Casey Pierro-Zabotel learning Pro game

Photo Courtesy of Wheeling Nailers Hockey Club

Casey Pierro-Zabotel is living his dream. The 21 year old Shushwap Nation member is in his first professional season, lacing up his skates for the Wheeling Nailers after signing a three-year entry level deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Though very talented, Pierro-Zabotel lit up the Western Hockey League last season, he’s got a lot to learn about the game.

And it’s a grind too. His team, the Wheeling Nailers have played a stretch of twenty games in forty two days with added travel.

His coach, Greg Puhalski says that’s what pro hockey is all about.

“You have to find a way,” said Puhalski. “Talent only takes you so far. The guys who succeed are the ones who perform consistently.”

“He’s got all the tools necessary to be a good pro,” said Puhalski.  “He sees the ice well and distributes the puck. He’s learning what it’s like to be a pro, in turn what we expect from him is daily improvement.”

Puhalski says Pierro-Zabotel could rely on his talent in junior but talent alone won’t cut it in professional hockey. “It’s a big step for junior kids getting adjusted to playing pro. There are stronger smarter players, defenceman are bigger.”

He agrees.

“There’s always someone trying to take your job,” said Pierro-Zabotel. “But hockey is my life and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

That’s just the on ice stuff.

Casey is just three months into fatherhood too.

His son was born just after training camp.

“He’s just started sleeping through the night so that’s a relief,” said Pierro-Zabotel. “It’s been unbelievable having him around.”

There is a difference between him and his mostly single teammates just out of junior.

He has a family.

“I don’t like to go out without my wife so it makes it an easy decision,” said Pierro-Zabotel of his preference to head home rather than head out for a pop with the boys after a game. “It makes it easier having her here. It’s comforting and helps me out a lot.”

“I’ve just got to keep going, pick up on offence and continue to improve and I’ll jump to the AHL next year.”

Kimbi Daniels Reflects on his Career

Photo Courtesy of Anchorage Daily News

He's played hockey every winter since he was a kid and for the first time in over thirty years, Kimbi Daniels isn't heading to the rink. At 38, he's all but made his retirement from hockey official.
With impending knee surgery in his immediate future and barring any miracles, Daniels has decided to call it a career. "I haven't prepared to play this summer. It hasn't entered my mind. I was resigned to last season being my last," said the veteran centre matter-of-factly.
In fact he's always been that way.
During his Western Hockey League days, a younger Daniels skipped the All Star game after being named to the roster. His rationale?
"It (the game) didn't mean anything," said Daniels
And prior to the 1990 draft, he told his coach flatly that the battle between 'Mike Ricci and I' for first overall was set to begin.
"That's Kimbi," said one scout who has watched him throughout his career. "But he's one of the smarter hockey players I've seen. He's adjusted his game these last few years as he's gotten older but he's smart that's for sure."
Daniels has to be smart, his pro career has lasted eighteen years, more than four times the average of most professional players.
He's been successful too, winning two ECHL championships, a European title and lost in the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Final in 1995.
After spending the last eight years in Anchorage, Alsaska, he's decided to settle down there. "It's nice. Similar to Canada from people to the weather," said Daniels. "It's the first place I've played that I would consider living. The city isn't too big."
That's important to him now because he has a young family.
"Yeah," smiled Daniels. "When I came up here it was only for a couple of years."
"When I was younger I moved around lots and I enjoyed it because I was by myself. Now I have a wife and two kids and it's a little different. That's even when you're done playing. It's a dilemma every couple of years. Maybe I just want to keep my kids in the same area."
"The further you go you realize how hard it is to stay and make it," said Daniels of playing professional hockey. "I just think it's as much being in the right place at the right time as anything," said Daniels. "I don't think guys in the minors realize how close they are to making the NHL."
"They wouldn't look out of place," added Daniels.
"In the nineties if you could get into the NHL and play they weren't looking to add skill guys and some guys got frozen out."
"Clutchers and grabbers made the last two lines up there," said Daniels. "I think there a lot of good players in the minors who were there because of the style. It was almost robotic."
But he says he likes what he sees now in the NHL.
"There's no doubt the skill level that they have now is probably the highest it's ever been."
Daniels is remarkably honest about his career.
"It could be if I were unquestionably a great hockey player I would have made it no matter what."
He remembers the moment when it dawned on him that he would never see the NHL again. After finishing amongst the top playoff scorers for the Hamilton Bulldogs and losing in the Calder Cup finals, he wasn't offered a contract for the next season. "I knew I had no chance at the NHL again and I was only 25.
Daniels says he thought he would be offered an NHL contract but nothing happened.
"My options have been limited over the years, there's no doubt," said Daniels in hindsight. "But I've managed well. I always seemed to play on good teams in good cities."
And there's no small measure of satisfaction in his own observation that if all of his General Managers and coaches were polled about his performance and work ethic they would say 'good things' about him.
"It's (the game) done a lot, I've seen the world all of North America and Canada, forged some great relationships and allowed me to be prepared for just about any situation."
"It's helped me in so many ways.
"I wasn't making a million dollars in the last ten years but I was doing okay. I had a great job I never considered a job. I wanted to play as long as I could.
While it might seem cliche, the fact is this veteran journeyman measures his career not by listing stats or championship highlights, but how he felt lacing up game after game for nearly two decades as a pro.
"I don't regret anything. I don't think I could have changed anything.
I think I played my last game the same way I played my first game of junior," said Daniels. "I was just happy to go to the rink and play."

Wacey Rabbit plays key role for his AHL club

Photo by Jonathan Kozub

(NHN)-Wacey Rabbit is one step from his dream of playing in the NHL. But it’s a big step. Rabbit, 23, plays hockey for the American League’s Milwaukee Admirals, the primary affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

He’s a newcomer to Milwaukee this year, signing an NHL contract with the Preds during the off season. He’s risked a lot to sign with Nashville considering he was playing on Providence’s top line last year.

The change in NHL organizations happened overnight. In fact, Rabbit had to scramble to make training camp on time. “I didn’t know until probably the last minute,” said Rabbit. “I still have some of my stuff at my ex-girlfriend’s place. Whenever I get a chance I’ll have to go down there and pick it up.”

“I was there for three years and it was tough leaving there,” he admitted. “But they didn’t qualify me and I had some European offers and one from the KHL.”

But those offers aren’t a stepping stone to the National Hockey League.

“You don’t grow up wanting to play in Europe,” said Rabbit rather succinctly. “Obviously I’m still young and I can chase my dream.”

“With Boston I think they’re going in a different direction. They like bigger guys,” said Rabbit, who stands 5-9 and weighs 175 pounds. “I think Nashville kind of suits my style. They are defensive oriented and play fast at the same time.”

His numbers are down from last season when he played with Providence but his coach says there is a reason for that. “What’s happening with him is the stats are misleading,” said Lambert. “He’s playing in a more defensive role for us this year. In fairness to him he hasn’t had a great deal of opportunity to put up similar numbers to what he did last year.”

“He doesn’t complain. He just does his job.”

“He’s exactly what I expected we were getting,” said Lambert. “He’s very responsible, plays hard and is very professional in his approach to the game.”

“I wouldn’t call him a call-up right now,” said Lambert. “He’s still a prospect and continues to develop certain areas of his game.”

“With him it’s a matter of time will tell. He’s got some hurdles to overcome. He’s not a drafted guy and hasn’t been in the Nashville organization for a lengthy period of time.”

“But he is headed in the right direction.”

“Wacey does things that leaders do. He blocks shots and sacrifices himself for his team. That combined with his skating and creativity on offence makes him a pretty well rounded player.”

Colton Yellow Horn finds a home-Coach says he has 'Major League' talent

 Photo by Amy Gutierrez/Allen Americans

Colton Yellow Horn has finally landed somewhere. He’s signed with the Central Hockey League’s Allen Americans for the remainder of this season and although he’s excited about going to a young club, he’s seen the difference between junior hockey and the professional game.

Yellow Horn says there are less mistakes made in pro hockey.

Leafs GM Burke makes major move

Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke and his Western Canadian counterpart, Flames GM Brian Sutter pulled the trigger on a trade that sent seven players to new destinations, including former all-star defenceman Dion Phaneuf who now heads to the Big Smoke in exchange for defenceman Ian White.

Other players changing addresses in that deal are Matt Stajan, Niklas Hagman and Jamal Myers who requested a trade earlier this season are heading to Calgary.

Keith Aulie goes from Cowtown to Toronto's AHL affiliate, the Marlies  and winger Fredrik Sjostrom.

Burke also sent Jason Blake and goaltender Vesa Toskala to Anaheim in exchange for goaltender J.S. Giguere.

Jamie Leach

Jamie Leach may never be known as one of the greatest Aboriginal players to don the blades, but he’s a winner.

The evidence is worn on his fingers, two Stanley Cup rings (92 and 93), two Allan Cup rings (03 and 06) and a Calder cup ring (96) as well.

It doesn’t end there either.

Leach won two British Elite League titles while playing overseas for the Nottingham Panthers (99 and 2000) and Sheffield Steelers.

Manitoba's biggest hockey fan

Supplied Photo

Carol Francis-Stenger may well be Manitoba's greatest hockey fan.
The Maliseet elder has been a regular at both Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose hockey games for years, holding season tickets for the Moose since their inception in 1996.
Prior to that, she saw almost every Winnipeg Jets home game during their NHL existence and their last year in the WHA.

Rochester Americans Owner building from bottom up

Ohsweken,

Ontario(NHN)-Curt Styres doesn't see what the big deal is.
By his own admission he’s just a guy who loves sports. But when you’re a successful First Nations businessman, you can do a little more than the next guy.
Last summer was his biggest moment yet for the successful Styres.

Ted Nolan back in hockey

Ted Nolan back in hockey

It's been a long learning curve for Ted Nolan. The former Jack Adams award winner as the NHL's top coach is back in professional hockey.

Dan McCourt

Danny McCourt isn't a flashy guy. In fact, he's about as easy going as it gets. But he may be the man most solely responsible for shaping the way the game is called at the National Hockey League Level for the next twenty years.

And he's Native.