.

GM did praise recent call-ups David Krejci and Kyle Cumiskey who have both been able to contribute offensively. Krejci has played limited time on the squad’s 3rd line and has 2 goals and 2 assists in 6 games played. Most impressive though is that Krejci is a plus 2 with the rest of the team carrying a negative plus/minus rating.

Rats Acquire Shattenkirk

2008-12-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Rink Rats have announced the acquisition of Kevin Shattenkirk, a highly-touted defensive prospect currently playing in the NCAA. In exchange for Shattenkirk Minnesota sent RW Petr Kalus and a 4th round pick in the upcoming draft to the Harlem Hoodrats. Kalus has seen a decrease in playing time since Patrick O’Sullivan was moved to right wing and was recently a healthy scratch that was sent to the minors.

Kalus wasn’t quite about his recent demotion and many in Minnesota were concerned about how his behavior would affect the team. The organization knew they were dealing with a bit of an ego and decided to make a move sending the speedy young winger to Harlem.

“We are delighted to be bringing in a fine prospect like Kevin to this organization”, stated GM LaDouceur. “We’re hoping Kevin will progress into a solid, top-4 defenseman in the future and he provides great leadership and an ability to play in the offensive zone. He’s played very well thus far in college and we’re excited to see what he can do once he’s ready to play in the big leagues”.

Minnesota has been off to somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde season thus far. They have shown traces of their abilities against squads like the Vipers, the Fighting Irish & the Saints but have also played very poorly in other games that have been played going 1-4-2 in their first 7 games played.

Clearly the team is missing Captain Jay Bouwmeester who has been out because of an upper body injury the past 4 games. Bouwmeester is expected to make a full recovery but will be out of the lineup the next few weeks. The team has recently found a spark on their 3rd line since the callup of David Krejci. Krejci has played in 2 games and has 2 assists in those games sparking the play of linemates Rob Schremp and Darcy Tucker.

Minnesota’s first two lines has been up and down and has been lead by Matthew Lombardi who has 4 goals and an assist through 7 games. Head Coach, Barry Melrose stated that he’ll continue to mix up his lines and hopes to see improved play from winger Derek Roy who has yet to find the back of the net.

WHL15 Season Outlook

2008-12-30T14:30:00.000-08:00

Cammalleri, a highly skilled, speedy, offensive threat. The addition
of Cammalleri provides Minnesota with a proven scoring option that can play all 3 positions up front. In exchange for Cammalleri, Minnesota dealt prospect Dustin Boyd, a WHL16 draft pick and Chuck Kobasew, a potential scoring threat that has taken some time to develop and received a couple of upcoming draft picks as well. Cammalleri will fit in well on the Rink Rat’s first line with Derek Roy and Patrick O’Sullivan.

“Cammalleri is a guy that has scored at every level he’s played and I feel very confident he’ll be able to help us offensively,” said Head Coach, Barry Melrose. “I feel as though we have an improved team over last season and think we have a strong shot to make the playoffs again this season”.

The playoffs will be no easy task for Minnesota as many WHL teams are boasting improved rosters. Within their conference look for the Cats, Orcas and Fighting Irish to see improvements over last season and with the likes of strong clubs like the Bulls, Express, Voodoo, Dropkicks and Timberjacks the division will be pretty competitive again this season.

Minnesota will expect big things out of returning Hart Trophy runner-up Ryan Miller to help carry the team again. The defense looks to be somewhat improved over last season with Brent Burns looking pretty sharp in team training camp. Word has it that Burns is looking like he’ll be one of the best in the league and will most likely be paired with Captain Jay Bouwmeester on the squad’s first line and power play units. The remainder of the team will look like this:

Left Wing
Derek Roy
Geoff Sanderson
Rob Schremp
Mike York

Center
Patrick O'Sullivan
Matthew Lombardi
Alexei Yashin
Kris Beech

Right Wing
Michael Cammalleri
Darcy Tucker
Richard Park
Petr Kalus

Defense
Jay Bouwmeester
Brent Burns
Derek Morris
Toni Lydman
Mike VanRyn
Karel Rachunek
Shane Hnidy

Goal
Ryan Miller
John Graham

Farm
David Krejci
TJ Hensick
Tyler Kennedy
Jimmy Howard
Ryan Potulny
Petteri Norkelainen
Kyle Cumiskey
Brian Elliott
Casey Borer

WHL15 Offseason Report

2008-12-30T14:29:00.001-08:00

With the draft completed and the season about to hit full swing the Minnesota Rink Rats have a lot of new faces and an optimistic view for the new season. That optimism is a result of returning goaltender Ryan Miller who was voted to the WHL’s 2nd team All-Star squad and was a close second in voting for the Hart & Vezina Trophies. Miller returns behind the same defense as a season ago but will have a new-look offense in front of them. That offense will be lead by new Rink Rat Patrick O’Sullivan and Derek Roy. O’Sullivan is a solid player who could very well up 40 goals and 40 assists and Roy is a small but speedy winger who is a great setup man and strong finisher.

Jay Bouwmeester returns to the squad and is expected to be named team captain. Bouwmeester will likely be paired with returning defenseman Brent Burns whom the team expects will be much improved with an offseason of hard work and conditioning. The rest of the defense will be rounded out with Derek Morris, Toni Lydman, Mike VanRyn & Karel Rachunek.

Other new faces include newly drafted TJ Hensick, Tyler Kennedy & Brian Elliott along with Ryan Potulny & Alexei Yashin whom were acquired via trade and free agency. The remainder of the offense will be a question mark as the team expects to return the likes of Chuck Kobasew who can put up 20 goals if he stays healthy, Darcy Tucker, Dustin Boyd, Rob Schremp, Matthew Lombardi and possibly David Krejci and Petr Kalus depending on the health of the team.

We recently sat down with GM Rink Rat to ask some questions on the upcoming season and here’s what he had to say:

Q: How do you feel about your draft this season?
A: I feel pretty good about what we were able to do in this year’s draft. There were a lot of great talents in this draft and every GM coming out of it has to be pretty happy with the exception of maybe one club who missed out. We had targeted both TJ Hensick & Tyler Kennedy for our two 2nd round picks and luckily we were able to acquire them. I think both players have a strong chance of playing for our 2nd or 3rd lines next season. We needed help in goal with the possible departure of John Graham in the next season so we picked up Elliott in the 3rd round. We had both Elliott & Greiss targeted as potential 4th round picks but without a pick in that round we had to grab up Elliott in the 3rd. We're happy with that pick and we think he'll help provide us with added depth in the future.

Q: You had Derek Roy on the trade block before the draft. What happened?
A: We came close to making a move but when the player we were targeting at a certain pick got drafted, we decided to stick with Roy. Roy is a tremendous talent with good speed and a great ability to setup his linemates. If we move him it has to be right for our team and our future.

Q: Where do you see this squad finishing during this season?
A: We’ll have to see how the rosters play out. Our division has gotten so good it’s really going to be a struggle. The Cats, Orcas and Cougars will all have improved clubs and this is in a division that already has clubs like the Bulls, Express, Timberjacks, Voodoo, Dropkicks & Fighting Irish. I think our team is going to be fairly comparable to last season, maybe a tad better with an improved Brent Burns on dee, but it’s going to be a tougher division for sure.

Q: Long-term, how does this team look?
A: With our current squad I think we’re 2 seasons away from being a good solid club. A lot of our guys are still trying to figure things out, but I think that they’re not too far off and will have a good chance to put us into contention if they stay healthy and can continue to improve. Guys like David Krejci, Dustin Boyd, TJ Hensick & Rob Schremp all have top-6 potential and give us a good arsenal of options on offense in the upcoming seasons. Plus we have a strong core group of guys like Burns, Bouwmeester, Roy & O’Sullivan that are still in their young 20’s and are improving. O’Sullivan could turn out to be a 50 goal scorer and Roy could end up scoring 80 points each season for the next 6 years. We also have players like Chuck Kobasew & Matthew Lombardi that have put up numbers in the past and have strong potential if they can continue to be consistent. Lombardi is one of the fastest players in the league and we hope his speed and playmaking can put some points on the
board. Right now we’re taking it one game at a time and we’ll see what happens.

Q: Are there any players that you’re currently shopping on the trade block?
A: We like our squad but yeah I think there are still needs that need to be filled. Right now we’re looking for a 2nd line right wing or center for our squad and have Chuck Kobasew, Toni Lydman, Rob Schremp, Matthew Lombardi, Dustin Boyd, Darcy Tucker, Petteri Norkelainen & Petr Kalus available. Roy’s name has been mentioned in a few deals but so far no offer has been good enough to make that move.

Thanks for being here with us and ggood luck to you and your club on the upcoming season.

WHL14 Season Review

2008-12-30T14:22:00.001-08:00

After what could be considered a surprise season for many owners in the WHL, the Minnesota Rink Rats ended their "cinderella" season with a 4-game sweep at the hands of the Edmonton Express. The Rink Rats, ranked 7th in the Campbell Conference at season's end, made the playoffs for the 1st time in 5 seasons and more than doubled the team's wins from the previous season.

The team relied on the strong play of MVP candidate Ryan Miller and Captain Marc Savard to turn around the team's fortune and bring success back to this storied franchise. Solid play from young players such as Derek Roy, Nikolai Zherdev, Jay Bouwmeester & Jamie Heward as well as the addition of veterans like Darcy Tucker and Brian Leetch before the trade deadline helped lift the team to the playoffs, but in the end the Express proved too much.

The offseason will provide a few question marks for Minnesota as to the direction of the club. The team will most likely return with a core nucleus consisting of Derek Roy, Brent Burns, Jay Bouwmeester and Ryan Miller but has some question marks as to the status of the rest of the roster. Players such as Darcy Tucker, Geoff Sanderson, Mike VanRyn, Karel Rachunek, Mike York and Josef Vasicek are considered to be on Minnesota's trade block to bring in a few extra picks for this year's draft. Rumors have also swirled that Minnesota may again consider moving Captain Marc Savard who still provides quite a bit of scoring potential, to get into the 1st round of this year’s draft plus a rookie or prospect. Johnny Oduya, Nikolai Zherdev, Rob Schremp and Dustin Boyd may also be on the move if the right offer were in place.

“We’re going to consider all our options and go from there” stated GM LaDouceur. “We’ve got a solid group of players on this team and a couple that are on the verge of going to the next level. We need to continue to find ways to improve and develop our young players. I'm real proud of what we did this season. We're a young club and to improve that much was nice to see. Our fans treat us well in Minnesota and they deserved to watch a winning club.”

Rats Add Offensive Firepower

2008-03-09T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Rink Rats are on a roll and they look to increase their recent winning ways with some key new additions. The team has announced that they have sent young defenseman Brent Seabrook to the Toronto Stallions in exchange for veteran right winger Darcy Tucker and young phenom Rob Schremp.

"This move is big for us," exclaimed Head Coach Barry Melrose. "It automatically gives us two strong lines and makes us good playoff contenders. I think we had one of the best young defenses in the league with Jay Bouwmeester, Brent Burns & Brent Seabrook so it's hard seeing Seabrook go, but this also gives us an immediate impact and also allows us to think about our future with a guy that has the offensive potential like Schremp. This move means we need to bring in some extra help on defense and we are currently talking to a few teams about that help. We hope to have something completed real soon".

Minnesota's defense has been a bit shaky lately as Ryan Miller recently had a two game streak where he had to stop 93 of 96 shots to get his wins. The team says that it is proud of their defense and feels that players such as Burns, Johnny Oduya and Kyle Cumiskey are developing very nicely and will hopefully be able to make a stronger impact next season as they continue their progress. Still, the team has not ruled out the idea of moving the aforementioned Oduya, Cumiskey, Schremp or even 1st round pick Dustin Boyd to bring in some extra help on defense.

Miller Receives Honor

2008-02-24T20:22:00.000-08:00

Ryan Miller was recently named second runner-up for player of the week. Miller put up incredible numbers during his stretch. He had a 2.35 goal against average as well as a .925 save percentage. However, clearly not by his fault we finished the week with 1 win in 4 games.

Minnesota has been in search for a little more offensive all season. Team GM has stated that the team doesn't want to jeopardize their future by getting rid of star young talent such as Nikolai Zherdev & Derek Roy to obtain a player that may or may not help them in their short-term run. Look for Minnesota to shop Brent Seabrook or Brent Burns to obtain a young centermen the second half of this season.

Sanderson Passes 1,000 Games

2008-02-21T22:12:00.000-08:00

A recent milestone was accomplished in Minnesota as Rink Rats veteran Geoff Sanderson surpassed 1,000 games. Sanderson, who was an All Star last season, has 16 goals and 34 points this season and is 3rd on team scoring for Minnesota.

Sanderson stated after the game, "It's been great playing on this club and I feel privileged to have had such a long and lustrous career. I love playing for Minnesota and hope to retire a Rink Rat".

Sanderson recently turned 36 years old and is slowly approaching the end of his career. Minnesota had him on their trade block earlier this season but have kept him in hopes of a playoff run and believed his leadership could help their young club.

All-Star Weekend In Full Force

2008-02-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

The WHL All-Star Weekend is in full effect. Many of the WHL’s finest have gathered to compete in the festivities. This year the WHL has added new concepts in the WHL Young Stars Game & Skills Challenge. Some of the WHL’s most promising young stars have battled it out in Niagara in what could surely be the future of the WHL All-Star Game.

The Minnesota Rink Rats had a strong presence in the Young Stars Game with 3 defensemen and 1 forward competing in the Young Stars Game. Minnesota’s Brent Burns scored the Campbell Conference’s lone goal with an assist credited to Ladislav Smid. Smid & Burns were joined by teammates Brent Seabrook & Dustin Boyd representing the Campbell Conference in the Young Stars Game.

Minnesota had 1 player participating in the All-Star Game as well in young goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller will play as the 3rd string goaltender for the Campbell Conference behind Bulls goaltender Tomas Vokoun & Martin Brodeur. Miller seemed shaky at times in the Skills Competition allowing 3 goals in the shootout but then stopping 2 of 3 in a sudden death shootout. Perhaps nerves got the better of the young goaltender early on but he showed his true colors late in the contest.

In other Rink Rats news, the team has announced that they've put young defenseman Ladislav Smid back on the trade block looking for similar value in a young forward. Teams that are interested are asked to send in trade requests immediately to be reviewed by GM Rink Rat. "We're looking for a young forward who we may be able to use this year. We'd like to see someone with a shot of 6 or better so we're asking teams to send in offers and we'll review our options. Smid is still a great young defenseman and could help many teams in their future".

Mid-Season Awards

2008-01-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

We're almost half way through this season so Minnesota writers have huddled together (literally - it's freaking freezing in Minneapolis right now) and came out with their midseason awards for the WHL. Here is their compilation of thoughts:

Hart (MVP)
1. Alex Tanguay - Where would the Sparrows be without Tanguay's talents? Tanguay truly is the leader of one of the league's most surprising teams. He continues to be one of the league's top scorers and has all of the skills and talents to continue straight through the playoffs.
2. Marek Svatos - Svatos is not only the WHL's leading scorer but he's also one of the quickest, most creative and most exciting young players in the game today. Svatos has been a treat for Las Vegas fans all season as the Bulls continue to be one of the best teams in the WHL.
3. Ryan Miller - Take Ryan Miller out of Minnesota's lineup and where would they be this season? Probably not in position to make the playoffs for the first time in 5 seasons. Minnesota fans are going nuts for this kid and are optimistic about their future because of his strong play all season.

Norris
1. Marc-Andre Bergeron - Bergeron is one of the league's top scoring defenseman but has also been strong in his own zone. Bergeron has 41 points and is plus 11 this season. Bergeron has been one of the main reasons for the Sparrow's success this season.
2. Dan Boyle - Boyle has been absolutely awesome with his strong play for the Citadels. Rumored to be on the trade block earlier in the year because of the depth on the Citadel's point, the Citadels have to be happy they hung onto him.
3. Brad Stuart - There were a lot of votes for many players in this 3rd spot, but the consensus was Stuart. Stuart is one of the league's better offensive defensemen and hopes to help turn around HC Slavia's early season misfortune.

Vezina
1. Tomas Vokoun - Vokoun is the best goalie on the league's best team. He ranks No. 1in wins, save percentage shut outs and goals against average. Although he's got a lot of help in front of him, it's hard to not appreciate what this kid is doing in Las Vegas.
2. Kari Lehtonen - Lehtonen has been lights out all season. The Citadels are one of the league's best teams and Lehtonen has played a big part in that. He ranks 2nd in GAA, save percentage & shut outs behind No 1 Tomas Vokoun.
3. Ryan Miller - Miller is one of the league's most valuable players but he's not the best goaltender this season. There were votes for many players in this position as well but Miller has played awesome all season long and is one of the league's top young goalies. Of the top 5 leaders in save percentage, Miller has more shots against him then any other goalie. He doesn't have the help in front of him that other teams do and that's what puts him on this list.

Surprise Underachiever (Team)
1. Badgers - The Badgers looked as though they had a bit of playoff hangover starting out this season. The team had a rough start and was among the lowest rated teams in the Campbell Conference. The team has since rebounded and are looking to charge their way into the playoffs for their second consecutive year.
2. Hoodrats - The Hoodrats are the 3rd worst team in the league this season above the Dynamite and Orcas. The Hoodrats have talent and depth but are one the league's oldest teams. It seems some of their guys don't have the legs they once used to and they'll be sellers around All Star break.
3. Saints - The Saints are a young, very talented team and although Minnesota writers put them on this list, they all acknowledge that the Saints will be one of the better teams in the WHL in future years. Kovalchuck is one of the league's top scorers and they have help on both the offensive and defensive side. I think people are surprised to see the team hovering near the bottom of the league's standings.

Surprise Overachiever (Team)
1. Fighting Irish - The Fighting Irish is one of the Campbell Conference's newest premier teams. The team is stacked with young talent and looks to be a strong team for many seasons to come.
2. Sparrows - Who would've thought before this season that the Sparrows would be on the verge of making the playoffs? The team has proven doubters wrong and with talent such as Alex Tanguay, Marc-Andre Bergeron and Martin Lapointe the Sparrows have proved doubters wrong. The team is currently in 8th place in the Wales Conference and doesn't look to stop winning games anytime soon.
3. Rink Rats - Minnesota was one of the league's worst teams last season. The team has seen improvements in many of their players and have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs this season. Despite a 9 game losing streak earlier this season, the Rink Rats have seen a lot of successes out of their team.

Team on the Rise
1. Badgers - The Badgers have been hot recently going 7-3 in their last 10. They're playing as well as any other team in the league. GM Olson surely shook his coach & team up after their early season woes and now the team is making a run for the playoffs. Look out for Badger, Badger, Badger.
2. HC Slavia - The Slavics are under new management and the team hopes to turn their season around in the 2nd half. The team has assets to sell off if they find their season going downhill close to the trade deadline.
3. Vipers - The Vipers have been buyers all season and GM Skidmore is still looking to bring in guys who can make an impact. The team has young assets and may look to sell some of their prospects in order to bring in high quality talent. They're 2 players away from being a playoff contender.

Surprise Overachiever (Player)
1. Anson Carter - Carter has surprised all of those in the WHL this season and has a legitimate shot at becoming a WHL All Star. The feisty veteran has provided leadership & points for the Fighting Irish the first half of this season which may be one of his last.
2. Manny Legace - He may not even be the best goaltender on his team but he's looking like one of the better goaltenders in the league this season. He ranks 4th in GAA and wins this season.
3. Carey Price - Price has only played 12 games this season but he's looked good when he plays. The Orcas have got a future star on their hands in Price.

Team Generates Wins Despite Loss of Roy

2008-01-16T22:41:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Rink Rats are without speedy young winger Derek Roy for the next 9 games but they're still finding ways to put the puck in the net. Roy, who has 28 points in 33 games, was injured late in the Rink Rats game against the Maniax earlier in the week.

Despite the loss of one of their top offensive players, the Rink Rats are still managing some wins. They've pulled off wins against the Bulls & Fighting Irish putting up some goals in the process. Head Coach Barry Melrose said he continues to feel optimism about the team's ability to put up wins and attributed a huge reason for their recent success to goalie Ryan Miller.

Rats Upset Bulls, Fighting Irish

2008-01-16T22:39:00.001-08:00

Minnesota is riding a 2 game winning streak! That's right, a 2 game winning streak! After beating the Fighting Irish at home a couple of nights ago, the Rink Rats beat the no. 1 team in the league in the Las Vegas Bulls on the road last night. This increased their lead to 5 points in the Campbell Conference for the 8th and final playoff spot.

GM LaDouceur stated, "It's pretty nice to see the guys win again. We were riding a 9 game losing streak coming into our game the other night and beat one of the better teams in our conference in the Fighting Irish. Then we beat the Bulls 7-3 in what I consider our best game we've played since I took over".

In other Rats news, Ryan Miller remains second in voting for Campbell Conference All Stars. Last night's game had to prove his worth in stopping 45 of 48 Bulls shots. The Rats have a strong contender in Marc Savard who is currently out of the top 3 in his conference's voting but Head Coach Barry Melrose hopes GMs will recognize his worth & value to the club and vote him in. This year's series will feature a Young Stars game which features some of the WHL's future finest young players. Stipulations for the contest have yet to be set but Minnesota could see Brent Burns, Nikolai Zherdev, Brent Seabrook Dustin Boyd and possibly Derek Roy & Jay Bouwmeester depending on age limits. With these guys at the helm, it looks like there is a good future in store for Minnesota!

Losing Ways Continue

2007-12-28T12:10:00.001-08:00

In the return of starting goaltender Ryan Miller, Minnesota could feel only optimism about its chances against the Kelowna Cats. Team officials called the game the single most important game of the season up to this point when Minnesota was looking to break their 7 game losing streak against Kelowna.

The game started out even with a 0-0 tie going into the second period. Former Rink Rat Martin Rucinsky broke the scoring to take a quick lead in the second period and the Cats never looked back.

"They had a nice second period and unfortunately we didn't have enough to stop them tonight," said captain Marc Savard. "We were hoping to come out strong since Ryan is back and healthy but they just outplayed us. This makes our next game that much more important."

The Rink Rats' only goal came late in the 3rd period from rookie winger Petr Kalus when he was set up with a nice back-door goal from Matthew Lombardi. Ryan Miller made 24 of 28 saves in his return to the club. The Rink Rats are currently in 8th place in their conference, 3 games ahead of the Detroit Cougars.

Krejci Impresses Coaching Staff

2007-12-28T11:34:00.000-08:00

Rookie centermen David Krejci has been looking sharp and this has not gone unnoticed by Rink Rats coaching staff. Through 19 games this season in the WFHL, Krejci is the second leading scorer in the league with 13 goals and 17 assists. His offensive potential was what impressed Rink Rat's scouts when they drafted him with the 30th overall pick in last year's draft.

"We're excited with how well David has played this season," said GM LaDouceur. "When we picked him up in the second round in this year's draft, we knew we were getting a guy that had a nose for the net and can set up great plays. We really hope David can find a role with the Rink Rats club sometime in the next 2 seasons".

Krejci will have a new test when he skates on a line without Brandon Bochenski who was recently recalled to the Vipers. The two have played the majority of the season on the same line and with Bochenski gone, Krejci will be on his own. Bochenski has 14 goals and 12 assists on the season.

Rats Recall Boyd

2007-12-26T20:51:00.000-08:00

With the return of goaltender Ryan Miller, the Rink Rats have sent down Jimmy Howard to clear up a roster spot for rookie left winger Dustin Boyd. Boyd has been a healthy scratch the last 6 games but has provided plenty of offense throughout the rest of the 24 games he's played this season. Boyd is currently 6th in WHL rookie scoring with 15 points.

"It feels good being able to skate with the guys again," Boyd said. "It's been hard watching them the past few games and wishing I could help as they've struggled. We're all hoping we can turn things around a bit and make a run".

The Rats head to Kelowna to take on the Cats. The conference game will be a big test for the Rats as they've lost 7 straight.

Rats On Downward Skid

2007-12-26T17:37:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Rink Rats are falling hard. The team is on a 7 game losing streak and will play the Kelowna Catss on the road in their next game. Since moving to Minnesota, the team has been successful but injuries have limited them in their recent streak.

"We've had a couple of guys out of the lineup and have been banged up a bit. Ryan Miller has been out the last 6 games and we've also seen Toni Lydman and Karel Rachunek sit out because of injuries", said head coach Barry Melrose.

Miller is expected to return against Kelowna which only adds optimism for the club. The club hopes his return will mean a return to winning games. "If you take a look at the last 6 games and what it's meant for us to have Ryan out of the lineup, I think there's no question he is the MVP of our team. Ryan is the definition of a MVP type player. He goes down and we can't win a game. If he stays healthy the rest of the way, he should be an All-Star and be a good contender for the Vezina and Hart trophies."

In other Rink Rats news, the club has been in talks with other teams about bringing in a new defenseman or winger. Minnesota is looking for a youthful defenseman that brings some offensive upside to his game. The team lacks depth at left wing, so it is also looking at trading a draft pick for a veteran wing that could play on their 2nd or 3rd line.

GM LaDouceur said this about his players, "Ultimately to be competitive this season, we're going to have to make a move or two. The Cats and Fighting Irish have both made positive moves in the last couple of weeks to help their clubs and we need to do the same to compete. If we don't, we will have to evaluate things at the All-Star break to see where we're going. Our team has guys that are young enough now and are still quality players, it will be our more veteran players like Lydman or Savard that we will have to think about their future with the club."

Speedy Chemistry

2007-12-26T17:17:00.000-08:00

Marc Savard & Derek Roy have become a lethal combination of speed and offense. The two have combined up for a lot of goals this season, playing the majority of their ice time together on even strength and power play lines. Savard has 14 goals and 36 points through 28 games this season and Roy has 5 goals and is among the league leaders in assists with 21.

Savard stated, "We play well together. Derek is a great young player and has a lot of potential. He worked real hard in the offseason to get himself to where he's at today. I think he's one of the better playmakers already in this league and I'm looking forward to seeing what he does in the future.

Head Coach Barry Melrose has stated on numerous occasions that Roy & Savard could someday be the best duo in the WHL if they continue to play on the same line & team. "These two guys are so fast and creative with the puck that other teams have this quiet fear of the two. We like having them paired up on the same line. We like the idea of keeping Derek on the wing but there's always an opportunity to move Roy to center and I have no doubt that between Savard & Roy, defenses will have a lot to worry about with our first two lines.

Roy exclaimed, "It's been great playing with a guy like Marc. He's a solid centermen – one of the best in the game. I hope he's around all the way through so we can continue to build on our already strong chemistry".

Silent Scorer

2007-12-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

One of Minnesota's biggest surprises this season has been the strong play of centermen Josef Vasicek. Through 28 games this season, Vasicek has 15 goals and 23 points making him one of the top 5 goal scorers on the club. Last season, Vasicek scored 15 goals and had 33 assists in 72 games.

Vasicek credits an increase in talent and depth throughout the roster with his improvements. "I don't really feel like I've improved at all from last season", Vasicek stated. "The team has changed a lot in the last year. We have experienced a number of improvements on the club and I think this has been a big part of why I'm playing better this season. Playing on a line with guys likes Kobasew or Park and against other teams' 3rd lines rather then 1st line has made a positive impact on my game".

Vasicek was rumored to be on the move part way through this season and showed little interest from other GM's. "That surprised us a bit", stated GM LaDouceur. "We thought that because of his size and his ability to put the puck in the net that he would draw a bit more interest from other GM's and that wasn't the case. It wasn't that we were displeased with his production; it was more of a case where we had needs at other positions and wanted to try and use his value to increase our depth within our needs.

Rachunek Adds Spark to Roster

2007-12-26T17:12:00.001-08:00

Karel Rachunek is enjoying his time playing in the WHL again. After returning from his hiatus from the WHL, Rachunek has found time playing on the 2nd and 3rd lines of the Minnesota Rink Rats club. On the season, Rachunek has played in 23 games and has 15 points.

Head Coach Barry Melrose stated, "Karel provides some great puck movement and experience for our club. We're happy to have him playing for us this year and he has been a tremendous part of our success thus far"."The one thing with Karel is that we wish he would take more shots. He's got 15 shots on the year and 1 goal. I know he doesn't have the hardest shot in the league but he does have a good one and we want to see him use that a little more".

Karel stated, "I'm happy to be part of this Minnesota team. I think I fit in well with their concept and we're having a great season thus far. Hopefully our success will continue and I can retire with this Minnesota club".